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Buddle replaces Donovan for USMNT

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan has withdrawn from the U.S. national team for the upcoming friendlies against Honduras and Ecuador, and he'll be replaced by his former Los Angeles Galaxy teammate, Edson Buddle.

Donovan, who looked to suffer a bit of a knock in the second half of the Galaxy's 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night, has a strained right quadriceps and will use the international break to recover.

Buddle, meanwhile, is in form for FC Ingolstadt 04, coming off a game this weekend in which he scored twice and assisted on another goal. He has five goals on the season for the 2. Bundesliga side and will make his return to the national team for the first time since the August friendly against Mexico.

What do you think of this development? Happy to see Buddle get the call? Disappointed Donovan won't be playing in the friendlies? How do you think this alters Jurgen Klinsmann's starting lineups for the two games?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. No love for Jozy, huh? I’m not sure what Agudelo has done to pass Jozy who’s scoring goals left and right and is still only 22(?) years old. I’m not hating on Agudelo, but let’s slow down a bit. I’d actually like to see them play together a little bit.

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  2. I appreciate your data analysis. Nicely done. However, what it doesn’t take into account is how many of those goals were scored on UEFA or Conmebol teams versus Concacaf teams.

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  3. Maybe my sarcasm meter is just off today, if so, ignore this. But if you’re serious, take a look at the following list of US players goals scored/games played ratios:

    Player A: 1 goal/3 games

    Player B: 1 goal/3.1 games

    Player C: 1 goal/3.2 games

    Player D: 1 goal/3.4 games

    Player E: 1 goal/3.5 games

    Player F: 1 goal/3.5 games

    Player G: 1 goal/7.5 games

    Not a huge list, but we don’t exactly have a history of goal scoring forwards/attacking mids to choose from. You’ll notice most of the players on that list average a goal once every 3 to 3.5 games or so. Would you say that player A “never scores” when he puts on a nats uniform? What about players C and E? Because they all score at right around the same rate as Jozy (who is Player D by the way). Would you be clamoring for Player G to get more call ups instead of Jozy?

    Fact is, Players A,C and E are Donovan, McBride and Dempsey. I doubt you’d say those guys “never” score.

    And player G, who has exactly 2 goals in his 13 caps, is Juan Agudelo, who I’d bet is the guy you’d clamor for to replace Jozy.

    I know, I know. Why’d I have to go and bring facts into the discussion?

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  4. I think age matters more for players who rely on speed or quickness and less for players who rely more on strength, skill and tactics. That means players like Onyewu and Gomez might “age” better than Beasley or Findlay. Of course, it all depends, for example, Giggs is an exception in that he relied on his speed on the wing when he was younger, but his skill and tactical acumen have allowed him to extend his career beyond the time when he could simply blow past defenders.

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  5. we know what we get with Buddle. he’s a solid finisher and decent target man. but he has to have service. he’s not going to create anything. but right now, he’s in good form and the call up makes sense. but not to replace LD who plays out wide…

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  6. Mixx is 21 and Gatt is 20. We have multiple players in camp at the same age. There is no reason to have Jeff L. over either Mixx or Gatt. Hell, even Bedoya is playing now and deserves another look.

    And for the record, I’m not saying Buddle shouldn’t be here, he should. I just don’t think he is anything more than a depth player and I don’t understand replacing LD with a player like Buddle.

    I will say, I think this confirms Williams will play in the midfield, out wide, and not in the back. We don’t have many options now that LD is out.

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  7. The real question is why is JK replacing Donovan with a striker? Even though he may be listed as a striker in the USMNT line-up, he’s playing more wide right in a front three of a 4-3-3. Shouldn’t the replacement be more of a Beasley/Bedoya etc type player than a target forward like a Buddle?

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  8. Enough chances?? If anyone has been given way too many chances and still gets called up, it’s Jozy Altidore. That guy never scores for the Nats! He must have the lowest all time game to score ratio for any forward who ever played on the USMNT. Well, maybe second lowest, after Eddie Johnson.

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  9. +1000 I think is time for younger players to step up and get more call for the USNMT. Buddle, Gomez, Findley, Johnson are already been in the with the USNMT and they just can’t do it. Klismann is starting to be a bit of Bradley like. And here I thought he was going to be different and inject new blood into the National Team. OK except for the American/German that he’s bring in but Bradley did that too.

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  10. Our striker pool is still very shallow, not many to pick from. But this is a HUGE downgrade. I would rather see an energetic youngster than Buddle, who is scoring in a foreign league comparable to MLS.

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  11. Didier Drogba was at the top of his game in his thirties. Age has nothing to do with it.

    If Buddle can build on what he’s brewing in B2 and finds a niche in B1 come Brasil 2014 well “yippe” says I.

    If Gomez stays healthy and proves to be an effecive clutch goalscorer off the bench punch him a ticket, too.

    If Beasely’s and Onyewu’s current renaissance brings them back into USMNT contention that fantastic.

    Hell, if Brad Friedel hadn’t retired from international competition I bet he’d give Howard a run for his money as a starter in 2014 and that dude is already over 40.

    Anyone who beats these aforementioned players to get their own start will have to work that much harder, be that much fitter and that much smarter on the pitch. That’s only a good thing for US Soccer.

    PLUS — a lot can happen in in 4 months let alone 4 years–look at the difference between our starting lineup from the Confed Cup to World Cup — that tells you everything. Not to play would coudla shoulda, but with a healthy Davies, Onyewu and Holden we’re a totally different squad–one that possibly wins it’s group with half the drama and has enough left over from group play to give it to Ghana and (possibly Urugauy) with both barrels instead of fumes.

    So, the more effective options we have at every level, whether they are 22, 32, or 42. If they can play, then give them a run out.

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  12. Buddle is a good pick, especially when we option for Agudelo up top. The kid has talent but is a super sub for NYRB….a sub and not a starter for CLUB, and yet he’s in the line-up to START on the NATIONAL LEVEL??? Buddle has established himself as a top scorer, the “golden boot” man to beat and quality finisher in MLS, and moved on to something bigger and better…..to even mention bundesliga 2 as a weakness, instead of a strong point means some people here know nothing about soccer. Not only that but he’s starting to continue that form and scoring goals in a league superior to MLS (which is even more impressive if you take into consideration “goals scored to time played”.

    Another area of employment is our winger…..imagine 2 players….speed on the flanks.

    RESUME 1

    CHICAGO FIRE – 4 YRS 98 APP 15 GOALS

    PSV EINDHOVAN – 3 YRS 56 APP 10 GOALS

    MANCHESTER CITY – 1YR 18 APP 3 GOALS

    RANGERS – 3 YRS 29 APP 4 GOALS

    HANNOVER 96 – LESS THAN 1 YRS 4 APP (INJURY)

    PUEBLA – JUST STARTED 11 APP 2 GOALS (might I add going full 90 in a league where most Americans are not)

    U-17 – 6 APP 1 GOAL

    U-20 – 4 APP 2 GOALS

    USMNT – 93 APP 17 GOALS

    RESUME 2

    FC DALLAS – 4 YRS 74 APP 15 GOALS

    U-17 – 19 APP 0 GOALS

    U-20 – 12 APP 4 GOALS

    USMNT – 5 APP 0 GOALS

    the resume of these 2 players are not even close. Even on the down slop of his career player 1 is playing in a better league than player 2…..So lets stop comparing Demarcus Beasley and Brek Shea

    Agudelo and Shea are the future of US Soccer but for now they need to learn from our veterans.

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  13. There was some bulls*&t rumor being perpetuated throughout the soccer internets (probably here and Big Soccer) that there was some kind of rift between Donovan and Dempsey.

    I HIGHLY doubt this rumor being true, but I think where the rumor started is that since the Gold Cup Donovan and Dempsey have yet to be in camp together.

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  14. We’ll put Altidore scoring goals in Netherlands #1, but after that…

    How do we compare Buddle scoring goals in Bundesliga 2 to Gomez scoring goals in Mexico?

    I honestly don’t know how they stack up against each other.

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  15. I agree with you but he is just bringing in senior talent to get some wins so everybody will relax. Im gonna watch the games but this line-up only makes me interested to see daniel williams.

    Also with jurgen, all the german americans want to play for the US. I doubt bradley would have that influence.

    One player that might have gotten away was joe corona because he was on the call-up with bradley and he wasnt in jurgens plans….

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  16. Donovan hasn’t been in peak form for the past two months; he missed six weeks of MLS play; and yet he’s still one goal away from the Golden Boot in the MLS. The reason he’s staying home next weekend is because he wants some rest. Maybe playing more minutes in more games than any other American soccer player has something to do with it? Maybe the fact that the cowards at RSL tried about twenty times (and almost succeeded twice) to break his leg three nights ago? Dude’s hurt, he’s exhausted, and he’s trying to win the MLS Cup and the CCL for his club while they still have Beckham and Keane and Gonzalez around. Give him a break- he’s taking a break so he can rest up for the strech run with the Galaxy. He’s skipping the NYRB tomorrow night too.

    BTW he’s still only 27, even if his hairline looks 40.

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  17. I’m sorry, what does that mean, “at the club level I don’t rate (LD) that highly?” Does anyone here actually watch the MLS? Donovan is 2nd leading goal scorer in MLS, on a team that’s 4 points away from breaking the MLS record for most points in a season EVER. If you don’t think he can play at the club level, maybe you want to check the message boards at Everton, where they’re still hoping for his return.

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  18. I like Buddle but he needs to play up top with either Dempsey or Agudelo in a 4-4-2. The 4-5-1 formation does nothing for him.

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  19. Gomez!? What minutes? He NEVER gets called up. I agree with you on Buddle; I think he was only called because Klinsmann wants a win, but Gomez has been scoring goals and has yet to be called up. He deserves it more than Buddle does.

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  20. Donovan could drop his pants and lay massive dump right in front of our fan section in the stadium and i would still love him.

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  21. Your right. I wasn’t a huge fan of Bob Bradley, and calling up Buddle was never an issue with me. It was Findley and Bornstein that I didn’t like. Not to mention his son played every game. MB is a solid player, but we have so many CM’s that not giving different pairings an opportunity is not going to be beneficial for our squad. Constant competition within the ranks usually makes players better as they’re trying to take someone’s spot.

    Anyways, in regards to Buddle, I think he is a solid striker. The problem with his past USMNT caps is that he was often played as a lone striker (never works for us), and/or was never given any service. If our midfield can control the ball and get it to Buddle or whomever more often, then we can see their skills around and in front of goal.

    With Donovan out, not sure what we’ll do for the lineup, but I’m assuming something like this:

    —-Altidore—–Buddle—-
    Shea–Edu–Bradley–Dempsey
    Chandler–Boca–Gooch–Dolo
    ———-Howard———–

    We may go with the lone striker setup, even though I don’t think our strikers can perform that role. That may leave room for another DM (also not a fan of too many DM’s lol) like Williams, or start Agudelo instead of Buddle. We’ll see soon enough.

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  22. Sorry, Buddle’s been given enough chances. He’s not going to be in the mix for the World Cup anyway, and he’s not a demonstrable step up from younger players in the qualifiers. So no, I’m tired of Buddle and Gomez being given minutes that should be used to develop depth in the pool.

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  23. The one goal alone that he scored where he sent that defender tumbling and then scorched the keeper at the near post is enough to merit a January call-up. At least for me….

    GATT IN!

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  24. —–Altidore/Dempsey——-

    Beasley–Dempsey/Adu—Shea

    —-Bradley——–Edu—–

    Chandler–Boca–Gooch–Cherundolo

    ——–Howard—————-

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  25. Nonsense! Why would scoring three goals this year in a terrible league makes him a mediocre player unworthy of national team attention at a stacked position?

    The hype machine is in overdrive for him.

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