Zardes is actually a good defender. Altidore is the worst defender on the USMNT. That's for starters.
I don't think Josh Wolff ever had a season like Gyasi is having. Heck, this season is as good as the best of GAMs seasons. OTOH, this is about as good as service has ever been in an MLS team. Still hard to say with Zardes, I need another two seasons from him before I'm comfortable coming up with a verdict.
Altidore's job isn't to be a good defender. He plays his role extremely, extremely well for the NT. You don't score 23 goals in 72 caps by age 24 by tracking back and running down opposing wingers. If you're basis for that original statement is Altidore's defense, then I suppose that yes, based on that one skillset that makes up approximately 1% of a forward's value, then yeah, Zardes is a better player than Jozy.
Too early to say. Altidore was scoring a goal every other game in MLS at age 17. He was however basically over-powering defenses with his bulk, dribble, and pace--not as easy to do at higher levels of play. Zardes' strengths aren't really about over-powering defenses and so the player could be a Jozy complement or competitor .
Eyeball test only, but I don't think Zardes' ceiling is anywhere near Jozy's. I may be in the minority, though. He's a good, albeit inconsistent finisher with above average technical ability, above average speed (but not as blazing as some here may think), and he's improved his tactical prowess. However, I think a big part of this run is dependent upon the service he's getting from guys like Keane and Donovan, and to a lesser extent the buildup play from guys like Juninho and Sarvas. I still want him in camp, but I have low expectations. Crazy to think he's not even a full 2 years younger than Jozy, though. Edit: One thing I do love about Zardes is that over the last year his runs have had the sort of conviction you like to see from veteran, savvy strikers. There was one specific instance last night where Keane beat his defender off the dribble inside in the 18 on the left side of the box, Zardes understood that he needed to hold his run around the penalty marker, then cut to the near post in order to leave his man only once Keane had beaten his man. The reason for this was: 1. To stay onside 2. To leave his marker in an inferior position relative to Zardes and the ball 3. To create the best passing angle for Keane both before AND after he had beaten his man (this last part is important, as many young strikers usually only provide one option or the other, and not both) In addition, he did all of this non-verbally, instead using hand gestures, like experienced strikers do who have a good rapport with their teammates, to guide Keane's decision as to where to play it. The ball never got there, but it was good to see. Like Matt said earlier, he moves with purpose. You get the feeling that if it were a training session and Bruce were to stop the game to question Zardes on where he should make his next run, Zardes would be able to answer without hesitation. That's not an impression you got last year watching him.
I've been in Zardes's camp, but I don't think he's anywhere near Jozy, either, nor do I think he's likely to be, later. Jozy's had a hard time in the Premier League both times he's been there, but really, he's so much better than any of our other pure forward options that it's face-palming just how often the "Is X better than Jozy?" arguments keep popping up. That said, this summer was an excellent illustration of what happens when you don't have a backup on your 23 man roster. I don't see why Zardes can't throw his hat into that ring of candidates.
Both Zardes and Wright-Philips moved from wing to front and have big numbers now. He maybe better than Altidore with his work rate and also not too bulky.
Well, Zardes started last year in front of goal and was only moved to wing because he was finishing so poorly. He's got a lot of work to do to become an effective winger. In front of goal, however, he seems to have found his groove. It's funny, Bruce Arena in his post game comments often laments having to move Zardes to the wing to make room for other players (Like Alan Gordon). He made this comment again after last night's game. Putting him on the wing is just to keep him on the field, not because anyone thinks he is a good winger. I like him a lot. I think he'll be useful to the USA this cycle. I don't see him being a really important piece unless his game next year takes as big a step as it did this year.
Except that he will pretty much only have one cycle as he will be 31 by 2022...but we shall see he could surprise.
I don't believe Zardes ceiling is as high as Altidore's either. The problem is Altidore's rather mediocre field vision has so far been a major limiter on reaching his potential.
Actually Zardes has dished plenty of key passes from wing as he did in his 3 starts there this season. The point being not so much that he needs to play on flanks but that he's an excellent passes facing goal from deep positions.
I agree with this post, about the best and most honest analysis one can get from this thread. I also stress the importance of not letting hype overtake thinking. In short, Zardes is not a world-class forward, and his game still is incomplete. But he's also proved that he deserves a call-up, and his skillset will be a huge asset coming into the Gold Cup. This is the type of player you need to take down to Central America to steal road points in qualifiers, just like how we had guys like Wondolowski, Wolff and Casey poach goals against CONCACAF opposition. My hope for Zardes: He gets called up and has a great Gold Cup. Then perhaps he goes to bigger things, outside MLS? Holland or Mexico, perhaps? Or maybe the Galaxy's new marquee man after Donovan leaves the theatre? After all, with Wondow getting up in the years, I am sure Klinsi is looking for a top-tier replacement poacher.
I'm a fan of Zardes. When I first watched him play last season (at least a half dozen times) I thought "wow, this kid really has raw talent, but is terribly inconsistent." He would do some phenomenal things one minute then poop on the pitch the next, and game to game, too. This season, however, he seems to have become very consistent with his play and, as has been stated already, his runs are very smart. I can't stress that enough. The goal he scored last week was a great example of that (the nice flick through from Keane I think it was), and it also showed his improved finishing. I thought it was a great finish. Overall, I think the guy has worked hard to bring it all together and it's paying off. I don't care that he's already 23 and what Jozy was doing at 17. Zardes looks very promising to me both with his club future and his chances with the NT. Looking forward to seeing him in action with the NT soon.
I've been very impressed with Gyasi's excellent run of form this season. Part of me does wonder the extent to which his success is influenced by playing with arguably the best creator in MLS (Landon Donovan) and the best striker in MLS (Robbie Keane). Similar to how Kenny Cooper scored 17 goals with NYRB in 2012 when he had Thierry Henry next to him to create, put helpers on the table, and fill up space. That said, for a young(ish) player to be the top American goalscorer in MLS, Zardes needs to be given some looks. He has demonstrated good finishing ability in the box, and he seems to make intelligent runs and put himself into dangerous positions. I haven't watched him enough to gauge his hold-up play, and I have absolutely no idea how he would fare as a lone striker in the 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation that Jurgen Klinsmann favors. There are plenty of good forwards who aren't suited for a lone striker role at the international level (Aron Johannsson, for example).
Boyd and Johansson out injured, Agudelo still in limbo, Wondo..meh (still in Klinsmanns graces). Zardes has a huuuge opportunity in the next friendlies to become #2 in striker depth. Also in contention: Akindele and Bruin
If you go down a checklist you will see that Zardes is collectively better than Jozy. I already said Jozy is an inferior defender. Zardes' cross from the wing is actually quite potent and his long stride makes it easy for him to create his own shot. Altidore cant cross to save his life. We all know Jozy has no aerial game. Neither Jozy nor Zardes are fast like Dempsey but Zardes' eye-foot coordination is better/quicker when reacting to a pass that reaches him. It would be fun to see Gyassi against Ecuador but I fear we will see the Captain of Prague if Klinsmann's recent pronouncements are to be believed. He said he would bring the Prague bunch. I'm fine with the mids but hv no desire to see Green, Gyau and Antiscore against Ecuador. Been there, done that. Let's see some competition for those spots, not just talk from Klinsi. Who is better: A) Gyau - Jozy - Green with Chandler and Fabian or B) Wenger-Zardes-Serna with Garza and Yedlin. Our best centre fwd leading the line is Dempsey but he will not be in Russia. And in case he is not available for Gold Cup we need to have a good idea of who his successor should be.
If Zardes makes the same runs he does with his club and someone can recognize these runs and get the ball to him he'll get chances to score with the national team. It's that simple to me. His technical ability and physical ability, imo, aren't limiting factors but also aren't outstanding so it all comes down to the above for me.
Are you suggesting that we've seen enough of Gyau and Green? I think that Gyau especially gave a performance against Czech worthy of another run-out soon. Not that he's competition for the central striker position (which Zardes seems to have the potential to challenge for). My first thought is that Zardes might do well in the central stiker position for the US, with the new 4-3-3ish formation that Klinsmann ran out last week, and with players like Gyau and Green as the wing forwards, coming in diagonally to the box, with wingbacks creating the attacking width. This setup puts Zardes in a position familiar to him, as LA play with their three best attackers (Donovan, Keane, Zardes) circulating pretty freely around the box. Zardes certainly benefits from playing with two greats like Keane and Donovan, and their ability to see and make dangerous passes. But, also importantly, playing with those guys has helped him learn to see the runs into tight spaces to receive those passes, and has improved his finishing to make the effort worthwhile. This is a big reason that LA has been so hot lately.
Hahahahahahahahahaaaa right now? You are outside of your mind. Now by 2018 if he was better, I wouldn't be tottttallly shocked. I give him a 10% chance to be as good or slightly better than Jozy by 2018. With that being said we need new young strikers and Zardes is only scratching the surface of what he could one day do. Look forward to watching him play for the Stars and Stripes soon
Yes, but Zardes, tactical acumen to make these runs not just for himself but for his teammates should transfer to that level.