I'd argue if he's not poaching, he doesn't have the technique to impact games in other areas to begin with. The series with LAG to me is an example of why he's not international caliber and not a top 4-6 league caliber striker. He failed to impact the series at all, and while LAG have a great MLS defense, international and Bund defenses for example are even tougher. People should just enjoy him for what he is and what he's done for SJ. Very good MLS striker who should be making more in SJ and is worth more than his current salary to MLS.
Well, the question is whether he can gets the "Altidore by Verbeek" brand of coaching, if he goes anywhere, while holding on to his physical skills for 3-4 more years. I think he can keep his athleticism for a while. I am not sure the Euros do to the point they are willing to cough up a large chunk of dough for his services. On the other hand, the flip side of the "Running Beasts" theory is that the US players can last into their mid-30's physically.
Should have gone to Europe before signing an extension with SJ. Yeah a Verbeek type might improve him, but who's going to take on a 30 yr old project, especially given the likelihood of MLS refusing to let him go for cheap? On a free he might have options, but I'd think MLS would hold out for 2M+, which pretty much negates any options.
He choked. I do not buy into the theory that there is a long list of finishers who are better at finishing than Wondo (though I do agree with some of what Jond says about him offering less when he's not poaching), however, I think it might be worth noting that his (limited) time with the USMNT is most noted by an uncharacteristic whiff, and last night where he also choked repeatedly is the most high-profile, vital match he's had in MLS. (Maybe his starting role in the all-star game against Chelsea was about as high of a profile, but certainly not as pressure-packed or vital.) It's not all that much to go on, it could be coincidence, but I'm not sure that I'd choose him over the 3-5 forwards that I'd consider somewhat roughly on his level.
Ya, he definitely wasn't world class at any point... He's a shit ton better than Wondo at any point in both of their careers.
Torres is blowing chances now at a much higher level than Wondo ... which makes him kind of an expensive ... But thanks for the thread hijack that has nothing to do with Wondo.
I've seen it mentioned that the Mexican league would be a good fit for him, which could be right. But as you said, his extension could foil that as well.
Wondo aside, good strikers almost always fluff more chances than the average player simply because they generate more chances... If you watch entire games or fulsome highlights instead of just goals-only highlights, you'll see all the best forwards miss an "easy chance" a couple times a game on average.
... but rarely because their shooting technique goes to crap or they experience a brain freeze. ps. A Polish Indian? ... (headline - Chris Wondolowski is the best sniper in MLS .... asks if he wants to play in Erope and interested in playing for Poland with Robert Lewandowski ... Chris knows who Boniek - the real one, not the Honduran one - and Podolski are ... though, I assume, too young for Szarmach and Lubanski)
If Eddie Johnson and Alan Gordon are getting calls, then I suspect Wondolowski will get another one. I think Wondolowski is a good striker who plays with a lot of heart. Hopefully one of these top MLS strikers, whether its Wondolowski or not (there are several good ones, e.g. Cooper, Bruin, etc.), proves to be productive for the National team...doesn't matter who it is.
Wondo to the Polish league in January? Interesting that Poland is still following him even after the Gold Cup
His best chance is the Gold Cup. If he plays well there he can be called up for September Qualifiers. If he plays poorly or is nonexistent then I think his international career could be over.
It happens to be the case. I was watching Chelsea-Liverpool last Sunday and the announcer said "38 goals in his first 56 matches for 'Pool, 11 goals during the same 56 match stretch for Chelsea". Prorate this production to a 38 game EPL season and you get fewer than 8 goals while playing as a sole striker for a super rich team that creates a ton of chances for his forwards. That's pretty pathetic.
So if Falcau moves to Real Madrid and fails to score he will also be a shit player? If Torres moves to QPR and acores 20 goals he will again be a top class player?
That is correct. You're only as good as your production and forward's production is in goals. BTW, you see how many goals CRonaldo can score when he has a dominating midfield working to get his chances. His ManU seasons were (in reverse order) - 18 in 08/9, 31 in 07/08, 17 in 06/07. With Real, 46 in 11/12, 40 in 10/11, 26 in 09/10. Torres went the other way, 6 in 11/12, 10 in 10/11, 18 in 09/10, 24 in 07/08. And, of course, Torres, a lot more than del Bosque, is responsible for Spain playing without a striker because having him in the lineup wasn't productive anymore.
I think you are confusing World class player with very good player. Torres is a very good player, he is not the world class player people called him and Chelsea purchased. Falcao is a very good player, we will see soon if he is world class. Maybe a nice trade for Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, with Chelsea paying a few million to AM.
Spain don't play with a striker because all their midfielders are world class finishers. It's impossible to mark the type of runs they make playing the 4-6-YOLO. Torres has, historically, done well while playing for Spain. Like Golden Boot of Euro12 well.
I agree that his best chance is Gold Cup. Altidore and Gomez are the top two forwards, and Dempsey is ahead of both if JK wants him up top. Heck, so is Donovan. Beyond those 4, we have a rejuvenated EJ and Boyd. Agudelo is getting second looks. I'd hope Wondo is ahead of players like Bunbury, Cooper, Bruin, Gordon, and Lenhart. But some of those guys can play a TF role while Wondo cannot. And he doesn't have much of the skill/magic or speed that most of the underneath guys have (Dempsey, Agudelo, Altidore). I see why he struggles to get minutes at the top level, but his production deserves looks.
Spain experimented with the no strikers policy due to a plethora of world class mid-fielders and injuries to Villa, bad form of Torres, lack of encouragement for Llorente. And they still won the tournament without strikers loads of other nations would drool over. I myself believe Torres was world class without a doubt in 08/09. Too many injuries ruined him.