Joao Cancelo said the toughest winger he ever faced in the Premier League was Christian Pulisic. #USMNT pic.twitter.com/rkaHpTb7Q7— USMNT Universe (@UsmntU) March 11, 2021
My brief take on Puli's game yesterday: He got muscled off the ball a few times. He did his usual "Best 8 in the World" thing 5 or 6 times, rapidly transitioning the ball from defensive end to attack. On the 2nd goal he did his thing where he holds the ball under pressure and gets it to an open player. I'd say this is an underrated contribution and I'm not being sarcastic with the Best 8 in the World comment. The thing is, it was the kind of match that Lampard would have criticized him for, because he didn't score or assist. Like Lamps would have benched him for it. And, I appreciate Lamps pushing him - CP wouldn't be the scoring/assist threat he is now, w/o Lamps. But, on the flipside, he had an outstanding game.
I do not believe Lamps had all that much to do with CPs development, CP is the player he is today because he is driven to greatness by the fire inside him.
Clearly, that's a part of it. But, Lamps told him and told the public that he can't play as an attacking player for Chelsea if he's not creating goals. That's when he started creating goals. He's a much more dangerous offensive player than the guy that arrived at Chelsea. To me it's kind of like Gullit & Donovan. Gullit was a washout manager for the Gals, but he really helped LD elevate his game.
Why does god keep injuring Pulisic, does god hate him (although at least not quite as much as those infants he gives terminal cancer)?? PLEASE pray for a healthy hammy, Christian!
Well, he credited God in his comments so we can add him to the long list of people who think that "God" has anything to do with their professional playing careers. Or anything else, for that matter. Whatever floats your boat.
Counterpoint, when you’re one of the best players on Earth and have the raw pace to run past most defenders it’s not crazy to thank God. Whether you want to thank God or the dna lottery, the kid has been blessed.
CFC under Lampard went from 3rd EPL (39 GA 72 pts) Europa champions (Sarri) to 4th place EPL by the skin of their teeth (54 GA 66 pts). CFC this year are back to 3rd, 32 GA, pace for 69 pts, Lamps jettisoned, under Tuchel Which coach is the outlier? That's what I think about Lampard. He gets some play this side of the pond because some snobs think we lack something and need to worship at the church of explain soccer to us. And that anyone with a coaching job there is awesome. He is overrated. I mean, if you had the sheer pile of talent he did, isn't even 3rd a little tepid? And he managed 4th. If a "winner" over there has an opinion, I might be interested.
Personally I thought both Steffen and Pulisic regressed in terms of dominance in international games past couple years. Have a shot in a Mexico game and fluff it. Make a bad pass and give up a goal. Not sure what people are talking about, "European coaching rubbed off on them." They looked rusty. They don't look dominant for us. Part of snob gospel is it's the coaching at elite clubs and not the checkbooks that changes things. I think some of the coaches people praise are rolling out the ball for superior payroll. I think there are a few like SAF was who could have a bad team and whip them into enough shape to win. I think people conflate table position or status with coaching. Players who actually grow a lot -- like Dempsey -- to me are rare.
heck, you did. you acted like he motivated him. do i need to read your post back to you? IMO a coach who benches a player who doesn't need to be benched didn't do them a favor, even if they come back angry and motivated. because the initial decision was incorrect and not based on motivation. you then don't get to pretend, well, i wanted to light a fire. you simply didn't rate the player. you were wrong. the player showed you up. you don't get credit for that.
i only credit coaches who get better results and production with being master motivators. the button pushing results in actual uptick performance. if you start the wrong people, do worse, and jerk people around, you're an idiot. and if the player you benched comes on and excels in spite of you, but you generally make the team worse, you're gregg berhalter. you didn't magically stoke something in CP. he went out and did CP when used. you got showed up. ever consider there's a reason he's canned?
No - you need to re-read my post for yourself, and take off your trigger-goggles. The world is not B&W. Saying that Lampard pushed Pulisic to be more aggressive in the final third is a hellllllll of a long way from "some snobs think we lack something and need to worship at the church of explain soccer to us. And that anyone with a coaching job there is awesome." I said he was a washout. I compared him to another high profile washout: Gullit. Your post reads as if you monitor BS for any kind of praise for any European manager. Lamps was a washout. And, he forced Pulisic to be more aggressive in the final 3rd. He would have benched Puli for his fantastic performance on Saturday. That would be stupid. But, it's worked out for Pulisic.
i am a playing time person. people don't seem to notice CP's best NT years -- which i think were last cycle -- correlate to his largest appearance totals his first two full years at dortmund, before he was platooned with sancho and then moved over to CFC only to replicate that type situation. per snob theory his affection for elite teams and roster competition situations should be prompting him ever upward. it hasn't redounded to NT benefit in more production and less injuries. he was healthiest and most reliable to finish his NT chances when he was a 30-ish league game starter.
re gullit, he took LAG and turned them into a joke, which arena then had to fix. did you ever bother looking at the season records? donovan had a lousy year the one full season with gullit -- when he was turned into an AM. when he went back to striker he took off again.
I don't know terrain of the bizarre "snob theory" universe you live in. But, it looks like you're confirming my "trigger-goggles" comment. You don't think that Pulisic is a better player now than when he left Dortmund? And, a question, since your "snob world" comment is so bizarre, are you saying that Chelsea has more snob appeal than Dortmund? That Lampard of all people has more snob appeal than Klopp/Tuchel? You really do live in a weird world.
well, my impression of pulisic is over time he's gotten more selfish. this may be the "positive" thing you think lampard did. to me i think he slows down the play and "iso"s like james harden. the other defense gets back more. he combines less well with his teammates. and if he's not playing club he's then rusty on his NT finishing. personally if that's how he wants to play i've suggested making him the 9 because he is pretty darned good and that way the offense funnels late down to him but the build moves faster and doesn't bog down when he wants to take people on in the corner. people worshipping at the church of pulisic seem to forget how 2017 ended. personally i think dempsey's career exploded when he quit slowing the game down to dance and there was no hesitation or rest in the play. just got the ball and went at you. landon had that too. pulisic could learn that. no pause out wide to emphasize "pulisic is taking you on." just get the ball, finger snap, pow, right past them.
Exactly. It is beyone me how in your bizarre world, comparing Lampard to Gullit equals praise. It's my recollection that Gullit worked on Donovan to expand his game. I don't think Donovan gets those Everton loans if Gullit hadn't pushed him to expand his game. But, let's come back to Pulisic - in your bizarre snobworld, are you saying Lampard is more snob-worthy than Klopp&Tuchel? That's f*cking crazy. Chelsea more than Dortmund? Not to me. Are you saying that Pulisic isn't a much better player than when he left Dortmund?