As informational, the two assists often not counted were penalties drawn. Which is great, though both of those were not exactly forced. Great game for him today; I hope he keeps it up. He has the skills. He just needs the head. I think Pochettino clocked him right from day one. A lot of potential, but inconsistent fire. That's what his quote was, and the only way Tillman proves that out is to have a lot of good games in a row. Maybe that lit a fire. Maybe he's growing up. Maybe this is a small burst. We'll see.
What bothers me is struggling to figure out if this is more about figuring things out, w/in his mindset, and than being able to play with a proper intensity consistently, or if he's just a super skilled, talented guy whose also lazy, and laid back, and won't consistently play hard unless a guy can figure out his buttons a la Vince Lombardi and say Jimmy Johnson. Nobody would consider Joe Montana or even Tom Brady, hyper rah rah, loud, intense guys, but they did have a way about them that became a leadership style all its own that worked. Is Malik just shy, introverted, and an anti-ray lewis so to speak? Or is he yet another example of a guy blessed with tremendous skills and talent who lacks a motor? That's really the big question. I don't know the answer, dealing with the latter option requires someone who can push his buttons, and even that might not always work, but if he's like HOF's like Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Art Monk (my childhood hero who was surprised he was drafted, let alone in round 1), well then, extracting that impact will be easier. I'm hoping it's more about personality and mental make up, rather than work habits and dedication.
That is a great play. Perhaps his best of the game. His finish is better than it originally looked when you see if from behind goal as well. That said, there's no way he should get an assist on Bakayoko's goal, but he'll take it.
I think there's a whole lot of different personality traits that can manifest and time will tell who Malik ends up being. I wouldn't use laziness. It's possible, but there's a whole slew of other things. Some guys simply aren't as aggressive and don't assert themselves as much. Some guys float and watch over run. You can be a good player without it, though maybe not the player we want. The absolute greats do tend to hate to lose, and both work their ass off to avoid that and would kill on the field to get it done. Messi may not defend much, but you'd never call him lazy during a game or in practice time, I suspect. There's dicks like Jordan and Ronaldo and Draymond and nice guys like Steph and LeBron and Messi ... there's absolute flakes like Klay Thompson ... but they all hate to lose.
It definitely has seemed generational too. I just think sports in general were much, much, much more physical and had much higher demands in terms of intensity in decades past. I have already posted anecdotes about faculty student games, where we've destroyed the students simply through intensity with our broken down old teacher bodies lol because even the slacker gen x generation still grew up having to play with intensity or get no PT at all back in the day. I agree w/you, some of this seems like just mental make up. There have always been, as they said back in the day, more finesse players, and more physical types. Tillman definitely seems more of a finesse guy, reminding me of NBA big men who are "soft" types. It's always struck me as odd, but I get it, I'm an introvert, but having been raised to play with intensity, even in sports I sucked at, I played hard as hell (indeed, being so middling at basketball, I made up for it by being extremely intense, annoying "softball" guy on a basketball court lol, getting loose balls, rebounds, blocks, trying to make up for my erratic shot which is now totally broken lol). I'm hopeful that Tillman is just a mellow guy that can play with more intensity and want as he grows older and matures, and failing that, that Poch and future coaches just figure out his buttons in the same way guys like Lombardi, Walsh, Gibbs, Jimmy Johnson, Tomlin etc could and did.
I sucked, so I had to play dirty ... er ... physical. Malik is a finesse player who will use his size from time to time, and that's fine. I doubt that ever changes, really. And it doesn't need to. In another sport, it may be an issue, but in soccer? Nah. His size will still be an asset. His peak will likely be determined by how hard he wants to work away from the game, how consistent he can get on the field, and how much he can assert himself on offense. I have no opinion on the first one; I think it's incorrect to attribute work ethic from play style. But it is pretty clear he's struggled to consistently bring focus and it's pretty clear that he's not a dude that looks to strongly assert himself yet. I think there's a pretty good chance that the biggest gap between Gio and Malik is in that assertiveness. Probably more straight dribble skill from Gio ... but that probably comes from dribbling guys constantly.
I wouldn't attribute work ethic to play style but it is a part of my question on him: is he lazy, or is he just figuring it out? When and how to apply his commitment and intensity? Reyna can appear similarly odd, he can be intense on the defensive end or passive and diffident depending upon what game you're watching and when its from. I have no idea about any of this, I'm just hoping Poch can figure him out, and his play within the set up out because he's simply too talented to throw away because we haven't figured out how to make him impactful. We simply don't have enough players with his level of talent and his collection of skills/tools to justify being so cavalier about his call ups and long term relevance to the national team. I just concede that so far, we've failed to figure it out just as he has., with us.
It hopefully clicks on that aspect when he eventually moves to a more physically and mentally demanding league within a couple years. With his club those demands aren't there in the Ered.
"I hope he knows now, the higher up the pitch I play the happier I am" 😁Malik Tillman on tonight's electric performance ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/yyGmjUu15p— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 5, 2024
i have to ask as I’m not following rule changes anymore. Can you step onto the field when throwing the ball in now? Obviously, I mean only one foot.
The player is young. At this stage, the highs are more important than the lows, which can be mitigated over time. And it takes time to adjust to National Team play. The rest is just handwringing, projectionism, and wannabe scouts/analyst.
The manager. The reporter asked him if he thought he showed the manager that the position he played in the match today was better for him (versus the deeper position he has been pressed into recently because of an injury crisis). Malik agreed and said the thing about being happier higher up the field.
I find it to be counterproductive to pick and chose data points. That seems to be fraught with motivated reasoning and subject to serving some narrative. The totality of what happens must be accounted for.
I thought people are too harsh on Tillman who had a fantastic game in UCL match. I remembered when Weah used to like that great in one game, and meh in next game. Maybe just need time to mature Tillman and Johnny both very talented and not so good in USMNT’s duty, just need to give them more time. So is Musah.
I thought the entirety of the foot had to be outside the line just like the entirety of the ball has to be beyond the line to be out of bounds.
Apparently as long as even a tiny part of the foot is still on the line, you are good. I didn't know this, but the internet seems pretty sure.
It's the same concept, actually. It just works in reverse. The ball is not out until it is entirely over the line just like the throw is legal until the entire foot is over the line.
I think its all of that. I also think nobody seems to have figured out his position. He keeps being moved around for both PSV and the USMNT. Already this year for PSV he's played as a left winger, a #10, and even further back as a #6. The US has played him as a right winger, a #10, a #8, etc. For the USMNT, when both Pulisic and Reyna were fit.........................it was hard to figure out what role he'd have. Seemed to be "general attacking player" off the bench. I don't know if his PSV role will ever be his USMNT role if Pulisic is fit. Pulisic is the straw that stirs the drink. I wonder what Tillman's +/- has been in 2024. You see this with hockey players all the time. What were the goals for and against the USMNT in minutes that Tillman was on the field. I bet its negative. Seeing as he has 0 goals and 0 assists himself in a US jersey. I just think we really do need to define his role. A lot of it has to do with where Poch decides to play Pulisic. If he puts Pulisic as a central #10, then Tillman may just have to be backup #10.
We don't have the luxury of moving CP to CAM IMO... He and Weah are the only legit true wingers we have. The fact that Poch had to start Musah at W speaks volumes. If we are going to embrace the 4-2-3-1 then we should let Tillman, Gio (when healthy) and both Aaronson Bros battle it out for the 10 slot.
We'll see. My opinion? Put Pulisic in the position in which he's able to have the most impact. Build the team around that. He's the straw that stirs the drink. If that's as a #10, and that's also Tillman's best position...................then Tillman sits.