Seems like his biggest challenge at this point (except maybe consistency), WM seems to noticeably tire later in the game. This also chalked up to youth (physical maturity and learning to pace himself) for me.
McKennie's distribution is very good, dare say superior to JJ's. He has the potential to surpass the ol' warrior. Wes & Haji Wirght were both technically gifted young prospects. One worked hard at improving steadily in his game, while the other apparently didn't. There's a parable in there.
While looking for an update on McKennie's cramp, I came across Kicker: " "Das ist einfach ein Mentalitätsmonster, dieser Junge", lobte Heidel nach der Begegnung am "Sky"-Mikrofon. "Er konnte ja glaube ich schon aber der Halbzeit kaum noch laufen und wollte nicht raus. Er verkörpert so ein bisschen das Malochertum, das auf Schalke einfach wichtig ist. Riesenkompliment, was der Junge in seinem Alter da auf den Platz bringt." McKennie holte alles aus seinem Körper raus, musste dann in der 79. Minute völlig kaputt ausgewechselt werden, Yevhen Konoplyanka kam ins Spiel. "That's just a mentality monsters, this boy," Heidel praised after the encounter at the "Sky" microphone. "He could, I think so but half-time hardly walk and did not get out. He thus embodies a bit of the Malochertum that is important to Schalke easy. Huge compliment what the boy since bringing his age on the pitch." McKennie everything took out from his body, then had to be replaced completely broken in the 79th minute, Yevhen Konoplyanka came into play." And if you look at the Schalke forum, you'll find the game thread where they talk about... McKennie's height, and someone used the team picture to gauge his height. Heaven forbid...
McKennie's shown lately that he's an asset for Schalke when they have to win ugly. Fights hard, wins a lot of tackles, wins everything in the air. All that works well pushed forward in Tedesco's weird system (some kind of modified 3/4 geigenpress? I dunno). And now he's scored two game-winners in 5 days of course. His distribution isn't emphasized in Schalke's system and we didn't get to see it in the last USMNT friendlies because Sarachan's midfield setup didn't work until McKennie's injury forced the switch to a 4-2-3-1 against Mexico. But I think his passing vision, technique and quickness of thought will eventually shine for the USMNT, especially when we have more of the ball than our opponent, which we will often in the Gold Cup and WC qualifying. Made this video almost a year ago, of McKennie keying the attack for Schalke and the USMNT over three matches last fall: https://streamable.com/jx628
Sometimes it's boring how all people, regardless of culture or language, are so similar, even in being silly.
It is strange, it is almost like he inverts the typical midfield set-up. He likes his ten playing deeper and his 6/8's higher.
From last night -- Source tells me that Weston McKennie will miss the USMNT matches this month due to injury. Will stay in Germany to recover.DETAILS: https://t.co/m9lmvn670H— Roger Gonzalez (@RGonzalezCBS) October 7, 2018
What we are learning from Pulisic and now McKennie (not to mention other young Yanks, Hyndman Zelalem etc) having injury issues this early in their careers is troubling. Can these guys physically stand up to the rigours of international, elite level football FOR THE LONG HAUL? Smart move to keep him in Germany.
Zelalem is basically done and is the only one that can be said to have been ruined by injuries (or just one injury). Puli and Wes are par. Emo hasn't been out injured since May last year, and he's a 5'6" finesse type in the Scottish Premier...
Jermaine jones is a best XI American player ever. “Much greater upside”? We must have a Gerrard on our hands!!
the commentators seem to suggest that they did not expect his presence/scoring in the box. isn't that exactly the player he is? he developed as a scoring midfielder during his schalke youth career, no?
LoL Haji Wright is 20 years old and he's had 2 goals and 1 assist in 53 minutes for Schalke's reserve team this year....he might never pan out... ---but to write him off as a bust at this point is beyond melodramatic. Pulisic and McKennie are exceptionally young to be doing what they are doing.
Not troubling, pretty average as far as injuries go. Maybe Wes a little more than average but Pulisic has definitely stayed pretty healthy, he’s just had a few small knocks here and there. We will obviously hope that that continues.
What we have on our hands is JJ minus the exessive number of yellow and red cards, not to mention a DM who's a lot more disciplined in playing defense.
my bad. wasn't sure whether he was amf or dmf. my point was that i seem to remember quite a few posts in the academy thread pointing out that even from his position, he'd found someway to score or do something important in the attack, which is why tedesco, who probably sees the same thing in training, expects that he'd succeed there on the senior team too, after taking some time to acclimatise himself there.