Quote:he needs to get back in his grove... Generaly NT apeaences can be good times for stuff like that(at least when its not for the wc, i couldnt care less about the gc though)... fernando torres used to look like absolute garbage for his club( at chelsea) only to show up big for his country when he got the call... Thats one poor example, but imo, there isnt a better option.

That is one example, but Altidore has done quite the opposite of. When he was setting the world on fire with AZ he couldn't do the same with the USMNT. He's not that guy who can turn it on apparently. The need to get back in his groove was why he was sent home. He lacked conditioning more then anything I think. Top that with his lack of on the ball skill and it just looked pathetic.

 

Winning the Gold Cup put us staight into the Confederations Cup which is a very good pre World Cup tournament against the top teams in the world. It would have been huge. Now we have to go through a playoff. 

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