Rood-Witten (& Blau) Malik Tillman at PSV America (olf Bayern Munich)

https://www.espn.nl/voetbal/artikel...ten-tillman-en-dest-psv-veel-beter-voetballen


Tillman showed his qualities at the highest level and was called 'extraordinarily good' by Bosz this season after the away game against the later Champions League finalist Paris Saint-Germain. Last season, Bosz even characterized his American midfielder as 'scary good' after the draw against Arsenal.

Although Tillman still fails to showcase his enormous potential every game, he is undeniably one of the best PSV players this season. Even in the mediocre first half against Feyenoord, Tillman was one of the few who escaped the malaise.

The former Bayern Munich player was also strong on the ball under pressure. Tillman combines his strong physique with fast cap movements and a good acceleration with the ball, so that he can make many meters and PSV often comes through him towards the enemy penalty area. Of all PSV players, only Johan Bakayoko (42) scores more successful dribbles this Eredivisie season than Tillman (35), who with thirteen goals and four assists in all leagues also has a considerable value for PSV in terms of return.

However, Tillman is at least as important as his creativity on the ball with his defensive insight into the game. In Bosz's pressing football, the American is almost indispensable. Tillman understands the art of being half/half, with which he can often close two passing lines on his own by anticipating well and PSV can keep both center defenders behind for back cover.

His good anticipation in putting pressure can also be seen in the statistics. On average per ninety minutes this Eredivisie season, only Almere City striker Charles-Andreas Brym conquers more balls in the highest zone on the field than Tillman.

His defensive qualities even temporarily made Tillman the most controlling midfielder of PSV during the absence of Jerdy Schouten, although everyone recognizes that he has the greatest value in a more offensive role. Especially since Tillman can then have a great contribution both defensively and offensively.

 

The world in which a 24 year old Ledezma, who is unable to break into the PSV midfield, is considered underrated, and a 22 Tillman, who has universally been credited with significant impact to PSV - an analysis that is supported by stats - is overrated is an interesting place.

 

I know you're being sarcastic, but people actually should do that. Putting up numbers in the Champions League - wow! Producing against Girona (who were flirting with relegation two weeks ago) and Shakhtar Donetsk - less wow. A lot of the teams in the league stage of the Champions League kind of stink.

That does raise a potential criticism about Tillman, which is that he hasn't really put up numbers against anyone good this season. Against teams currently in the top half of the Eredivisie, he has 2 goals and 1 assist in 12 games. Against the bottom half, 9 goals and 1 assist in 13 games.

And against teams that advanced to the Champions League knockouts, 0 goal contributions in 4 games.

 

You know, there are people throwing in this same reasoning to show Cruijff isnot that great
Not that I think MT is in his category, but it shows it's a take not that great.

 

Issue with that argument is that Cruyff did perform on the biggest stages of the game. Tillman hasn't looked up to par at the international level or at the higher ends of European football, and that's the basis of the criticism against him.

 

This is, of course, a valid criticism, but is also a somewhat distorted picture. Tillman did not start the 2nd loss to Ajax, and, despite coming off injury, was plugged in at HT with PSV already down 1-0. PSV went on to run the table for the next 6 games, with MT scoring 4 gs, 1 a in 6 games, helping propel PSV back to 1st (with the most help coming from Ajax, of course.)

PSV have astoundingly lost only 2 games and tied 1 when MT started for them. He notched point(s) in 10 of 21 starts. Even when he doesn't appear on the stat sheet, he has to have one of the better win/starts for PSV this season. And that includes double starts v most of the top 7 teams.

So again, he's not Messi, but his impact is pretty consistent via stats and is echoed by most footie pros who have worked with him.

 

Tillman showed his qualities at the highest level and was called 'exceptionally good' by Bosz this season after the away match against eventual Champions League finalist Paris Saint-Germain. Last season, Bosz even described his American midfielder as 'scary good' after the draw against Arsenal.

https://www.espn.nl/voetbal/artikel...ten-tillman-en-dest-psv-veel-beter-voetballen

 

Two things:

#1: Ever since his debut for the US where he stunk it up/was invisible there's been a pile of pitchfork carriers.

#2 Any honest appraisal by his fans, which has included me ever since I became aware that "Tim's brother is definitely better than Tim and won't be available to the US program", would have to concede that for whatever reason, he's been completely ineffectual for the US, at best.

I don't know why, but basically he's been great with Rangers, and even better with PSV, but with the US he's been a non-entity and until that changes, he won't be rated by some because he hasn't been able to transfer the performance, and that's really all most of us care about (that whatever he can do with his club team, he can do for us).

From my perspective, all this information and data tells me we simply have to figure out how to use him so he can transfer at least some of his lethality to a player to the national team, because right now, almost noone is playing motivated, quality soccer, and getting some attacking catalysts into the program and playing well can only help the cause. We can't spit in the eye of one of the few high performing attackers in the pool right now. He also has to figure it out on his end as well, both, obviously.

 

You could start by analysing why it hasnot worked with him on the pitch in one environment and does in the other.

 

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That's what I think they need to do, because clearly his talented has been wasted in our program for (checking calendar), three freaking years and two major tournaments at this point.

 

I say if you had another guy performing like MT in club, but also in the USMNT on that spot, the problem becomes MT's problem.
In the case such a guy is non existent, it is the USMNT problem to solve.

 

Certainly is if they expect to do anything with the player, any coach worth a ---- would probably be focused on how to maximize his potential, rather than how to condemn him for not producing within the constraints he throws upon him, but there you have it, we aren't going to be bending set ups around Tillman, as such, Tillman and the coaches will need to be able to figure this out. I don't disagree w/your presence, but the reality is, sometimes elite players just arent effective in the international game, could be the player, could be the coaches, could be the system, could be the nature of differences between club and international play, who knows, but considering how productive he's been, and our issues, we have no excuse for simply writing him off as a piece of the pool or a problem that needs solving. He needs to be utilized better, period, and he'll have more fun, and be more involved if he can figure it out on his own end too (at least in terms of involvement vs anonymity on the field).

 

Marcus Thuram is great for Inter but not so much for France

 

This reminds me of Luc Nilis, who was fantastic at PSV but never quite reached the same level in his national team Belgium.

 

Maybe, but France has in each spot about 4 to fill in the duties.

 

I hope his fans weren't known as Nilists.

 

I could look this up, but someone here will know. How many USMNT matches has Tillman played, and how many of those were under Berhalter?

 

17 matches, 614 total minutes. He has had 5 matches with 2 starts (62 and 63 minutes) under Poch.

 

its weird to me that the simple fact that tillman is a much different player for club than he has been for country is somehow ruffling feathers. its not even controversial

i mean - objectively - he has 17 caps (although only 600 or so mins) and zero assists or goals for his country....any way you slice it.....he is much worse for country than club.....he is pouring in goal contributions for his club and cant hit the broad side of a barn for his country

and im weird for noting that??


its worth discussing the discrepancy bc like I said i think doing well for psv generally equates with being able to boss concacaf

 

no one is talking about his absolute value...this aint the SAT

how hard is it to realize that the same player can be totally different in different teams/setups and that a good club player can be poor internatioanlly and vice versa??

no one is saying tillman isnt "good" but he looks completely clueless in a us jersey thats for sure

 

Maybe try to play in a PSV outfit

 

Tillman did draw a penalty which was converted.

If you watch him play for PSV you will se that he plays the same way for the US. He is not a very aggressive player, he takes the game as it comes. That works at PSV where he can play within their framework and will likely have good results.

He may need to be more assertive and force the issue with the USMNT.

 

ok well that makes sense....being passive in the international game aint gonna cut it