instead of making yet another post trying to say how much smarter you are than the rest of us, why don't you just answer the two ?s posed by this thread. Should we consider not taking Jozy to Brazil, and if so who Should we take in his stead. Or you can post another non answer so no matter what JK does you can come back after and say "look at me I knew this wouldn't work im so much smarter than JK"
Dont know who put a bee in your bonnet. I was simply saying to Suyuntuy that I did not disagree with his argument but raised the possibility that it was not relevant in all situations. That is just a way of taking a valid argument further, not a way of showing somebody up. I went on to suggest that taking Jozy off the team still left open the question of who would play in his stead. That is just another way of saying to somebody that if they want to not opt for "A", they still need to offer a better alternative "B" and that is something we hear every day in the workplace, not from smart Alecs as you suppose but from people who have to face the consequences of a decision.
I don't think even the most ardent Jozy critics like me want him off the 23. Jozy is going to Brazil. Jozy should go to Brazil. It's just become clear that he isn't a lock starter and AJ, EJ and even Dempsey should be given looks. I'm not sure why people so easily dismiss the long droughts he has had throughout his career. Outside of MLS, Eredivisie and International, Jozy has tallied 4 goals in 64 appearances. 4 GOALS/64 APPEARANCES This includes just 2 goals in 21 appearances in non-EPL cave-man environments. For some reason we have a very hard time with objectively assessing our offensive starlets (Jozy, Brek) while we have no problem with it when it comes to our young defenders and midfielders.
So if we take out all of Jozy's good performances in MLS, Eredevisie, and internationals.................then he has 4 goals in 64 appearances. Is there a more meaningless statistic? I think we can come up with a similar meaningless statistic for any American striker. Let's see. If we take out all of Eddie Johnson's performances in MLS, Greece, and Internationals................how many goals has he scored. Let's see? That would be 2 goals in 71 appearances for Cardiff, Preston, and Fulham. Amazing! I'm sure there will be a competition amongst our forward crew for the starting XI in Brazil. This is obvious. Jozy's slot in our starting lineup isn't locked down. However, the fact remains that Jozy Altidore was the USMNT's leading scorer in 2013. So somebody is going to knock him out of the lineup. I see Aaron Johannsson as the guy most likely to do it, but he's a different type of striker to Jozy. It all depends what JK is looking for.
I never said EJ was a savior. He was awful for long stretches in his career and he's no world beater now. But what makes Jozy so much better? Both went on tears for club and country and both have severe deficiencies in their game. Jozy still has a chance to get better, but that doesn't mean he's the absolute answer right now. Jozy and Aron have different skillsets but they have similar styles of play. Both are much better facing the goal and both contribute to the build-up. Neither is a dangerous aerial threat and both have shooting ability.
Jozy's edge is his age. And his competition are all around the same age. Just have to think if he can score for Sunderland, he might be able to start shooting on all cylinders. Even if it's for just 2-3-4 games. Just what he needs.
I watched Sunderland vs. Cardiff yesterday and I have to agree with you. If this is all he has then, yes, we need to start working on Plan B. Johannsson comes to mind.
I agree. We all know Jozy can finish when he's provided the opportunity, but when he doesn't get the service, what else does he really offer? Now I wasn't saying that Jozy should of sat when he wasn't getting the service in 2012/early 2013, but that's because we didn't have another striker that could offer anything more. With Johannsson on board now, we have a striker that can finish just as well, but can also create his own chances and chances for others. His first touch is superior which, to me, makes the biggest difference.
Are we writing off Gomez? If he gets fit and back to his form of recent years, I would certainly take him to Brazil. He has good touch, a nose for goal, and combines well with others.
Drawing fouls, creative quick passing around the box (see sombrero flick in the box to set up Fletcher against Cardiff or the chipped throughball earlier in the game). That said he missed 2-3 very makeable passes in attacking positions.
Since Jozy Altidore can't score goals in the EPL we should leave him off the roster and replace him with the other strikers in our pool that are doing that. Oh, wait.
I think his time has passed him by. I don't think he willt see the field that much for Tijuana 1st team, maybe in the CCL and as a sub.
Look, I'm not saying Jozy shouldn't go to Brazil, I'm just saying it might be time to look at starting XIs without him in them. We have 4-5 guys who can offer more than he does, albeit in different roles. Landon and Dempsey are better players overall. Both are better goal-scorers. Landon is a much better passer and Dempsey has much better close control and is a better poacher and better in the air. Both are better to play either in midfield (especially Donovan) or behind another striker. But then, so is Altidore. If we feel comfortable with some other MF options (Beodya/Zusi/Fabian Johnson/J. Green/Arriola) I could see one or both moving up top. Gomez at least does the right thing all the time and hustles. His first touch is better than Altidore's, as is his effort and reading of the game. Boyd is a better pure #9. Johannsson is also an interesting option. I think is touch is better and he reads the game a bit better. Obviously, Jozy has more strength than anyone but Boyd, and better speed than anyone but Landon. But his strength is counterbalanced by him being so bad in the air and the iffy first touch. If your strength can't hold the ball up or win headers, it isn't worth that much.
There are definitely situations that I think Boyd and Gomez would be better than Altidore. Gomez, certainly, does better with scant service and will make the most of any kind of chance (I haven't seen much of AJ, but his motor and ability to make himself a nuisance off the ball already seem better than Jozy's, also). Anytime we expect not to see much of the ball, you should put a less service-dependent forward on. But I can't see leaving Jozy out of the 23 altogether.
32 goals in 87 games for the Earthquakes. Since several were played as a sub, that's like a goal every other game.
Watch him play for Sunderland sometime. He makes few runs off the ball and mostly loiters around the goal area. Against Cardiff, I watched him for 90 minutes. He did little other than muff the couple of 1/2 chances he got. Taking a pass with his back to net and laying it off seem to be all he brings to the table. Fletcher comes in and turns the game around. That's Fletcher, not Jozy. Even with Fletcher in there, Jozy was invisible. We need far more than a loiterer that lays the ball off I want Aron
Yeah, because a coach who as already demonstrated he will: 1) Go to battle for nearly all of WCQ without the best and most popular player in the history of the program because that player took time off. But the coach made him earn his way back, to the dismay of many, AND 2) Has already passed Jozy over during a previous run of poor form: 3) Dumped all over a former long time captain and never called him again Would never consider benching a player as popular as Altidore when that player isn't scoring or performing well. ------------Howard/Guzan------------- Dolo---Cameron---Besler----Beasley ---------Bradley---Jones--------------- Donovan--------------------F. Johnson ---------------Dempsey--------------- ---------------Johannsson------------ Wouldn't mind seeing Boyd get a run up top. Or Agudelo. Or even EJ (at least he is dangerous on set pieces). Herc deserves another, last look as well. Or we could start Landon and Clint up top. The idea that there aren't other options is farcical. Of course, so is the idea that just because a coach (or poster) wants to see some different looks, that means the player sitting a couple games out is out of the picture. I think JK starts Jozy too often. Same thing with BB and Mikey. Mikey deserved to play, but every friggin' minute? Same thing holds here, but to a lesser degree. Let's get some other looks.