Pretty good take on the game, IMO:

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/usmnt-player-ratings-mckennie-and-musah-look-sharp-miazga-struggles/

Fair. I just think lumping them in with a player like Adu paints a somewhat distorted picture.

Jozy has a better strike rate than Donovan did for the USMNT. I think playing a big physical striker with these creative players behind him would work very well.

wangus12 said:

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Jozy has a better strike rate than Donovan did for the USMNT. I think playing a big physical striker with these creative players behind him would work very well.

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Yep. I was going to say that for all the criticism, Jozy is by far the active goal leader on the USMNT. He has scored plenty. If healthy and fit, he definitely still has a place on this team.

Sadly, those are huge "ifs."

Gordo14 said:

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Been really impressed box to box with the team today, but goal scoring and chance creation have been lacking. Also a couple of scary moments on defense.

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you can replace 'today' with 'for decades' and still holds true

fig96 said:

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Fair. I just think lumping them in with a player like Adu paints a somewhat distorted picture.

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Well they're lumped in there for a pretty good accomplishment.

I liked Convey. Am I wrong in remembering him getting injured and never fully recovering to his early quality form?

Superblood Wolfmoon said:

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Two Princes Alexi Lawless takes things so personally.

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That's one of the reasons why I enjoy listening to him, he makes an effort to come across totally cool and professional, but he's just too much of a jock at heart...

Convey was great for that Reading team that finished like seventh in the PL (maybe 07 or so?).

Jozy has not scored a meaningful goal for the US in ten years. He has never scored against Mexico in all the times he's played them.

H.E. Pennypacker said:

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wangus12 said:

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Jozy has a better strike rate than Donovan did for the USMNT. I think playing a big physical striker with these creative players behind him would work very well.

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Yep. I was going to say that for all the criticism, Jozy is by far the active goal leader on the USMNT. He has scored plenty. If healthy and fit, he definitely still has a place on this team.

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He only scores against concacaf minnows. I will go to my grave baffled by how jozy gets so much love and chance after chance.

Sounds like a "you" problem.

Am I wrong here dude?!

mrmill3218 said:

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H.E. Pennypacker said:

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wangus12 said:

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Jozy has a better strike rate than Donovan did for the USMNT. I think playing a big physical striker with these creative players behind him would work very well.

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Yep. I was going to say that for all the criticism, Jozy is by far the active goal leader on the USMNT. He has scored plenty. If healthy and fit, he definitely still has a place on this team.

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He only scores against concacaf minnows. I will go to my grave baffled by how jozy gets so much love and chance after chance.

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When you find a consistent back-to-the-goal and target man replacement just let us know and we'll tell Gregg for ya

I'd rather put anyone, and I mean anyone, up there over jozy. I may not watch the game if jozy plays again.

Yes. He's pretty much the best 9 we've had in our NT in decades. Injuries derail him about every 15 minutes of game time, but he's great at holding up the ball and creating opportunities for his attacking teammates. We don't have anyone on the squad who's proven that they can do what he does.

fig96 said:

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I don't know that "Jozy isn't good enough" and "Jozy is the best we have" are mutually exclusive arguments.

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This is also true.

But he is a striker who doesn't score goals.

mrmill3218 said:

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I'd rather put anyone, and I mean anyone, up there over jozy. I may not watch the game if jozy plays again.

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Someone bring Robbie Findley out of retirement!

jeffk said:

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Yes. He's pretty much the best 9 we've had in our NT in decades. Injuries derail him about every 15 minutes of game time, but he's great at holding up the ball and creating opportunities for his attacking teammates. We don't have anyone on the squad who's proven that they can do what he does.

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What about brian McBride? He's was worlds better than Jozy.

He's third all time behind Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey. Like you mentioned, he does score a ton on CONCACAF foes... but in all honesty, we play those teams a lot and those games get us to WCs, so I don't really consider that a knock on him. He does manage to get himself either injured right before or right as major tournaments are starting up. He's not amazing, but he's not a bum either and he plays the position exactly like you need it played with this crop of younger, attacking-minded midfielders.

mrmill3218 said:

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But he is a striker who doesn't score goals.

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Jozy needs service and striker running off of him. Even though he's often put in the position he's never really been a lone striker and works best with a partner (e.g. Charlie Davies)

Is McBride match-fit? He's one of my favorite all-time players, but his last meaningful action was a good long while ago.

I hear what you're saying, but I just can't get behind a guy who hasn't scored a meaningful goal in ten plus years.

You said jozy was the best we've had in decades so I was countering with McBride. McBride did it in the PL. He did it in world cups. For me, he's much better than jozy.

Well, hopefully someone that you like more proves that they can play the 9 then.

Just wanted to add that Jozy has scored against Mexico. It was his first international goal back in 2008. McBride is awesome (and yes, my hyperbole on "decades" was inaccurate) but he feasted on CONCACAF teams as well, which isn't a bad thing, just a product of our placement on globe. He scored the only US goal in the 1998 WC (in a loss to Iran - can you imagine the fallout over that result today?!) and then two in 2002 - which I celebrated wildly on the streets of Bangkok. In his prime, he'd also be better than anyone we currently have on the roster. Hope that changes soon.

Pahdz said:

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I REALLY liked what Stu was talking about that McKinnie said about these new multi national guys, how he said basically that doesn't make these guys automatic shoe ins for this team, they have to be good enough, fit in, and WANT to represent this team. Love that attitude. He may not end up being the skip long term (I think thats Adams) but he's certainly the pulse of the squad.

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This is good.

He scored against Portugal and Mexico. My gosh those were brilliant games. How good was John O'Brien?

Regarding the striker argument and Jozy being mentioned...it just highlights the gaping hole we have up front. We don't have a #9 on this roster and I'm hoping someone steps up in the next couple years. I thought at the time and still think today, Jozy should've stayed in the Dutch league instead of going to Sunderland. He was on fire and would've stayed confident...which is exactly what you want from a striker no matter what league they're in.

Soto and Sargent are unproven, Reyna isn't a 9, Jozy is old and I've always believed like mrmill thought that he beats up on minnows, and Zardes...just please god don't let him the the choice.

Jozy and Zardes are the most prepared to start but lack upside. The rest just aren't proven enough or aren't a real #9. Rough spot.

Let's just hope that one of the youngins step it up.

OregonAggie said:

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Regarding the striker argument and Jozy being mentioned...it just highlights the gaping hole we have up front. We don't have a #9 on this roster and I'm hoping someone steps up in the next couple years. I thought at the time and still think today, Jozy should've stayed in the Dutch league instead of going to Sunderland. He was on fire and would've stayed confident...which is exactly what you want from a striker no matter what league they're in.

Soto and Sargent are unproven, Reyna isn't a 9, Jozy is old and I've always believed like mrmill thought that he beats up on minnows, and Zardes...just please god don't let him the the choice.

Jozy and Zardes are the most prepared to start but lack upside. The rest just aren't proven enough or aren't a real #9. Rough spot.

Let's just hope that one of the youngins step it up.

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He made the mistake a lot of US players make, maybe out of necessity, which is taking the first offer in England regardless of its a good team to go to.

Soto ran into a similar issue this past year, and Sargent is dealing with it on Werder Bremen.

I guess this also begs the question, what do we really NEED out of our #9 for this team. The goal of a #9 is more than just scoring all your teams goals. In my opinion with the other attacking talent this squad is showing, we need a #9 who is skilled in hold up play with their back to goal and the ability to lay the ball off to others as they draw attention.

Fair point, and that's something Jozy actually is really good at.

I don't feel like we've seen much other than "annnnnd counter" from this team in a while (as evidenced by our possession numbers).