Jozy and the Footycats: Altidore at Sunderland

I can't see that Altidore will continue to start if he doesn't produce as they have plenty of options upfront. His price tag has probably given priority at the start of the season and guaranteed him enough games to get settled in and make his case as a starter, but that won't last forever if he doesn't justify it.

Wickham is a young player who looks like he may well be challenging for a starting place, Ji could breakthrough, but with 4 strikers ahead of him it won't be easy for him to challenge for serious minutes. Fletcher is the most proven striker and is not injury-prone: he's had a couple of injuries recently, but apart from these he's hardly missed any games in his career due to inury. Borini is a talented player, and whilst not good enough to displace Suarez and Sturridge at Liverpool, could well make himself a starter this season if given the chance.

 

Most of the print that I've been reading places more of the onus on the players around him. I have to say that, while Jozy isn't the one to create chances for himself, he is in the right spots most of the time. But no service means no goals. If it were one of the top 4-5 teams, he'd be benched but at Sunderland, I don't see Poyet or anybody giving up on him.

 

Wickham is simply not good and Ji has not real shot. Fletcher is a real threat and Borini could be too. If Altidore plays like he did in the first half last night, though, anyone could beat him out.

But he has played OK for Sunderland, which is probably a fairer reflection of hit ability.

 

I noticed last night that JK had Jozy going to the back post a bunch. Its been talked alot in this thread. I don't understand exactly why, but Klinsmann knows how to play on the front line! Guess'n the idea is to send target at back post and have mids crash near post. Works well if that mid is CD

 

No, not really. He's played badly for Sunderland, but since many others have played horribly, he's not receiving that much stick yet, by comparison.

 

this is not U12 soccer. the coach of the USA team does not tell players which post to run to.

 

He's not played poor at all.

 

Sunderland plays like a bunch of neanderthals which goes hand in hand with the way English fans think the game should be played. Hopefully their new boss can actually get them to play a game of soccer not using tactics from the 1950's in which case Jozy will show his worth.

 

Mightn't he suss out a mismatch and ask a player to exploit it though?

 

IMO he's been so-so. Not horrible and of course Not without fault. He's done his job and done it well in some matches and then at others it's underwhelming to watch because his teammates are on a different page than he. Needs Larsson out there. Take out Johnson.

 

He has been known to bring oranges slices

 

Article about Jozy and Sunderland's struggles this season and the USA/Jamaica game.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...smnt-forward-jozy-altidore-attempts-stay-posi

 

He needs to look more animated when he doesn't have the ball. Guy seems to be thinking about the evening dinner when he's not directly involved in the play. Frankly, unlike Dempsey, who got a lot of flak he didn't deserve and became the Spud fans #1 scapegoat, so far the criticizing of Altidore has been tempered by how lousy his mates are, and a lot of it is spot on.

 

I remember being on the Spurs message boards and there were actually many spurs fan complaining about Dempsey tap in and deflection goals and how Siggurdsson should be playing before him...

The difference between Clint and Jozy is Clint was more forceful inside the box...He'll try to put himself in between the path of the ball and the central backs...Jozy tends to try to sneak behind the centre back and look for space there, which is a bad idea.

Still believe once Jozy learns how to move inside the box and use his big body frame to shove defenders away to get in front of them as the ball is coming in, he'll be amazing and score a lot of goals.

He needs to be like Dennis Rodman..Rodman would always box out and try to get himself in between the hoop and the defender, so when the rebound comes down, he has a better chance of getting it since he's already in front of the defenders......Jozy never tries to get in front of defenders when the ball is whipped or crossed low.

 

I'm coaching U-10 now, and I don't even do that.

 

only because it does no good.

The previous post, if you ask me, is the most obvious critique of Jozy's finishing game - rather than ride a defender to the ball and who gives a hoot which one dinks it in, he waits for the pass to slip through beyond the defender so he can back-post it. Nothing wrong with that if the ball is getting to you, but you force more ugly goals if you are toe to toe with the far-side defender - esp if you're a bit strong young fella like Josmer.

 

Apparently Jozy will captain the USMNT tonight ...

 

Quite an honor. Gonna be real motivated tonight

 

Jozy was woeful against Jamaica

 

Perhaps the armband ensures that does not repeat itself tonight

 

According to Sunderland papers, it looks like Poyet is likely to drop Jozy for a fit again Fletcher...
While Jozy has only returned from International duty yesterday and will only get 2 training session with Poyet, it is clear to me Poyet views Fletcher as his main striker in his preferred 4-3-3, and that could be bad news for Jozy.

If it's the case and jozy is dropped, I'm hoping this will finally wake him up...Jozy needs to increase his work-rate inside the box and needs to start latching himself at every balls crossed in the penalty area instead of choosing which balls to go after and which one to just watch

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport...rop-altidore-for-fit-again-fletcher-1-6159605

 

Did you just read the headline? Because that's not at all what his quotes say.

 

I read the stroy...I never stated Poyet said he was going to drop jozy...I stated that sunderland paper are implying that Poyet may drop jozy....There's a chance Jozy and fletcher may start together, but knowing that poyet favorite formation is with one striker and the fact that fletcher is fully fit, he will most likely get the nods before Jozy since he has the better history at scoring goals at this level.

 

The headline is deliberately misleading. He doesn't say which player he's favoring, or if he's even planning on going with a lone striker. The closest he came to saying anything about it is that Jozy has been on international duty and Fletcher has been training with Sunderland.