He is a an out and out striker, but a channel running striker not a hold up striker. I think he fits best in a single striker system like Tuchel used at Dortmund, or as one of two strikers (paired with a hold up striker like Girourd or a Sargent). He is going to look uncomfortable in a system that emphasizes his hold up play, conversely he is going to look natural in a system that plays through balls or balls in the channel.
He’s not bad at holding it up either, though. He takes such smart first touches that give him space, he is always in position to retain the ball or draw an obvious foul. My starting eleven tomorrow for the US would probably have him as the 9. But he’s surely my 2nd or 3rd name on the team sheet. Pulisic 1, and Adams/Weah are a toss up as to who is 2 and who is 3.
What about Sargent? A bit too early to judge I guess but 9 goals in 18 professional games, with 2 goals in 120 minutes in the BL is not a bad start.
Concerning Weah and Pulisic, a channel-running striker with good footwork, tactical discipline and the awareness to pick out a free teammate with a crisp pass is a striker who can switch during a game, or even start on the wing. Weah, Pulisic, Jozy, Sargent, maybe Novakovich, Wood. The US is going to be asking a huge variety of different questions of defences in this cycle.
Is it or is it just the first generation to come through basically their full development with a revamped program (USSDA)? No way to know, but I’m thinking we’re just getting started with what is possible.
Given the size and resources available to the US, we should be able to consistently produce quality. Superstars are random, but consistent quality should be a given.
Wait until we crack the inner cities. Weah, Sargent, McKennie, Pulisic, Adams, Durkin, Richards, Wright, Brooks, Carleton, Johnson, Steffen, Sands, Wood, Lewis, Long, Baird, Trapp, Zimmerman, Pomykal, Cannon, Glad, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Morris, Miazga, Lletget, Lima, Yedlin (the list goes on) are the products of middle-class or military lifestyles.* Roldan is one of very few exceptions. Hopefully in 10 years time, or hopefully sooner, the outreach being done by MLS Works and clubs like NYCFC and LAFC will have borne fruit. *before you all start, military and middle-class don't proclude one another. I did do some research into the background of the players I wasn't sure about.
What is NYCFC doing in NYC wrt inner cities? IIRC, you are involved with that organization, no? Mods: happy to move this somewhere more relevant. thanks and sorry
Thanks. Great for nyc. Pictures look like they’ve repurposed basketball courts and the pitch is asphalt and not turf. Is that right?
I think they are meant to be futsal courts..makes a great deal of sense from a space available perspective.
There are some of each, and the sizes vary, IIRC. It just depends on the space available. https://www.nycfc.com/nyc-soccer-initiative https://www.nycfc.com/community/spaces Ohhh...I am wrong. Should have read the link first.
MM, It is a BS rule that one can never never admit being wrong. Never ever. Get with it. Maybe you can say that someone hacked your account. That’s a good one.
I don’t know. Being able to acknowledge being wrong sometimes is pretty much my only redeeming quality. Not that it has gotten me very far, mind.
And from the perspective of skill acquistion. It's why the Brazilians play so much futsal at an early age
Be careful what you wish for. These golden generations have a nasty habit of not panning out, cf Portugal and England.
Portugal's golden generation reached the World Cup semis and European Championship final. While the latter would take an epic event ol tectonic proportions, reaching the semis would be considered a massive success.