Eskandarian!!!

[passtheblizz]

Alecko is going to be the next big feature for the Nats. EJ has made his mark, and I think Eske is next in line. He scored 10 goals in MLS last year, and he looked really sharp for DC last week... He always has made intelligent runs, but he now seems to have a lot more confidence taking defenders on 1v1. He also looks like he has been hitting the weights.

I definitely wouldn't have said this 1 year ago, but I think that he will figure heavily in qualifying later this year. With the retirement of Joe Max, the feisty goalpincher slot has opened up, and Alecko is the clear choice in my mind to fill his shoes. Would he have started vs. Colombia if DC and KC hadn't been playing? The EJ/Eske line looks perfect to me for Honduras.

[Sanguine]

I'm a fan of his, but I don't think he has the complete game needed to be a fixture for the Nats. I think he'll end up like Twellman. He'll get some looks, but won't really make a big enough impact to be a regular. He might be an effective sub if we're behind, for his free kick ability if nothing else, though.

[passtheblizz]

I don't know... He looked pretty complete to me last wed. I do agree that he will be hard put to become a regular starter at any point in his career, but I think that he will be a pleasant surprise nonetheless. He really seems to have improved a lot physically from last year, even though it is still pre-season. I don't think he has played enough to be written off just yet as at or below the Twellman line (in honor of Ralston's MOTM v. Colombia). Taylor struggled in MLS last year while Alecko flourished. He is CLEARLY the best DC united player with Nelsen gone, and as a team they aren't too shabby.

Is he even available for Honduras, or does his exclusion from camp prevent him from playing?

[dominate]

I think he is helped out a lot by playing with Jaime Moreno, and the US national team doesn't have Jaime's equivalent in a setup guy. Though he has been able to make things happen on his own too.. would be nice to see him get a chance.

[passtheblizz]

I should revise my statement about Alecko being clearly the best DC United player... he is the best forward though.

[passtheblizz]

Was Moreno with the Metrostars last year or DC? I forget when he came back. Good point though, Moreno does create a lot of opportunities for the players around him and has for ten years in MLS, almost without exception.

[voyager]

I think much of Esky's success last year had to do with Moreno being the setup guy AND the main fous of the opposing team's defense. Not too many defenses keyed in on Esky, I think. Therefore he had more opportunities. And, add in the fact that at the slightest opportunity he took a chance. He is not one to wait for a "better" chance to take a shot. That's one of the reasons why I like him as a player so much. Take chances and you might get lucky. Don't take chances and you might never get lucky.

That being said, I think he will have some chances with the nats to make his mark. His hustle and opportunistic play make him unique to the American striker core. I think to solidify himself he needs to learn some 1v1 skills and some better team play (not that he is bad, but an improvement is never a bad thing). Also, because he is such a competitor he can get a little out of control at times, and I think he would need to keep calm cool and collected during a competitive game.

[babytiger2001]

Was Moreno with the Metrostars last year or DC? I forget when he came back. Good point though, Moreno does create a lot of opportunities for the players around him and has for ten years in MLS, almost without exception.

Indeed, one of the most consistently good players in the history of the league (save for that period with the MetroStars, especially when he was hurt with some degree of a lower back injury, IIRC).

Eskandarian has been a beneficiary of playing alongside Jaime, and it shows -- although Alecko does have all the tools, on his own merits.

But can he jump in and be a squad player for the USA right now? Maybe not, IMO... there might be too many good forwards playing ahead of him at a high or higher level right now.

Question for the masses here: Seeing that Edson Buddle has also had a hard time breaking into the USA team, who would you rate higher -- Buddle or Eskandarian, and why? What does each bring to the party, in terms of positives and negatives?

[Talion]

Question for the masses here: Seeing that Edson Buddle has also had a hard time breaking into the USA team, who would you rate higher -- Buddle or Eskandarian, and why? What does each bring to the party, in terms of positives and negatives?
I'm not very familiar with Buddle, but I can go over Eskandarian for you. Hopefully someone can do the same for Buddle.

cons:
- poor on offensive headers due to both height and technique
- intensity leads to stupid yellow cards
- acceleration probably below average for international players

pros:
- hard and accurate left footed shot
- excellent left footed free kicks
- serviceable right foot (contrary to popular belief)
- hustle and fitness to run hard 90 minutes both making runs and pressuring defenders with the ball
- strong poaching instincts
- speed (fastest player on DC United, although without acceleration this is not as useful as it sounds)
- good fundamentals means he wins a surprising number of 50-50 balls in midfield despite height limitation
- last year came up big in big games

There are four arguments to be made against Eskandarian playing on the USMNT:
1. A player his height must be faster to play internationally
2. His lack of an aerial game in the box is not suited to both Arena's love of "target forwards" as well as the role aerial crosses play in MNT strategy
3. His ball skills are lacking
4. He is a product of Moreno's service

#1 and #2 are entirely subjective and I have no idea whether or not they are true. #3 is true to a point, but he's been steadily improving (for example his first goal in the MLS Cup), and at any rate it seems like any American who shows even the slightest ability with the ball gets moved back to midfield if they aren't there already. I don't really see the forwards ahead of Eskandarian on the depth chart as guys who can go and create entirely on their own, especially at the international level.
As for #4, I don't see how this can be a problem yet with Eddie Johnson how much have we heard about how when he plays for the USMNT he gets great service and that's why he's so much more effective there? Moreno is a great player but so is Landon Donovan. It seems awfuly pessimistic to think service on the US national team is inevitably worse than DC United. If it is simply that Moreno takes the attention of the defense, well, Donovan, DMB, and to a lesser extent EJ require some attention too.

I think Eskandarian was screwed by the labor dispute more than any other fringe player. The dispute cut down on overall camp time and pushed the friendlies into conflicting with the US Open Cup. I can't prove it but I feel like unless he had a disastrous camp he would have gotten into a friendly had they been played in January as originally planned. So instead of at least being available for a second cap against Colombia last week he (ho-hum) scored a goal in the CCC. He'll have to continue to show very well just to get in a friendly, and to have a shot at Germany he'll probably have to have a career year in MLS plus have a really good showing in whatever camp/friendly he can get into.

Eskandarian has been a favorite player of mine since I was at UVA at the same time as he was, so I am biased, but I would like to see him make the WC. Conventional wisdom around here I think is that his size and pace make him suited, at best, for running up the score on weak Caribbean teams in qualifying. The way I look at it, he can potentially be useful in games against the power teams. Against world class defenders none of our forwards are going to be able to outrun or outjump them, but Eskandarian has the ability to bury a half-chance from the edge of the box. We'll see.

[Adam Zebrowski]

eskandarian just has a knack for making players, being the guy who finishes well....

in a sense, he can be very complementary to EJ, and what beasley and donovan bring....

I think eventually arena takes a longer look at him, possibly gold cup, and maybe next january....

eventually, finding some one to partner EJ will be an audition, with the guy getting the gig being the guy who produces when given a chance...

esky does produce, so he's got a fighting chance...

[denver_mugwamp]

Yeah, the kid isn't very tall and he's not a real burner. (Although I've seen him out-quick quite a few defenders to balls.) But there's just something about Eski's attitude that makes you want him on the team. To be truthful, he's only had one year of first team soccer and he'll probably continue to improve. Here's hoping he has another good MLS season so that he can prove himself to the doubters and start getting some USMNT looks.

[IUtwins]

I believe that Alecko is a good goal scorer. However, he lacks the ability to be the assist man. Therefore he is limited to the forward position, and as mentioned before, he does not fit the type of forward that the nats are currently using. He will need to adapt from his current form if he wants to break into the national team. I would like to see Alecko work on distribution a little more and defense. For instance, here are his numbers over the last four years:

G A
01 = 9 3
02 = 25 4
03 = 3 2
04 = 10 2

He can score the goals, but it would greatly increase his game to work on some of the other fundamentals and maybe try to get some midfield time on the national team.

[Haole]

AE has some skills, lots of huevos and a decent shot. He looks like the type that will prob. improve in the next 2-3 seasons and get some Gold Cup spots etc.

However, he's a bit small, not a burner and needs some 1v1 skill improvement to warrant more time now.

As for Buddle, you gotta like his overall skills and size. I didn't see him after that knee (?) injury so I'm not sure where he is now. He's young and w. a good comeback should be around the Nat. squad for '10.

[Geneva]

I'm excited about Eskandarian, and reports of him being in good form during preseason are encouraging. However, I think he is clearly below Twellman & Ching on the depth chart at forward right now based on who went to T&T & who got called in to the latest camp. I know DC had the CCC, but Olsen & Zavagnin went to the camp & were released for the games. He's probably also behind Josh Wolff. Personally, I hope he gets a chance to show his stuff & shines. He could be, IMO, a good complement to Johnson, Donovan & Beasley & he could be a good sub, too. He has the ability & the situation to play so well with his club that he would force his way onto the team.

[Ronaldo's Idol]

Eskandarian has scored some goals in MLS that I don't think anyone else on the USMNT would score. His finishing touch is extremely good. So good that I think if he found his niche in the national team with good service to him, he could really be a force to reckon with.

He is very different from Twellman in that he is creative creating and finishing half chances. Granted, he seems to have trouble creating lots of space for himself by dribbling, or at least rarely does, but any little space within 20 yards of goal he can certainly score.

In the international game you can't dribble around the 18 yard box anyway, so his smart runs and one-time finishing might fit in very well.

I also think he has good if not great acceleration...I don't know where this opinion comes from that he doesn't. He has burned many MLS defenders last year.

Also, his intensity is something EJ seems to lack. So that could be a good pairing.

I think Esky has an outside chance at the Nats, but a very real chance nonetheless. If he can finish on the international level like he can in MLS, I think he has a spot in Germany.

[bigtimebuck4]

ive seen a lot of buddle and the kid can play, i have no idea why he doesnt get more rep w/ the nats.

[Sanguine]

Question for the masses here: Seeing that Edson Buddle has also had a hard time breaking into the USA team, who would you rate higher -- Buddle or Eskandarian, and why? What does each bring to the party, in terms of positives and negatives?

As MLS players, I'd put them right about on par with each other. As far as being a big-time national team player, I have to give the edge to Buddle. He has the physical gifts that can't be taught.

I hope Esky surprises me and proves me completely wrong for doubting him, but I see his physical limitations holding him back at the next level. He does have the workrate and hustle characteristics that Arena seems to like, so I think he'll get his chances to show what he can do.

[swilso01]

I should revise my statement about Alecko being clearly the best DC United player... he is the best forward though.

I agree that Esky should get a look, but no way is he the complete player that Moreno is. The other poster hit it on the head, Esky would not have the success he does without Moreno setting things up and opening up holes in the defense.

[Hedbal]

I've watched Esky from his arrival, and his improvement under Novak has been amazing. Yes, having Moreno (and Gomez) helps a good deal, but he needs only the slightest opening and he can put it in unaided. He gets the shot off faster than just about anyone. Moreno hardly shoots any more it seems, as he is always looking for the killer final pass. But Esky is looking for a shot - all the time. BTW, whoever thinks he has poor acceleration hasn't been paying attention. He launches like a rocket, as many a chagrined defender will testify.

[RUUDVN]

Is he a moslem ?