Quote:
Is Donovan really the best the US can do?
by Al Bracco
After the United States' last pair of World Cup qualifiers last week, I am once again left to wonder:
Is Landon Donovan really the best soccer player the USA can produce?
First, let's look at the awards and recognition he has received:
# FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Ball: 1999
# MLS All-Star MVP: 2001
# MLS Best XI: 2003
# MLS Cup MVP: 2003
# U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2003, 2004
# CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2002, 2003, 2005
# MLS All-Time Best XI
# Honda Player of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
# Los Angeles Galaxy Golden Boot: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
# MLS Golden Boot: 2008
# United States all-time goalscorer (37 Goals in 108 games)
# United States all-time assists leader (36 Assists in 108 games)
Impressive indeed, but can we really count anything accomplished in the MLS (Mostly Listless Soccer)? I think not.
Can we really count anything done in CONCACAF cups against alleged professional teams like Cuba, Guatelmala, Honduras, etc? I think not.
Can we really count anything done in World Cup qualifiers against the same sorry group of nations, with Mexico being a possible exception? I think not.
U.S. Soccer in the spotlight
Photo Galleries ...
* United States vs. Trinidad-Tob.
* El Salvador vs. United States
* United States vs. Mexico
* The Border Rivalry
Stories ...
* NGUYEN: WC's not good enough
* U.S. in Group B to defend Gold Cup
* TRECKER: Big things for Altidore
* Altidore hat trick helps rout T&T
* UTLEY: Old face leads the charge
* U.S. rallies for draw in El Salvador
* TRECKER: Just another 2-0 victory
USMNT Front | USA Front | USA Shop
Meaningless friendlies? Once again, I think not.
Of his 37 career national team goals, 19 have come against Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Barbados, El Salvador, and Jamaica. Another 11 goals have come in friendly matches.
So 30 of his 37 career goals have come in matches when the result was not in question or the result didn't matter.
So how, then, can we judge how great of a player Landon Donovan really is? In my opinion, we must look at World Cup games, when he is playing against world-class players in high-pressure situations.
So let's look at his performance there.
Donovan has played in a total of eight World Cup games in two separate World Cups. He has a total of two goals and zero assists. The goals came against Poland and Mexico — not the strongest of World Cup teams.
Against the very best competition, like Germany, Italy and Portugal? Zero goals and zero assists.
Now, for those of you screaming at your flat panel displays "Goals and assists are not everything", I contend, when you are touted as your country's best player and you're an attacking player, not a defender, it IS everything.
The 'best' player has to produce when it counts the most.
Stats aside, what is my impression of Landon Donovan?
Although he may have the best foot skills on the U.S. team, that's not really saying much. He is capable of taking on defenders at high speed while actually keeping control of the ball (how many other American players can claim that?).
However, such forays into high-level soccer always end the same way for Donovan. Ultimately he is run off the ball by a professional defender and ends up on the ground, appealing to the referees for a foul.
Landon Donovan's Career
* Landon Donovan, USA
His next best attribute is probably handling the ball from long crosses or down-field passes. Whether it's getting his head on the ball, using his chest, or softly receiving the ball at his feet, he does a good job gaining and retaining possession.
His passing skills are just adequate. I'm rarely wowed by a perfect through ball into space for someone to run onto. He'll make a lot of square passes and conservative passes. He just seems a lot more interested in having the ball than giving it up.
So, am I here to disparage Landon Donovan? Despite what you've just read, not really. I am, however, saying that the U.S. really doesn't have any world-class players yet. As a youth coach and a follower of U.S. soccer for the last 25 years, I thought it would have happened by now.
So my real point is, iIf Landon Donovan is truly our best, then despite all of the USSF's best efforts, we are no closer to being a true World Cup contender than we were 10 years ago.
by Al Bracco
After the United States' last pair of World Cup qualifiers last week, I am once again left to wonder:
Is Landon Donovan really the best soccer player the USA can produce?
First, let's look at the awards and recognition he has received:
# FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Ball: 1999
# MLS All-Star MVP: 2001
# MLS Best XI: 2003
# MLS Cup MVP: 2003
# U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2003, 2004
# CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2002, 2003, 2005
# MLS All-Time Best XI
# Honda Player of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
# Los Angeles Galaxy Golden Boot: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
# MLS Golden Boot: 2008
# United States all-time goalscorer (37 Goals in 108 games)
# United States all-time assists leader (36 Assists in 108 games)
Impressive indeed, but can we really count anything accomplished in the MLS (Mostly Listless Soccer)? I think not.
Can we really count anything done in CONCACAF cups against alleged professional teams like Cuba, Guatelmala, Honduras, etc? I think not.
Can we really count anything done in World Cup qualifiers against the same sorry group of nations, with Mexico being a possible exception? I think not.
U.S. Soccer in the spotlight
Photo Galleries ...
* United States vs. Trinidad-Tob.
* El Salvador vs. United States
* United States vs. Mexico
* The Border Rivalry
Stories ...
* NGUYEN: WC's not good enough
* U.S. in Group B to defend Gold Cup
* TRECKER: Big things for Altidore
* Altidore hat trick helps rout T&T
* UTLEY: Old face leads the charge
* U.S. rallies for draw in El Salvador
* TRECKER: Just another 2-0 victory
USMNT Front | USA Front | USA Shop
Meaningless friendlies? Once again, I think not.
Of his 37 career national team goals, 19 have come against Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Barbados, El Salvador, and Jamaica. Another 11 goals have come in friendly matches.
So 30 of his 37 career goals have come in matches when the result was not in question or the result didn't matter.
So how, then, can we judge how great of a player Landon Donovan really is? In my opinion, we must look at World Cup games, when he is playing against world-class players in high-pressure situations.
So let's look at his performance there.
Donovan has played in a total of eight World Cup games in two separate World Cups. He has a total of two goals and zero assists. The goals came against Poland and Mexico — not the strongest of World Cup teams.
Against the very best competition, like Germany, Italy and Portugal? Zero goals and zero assists.
Now, for those of you screaming at your flat panel displays "Goals and assists are not everything", I contend, when you are touted as your country's best player and you're an attacking player, not a defender, it IS everything.
The 'best' player has to produce when it counts the most.
Stats aside, what is my impression of Landon Donovan?
Although he may have the best foot skills on the U.S. team, that's not really saying much. He is capable of taking on defenders at high speed while actually keeping control of the ball (how many other American players can claim that?).
However, such forays into high-level soccer always end the same way for Donovan. Ultimately he is run off the ball by a professional defender and ends up on the ground, appealing to the referees for a foul.
Landon Donovan's Career
* Landon Donovan, USA
His next best attribute is probably handling the ball from long crosses or down-field passes. Whether it's getting his head on the ball, using his chest, or softly receiving the ball at his feet, he does a good job gaining and retaining possession.
His passing skills are just adequate. I'm rarely wowed by a perfect through ball into space for someone to run onto. He'll make a lot of square passes and conservative passes. He just seems a lot more interested in having the ball than giving it up.
So, am I here to disparage Landon Donovan? Despite what you've just read, not really. I am, however, saying that the U.S. really doesn't have any world-class players yet. As a youth coach and a follower of U.S. soccer for the last 25 years, I thought it would have happened by now.
So my real point is, iIf Landon Donovan is truly our best, then despite all of the USSF's best efforts, we are no closer to being a true World Cup contender than we were 10 years ago.
