Does anyone think Gordon has a legit chance to contribute for the USMNT?

No.

Outside of San Jose fans I don't think anyone thinks he has a chance to contribute.

 

He's really just a decent MLS striker with great heading ability and decent finishing ability. His whole purpose was to fill out the squad vs Mexico & provide even numbers for training since he was suspended & having a good season.

 

Well he got has a brace and an assist for the quakes tonight

 

Honestly he just brings an aerial threat to the game not much more.

 

He's clearly taken his game to another level since the Galaxy years. Seems to have kicked it up a notch after the call up as well. I saw the Colorado game and he was the best player on the field.

After Altidore and Herculez there really isn't much in the way of proven international strikers or strikers excelling at a significantly higher level than MLS. There's no reason he shouldn't be seen as being in the mix with the other hopefuls.

 

No. He is nothing more than an MLS journeyman having his best season. I am happy he has found a team where he can get playing time and have his best season, but if you seriously think he can contribute to the National Team, you are nuts.

 

Gordon? Flash Gordon? He's the Savior of the Universe.

Don't think Rooney could top that

 

The suggestion that he's having a career year is reasonable and certainly possible. I'd only demur in that he's been a 3rd and 4th banana for most of his career and has only recently been given an opportunity to be one of the main guys.

 

He is a very good player for San Jose but he shouldn't be near the National Team.Wondo is a good player for the US if he is used against CONCACAF teams, however.

 

No.

He's one of several reasons why the Earthquakes will probably win the Supporter's Shield and maybe the MLS Cup this year, though.

 

But it's Wayne's World!

I'm not completely positive that he does... Altidore can do all the things you want out of a striker. Gomez is also quite useful with good movement and finishing, as well as pace to get in behind. We could do with a classic target - a guy who shows good hold up/link up play, aerial ability, and solid-ish finishing to make up for a lack of pace. However, with Terrance Boyd in the system now, I'm not sure Gordon is necessary...

 

I actually really like what I saw from him the other day. Just this year, he's made significant strides. His foot skill has improved astronomically. He can land passes on a dime now. I'm not quite sure what happened, but he definitely looks like a solid player.He's camp cupcake material for sure.

 

I see this as two questions:

1. Will he get called in and receive an opportunity to play with the nats?

Opinion:Yes, I think his career year could easily translate into a camp cupcake call up and possibly a start or bench minutes in the subsequent match(es).

2. Will he have an impact on the NT?

Opinion: a simple no, even if he plays well in a camp cupcake situation. He is in a great spot with SJ, where his teammates are looking for him late in matches and the chemistry developed by the Quakes has led to an impressive attack giving him lots of chances to assert himself. Put him in a jumbled player environment come January and his weaknesses will be more pronounced.

But kudos to his career revival. Perseverance does pay off and it may yet get him on the pitch in a USMNT kit, even if it will only be a friendly.

 

It is a long shot, but why not? Target forwards mature late, and my understanding is Gordon took a while just to get to MLS. As for heading ability and "not much more," that is not what I have seen, nor is it what I have been told. That coaches think he may well be the best forward at checking back and completing passes in the US pool.

 

And has been for years. You saw the assist to Dawkins this weekend, right?

 

Maybe against a weak CONCACAF foe like el salvador, but against real competition he'd struggle to make an impact and would be wasting a space on the roster for non-friendly call ups. I'd rather get a look at our young guns with that extra spot than on someone who isn't going to be at a WC during his career.

 

No.

 

Gordon is Ching-light, and Ching was McBride-light. He may have a place with the nats, but his window of opportunity is likely to be small, and his impact even smaller.

He's a good player, though... and folks on these boards are too quick to dismiss him.

 

I say no and the same goes for Eddie Johnson... Although, he's earned a chance based on his performance this season... the fact is that he's an older forward with limited upside. Plus, we already have our one geezer that performs well in MLS but struggles at the international level in Wondolowski... who i would give a sympathy match to in Camp Cupcake to see if he can prove me wrong, but i'd be quick to pull the cord too.

And while i love to caste a wide net, my focus would first obviously be on Herculez Gomez (who is the veteran forward i'd stick with) and Jozy Altidore. These two guys are in the clear right now to be integral parts of the set-up. Then, i'd keep the up and comer Terrence Boyd around because he has shown the most promise of our young forwards.

After these three, my back-up options would include the most in-form of Juan Agudelo, CJ Sapong, Jack McInerney, Andrew Wooten, Tony Taylor, Will Bruin, Kenny Cooper, Teal Bunbury, Jerome Kiesewetter, Omar Salgado, Villyan Bijev, Danijal Brkovic, Charlie Davies, and any other forward with potential who will be younger than 30 come 2014. The questions i'd ask is who has the most potential, the raw tools, and the hunger to be an international quality forward in the World Cup two years from now? Right now, it could be any of those guys or it could be some guy we haven't heard of yet, but we need to start auditioning them now.

The idea is that Gordon is at his peak right now...he's unlikely to be at his peak in two years. i'd rather focus that attention for the back-up forward be someone who could be a difference maker than someone who put decent numbers in MLS but will struggle to transition their game to the national level. Mainly, we don't want to get into another Brian Ching/Robbie Findley situation in 2014.

 

Why do I suddenly want a beer after reading this post?

 

Dempsey, Donovan, Gomez, Altidore, Boyd.

Those are our strikers.

Wondo is the only other guy from MLS who will get a sniff of actual meaningful gametime.