Not that I want to fuel speculation, but LD's ebb-and-flow over his career... it almost seems like he might be a bit bi-polar or suffer from depression on occasion. His effort and focus have waned in the past and largely affected his club career in a negative way... then he goes through stints of razor-edge focus and pinnacle performance... He seems to have a real pendulum swing of performance and focus possibilities... ...and then you read and article like that and you have to wonder, was it just an off day for him? did he not take his meds? He's definitely quite an enigma - for whatever reason(s)...
Fair enough. And he hasn't looked good in MLS or against Canada. I guess I don't connect his statements with being unmotivated currently, because I rate his form at Everton, along with Canada and Brazil games, much higher than you. All i really see is a player who sees his physical gifts and form declining, and is publicly assessing what that means for his future.
Maybe the guy was really in love and what happened, once it was clear it was final, has ruined his mojo. Wouldn't be the first man to get all depressed over a woman, no? I know I've been there. Some days you're ok, and then it hits you again, and it takes a few days to get out of the hole. Specially when it was a long, fun, amazing relationship. Yeah, I know it sounds "weak" or whatever, but if it's never happened to you, consider yourself lucky.
I've found a very useful principle for my marriage, for my close friends, and even for some of my key work relationships... you give the other person the benefit of the doubt. It's a simple way to handle things. And funny thing is, on the times I stray from that principle, more often than not as the facts reveal themselves I found out I'M the asshole. And it reinforces why I should've given the benefit of the doubt in the first place. As a longtime fan of this team, Landon deserves the benefit of the doubt. At least he does from me.
This may be completely off topic, but what you say I've found to be so true. It's one of my very few life-lessons that I hope to pass to my kid. Especially in a work situation, giving people the benefit of the doubt is always the way to go. I don't think I could have stated it better. You never know what people are going through and more times than I would like to admit I later find out "I'm the asshole." okay now back to your regularly scheduled programming.... I think this is LD being LD. He's an unusually honest player ... particularly with the media. He clearly has a personality capable of introspection. I am confident when he's done he'll leave and I don't worry for a second that he won't bring it when he's out there (inconsistency notwithstanding)
He was Everton's player of the month on a team that finished 7th. He led the entire EPL in assists. Yet you act like he just passed the time. Apparently living in the past of 120 days ago is too far back for you. I'm done here.
Really, cyberjockeys disappointed because they would have lived Landon's life different and amateur psychoanalysis. A new low, particularly weird as it is in relation to one of the US's best players ever and two games after he scored a hatrick and a few months after a successful stint in the EPL. Just plain weird.
I have never said he is a bad player, I just question some followers like yourself as to how good he really is now and was this last time at Everton... Ok, let me see if I understand this right, he was "player of the month" by Everton's fan base, not EPL. They finished in 7th place this past season BUT when LD arrived they were in 11th place and while he was there they went down as far as 14th place (I looked it up, normally I don't waste my time but I just wanted to get the facts straight), and LD left them where he found them, in 11th place. Your claim that he led the entire EPL in assists, is too misleading to let it slide, is true he had 6 assists but it was a small sample to make such a a claim, heck, might as well said he lead in goals score worldwide in all the friendlies played during the weekend that we played against Scotland. LD was an excellent player, he still is a good player that is having a hard time maintaining consistancy in his game, deal with it.
There was a study that compared his chance creation statistics vs Silva, Modric, etc... and he seemed to be in their class in some things.
That's ridiculous and devoid of logic. You can only play the games you're there for. A few of us have stated a few times in this thread LD led the EPL is assists while he was there. What'd you think it meant? That's not misleading at all. You simply hear what you want to hear, or since it's a forum, only remember what you want to remember. LD is at Everton for close to two months and led the EPL in assists during that span. There's nothing confusing about that unless you're some child struggling to spin your agenda. And now your strawman argument to knock down that accomplishment it to compare it to friendlies over the course of a weekend? You're comparing a mid season stint in the EPL, for a club he had no pre season with and was able to step into the lineup and not miss a beat, to some faulty at best argument about scoring goals in friendlies? It's clear you didn't even watch him while over there. If he played poorly, Everton fans wouldn't be praying Everton buys him permanently this summer or next winter. If he played poorly, Moyes wouldn't have singled him out after a number of matches as their key player. If you understood the way sports careers work, you'd realize production is never a straight line and is instead full of peaks and valleys. If you were objective, you'd be blasting Dempsey for having lost it and not being consistent, although that'd be incorrect as well. If you thought it through and cared how you are perceived, where now credibility is lost, you wouldn't have openly admitted to not having your facts straight and not checking them until the 12th page of this thread. If your opinion stood on solid ground, you wouldn't cherry pick posts through out this thread to respond to while ignoring most replies which blatantly point out where you've gone wrong and you have yet to even attempt to refute. So, deal with it. See, we can all end posts like a teenage girl.
Well, he always gets blamed when the team under-performs, and he's on the field. That alone tells you how important that guy is.
I don't even remember whom you were responding to, and so these comments aren't directed at that BigSoccer member in particular. But this sentence in particular stood out for me, because it needs to be pounded into the heads of a lot of naive people. Maybe there should be a quiz new fans take... Q. A player has one bad game; is that player necessarily bad? Q. A player has a few bad games in a row; is that player necessarily bad? Q. A team has a bad game; does that mean that every player on that team necessarily had a bad game? Q. Does the scoreline in soccer necessarily reflect exactly how well each team played in that game?
Some players play well and are so talented but don't want the immense pressure on their shoulders that comes with being the go to leader in tough times. Some do want all of the responsibility. When LD said he did not necessarily want to stay in England (to try and reach the top most pinnacle professionally at the world wide level) but wanted to come back home to LA and MLS and do it on his terms, he just stated what he feels. Which is fine for him. And he is still an important player for the US. But Dempsey and Bradley are better players in the long term and desire to shoulder the burden for the US. One of them should be captain going forward and allow LD to contribute and to leave the game on his terms over time. I don't see a problem with that at all. But JK will have to make the call when to put someone on the right wing in place of LD .... and LD will have to accept that change as well. I think LD playing well against Scotland, but not playing well against Brazil or Canada or for LA this year is perfectly consistent with his track record. Sometimes he plays awesome and sometimes he just disappears. He disappears when he is just not into it. When he was playing well for Everton he was very focused on that job at hand. The other aspect to keep in mind is that LD has been a top flight professional for a long time ... it cannot be easy .. Dempsey did not really hit that level and transition upward until he left the Revs for Europe.
I have a suggestion for those of you who continue to disparage (google it ) Donovan. Look up online what his coaches and teammates, and opponents have to say about him. Then, STFU. It's a game, and he plays it very well. Not every time he's on the field, but more often than not. Try to enjoy it. If you don't like his game, watch something else. But really, the criticisms start to take on a meaningless drivel after a while, and totally unjustified.
I meant while LD was playing with them, they played better with LD in 2010-2011 season which is what we are talking about. dude you are looking for something that is not there. now who has the agenda?
My "claim" is accurate. It was written about in several stories across major websites (aka, it's not just me as you are wanting to make it out, and it wasn't about small sample size as you are also trying to make out), and he was praised for it. Repeatedly. By US and UK notable publications. Not Jim's blog. Most players don't do that in two months. You are also missing his stats in the FA Cup tourney, which increase his league leading stats. As for your commentary on where Everton was when he left, you clearly don't understand the impact he had on that team because you did not watch. I encourage you to go to Grand Old Team - Everton's largest fan site and read his epic thread. He was the catalyst for the end of their season, along with Pienaar. Your last point is ONLY true for LA, and we have already rehashed all the reasoning for it. I have watched ALL LA, USMNT and Everton games this past season. You have not. EDIT: Sorry, jond beat me to it. What he said.
Oh, and on this, the vast majority of Evertonians think that he played better this latest stint. Why? His creativity. Everton was sorely sorely sorely in need of playmaking. Can't score if you can't create. His assists basically kept them alive for two months and engendered several articles about the difference in his playing style - his no longer needing pace all the time. The **team** played better during LD's first stint (where he was still one of their best players). However, LD played "better" during his second stint and singlehandedly kept them adrift. Hence Evertonians being eternally grateful.
wrong again, have watched all USA, LAG and all the games that LD played for Everton. It just that I'm not English and don't have the same concept of a very good player they think LD is. he is not bad, just not as good as they make him out to be.
If you watched those games, I have no idea how you have come to your assessment. Zero. Maybe you closed your eyes for all the good LD bits. So you think you're right against thousands of Evertonians - some of them American. Alrighty then.
Spot on... As for creativity and playmaking, Everton took a big hit when they traded Arteta... Getting Lando back for loan was MUCH appreciated this year by Everton faithful.