He did hit that goal - he could have shanked it or skied it like 90% of plays we see like that, and then what would you have said about his technique? The guy deserves some credit after last night. I'll grant you, Philly was bad and ceded aa lot of space.
Zardes with a goal and three assists last night right ? Did they give him one for his shot off the post knocked home by Hasidic? On his goal he could be given an nhl assist too since his great ball to keane lead to his goal after. Great performance and he continues to grow before our eyes.
Sigh. Ladies. Gentlemen. Results matter. Just keep that in mind. Last night, the bottom line is that Gyasi got a lot of results. My biggest take away from last night's performance? His confidence, poise, composure. He has assimilated the speed of the international game and is so much better now at the league level. I'm not saying he's the next Messi, just that the guy's improving rapidly, to the point that he's putting himself in a position to get significant looks from the coaching staff. I'm concerned about defects in his game, but I'm just going to chill out and enjoy things. #soontoberedcardedfromBS #heymodsThatsaJoke
Not sure what I would about his technique on a hypothetical play. I hope it would be fair and with out bias. That play is very typical for him. Great work rate. Picks head up up and finds good passes. Great run and one time finish. He botched that one against Holland, but that doesn't change my view of him. I only saw the highlights. He obviously had a big impact on the game. Even if his touch were better and better off the dribble, I wouldn't want him out wide. I want him up top because I think he is a goal scorer. He gets into good positions and finishes them.
Zardes is a goal poacher. He doesn't need sublime touch or even a Kyle Beckerman level of touch or whatever it is posters somehow think he is lacking. He needs to be able to run to daylight and get onto to the end of things, which he is doing at both club and international level. He already has the other aspects needed to build around his core game, other traits including field vision, work-rate, work ethos, and finishing ability. He is never going to be the sort who dribbles defenders for fun, but as part of a well-oiled machine, will be a lethal finisher. Zardes has a goal and an assist in over 5 games of minutes with the US in matches against Chile, Germany, Holland, Mexico, Switzerland, and Panama. Dude is doing well. He's not the finished article at international level but does have everything needed to be a US regular. The team brought Jones, Bradley, and Cameron. They were OK in central midfield going into the game; it was unfortunate that MB injured himself during warmups.
He had a great game last night. Two assists and a goal, clear MOTM outshining the Irish guy that also played. He has had his stinkers, last night wasn't one of them.
I've said it before: Zardes hasn't been poor this season. In fact, he's made strides with his hold-up play and has become a very reliable outlet for long passes out of the back and out of midfield. He can receive the ball well with his back to goad, hold onto and pick it out a pretty good pass. The missing piece was having players around that can combine with him in the final third and make things happen once he's held the ball up. He's done well every time this season he's had players with him that can do that: Keane and Villareal. Even adjusted for Philly's defense, it was a pretty close to flawless performance from Zardes. He was involved in just about every good chance and was forcing a player like Mo Edu to foul him right outside the box.
Put him in combination play situations with other smart and talented guys. Good shit will happen regardless of the level of the opposition
I would love to see one of those MLS off season loans we use to see more often. But honestly those kind of seemed to have disappeared.
What does this mean? How would Zardes going to Europe hurst the USMNT? Would it really be that big of deal for MLS or the Galaxy?
If he keeps getting call ups and continues to see playing time the money might be too good to pass up.
Does anyone have any examples of American strikers who parallel GZ's skills and situation, who made the move to Europe and significantly improved skills and decision-making? I guess some will say McBride, but I think he was ahead of Zardez, skill wise, to begin with. (Sorry if this has been covered. Or beaten to death.)
Altidore (19)... much younger though. Johnson (24) may be a good match. Other guys who went to Europe... Wynalda (23), Moore, Murray (26), Vermes (23) McBride did spend a year at Wolfsburg when he was 22, loans to England at 28 and 30, before the three years at Fulham starting when he was 32 Edited to add ages of moves.
The death of MLS? European leagues are superior to MLS. Yes, we've had success with some domestic players -- I acknowledge that. However, Zardes will grow as a player moving somewhere across the pond.
So if Altidore and Johnson are the best examples, maybe it's not cut and dried that Zardez would be helped by Europe. At least it would be a gamble, but one a lot us would support if he found a good situation.
I think both of those improved a lot, and both made some bad decisions on clubs. Jozy of 2013 was dominant for us and EJ was a much more refined player when he came back to MLS. It's cliche, but I'd like him to find a team in Holland. I think he'd get a lot out of playing up top in a 433 and the openess of the game would suit him.
And then you have guys like Zardes's teammate, Seb Lletget, who seem to contradict this assumption. The truth is much, much more complicated than the assertion that "European leagues are better than MLS" and that "our players will turn out better over there." This picture has been growing murkier by the year, and at this point in time is SOLELY an individual basis thing, based upon the individual in question and the club and situation at hand. There really are no more truisms like those above that can be considered guiding principles anymore.
I wonder what you guys expect, none of our midfielders or forwards except Bradley when he is on and opponent defenders aren't tuned are completing dribbles consistently. Aron attempts dribbles a fair bit but completes few of them. He was pretty decent against Holland besides one botched pass, and some badly taken shots. At times he doesn't look comfortable as a midfielder because he is learning that position and it isn't his optimum position. If you watch the guy in full games over a stretch you will see his touch is nothing to worry about. There is a reason why he is getting these starts over other guys from Klinsmann.