Jozy Altidore can't stop scoring.
The U.S. Men's National Team forward scored two more goals today, both of the quality variety, in AZ Alkmaar's 3-1 win against Heracles. That gives him four in two matches, and gives him an outstanding start to the season.
Altidore didn't just score tap-in goals today. Both tallies were impressive plays that showed off his impressive range of qualities, as well as showing off the clear confidence he is playing with.
This summer, Altidore said he wanted to improve on his previous season's tally of 22 goals in all competitions, a goal that seemed pretty ambitious. Now it appears that goal is also pretty realistic.
Here are Altidore's goals today:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pti7bNIPSas] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtVNuuSGM7g]
All great observations…question is: when’s his contract up because he won’t stay there for long if he keeps scoring goals like these…
Yeah, it’s unusual. He doesn’t look like he’s pounding it, but the ball rockets off his foot. Same thing in last weeks highlights.
….and wasn’t he hurt a few times while in MLS? Im an MLS fan went to the Fire game yesterday … It’s definitely a hack a man league still.
Exactly.
Already called 30! 26 to go
Thanks, used to be SBI had lots of comments like this. Would be nice to see the comments up top instead of wading through all the other stuff.
True, if the club can’t refuse the money, he’ll go. As long as it’s up to him, I think he’ll make smart choices.
First goal defenders are running at full speed. They get caught out by the poor defending on the initial pass to Jozy. The cross is pinpoint from his teammate. Sorry, I disagree on the first goal.
The second goal, the marking should have been tighter. It looked like the defenders were playing him to pass.
Nah, he is just fat and lazy and lucky.
j/k
What you are really saying is we won’t know if Jozy can translate this to a higher level like Italy until he does.
Okay, a little downbeat but technically true.
And let me take it further;if he goes to Milan in January and scores twenty goals for them, it is still no guarantee that he will play well for the US. History is full of great players who can’t replicate their form for their national team.
All we have to go by is that he has shown steady improvement towards becoming a consistent all around attacking player and he is still very young. He is a much better player than he was the day he signed for Stewart. And I thought he was pretty good even then.
And this kind of pattern is not one we have ever seen from another American at his age.
Therefore I would say your Gloomy Gus stance is a bit extreme.
With the exception of Barcelona & Arsenal. England and Spain aren’t leagues known for giving Players time to delvelop. Hull isn’t a team known For turning young (or older) forwards into top scorers of the EPL. None of the forwards did good at Hull. Their dependable goal scorer was an Irish midfielder, but his name escapes me. Bradley scored a lot of goals while at Heerenveen because the coach (who is Jozy’s coach now at AZ) put him in an advanced position in Midfield. But in Germany & England, he did not enjoy being played as an attacker, and yet he still was a scorer for Moenchengladbach…
Two great goals…not trying to take away from that. But good God the Dutch are terrible at defending.
Regardless, top scorer in the Dutch league is perhaps more impressive than anywhere else because of the pace they score at there.
Against pub league defense and Josy looks like he needs to lay off the broodjes….
Agreed.
excellent read, thank you bottlcaps
fit to impact games late is a big deal :))) Go Jozy!
some guys running around late in games/halves aren’t as good at that and those that win that battle have a clear edge; so much of the game to be had in the last 5-10 minutes. Adding Jozy to the list of USMNTers who can do it effectively adds a lot tactically if he can keep proving it, especially since he gets fouled aroung the area so much, and late that can be big too!
this is some pretty pleasing news 🙂
At some point it wont be up to him, lets say he puts in 15-20 goals by the winter transfer window, someone from one of the big league is going to offer somewhere between 10-20 mil for jozy. That’s a lot of money for a player AZ paid 2 mil for. It would be hard for them to say no to that money. His best bet is to latch onto a club like Arsenal who doesn’t mind finishing the development a player who is close to being fully developed.
Guy never had problems scoring. He knows where to be and has a killer drive from just about any body position. I can’t be the only one who remembers him scoring in his first or second appearance for Villarreal.
What has eluded him was technique and work-rate (stamina) and those things seem to be coming along with regular minutes. Good for him.
Even though Wynalda and McBride are undisputed Nats legends and played together, Wynalda was at the tail end of his prime when they were paired up. Mathis and McBride only played together a little while. Considering Boyd and Jozy’s age they could play together at their primes for a very long time.
He’s just ballin’ right now
Agreed. Jozy is actually learning and improving game to game. This is a great situation for him. And he has a lot more upside to come.
No, it’s not just you. I was going to comment on this very thing. It’s clear that Jozy can thrive as both a hold-up man with his back to the goal and now as part of a fluid 2 or 3 man forward line. Very cool to see how complete his game is becoming. Hope he stays healthy cause at this rate he’s gonna have a great season.
true. true
I’m pretty sure he is just glad he is in a higher quality league now. The eredivisie is an amazing league to launch a career!
Got you by a minute ;P
Altidore is going to break Bradley’s record this season.
And Wondolowski, if he ever decides to replicate his club form in the red, white and blue.
People get hung up on which league players should go to. What’s important isn’t the league, once you’re talking about the top tier Germany’s, England’s, etc. What’s important is a stable club situation with a manager and team that believes in and trusts a player enough to put him out every week.
Now, I do agree with you. He’s got a stable environment at AZ and he’s clearly doing well there. He’s trusted by the coach and his teammates, and he’s delivering the goals in return. No need to rush off to some other “bigger” league. Keep doing your thing, and when the time and opportunity is right, move on to something bigger. Don’t jump at the first glitzy club to make a bid.
I think that is the way it is headed. Jol was very gracious with his latest comments which leads me to believe that nothing really materialized and he is hoping Clint will see that and play out his contract.
On the Jozie front,…loved his run on the first goal. He looks in great form. Couldn’t help but think of Arsenal. They have the money and they seem to need a strong forward. Jozie is only 22,….so it could pay off in the short term and long. Nevertheless, his time in Holland seems to be doing him good.
When the USA beat MEX i said that we did it with 6 starters missing, others argue that Jozy wasn’t a starter. I think Jozy still is our starter even tho I like Boyd better. These videos proves my point.
Who? The fourth top scorer in the PL? Oh, him. I guess he’s ok.
Dempsey and Bradley may well be, and Howard and Friedel have been right on the border of world class, depending on what your level of “world class” is.
Well said.
Bids will be there if, like you said, the form continues, but I think Jozy should, and will be, wary of jumping ship too early. He knows how important it is to be in an environment that allows you to thrive and he’s got that at AZ, something he has been missing since his time in MLS. Leaving AZ at the first bid isn’t necessarily the smartest thing to do. I think he will move on eventually but there’s no need to rush to the EPL again. Drogba didn’t do it until his mid-late 20’s and look how his career went.
Jinx!
If Boyd keeps coming along they will be a fearsome pair. Young, athletic and talented. Hope this is what happens for 2014.
He is what, 22? So when he was 19 and 20 and not proving himself in England and Spain I doubt the rest of the world considers that as proof that he will never materialize into a top league player.
I don’t think GunneRR was being critical, just saying now he wants to see Altidore bag a few with the MNT.
He was very young and not the same player he is today when he was in those leagues. He’s much improved now, thanks to the time spent on fundamentals he’s gotten in Holland. As far as having not establishing himself as a scorer in other leagues, very few 18-20 year olds do, and those that do are truly, unquestionably world class. Maybe Jozy isn’t Messi, and didn’t cut it in the Premier League at 19. But now he’s 22, in a league where he’s been learning the trade, with his best years ahead of him. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him doing this in the PL in 5 or 6 years’ time.
that’s always been the case but he’s always thought that he had to really wind up and shoot hard to score. which led to him having ZERO accuracy in front of the net. if you watch his goals he’s shooting like Clint Dempsey shoots. he’ll be a good poacher. Pair him with Boyd and the US men’s national team will finally have an attacking duo.
OR the SPL
You’re right, but lesser players wouldn’t take such deadly advantage of lax defending. I mean to say, players SHOULD take advantage of poor defending because it happens plenty, and good players DO.
My thoughts exactly. Say he scores a ton of goals and either wins the championship or EL or a domestic cup, his solid play in the next WC will help him get on to a big team and I’m hoping its in Italy or France.
reminded me of a certain Thierry Henry.
now if only he can demonstrate doing it at full pace. if you watch the goals he’s jogging basically.
it’s good progress though and i’m glad he’s finally playing smarter ball.
Yeah, absolutely like those! We always need quality goals, and Altidore will hopefully keep bringing them for us! Not sure the guy was attacking him, but just hoping he continues to carry his success over to the Nats.
my god! the dutch league is twice as slowly paced as MLS!
at least jozy is finally learning how to play soccer.
I’m sure you are aware he is an MLS product. The league has faults, but that’s an unfair statement.
The list of guys who score a lot of goals and fail in the bigger leagues is lengthy as well.
Altidore has played in England and Spain and not proven himself as a scorer in either league.
In response to the comment about MB: Bradley has been utilized differently in other leagues and has not scored nearly as much as he did when he played in the Netherlands.
It paid off for Bradley.
Very, very nice. 4 quality golazos so far in the season.
I do hope Dempsey gets on with Arsenal and is not humiliated by having to stay @ Fulham. But even if Deuce never gets a chance to play for a CL club, I have a feeling Jozy might.
heard of clint dempsey?