I think maybe my post wasn't clear...I'm saying he's one of the most creative on the European based USMNT team so that wouldn't include the domestic players you mentioned. I would say though that he's more creative then Dempsey and Jozy for sure. Those two are more finishers then creators. Not that either haven't done great in the past...it's just different styles of play. Jones to me is a bit too inconsistent...he'll have an amazing pass that will unlock a top Bundesliga side but then make 3 or 4 decisions that will make you scratch your head.
I see no evidence that Johanssen is more creative than Clint or Jozy...or Fab Johnson, Diskerud, Agudelo or Jermaine Jones.
Well I consider Clint to be a domestic player now (even though he's on loan to Fulham). Also Deuce is much more of a finisher - like I said I think he's a poor man's Thomas Muller in a certain regard...he's always (or used to be at least) at the right place at the right time with crosses and rebounds, through balls, which are the majority of his goals I think Mix is very creative, as seen in Bosnia where he should have earned a PK and in the Dos a Cero match with his assist to LD. Jones to me is a bit too inconsistent. Fab I think excells more in his off-ball movement - he's absolutely fantastic in that regard and he sends in a hell of a cross too - but he's not one to juke a defender and then get a shot off with his opposite foot. Jozy, is much much more of a finisher. I think he's improving a lot at S'land which is a positive sign, but his inability to create for himself hampers his play quite a bit...this is why you constantly hear how he needs service. I do agree Agudelo is very creative. If I had to put it in order on the Euro team I'd say 1. AJ 2. Mix 3. Agudelo all close to each other. I'm not sure many players on that Euro squad can do something as seen at 4:50 and 5:00 though..Agudelo yes, Mix possibly/probably
Dempsey doesn't create for others he's a poacher, JA isn't a better creator either (doesn't have the same vision or passing ability), mix isn't better either. Fabian, jones and zusi all have arguments that can be made. The difference is AJ can create for himself and others while the others on the list can only do one or the other.
You keep saying that, but it doesn't make it true. Plus, you keep calling Johanssen some great creator just for making space for himself to take a shot, when Dempsey has made an entire career of that and has done it against far better competition--and actually scored. If Dempsey is a poor man's Muller, AJ's is a poor man's Dempsey. Altidore has like 5 assists for Sunderland, so he can pass and create, even for a troubled team like that. And yes, Mix did set up a very good goal against Mexico. So I'm confused why you say AJ is more creative than both of them based on 10 seconds of highlights that don't result in actual goals? He's a good player with lots of potential that may someday show he's the player you describe, but one or two promising touches doesn't suddenly make him the creative force you claim he is.
Actually, you're totally wrong, but I see you've read on ckl26's scouting report of Clint Dempsey. You can say "Dempsey's just a poacher and can't create" all you want, I guess, but it doesn't erase the assists he racked up at Fulham and Tottenham. More importantly, neither of you provided much evidence Aron being some fantastic creator--just a single highlight of him creating shots for himself. And Dempsey has done that against far better opponents. And again, you say Mix isn't better, but he has set up goals for USMNT, which is more than AJ has done to-date. So please explain how AJ is better than all these guys that have done things for club and country that he has not?
Again, I'm talking about the Euro based USMNT so I'm not comparing AJ to Dempsey...Dempsey plays his soccer in the US now so I'm not sure why we're comparing AJ to him...AJ plays in Europe, Dempsey does not (despite the loan). I've watched most of AJ's matches...of course if you take the sample size from a USMNT POV it will be more favorable to Mix because he's been around a lot longer then AJ has. I also view the ability to create for oneself in the same light as a "creative player" and AJ is one of the best amongst all Euro players at doing so.
How's this for ya... In his career Dempsey has only had 7 assists twice in a season the rest are 4 or less. Mix has never had more than 4. While AJ is on 4 and counting. It's not just that Dempsey will almost always look to score in an attacking situation. Mix to pass. AJ looks for the best option either shot or pass and can do both extremely well.
Creativity? AJ vs Dempsey? There is no basis for comparison. One played in the EPL. The other plays in the Eredivisie. Neither is there anything at National Team level. How many caps does AJ have? How many assists? How many scoring movements has he been involved in. Posters embarrass themselves bigging the man up.
----------------Agudelo --------------------Altidore ---Shea-------------------Kljestan -----------DWill----Diskerud --Johnson--------------------Chandler -------------Jones---Cameron ---------------Howard Altidore getting to play off someone for a change. Kljestan reprising the pinched-in role from his MLS days. Jones has filled in competently at CB before.
What league you play in doesn't make you more or less creative of a player. By that logic Dempsey's a more creative player cause he played in the EPL than donovan cause he stayed in the mls. No shit on the national level one has been with the team for a decade the other just breaking in now. Dempsey is a great poacher but he is not someone that is gonna look to set up others. AJ does both.
-------------------JA--------Bacon----------------- ----------------------agudelo---------------------- ----------------mix------jones-----kljestan Johnson------------------------------------Chandler ------------------brooks- ---Cameron ---------------Howard
Ten assists in La Liga is the same as ten assists in MLS? Thing is Dempsey and Donovan have an extensive record with the National Team. Donovan has also a decent amount of games in the EPL. There is a basis for a rational, non-hormonal comparison. That's just ignorance.
Obviously league matters to a degree but playing in one league vs another doesn't make you more creative like you suggest. Yes donovan and Dempsey have extensive national team careers while AJ just joined it's not a fair comparison to bring into play. Now if you wanna look at his starts so far and compare them to Dempsey at the same point then you can do that but other than that you can't compare in raw stats. In Dempsey's first year he had 5 starts and 1 sub for a grand total of one goal. In AJ's first year he has 2 starts 4 sub (1 of which was a 89' minute kill time sub) for a total of 1 goal. The fact that Duce looks to score more than pass is apparent. I've seen him pull the trigger multiple times when that wasn't the best choice. When one or two more passes could unlock the defense but he wanted to try something. That's fine he has a great record with trying ish and making it happen but AJ makes the passes of the two. While Dempsey's strength is poaching AJ is no slouch there either. I'm not saying AJ is the better player just that he's more of an all around creator than Duce.
What player hasn't shot when they should have passed? So what? Try making rational, non-hormonal comparisons. It's not that difficult. Altidore, Agudelo, AJ. These are all young center-forwards who have logged time in the Eredivisie. Two don't have a ton of caps with the National Team. Stick to apples to apples comparison. Less embarrassment.
Dempsey's does it 9 out of 10 times. AJ looks to create for more than just himself. Dempsey tends to think about himself more which makes him a good goal scorer but not creator. Comparison don't have to solely be in the same league otherwise we couldn't compare half our players to eachother. Yes league needs to be accounted for but not the end all of end alls just a piece of the puzzle. I showed you both AJ and Dempsey in their first year with the USA and that's a great comparison. Dempsey with more starts did the same as AJ did in much less time. And good god get over yourself, "try making rational, non-hormonal comparisons." Seriously man grow up. No where have I tried to belittle you or your opinion but you've shown you are in capable of that so I'm over this conversation.
Love this lineup...the creativity and ability to get forward and solid D from the fullbacks...Cameron and Brooks solid defensively with the ability to thread the needle from the CB position....JA/Bacon/Agudelo would be pretty nasty too...good combo of finisher/creator...I just hope there's not too much congestion in the middle of the pitch with Mix/Jones/Sacha, but other then that this is a very solid, technically-oriented lineup
You say "only" like it's easy to have a single 7-assist season in the English Premier League, let alone more than one. Even with you downplaying them, these are accomplishments Johanssen hasn't even come close to yet. No one doubts that AJ can both pick a pass or shoot extremely well; but there are simply many players who are much more accomplished than him at that right now, including Dempsey by a long shot. To just keep repeating "Oh, Dempsey only looks to pass, whereas AJ will blah blah" is blatantly ignoring actual facts. Dempsey has done everything AJ has done over the course of multiple seasons for both the NT and in the EPL. AJ may be much better than him in the long run but today it's no contest.
Not the plan at the moment: “We really emphasized this camp in being confident and playing, not just lumping the ball forward and hoping to see what happens,” forward Landon Donovan told reporters. “We wanted to take this opportunity in a friendly to be confident and try to play. We could go to Brazil and sit back for 90 minutes and pray that we get results, but that's not how we're going to progress as a soccer nation, so we’re going to go with the confidence to play.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/worldcup/2...ding-counterattack-brutal-opponents-ahead-bra