O ok I get what you're saying now. I think Pulisic can become that but he needs to continue to develop in that aspect.
Donovan was a 10. In fact, he invented the American 10 style: excellent long and short-range passing, wing-oriented (rather than central) , box-to-box, ball conduction with pace (over ball protection), deadly in and around the box. Hell, if England had '09-'11 Donovan instead of Raheem Sterling this summer, they probably make the final. For me, Pulisic checks all those boxes and adds a little more. The only one I have a question on is his passing. Pulisic will be a central attacking figure in any new coach's line-up.
My point is your point. You wrote: You wrote that. Is he a first team player or not? He's not! https://www.atlutd.com/players/5/andrew-carleton He's played in 7 matches with 2 starts -- a total of 161 minutes. That's less than 2 full games. He's 18 years old. Why should he play for the national team again?
I expect a certain amount of exaggeration from fans when expressing their nostalgic flights into the glories of the past, but this is a rocket ship ride into fantasy. "Invented the American 10 style." No, I think you invented it. And the stuff about Sterling is, well, unbelievable.
Pulisic is going to have the best club career of any American ever. I'd bet on that. However, for a NT with a lot of under-par players (let's not deceive ourselves, beyond Pulisic and McKennie we have just the unproven and the frankly mediocre), you need the Talisman effect: a guy who can compensate for the little things missing in each of the other guys. I don't see Puli being capable of doing that.
So after almost carrying a team completely mismanaged through the Hex as a 19 yo, you are going to bet against him when next go round he'll have much better teammates? I'd easily take that bet. You realize he is about the age now that LD was a role player in the 2002 WC? I'd expect his game to evolve quite a bit in the next couple of years and unless we have another coach waste him out wide, he will be very dangerous or attract enough attention that the rest of the players will have plenty of space to do so. I dont necessarily agree that we only have two proven players, but even if I accept that assumption, the number of prospects now is multiples of what it has been in the past. Id be pretty surprised if a couple didnt come good. There is quite a bit of talent on this u20 side that is going to play in 15 mins, but it doesnt include Adams, Sargent, Weah, and Amon who are eligible players who have already "acceptably;y" played for the USMNT.
Yeah, me and the last three England National team managers have had the same blind spot in our evaluations. Some guy on this site says all player evaluations are subjective, so there's that to consider.
I don't think he should (yet), but I think saying he's a reserve team player isn't a proper characterization. I also think there's a difference between not yet earning a NT call up and not being good enough. They could be the same thing, but they aren't always.
If Beerholder REQUIRES a traditional style #10 to make his "system" work, then he is the wrong man for the job. There aren't that many world class classic 10's around anymore and not that many top teams even use them the way El Pibe, Juan Roman, even Pep played that role. Any coach we hire SHOULD be able to come up with a system that fits the player pool we have and make it successful. If Gregg can't do that, then he shouldn't be hired. Period.
Begrudgingly, I have to pass along some respect for Gregg's accomplishments at this point in the post season. He's played three game (essentially including the win or out last in season game) and won all three, including one against the hottest team in the league at their own park. Good work sir. Iffin you are the next USMNT, I will give you a little slack. But just a little.
He started a total of 2 games all season. By definition, he's not a starter. If you can't start in MLS, you have no business on the National Team. Even stronger, if you're not an MLS star, you have no business on the national team. These aren't controversial positions.
Beerholder finally ignored Curly Doyle at MLS dot com who thought Waylon Francis was the best left back in MLS and brought in a real left back in Valenzuela. Great player. Still young.
Not a bad record... Armchair Analyst: RBNY have met the Crew 13 times since 2015 – the "high press" era. Only once have they gotten the result they need (2-0 or better) to advance on Sunday. They should be having night sweats.Here's the @MLS playoff leg 1 anxiety ratings.https://t.co/HTnnS51a38 pic.twitter.com/wHH7Id0e2C— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) November 6, 2018
20 yo Donovan didnt see the field the way a 28 yo Donovan did either. CP is much further along at this age. His role this year at BVB is giving him more flexibility to drift inside as opposed to being pinned on the touchline in the past. I'd expect to see significant improvement in this area which I dont think is as deficient as many making it out to be.
Or you need to stop doing the "American thing": suggesting a kid needs to take players on less and trying to stifle their creativity. CP is 20 yo and still figuring things out. His game will evolve with time. His role at BVB has been to just take people on create trouble for defenses. As he moves centrally, his role will change and the kid will likely adapt. Oh... his 24A in 109 appearances for BVB and 7A in 21 appearances for the USMNT suggest he is doing something right in terms of creating chances for teammates.
Here we are, Nov 7 and still no announcement. Meanwhile Sarachan is coaching yet another two games. Why??? I think that Ernie doesnt want to announce the new coach while that coach is still busy. That leaves two people in my mind. It almost has to be either Berhalter or Tab Ramos. Interesting choices. Tab is looking very, very good with the U20s and Berhalter is doing good with Columbus. If I had to vote, I would pick Tab at this point. He has put in his time and done a good job at it. Was a far better player than Berhalter ever was and I think he could coach a team that was actually capable or scoring
Sure, but expecting Pulisic to develop Donovan's mind for the game is bit much imo. I don't see Pulisic being able to to organize an entire attack itself, Donovan was pretty much always doing that as soon as he turned pro. The game is kind of going in the opposite direction from these players so it's not exactly a fault.