Review: The case for Kenny Cooper

Under JK's new fluid attacking system, and the US inability to find a real forward, maybe its time we brought back a prime Target forward.

Kenny Cooper who has 4 goals in 10 caps, not a bad number is only 26 and well seasoned... Never really given the chance on the USMNT to be the US forward maybe it Kenny Cooper can be the new Brian McBride...

This given Jozy's new troubles at his club, also he has 12 goals in 42 caps. And Juan Agudelo really still not being there...

So what do ya guys say: Kenny Cooper, should get another look...

Wondo, Davies, Gomez, Ching, and now Cooper? I feel like this is turning into an "Advertising Players" board.

As a big Coop fan, mid-year this year I would have said no. But Kenny seems to have found his form again. ( Remember he has had at least two goals disallowed this year that should not have--one was a bad offsides call and the other was a goal disallowed because the corner kick ball ostensiblyswung over the end line.)

And the service to him has been pretty bad in Portland. I think he would score for the USA is limited minutes, Heck, Hercules Gomez would score MORE in limited minutes. I think it's a waste to call Agudelo and Bunbury. They have talent but are so not ready. Kenny and Herc are seasoned pros with demonstable skills that show when surrounded by good players.

Kenny is no longer playing like a little guy. So Yes, he should be called. Herc too. They are not old, and will not be old during qualifying

Is there any particular reason this couldn't have been a comment in the previous Kenny Cooper thread, from like ten days ago? Do we need a new Kenny Cooper thread every other week?

Kenny Cooper
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1832227

Agudelo and Bunbury suffer from if you can't start for your club how can you start for your national team. With Teal being the ONLY young forward out there who after 2 caps and 1 goal deserves another look....

Cooper is strong in the air and not bad with his foot....

Gomez is a sub, but a super sub for his team he could do that role for the US....

There are many players I'd like to see and we'd all like to see for the US... But again the US is a work in progress.... A work in progress where our forwards Jozy and Juan are also works in progress...

It could be a LONG WCQ term for the US....

I actually really like Cooper because for a big man he seems to be a great poacher. He could be like our Miroslav Klose, only really excelling for the national team. I wouldn't be opposed to him getting a call-up.

So has Cooper finally started playing like a target forward? Because for years the knock on him was that he was a 5-8 skill forward playing in a target forward's body. Everybody looked at him and expected him to be the next Brian McBride, but he played like he wanted to be the next Earnie Stewart.

Not that that's bad. He seems to be on form and god knows we need a forward who can put the ball in the net. I just have doubts that he's going to be the 'target forward' the OP is implying he could be.

I don't know if he's become a the target forward he should be and we need, but he had a hell of a nice finish off a header last night. I love Franken Cooper when he's playing like he should. He's hard to watch when he's doing his winger impression though.

Agree totally on Gomez, Cooper, Wondo over guys like Agudelo, Bunbury and even Jozy. They put it in the net consistently. You cannot say that about the young en vogue guys yet.

That wasn't in this sub forum.

When a forward hasn't scored a goal in the last 9 matches, it is understandable.

And an average of a goal every 85 minutes.

I thought he should have had a larger role last cycle. The guy is very skilled for a big man, and really does has that knack for goal. I think what hurt him some the last cycle was that there was a lot of pressure for him to put in goals in a relatively short time to make his case, which didn't allow him much time to play/learn that target forward role for the USMNT.

I thought what hurt him at least as much as that was the 2007 broken leg and the 2009-2010 journey to Europe where he hardly saw the field.

I will be interested to read people's impressions here.

When it looked like BB was moving the team more toward a 4-5-1 I brought his name as someone whom such a tactical shift would favor and quite a few posters, even some Timbers supporters, dismissed the idea of him in a USMNT kit.

Has his form changed that much since then? (I don't doubt that, I'm honestly asking the question)

In terms of what I saw as his set of skills / attributes, I think he'd be a fine fit.

I use to think the broken leg prevented him from Copa and the Olympics, but I don't think Bob would have selected him for either anyways. I just don't think he was what Bob wanted, and that's why I think him scoring in limited playing time was very important to him continually getting called up. His Euro stint was just a terrible setback all together, but Bob didn't always stick to his motto of 'not playing those that are not getting first team minutes' but that's another thread alltogether...

He saw the field quite a bit when he first went 1860, got hurt. Then struggled to get his career on track.

Mid-season Cooper looked bad and was benched for some games. He seemed to get his act together and has been playing well since. I have been impressed by his recent hustle. And since I (and his coach) are not impressed by Jozy's form, I think Cooper might be an alternative. I think it is something that a coach benched Jozy despite the fact he was scoring. That's a ballsy move.

Anyway we have discussed the Jozy situation forever it seems. He just does not get it that at the level he is playing he has to be fit. I don't think we can blame it on youth any longer. The guy seems to be lazy or maybe he has a physical problem not yet diagnosed.

I think the interest has risen due to him scoring goals four out of the last six matches.

Bigsoccer is an amazing place, where you can go from a thread discussing how the U.S. looked poor in the attack against Brazil, Argentina and Spain to one calling for Kenny Cooper to get the call at striker.

All with the click of a mouse.

I knew when I saw KC's picture yesterday that I would find a thread on why KC should get another look at the USMNT. I'm not saying he shouldn't, but the has how many goals this year for Portland? He's not a target man, or at least he doesn't play like one, has average skill on the ball, and ain't all that fast. He makes a solid choice for Portland at this level, but he just is not a NT level striker. If he wants to turn his back to goal, work on his hops and hold up play, maybe he can develop into one, but I can't imagine that he would risk his day job and pay check to do that.

Sounds a lot like Jozy to me. I don't know what his goal ratio to caps is (I am sure someone will inform me), but we seem to have glommed onto him as if he is the only one who can score. He has not impressed me that much. He has moved from club to club, with his fitness always being in question.

I did not see any pictures of KC, but I have watched him all year as a Portland fan. He did have a bad spell, but seems to have worked his way out of it. I am not saying he is national team fodder, but, whereas Jozy had such potential, I don't see him living up to it.

The problem with Kenny Cooper is (still) he doesn't know that he's a target forward. He spent much of the season with us floating around outside of the box, falling down easily, and generally avoiding tough target forward play.

He's not that good, regardless. He's had a good late run but needs a full year of consistent play before he's even on a Camp Cupcake callup sheet.

The primary case for Kenny Cooper: he's not the one currently in there.