Edson Buddle: World Cup Option?
by I need more Esteban on Apr 3, 2010 11:05 AM EDT
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We all know the story with a little less than 70 days to go before the U.S. faces England in their first match of the 2010 World Cup. Jozy Altidore is the known commodity up front for the Americans with many options after that still up in the air. Charlie Davies would be everyones first choice but the young striker being at full fitness and form after recovery from his horific car crash last fall is wishful thinking. At this point, the other options seem to lie with a bunch of unproven MLS players. Ultimately, Bob Bradley may have to turn to moving one of his star midfielders, Clint Dempsey or Landon Donovan, up top to create the attack that the U.S. will need to score. This very well may be the best option for the U.S. come this summer. That being said, Bradley will still need to have other strikers on the pitch.
The options are well documented: Colorado Rapids F Conor Casey, Houston Dynamo's Brian Ching, and RSL's Robbie Findley. All have National Team experience, yet none have really seperated themselves from a cluster of mediocrity. Brian Ching's chances took a hit Thursday when he pulled up lame with an injured hamstring and Robbie Findley wasn't inserted into the match until the 60th minute. To me, Conor Casey has the edge at this point. I've never been quite impressed with Casey so it leaves me wanting more options.
This leads me to the question: Why not Edson Buddle?
Most of you probably saw or heard that Buddle scored two goals in the Galaxy's victory in the SuperClasico over Chivas USA. That makes three goals in the young MLS season. I watched this game and, yes, I realize that Buddle was set up perfectly on both goals and I probably could have scored on them. Even so, this is a guy who has been a goal scoring machine when he's been healthy. Last season was apparently injury plagued leading to only five goals scored, but two seasons ago, in 26 games, Buddle scored fifteen goals.
I don't know a whole lot about Buddle besides what I see on his profile on ESPNSoccernet. 28 years of age, bouncing between a few MLS clubs and a label of, "dangerous forward when healthy". I realize that this isn't a long-term option by any means but in a World Cup year, with a depleted roster of Forwards, shouldn't all options be explored? Futhermore, this is a player who already has a chemistry with one of the U.S's biggest playmakers in Galaxy teammate, Landon Donovan.
So I'd be interested to hear from all of you guys. Is it injuries that have kept Buddle off Bradley's radar? His yellow-card on Thursday was pretty dumb, is it attitude? Or is he simply not at the level to play for the National Team?
This is really my first season to follow the MLS so I'd label myself pretty green on this, but I've seen the 3 MLS forward options in action for the National Team and I've left thoroughly unimpressed, I think it's time to explore other options, with less than 70 days until South Africa, is it already too late?
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FWIW,
the thought was floated out there yesterday by Ives, too. I voted no, simply because I think that our other options are better. I was never a big fan of Ching, but his play against Honduras in the friendly really won me over.
If Davies can’t get back, (still hoping he can) then I think Ching and Jozy would be good together.
"Not to be cliché or anything, but I’m Jayhawk born and Jayhawk bred and when I die I’ll be Jayhawk dead." - Ovechwin
nice find KC
looks like this is a question on a lot of fans’ minds.
by I need more Esteban on Apr 5, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
You should add Soccer by Ives
to your daily reader list. Pretty good stuff and a busy community.
"Not to be cliché or anything, but I’m Jayhawk born and Jayhawk bred and when I die I’ll be Jayhawk dead." - Ovechwin
I didn't vote in the poll because it didn't have the option "he should get a look"
Agree with KC that Ching is still a more reliable option at this point, but by all means Coach BB should give Buddle a look and some practice with the NT.
Is Buddle actually fast or does he just have good position sense? If he is speedy enough he could potentially be a Charlie-Davies-Lite and play well off of Altidore.
One Point about Charlie Davies
Everybody just comments about how ‘fast’ he was (and hopefully will still be) without taking into account his other qualities. If we just needed speed, I think we have a bunch of forwards that could fit that description. CD was surprisingly strong (had a wrestle background), so he could also maneuver/scrap in the box, and developing ball skills to run at defenders. Just a point that always irritates me regarding the CD injury.
Yeah, you're right
I didn’t quite mean it as CD9 only has speed. Obviously anyone who’s watched us in qualifying and in the Confederations Cup knows Charlie has all the other skills you mentioned. I meant it more as “sure Buddle can score in the MLS, but does he have the potential to play internationally?”
All our speedy forwards seem to be currently lacking in actual soccer ability. I was just wondering if Buddle has speed to go along with his current scoring form.
by johnnycougar on Apr 7, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
posted a poll
So I posted a poll earlier this week and listed a few MLS options at forward to see who would get the most support as an addition to the World Cup roster for the USMNT.
So far it is Hercules Gomez (I know he isn’t in MLS right now) in first place, RSL’s Robbie Findley in 2nd, and Edson is in 3rd place.
If you want to vote, just stop by and cast your vote
just don't think it'll happen
BB has proven himself to be very conservative in these matters. the fellow who hasn’t been there all along, proving his ability on the field AND his ability to assimilate in the locker room probably ain’t on the plane for South Africa
Buddle
2 more goals this weekend, both pretty impressive. lf he’s not at least invited to camp in May, I’ll be pissed.
by I need more Esteban on Apr 12, 2010 11:47 AM EDT reply actions
The first was a gift
Two Houston player’s failed to communicate then basically took each other out of the play . Buddle was not near enough to the play to be a threat and a simple clearance by either Houston player was all that was needed. In fact their was enough space for Boswell to play a pass wide to Chaballa instead of a straight clearance. For whatever reason Chaballa came in to make a play on the ball, then didn’t, then looked at Boswell, then tried to kick the ball but instead got more of Boswell. Buddle took a shot with almost no angle and Onstad was out of position and got beat near post because he was cheating out. Not good goalkeeping at all. Give Buddle credit for staying with a dead play, and anytime you put the ball on goal you give your team a chance for something good to happen. That being said there wasn’t much about the goal that impressed me. It was much more a case of being shocked by incompetent defending/goalkeeping for me.
The second was a quality finish, but Houston was guilty of expecting a whistle that didn’t come. Still a very nice finish by Buddle though.
Personally I would prefer to see Dempsey at forward instead of midfield(and Donovan at outside midfield). He takes too many risk in our own end of the field when he’s in the midfield for my liking, and often appears disinterested with playing anything that resembles defense, and will just slowly jog back after turning the ball over….but he came alive late in games when moved up to forward. Of the other options Buddle is probably the best option at this point though.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
It's worth a shot.
If he’s still on form come late May, then he’s as good as option as any. He could at least be as good as Findley was in the looks he got. That isn’t saying much though.
One reason he may not have gotten a look so far: He was suspended earlier in his career for cocaine use. Maybe BB won’t give him a chance because of it. I would.
Chad the Ref
Ahh good to know
Was wondering if there was anything like that.
by I need more Esteban on Apr 13, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
