The Gyasi Zardes thread

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Scotty, Sep 11, 2014.

  1. swedust

    swedust Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    Zardes is the kind of player that I can't really find a way to put in the First XI but can't really find a reason to keep out of the 23 -- it's hard to leave off a guy with that kind of compete level and positional flexibility.

    If he can be an updated version of Josh Wolff circa 2002 (in terms of contributions, not tactical role) that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
     
    bsky22 repped this.
  2. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He is athletic, plays strong defense, and wins headers. He can do some damage running at or behind the defense. If only his touch was decent.
     
  3. mbar

    mbar Member+

    Apr 30, 1999
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Zardes has been a mostly non-factor for LA this year. Just not himself. Not too surprising given the back to back injuries. Hopefully he slowly works himself back into form over the summer.
     
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  4. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    I like Zardes but Josh Wolff he isn't.
     
    ussoccer97531 repped this.
  5. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
  6. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He wasn't himself two years ago where he was donk-touching left and right, making decisions too slowly, and posting a Whoscored rating that considered him a mediocre starter. So we don't know who he is right now from a club standpoint, and for country even at his best he's been merely adequate. On this roster due to versatility, pool weakness at attacking wing, and playing under Bruce w/ Galaxy.
     
  7. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I wonder if the yellow card Gyassi got in Portland was rescinded. Is that even possible? I know red cards are reviewable

    Obviously, everybody is under economic pressure to give the VAR system a perfect score but I'm concerned about safety in the work place.
     
  8. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dissecting the curious case of Gyasi Zardes

    Except it's not all that curious.

    As annoyed as I am with Arena for calling in Zardez, don't just blame him... didn't Zardes have more caps than any other player under Klinsmann in 2015, with 19? And I'm guessing all 12 of his caps in 2016 were also under Klinsmann... god damn that guy was complete s***.

    Wikipedia:
    International As of July 28, 2017.
    Year Apps Goals
    2015 19 3
    2016 12 3
    2017 6 0
    Total 37 6
     
  9. jackiesdad

    jackiesdad Member

    Apr 13, 2008
    I've decided that Zardes is on the team to be a sort-of contagion. There have been more than a few members of the USNT who have superior talent, but have not shown the willingness to exert the necessary effort to get the job done. (Johnson and Chandler immediately spring to mind.) in the meantime, despite his technical shortcomings, Zardes gives 100% effort every time he steps on the field. I really think Arena is saying "I don't care how talented you are - if you don't produce the effort that I get from this spazz over here, I'll play him and make you sit the bench watching him get the minutes you should have gotten."

    To me, this is GOOD coaching.
     
    Mr Martin repped this.
  10. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    His technical deficiencies are way overblown here. He takes people on successfully and has decent success.
     
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  11. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Zardes is strugging to be even a consistent player in MLS, right now. I like that he produces when he is called up but it really would not be a good look for Arena to call him up at the end of this month if this poor form continues.
     
  12. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Hate to say it, but this is about what I expected. There is just not much soccer talent present in his game. Maybe I expected a little more success, but I don't regard him as a NT player.
     
  13. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Some regard him as productive because apparently they have a low standard in that area and apparently they don't care if you intended to do something or not. As if not intending to do something leads to future results. Na, it's lucky, and you regress to your mean when you have average luck.
     
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  14. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    He wasn't even really productive with the NT. I've outlined before that he had even worse good team/bad team stats than Wondo. He played at an okay level from an end product perspective against teams that play at an extremely low level, and was atrocious from an end productive perspective against good teams.
     
  15. Golazo69

    Golazo69 Member+

    Aug 2, 2017
    Agudelo has worse "End product" stats than Wondo at the club and international level, but you tout Agudelo's national team capabilities often...Seems like a double standard to me!
     
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  16. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sigi doesn't seem all that enthralled with Zardes. "Works hard" is about the only positive thing you can say about the kid.



    As an aside, everyone knows LAG needs a CF. Why they spent big on JDS makes little sense.
     
  17. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  18. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sigi probably should not have said that as a head coach when the Galaxy probably have to play Zardes in that role for the rest of the season.

    A change os scenery might do Zardes some good next season.
     
  19. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Zardes has 6 goals and 8 assists in 28 games worth of the minutes for the NT. That's actually quite excellent for a mostly flanker. He's creating a goal every other 90.

    Demonstrating the ability to create in major tournaments, he had a goal and an assist at the Copa.

    He isn't a lone forward, a circumstance which isn't exactly occult knowledge. He needs to be paired up top or played on the flanks.

    He doesn't need a change of scenery at club level; LA need to change the formation.
     
  20. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Zardes isn't my ideal winger but he works hard, has a great personality from what I've heard and the competition isn't world class. All that needs to happen is someone or some ones take it from him. Be more talented and work as hard.
     
    Mr Martin repped this.
  21. HScoach13

    HScoach13 Member+

    Nov 30, 2016
    Club:
    Atlanta
    #1696 HScoach13, Aug 14, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2017
    The change of scenery Zardes needs is to acquaint himself with a rebound wall. Ideally, I would put Zardes in an indoor racquetball court and also incorporate receiving and turning and passing to another wall.
     
  22. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Basically Jozy ver 2. Every season before this one if Zardes played forward, he partnered with another one (usually Keane) in a dual striker formation. Either could check to the ball in midfield (where Zardes has pretty good vision) or off the shoulder, but it took a lot of pressure of Zardes to solely be the man up top.

    Gio dos Santos is a much less well-rounded forward than Robbie Keane, but he's also played more strictly under Zardes this season in the hole in a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-3-1, leaving Zardes alone up top as a target. That's never really been Zardes's game and for a player dogged about his first touch, playing him at target forward has got to be especially confidence-draining. Target forwards often get the fewest touches and most unsuccessful touches in a match by nature of the job (I think Diego Costa lead the EPL in giveaways last season).

    I suggested a 4-3-3, with Zardes at wing forward on either flank and Gio in the middle.
     
  23. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    repped for use of "occult knowledge" which I am filing away for future use.

    Zardes should play right or left mid in a flexible 433 with the Nats, meaning he could play with 2 dmids like McCarty and Bradley or Roldan/Delgado and Bradley and play the 10 mid behind a front line of Pulisic, Morris + 1 center forward like Jozy, Wood, Agudelo.

    That scheme uses all his strengths: Positional defense, passing out of the back, and choosing to trail wide or centrally when the front line moves forward with the ball, getting the ball in open space for crosses, etc. .

    Siggy actualy has time to get a cf from abroad if he wants. The domestic window is closed.

    That team is Frankenstein's monster. I guess Arena got out of Dodge just in time
     
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  24. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, but Zardes hasn't been good enough with the Galaxy this season up top or from the wing/flanks.
     
  25. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    He has only 5 starts in wide midfield.
     

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