I'd like United to sign Donovan and loan him out to some Euro team (like Royal Antwerp or Sporting Lisbon) to see how he responds. If he does well, I'd get him in the squad to see if he can handle it. As long as the price isn't unreasonable, I can see LD being a big hit in the Premiership - I just hope it would be for us.
Are you certain? I did not post in this thread because I have posted in the US forum regarding Landon Donovan before, and simply didn't really care much about the topic. You may remember this since it was the thread where I pulled apart your "assessment" of Landon Donovan - since it wasn't rivalries, I bit my tongue and was very polite. At any rate, I knew the type of thread this would be, have seen them many times before, and usually chose not to participate as going against the norm usually isn't welcome in the US forum. (see treetaliano/voros posts) But so be it, you have forced my hand and here is my post in this thread. In light of your threats and insults, I have issued to you a challenge in the thread you have done this. You know where the thread is. Since you request football to be discussed, I imagine your football responses to the challenge I've made will be quite intriguing. I look forward to reviewing your rebuttles.
Re: Re: Donovan replaces Forlan Let's see what a couple other players had done at Donovan's age. David Trezeguet - scored 1 goal in the World Cup, in a lot more minutes than Donovan played. Before that, French champion once, and played on a European U-18 champion team. No individual awards in his career, even to this date. Yet at that time he was already considered a first-rate striker. Michael Owen - had a decent World Cup, similar to Donovan's in fact... and had won NOTHING with Liverpool when he was 21. Yet... wasn't he supposed to be world class even then? Of course I'm not claiming that Donovan is better than them, or even as good. My point is this: Owen's and Trezeguet's talents were obvious very early on, and they didn't really have to win much to demonstrate that they were great players. So why isn't Donovan getting anywhere near as much press, despite doing a lot of the same things? Is repeatedly beating a German defense that was one of the best in the World Cup not a sufficient demonstration of talent? Two very clinical finishes (including an extremely difficult shot against Poland) a very questionable disallowed goal? Running rings around Portugal's back line? How about making Fabio Cannavaro look very ordinary in a friendly earlier in the year? I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Donovan's domestic record either. He's been dominant in quite a few matches in MLS this season, and when San Jose won the 2001 title, their entire playoff run (as 5th seed) was The Landon Donovan Show. Player of the Year two years running in a top-15 national team isn't bad either. As for improving Manchester United... if he's better than their worst player in his position, then he's potentially an improvement (though likely not a cost-effective improvement). But in this case, Donovan is a better player than Diego Forlan, who cost them significantly more than anyone would ever have paid for Donovan.
Re: Re: Re: Donovan replaces Forlan I do think Donovan's a good player - possibly even better than Forlan, although we won't really know that for sure until he plays in a top league. But the point is that people are simply stating on here as a matter of fact that he is 'world class' and that he would start for Man Utd. Both these notions are extremely open to debate, IMO. P.S. FWIW, I believe Michael Owen had won 3 trophies with Liverpool - including the UEFA Cup - by the time he was 21. I think he was also named European Footballer of the Year, although all that may have been a year later. But comparisons with him and Landon Donovan are unfair on LD, since Owen is genuinely a world-class player who has proved it at every level.
Landon Donovan may be better than Forlan, but he would not get significant time on the pitch. Donovan cannot take Scholes role, and is not going to be a striking partner. This is why, ManU have Solskjaer who is a better striker and midfielder than LD and he does not even play striker when fit, he mostly plays right half. Which means Landon wont strike and he sure is not better than Giggs out left, nor is he imo better than Ronaldo who has youth (yes 2 whole years) on his side. Of course now, Forlan has scored in 3 consecutive games. Which means he will play at least once more.
i'd rather not have LD. or maybe he just has to prove something at another european club before he can play at OT. PROVE. not sitting on the bench. Mcbride is better than LD and is certainly better than forlan. and he played well at everton.
That's why if we could get a good deal on him we should sign him and loan him out, instead of watching him get signed by another club, do well, and then have to pay triple what he'd cost now.
It seems to me that few euro snob posters and few American born anti-US Soccer posters in the rivalry forum think that Donovan is the only best young player in the USA squad.
So explain why McBride's team is out of the MLS playoffs - where the odds are against NOT making them - while Donovan's is seeded first in the West? Moyes gave McBride a chance - having seen him play, now he's legit to many Prem fans - but because VOgts (a crappy coach if there ever was one) didn't give Donovan a chance, Donovan's skills don't exist, regardless of how they were displayed at WC? That's like all the Prem posters who swore on these same boards that it would be YEARS before Howard could ever start for Man U. Because, of course, all his saves in MLS meant nothing - an athletic, acrobatic save had to be done in Europe to be considered worth anything. No one here has posted that Donovan could start regularly for Man U - this thread began with the Donovan/Forlan premise - where certain clowns get anything else from that would seem to be what is provoking voro's troll pics. This is no Landon-love-in, but an argument of skills and inherent ability and improving potential.
Landon's skills, versatility and durability (McBride, while still a worthy player, falls short in every category) have helped his team to the playoffs. Yet you say McBride is better than FOrlan - I don't disagree with that, BTW - but you won't give Donovan the same credit. Where do you base your McBride better than Donovan, if I may ask, OTHER than that the former played for Everton?
How inexplicable - you're agreeing with me that stuff outside of Europe does count? But in case you meant the opposite - here's a name you might have heard. Pele Too late for him to play for a Euro club - so I guess the rest doesn't count for much?
Pele is the exception proves the rule. What an exception he was -- starring in his first WC at the age of 17 and THE STAR of Brazilian National Team on countless international matches. He also never went to Europe and he had nothing to prove. LD played well in his first WC, but not close to the magnitude of Pele. Moreover, he played for Bayer reserves for a while and didn’t do well enough to breakthrough. In that sense, LD does have something to prove in Europe.
Remember, you asked. This we can do. MLS has all of their goals this year online so... Right click and save the first one on your hard drive. The rest are .wmv files, click and they'll play. http://www.callistonet.com/goals/032903donovan.mpg Assist on this goal http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...2003_SJCOLdunivant.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Gorgeous assist on through ball. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...4192003_KCSJmullan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Perfect through ball from Donovan http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...5172003_CLBSJching.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Goal http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...72003_CLBSJdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Donovan beats United's current keeper http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...22003_SJMETdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Sloppy goal http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...082003_SJKCdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Sweet volley finish, questionable marking. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...32003_SJDALdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Nice first touch, goal. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...2003_SJDALdonovan2.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Great one touch assist http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...8132003_SJDALching.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Initial header saved, Donovan cleans up rebound http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...072003_NESJdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Donovan burns Gutierrez off the dribble. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...202003_SJKCdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Donovan's best goal of the year, serious speed to be first to the ball at the back post. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...02003_SJKCdonovan2.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Donovan completes the hat trick. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...02003_SJKCdonovan3.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Donovan strips a defender, runs to the box and then squares to DeRosario for the tap in. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...03_DALSJderosario2.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Goal. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...72003_DALSJdonovan.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Recreates his goal against Mexico in the World Cup. This is the best clip to get an idea of his pace. Watch where he starts the run from to head home at the back post. http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=ml...2003_DALSJdonovan2.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx Unfortunately they don't have the video of his assist in the All-Star game against Chivas. You asked. There's video. Decide for yourself.
you post this in response to my question, what does the league standings of the Crew vs. Earthquakes have to do with how good McBride or Donovan is individually. But I never posted a Goddamn thing about my opinion as to who might be better. I never said McBride was better than Forlan or that Donovan is not or that McBride is better than Donovan. If you are responding to someone else, don't quote my post and tack that other *#*#*#*# on there putting words in my mouth.