Is the 24-year-old New Jersey native out of his depth at Sunderland? Enduring a run of horrible luck? A sufferer of poor service? Laura Greene researched what people are saying, and has gathered it right here.
BY
Laura Greene
Posted
February 05, 2014
4:42 PM
SHARE THIS STORY
WELL INTO HIS SECOND run within the English Premier League, Jozy Altidore has thus far struggled to ascertain himself as a prime menace in England’s prime tier. Nevertheless, he does play for Sunderland—a staff that appears to have an aversion to doing issues the straightforward manner.
After signing for the membership seven months in the past, Altidore has seen firebrand supervisor Paolo Di Canio depart, Kevin Ball act as caretaker, and Gus Poyet introduced in because the Black Cats’ new boss. Since June the membership have introduced in a whopping 18 new gamers, whereas the likes of Simon Mignolet, Stephane Sessegnon, and Ahmed Elmohamady have been offered on to do very effectively elsewhere within the prime flight. Sure, there was a whole lot of change on the Stadium of Gentle.
Altidore got here to Wearside from Eredivisie facet AZ Alkmaar, the place he racked up 23 objectives in 33 appearances throughout the 2012/13 season. No stranger to the northern reaches of the UK, Altidore had beforehand performed for Hull Metropolis, the place he didn’t make an enduring impression. Aside from, that’s, on Alan Hutton—who was head-butted by Altidore in a vital top-flight tie towards Sunderland.
Is Jozy Altidore any good at football-related stuff that does not contain head-butting Alan Hutton?
— Barry Glendenning (@bglendenning) July 9, 2013
When Altidore got here on board, Di Canio was effusive in his reward for the striker. The Italian supervisor informed Sunderland’s official web site on July 13, “Altidore is one of the top strikers in Europe. He only joined us on Tuesday but I’m very happy, curious, and excited because I have a very good attacking side at the moment.”
Others have been slightly extra tentative:
Sunderland followers will likely be hoping that Jozy Altidore has improved reasonably markedly. 1 aim in 28 league video games final time in England.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) July 9, 2013
4 video games into the Premier League season, Altidore was but to search out the again of the web, aside from a “goal” which was controversially dominated out towards Arsenal on September 14.
“The whys of Altidore’s lack of goals this season are painfully obvious,” stated Jason Davis on ESPNFC.com on September 18. “At Sunderland, the American is isolated up top, tasked with holdup play on a team that rarely manages long stretches of possession. Service has been lacking, to put it kindly. Paolo Di Canio’s Wearside revolution looks more like a polite throat-clearing.”
Together with his facet backside of the league and plenty of tales of dressing room unrest making the rounds, the loss of life knell was able to sound on Di Canio’s time in cost. After selecting up only one level from 5 video games, the Italian was fired and Ellis Brief’s staff have been looking out for its sixth everlasting supervisor in 5 years.
“Any player is a product of the environment,” Altidore stated within the Sunderland Echo on October 14.
“If we’re taking part in good attacking soccer, you’re all the time going to have alternatives to attain objectives.”
“I don’t change my mentality or the way in which I play.
“I really feel like I’m taking part in effectively at Sunderland. We simply have some unhealthy luck proper now, however I really feel like I’m taking part in effectively and doing issues proper.
First recreation with new supervisor and Jozy Altidore begins on bench. US followers hoping that is not an indication of issues to come back.
— Kyle Martino (@kylemartino) October 19, 2013
Benched for all however 9 minute’s of Poyet’s first recreation in cost, Altidore’s standing within the Premier League was at odds along with his fortunes on the worldwide scene. In August, the striker netted a hat-trick in a pleasant towards Bosnia-Herzegovina. In October he was named captain for the USA males’s senior staff pleasant towards Panama and was voted U.S. Soccer’s Male Athlete of the Yr on November 22.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 15, 2013
The 24-year-old’s membership fortunes spiked slightly in mid-October, when he was named Sky Sports activities’ Man of the Match in his first hotly contested Tyne-Put on derby towards Newcastle, the place he supplied the help for Fabio Borini’s 84th-minute winner.
4 video games later, his first Premier League aim arrived—towards Chelsea no much less—in a 4-3 thriller.
1205 – Jozy Altidore has ended a run of 1,205 minutes with out a Premier League aim. Aid.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 4, 2013
Nevertheless, usually marooned up-front and receiving little service from midfield, one other dry spell adopted. As did some pretty harsh criticism.
Jozy Altidore is as hapless a striker as you will see within the prime flight.
— Luke Aaron Moore (@lukeymoore) December 28, 2013
“When is a striker not a striker? When he scores two league goals in 45 matches,” stated Niall Hickman within the Every day Categorical on December 23, with a headline that learn: “Dozy Jozy Altidore’s a real miss for the fans.”
Ouch.
Solace for Jozy Altidore as ex-Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino says “Poyet system kills strikers. Too isolated. Few chances”. Has some extent.
— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) January 23, 2014
Certainly he does. At AZ Altidore benefited from taking part in as a part of a three-pronged assault in a 4-3-3 formation. He all the time had service and he was given license to roam as he performed the Dutch staff’s model of attacking soccer. The notoriously poor Eredivisie defenses would even be a lift for any striker trying to construct up a major aim tally.
At Sunderland, Altidore has been deployed in a 4-1-4-1, the place he receives little assist and is commonly used as a battering ram, charged with holding up the ball and permitting others to pour ahead.
As ASN’s Blake Thomsen wrote again in July: “As most U.S. fans know, Altidore thrives on service in the box. He is not a true target striker, he is not particularly fast, and he is not the most technically gifted forward—at least not yet. But he is a lethal finisher when he receives the ball in dangerous positions.”
Since his aim towards Chelsea, Altidore’s aim drought has resumed and with it, one other wave of criticism.
“I don’t think giving him more games is going to help. In fact, it might make the problem worse…Nobody who can slot that goal in against Arsenal or draw it back under his foot and slap it into Chelsea’s net against Terry is a bad player. Jozy isn’t a bad player. But he does need time away to get his head right again. The longer this goes on, the worse it’s going to get,” wrote Cuteybuns on followers discussion board Sunderlandmad.com on Jan 27.
“Even if you’re the most ardent, bandanna-wearing member of the American Outlaws you’d probably have to concede that Jozy Altidore’s tenure at Sunderland has turned into a total flop,” wrote Mike Cardillo on thebiglead.com on January 29.
Fortunes at Sunderland, nevertheless, look like on the up. The staff noticed off Manchester United within the Capital One Cup, to arrange a date with Manchester Metropolis in a Wembley last.
The Black Cats are additionally off the underside of the league desk and out of the relegation zone, after struggling simply two defeats in its final 10 video games.
But considerations stay about Altidore’s proficiency in entrance of aim—or lack thereof. Following Sunderland’s 1-0 win towards Convention facet Kidderminster Harriers within the FA Cup, the Sunderland Echo’s Graeme Anderson, wrote:
The massive American had many supporters on his arrival at Sunderland, however week by week they’ve begun to soften away to the purpose the place they could disappear fully by the arrival of spring.
Kidderminster ought to have been the second seized by Altidore, as an alternative it was fairly the reverse.
And he has to understand that point is now starting to expire on his dream of turning into a star in Sunderland’s stripes.
His failure to search out objectives or make decisive contributions in different areas of the sport, is turning into a luxurious Sunderland can now not afford to indulge.
Regardless of all of that, Altidore seems to be working very arduous on his all-around recreation. On January 11, he was concerned in two objectives as Sunderland took on Fulham and beat them with a convincing 4-1 scoreline. One among Sunderland’s objectives was a penalty kick, gained by Altidore but transformed by Adam Johnson—maybe indicative of the striker’s confidence ranges, or just a gracious alternative handed to teammate Adam Johnson to notch a hat-trick.
— Jozy Altidore (@JozyAltidore) January 11, 2014
In opposition to Newcastle, in Saturday’s derby, Altidore failed to attain however impressed along with his work price, holding the ball up effectively and proving an actual handful for the Magpies’ protection.
Once more, a insecurity was demonstrated when he rounded goalkeeper Tim Krul and missed what ought to have been a simple aim.
After the sport, he informed SAFC.com, “I’ve definitely let the boys down in front of goal and I’ve been freezing up a bit, but I’ve been trying to do other things to try and make an effect. The boys have done really well picking up the slack. If we keep going like this then we’ll have a good end to the season.”
Sunderland followers confirmed their assist, following the sport:
“[Altidore] Was excellent and had his best game for us. The one-on-one showed his complete lack of confidence in front of goal,” TopCat commented on readytogo.web.
“I’ve been his biggest critic since he joined, but he had a very good game for us today. More of the same please Jozy,” added Snoodles on February 1.
Supervisor Gus Poyet additionally had nothing however reward for the New Jersey native. He was quoted within the Mirror this week, saying:
“He was magnificent and I used to be so unhappy he didn’t rating.”
“They virtually gave it to him however I stated to him within the dressing room ‘I favored that. Now you know the way essential you might be and you’ll really feel it.’
“If we keep on winning, his goal will come.”
Subsequent up? Altidore’s former staff, Hull Metropolis.
What do you consider Laura Greene’s On the File collection? And the way do you’re feeling about Jozy Altidore’s season thus far with Sunderland? Share your ideas beneath.
