Aw Man, Why Always Us? – Jozy Altidore Out 4-5 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Well this couldn’t happen at a worse time. We all know that Jozy was injured in the game on Saturday night in Foxborough. Everyone groaned as the curse of playing the New England Revolution seemed to have struck again as Jozy signalled to be pulled off, pointing to his hamstring. However as much as I’d love to blame the carpet at Gillette Stadium for his injury, this isn’t 2012 and this isn’t Danny Koevermans; this is sadly just a hamstring injury and now Toronto FC are without one of their best players.
He’s out 4-5 weeks – not too difficult to stretch that out to 6 or 7 weeks and then we’re running smack up against the Gold Cup and his expected call up to the US Men’s National Team. We’d already expected him to be gone for the Gold Cup and while it’s never ideal to lose players to international tournaments, in the end you want that for your team – to have the quality that gets called up for their country. Jozy is always in Jurgen Klinsmann’s plans and both he and Michael Bradley have long been tapped for this. But – and yes this is worst scenario thinking – if he’s just healthy enough to join the US team and re-aggravates the injury then we’re looking at months without one of our best players. Awesome.
Replacing not only his production, but his presence and the effect he has on opposition defences will not be easy. He’s scored six goals so far, assisted on one and in the last couple of games been very involved up top causing a nice bit of havoc. The big question is then of course who replaces him? Bright Dike is not available to be recalled from San Antonio until mid-July so Luke Moore, Robbie Findley and Jordan Hamilton come on down.
Not exactly the most exciting list of prospective replacements is it? Robbie Findley’s been mostly terrible/invisible out on the wing, Luke Moore has just been completely terrible (and invisible) and Jordan Hamillton might as well be invisible given how little time he’s been given. After Saturday’s performance you have to hope that Vanney will leave Moore on the bench and give Findley a try up top. This is his preferred spot and who knows, maybe this will work. They went out and snatched him up for a reason, right? As for Hamilton, I truly hope this sees him get some minutes – he’s a talented player and should be one of the future stars of this team.
Really the only other concern with any of these players is that they are not the same type of hold up, physical players as is Altidore – Luke Moore notwithstanding that is. Bringing up Dike will have no effect because he’s not available until mid-July and really he’s an unknown quantity
It is not an optimal situation and will be a stern test for TFC. Everyone will be looking to Vanney to not only set strong lineups but to make sure that his attacking options are working well with both Giovinco and Bradley. It’s going to get a bit bumpy folks; batten those hatches and hopefully we can ride out this storm.
May 19, 2015
Pulled off, eh?! That goes along with the answer I was going to use from Family Guy quite nicely
May 19, 2015
I try to feed you straight lines whenever possible.
May 19, 2015
definitely bad news, and should be another good examination of the squad, and bezbatchenko’s team building. Robbie Findley’s defenders have all poinyted to the fact that he’s not a winger and never really has been, so I guess now’s his big chance to show what he can do as a striker. or we go back to luke moore. either or I guess. fun.
May 20, 2015
Forget Findley. He apparently is also injured with an Achilles issue. What a huge mistake it was to send Dike down to the NASL. You would think by now that Vanney and company would realize that TFC is cursed and there will inevitably be injuries to our main players and that means we need everybody to be available as replacements. Dike is so similar in the way he plays to Altidore that it begs the question why was it necessary to send him away to “the minors”. Both Findley and Moore have been virtually invisible and have done nothing (other then Findley’s 1 goal) since the beginning of the season. Now Dike is unavailable until mid July. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to have shipped Dike to TFC 11 where he could have been recalled on a moments notice?
I hate to say this but IMO Bez has made some bad decisions in signing both Findley and Moore to inflated contracts. Add Jackson and and under performing Perquis to the mix and you have very little cap space available for key depth players that will determine whether TFC even makes the playoffs. I am still on the fence about Vanney’s coaching and strategic abilities. Because there is no other viable choice,I would give Moore an opportunity to show what he can do in the next couple of games. If he falters in any way then it is time to give the youngsters,Hamilton and Molham Babouli a SHOT.
May 20, 2015
well, they’d have to sign Babouli to a contract to be able to do that, which means letting someone else go, so doubt that’ll happen, and I’m fine with him getting a full year in with the fieldmarlies. hamilton though, sure why not, see what he can do, if he could be our Cyle Larin, that wouldn’t be bad at all.
May 20, 2015
I’d missed the Findley injury situation. Well that puts a crimp in things now doesn’t it? Then I really hope that Hamilton (and maybe Jay Chapman) get the chance to prove their future and current worth. Although I’m willing to be swayed by Duncan’s Zavaleta idea.
I think we all agree about the mis-steps on both Findley and Moore. Not ready to completely write off Jackson & Perquis quite yet. The Dike situation is one we’ve wondered about all season – hell since last season even. It is weird that they sort of exiled him even when healthy; even when it may have made sense to give him some time. Definitely agree that he is in the mold of Altidore; albeit not as talented. That’s why we’ve often lamented his absence of lack of use by Vanney – seems like such an obvious choice. Oh this team – always maddening; rarely satisfying.