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.
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.
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.
Zardes back with the team for the first time since his injury: Bruce Arena names 23-player U.S. MNT roster for 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup
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.
I wonder if the yellow card Gyassi got in Portland was rescinded.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.
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
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.
His technical deficiencies are way overblown here. He takes people on successfully and has decent success.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Sigi doesn't seem all that enthralled with Zardes. "Works hard" is about the only positive thing you can say about the kid. Sigi Schmid says @LAGalaxy lack a center forward: https://t.co/5cb4SLKjjx pic.twitter.com/7Ji20etuT7— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 13, 2017 As an aside, everyone knows LAG needs a CF. Why they spent big on JDS makes little sense.
Sigi Schmid says LA Galaxy lack a center forward, offers support to Zardes that comment section... Maybe put Shalrie Joseph up top...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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