so since donovan doesn't score a lot of goals in MLS and dominate, does that mean that taylor twellman is a better player than him too? Just wondering if that is the only thing that makes a player great. Plus, who is to say that Kahn's form hasn't suffered since the WC, he was unbelieveable then, its hard to keep that level up. Unless of course you are big bad brad.
American's are obsessed with stats. And thats true of BigSoccer to. Even though statistics have absolutly nothing to do with a sport that usually only has 3 scores a game total.
If Donovan were to return to Leverkusen (which I still hope he does), what kind of reception would he receive? I don't think that the fans will simply forget how he has (in their eyes - not in Donovan's)for all intents and purposes snubbed the team over the past two years. I can't imagine he'd be a big fan favorite right off the bat, and that would put an incredible amount of pressure on him to shine. If he did it right away, great, but if not...
you can't compare Donovan's play in a MLS team until how he does in a good European team. Yes, we all agree he's not Ronaldo but if u have players around Donovan, he will be better b/c the players around him will give help him a better chance to do his thing. That's why u see Donovan plays better in the USNT b/c that team has better players than SJ.
For those who think Landon couldn't play for Leverkusen right now and contribute are senseless to the matter of donovan and his playing personality...not to mention ability. As for the simple notion of dominating his opponents, Landon does day in and day out...you just miss out on the subtle and often times overlooked performances throughout course of the game (theatre . One can take into consideration many factors in judging performance instead of expecting 60 yard runs and hat-tricks.
I've been thinking along the same lines while reading through this thread. There are times when I see LD playing that it looks like he is restraining himself, I assume because he recognizes that his teammates are not thinking/reacting as quickly as he. It is not on every play, but a few times each game he starts to make a nice one-touch pass but changes his mind, etc. McBride's past year might be worth considering here. His play for the USMNT and in England was better than his play for his club. He plays better when better players are around him, which allows him to focus his energies. When he plays with less-talented players, he has more responsibilities all over the field, and some of his teammates don't think/play at the same speed he does. The first couple of games after McBride returned from EPL, I noticed him make a few simple plays that were above his team. Not brilliant plays, mind you, but simple one-touches into space that a player should have (but didn't) run into, or subtle, well-timed runs that should have been (but weren't) rewarded with a pass. I think LD has the mental and physical skills to play more than one position. However, his role in MLS (and to a lesser extent with the USMNT) is not defined so that he focuses on one. When he has the ball outside the 18, he is there both as his team's best finisher and best midfielder. Put him on a team where he does one, especially if he is surrounded by equally talented players, he'll fit right in.
Soccer Stats Not just Americans. My FourFourTwo is obsessed with goal scoring. Even with they interview defenders, they talk about how the guy had 2 goals in 5 seasons, that kind of nonsense. With van Nistelrooy, it's all about how many goals he scored, and his goal scoring vs. Henry's vs. Beattie's. As if there weren't about 10,000 other factors affecting each man's goal total besides their individual abilities. As well as other contributions that they have made to their teams besides goals. Much of the time, the Euros give their Player of the Year award to a guy who scores the most goals. Last year, it was to Ronaldo -- the guy who scored the most goals in the World Cup. So it ain't just us, I'm not shouldering that blame alone.
The same thing happens (sorta) at every level down to recreational. If a player on any team is the out and out best player on the team, he/she might not nessecarily look like a better player because of the other players. Al la Donovinho. thanks
I was just reading the OPTA Index. Last year Beckham had the most successful crosses and corners, 92, while his closest rival, Fabrice Fernandes had a mere 76. No wonder Barcelona wants him!
What the hell is a sucessful cross or corner? Isn't that purely subjective? I shall bow down to the evidence retract my statement that "American's are obsessed with stats". And replace it with Sports staticians are obessed with stats.
In every sport, regardless of where, everyone believes if we just had that superstar or this superstar we'd win. Everybody wants to take the easy way out.
Yes because Ronaldo and Zidane have had absolutely talentless surrounding players and have inspired them to greatness. I mean Real Madrid, Brazil, France? A bunch of talentless clubs carried by Ronaldo and Zidane. You'd be amazed how much easier it is feeding passes to Raul than Brian Mullan. Here's a list of Arsenal attackers who play often: Henry, Bergkamp, Wiltord, Kanu, Ljungberg, Pires, Jeffers, Van Bronckhorst, Parlour. Donovan is probably at least as good as some of those guys and younger than all of them, so I think he's capable of playing for a top European side since Arsenal qualifies as such.
Re: Re: Basturk/Donovan @ Leverkusen How do you know they haven't? Bayer Leverkusen holds his contract and if they play their cards right they get a 22 year old on the verge of stardom who hasn't even hit his prime yet. And a kid who wants to prove his star power after sitting around being triple teamed in MLS for 4 years while people keep questioning him for lack of goals. BTW - Donovan most resembles Ljungberg but right now I'll take Ljungberg over Donovan. And if I had to choose between Donovan and any one of Henry, Wiltord, Ljungberg, and Pires. I'd trake the Arsenal player
Re: Re: Basturk/Donovan @ Leverkusen It depends on your definition of carried. There are players who always seem to score that clutch goal when needed or are the driving force of a team whose inspiration and commitment seem to lift a team to victory. If you use that kind of definition then yes, Cantona, Keane, Shearer, Kahn, Zidane and Ronaldo have all done that, and I'm sure there are others. This is the mark of a truly great player. Sure scoring is nice and all but when a player can elevate the other players to another level of play, that is something special.
I have no doubt, and will not argue this point, if Donovan was Italian, or Brazilian, or German, or English, the world would consider him one of the top 10-15 players on our planet RIGHT NOW!!
Re: Re: Re: Basturk/Donovan @ Leverkusen All great players all, surrounded by good or great supporting casts... except Argentina, that's the only example I can think of.
Maradona had Jorge Valdano and Jorge Burruchaga, the latter sounding like a Mexican dish, at his disposal. While I agree that Maradona carried the team, those two strikers were top of the barrel. Valdano in particular was one of the best strikers in the world at the time, leading Real Madrid in scoring, and having just won a UEFA cup.
Going way back to the Nike comment, it's not just a "faux-hip" statement, although using the term "faux-hip" could in itself be considered "faux-hip". The comment arises from what I take to be just speculation, but it's not implausable. Namely that Nike has an interest in keeping Landon in MLS. Why? Well the theory goes that Nike would like to see the soccer market in the US grow. That seems obvious enough, but the other part of it is that Nike has bought in to the idea that Landon is potentially the first of several semi-stars in the US soccer market. Additionally there is also his added schoolgirl contingent of "admirers". In short he is a marketing focus with a lot of potential. Keep him here and maybe you can build on this semi-stardom to draw more kids into the sport (read more shoes, balls, jerseys) and just maybe he forms a marketing cornerstone and the league continues to spin out more teen idols. At least that's what I understand to be the full theory. What isn't speculation however is Nike's involvement. I've read more than one report that sighted Nike's involvement in the negotiations. Whether they kicked in a lot of cash or not, I don't know, but given MLS' finances, and the cash levels that Leverkusen is used to dealing with, I think it likely that Nike threw in some cash.
No doubt. It's like people criticizing Donovan's performance at the U20 WYC in '01. He was played out of position at attacking mid and had the players behind him launching long balls constantly. A world class player has to have world class players around him to show his true level. Every star has had another star or class player to pass to or that feeds him the ball.
DOnovan article about "being exhausted" and how he needs a break. How would he ever survive a long league and European campaign? http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=270314&cc=5901
Seriously? I'm a fan of Donovan's but there's no way I would consider him in the top 10-15 in the world. Heck even among the Americans I consider Friedel, Keller, and John O'Brien better without question. Then there are a few that are comparable to Donovan. So while I would consider him in the top 5-10 of Americans, no way I'd put him in top 15 on the planet regardless of nationality.