From an email this morning: Beckham made some world class passes and is still a world class player. Give Becks a true striker (Ronaldo?) and the Galaxy destroy the rest of the league. Why not reform the Galacticos, Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham, Raul, Figo, and Carlos. In exchange we'll give you Donovan, the most overrated player of all time.
Yep, maybe Steve Davis has a point.
Another email, also from today: If Donovan is US soccer at its finest we're in a lot of trouble. He can play, but he has little natural instinct. He passed a ball last night that he should have shot, all because he has no left foot and can only score on penalty kicks, which by the way are less than spectacular. Clint Dempsey is a far superior player and also plays in the Premier League. In two years, Altidore will eclipse Donovan as our brightest star, if he hasn't already.
Would the Crew be interested in a Robbie Rogers, Chad Marshall and a pick exchange for Donovan deal? Then you could play Franklin and Pires in the midfield along with Rogers on the left and Beckham on the right. I think your Marshall and Xavier combo would strengthen the D plus you offload Donovan's salary and can bring someone else in if you wanted. Crazy?
ReplyDeleteSteve Davis is spot on.
ReplyDeletea.c., did you check the address from that e-mail? I wouldn't be surprised if Alexi Lalas sent it... ;)
ReplyDeleteIf I'm picking teams, I take Landon over Dempsey every time.
ReplyDeleteSteve Davis is soooo money!
ReplyDeleteMarshall and Rogers (who lasted two seconds in Holland) for Donovan is like Pennant, and SWP for Beckham. A future Hall of Famer for two maybe-they-will be- good pros? Lalas would have to be a lot more incompetent than he has proved himself to be if he made that trade.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, it's not a question of picking Dempsey over Donovan. The US needs both of them.
This notion that Donovan's penalties are less than spectacular is idiotic. All that matter is that they go in. Think penalties are easy? Did you ever watch England? If Donovan were English he would start every game for them. At least he can make his penalties.
Steve Davis was right; these critics are lame.
DECO
Donovan has scored goals with his left foot. The first one vs. Ecuador comes immediately to mind. That is not why he passed the ball to Gordon. But folks have their minds made up on what they're going to say about him no matter what he does on the field.
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Both Emails are obviously ignorant. LANDO has Speed, id take speed over anything, SPEED KILLS!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd i dont care what people say, stats dont lie, LANDO is the best US product the USA has ever produced! fact! Live with it, Dempsey couldnt even win a ring in the MLS in his 3 tries.
Landon>Dempsey
Yeah, I have to agree with the last anonymous guy. Landon has raw physical ability that no other American has ever possessed. What impossibly selective memory came up with "he only scores on PKs"?
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding? He has plenty of goals from the run of play that he gets with finishing and talent, usually by turning on the afterburners.
Ask Marquez and Salcido what that thing was that moved passed them the last time Landon scored against Mexico: I'm betting they still have no idea.
Steve Davies Hit it right on the Money! AMEN Steve, AMEN!
ReplyDeleteWell said last 2 anonymous post..!!
ReplyDeleteLOL @ Salcido/Marquez thinking what that was that flew by them!
HAHAHA!
US fans' constant blasting of Donovan reminds me of overbearing fathers who try to live out their dreams via their sons' athletic careers. The kid may live a good life, get an education, a good job, be happy and have a great family...but the old man is never satisfied because sonny boy didn't turn out to be the Jock God he had hoped for.
ReplyDeleteThe Donovan haters are disappointed because Landon is living his life on his own terms and not living out the dreams of Eurocentric US soccer fans.
I hate Landon Donovan.
ReplyDeleteBecause he's too good and doesn't play for my team.
Seriously, at last year's classic RBNY-Galaxy game, after Jozy scored to make the game 4-2, and Landon put the ball down for kickoff, I thought to myself "Landon looks pissed. He's going to score."
Thirty seconds, half the field, and RBNY's entire defense later...
I will never get the Landon bashing. I'm not a Galaxy fan, but watch a lot of their games now that I live in LA, and more often than not he stands out on the field.
ReplyDeleteIs his left foot weaker? Sure. (see that terrible miss in the Gold Cup) but I could name you 50 guys people consider 'class' players who have a foot that is noticeably stronger than the other.
For anyone to deny that he is the best player in the US pool is foolish. Altidore may well surpass him, but right now, I'm taking Donovan all day.
I do think he lacks a certain killer instinct more often than not (except against Mexico for some reason)but that's just who he is. No amount of time in Europe would change that. A person is either born with their killer instincts, you can't create that in training anymore than you can train someone to be taller.
f***,leave Donovan alone. He is absolutely the best player the USA has ever had. I am so sick of all of the Landon bashing.
ReplyDeleteI've watched the USA all the way back to the 150 fans at El Camino college days. No other player has EVER been as good in all those years. Not Dempsey, not Josie, not Tab, not Hugo, not WINEAlda, no one!
In only 25 games last season, he had 8 goals and 13 assists. 13! When he was passing to 3 of the WORST forwards in the history of the game. He ranked #9 in goals and #2 in assists. He also took many fewer shots than ANYONE else in the top 10 in scoring.
Why do I even have to write this?
You are foolish if Donovan is NOT the first American player you choose for your team. It is such a shame that grown-ups seem to act like children when it comes to discussing him just because he didn't fulfill THEIR (not his) dream of him playing in Europe. We should celebrate the fact that he has agreed to stay HERE.
Grow up.
ki
ReplyDeletesorry to disagree. the best product the U.S. has produced was Tab Ramos. Donovans penalty kicks do go in except the one he fed to Calero of Pachuca last year.
ReplyDelete