I don't want him going back to BVB.... but I wouldn't mind him heading to RBL. I think they play one of my favorite brands of football and I think he could use an education in pressing when off the ball... which he would certainly get there. He also might be able to play under Marsch if he gets the nod as the next HC when Nags leaves.
If Tuchel qualifies for the CL, I don't think he'll care what American Chelsea fans think or the backfire that comes from it. In a few years, knowing Chelsea's record with managers, he'll be at another club.
I could see Pulisic not being called up for the Nations League tournament but he will certainly be called up for CONCACF Qualifying final round starting in September. I would be surprised if he moves from Chelsea in the summer.
I have no idea if your kids speak for all fans in the US or not, but if your kids are bailing on Chelsea because Timo is playing, were they really fans at all? Chelsea's current style of play isn't necessarily my cup of tea but you can't really argue with the results since TT came in. Looking pretty good for a CL spot ATM. I am certainly not bailing on the team for only being in 4th.
They are bailing because CP isn’t getting the same chance to prove himself that Timo is. And I cant control whether you believe me when I say that one of them was a lifelong Chelsea fan. And as for your characterization of his fandom, I will take that for what it is worth.
I wouldn’t own a Barca jersey regardless of the player’s name on the back. Or any club other than Chelsea or the Crew. Bailing on a team you have supported for a lifetime because of a coaching decision made by someone that has been with the club a few months? I simply have no way of understanding how that’s possible. Not saying it isn’t true, just seems foreign to me. Back to your objective opinions. [emoji23][emoji6]
Sound like Werner wants to beat CP out the door since he can't score much in th PL. I don't see Chelsea selling both and it might be the reason recent article came out that CP is still in Chelsea future plan...Maybe Warner told Chelsea he'll be checking his option.
Today should be a good game for CP, if he does get the start. Madrid will go for the win, should be spaces for CP to attack.
That would be a sink or swim move. He would really need to improve a hole in his game (defensive pressure) to succeed. It’s tempting to say that this is an easy fix of simply exerting more effort, but he might not have the motor. I think that he expends a lot of energy with his brand of offense. I wonder if part of his issues with pressing are due to using up what is in his tank on offense. In other words, his pressing issues might be a symptom, rather than the underlying problem.
Slate with a lengthy recap ... https://slate.com/culture/2021/03/christian-pulisic-chelsea-bench-usmnt-premier-league.html "The single biggest limitation to Pulisic’s career is not talent but an unfortunate proclivity for injuries. He is good enough to start for nearly any team in the world, but the worry is that he may not be able to reach that level enough of the time. His career arc is beginning to look Sisyphean, building momentum as he gains his rhythm, thrilling upon reaching top form, then tumbling back down with some knock or nag to do it all over again. If U.S. fans are going to be gloomy about anything, it should be the root cause rather than the symptoms of his club struggles. Hitting a rough patch at a club that’s all but guaranteed to produce them is inevitable—but so rarely getting to see Pulisic at his best for an extended period of time is frustrating, especially given how often his various recoveries keep him away from the national team."
Leave it to Slate to describe his career as Sisyphean although have to admit at this point it seems apt.
I took that article as an admonition to fans to stop making Pulisic THE emblem of USMNT prospects, which seems reasonable to me. I don’t think it is too early to suggest that Pulisic’s particular skill set doesn’t fit well the formations and strategies that Tuchel seems to want to use, or that Tuchel seems inclined to give others more chances to prove themselves. That doesn’t necessarily portend CP’s ultimate failure there, but I can see why worry might be a rational response.
Slate? FFS .... we really have gone down the crapper haven't we. I take the Athletic story with much more credibility than Slate. It is like asking CNN to write a story that would appropriately be in Scientific American.
"And yet, despite all this good news, for much of the new year, a single cloud has blotted out the shine of this promising new era. Though somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout, there is little joy in the fan base—Christian Pulisic is on the outs."
Slate is not sports focused, so in a way it is a good sign that a general interest outlet is writing about this. It is a reflection of spreading awareness of Pulisic and the USMNT. If OTOH you want to get into a discussion of politics in contravention of Board rules, just do it directly. I like Slate. I trust Slate. I thought the piece was reasonable. Did you read it? Which sentence(s) did you disagree with?
I think the Sisyphean analogy nails it. Not in the sense that his career has been "all the work for nothing", but the fact that the boulder keeps getting near the top of the mountain only to go rolling down again because of injury, and he starts pushing the boulder up again, then another injury ad nauseam. This seems to sum up his career to date, unfortunately.
Might Casey had but one poem to crown is supposed great deeds. But is comparison you should hear this posters heeds. You will know CP has many more times for all to hear of his prowess, I will exclaim! Rumors of his demise are greatly exaggerated in the word of old Mark Twain.