Why don't you put up a poll see who has performed better for the USMNT this year, Altidore or Gomez? It'll be a landslide win for one of them. It doesn't take a genius to know who had a better year for the USMNT.
It sure doesn't - when one has started 2 matches and the other has started 9. But that's on the manager. He could have tried a starting XI with Gomez/Altidore both in it, like everybody was suggesting since May. And what do you know, when Klinsmann finally tries a lineup like that in October the team looks vastly improved.
Gomez was looking much better and has better production than Altidore before any changes. Put up a poll and I'll wager any amount with you that Gomez will win. No beating around the bush.
Gomez will win. He's started 9 matches this year, compared to 2 for Altidore. I'm not sure why you're beating around the bush.
Doesn't sound like JK is going to bring a young team to Russia. Sounds like he's going to bring he's strongest most experienced squad available. I hope he brings in at least a handful of new players for the game. I hope he's looking at players in the MLS who's teams didn't make the playoffs as well but still had great individual seasons. I'm not worried about Jozy not coming to this game. It's not a must call up for him. I highly doubt come the hex that Jozy wont be on the roster. But with Gomez and Johnson not available I don't see why he wouldn't be called in.
Altidore's performances(and numbers per 90) had dropped off significantly from the auspicious '09. Nothing to do with Klinsmann really, whatever axe may need grinding. The player's fitness and tactical nous have improved dramatically however over the past term, so I look forward to seeing what he can do in the Hexagonal. Herc is a mature, productive, and cagey veteran who knows how to win games. He's deserving of his starter's spot. Altidore really belongs to the cohort of players including Boyd, Sapong, Bunbury, and McInerny, and is clearly a step above in his career, skills, and abilities. We've a nice group of forwards in Altidore, Dempsey, EJ, and Herc to take to the Hexagonal.
I think the USA pool is deep enough at this point to qualify out of CONCACAF without Altidore, Donovan, Dempsey and Bradley. It wouldn't be easy, but it could be done. Mainly because, besides Mexico, none of the other teams is a bona fide Top 40 in the world. Without them, though, the WC group stage is likely to be a massacre. As is, I think JK's scheme improved greatly with Dani Williams as DM. He provides the coverage Edu did, plus the good passing that Jones does. It'd be nice to see Altidore with actual support options behind him.
Clearly, this Altidore issue goes way beyond being lazy or unresponsive to suggestions by Klinsmann. JK is royally pissed at Altidore who apparently did something unfortunate and won't admit it and/or won't apologize. I'm an Altidore fan, but IMHO, he's the one who must change, not JK.
I think this is spot on. It's kind of a double edge sword though because it does seem like Jozy is working his ass off with AZ, probably partly in order to prove Klinsmann wrong. I'm fine with Klinsmann not calling up Jozy for Russia especially if it keeps Jozy pissed and playing hard for club. I also think that EJ deserves another chance because of his performances, and this is the perfect match to see what he's really made of these days.
Wondo, Gordon, Sapong, Agudelo, Bunbury? Seriously? It's critical both find a way to patch up their differences and end the conflict and drama.
Yeah pretty much. Gomez is a hard worker, fantastic but has he torn it up? No. EJ was played as a winger and did well, he is still a CONCACAF killer and nothing more. Wondo has done nothing with the national team. Boyd is raw, Gordon is not a long term option. Agudelo has fallen off the face of the Earth. We're not exactly strong depth wise there.
Absolutely boggles my mind how some on this forum insist on continuing to defend Altidore. He's ridiculously overrated. Even mediocre players go on stretches where they play well...but the full body of work points to a player who: -Has one of the worst first touches of any striker in the USMNT pool. He has consistently squandered chances with USMNT due to the fact his touch often lets him down and leaves him little space to shoot or a horrible angle to do so. -Is a below average decision maker in the final 3rd. Some of this is probably a by-product of the first point above -Doesn't play hard consistently (at least with the USMNT) -Is a "tweener". He's got the body of a 9 but the skill set of......well I still don't know. He's not a great dribbler so he'll never be a big time winger. He doesn't play "big" like a 9 should. So what is he? He's not skilled enough to be the underneath guy....plus we've got Dempsey who is a much better fit in that role. Call me crazy....I'm not a fan of Altidore's game. Never have been....I'd be willing to bet this "run of form" he's had with his club recently won't last. Time will tell but I trust my eyes and they tell me Altidore is SEVERELY overrated by some on these boards. I've got much higher hopes for a guy like Boyd from a long term perspective. I also think Gomez brings a lot to the table...and it's funny how the people who consistenly take shots at Gomez tend to be the same ones who have this crazy obsession with Altidore. JK is making and has been making the right move by going with Gomez consistently over Altidore. It was actually one of the things that drove me crazy about Bob....the fact that somehow Jozy was considered one of the "automatic" starts. But then again we're talking about the same guy who thought Robbie Findley was WC worthy and that somehow starting Clarke over Edu in the elimination game vs Ghana was a good idea.
The reason Klinsmann is saying little on Altidore is because he wants this settled in the locker room, and doesn't want to make a media drama out of a dust up between players.
Aaaaaand here's what's been wrong with soccer development in the United States, nicely summed up in 6 words.
No one said this is a relay but soccer requires more than just standing near the box and waiting for someone to pass it to you and complaining like a bitch when it doesn't happen.
Funny how certain posters complain that JK says too much but when he is silent on Jozy everyone complains that he isn't saying enough.
Yes. It requires that a guy whose job it is to score, and who isn't named Cristiano Ronaldo, needs his teammates to get him the ball in good positions. Jozy had a triple teamed Clint Dempsey, a useless Maurice Edu, a useless Kyle Beckerman, and an out of position and therefore useless Danny Williams amongst the guys who were supposed to be providing service. Herc, EJ and 10 minutes of Alan Gordon had Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi, a double teamed Clint Dempsey, a properly positioned Danny Williams, no Maurice Edu and, in the case of Herc and EJ, each other to play off of. It's not an apt comparison, and the "Jozy is lazy" meme is really terrible. I can't wait until next cycle when we can get our next meme. Maybe something like "Brek Shea is a locker room cancer".
If he manages the situation well, he can be as silent as he likes. I have no problem with Klinsmann keeping an "in house" approach to sensitive matters, and this frankly is one of those matters. But he hasn't been one to keep anything silent up to now, really, and my first thought is not that he's keeping it in house, but letting an ego clash get in the way of his management of the team. I will take the word of those closer to the situation that such is not the case.
In the cases where he's saying too much, it's usually "too much nonsensical babble and gibberish dressed up as platitudes and motivational dreck". In this case, it's a seemingly stupid beef created with a valuable asset to the national team. It doesn't have to be addressed via media (I hope it isn't, honestly. Keep it in house, solve in in house), but he doesn't have to exacerbate it the way he did last month with his stupid answer to a question, and this dismissive answer to a question.
You ever coached a guy like Altidore? I bet not. He'll grow from this experience and be better for it.