Christian Pulisic is just outstanding and definitely the most talented US born futbol player ever.
OT. Holy cripes.
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Without a doubt but besides him, this is the weakest US team I have seen in a long time and that includes the team that didn't make the World Cup. Case in point: Michael Bradley is still the #6 and Jozy Altidore is still the unquestioned best striker (though Zardes started the first 2 games and played well). 2 years from the worst failure in US Soccer history, nobody is even coming close to beating out Bradley and Altidore.
I mean this team has Pulisic and you figure we will see more out of Weston McKennie who plays for one of the biggest clubs in Germany but beyond that, it's made up of average MLS players for the most part or guys who play at small clubs in Europe. I mean Tim Ream is a starter.
I do like what I've seen from Tyler Boyd (yea there's a soccer one). Just made the switch from New Zealand to USA, knew nothing about him but looks very good so far.....but so did Aron Johannsson early on after switching from Iceland. The striker of the future is Josh Sargent. I cant believe they left him off this team. Berhalter said he was too advanced for the U20 World Cup (huh?) but not quite ready for the full USMNT. We arent exactly Brazil.
BTW, how odd would it be if the US's 2 starting forwards in a couple years are Tyler Boyd and Weah (Jester's cousin Tim). Boyd and Weah sounds a lot like Pitt.
Those of us that got on the train in 2016 are actually slightly disappointed he isn't yet a superstar in Europe...
IMO, this all comes down to player selection. We need to select and develop players for the national team who can grind in the context of a team, and instead we take the more talented kid who struggles to play well in pressure situations.
If they play the way they did last night they are much, much better than the team from the last round of World Cup qualifying. That game last night was the best game the US has played in a long time. The question is, was that a sign that the team is starting to figure out the way that the coach wants them to play, or was it a one off that won't be repeated again soon? We'll find out soon enough.
That was a bad T&T team even by their standards. Funny thing is that teams like Honduras, T&T, Costa Rica, and Panama have all gotten weaker. Besides T&T, the other 3 all had "golden generations" all come through at the same time and they all gave the USA fits. Those 3 teams are aging now without as much behind them. T&T has never been good but average by CONCACAF standards. They used to have 1 or 2 guys who played in the EPL and 3-4 good MLS players. Last night it was Kevin Molino and mostly USL players.
I expect the USA to cruise to the final but they wont beat Mexico. I took nothing away from 6-0 last night. They beat a bad team that packed it in once it was 2-0 or 3-0. T&T knew a draw did them no good and they tapped out early.
Maybe your thoughts are being warped by 13-0, because I don't think you understand how hard it is to beat a team 6-0. Mexico played Martinique last night. They won 3-2. Martinique isn't even as good as Trinidad.
You are putting way too much emphasis on 1 game. The very bad 2017 US team looked unbelievable in a 4-0 thrashing of a good Panama team 4 days before the travesty in Trinidad. That was not even a good team by Trinidad standards and they had packed it in once they got down a couple goals. Really lazing defending.
Bradley and Altidore have not gotten better with age. John Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin should be in their prime but are injures. Tyler Adams isn't here either but having to play him out of his position at outside back is alarming.
We still rely heavily on average MLS players like Gyasi Zardes, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola, Will Trapp, etc. You'd think at this stage in US Soccer's development, we could trot out a team of 11 players who are starters for semi-decent European clubs.
I am not a soccer aficionado like some of yinz. SMF, really I can't believe you are that much into this crap but anyways....how you can like this over hockey blows my mind.
Still I understand what you are saying. Like I said, this was the first time I saw the dominance of Pulisic being a truly world class talent. He dominated. But what I have been asking my soccer friends is for all of this money and developmental leagues, it doesn't seem like the US is getting any better talent. In contrast, 7 of the top 15 picks in the NHL draft this weekend were Americans.
I think the exposure of the Euro leagues here isn't really helping, that there needs to be a viable, top notch North American league to aid development and have kids aspire to be pro soccer players.
Still I understand what you are saying. Like I said, this was the first time I saw the dominance of Pulisic being a truly world class talent. He dominated. But what I have been asking my soccer friends is for all of this money and developmental leagues, it doesn't seem like the US is getting any better talent. In contrast, 7 of the top 15 picks in the NHL draft this weekend were Americans.
I think the exposure of the Euro leagues here isn't really helping, that there needs to be a viable, top notch North American league to aid development and have kids aspire to be pro soccer players.
Trust me, Pulisic wasn’t dominant in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund. He did start the majority of games there but all the talk about him was about the future because of his age. This last year, the league got in a few new players his age or younger who really did light up the league, and he was forgotten. It will be interesting to see how he does at Chelsea, which likely will be rebuilding.
You are correct in that in general, the talent level of the USMNT has not been increasing. Besides Pulisic, who I wouldn't say is world-class yet, the rest of the team is no better than any random team of the last 20 years. McKennie playing at Schalke has a chance but we'll see.
The dirty little secret in American soccer circles is that we are still continuing to do a horrible job of converting Joe Blow Average American Kid into a soccer player. What I mean by that is that we are not seeing the Landon Donovans and Clint Dempseys come up. These 2 came from non-soccer families, played all the sports as youngsters, liked soccer the best and went with it. The guys you see making the USMNT come from soccer-heavy backgrounds. Sons of immigrants, grandsons of immigrants where soccer is a way of life, dual nationals who grow up in soccer-crazed countries, sons of former pro soccer players, etc.
Basically, what I am saying is that super athlete, whose dad was the star PG or QB in HS, who plays soccer, baseball, and basketball growing up......very few of those kids are staying with soccer. The allure of football, baseball, and basketball is too strong. Heck my own kid, he says he wants to be a baseball player when he grows up yet he is way better at soccer than baseball.
He has to be a regular because they don’t have enough wing players. Hazard is gone and Hudson-odoi is out with an Achilles. So Chelsea currently has Willian, Pedro and Pulisic. That’s it. So Christian will get an immediate chance. My worry is that there won’t be enough patience toward him. He’s still only 21 and nowhere near his prime.
I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on not replacing Altidore yet. The US Women are the best team in the world with the deepest talent pool, and they’ve had a couple years to replac the dreadful Alex Morgan, and still can’t find a replacement. Here she is stinking up the World Cup again.
Major difference. Altidore is a below average striker and they dont have anyone better. My guess is Alex Morgan may be "dreadful" for USWNT standards but she'd have to he a Top 10-15 striker in the world by default. Jozy wouldn't be anywhere close to that.
You have a point. I won’t argue. But my point is that it’s easier said then done. On the women’s side, outr best athletes play soccer and we can’t find a replacement anywhere in this vast country? Frustrating.
Yep. The promise of 2 years ago has not materialized for Pulisic - instead, he's just very good.
Because of you "educated" people who are enlightened and progressive, soccer is the perfect medium for equality in sports. That's why it is so beloved by some. Everyone can kind of go around and run and get some exercise, you can mostly hide unskilled kids, everyone gets a trophy, etc... Unfortunately the flip side of this, those really talented and uber competitive kids get frustrated by the overall "niceness" and expression of "fair play" and they get bored and move on to other sports.
Whereas you know everywhere else in the world, pick up games in the streets of Sao Paulo might as well be hoops at Rucker Park in NYC, soccer is a way out. Here, it is a nice way to get some exercise for our kids without putting them at much risk both physically and emotionally.
I don’t follow US men’s soccer like SMF, because most of those guys play in 2nd tier leagues and the MLS- which I don’t follow at all (except Tyler Adams at Derby County). I watched the game the other night and found myself as bored as I am during a penguin game because the level of soccer is just not very good. But then the 2nd half got pretty entertaining.
Regarding the penguins, I’m not sure what happened to me. Growing up, I never missed a game. If it wasn’t on tv, I was just as happy listening on the radio. I never missed a minute. But now, I can barely watch. The game has changed and I’m not sure if it’s due to that, or if it’s due to my increased enjoyment of soccer. When they talk hockey on sports radio, I flip to XM FC (soccer talk) on Sirius Radio.
How old are you? Serious question, just trying to gather when you were an avid Pens fan. Because I am confused what happened to why you would not watch hockey, especially as the Pens were winning Cups??
Not at our grass roots level. That is where it all begins. Hell, watching the USNWT today, and for the first time I realized the lack of African Americans on the women's team too.
Believe me, I still love Stanley Cup playoff runs. It’s one of the greatest things to experience in sports. But to answer your question, I’m similar to you I believe. I was 13 when Lemieux was drafted. I was going to games before him when there were 6000 people in the building. I never missed a game between 1984-1996. Then I got married and priorities change. But now I rarely watch. I don’t know if it’s the sport. If it’s my age. Or if it’s other interests—like soccer. Everything in hockey, now that I watch a lot of soccer, is so tight and congested. So many goals are the result of deflections and goalie screens. And Systems outperform skill.
Yeah. It is way overcoached like most sports. That is what is killing baseball. But also sure, none of this is more important than when we were younger and had less responsibilities.
I don't think the NHL is quite as bad as it was in the late 90's, early 2000's, I do think there is some more flow again. I also think I mean, let's face it as Pens fans, we have seen 5 championships in 30 years. And most years have one if not 2 of the best players in the world. It does lead to complacency and a rather "ho hum" attitude. Then I try to remind myself is this is temporary, and it may never be this good again. I mean look at Flyers, Canucks, Sabres, Leafs and Blues fans up until this year.
I do like hockey, will watch the international games (not just Olympics) love the World Jr's and even college playoffs. I just like the sport. But yeah, I moved away from it too for a few years when it became just a clutch and grab fest.
What I would give for just one more Cup. It is funny why I want that one more. I mean right now, it is pretty easy to say the Pens (and I guess Edmonton but their's came all in one run) are the most successful NHL post expansion team (which I love to hold over Flyers fans heads) but getting that 6th Cup, you know what it does right? It ties them with the beloved and vaunted Steelers, and I know that would upset some in this city.
I never thought Pulisic would be world-class. That's asking too much. I hoped he'd be a regular starter for a team the level of Dortmund which he kinda was. Chelsea is too big for him.
I'll tell you this: you got it wrong when you say you can hide an unskilled kid on a soccer field. I think some parents think this and sign their kid up to go run around and get some exercise but I can tell you as someone who coaches all the youth sports, soccer is the one sport where you cant hide a kid like that. It's the same as playing a man down and it's a major disadvantage. Playing a man down in kid soccer is huge. Now, in baseball, I can stick that same kid in RF, the ball may not get hit to him all game, maybe he walks once and strikes out twice, no damage done. In basketball, none of the kids can make shots when their that young and it doesnt even look like basketball so a kid like that cant hurt you.
Youth soccer is extremely physical. Way too physical if you ask me. These kids cant control their bodies yet and are slamming into each other. The refs are little kids who never call anything and the kids are basically playing football out there. In fact, youth soccer is so physical, I believe that's a main reason why you dont see these kids develop the ball skills.
Soccer is an extremely physical sport. It's the 3rd most physical sport besides football and hockey
Take it from a Chelsea fan, Dortmund in one way is bigger than Chelsea. Afterall, Dortmund is a perennial Champions League team. Chelsea nowadays is an every other year participant. With the loss of Hazard and a transfer ban, it’s looking like Christian will get plenty of action in the EPL and the UCL, and then Chelsea will likely be back to the Europa League the following year...if they qualify for Europe at all.
I’m happy about the transfer ban...in a way it’s good for Pulisic. But also, after that game against T&T the other night, Chelsea fans on social media are saying he’s the next Hazard. That’s unfair. Hazard is a top 5 player in the world. So in another way, there’s going to be unjust pressure on him.
I thought his game reminds me of Hazard's but I doubt he ever gets close to that and that's ok. Maybe he will play initially but its Chelsea. They will eventually bring in world-class players to replace him. As far as Chelsea vs Dortmund, you know the Bundesliga doesnt have the depth AT THE TOP of the league that the EPL does.
When the kids are young, you can hide little Johnny at forward or on the wing. You just know that you’re at a disadvantage because you’ll never get production there or score a goal. But you can’t put him on the backline or in the middle of the pitch. It will kill your team. That said, it’s not about wins and losses at the young ages
. But you also don’t want your team losing 5-0. Which is what would happen if you put little Johnny at midfield or in the back.
What sport are tough kids playing? I’m in one of the largest schools in WPIAL. There’s no lack of athletic talent. There’s no difference between the hockey kids, baseball kids, soccer kids, basketball kids and baseball kids. You may see the taller kids gravitate to basketball, but they certainly aren’t tougher or more athletic. And as far as the fat kids and dorks, they play football or join the band.
Dude, we are the richest, most sports crazed country of 300 million people. Our international team is mediocre. We pretty much dominate in every sport we participate in. You tell me.
Simple. You have to train with and play against the best. You can’t do that in North American soccer. But you can in all the other sports. You can look no further than Pulisic. He is who he is because he played in europe at a young age. No other Americans can do that by rule. He could because of his citizenship/passport situation from his Dad being a Euro.
It's simple. The USMNT development program is trash at every level. A country like Iceland, whose total population is less than a mid-sized American city, is objectively much better because they have proper youth development. No matter what age group or level of play, every single kid in Iceland who wants to play football has access to an accredited, qualified coach. You don't find that in America and you never will unless sweeping changes are made.
The biggest obstacle to said changes ever taking place is the fact that many European governments subsidize these programs so they aren't run like a business. I'm really not sure how you get around that in America unless some wealthy philanthropist who really, really loves the sport is willing to step in.
Pulisic will never, ever be a star, but he's easily the best player America has produced since Landon Donovan and that's due in large part to the fact that he spent his formative years in Europe. Of course, most young American athletes don't have the means or the opportunity to follow Pulisic's path so it's clear that major reforms are needed if they want to compete with the also rans of Europe and South America, let alone the elite.
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