Nothing is holding Esky back. He was a nobody 4 months ago. Hell, I remember June discussions on the DCU boards to the nature of "our team's main problem is that we have no good forwards." Now Esky is a somebody. Maybe only an MLS somebody like Ralston or Kreis who doesn't appear to be to be able to crack the international scene. Maybe better. But a somebody. He'll get his U.S. National team shot. He's earned that right.
Right. Look at Donovan's 2003 MLS stats. Donovan is probably kep up at night wondering if he can score a big goal like Alecko. Comparing Esky and Donovan is ludicrous. What next? Comparing Convey and Donovan? Esky played great, no doubt. But let's see how he does against someone who knows not to let him turn left and without a weekend rec league goal before the legend grows to Convey proportions. He's earned his chance, let's see what he does with it.
He's fat, he's slow, he's short, he can only use his right leg for balance, he can't pass. Blah blah blah. Sort of Clint Mathis, before the knee injury. Every time I turn on a game, he is scoring. As long as he scores, he should have a pretty good chance at being called in to the USMNT. As someone stated earlier, if DCU were not in the finals, he probably would have been brought in for Jamaica.
How many of those guys can Esky beat in a footrace? Esky has good enough speed for MLS. I don't know if he does to be a starter for the Nats. He has a couple things going for him. He hustles like mad. He finishes his chances. He strikes a fine left footed free kick. That list screams "valuable sparkplug sub." But I think he's earned a chance to prove himself to be more than that.
SuperDave: "How many of those guys can Esky beat in a footrace?" **Every one of them that are elidgible for the USMNT. Bob Morrocco: "Today 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." **There is real hope for improvement when a player realizes he has something to learn and works hard at learning it. Alecko clearly stated he has something to learn, and his improvement over the last year shows, I think and hope, that he works hard at improving his game. If he continues true to form a year from now we will be seeing Alecko hold the ball better. I just hope that doesn't mean he shoots less... Ronaldo's Idol: "I don't know about fitness...he seems to run the most out of anyone on the field and sprints until the final whistle." **Hard to judge fitness off a single game. It is the end of a long year, and all the players could use a rest. He definitely put out the entire time he was on the pitch and came away with 2 goals. If he runs himself into the ground scoring early in Nat's games and he needs a sub late, cool. And more importantly, fitness is the easiest shortcoming to overcome (excepting longterm injurys and continuing conditions, which have not been Alecko's problem). Bob Morrocco: "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." **Exactly. Now that the coach who got us so far in Korea has got us qualified for the Hex with time to spare while capping new players without abandoning the tried and true, time to dump him, switch formations and maybe even get a new look kit. Did you maybe mean "Bruce won't be nat's coach AFTER 2006"?
Actually, on second thought, I highly doubt fitness is much of a problem. I cited him having to be subbed early in the game due to cramping up, but I had forgotten about the previous week's game going to PKs. Thing is, he came up big in a big game...something Josh Wolff did not do. Esky has definitely earned a look-see and he'll get it.
I suspect esky had a hydration problem which lead to his cramping problem... The kid has a knack of making plays.......the next couple month, he needs to get an athletic trainer to get him a bit more fit... the knock on him has been his lack of athleticism at a higher level... based on PLAY on the PITCH, NO one else deserves more of a look than eskandarian.... i'm sure he will in january....and while esky might not be a starter, having an offensively minded guy like him off the bench when the other team is defending might NOT be all that bad...just get him a couple looks and he just seems to finish... in a match where usa leads or is drawn, where exploiting space type forwards are needed, arena has a couple better suited options in ej and buddle, but when the other guy is sitting and defending esky is a far better option..
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150853&page=1&pp=40 An excellent look at Esky's development through the year by DC regular Sanguine.
Short answer: nothing is holding Esky back. Fitness is not an issue. To my knowledge there is no other cramping history with him. More of a freak occurance. He's dynamite with his left, average with his right. Echoing some other sentiments here, he knows he can/should improve and he has ideas about how he can improve. One more year with Jaime Moreno will do amazing things for him. This kid's a comer.
Esky, like most strikers, seems to excel when the quality of his service increases. He has a deadly left foot and a history of producing in big games. He certainly has the potential to make an impact at the international level. The question is, what is the best partnership for the US. Is Esky a better option than Wolff? Are Ching and EJ the partnership of the future? Esky has certainly played himself into consideration.
Why does everybody think Esky is a great finisher? He can only finish with his left foot. He's blown many chances where he was asked to go right or finish with his right foot. He's deadly with his left. Few Americans can strike the ball like he can with that left foot, but he's just so inept at even relatively simple right footed tasks. To be called a great finisher, you've got to be capable of finishing almost any chance, regardless of which foot it's on. Don't get me wrong. I am really pround of Esky and the vast improvement he's made over this season. At the beginning of the year he was much worse at holding the ball and had no ability to turn whatsoever. He's improved a ton at that now and he can actually turn pretty well. I think he can become a great finisher and he definitely deserves a chance with the national team, since he has produced and come up huge in big games. He could become a reliable forward for USA. But don't say he's a better finisher right now than Landon and Taylor Twellman. Both of those guys are capable of finishing a much wider variety of chances with either foot. Even as much as Esky has improved this year, he can attribute a large part of his success to Jaime. It took Jaime a while to learn exactly how to use Esky the way he used to Diaz Arce and Lassiter back in the day. I'm not using the word "used" to sound mean, but that is exactly what Jaime does. He uses whoever is playing forward next to him and creates a synergy between himself and the other forward to create a deadly combination. It's really a nice situation for the other forward. And no, I don't think I am overstating this. If Jaime played with Twellman, you would see some raucous sh!t. All in all, it was a great breakout season for Esky and he's shown a lot of heart and dedication to his team and playing a team game and I'm proud as hell of him, but let's keep things in perspective.
I recall in the season opener that Waldo (as commentator) said that it's time for Alecko to go from being "highly regarded" to "highly accomplished" or words to that effect. Basically, put up or shut up on youth potential. Esky seems to have done this. The lethal quick-touch finishing in front is not something I've seen a lot from the other young USMNT forwards (Buddle, EJ, etc.) compared to what he's done. Plus he's Armenian -- lots of mental toughness there (is this an offensive remark? I'm sorry: speaking with fondness of quality I've seen in my in-laws). I agree that he has 75th minute sub written all over him. Or at least until he's established internationally. His pairing with Jaime in DC is something Nats cannot replicate, however. Landon maybe comes close, but his USMNT role is more AMid of late. It would be good to have another left-foot free kick taker beides Lewis.
One thing that stuck out for me that he did for a goal is in MLS cup 2004 he had an obvious handball and didn't stop running to score. It was so very Maradonna of him to get a blatant handball and then score as if nothing happened. SHARK!
Hristo Stoichkov might disagree with you. I think it's time to consider if Esky can get a similar relationship going with Donovan.On the Nats,Donovan is becoming that type of player (from miodfield instead of forward,granted).
Here's a point I don't think has been mentioned and one not exactly in his favor. For a striker, he commits a high ratio of fouls. Fouls caused/Fouls suffered Moreno - 26/51 Freddy - 31/50 Esky - 34/36 He also had 8 yellow cards. Moreno and Adu had a total of 6 (all stats regular season only). There are other forwards who foul a lot (Buddle, Ruiz, Peguero), but I doubt there's a striker in the league with a worse disciplinary record. He needs to either improve his tackling or back off.
two words help explain esky's development this season: freddy adu. w/out the high profile motivating competition w/ freddy for a starting position, i'm not so sure we're having this discussion now. that's not to take away from his great achievement.
Where exactly did he say that Eski was as good as Donovan? What? Nowhere? He surely must have since you're berating him for it.
Owen: For a striker, he commits a high ratio of fouls. Fouls caused/Fouls suffered Moreno - 26/51 Freddy - 31/50 Esky - 34/36 He needs to either improve his tackling or back off." Good stats. But maybe a better way to interpret them is that Alecko is a strong, short, stocky guy who isn't given to collapsing under a challenge. He doesn't draw as many fouls because he stays up and fights. Sometimes that turns into goals. 34 fouls commited is not significantly more than Freddy's 31 (though Freddy did play more games), but 36 fouls drawn is way short of Feddy's and Jiame's totals. Not that they are divers, either.
Wow, your reading comprehension is fantastic. I sure never knew that finishing=playing better. I mean Eski probably finishes better than Nesta so he's obviously a superior player.
Stop being a jackass. Your sidekick or whatever claimed that Donovan wishes he could finish like Esky. I pointed out that in 2003 Donovan had nearly identical stats with regards to shots and goals scored. He made the ridiculous claim. I pointed out that Donovan finishes just fine. If you guys took a deep breath and stopped hero-worshipping players and jumping on the latest impression as the best thing, maybe you could stop having to be such dicks. Your tone might be authoritative, but your claims are not. And I can read very well, thank you. Even if your lack might lead you to believe otherwise.
I wish I could get into it with someone other than a DC fan, but we're all over these boards. Ok, so: That's just terrible advice and shows how misleading stats can be. The only reason he should back off is to save his own steam. It is his clearly defined role on the team to pressure the other team's backs when he gets a chance. Forwards FREQUENTLY foul in this situation...there's nothing to lose. Also, it was his role, when the team had a lead in games and began playing long balls to a forward who's way ahead of his teammates (a safe thing to do when you're winning- leave most guys back so you don't get caught upfield) to be that forward and to battle for the ball. He also has a physical gift of being fast but also powerful so he plays his style well. He should not back off at all.