No U.S. National Team’s club situation has been more heavily covered than Jozy Altidore‘s tenure at Sunderland. Altidore was riding high going into the 2013-14 season – he had just scored 31 goals in 41 caps with AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, having four goals with the USMNT half way through the year.
Altidore joined the Black Cats, the team unfortunately starting off with one point from six league matches. Manager Paolo Di Canio began to lose the locker room and fans and was sacked. His big off season signing, Jozy for $13 million, was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gus Poyet was brought in and he completely changed the style of play. Altidore needed service, preferably to his feet not his head. In this switch, Altidore became a less valuable striker and he fell down the depth chart.
While Altidore wasn’t in the ideal system, he didn’t do much to help his cause. Poor finishing and a bit of a defeated attitude when talking with the press didn’t give a good impression. Altidore is an emotional striker, and his form is a function of how happy he is. He needs to be playing regularly and he needs to see the ball hit the back of the net. He didn’t have that at Sunderland. Di Canio’s sacking and Poyet’s style of play spelled doom for this signing. He finished his two season stint with the Black Cats with one goal in 42 caps, spending much of that time as a sub or with the reserves.
Altidore made the move to MLS in the off season, joining Toronto FC in a player exchange with Jermain Defoe. In his debut with the Reds, Altidore scored two goals, doubling his total from Sunderland. He cracked a smile. This picture went viral. He had a pep in his step seen with AZ that he never had in the EPL.
Landon Donovan made a name for himself as a player who played better when he was happy rather than where he was challenged the most. Altidore is cut from the same cloth in many ways. Perhaps for Altidore to be at his best with the USMNT, his club situation needs to be positive rather than at the highest level.
He maintained a bizarre Jekyll-and-Hyde level of play while at Sunderland. Despite under-performing in the EPL, he continued to play well for the USMNT. He played 14 matches with the Yanks while at Sunderland, scoring eight goals.
His first goal with Toronto was a nice touch around the keeper and finish after a great pass from Sebastian Giovinco. The chip on the penalty was well executed. His goal against Denmark was making a fabulous finish out of nothing with two defenders on him, the assist on Aron Johannsson‘s goal again coming from long ball service. Unable to get a good shot or round the keeper, he had the presence of mind to see Johannsson’s run and deliver the pass for an easy tap in.
When his team gives him service, he will score. When he gets good service that suits his style of play, he makes it look easy. That ear-to-ear grin has returned; he’s playing free and loose. Even though the team on a whole had a poor game in Denmark, he made sure the team got a lot (two goals) out of the few chances they created. He did this despite the team playing against his preferred style as a striker (read: hoof-and-hope). In this, one could argue that Altidore has improved his play with the national team even though his production has been about the same as when he was at Sunderland.
Either way, as long as he’s able to regularly find the back of the net, he’s capable of putting both his teams on his back. He’s one of the few bright spots for the USMNT right now. He’s one of the reasons TFC have a shot to make the playoffs. He’s certainly not envious of Sunderland right now.
Jozy Altidore is back from the dead.
