Pulido

It's too soon to talk about what he's done on the field for SKC, though that will change pretty soon. But watching his most recent interview on the SKC home page, I came away with a really strong impression that this guy is both a star, and used to being a star, and that he really understands what it means to be a professional.
The way he carries himself in the interview is really impressive. He looks into the camera as he speaks. He takes his time. He's got a great mixture of confidence and gratitude. I mean, he's not Zlatan, but no one is, and probably no one else should be. He sticks to a few very non-controversial topics, and returns to the same phrases again and again. There's no chalkboard messages for other sides, there's no reason for SKC fans to find fault.
He comes across as supremely confident. He seems not so much excited by the coming season, but ready to do a job. So, all hail Pulido, bringer and life and joy.
One point for discussion: Is his hair cut uber hip, or is it a George McFly homage?
In any case, I would suggest this could be a thread for oberservations on his demeanor as well as his play. I mean, he is our biggest star coming in, he probably deserves his own thread.

 

My hope in the goal banging area of hope is that we really sucked at it last year, and while 2018 was fun, we had sucked at in previous years for quite a while. Statisically, we were the worst in MLS at putting away our Xg opportunites. If we consider that XGs are goals are missed opportunities that should have been goals, we were down 23 in 2019. That means we were getting the ball into really good spots, and fluffing our lines. It was the wosrt in MLS, and only Cinci, at -21, came close to matching our baditude. Other profligate clulbs were half as bad, or better. We were fluffing so many lines 2019 could have been a big budget porn movie.
Pulido, all hail, would not have been in the position to fluff or convert all 23 missed opps. But the way he plays says he would have been in position quite often. Nemeth's not horrible but seemed horrible return of 8 league goals in 2019 could very easily be doubled without any upgrade in finding space in the box (and he is very good at this). SKC feeds the beasts, only for the beasts to throw the food on the floor and demand airplane sounds next time.
Pulido isn't as exciting as Nemeth at his best, but he is consistently very good and always professional. I think with the number of chances we create, we actually make strikers look better than they are. Dwyer is an example. Nemeth is another one.
I believe Pulido's realistic floor in 2020 will be 15 goals. I'm hoping for 25.

 

If he scores at the pace he has over his career in the LigaMx opening and closing seasons, Greek Superliga and Champions league, he scores 14. If he scores at the rate he did in his last LigaMX season, he goes for 20.
He's been scoring at a pretty thrilling pace for years, and he is absolutely hitting his best years. Add this to a club that traditionally creates (and wastes) a ton of chances, with good talent all around him, and the fact that MLS west seems to have decided "defense, we don't need no stinking defense" this off-season (I mean, really, shipping Zimmerman?) and it's pretty much bring extra underwear to CMP exciting.