Is it just me, or does anyone else find it strange that Jozy is considered an automatic starter over Johansson? AJ's form this season has been great, and Jozy's has been abissmal. We've been waiting since he was 17 for Jozy to be the next great American and it just hasn't turned out that way. Honestly, I'm not sure it ever will. Jozy has proved time and time again that he cannot get it done against the best (i.e. in the BPL). I say give AJ a shot.

Did you watch the World Cup qualifying? Jozy was unstoppable.

And When Jozy was playing in the Eredivisie he was putting up the same numbers as AJ. I think Jozy's lack of form was more related to the type of style that Sunderland played vs Jozy not being good.

AJ is not a Jozy replacement. He is a Dempsey replacement. Different positions, different roles.

Respectively, I would disagree with both of y'all. AJ is a #9 type for AZ and could be for the US as well. So much of the selection is based on form (according to Klinsmann, therefore Jozy's selection as a lock to start up top doesn't make much sense to me. And while Jozy was very good in qualifying and at AZ last year, name another point in his career where he was very good. You can't. He has the potential, and that's the only reason I think he's a lock to start, but we've very rarely seen that come to fruition. I don't think he has what it takes mentally. He doesn't get angry, he wears his lack of confidence on his sleeve... And you can't say that he didn't have service or that the style of play at SAFC didn't suit him because guys like Connor Wickham and Fabio Borini did pretty well with the same service and style of play.

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And you can't say that he didn't have service or that the style of play at SAFC didn't suit him because guys like Connor Wickham and Fabio Borini did pretty well with the same service and style of play.

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This comment will probably be ignored. I get tired of hearing this crap about Jozy as well because he isn't proven. If anything, he's proven over time to be a potential talent and nothing more. If Wickham and Borini could find the net, Jozy has no excuse.

I'm not saying he shouldn't start but I definitely don't think he should be a lock to start. How would our offense look with a more dynamic player like AJ instead of the physical looking yet not physical Altidore? I hope JK starts AJ at least once during the warmups so we can see.

you would start a USMNT newbie at lone striker over the guy who's played that role for a couple of years now?

Just because a guy doesn't get angry doesn't mean he "wears his lack of confidence on his sleeve". From all I can see of his play and interviews, he still remains confident, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from. As for Aron replacing him, I think Aron said in an interview a while back that he doesn't feel like he can play the hold-up striker position in a 4-2-3-1 that Jozy plays, he prefers the AM role that Clint is in. Now if we're in a 4-4-2 I might be more inclined to agree with you, and I think a Clint-Aron combo would be fun to watch. I also think that suits Wondo's game more

I really like AJ...hope he gets a significant amount of PT, but I don't think he's going to start over Jozy, and not convinced he should. Jozy does well in our style of play where he has to hold the ball up

LesloMcgoo, what you say in interviews and such has nothing to do with your actual on-the-field countenance and attitude. He's not going to say in an interview that he has lost his confidence. You can say whatever you want, but from watching the guy play in the BPL this year, you can tell he lacks confidence and mental fortitude... And where am I getting the fact that he doesn't get angry? Klinsmann himself. In an interview recently someone asked JK what he would do if he was Jozy, and he said: "Jozy needs to get angry." He's exactly right.

The only reason JK has breathed some support and confidence into Jozy is because he thinks he has no one else, and that he absolutely HAS to get behind Jozy.

One dang goal in two full seasons in the BPL. For any other respectable national team, having this guy as your lock starter would be a joke.

Again, I'm not saying Jozy shouldn't start, because he certainly can produce a rare moment of quality (i.e. shrugging off Puyol and drilling hit shot past Casillas against Spain in 2009, or even his lone goal against Chelsea this season), but I think AJ should get a serious look.

How long must we wait on Jozy? It's been like seven years. And Wondolowski is not quality. Tap in goals against minnows in CONCACAF and MLS is not impressive, IMO. He scores one tap-in against Mexico and all of a sudden everyone wans to justify his selection.

In a 4-4-2 I think AJ could start...but not in a holding striker role 4-2-3-1 that we like to play. He's not strong enough to hold the ball up like we need to.

If we play a 4-4-2 diamond I would really like to see him start

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In a 4-4-2 I think AJ could start...but not in a holding striker role 4-2-3-1 that we like to play. He's not strong enough to hold the ball up like we need to.

If we play a 4-4-2 diamond I would really like to see him start

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Then where would Dempsey play? Putting him on top of the diamond takes Bradley's spot.

I would like to see him start in front of Jozy if he doesn't have the responsibility of hold up play

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LesloMcgoo, what you say in interviews and such has nothing to do with your actual on-the-field countenance and attitude. He's not going to say in an interview that he has lost his confidence. You can say whatever you want, but from watching the guy play in the BPL this year, you can tell he lacks confidence and mental fortitude... And where am I getting the fact that he doesn't get angry? Klinsmann himself. In an interview recently someone asked JK what he would do if he was Jozy, and he said: "Jozy needs to get angry." He's exactly right.

The only reason JK has breathed some support and confidence into Jozy is because he thinks he has no one else, and that he absolutely HAS to get behind Jozy.

One dang goal in two full seasons in the BPL. For any other respectable national team, having this guy as your lock starter would be a joke.

Again, I'm not saying Jozy shouldn't start, because he certainly can produce a rare moment of quality (i.e. shrugging off Puyol and drilling hit shot past Casillas against Spain in 2009, or even his lone goal against Chelsea this season), but I think AJ should get a serious look.

How long must we wait on Jozy? It's been like seven years. And Wondolowski is not quality. Tap in goals against minnows in CONCACAF and MLS is not impressive, IMO. He scores one tap-in against Mexico and all of a sudden everyone wans to justify his selection.

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Wait on jozy for what? He's been productive for the national team.

Also, if you watched Sunderland this year (until their miracle last four games), you surely noticed that he never received a ball within 25 yards of the goal.

And if you think wondo just gets lucky, he must should have won the lottery 466 times by now. Hate on him all you want, but you don't just score goals like that bc you are lucky.

But you're right, we should leave him off and pace the way for that striker who scores all those world class goals for us.

PJD, wait on Jozy to be the guy everyone said he would be from the time he was 17 years old. To say he has productive is correct, at times, however, he has by no means been the star we expected him to be. Productive, yes. Good, only very sparingly. Remember when JK left him out of all national team selection for months, if not a year? It's because he didn't deserve it.

And again in regards to Sunderland, if Borini and Wickham can do it then Jozy has absolutely no excuse. His movement was bad, his touch has poor, his confidence was shot.

And I never said Wondo is lucky. Wondo is a good MLS player. But that is all. He will do nothing against teams unless they play in CONCACAF or MLS. He reminds me a lot of Taylor Twellman. IMO, Terrence Boyd and Donovan are far better than Wondo. Wondo has never gotten a sniff from any bigger clubs or leagues and he's 30 years old. Do you really picture him coming into the game against Germany or Portugal and having any sort of impact?

Taylor twellman is a pretty good comparison.

I feel like wickham and borini scored a ton those last handful of games when Sunderland really started playing well. They didn't do that at all the first 33/34 games.

I guess the point is we just don't have other options. Our goals will have to come from Dempsey, a sub, or Bradley.

^ in other words - we lose !

Jozy vs AJo

Jozy would be better on defensive set pieces.
Jozy would be better on offensive set pieces.
Jozy would be better holding the ball up as lone stiker.
Jozy would be better in build up play.
Jozy would wear down the CBs more.

But most importantly,
Jozy's goal against Spain in the Gold Cup made me want to play soccer again so he is the best ever. THE BEST EVER. But seriously he is the USMNT best option at striker.

It's like deja vu all over again.

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It's like deja vu all over again.

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I had forgotten about the mass influx of posters to the soccer board at WC time. I expect you can see this topic and many others rehashed ad nauseum over the next few weeks.

Wondolowski is more productive than either one and should start vs Ghana if JK has a lick of sense.

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Wondolowski is more productive than either one and should start vs Ghana if JK has a lick of sense.

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the troll is strong with this one... ( i hope, but can't quite tell)