Pulisic is our best soccer player. Quite possibly he is going to be the best we have ever had. He can play any attacking spot and he will be our best wing forward on either side, or our best 10. You want to prove your point, but building an artificial construct of "top three in CONCACAF this cycle", and then highlighting his performances in those games will only convince those who already share your agenda. The last comparison of him to the AJ saga is ridiculous. First AJ was derailed by injury, and second how many CL assists and goals does AJ have? I agree with "he is only a kid and let him breathe" comment, I wish you did too. If you really believed it, then you would avoid singling out his few "not potential GOAT" (subpar for him) performances as proof of your position.
I've posted my preferred lineups probably too many times. Go peep 'em and tell me why you agree or disagree. Who plays on the wings is a different subject than can Pulisic excel as a 10/SS/ACM. On what play? Where? When? What's childish? I simply find it odd you're the most outspoken poster on BS about Pulisic can't play the 10/SS/ACM, yet to support that you point out how poor he's been on the wings while ignoring most of his success for us has come....centrally.
My interest is the team's performance with him in certain positions in specific formations. Team shape. Team defense.
Right now I'd say: -------------Howard Yedlin--Cameron--Brooks--Johnson Pulisic--Bradley--Acosta--Nagbe ---------Wood------Altidore Dempsey in at 60 minutes.
-------------------Jozy -------------Wood---Pulisic ---------Nagbe---------Bradley ----------------Cameron Lichaj----Brooks----Besler----Yedlin ----------------Howard Dempsey to sub. Both outside backs have shown to get up and down the field well. Both centerbacks have World Cup experience next to each other. I still prefer a more robust #6 to be deployed there if Arena sticks to his use of a #6 like in years past and that is Cameron over Bradley, and Bradley who is better higher up field over his career. Nagbe can be the hook between the mid and forwards up top. Pulisic can thus show up at attacking center mid, out right or in deep lying mid to pick up the ball from Cameron and the back line. Wood n Jozy stay up top in a dual striker role.
I worry about the pounding he's going to take in the next couple of years. I mean, it is what it is, but Ferrari's are delicate machines.
I'm pretty down with this, with two comments. Is there an upgrade over JV? Specifically, I'm excited to see how good a healthy Saief can be. Also, will Acosta make the CM position his? Will Danny Williams make a push? Will the position be filled by committee (include Dax w KA and DW)? So, for me, it's ------Jozy------ FJ/Saief, Pulisic, Nagbe ------DWill, Bradley------ Saief/FJ, Brooks, Cam, Yedlin ------Timmay------
... and the 3-5-2 version: ------Jozy, Wood------ FJ/Saief, Pulisic, Nagbe ------GCam, Bradley------ Saief/FJ, Brooks, Yedlin ------Timmay------
At this point, I would go with something like this for a 4 man backline: ------------Altidore----Wood------------ Pulisic---Bradley---Acosta---Nagbe ---???--Brooks--Cameron--Yedlin--- ------------------Howard------------------ If Villafana survives the Final on Wednesday, then that spot is his and I'll save prominent sub spots for Fabian Johnson, Dempsey, Feilhaber, Arriola, and Morris. Johnson and Ream jump into the starting lineup of a 3-man backline, probably for Nagbe and Brooks.
Dempsey still tracks back and covers more area than any other forward not named Wood. I'd still start him today against a top NT. But a year is a long time in soccer.
Really? I have been watching a lot if TFC and Jozy has put in a ton of defensive work in the last year.
Surely you're not suggesting a back three with only one centerback? That's just non-sensical. If you go back three our best bet is Besler-Brooks-Cam with Fab and Yedlin as the wingbacks. So... -----------Jozy-Wood -------------Pulisic Fab--Bradley-Acosta--Yedlin ----Besler-Brooks-Cam ------------Howard
----Wood---Jozy--- FJ--MB--Nagbe--CP Villa-Brooks-Cam-Yedlin Howard Also could go with: ---Wood---Jozy--- Nagbe--MB--CP-Bedoya/Arriola FJ--Brooks-Cam-Yedlin Howard
I'd like a better option at LB, but JV is it for now. I'm also aware we will never field this 11 due to Bruce's preferences. ----Wood--Dwyer---- CP----Benny---Fab ------Cameron------- JV-JAB-Besler-Yedlin ---------Timmy-------- Sub Demps in around the 65th for Benny. Bradley for Cameron in the 80th. Altidore for Wood in the 85th.