Abu is not a CAM. Central midfield yes but he's of the defensive variety. He has FOUR goals his entire professional career.
And as for Flores, I think it dubious that he wears the #10. He hasn't had an extended opportunity to prove himself there, so I guess it's possible, but I haven't seen evidence that he's got playmaker hardwiring.
Does wearing the "10" even say you're a play-maker any more? Or is it just "best" or "highest paid" that it conveys? Not that he's demonstrated anything other than maybe some fancy dribbling early on that gave me some hope.
I think it's too early to write off a player with Flores's pedigree. He may not be a "playmaker" 10 that you expect, but he does have a good track record in the past of both scoring and assisting on goals.
And, if you told me last year Asad would be our offensive engine, I'd have laughed at you. I'm by no means writing off Flores. To me, he just seems more suited to the role of inverted winger or false 9, and not particularly the playmaker.
To me, it means you're either literally the team's starting 10, or you're the team's premier high playmaker, usually with some freedom to roam and dictate play from whatever position in whatever formation you're slotted into. But I'm old, so maybe the kids are calling it something different today.
Heh on Asad. Fair point on Flores. I hope that's the first question any prospective coach is asked - "How would you employ Edison Flores to get the most out of his abilities?".