Sir Landon Of Donovan

[blue_kate]

Was solid today, especially after ashley cole went off and he got a chance to shine against zhirkov. I think we are using him correctly in our system. He enjoys running at the defense and I think the best way he can do that is by starting off in a wide position and running into the box or to the by-line. Having said that I do notice that he cuts back on his weaker left foot a lot in order to beat his man to get a cross in, so maybe it is worth putting him on the right, so he can change to his stronger foot for crossing. Although I'm not Billy's biggest fan when he's on the right, just a thought though.

 

[kenada_blue]

Maybe lads wel see, not saying hes a bad player and like you mention hes strengthened the right. At the moment i dont see the player you describe despite his obvious pace, i cant think of a time where he has gone in behind through pace, or in behind by beating a man which i think we need our counter are painfully slow, he will make ground and look to support and build up, he has a decent delivery as well - like i say not a bad player - maybe more to come - but so far for me he offers an additional outlet rather then dimension that i think we need.

Controversial but hey just being honest, so far - he has a month and half to change my mind, if he does ill be the first to admit it.

We don't play the counter though. It's rare we counter and if we did I'm sure Landon would be told to bomb forward as he's basically the only pace in the squad so far.

It's how moyes uses him. He's basically being used as a hug the touchline winger who, when he can, run at players and he's been successful at that. So far that's all he's been used at.

Stick him as a 2nd striker or attacking central midfielder then he'll offer something else. But so far he's been told to play as a right winger, something we don't have, and has delivered.

How that's not adding to the team I don't know or can think of what else he can do that he's not being told to do

 

[Neiler]

We don't play the counter though. It's rare we counter and if we did I'm sure Landon would be told to bomb forward as he's basically the only pace in the squad so far.

It's how moyes uses him. He's basically being used as a hug the touchline winger who, when he can, run at players and he's been successful at that. So far that's all he's been used at.

Stick him as a 2nd striker or attacking central midfielder then he'll offer something else. But so far he's been told to play as a right winger, something we don't have, and has delivered.

How that's not adding to the team I don't know or can think of what else he can do that he's not being told to do

I dint say he wasnt adding to the team mate and im sure he wasnt told to go out and not use his pace to counter teams - to be honest no one knows what he has been told.

Your right we dont play or dont have the players to play on the counter the way say Arsenal, Spurs and Villa can. Like i say i think we need to add that to this squad - we have struggled to break down teams all year with two deep banks of four. Very rarely do any of our players beat a man to get in behind, very rarely do players get in behind with pace. This is the dimension im talking about - just my opinion this is how the team needs to develop or we will continue to drop points against the Stokes, Brum, Bolton Fulham, Wolves of this world due to the difficulty we have penetrating an organised line of midfeild and defenders and our lack of pace or skill of beating a man.

Landon may prove me wrong and he has given us some balance and an ectra outlet - i dont think hes a bad player - i just think we need a different type of player, unless i see something i havnt up untill now in his game! Could be wrong like, but thats just how i see things at the mo going into the long term.

 

[kenada_blue]

I dint say he wasnt adding to the team mate and im sure he wasnt told to go out and not use his pace to counter teams - to be honest no one knows what he has been told.

Your right we dont play or dont have the players to play on the counter the way say Arsenal, Spurs and Villa can. Like i say i think we need to add that to this squad - we have struggled to break down teams all year with two deep banks of four, very rarely to beat a man to get in behind and very rarely do players get in behind with pace. This is dimension im talking about - just my opinion this is how the team needs to develop or we will continue to drop points against the Stokes, Brum, Bolton Fulham, Wolves of this world.

Landon may prove me wrong and he has given us some balance and an ectra outlet - i dont think hes a bad player - i just think we need a different type of player, unless i see something i havnt up untill now in his game! Could be wrong like, but thats just how i see things at the mo going into the long term.

We need a pacy winger, needed one for seasons. He is one.

And for adding more, that's down to where he'd play and how we play. He adds alot IMO and for seasons I wanted a pacy winger because we are a slow team. He's defo someone we need long term to sort out the right side.

He'd be someone who can get behind defences and run at them when given the chance. The problem being is the support on that wing not linking well with the right back. That and rest of the team not backing him up when he does burst with pace IMO

 

[mabindurham]

... i cant think of a time where he has gone in behind through pace, or in behind by beating a man which i think we need our counters are painfully slow and lack penetration,

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he's broken behind at least a few times in each match since he's been here, but either nobody sees him or decides not to play to him.

If I recall correctly, a few years ago at least, his documented sprint times over short distances apparently rivalled Olympic sprinters.

 

[RNG]

Maybe lads wel see, not saying hes a bad player and like you mention hes strengthened the right. At the moment i dont see the player you describe despite his obvious pace, i cant think of a time where he has gone in behind through pace, or in behind by beating a man which i think we need our counters are painfully slow and lack penetration, he will make ground and look to support and build up, he has a decent delivery as well - like i say not a bad player - maybe more to come - but so far for me he offers an additional outlet rather then the dimension that i think we need.

Controversial but hey just being honest, so far - he has a month and half to change my mind, if he does ill be the first to admit it.

The funny thing about your comment is that while Landon does have certain flaws to his game, he is in fact world class at the counter. Actually, counters is one of the thing he does best.

If you want an example, besides the Brazil game at the Confed Cup, just look at the Everton game vs Sunderland.

He and Saha ran out on a counter. Donovan started behind their defenders and ended up outrunning them all and standing alone in front of goal. Of course, Saha never saw him, because Saha is programmed to shoot first and second and pass third.

Donovan is great at counters. If you had said you want someone who can go one on one with defenders, and beat them with tricky Ronaldo moves, then you would be right. But Everton will look long and hard to find someone better at counters than LD.

 

[scoregon]

New yank poster here.

First, just wanted to say I've enjoyed watching Everton play since Donovan's arrival and have found myself really cheering for the team in recent games, rather than just for Landon. Also, I've enjoyed reading this forum...the level of the discussion is far above average.

One observation, which relates to the current discussion some of you are having, (from someone who has watched Landon play a ton of games) is that he is a master counter attacker. If you'd like to see some examples go check out his goal reels with the US Nats or in MLS. When he is playing with guys who understand him and who he understands, his counter-attacking prowess is what many of us yanks see as his biggest strength. There have been numerous times in the games I've watched since he came to your side, where Landon has made just the sort of get-behind-the-defense run you all are talking about and the player on the ball has not made the pass. Saha has missed a streaking Donovan on numerous occasions and Neville has been guilty a few times as well.

Anyway, my two-cents worth would be that if the part of Landon's game you are not yet sure about is his ability to counter/use pace to get behind the defense....then you should sign him up long-term, because that is one thing he does not lack and it will certainly show up on the field as he and the lads become more comfortable with each other.

edit: Some others posted similar things while I wrote this post, but it does go to show we yanks are on the same page when it comes to Landon's countering ability.

 

[zed]

hi RNG - not just counter attacking,his all round play is great to watch - very unpredictable so he catches defenders out, might sound daft to some but i`d sooner have LD than ronaldo

 

[FutbolAmerica]

New yank poster here.

Oregon? What part?

 

[Sounderfan]

From The Guardian:

"That was Landon's best game for us," said Moyes. "But I don't think we'll be able to keep him when his three-month loan expires unfortunately."

That doesn't sound good.

 

[zed]

From The Guardian:

"That was Landon's best game for us," said Moyes. "But I don't think we'll be able to keep him when his three-month loan expires unfortunately."

That doesn't sound good.

wasnt he always going back after the loan anyway, then MLS giving donovan a say in his future

 

[BlueMedley]

taking him on loan again at the start of next season would be the best option i think

 

[FutbolAmerica]

I think what DM said may imply that their asking price is simply too high. If this is indeed the case it would be very unfortunate. He's too good to be playing in MLS.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

He has shown enough to be in prem next year. I hope it's with us.

 

[bluebloodinmyveins]

He has shown enough to be in prem next year. I hope it's with us.

I have a strange feeling he may end up at Fulham, though i hope i am wrong.