This is probably better than him having collected a bucket of goals down the stretch. If he'd done so, maybe he'd have been stuck in that hell next year. This may screw up his career further, but I find it hard to imagine many things worse for him than playing just well enough to go back to Sunderland next year. Have to admit to a bit of schadenfreud over Sunderland sucking just as bad, if not worse, w/him out of the line up. I'll feign surprise. It's a terribly constructed team, with no talent capable of really helping Altidore max his potential and skills to help the team. With or without Altidore, the team was going to be brutally awful. As I and many others felt when he first signed there, the second he put down the pen, he'd made the worst mistake of his entire career, even worse than going to Hull. Going almost anywhere else would have been preferable, even staying in Holland. He needed to play in a competitive league on a team that would continue to enhance his skills, and help him develop a bit more of a mature and complete game, he didn't need to go to a competitive league and a team wholly incapable of helping him to enhance his skills, further develop his game, and contribute on the score sheet and the field. Just a nightmare. The key for me is that it's April 7th. It's almost over, thank God (unless somehow he ends up stuck there which seems totally implausible).
Tough luck for Jozy. But he's a professional. He needs to figure out how to make a difference even when things aren't all smart and pretty. He hasnt. He really doesn't even show much effort. It'd be nice for the nats if he suddenly figured things out, but he's totally replaceable given his form.
It wasnt jozys fault this game, it was the U-21 midfielders that couldn't get him the ball to his feet. I kid..i kid.. Was astonished to see a PBP for this, but BigSoccer never lets me down. Obviously a bummer for Jozy but kudos for him taking this one like a man. Had to be demorilizing but didnt fake sickness not to play. Knows he needs fitness and touches, take it where you can young man. He'll be fine for us in Brazil, mark my words. This season had so much potential though....oh well.
Spot on here...His job is to get better as a player..He needs to adjust to tougher defenses and find a way to make an impact...He also needs to learn how to create his own shot but more importantly, he has got to learn how to maximize his huge body thickness so he can be more of a presence on crosses in the box..... The only way for him to get better is to be put on an uncomfortable position where he's forced to adjust and learn new things...That would had not been possible playing on a much weaker league...The PL is by far the toughest league to play in for a forward because of the physicality and the constant up and down fast-paced football style which requires high work-rate...You learn how to deal with rough central backs who wants to knock you off the ball on every chances they get....You learn how to stand your ground and be strong since you are going against strong defenders....In Jozy's case, he could learn how to make better use of his big body. I don't know whether he'd be a better player for playing in a weak league where they don't play defense and Jozy scoring 15-20....I'd much rather him learn the PL style of football and only scoring 7-8 goal per year for a mid to bottom Pl team while facing World Class defenders like Kompany and others....At least, he learns how to deal with the best and that experience helps him deal with better defenders in the World Cup or other international tournaments with team that are much better then the USA....In Holland or France, there's no Kompany or Vertonghen or Distin, Jagielka, Cahill, Terry and many more.....The reason Jozy has flopped is because he hasn't figured out how to deal with these big/athletic defenders. Jozy don't understand that what he did in Holland ain't going to work against these big defenders in England...He needs to switch his style...Whether he can do it remains to be seen...But if he wants to get to the next level of his development, he will have to do so.
No one forced Altidore to play for Sunderland. No one forced Altidore to develop a bad attitude. No one forced Altidore to disrespect his professional commitments. Anyone else notice the increasing trend of entitled, spoiled, selfish and unaccountable people?
I'm not sure if any of this is fair with regards to Jozy. I just wish he didn't go to Sunderland in the first place. I've wished it since day 1.
No. Stick to Jozy analysis without making nostalgic claims about society at large that are probably better suited to the politics forum, anyway.
Yeah - That Napoleon dude wanted ALL of EUROPE and that Putin guy want CRIMEA!! And then there is that Roma dude, Julius. What is so damn exciting on the other side of the Rubicon anyway? Terry Boyd? totally OT but the sad, absurd, old guy narrative of the increase in the death of all that is good is one of the saddest, absurdest narratives ever... Now, let's talk about "disrespecting professional commitments." How, exactly? Being photographed drunk on the floor surrounded by paper bills in the middle of a relegation battle season? Begging some bird for sext? Spitting on a cabbie? Let's see, how did Jozy handle racial abuse last year in the Netherlands? Oh yeah. And how did he react to being called out by Verbeek and Jurgie. Oh yeah? I wish half the people I employed were that disprespectful of their professional commitments. And I'm sure the mod wish you and I were more respectful of our BS commitments.
My apologies for the overwrought social commentary. Talk about absurd, anybody see the college basketball game last night from the commercials?
Hence why I truly enjoy 45 minutes of uninterrupted soccer, followed by 30 seconds of fast forward through ads and talking heads, followed by 45 minutes of uninterrupted soccer. Long live our sport!