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Jurgen Klinsmann encouraged with players’ recent goal-scoring efforts

Jurgen Klinsmann USMNT 78

As a former forward, Jurgen Klinsmann loves goals. He scored plenty of them in his playing days, and as a coach often talks about how forward’s production in front of the net is easiest way to measure their success.

Good thing for him then that several of his players have found their scoring touch ahead of this summer’s big tournament.

The Copa America Centenario is less than a month away, and Klinsmann has to finalize his U.S. Men’s National Team roster for it in the coming days. There is competition across every position, especially at forward given the form that some of Klinsmann’s top players are in right now.

Clint Dempsey, Bobby Wood, and Jordan Morris have all found the back of the net for their clubs in recent weeks, and their goal-scoring exploits have Klinsmann more than encouraged. Not just because they give him options up top, but because they can come into next week’s U.S. camp at a high level.

“You want to see them score goals, so seeing Jordan Morris scoring four (games) in a row, Clint Dempsey being back on the scoresheet, and Bobby Wood with 17 goals in the 2. Bundesliga in Germany is big,” said U.S. head coach Klinsmann. “But you want them to stay hungry, to be there, and to put a stamp on the game in their club environment because you want them to come into the very short preparation period for the Copa America with a lot of energy and with a lot of confidence, but also with a level of aggressiveness that gives us the foundation for a successful tournament.”

The one player who has been on a scoring tear for months is Bobby Wood. Playing for FC Union Berlin in Germany’s second tier, Wood has established himself as a regular starter and one of the league’s most lethal goal-scorers.

Wood has an American record 17 goals in 30 league appearances, and still has one more game this weekend in which he could add to that total. The 23-year-old forward has also scored four times for the U.S. since last summer, and seems poised for a breakout tournament this summer.

“He had a very good season at Union Berlin,” said Klinsmann. “He brought them, with his 17 goals so far, into the region of sixth and seventh place, which is huge for that club. You want him to confirm that coming into the national team environment.

“You want him to not only add another goal in the last club game, but also want him to come into camp and challenge Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore – the strikers – for a starting spot. This is what the message is to Bobby Wood. With a strong Copa America, he improves his situation in the club environment. There are clubs in Germany right now from the Bundesliga that have an interest in him, and every kind of positive impression he leaves gives him a better shot at moving to a top team.”

Klinsmann has also been impressed as of late with the nose for goal that one of his more hard-nosed midfielders is showing. Jermaine Jones has gotten off to a red-hot start with the Colorado Rapids, as he has scored three times and dished out two assists in the five games he has played in since returning from a suspension.

Jones, 34, might not be asked to have that same type of offensive production with the U.S. this summer, but he looks like he still has plenty to offer. Goals are always welcome, too.

It’s funny because obviously he ends up not only super excited to be in Colorado, back in a rhythm and part of a new challenge, but he’s scoring goals,” Klinsmann said. “That’s why I tweeted out, “New #9 now??” – A new goal scorer?”

“You know that’s not his main purpose. He’s a box-to-box player. He’s a midfielder that drives the energy and the aggressiveness from our end, so we are looking forward to having him for the Copa America. It’s pretty exciting to see him score a couple goals.”

Comments

  1. Spanning the last 3 years I thought this was interesting.

    Altidore has scored 13 goals in his last 28 appearances for the USMNT.
    Dempsey has 13 in his last 21.

    Lionel Messi has 13 in his last 24 for Argentina.

    Maybe people are a bit unrealistic. Altidore scores for the USMNT. I couldnt care less about Toronto!

    Reply
    • But MLS scoring is the only reliable predictor of national team success that’s why Jeff Cunningham, Ante Razov, Jason Kries, and Taylor Twellman are at the top of the US scoring list.

      Reply
    • You can’t compare Messi to our guys… Messi doesn’t get real games against st. vincents and grenadine… or haiti… or Cuba… So those scoring numbers are juked a bit. That being said, while he scores… at this point he is probably our third best 11 or 9 and is going to be a sub going forward, unless he does something spectacular.

      Reply
      • You are right you can’t compare them as players, but you can compare their rates. All Keith is saying is that both Clint and Jozy have scoring rates comparable to a lot of top strikers. People on these boards talk like Jozy and Clint can’t score, but what really bothers them is the consistency. Both, Jozy and Clint are streaky scorers, they may score 4 or 5 goals over 4 games and then go six games with only scoring one. You end up averaging the same as LD who might score once in every other game for ten games straight. Production is the same overall, just not the consistency.

      • yeah… but (and leave aside dempsey) streaky only works when sometimes you are streaky against quality opposition… its not streaky if you are running up the tally against Canada, and having your dry spell during the gold cup… that is just called not meeting your “potential” or just not having the quality.

    • In 2014 messi scored against Bosnia and H, Iran, and Nigeria. For rough comparison, Jozy scored two against Nigeria that year, a hat trick against b&h the year before and surely has scored against relatively comparable opponents to Iran…

      My point is not “see!? That means Jozy is better!” But merely pointing out the oddity when a fan sees one player score against a team and gives that player credit but then another player scores multiple goals against that same team and that fan disregards the goals and continues to not believe the player is doing well….

      guffaw…

      Reply
      • OH MY GOODNESS DLOA, ARE YOU COMPARING ALTIDORE TO MESSI??? You are bold enough to mention both of them in th same breath???? lol, wow you are more dilusional than I thought. Please do us all a favor KEEP THAT TO YOURSELF

      • “My point is not “see!? That means Jozy is better!” But merely pointing out the oddity when a fan sees one player score against a team and gives that player credit but then another player scores multiple goals against that same team and that fan disregards the goals and continues to not believe the player is doing well….”

        Bizzy, your reading comprehension skills are on fleek…

      • DLOA just comparing Messi and Altidore in the same comment, for whatever reason in this world (it could be about their diet!!!) is Ludacris

      • What was it you think that made DOA fall so hard for Jozy? I bet it was that screamer he scored against the Galapagos islands in the 2010 gold cup

      • More likely it was the game winner in our best victory ever! Ended the European champions and the WC champions the following years 35 game unbeaten streak.

        And before you start, that was before 42 European goals in six seasons and 26 international goals. He scored against Peru (2), Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Nigeria (2), Bosnia (3), Germany, Slovenia, Poland, and Turkey, plus most of Concacaf. And it was Guadeloupe in 2011 not Galapagosin 2010

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c6D5jVK_uk

        or this these 7 over 5 games

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrAHC5B7USA

        And just in case here’s the Guadeloupe goal that regardless of opponent is a quality strike. (If people can get excited over a Pulisic U19 goal against a bottom level opponent you can like this one)
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQd4fuIBzlA

  2. Wood had two opportunities in March against a weak defense to show his skill and was average at best in both games. Not saying forget about him by any means just I think he’s still good off the bench if we use two strikers and not three. Morris’s play for the Nats has also been weak in his last few outings.

    Reply
      • And he came off the bench to do it. I would rather start all three, but I don’t see that happening. The comment came in response to complaints recently that no one else gets a chance. Bobby recently had chances and wasn’t bad, but wasn’t great. Over the course of three games I doubt many teams will start the same forward combinations in every game.

    • Can I agree with both of you at the same time? Obviously JK sees Altidore and Dempsey as the de facto starters so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them start against Colombia, and I would be fine with that. They are both in reasonable form and have been the only players we currently have that have scored against the elite teams in the past. At the same time, Wood’s performance for club and country over the last year have been enough to earn the start, and I would be fine with that. All three are different players really. Fwiw, my opinion is we really need the holdup play Jozy provides when he plays with confidence. So I would probably start Wood over Dempsey, then save Dempsey for a super sub.

      Reply
  3. Yikes people think Zardes should be pushing to start??? We are in trouble Lol. Meanwhile in England, they are debating who is starting between Vardy, Kane, Rooney, Sturrridge, Welbeck….

    Reply
  4. Klinsmann likes the scoring blah blah blah…. Then there is Jozy who has scored nothing…. wanna bet who starts next time out? Kind of makes the whole article pointless if JK won’t reward those that produce while starting one that the best thing you can say is “good hold up play.”

    Reply
    • I’ve yet to see Jozy provide good hold up play. From what I’ve seen, having him in the game just encourages the others to play long balls to him, which result in turnovers more often than not.

      Reply
      • I linked an article from the Toronto Sun early this week where Toronto and the media were praising how good Jozy’s hold up play has been this year. I haven’t seen him play for TFC this year so I can’t confirm or deny.

      • Why not just cap Quincy Amarikwa if good hold up play in MLS is what we require from our international forward?

      • Because Quincy Amarikwa isn’t good, and any one who impartially looks at the two players would tell you Jozy is significantly better. Even with his current seven game drought he has scored six more goals in eighty-three fewer games, or 3000 minutes played and on 114 fewer shots over their careers. If you wanted to make a logical argument you could have at least said CJ Sapong and probably not gotten much of any push back.

      • Bizzy: That’s what you don’t understand you always want to go with who’s hot in the moment, three weeks ago you wouldn’t have included Clint or Jordan because they weren’t scoring, where’s your wrath for Finley or Fabian Johnson (he hasn’t scored since Feb. I mean Jozy scored in March). That is a very nice goal by Amarikwa, but one play doesn’t make a player, I saw a girls high school player make almost the exact same goal two hours ago so should I send the video to Jill Ellis?

        Do you honestly think that two sets of national team coaches and staffs have watched Wondo and Jozy together in training and both have just picked Jozy to play over Chris at random. Two teams from top flight European teams plus two from mid-level Euro leagues have brought in Jozy and really no sniffs for Wondo? I watch almost every Nat game and I’ve never heard any pundit say you know “Wondo should be playing over Jozy.” Every roster projection and analysis has Jozy and very few have Wondo. What do you know that none of these people who have made soccer their life and career don’t know?

      • Johnnyrazor the Guardian said it best:

        Altidore is a specimen, at first glance seemingly created for the use of managers in need of stellar hold-up play – exactly what some coaches, who often play with a lone forward, require.
        Certainly he is capable of that hold-up play, able to ward off smaller midfielders to allow time for teammates to advance into the attacking half. But he is, after all, a forward, and thus judged on his ability (or lack thereof) to put the ball in the back of the net.
        Despite his size, Altidore has never been a classic target man, lacking the necessary prowess in the air. And while he is possessed of impressive speed for a man of his build, he has not developed the kind of technical ability necessary to upset top-level defenders 1v1 (a shame, given his rocket of a right foot when given time and space to get a shot off). But it looks as if it’s finally time to abandon the notion of Jozy Altidore as the game-changing striker many thought he would become.

        and before you say:
        “well who do we have” I’ll get that out the way – Clint Dempsey, Bobbie Wood, Chris Wondolowski, Jordan Morris lol
        Or ” they haven’t proven themselves on an international level” – thats because Altidore keeps occupying space (dead weight) and blocking the emergence of another US Striker

    • That is because Wondo is a POS and a waste of space. He doesn’t belong anywhere near the national team I don’t care how great a locker room guy he is or how great he is in MLS. The fact is that he sucks when it comes to the National Team.

      Reply
      • and he is a far better goal scorer than Altidore…..so what does that tell you about Jozy and the USMNT???

  5. With Martinez being fired at Everton today, I wonder if the Klinsmann to Everton rumors will surface again. Won’t have to wait long to find out. Could Copa America be Klinsmann’s last games as USMNT manager?

    Reply
    • I checked the English bookmakers this morning and he is around a 50-1 longnshot, or about the 20th most likely according to several sites.

      Reply
    • I was never a fan of bringing back a manager for a second cycle (even Klinsmann).

      However, if there’s going to be a divorce (voluntarily or involuntary) two years out from Russia would be the sweet spot to give the new manager and player player a successful adjustment period to prepare. Any move beyond this summer and I think it’s problematic for everyone involved.

      Reply
      • Yes I agree. Now or never (never being after Russia 2018). Klinsmann would have to decide to leave though, he’s not getting fired, unless this Copa Tournament is disastrous in some way. What would a disastrous Copa Tournament even look like? Going three-and-out wouldn’t be bad enough. It would have to be three-and-out plus horrible play plus a full-court-press by the usual U.S. soccer media suspects and former players.

  6. Is Jozy still to be penciled in as a starter? It seems with his lack of current form now would be the time to make a case for other forwards to get a nod. Morris, Zardes and Wood should be really pushing for a starting spot.

    Reply
      • Jozy starts for the USMNT????
        – 0 goals in 6 games…..and the USMNT will use him as a Striker??
        – Who is better at scoring???? Clint Dempsey, Bobbie Wood, Chris Wondolowski, Jordan Morris……..Jermaine Jones playing Forward for the first time.
        – Altidore cannot score playing with the likes of Bradley (the same person that might be in midfield for the USMNT), Sebastian Giovinco, Will Johnson…….what makes you think he is going to score with the same Bradley, Nyugen and Dempsey around him??
        – Altidore can’t score against Zimmerman, Lyod, Ridgewell, Borchers, Ciman, Cabrera, Bush (G), Jesse Gonzalez (G)…..what makes people think Jozy has a prayer (miracles do happen) against the likes of Dani Alves (Barcelona, ESP), Filípe Luís (Atlético Madrid, ESP), Ezequiel Garay, Federico Fernandez, Carlos Valdés, Pablo Armero or Sergio Romero(G)???

        “Doing the same thing over and over again (playing Bradley and Altidore combination) and expecting different results (producing goals) is the definition of INSANITY” – Albert Einstein

      • I don’t necessarily like it either, but unless one of the other forwards you listed explodes in one of the tune up games, not at Puerto Rico, then Jozy will be our starting forward. JK is not going to start somebody with limited experience, especially in the first game or two against Colombia and CR. If we are eliminated or guaranteed to go through then you might see someone else get the start in the final group game. Additionally, all the analysis I’ve read of Jozy this year is that he is playing very well for Toronto, but the goals just haven’t come yet. I understand the desire to have someone else start, but you have to be realist.

      • Bizzy: Jozy has scored 4 goals in the last six games played with Bradley for the national team so …

      • “Doing the same thing over and over again (playing Bradley and Altidore combination) and expecting different results (producing goals) is the definition of INSANITY” – Albert Einstein

        “Jozy has scored 4 goals in the last six games played with Bradley for the national team”

        well that’s awkward. imo, einstein was way overrated anyway; feynman would’ve scored way more with all the chances einstein got.

      • You are right, scoring goals for your national team is what makes a good international forward and Jozy has proven capable of doing just that.

      • if you cant find the back of the net to save your life but can score at an international level, then the players able to beat the defenders you cannot seem to get through can do better than you going up against better stronger defenders…..in other words if Altidore who is not a good goal scorer CAN SCORE 4 goals then a Clint Dempsey or Chris Wondolowski or even Jordan Morris could score more under the same conditions.

        “Altidore has scored 4 goals”…yes he has, but that only means our other strikers could have scored more. If a math high school C student can do well in a particular test, a top A student with better test scores can do better given the same test. Take 2 students in that same math class, one is a CONSTANT “A” student and another is a “C” student. If that C student can take a state exam and pass then that A student can take the same exam and not only pass but do a lot better (So calling out the C students exam scores really shouldn’t mean anything).
        Given the same opposition, in the same league, playing the same position Clint Dempsey, Chris Wondolowski and Jordan Morris are all doing the one thing Jozy cannot seem to do….and that’s find the back of the net. So any area up front that Jozy excels (as far as making runs, creating space and scoring goals) at these other strikers can do better

      • Until any of them can prove capable of doing so at the international level in the limited opportunities they get, Jozy will continue to be the go to. The other guys HAVE to score when they come on as subs or else they will never surpass him. That’s how it is on pretty much every team out there. If you want to become a starter then you first have to produce when you come on as a sub.

      • Bizzy:
        There are a couple of problems with your analogy is that no one in our “class” is a constant A student. Jozy scored more goals in MLS last year than Dempsey, Morris was awful his first few games and hits a run of luck and has four in four games (so first quarter D student, second quarter A student) Second club soccer and international soccer aren’t the same subject. Its like Geometry vs Calculus. Numerous great goal scorers and assist men have been MLS stars and done little to nothing with USMNT there just isn’t the direct correlation you want it to be.

      • Wychijeff,
        if Altidore had to produce as a sub to play then Altidore would never see the field, whereas most of Wondolowski’s goals have come from him coming off the bench. Wondolowski is a better forward than Altidore, period.

        Johnnyrazor,
        “ Jozy scored more goals in MLS last year than Dempsey”…..lol, Dempsey had 10 goals and had 10 assists, in other words if he wasn’t scoring he was creating goals. Altidore shouldn’t be compared to Dempsey in any way shape or form (Plus Dempsey can score in the EPL).

        “Morris was awful his first few games and hits a run of luck and has four in four games”…..A striker adapts, develops his game and if he’s doing what he is supposed to do, scores goals, plain and simple. I understand why Morris’s scoring ability might appear to be luck to you because it takes a mare miracle for Altidore to score these days.

      • Altidore has the first movers advantage. All those that have come after him have the extra difficult job of needing to prove themselves better than him. So far, no one has PROVEN to be better on the international level. Even if they are considered equal, Altidore still gets the nod based on experience and familiarity. The same thing happens in business, a first mover has the advantage until some other company enters the market and proves that they can do it better. They can’t simply be ‘just as good’, they have to be better and often times significantly better. Otherwise customers go with what they know and are comfortable with. Same principal applies here.

        I get your desire to move on from Altidore, I think most in this website would like to move on from Altidore, but so far no one has staked a claim while performing on the international stage. If Wood scores 4 goals in the tune up games, then we might have a real debate on our hands. If he doesn’t, prepare yourself for good ‘ol comfortable, familiar, and safe pick Jozy Altidore from. JK.

      • “if you are playing HIDE AND SEEK with Jozy Altidore hide behind the goal, he’ll never find you” lol

      • “They can’t simply be ‘just as good’, they have to be better and often times significantly better. Otherwise customers go with what they know and are comfortable with.”

        …..you know what wychijeff, as much as I think Altidore is crap I have to respect that logic. As much as I disagree with Altidore even making camp (let alone taking the field) I have to agree with “can’t simply be ‘just as good” and “having to be SIGNIFICANTLY better”…..or it’s easier and safer to go with what you know.
        I see where you are coming from. Good Perspective

      • No DLOA, you and every other Altidore lover on here haven’t been saying the same thing as wychijeff. There is one thing saying “he’s the best thing we have”, and it’s another thing saying “what we need is something SIGNIFICANTLY better” or most coaches will just stick to what is safe and familiar, because there can be better (which I’ve been saying from the jump) but we both know in our striker pool (apart from Dempsey) there is better but no one is really remarkably or outstandingly better. So no, only wychijeff has a perspective that makes sense.

    • Wood Altidore Zardes
      Dempsey Jones
      Bradley
      Johnson Brooks Cameron Yedlin

      But we probably get
      Dempsey Altidore
      Bedoya Bradley Jones Zardes
      Johnson Brooks Cameron Yedlin

      Reply
      • My ideal 10 looks like this

        Johnson Dempsey Pulisic (if he can start and play well for Dortmund he can for USMNT)
        Jones Bedoya
        Bradley
        Castillo Brooks Cameron Yedlin

        I agree that we will probably get something closer to your second lineup but that would be a shame. We have some attacking pieces on the wings with Johnson and Pulisic that have the technical ability to go 1v1 and get some teams on their heels with speed.

        I can see Bedoya being successful in that Zusi role that he played in Columbus against Guatemala.

        Let Bradley play the 6 where he is thriving in Toronto and give Jones the freedom to be a box to box guy. Surprisingly it seems he has a little more attacking prowess than Bradley at this stage in their careers.

      • Totally agree, both lineups were realistic attempts, the second just the more conservative version. I thought Zusi was very good in his role in Colombus as well, but I don’t think we’ll see that formation against better teams. I think Jones has always been a better attacking option, just that Bradley is a better passer, because he you know sometimes passes.

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