U.S. star attacker Landon Donovan believes his Los Angeles Galaxy teammate Edson Buddle, who has scored five goals in the MLS season’s first three games, deservesa look at the U.S. training camp ahead of the World Cup. Donovan, who is headed to his third World Cup, also said Herculez Gomez should be looked at. Gomez has scored eight goals in13 games for Mexico’s Puebla since leaving MLS. Both Buddle and Gomez are 28.
As to Buddle, who hasn’t played for the USA since his debut in a friendly against Venezuela in March 2003,Donovan said: “I see it a little different probably than most people. Most people see the goalscoring, which obviously as a forward is important. But for me, equally if not more importantly are thelittle things [Buddle’s] doing to help our team win. And those types of things are important when you’re not scoring goals, especially. And a lot of players when they score a lot of goals think theydon’t have to do those things, and he’s doing all those little things that are helping a lot.”
Gomez has two caps, both at the 2007 Copa America. “Taking a look at [Gomez], absolutely,”Donovan said. “Why wouldn’t you? At this point, you would have to think everything is an option. Clearly I’m not the coach and I don’t make these decisions, but I always err on the side of caution.And what I mean by that is you take the players that are one, playing, and who are playing the best at the time. And I always think that’s the best formula. Now, not everyone sees it that way, butthat’s my personal opinion.”
The USA does have question marks upfront because Charlie Davies still is recovering from an October car crash and Brian Ching,a member of the 2006 World Cup squad, is out until next month with an injured hamstring. So it’s unclear who will start at forward alongside Jozy Altidore when the United States playsEngland in its World Cup opener on June 12, writes Ronald Blum
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