Is the only thing keeping Esky from getting more of a look from Bruce, and more discussion about it his height ? I know he was brought in before the NZ game, I think. He did well for the U-23s, and just seems to score.. he has that kind of knack. Pity then that he's not 4 inches taller.
why do you think anything is holding him back?This is his first good year in MLS, so naturally he did not rise very high on the US radar screen. Same as Ed Johnson,Gaven,etc.If you show you can do well professionally you get a call; if not, you don't.
He needs more speed for him to fill a role that Arena uses. Arena's never liked a forward who wasn't either a target forward or a speedy forward.
He will get a look I am sure of that. He does not have a good body type for our game. He does move faster then he looks for his body type. He is low to the ground which helps his balance. He was not always on the field for DC that might have hurt him, but he will get his chance because it is not how you look physically it is how you do when your on the field.
If we lost last Saturday, he definitley would've been in Columbus right now. With today's brace, Esky is MLS's top goal scorer for 2004. He'll get his shot, no doubt.
short forwards include Romario, Bebeto,Raul,Owen,Baggio.Some seem to do OK at Esky's height.He will get his chance and probably do fine.
and if DC hadn't won against NE, he'd be in camp for the Jamaica game according to BA. He'll get his chance.
He also struggles with his right foot. He needs to find a way to be effective not only with the left.
Did anyone else notice that at the chapionship game they showed a shot of his father with a ManU shirt on? Is there any connection between Esky and the Red Devils?
I'm guessing his dad is a Metros fan and didn't want to be caught dead in a DC shirt so he just put on a shirt that said United somewhere.
Is Esky's right foot really that bad? I have never seen it be a problem for him. It's not like a Razov situation where you just have to guide him to his right and he can't do anything. I can only think of one goal off the top of my head this year that he hit with his right, and it was a near post run and a clinical finish from about 6 or 8 yards out into the upper right corner. He may have more that I don't remember, though. But I really think that he is not a one footed player to the extent that it is debilitating, because clearly he was not shut down this year by players who are well aware of his left foot. That being said, his left foot is unfvcking believable. I would argue, world class accuracy, if not power too. He always seems to be underappreciated, I mean how can a player like him go under the radar for a year and a half at DC only to emerge as probably the best striker in the league (at least the most effective for minutes played)?? Seems like a crime. Hopefully he will finally get his due and will be called up for some USMNT games, maybe Jamaica or if that is now totally out of the question, then the next friendly. You just can't ignore a 22 year old (23, 24?) player who is the leading scorer in MLS with limited playing time.
Esky should get a call soon. That said lets compare him to someone similar in style and body height. Closest person I can think of off the bat that also plays for the USMNT is Wolff. Difference? Wolff, in his best of days, is fast and used his speed to beat defenders in counters towards the goal. Esky must be fast as he has been constant this entire season getting goals with only one defender to beat. His shots are on frame. He is constantly trying and never quits. Esky is definitely the type of national we lack in terms of going for goal, beating defenders with a deft shot. He takes his opportunities and makes something out of nothing. Wolff was this type of player prior to his long injury time out of the game and has only recently shown flashes of his former self. Who would I want in the game for a national if I had to choose right now? Esky, gotta believe it, he has converted so many chances this year alone making him the hottest American goal scorer we have at the moment. He truly seems to understand how to beat defenders, what runs to make, and take his chances... no fear.
I don't know people. This kid has made me into a believer, he can play. Not **************** MLS finishing either, this guy strikes the ball so well, it's incredible. I mean, probably only Landon and Mathis can strike the ball better I think. He's a poacher with good speed, and nice touch. He's a shift guy, I'll bet you anything he gets a good spot on the rotation. What Arena has to remind him though is not to press. Too many times you see borderline guys like Kreiss or Twellman come on, and run around like retards. Play your game, make it simple, your chances will come. Finally, we have a ton of forwards vying for 4 or 5 positions.
Is there anyone on the current national team pool who can hit free kicks as well as Esky except for perhaps Mathis? I would argue Esky is AT LEAST as dangerous on free kicks around the box, he has his some absolute beauties this season that no goalie in any league would save. His left foot is just plain lethal on set pieces. I especially liked that one he scored from the outside of the right side of the penalty box off a give and go. He hit a screamer right into the near post upper corner from an obscene angle...that is just magical and very very few players I have seen, especially in MLS, have the confidence to try something like that, let alone the ability to actually execute it like that. There have just been too many times this year when I would say to myself, "How the hell did this kid not get a chance earlier?" So he was injured in his first game in 2003, and that hurt him, but one has to wonder what is going on in MLS if it takes that long, a year and a half, for a talent like this to even see any reasonable amount of playing time. Maybe a reserves league would help here, as if Esky was scoring like mad in the reserves perhaps he'd get some first team playing time earlier. It's just a waste to let a guy like that rot on the bench, while it was well known that he was unstoppable in college, 50 goals for his college career at Virginia. He deserved at least a try. I mean his work rate is unparalleled; he at least deserved a look because of that. He plays smart both around the goal and in the midfield...I've seen him make some marvelous passes this year that show great vision. Also, in the final part of my ranting for Esky, his size is not a problem, it is actually a great advantage. Isn't he very very similar in size and stature to the great Maradona. Short, stock, and very much a direct player in terms of going for goal whenever possible, but also a tricky player with a good sense of just how much space is needed to get that unexpected shot off, and how to create that space. If the a player of Maradona's characteristics is not a good fit for the USMNT then I think there is something wrong.
Tody Eski said he doesn't have the ball holding skills he would like and that's one of the reasons he looks up to Moreno. He doesn't seem to be world class in either speed, dribbling, or fitness. He is adequate in these areas but they will limit him somewhat, he seems to have found a way to overcome these things at an MLS level. He and EJ could work because EJ is a speed and target forward to please Bruce. Plus figure that Bruce won't be nat's coach in 2006 and the Bob or Nowak have a good shot to take that job.
I don't know about fitness...he seems to run the most out of anyone on the field and sprints until the final whistle. I'll agree, I guess, with not having breakaway speed, but it certainly was good enough for his goal against the Metrostars last weekend. Dribbling...I agree in so far that I have yet to see him dribble through a bunch of defenders and score. But then again, is that required for a good forward? Did Batistuta ever need to dribble past 3 defenders in order to get a shot on net? Nope, he was always clever enough and quick enough to do a little side step or quick turn to squeeze a shot off and score...I think Esky has similar qualitites. EJ and Esky up top? Maybe...it depends on how they work together. For one thing, I actually have no gauge on how EJ works with another capable forward as he is isolated at Dallas and his USMNT goals were all from feeds from other players for the most part, so I don't know if he will combine well with Esky, but I think that they are both good players with, from what I've seen, good vision and instincts and that they will find a way to combine once they get to know each other (if they get that chance). How about this for the national team in 2006 if Esky does as well on the international level as he does in MLS (which has to be considered at least possible): ---Esky(or Ching/McBride)--------EJ----------- ----------------Donovan------------- Beasley-----------------------Gaven ----------------JOB/Reyna----------- Bocanegra---Gooch/Pope/Gibbs (2 of the 3)--Cherundelo -------------Keller/Friedel/Howard That looks to me like a potentially world class squad at every position, with potentially world-class depth at some spots too.
But, at least he realizes, unlike most US-born MLS players, that you have to sprint with the ball. You don't receive the ball, then slow down and allow the defender to catch up with you. If you're a forward, you spring and fire. On other hand - memo to Nick Garcia - much like George Costanza on a date, he's a lefty, he can't go right.
Well, he did have to sub out in the championship game before the 65th minute due to cramps...that is a fitness issue. Yeah, he does run a whole lot; gotta sustain it the whole game, though. Especially a big game like that. That being said, I can't wait to see him on the Nats to see what he can do. He seems like such a happy guy and hard worker. Should be fun.
The fact that Eskandarian has scored a brace in a "money" game-- eg., a league championship contest-- and the fact that he has generally played well when it has mattered in the playoffs is proof positive that he's going to get a look internationally sooner rather than later. And a longer look than he got the last time around, too. He deserves it, based on his current form (provided that he can get around the issue of his alleged fitness problems from yesterday).
Donovan wishes he could finish like Eskandarian. Also, I don't think Esky has a fitness issue. I think the problem is that he played 120 minutes against KC and he ran himself like crazy in that game. Then its like 75 degrees for MLS Cup in mid-November...well this probably wasn't unexpected.
Couple more points: 1. Dude hustles all out all game (at least for the time he's in there) 2. The shots he makes are as close to World Class as we're going to get. 3. Despite what some of you have suggested, this guy is strong as anything. He holds the ball real well, does not go down, fights like crazy and distributes pretty well. There might be other positions for him besides striker. Let him develop - he will.
The bottom line is that Esky is a clinical finisher. Like Twellman, he deserves a long look from Arena. Finishers like that don't grow on trees. I think his speed and dribbling are vastly underrated as well. He might not be as fast as the Josh Wolff of old, but he's certainly quick enough to be dangerous. Lets not forget that he's only 22. Weaknesses like holding and passing the ball can certainly be improved upon.
His main problems are his passing abilities, he has trouble holding the ball, and his dribbling skills aren't that great. He has a really powerful and usually accurate shot, and makes great runs. He has improved greatly this year hopefully he keeps it up.