Jozy and the Footycats: Altidore at Sunderland

Yeah, I can't see anything in the stats to indicate why Squawka graded Altidore's performance against Liverpool so horribly. Of course, Jozy also averaged -4 pts/90 in his other 10 appearances this season, so his awful grade isn't just about that one game.

This 2013/14 figure you cited is slightly different from what Squawka says (0.75). They ranked him 135th out of 141 PL players who appeared in at least 30 games.

 

Swansea play 1 up top, so Altidore would still have a record along the lines of 1 in 42.

Bony is everything you want in a PL striker. Quick, strong, good in the air, good finisher and most importantly creates his own chances.

 

Good catch, not sure how I mangled that.

-15 divided by 1677 minutes x 90 = - .805 per 90

Still nowhere near as bad as the Wickham rate this season.

 

Come on, they have better players, at least give him 2 in 42.

 

I know I've posted it ad naseum, and while it is not any suggestion that Jozy is good, it is a suggestion that either -

1) All S'land strikers are bad
or
2) It's hard to tell a striker's quality at S'land since their set up is so... well... not set up.

There is no doubt that if Jozy were better he'd impose himself more on the English game. But there is also no doubt that no other S'land striker: Wickham, Fletcher, Scocco, even Borini or Gia, have been able to impose themselves given S'land playing style and squad.

A straight swap of Defoe for Jozy would be about as good a controlled experiment as you could get - esp. if it's mid season.

If Defoe starts finishing and Jozy doesn't, the difference in quality will be self-evident. If Defoe doesn't score at close to his EPL average, while Jozy goes back to putting a few in the net, that will speak for itself as well.

I'm interested to see, if the swap happens, how it plays out.

 

I'm not sure Jozy scoring a few levels below in MLS (where cast-offs like BWP have had success) is particularly relevant to Sunderland's tactics. The Defoe part, sure, whatever, will be interesting. But Jozy's potential performance in a lesser league isn't really relevant.

 

What isn't true, that he's a proven EPL scorer, or that he's moved around quite a bit for a proven EPL scorer?

West Ham, Tottenham, P'mouth, Tottenham, Toronto now Sunderland. For a guy with a good, bordering great scoring record, that seems like a lot of movement to me.

Regardless, he gets hurt a lot, and I don't think he's a very good locker room presence.

 

Guy gets you a few games and wins them for you with crucial goals as a sub and you avoid relegation. Makes sense, I think. I actually suggested they take Obafemi on loan. Guy's an iron man. I wonder if he is a better locker room presence than Defoe. Dunno.

 

There is no question he can be a game winner for Sunderland and account for some points. The question is, can/will they get him the ball where and when he needs it before he's less than 100%. Because he doesn't play much under 100%. Given the chemistry issues that Sunderland had previously, and what appears to be a less than cohesive team on the field this year, I'd be cautious with my optimism if I were a fan. Defoe isnt' going to help any previously existing internal issues.

 

Here's a good question... Who will score more goals in mls: Zardes or Altidore. I'd gamble on Gyasi

 

Jozy with the right team. Gyassi is already on a good team. Imagine what the average fan would guess as Jozy's goal total with the Galaxy last year if he were playing there. For overall talent I like Zardes better but for knocking in goals in MLS I think Jozy would equal his total.

 

Aha, but Defoe is a totally different type of forward. He will do almost no dirty work and he will definitely get the ball 30 yards out, take a few steps and fire at goal. He could arrive now and end up their top scorer, but it would not be a straight comparison by any means.

 

In a way, this is Toronto giving up on the Canada-wide market.

Because here, USMNT players don't move the needle. Not a beep. Here _everything_ is the Premiership. Defoe was their shot at making TFC the "Club of Canada" by bringing an EPL "star."

But it didn't work (no one cares about the Spuds and their stars), so now bringing in Jozy means they're focusing on the USA market. Because Canadians don't give a toss about our NT regulars.

 

Toronto is in Canada?

 

Who knows, but if I'm JK I'm treating Jozy like any other MLS forward. His history means nothing. If Clint, Zardes or an elf is leading MLS in scoring and Jozy is not competing in the top spots he doesn't get called in. He becomes just another guy, and that is the way it is done around the world and I expect JK to do the same.

 

Somebody better tell Jozy!

 

Those are so hard to find in football. It's what makes the game so interesting.

 

When a "European" player flops here, the usual reason given is that the team was so poor, he couldn't do his magic here.

But when one of ours flops there, the narrative is completely different: it's because _he_ was not good enough.

Interesting, no?

 

So we sent Yedlin to the EPL and get Jozy back in return? Fair trade I say.

 

its obvious your eye has not been trained to detect the highly technical manner in which Sunderland flounder aimlessly to 0-0 and 1-1 draws. Perhaps if you understood the points of the game, you too could understand how they skillfully deploy 10 behind the ball. Also note the skillful nature in which they deploy taller lads on set pieces as their primary form of attack!

 

Because calling in the top MLS scorer has worked so well in the past.

 

SINCE it's all over what would you guys wager is the best performance Jozy had in a Sunderland jersey?

 

arsenal game last year which had his goal call back b/c no advantage being played. 3-0 new castle game in which he missed a 1-1 but otherwise played well.