Most of those guys changed leagues. Carroll was clearly a flash in the pan to everyone but Liverpool. Torres....eh, no one knows what the heck his problem was. This is just speculating that Wondo would suddenly lose form with no basis. Go watch his goals from the past two years. Look, I don't think Wondo is or should be a major target for us. I am just reacting to this opinion that he is somehow a garbage goal poacher and that would couldn't possibly use him. That position makes zero sense to me and isn't supported by a single thing that's been said. The fact that Shevchenko couldn't jump from Italy to England really has no relation.
Maybe I used the wrong term or I'm wrong about that aspect of his game. Day in and day out he's been exceptional. I was thinking about the big pressure games such as the playoffs or the Open Cup. Kind of like Fredy Montero - tears it up all season, but has little impact when's he's needed most. It's almost as if he gives 100% every game and when he gets into a big game there isn't anything to step up. My perspective is probably biased, selective and unfair to Wondo because I've been watching Donovan play for so long and seen him turn into Super Landon in the playoffs or World Cups. Donovan, Beckham and Keane have been in big pressure games their entire careers and maybe it's all their experience combined with their skill that sets them apart. But even Magee has been able to make things happen in big games. I haven't seen this in Wondo's game, but he's been in so few big game situations that there isn't a lot of data to analyse. I think this experience or ability is something we'd want in a DP and luckily the LAG have the means to go out and get such as player. I think if we had limited funding, say a DP budget in the $1M range, Wondo would be at the top of my list. Apologies for the unfair generalization.
No apology needed, the clarification makes a lot of sense. And I agree Wondo hasn't produced in the playoffs. It's a small sample size, but it's not a good initial look. I guess you'd hope that some of the Galaxy's clutchness and Keane's insanity would rub off on him. But I agree completely that the great thing about Keane and Donovan is that they have a history or rising to big occasions and you can count on some magic happening.
"Count on some magic happening"? I guess so, depending on exactly how you define "magic". There's Keane magically blowing chance after chance to save West Ham from regulation in 2011, in what one British writer called a "wretched campaign", and then there's Landon Donovan with a "magical" PK skied over the bar, effectively killing his team's chance at winning MLS Cup. And here's Wondo "not producing" in the playoffs.
Meant to write "real goals", not a PK, especially when LD didn't earn it. It's fine if Wondo supposedly isn't "big game" enough for ya'll. The idea that you'd somehow "poach" him from SJ is complete fantasy anyway. It would happen over his dead body.
Look, first, I said Wondo's sample size is too small. But I most certainly do NOT count glorified exhibition games (that's what all star games are) and if you want to count every time a player comes up short...well. heck, Landon and Robbie have powered their teams into so many pressure-packed games that there are bound to be some flops. Second, if you watch a highlight reel of USMNT best moments (say a "top ten") you are sure going to see a lot of Landon Donovan. If you want Galaxy highlights, same thing. Robbie's been similarly effective. Wondo's highlights are all regular season highlights. Not that he couldn't do it possibly, but he hasn't yet, and he's not even in the same area code as Keane and Donovan in terms of Big Goals. That said, of course I would take him on our team, and I think anyone who wouldn't isn't looking at him fairly. But it goes way too far to say he's the equal of Donovan or Keane in big moments. that's just nucking futs, as they say.
I never said that he wasn't "big game" enough, I'm just sayin your proof is a little flimsy...one career playoff goal isn't compelling evidence that he is "big game". But whatever, he could change that perception next season with a strong showing in the playoffs...when he's suited up in the white, blue & gold
Exactly. If you guys understand that the sample size is tiny for Wondo in the playoffs, and that we can't make any conclusions either way, I feel that my work is done here. There are a couple of things at work here: 1) sample size, and 2) arguably, "clutch" is a myth to begin with. I think the sabermaticians have more or less proven that, though, yeah, different sport. But I think it would apply to soccer as well. Out of curiousity, what is Donovan's goals per minute in the playoffs vs. regular season? If "clutch" applies to anyone, it might be him because he seems to have had motivational issues in his career. But in general I think "clutch" is a myth.
If there is a God, and he likes San Jose, he'll find a way to put you in charge of LA player evaluation and acquisitions
You know, you probably shouldn’t bang on about sample size when you make statements like this, kind of ruins the illusion you actually know about sample size. Oh and it’s relegation, not regulation.
It's all about context and actually following the thread of conversation. Another poster claimed that you could "count on some magic happening" with Keane and Donovan. That's what I was responding to there. It takes only one counterexample to disprove the "count on some magic happening" statement. You don't even need to get into sample size, but thanks for checking in.
Why have you even "checked in" JazzyJ? Get out of our thread. You're not adding anything constructive. Go find a team.
He is here because the idea that the Galaxy could actually tempt Wondo is an absolute possibility that fills his smurf San Jose fan heart with legit fear. The Earthquakes is a team that has a history of not spending the money it takes to keep guys that don't suck on the roster after all and Wondo both wants and deserves a significant raise. LA could give him that and much more and they know it. I can smell the fear all the way over here in Minneapolis lol.
Look around the San Jose area. It's pretty obvious God doesn't like San Jose. God even let Baby Jesus go from San Jose to LA.