04/19/24
April 24, 2003
Why Yanks can't score abroad.: Cheeky title aside, this English sportswriter examines the causes of the relatively low quality of US strikers, especially in the EPL. Why do they start out hot then fizzle away? EPL defenders ignore them at first, but once they get wise, the way to goal slams shut. So why can't US strikers up their game? Lousy MLS defenders don't provide a strong enough challenge. Commence cross-Atlantic shit-talking. Or, better still, examine how US strikers can improve.
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:29 PM - 15 comments
Well, we still have high hopes for Jovan Kirovski here at the Blues. He isn't seen as a striker really, more of a player who likes to play "in the hole" and create chances for those around him. However, he has scored at least once in the few appearances he's made for us. I think to an extent he's suffered because we needed to protect our defence and therefore opted for a tenacious, tackling midfield with four across the field and two up front. Kirovski doesn't really fit this pattern, and with the arrival of the God that is Dugarry he's had even less chance to shine. It's widely suspected that we'll switch formation next year, so he may get a chance then. I saw McBride playing for Everton and he looked the real deal. I was surprised to see him shipped back to the USA. Why did that happen if Moyes didn't want him to go?
posted by squealy at 02:29 PM on April 24, 2003
MLS wanted silly money for him. When you think about it, it's logical that MLS would value him more highly than Everton.
posted by salmacis at 02:32 PM on April 24, 2003
Squealy, I think you are being a bit disingenuous old chap. Kirovski couldn't get a game even when the rest of our strikers couldn't hit a cows arse witha banjo. Nor could he get a game when we had absolutely zero creativity in midfield. Bruce don't rate the dude. The best American I have seen is Paul Peschisolido, who has proved he can score in more ways than one. Canadians are from America aren't they?
posted by Fat Buddha at 02:41 PM on April 24, 2003
Have to disagree FB, I think we'll see more of him next season. Of course what the hell do I know, I never go to the bleeding games. Though I am going on Saturday, thanks to our mutual friend Kwacky. ;-) Ta sal.
posted by squealy at 02:51 PM on April 24, 2003
I can understand the MLS wanting to retain big-name players to help the league grow, but it must be a slippery slope to walk as this stifles the best players. The US National Team will (most likely) never be a top international squad until top US players gain experience abroad starting at an early age (18-22). Donovan and Beasley should already be in Europe, maybe Mathis and a few others as well. Just look at Jon O'Brien who has been one of our best National Team players the past couple of years after having played in the Dutch League since 1999. FB: Yes, from what I remember Canada is a suburb of Toronto, which is in the U.S. as evidenced by them having several professional sporting teams. [/runon sentences]
posted by pfuller at 02:57 PM on April 24, 2003
FB: ... our strikers couldn't hit a cows arse witha banjo. LOL! Keep those colorful whatchamacallits coming! (What do you call those kinds of statements? I love them.)
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:29 PM on April 24, 2003
Well, how do you keep improving the MLS if the best players end up flying off to Europe? I'm not saying one's more important than the other, but then, that's the heartbreaking dilemma of it all. Where's StarFragger and his passionate opinion when you need it most?
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:32 PM on April 24, 2003
From what I recall about the McBride situation. Moyes wanted him, made an offer (probably a bit on the small side), MLS countered (on the high side), then Brian stated he wanted to come back to Columbus for family reasons among others. He's 30, so MLS keeping him as an established star is probably a good move, unlike Donovan, Mathis, Beasley, Adu (couldn't resist), et al. On the other hand, the last couple of years here have probably been good to Landon because he's gotten to play everyday rather than rotting in Bayer's reserves. But now it's time for him to take that next step.
posted by trox at 03:41 PM on April 24, 2003
More conjecture: If we could convince some Italian, Spanish, what am I talking about, German (!) "hard men" to come here and school their fellow defenders in proper marking and the finer points of defensive maneuvering, we might perhaps raise the standard of the attacking. But that might cause one or two seasons of MLS boredom. However, it could force MLS teams to also hire better strikers! Speculation is such sweet sport!
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:51 PM on April 24, 2003
Where's StarFragger and his passionate opinion when you need it most? StarFragger isn't feeling too well today... I had outdoor practice yesterday with my team...it was about 40 degrees. I'm sore all over and i think i'm getting sick.
posted by StarFucker at 04:19 PM on April 24, 2003
You get well and come back soon!
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:33 PM on April 24, 2003
Donovan stayed because (I think) the Earthquakes were freaking about his leaving, especially after they gave away Graziano for salary cap room. But Landon is still only 21 and I think he'll play in Germany in two years. But if he can't crack the starting lineup, what's the point?
posted by billsaysthis at 05:45 PM on April 24, 2003
If you're going to include Canadians (and really, there's no real reason to, there aren't many of us playing professionsal soccer in Europe), you can't forget Tomas Radzinski. Or Hargreaves, for that matter, even if he did use the "my grandfather was born in England" clause to get out of playing for the current world #89 (or whatever).
posted by sauril at 07:18 PM on April 24, 2003
Watching channel 5 last night, I caught a dire MLS match (Revolution vs Crew) where the commentators were oozing about how the suspended Joe-Max Moore would have transformed the match. Now, if anything's a testament to the low calibre of the league, that's it. What's lacking, I think, is basic strength training for both strikers and defenders. Whichever group toughens up first in MLS will probably force the other to toughen up in turn. It was especially funny to see Stern John on the list of top scorers over the past seasons in MLS. Now, while he's doing a decent job for the Blues right now, he's no van Nistelrooy.
posted by etagloh at 02:00 AM on April 25, 2003
I would agree with most of what he asserts in this article, with a couple of caveats: Reyna and McBride. First, as a central midfielder, Reyna doesn't even really belong on this list. Before he got hurt, he was probably the best player on an admittedly woeful Sunderland team, but he had honed his skills in Germany and Scotland, not MLS. McBride may have been the striker to break this woeful mold, had he stayed at Everton a bit longer. After the World Cup, it would be a sorry defender in the EPL who didn't know who he was and act accordingly. Even then, after his success in the first few matches, managers would have told their defenders to watch out for him. From what I can recall, his production only dropped a bit, and the fact that Moyes wanted to keep him at Everton provides a further argument in his support. Also, I agree completely with his hope that Donovan (and I would add Mathis and Beasley here) moves abroad soon. As for the others, he's spot on.