I think Altidore is the better current option but he is still rounding into game shape and appears to have picked up a knock, again, otherwise he would have started last night. Unfortunately, our striker pool is very, very limited. Lot of hopes being pinned on Josh Sargent, but he's really young and camp did not go well for him. Timothy Weah is also very young and more likely a wing than a striker. Like Sargent, he needs more playing time. Soto had a good U20 World Cup, but calling him young and inexperienced is an understatement and really this U20 WC was his first shining moment.
Now that the foreign based youth contingent is basically covered, you move to some more common names. Jordan Morris had his 15 minutes and injury has really taken any momentum he had, but there is always a hope he can round back into form. He is only 24. Bobby Wood at 26 is languishing. He needs a new team and some game time and hopefully to build some momentum that seems long gone. Has anyone heard from Aron Johansson lately? Terrance Boyd is sitting behind Altidore on Toronto's bench and hasn't been any good since 2014.
And then there are the ones few have heard of. Ebobisse with the Timbers is having a good season at 22. He might be part of the U23 efforts. Rubio Rubin at 24 might still progress if he ever finds somewhere to get on the dang field. Novakovich is floating around the Eredivisie but I don't think anyone really thinks he's national team caliber, except for the fact that no one else is either.
I'm probably missing a few, but the cupboard is not real full. That's why Zardes and Altidore are still out there. I'm not as down on Altidore as most people are. I think he's a very serviceable target forward, though not flashy. His work rate is good. His first touch is generally a problem. But he is nowhere near the brickfoot Zardes continually proves himself to be. And he doesn't disappear or get muscled off the ball. But he is only a target forward. Zardes, when he wants to, can make distracting runs and has better speed. Of course as soon as you pass the ball to Zardes you can count on him blowing it, but he does make a better distraction than Altidore.
Who else am I missing? Looks pretty bleak.
