Strong left-footed 19-yard shot at 1:00. Break-away and cool corner finish at 2:30. 25-yard right-footed blast at 3:40.
My guess is that most folks arguing over whether he's a good dribbler (or shooter or what not) are actually on the same page (maybe different ends of it, but still the same page). Lots of arguing seems to, instead, be over whether things like pace or trickiness are important, or whether this is what we mean (or should mean) by 'good dribbler' or 'great shot', as opposed to Landon's intrinsic qualities or shortcomings, i.e., we're arguing over semantics as often as we are over substantive disagreements. Take Sam's quote above: some are saying this means he can't dribble while others focus on the second sentence and say that's important too, thus he can dribble; both sides, though, probably agree that, exceptional moments aside, Landon *is* generally better at beating you to spots vs. dribbling around you from a standstill; both sides also probably agree that both abilities are nice to have. Either way, one thing's for sure. Landon, as a package, is *effective*, even when his technical skills don't 'wow' you. For example, I used to dislike him claiming corners. I liked the pace and movement you'd see from Beckham or even a Freddy Adu, vs. Landon's flat floaters. But when watching him at Everton I came around, because they were just so darn effective. Sounds like Reyna. Here's to hoping he'll come back full strength...for club and country. You and JK, right? Hasn't he said a few times that this is the biggest difference b/w U.S. and elite teams, their better first touches, from both a skills and tactical standpoint? Here's one interview (from WC2010) talking about the kinds of players we need to develop, but don't currently have... "2:04 Get the kids on a technical level that are able to perform...what I mean at the technical level is the first touch." http://inside.isoccer.org/2010/06/29/jurgen-klinsmann-thoughts-on-us-soccer-and-technical-level/
I'll agree first touch is a big problem typically for American players. This is an area Donovan is actually much better with than most of our guys. But just go watch your typical game in the big four leagues and watch how often a ball gets passed out to a guy in tight spaces on the sideline with a defender close in tight quarters and he just catches the ball on his foot and doesn't loose it... and it is considered a simple play that goes unremarked upon and mostly unnoticed. Now, think how rarely the US is able to make those kinds of passes into a tight space and expect one of our guys to easily bring down a ball without losing it under pressure. Technical limitations limit what you can do tactically and the first touch is always the most important.
people may not know this, but these guys were epic in Germany. I never understood why, but stranger hasselhofs have happened.
As I tell my kids if you can't control the balls, they control you. Or something like that. First touch allows you to guide the play where you want it. If you lose the battle so quickly, the rest is always too little too late. All the speed in the world wont save your poor first touch...ask Markus DeBeasley. If the dude could control that first touch...shoot, he'd be lights out.
Yeah, I love DMB, but that was often painful to watch. Even if he didn't have the skill to gracefully kill balls dead, if he could have more consistently had them violently clank off his feet/legs in a strategically advantageous direction...
well, to his credit, he was generally quicker to his knuckleballs than the defense. Some of his best goals are off bad first touch, race to ball, shoot on goal.
FYMP **I don't have a dog in this fight. The US needs more skilled players. They probably also need more and better dance instructors and solar power units.**
Agreed, but it's also true that I think the definition of "good dribbling" being used by some in this thread is too narrow. There are huge numbers of players out there with better dribbling skills than Landon Donovan, certainly, but labeling him as poor doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to me. He's not even close to poor. Now, being concerned that he's among the more skilled players in the US national team pool despite the fact that his skills are solid, but not what I'd call stellar...that's a more reasonable position. As for the fact that he didn't stay in Germany, I've never given a damn either way.
Ball 'skillz' are a means to an end. If we call him a playmaker, then Donovan's objective is to get the ball in the opponent's half and play it on to attackers in positions to create goal scoring chances. The method will vary by team and manager and situation. If the prescribed method is to beat a marker 1 v 1 with the ball from a standstill and get service in, then Landon is not good at the EPL / Bundesliga level. He's ok from the standstill when he has a teammate to combine with in a 2v2, but not in an isolated 1v1. If the prescribed method is to beat a marker before the arrival of the ball and make a positive play with it once it comes, then Landon is close to world class. If the prescribed method is to dribble around in figure eights until SFS says it's good enough, then shoot it 100,000 mph into the upper 90 without even having spoken to his teammates in practice that week because team soccer doesn't count.... then I doubt Landon will ever fulfill the 'skillz' criteria. I also note that whatever quality we come up with, SFS will find some counterfactual that may or may not be relevant, so this is truly a wasteful exercise. person: Landon gets lots of goals and assists at all levels of play, he must be pretty good at soccer. SFS: yeah but he doesn't get goals person: he scores and assists in MLS SFS: mls doesn't count person: he scores internationally SFS: he can't dribble or shoot. person: Landon was awesome in the EPL SFS: didn't score enough goals person: wait I thought we said he was a playmaker SFS: not in the Bundesliga he wasn't person: Phil Neville called him world class SFS: But Oleg Artzov from the 1957 Russia team didn't. So have fun with this one.
Not being able to beat players 1-v-1 is not the same as not being able to dribble or lacking ball skills, though. I've no doubt that Landon has the best balls skills of any American player, even if he's not the best at beating players 1-v-1. Those are different skills. Just like shooting with power and shooting with placement are different skills. A player can possess either, neither or both.
I don't claim to watch every LD match, but over the last two years I've watched him 1 v. 1 against some lowly MLS RB/LB and watched him get stone walled often. He has poise with the ball at his feet at a full sprint, which is remarkable, but I wrote he is a poor dribbler, which I think he is. It is probably highlighted by how good he is at other things, but don't expect any shake-and-bake out of him. It's beat the man for speed, pull back, back pass, shoot, find streaking teammate.The german said it best, he can run and he can kick, and although that was clearly typical german 'wit' it was not altogether untrue.
And he can PASS. That's a skill set that isn't talked about as often, but one that has been so much more valuable for years now. He is a classy passer. He's not Dane Richards. On a side note, time will tell if that's who Josh Gatt is - LD or Richards.
Yeah, I'll agree with that. I believe it was his Pig-Flu pass at Azteca that broke perfectly for Davies. Man, what could have been... Gatt is the real deal. He is smart and at full pace he has poise on the ball. Not a finished product, but I have faith.
For as much as our players get slack on bad technique.... I think it also has to do with how our guys make the best out of the shit 'traps'. If you look at the best players in the world, a bad trap doesn't mean the end of the world for them. It's just a quick hiccup to something greater. The best players freom playing street ball and being able to just 'freestyle' out of situations like a jazz player... is the difference. Our guys don't have a lot of that. When you see that though, it's something special. Agudelo and Adu are perfect example of guys who have that ability. An example I love to use is Kaka's amazing goal vs. Egypt. Watch how his shit trap led to this amazing goal.
I say we go back to the royal blue pinstripe kits right now, give LD the captain's band and let him run rampant. That highlight reel versus Ecuador shows him with some real heart on his sleeve, fired up and, so who cares if he can't dribble?
still my favorite kit of all time. If the world cup were a friendly, Donovan would have 3 MVP awards.
Let's talk about that for a bit. Do you really think Donovan only shows up for friendlies? Let's just look at the last cycle from the Hex through the WC. Date Opponent Result Feb. 11 vs. Mexico 2-0 W March 28 vs. El Salvador 2-2 T April 1 vs. Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 W June 3 vs. Costa Rica 1-3 L June 6 vs. Honduras 2-1 W Aug. 12 vs. Mexico 1-2 L Sept. 5 vs. El Salvador 2-1 W Sept. 9 vs. Trinidad & Tobago 1-0 W Oct. 10 vs. Honduras 3-2 W Oct. 14 vs. Costa Rica 2-2 T Mexico - Had the key header on the first goal and the assist on the second. TnT - All 3 assists on Jozy's hat trick Costa Rica - PK Goal Honduras - PK equalizer and assist on the winner (big time pressure game) Mexico - (gorgeous) assist on Davies goal El Salvador - assists on both goals TnT - assist on Clark's winner Honduras - (gorgeous) assist on Casey's second and the FK winner (the goal that sent us to the WC) Costa Rica - assist on Bradley's goal WC 2010 England - played well but didn't get on the scoresheet (although Altidore should have converted a couple of chances that would have put LD on the scoresheet) Slovenia - Brilliant goal to get to 1-2 and played the ball into Altidore who headed to Bradley for the equalizer Algeria - Group winning goal Ghana - PK equalizer This doesn't include his excellent Confederations Cup. I'd love to see what more he could have done over a stretch of 14 games to have been "MVP".
Skillz in many ways are like parlor tricks. There was an old story about Johnny Unitas hanging around the pool at the hotel during the pro-bowl trip to Hawaii. Several reporters came running up and said "Johnny, Dan Pastorini just passed a football up through a 17th story window, What do you think?" Unitas deadpanned, "Which floor were his receivers on?" Watch Michael Bradley find the crease to make himself available to link up. Notice how he already has everyone on the field programmed as to where they should be and where the pass needs to be delivered. Watch how cleanly he touches the ball and how smoothly and quickly he delivers the pass. Then watch how speedily he moves to support the player he passes to. These are skills and often go unnoticed by the folks looking for skillz. I have seen many, many players to whom the ball was a drug. Find the ball, hold the ball, touch the ball, dribble the ball. Watch those who know to move the ball and then to move to support the ball.