By RYAN TOLMICH
Heading into the current pair of European friendlies, U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann challenged his group of young strikers to step up and contribute in the absence of some of the team’s biggest names.
Contribute is exactly what they did, leading the U.S. to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Netherlands.
In the absence of Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore, forwards Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood joined midfielder Danny Williams in scoring their first career senior international goals. For Klinsmann, the play of some of the group’s less experience manager was a promising sight to see, as the group’s youngsters put in impressive performances against one of the world’s top teams.
“I think they all took advantage of this opportunity because they all realized the moment,” Klinsmann told USSoccer.com. “They realized that even a top team like Holland is vulnerable, you just need to have the courage and you need to believe in your own strength and you need to have a certain discipline going into a game like that. I think Gyasi Zardes is really making a lot of progress and goes through a tremendous learning curve, which is for us really exciting to see.
“The other young strikers as well are growing. Some might not be ready yet to start out games. It might be easier for them still to come on as a sub for a half an hour or a half so that they don’t overthink the situation, but in the game itself then it’s important that they settle their nerves and that they go eye-to-eye with their opponents. This is very encouraging for us to see.”
It was Zardes who scored the opening goal, snagging his first career finish in his sixth appearance on the international level. While the victory may have come in just a friendly, the goal was an important one for Zardes due to the quality of opposition and the challenge laid down by Klinsmann before the trip to Europe.
“It’s definitely a blessing just to be on the field with these guys and not only that, on this stage against Holland, who finished third in the World Cup,” Zardes said. “It’s just amazing to be on the pitch and to get a goal.
“I feel like the young strikers grasped every single opportunity that was out there on that field. We were all hungry for a goal and sure enough we all gave it our all.”
Zardes’ fellow forward Wood was another player hungry for a goal. After struggling mightily with his finishing in recent USMNT appearances, the 22-year-old striker netted the game-winner, giving the U.S. an improbably victory over an elite side.
Wood says his jubilation was only matched by his surprise, as the forward remained in a state of euphoria in the moments following the game-winning finish.
“I was just shocked. I didn’t really celebrate,” Wood said. “I was in shock. I thought maybe I might have been offside, but I was just shocked and I enjoyed it.
“I ran to the corner and just kind of embraced it and said thank you to Jordan Morris. It was exciting…I don’t remember much I just know that Jordan gave me a great cross. I can’t complain about that cross and I just tapped it in.”
That tap in was part of a much larger picture for Klinsmann, who says the performance will become key in the development of his young strikers.
The USMNT coach says that the victory over the Netherlands is just the latest step in building confidence for a young group, one that continues to make progress on the international level.
“For an individual, when you score a goal this is something you carry with you for a long time,” Klinsmann said. “Bobby Wood, he will never forget that moment. Gyasi Zardes will never forget that moment, and Danny Williams will never forget that moment when they scored their first goals for the U.S. So we hope that gives them a boost in terms of confidence, but also gives them more consistency so they kind of expect from themselves to keep that level.
“They should expect from themselves to really keep up to those standards that they just experienced. This is our hope that they take all the positive momentum with them.”
Zardes still needs to do a bit more with the ball at his feet — but the chances that were coming his was only confirms my longstanding belief that Altidore is best used on that wing rather than as a central forward. That is especially true if we get good crosses in from the opposite wing (Morris finding Wood trailing the lead defender was sublime). I want Jozy running full steam ahead forward, not standing around “holding up” play. As for Dempsey — I’d try him next to Bradley in the Mix role and let the kids run wild in front of him.
Zardes is also a good passer. He might be best as a withdrawn striker or an attacking mid. In a game with the Galaxy about a month back, from out wide he made a great cross to Jamieson that almost resulted in a goal. So, I think you can put Zardes in a lot of places. Because of his size and strength, I think Jozy is still best suited for up top.
Jozy can play the classic target man role. There was one game at Sunderland where he totally dominated Liverpool in that role.
However, it is not his best role.
As Adam says Jozy is best running at the defense with the ball at his feet. It will be interesting to see how JK mixes and matches Jozy, Zardes, Morris, Wood, AJ and Rubin.
If I have a singular frustration with Jozy, it is his movement and runs off the ball. They seem to lack in vision and imagination/are often half hearted, repetitive and easy to predict/defend. I suppose a lack of service can be a root, but then again… it most certainly works in reverse as well.
Oh wait, Johannssen just called to weigh in. “Well…. I ran my a$$ off all over the park and didn’t get a sniff!”
AJ made a number of good runs and got into good positions vs the Netherlands but Zardes and the others never did find him.
Yeah- definitely noticed this.
re jozy as LW, I’ve loooooooong thought this. he used to do so well there for NYRB in his early days. when he first left to play overseas the feeling was that he’d go there to learn better hold up play and how to impose physically. but LS/LW was his early strongest position.
I’d like to see (in like 2 years perhaps) a sort of 433 false 9 with jozy at LW, d will cdm, mb and mix(?) CM, Clint(or perhaps Zelalem by then) as the false 9 with a number of options for RW (yedlin, FJ, Zardes, gyau?, etc); shea, brooks, alvarado, chandler/yedlin to finish out.
Forgive me, but would you mind describing how the false nine functions? I have heard it used a lot but have heard a great explanation. Not that you are required to educated me, but i would appreciate it.
essentially it’s what Barca does/did with Messi
—X———————-X—
—————X—————
——-X————–X——-
—————X—————
X——–X———X———X
essentially its a 433 (4123) where the center ST tracks back as a cam almost; or a 41212 where the strikers go wide and the lm/rm tuck in. this allows the cam the freedom to roam and can be a CF,ST,CAM or even CM (like a 4132). also since the lcm and rcm stay tucked inside rather than running the sidelines, the LB and RB are used to overlap and get down the lines (think Dani Alves and Jordi Alba)
it’s a lil hard to explain but i hope that helps. (if you play FIFA then i believe it was added a few years back due to FCB/Messi’s success, lol)
Thanks for taking the time to explain. That is kind of what i thought.
no prob, to add, the false 9 refers to the striker (#9) being replaced by the “Messi”/cam so technically there’s no true #9 striker (like a benzema or Ronaldo (the real ronaldo)) since the false9 can roam all over the pitch. The ideal time to use a false 9 is when you have a tireless player that likes to move around all over the field to give the defense a hard time marking up properly.
Is proof reading not a prerequisite for writing for this site?
+1
Proofreading is one word.
+1
Got ‘eem!
I’m glad to see Klinsmann giving props to Zardes, especially given the puzzling criticism I have seen and heard of him. Before the game, one poster here said he had a bad first touch. Having seen 90% of his professional games, I certainly haven’t seen anything like that. During the game Keller said how he wasted a lot of chances. His ‘wasted chances:” were shots on goal where the GK had to make good saves. One striker I have seen with a whole lot of wasted chances is Robbie Keane, who happens to be the MLS MVP for last season. He scores a lot because he has so many chances. He misses a lot of good chances, often missing the goal completely, but it’s not a concern because he creates so many chances. I thought that criticism of Zardes was pretty ridiculous, especially for someone with less than 10 caps, playing in Holland. Meanwhile, posters here defend AJ, who did very little in the game. A curious double standard. According to reports in the LA Times, Zardes is one of the hardest working players on the Galaxy, putting in extra practice time and often being the last to leave the field. I think he will turn out to be a Dempsey with speed.
That’s because people have their biases. What I mean by that, they have their favorites (for what ever reason) and see reasons to justify their opinion. Zardes is great, Zardes sucks, Wood is garbage, Wood in OK, etc.
Objectively looking, US has a fairly young stable of forwards: Jordan Morris (20), Bobby Wood (22), Juan Agudelo (22), Gyasi Zardes (23), Terrence Anthony Boyd (24), Aron Johannsson (24), and Jozy Altidore (25). They are all still developing and some (Altidore) are much farther ahead than others and more accomplished. Additionally, just because they play a different style, does not mean that they are not accomplished (not every forward is a smooth passing dribbler).
They all need to a find a place with the highest level of play where the environment is supportive and they are each regular players. I have no qualms with Morris staying at Stanford unless MLS pays him enough to cover his post tax educational expenses at Stanford (additionally, $55k a year on top of a typical Stanford graduate salary). In other words, about $150K a year for the first 2 years. That being said, I have seen enough of him that I think he should be playing professionally, right now (Germany or France) and has a shot at legit career.
Gary Page,
“Before the game, one poster here said he had a bad first touch.”
I’ve seen games where Gyasi has displayed a bad first touch.
What that should tell you is that the fabled ” first touch” can vary depending on the circumstances such as field conditions, familiarity with teamates and the team, the opposition and a myriad number of other things.
For example I’ve seen games where Mikey Bradley looked like he had a Messi-like first touch and then I’ve seen games where the ball seemed to bounce of him.
Zardes is skilled but he ain’t in the CR7 or Messi class, guys who retain that great first touch regardless of the circumstances. However, Zardes is skilled enough and will likely get better as he gets more comfortable with his USMNT teamates.
The statement I cited implied a lack of quality. Of course most every player has occasional bad first touches. I have sen enough of Zardes to know that he is average or above in that category, that was my point.
“I have sen enough of Zardes to know that he is average or above in that category, that was my point.”
I could the same thing about many of the USMNT squad. Based on the very little I’ve seen so far Morris has as good a first touch if not better than Zardes.
yes, yes, yes.
His first touch is poor: he hasn’t shown the ability to control the ball in congested spaces. I actually think he can be a very good wide forward, but he is limited by his technical ability.
Agreed and I have said multiple times he has a bad first touch. He scored a nice goal good for him but overall he does not impress me at all. So when certain mls players get critized for their play its not personal its just what I see as a fan of the overall game.
To you and nc, I am usually cautious in my conclusions about a player. I have watched this kid from day 1 in MLS. His first season he was incredibly raw, but you could see the major athletic talent he has. Bruce Arena is arguably the best American coach in history, having taken the US national team to their farthest in the WC and having won multiple MLS titles and for more than one MLS team. He played Zardes almost every game when he was very raw. Last season Zardes scored the second highest number of goals for an American in MLS. Bruce Arena has a high opinion of him. Klinsmann has a high opinion of him. You may not value my judgment, but I think both of those coaches have a greater wealth of experience and knowledge about the game and a proven record for identifying top talent than either of you ever will.
Jordan Morris had some good highlights too, in addition to the assist on the GWG. He had that one run where he got behind the defender by just out muscling him. Granted, he shot right at the keeper, but the GK might take credit for good positioning. The future looks promising.
Yeah it would be nice if stopped wasting time playing in the NCAA and started playing professionally, either in MLS or in Europe if anyone there is interested. He can always go back to school when his soccer days are over!
Wasting time = Having a blast player a lot of soccer?
Wasting time is commenting about a guy playing college soccer, not actually doing it.
I’m with Slow here,
JoMo is losing developmental years as well as game checks.
I remember watching Jozy develop, seeing how much he improved his touch and in-game awareness when he moved from NYRB to Spain. I remember how much his holdup play improved after his year in Hull. I remember how much his finishing improved at AZ. Compare Jozy to a Zardes who, while having similar physical capabilities, joined the pro game late and may never have time to develop into the player he could have become had he turned pro at an earlier age. You can see how far Zardes’ game has come in his first season with the Galaxy. Imagine where he’d be if he had joined 1 year sooner?
As a person, JoMo might benefit from staying at Stanford, but as a soccer prospect, every year he’s not a pro is a year of accelerated development that he’s not receiving.
doesnt seem to be affecting his development, he seems to be doing well making decisions for himself
slowleftarm,
That is essentially what they said about LD and he seemed to turn out okay.
Jordan seems to able to handle his life quite well without our input. After all the USMNT is just a part time job.
your “he needs to go pro” stuff gets redundant but it’s obviously incorrect and here’s why: if we were to fast forward to when he’s 30, lets say he has a fulfilled career. how much will it matter if he went pro in ’15,’16, etc? when looking at the grand picture it’s negligible whether or not he goes pro this year or the next. let it go. This kid can’t buy alcohol and you feel the need to incessantly criticism his career decisions? Do you know him? can you call him up your phone? let the guy figure his own career. you want to argue tactics, coaches, grown men’s career choices, talent, lineups, etc, then fine, but you cheapen yourself by constantly whining that a kid hasn’t gone pro yet.
Forrest, not the trees, sir…
It’s telling that all the responses just tell me to shut up instead of giving reasons why playing in the NCAA future lawyers and dentists two months a year is the way to go.
Someone who is serious about being a soccer playing doesn’t waste time “having a blast” in college. He goes and plays soccer as a professional somewhere.
Do you guys really think another two years at Stanford playing against a bunch of stiffs is as good for his development as practicing and playing alongside Dempsey and Martins (if he signs with Seattle)? Or playing in Europe somewhere? What a joke. College soccer is a waste of time for someone who already clearly has the skills to be a professional.
As a former college player, I agree 100%.
If I had a time machine I would’ve gone a different way, knowing a degree would always be there when I wanted/needed it. I’ve had this discussion with a lot of other has-beens who feel the same.
…granted, I did have a lot of fun in school.
out of curiosity, did u use your degree to get a job once your sports days were over?…
Yes, and no. My first professional gig wasn’t directly related to my degree (eg, law school = lawyer), but I would not have earned my first job had I been sans degree.
slow, you’re missing my point. I’m not saying you can’t have your opinion. just saying it’s a moot point; much like arguing if brooks lennon or drake davis will become soccer stars…
Nothing we say on here affect anything so if that’s the standard it’s all moot. But if someone posts how awesome Morris is, I don’t see why I can’t respond that I think he’d be better playing professionally.
What makes you think Morris doesn’t know that he will have to go pro at some point to maximize his talent?
Your posts are merely stating what he and everyone else who reads SBI knows.
When he is good and ready to do something about it I’m sure he will let us all know.
You might as well post that our money doesn’t go as far as it used to.
If you want to be that obvious and irritating that is your right but don’t whine about it when everyone comes down on you for being a bore..
If you look at other college sports in the US, probably 90% of college players go pro as soon as they can. If they stay an extra year, it’s usually to improve their draft p[osition, become more mature and thus get more money. Morris doesn’t need to become better or more mature. College football, basketball, or baseball, this isn’t even an issue. College athletes , if they are good enough, are using college just to get ready for becoming a pro. Everyone knows that most of the time a college degree is secondary and most professional athletes can and do go back for their degree later. The degree is always available; a professional sports career has a short shelf life. As I pointed out once before, there are former pro athletes who became doctors and lawyers after their sports career was over. Morris needs to strike while the iron is hot. If he is ever going to go pro, he should go as soon as possible.
He had a great goal and a great assist in the Toulon Tournament. His goal against France came out of nothing and he basically beat most all of the French defense with no help. In the CR game, he had a wonderful first touch and sublime shot that hit the post, allowing for the tap in goal. This kid is the real deal.
You do know we lost both those games? So, his efforts were a waste.
Kind of like Mexico’s efforts in every game against the US in the last four years?
So, I guess you believe that if you fall behind, you might as well give up and it doesn’t matter if you or your team scores? You should know that goal differential can make a crucial difference in the placing of a team in a tournament and, sometimes, even in a league season.In fact, goal differential made a big difference in this tournament and in the Confederations Cup in 2009.