The Official Site of Landon Donovan

Tue, Oct 13th 2009, 13:40

The Most Valuable Passer

The scoring exploits of Landon Donovan are well known. Ninety-five goals in Major League Soccer puts him sixth all-time in league history and his 42 goals for the United States make him our country’s all-time leading scorer. During the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Donovan has scored or assisted on 12 of the USA’s 17 goals, a remarkable 70 percent. With Donovan scoring three goals and assisting on nine, there’s no doubt that his playmaking ability has been one of the major factors in the USA’s qualification for South Africa.

When it happens, and it happens often, it’s one the best moments of any U.S. Men’s National Team match. Landon Donovan with the ball at his feet, racing into the opponent’s defensive third.

It’s those moments, when an incredibly swift, creative player is running to goal that bring fans to their feet. Defenses are being pulled apart, angles are changing, forwards are shifting gears into their runs and Donovan is seeing it all.

More often than not, the USA’s number 10 has played a pass with the perfect timing and weight to put a teammate in the best position to score. Donovan has always been counted on for goals anytime he hits the field, but for the USA during the nine matches in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, it has been his precision passing which has proved to be world class and invaluable.

Playing mostly outside midfield, Donovan has used the entire field as his canvas, painting the pitch with a vast assortment of through balls, slipped passes, seeing-eye diagonal balls, crosses from the end line and bending services on set plays.

“Landon’s ability to move with the ball and size up things around him is very special,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley, who has deployed Donovan primarily on the left flank but with the carte blanche to roam wherever he feels is most dangerous. “The timing of his passes, his deliveries, are an important part of the way we get chances. Of late, the understanding on the team in terms of finding Landon in good positions, his mobility, and finally the understanding of some of the forwards in terms of moving at the right time has worked well, and it’s something that we continue to try to improve upon.”

Donovan’s passing is certainly not a new revelation. His 42 career international assists make him far and away the all-time U.S. leader in that category, 20 more than second place Cobi Jones. But in 2009 alone, he has racked up 10 (a record for a calendar year), including those nine in qualifying. Keep in mind that Donovan had the second to final pass on two more goals during the Hexagonal.

“There’s nothing in soccer like scoring a goal,” said Donovan. “Even as a young kid, that feeling when you would score, just the appreciation and celebration of everybody, that feeling is incredible. But for me, I get equal pleasure out of setting someone up and someone else scoring the goal. For me, it used to be about trying to score as many goals as I can, but now it’s about doing the things that help our team win. At this point in my career, a lot of times it’s passing more than scoring. It’s always been a part of my game and if there is someone in a good position to score then I try to make those plays.”

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