I think Puli is a better winger. Not suggesting he cant play as a #10. Imo, this 433 does not play to his strengths when hes in the role. Like you said.... the problem is the players in front him. The issue I have is that hes better than all of the wing options and thats the place where we lack depth. CM along with cb is our deepest position. I dont get forcing him in a position that may sit a quality player. At the same time this weakens us at wing. His ability to play the #10 is not really what is questioned. Its whether or not we are maximizing our potential by playing Puli as a 10.
I think Puli is getting rusty like the Tin Man in the rain. Things are going to improve once he's starting for Chelsea. And Wes is getting scattered. Tedesco didn't do him any favors by moving him all over the place.
This was a poor game to judge CP as a CAM. Ecuador parked the bus and CP was learning the system. A few notes : Wingers in this system stay very wide. Moving him to winger moves him further from goal. In GB’s system - that cam role becomes a 2nd forward in a 4222. So CP is well positioned for a counter. As a cam in that role, he has much less defensive responsibilities, so he is fresher for the attack. Remember Morris hustling and helping cover down the sideline? CP in that cam role isn’t asked to track back as much. All reasons why they first want to try him as a CAm. We’ll see though. I definitely would have liked to get him a few of those 1v1 opportunities that Morris got. Maybe as they get more familiar, they’ll interchange more and we’ll get best of both. Or maybe they’ll just move him permanently to the wing. We’ll see.
If Berhalter for whatever reason makes an adjustment that has the Arriola and Morris types functioning more as wingbacks, would a Pulisic type CAM tend to drift into wide positions more frequently? Also, I wasn't that attentive to how much Arriola was having to track back. In the current setup, how heavy are the left wing's defensive responsibilities compared to the right?
I think this is a good game to judge Puli and the team because most of our opposition will play bunkerball. The majority of the games will be similar to the Ecuador game. We will dominate possession and teams will try to get men behind the ball. The games in January were a lot tougher to judge because the quality was so inferior. Ecuador could cut off passing lanes ok, which was a huge improvement from the previous teams played under GB. Im not convinced that Puli will be nearer to goal more in the cam. Arriola had a great 1 on 1 that he squandered for example. At some point Puli will be asked to defend the central positions from a deeper starting point.
The winger can get in 1v1- as Arriola did over the top. But most of the time that is where the width is supposed to come from. They are supposed to stay very wide and "get chalk on their boots". Then send in a cross. Pulisic would be very effective on taking on the 1v1 but would be asked to stay wider and send in crosses rather than create, shoot, combine, and score. Its a trade off. As for tracking back- yes the CAM will have to track back some, but not near as much as the winger - Those are the positions most likely to get subbed around the 60 min mark - as they are covering the most ground. I think asking CP to do that all game would be problematic and lead him to having less in the attack at the end of games. Still a viable option but there are trade offs.
Let Pulisic decide during the game where he should be best deployed. The kid knows where he can have the most impact and can smell that out during the first 10-15 minutes. I'd make him one of the attacking 3 in a 4-3-3 and tell him to go to where he can get on the ball in the attacking third as much as possible. He doesn't need to track back, he doesn't need to drop deep to receive the ball. If he can cut inside, feel free. If he needs to stay wide, feel free. The kid is out best talent on the ball right now. Break off the shackles GB! Let the kid loose.
well, as for the wingers getting shots, Berhalter says the idea is to play up one side and finish on the other. Indeed that is what happened on the 'offside' goal Arriola scored. My guess is that we might see Pulisic tried in one of the winger roles v. Chile.
@bshredder with 5 thoughts including this one: http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/5-thoughts-on-the-usmnt-s-1-0-win-over-ecuador-in-orlando Against better opponents, the United States delivery on set pieces will need to be more dangerous. Pulisic’s corners offered little and Ecuador was able to easily handle every set piece delivery into the box. I believe Pulisic hit McKennie square in the bean on a corner kick which McKennie put just wide of the post for a near score. Go to 42 sec mark of hi lites here (or 5'35" of game clock)
I was at one of our guys send off games for Japorea2002 and it was versus Ecuador in Birmingham Alabama, we played well but then Mathis got a straight red and it took an Eddie Lewis spanker of a hit to beat them as they bunkered and looked to counter that day as well. Glad to see history repeat it self as Ecuador did their bunker thing again and it took a deflected goal from Zardes to find a winner. Trapp is solid there at the #6 but really needs to up his speed of play and soccer IQ if he wants to start at the Gold Cup. CP needs to be down the spine of our team and not out wide. I will be at the Chile game to root on our boys! VAMO' U.S.A.!!!
I see most of the writers in the media claim that Ecuador came in with a plan to bunker. I don't think so. On rewatch it seemed to me that Berhalter and the boys forced Ecuador's hand.
I think the success of the USMNT in this cycle will be maximizing our high ceiling guys of CP, TA, JB and WM. The rest of the pool is where we are hoping for respectable and reliable performances or a few youngsters to show that they have a high ceiling as well. From what I’ve read, it looks like CP and JB did well and CP and WM were below their ceiling. Let’s hope that GB can figure out a way to have them all clicking at the same time or we’re going to have problems vs. good teams.
I said the exact same. They actually tried to possess and attack at first but USMNT was were cutting them up - so they bunkered before they were demolished
I think CP & WM were SP, but TA was OK once he went CM and not RB. On the other hand, JB and AL looked good paired, and overall WT, AL, SL & SJ look H5, while TR, GZ & JM need to be DS.
Not rocket science. If a team is playing a 4-3-3 and their center -3- consists of 2 players who play DM in MLS and one player who plays DM in Ecuador then their intent is very obvious. Lets not forget that Gomez's prior match against the US was the 4-0 shellacking at the hands of Bruce Arena!
I do not like the 4-3-3 and I really do not like it with our pool. I would play a 4-2-3-1. Puli in the middle of the three and those guys can interchange some. I start a backline of DY, AL. JAB and a LB not named Tim Ream as soon as I can find one. In front of them I put Weston and Tyler. I would not be leaving Weah out. I guess Zardes has to play some, he sucks, but he tries hard and often makes something good happen, until another forward emerges I guess he and bobby can split minutes with the hot hand getting the start. I don't like Arriola or Jmo smooth. Weah can play some on the wing, but he is more of a forward in my book than a winger. Our pool always has some glaring holes, and I can see why some might try TA or Lletget in the middle and Puli out wide, but we run the risk of getting him marked out of the game with that position.
Was re-watching the game, because why have a life, and I noticed something we have all been clamoring for but went unremarked in the media. A retaliatory action by a Pulisic teammate. Yes, it happened. 54' Pulisic is hacked down by #18 on Ecuador. He is in some pain. The USA takes the free kick, the ball is cleared, #18 gets the ball and is brought down by Arriola from behind. Was one of the few Yellows given. I think Arriola even lets the guy know. Very impressive.
Also, you can listen to the coach after the game saying that the bunker wasn't his intent, and this was the best US team he played and they were pressured into it. But why listen to the coach when journalists and BS posters have it all figured out.