Has Jozy Altidore come far enough to be ready for prime time?
Long labeled as the next great offensive hope for the United States, Altidore is a striker of considerable gifts: strength, pace and finishing chops that, on a good day, belie his 20 short years. Those gifts make him a consistent threat up front for the Americans; indeed, Altidore is widely believed to be the sole U.S. forward whose place on the final roster is guaranteed. But lest we forget, while he is understandably the subject of much hope and hype, Altidore has yet to establish his bona fides at the top levels. His erstwhile employers at Villareal clearly still view him as a pet project, and despite turning out on a regular basis for Hull City this past season, Altidore scored just twice – with one of those goals coming against lower-league opposition in a cup match. Much of the time with Hull, Altidore battled gamely but frequently relied on his physical attributes, showing that he still has a good ways to go before he will be able to raise his skill level and master the nuances
