Jozy and the Footycats: Altidore at Sunderland

The zen apprentice should understand the basics. Karma is a bi+ch.

The first half last season, Toronto was VASTLY superior to Sunderland offensively. Defoe and Bradley looked like a great pairing until Defoe predictably got "hurt". Then he pulled his primadonna BS when Nelson got canned. For a proven EPL goalscorer, it's telling that he's been moved many times.

They had some Dmid and defensive issues (needed a stay at home to free up Bradley), but from an offensive standpoint they were fun to watch. When Bradley had someone to finish his creations, he looked pretty good. I think a combination of heath, overtraining, and Wcup hangover did him in. I expect a man on fire out of him this year.

 

In what can only be considered a silver lining, Squawka doesn't rate Altidore as the worst player in the Premier League this season.

Among players with 10 or more appearances, both Burnley's Marvin Sordell and QPR's Matt Phillips score even worse.

 

As a Spurs fan, it must be hard to get excited for anything.

/Reply with comment about 5-3 win over Chelsea/

I come back with:

 

Not "perfect" service.

Just service.

There's a difference.

 

Curious to anyone who has been following along in the SFC boards - are they excited for Defoe? Do they see him scoring goals? Or are they smart?

 

"Jermain Defoe is having his medical at Sunderland, according to Sky Sports. The 32-year-old Toronto FC striker looks set to move to the Black Cats in a deal which ESPN FC sources say would see U.S. international Josy Atidore return to MLS."

Josy

 

Sunderland's media department must be talented. Every season-end review video must be a derivation of "Nothing From Nothing: 2014-2015"

 

Atidore.

 

Jeman Doe

 

They sure as hell cannot pronounce oregano, either.

 

Expectations are through the roof. The general consensus is that he'll be the best striker they have, and of course, a massive improvement over Jozy. Most are already creating fantasy line-ups with Fletcher and Defoe up top. Apparently they think Poyet is going to suddenly change tactics and go from playing "defend with 10 and hoof it to the forward" to something we haven't seen.

This is why I will still watch Sunderland games. I will go read their threads after and have some giggles.

 

Actually, he is not even close to bottom. Wickham (near the top of the league in lost touches, 36% of his shots on goal, 45% winning air duels, etc) already as a score worse than -100 just past the mid-season mark.

FYI, the Squawka rating score for Altidore for all of last season: -15.

 

Sadly, I see other players actually passing the ball to Jermain so he will have more opportunities. Jermain will find out very soon how crappy the team is. Then he will get injure.

 

I could see him having the clout to get the game directed to him too. The fans will demand it. But yes, he'll bang some in and then be on the shelf for 2 months.

 

You don't appear to be scaling things per 90.

 

The worst part of this move is that on the very same day Jozy seals a deal to move back to MLS, Bony secures a deal to play at Man City and in the Champions League. I know, I know, I know they are vastly different players, blah blah blah. But the fact of the matter is they were bought from the Eredivisie at the same time, are similar molds of player, and scored hatfuls of goals against the same defenses in Holland that last season. One went to a team that plays attractive possesion attacking football, and the other to Sunderland. Where would our man be today if he had gone to Swansea. I know, I know, I know, it's all speculation and they are different players, and most think Bony is vastly better with his feet and movement than Jozy, mostly basing their opinions on the play of the two in the EPL over the last two seasons, which is exactly my point. Put Jozy in the Swansea lineup for the past two seasons and I feel very confident that we would be talking a very different story today.

I know, I know, I know, it's all speculative and the narrative is just that Jozy sucks, plain and simple, and I've said something near to that in this thread in frustration, but what if......

 

I believe you're referring to al-you-mini-um.

 

Jozy is missing Bony's general attitude. Jozy doesn't play with that anger, that "I'm the man around here" attitude. Don't get me wrong, I think he could work at Swansea, but I don't think he'd be moving up from there.

 

the best thing about this move, if it goes through, is that I can start rooting against Sunderland instead of for them.

you know that situation where someone is like " the more you get to know them, the more you will like them"? This has been the complete opposite for me.

 

I can only assume you are referring to the overall score. Averaging per 90 comes to:

Altidore last season = - .oo84
Wickham this season = - 5.635
Altidore this season = -14.1801 (this one has me scratching my head)

For this season, -38 of the -49 Altidore has accrued came in the Liverpool start. And looking at the stats, I do not really understand how that performance scored that horribly. SkySports rated him a 6 that day and his Whoscored number was 6.2. Odd.

 

That's a great point here. TFC is a hot mess, as we say in Atlanta. Out of the frying pan and into the fryer.

 

Timely article about Rasmus Elm, Altidore's teammate at AZ. May never play again due to health issues.

Sometimes, you're just thankful to be playing anywhere.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-...areer-might-be-over-before-it-really-took-off