Of course not, we got Mexico for a reason. Maybe if things pan out right, they cay play the third game at NRG.
they're doing the same thing they did with adu, agudelo, green, etc... and it didn't work out for them. i think it's a bad idea but part of the problem for the usa is that they didn't make the olympics. if they did, he'd for sure be on that roster only.
just like adu, agudelo, and green before him right. it sucks usa hasn't learned, that's how these great prospects get ruined. even messi was transitioned from u20s, u23s, and then into the sr. team as a sub and full starter as a 20 year old. pulisic is jumping from u17s straight to full sr. side and he's no where near as good as messi was. it's a shame they can't be patient especially with so many examples of recent young flameouts. usa is not the only team either, soccer world is full of young players who bust.
What? Many great players play early, Donovan was 19 at the WC.....with Beasley. How old was C. Ronaldo? Come on....if you are ready you are ready.. DD
track record seems to indicate they aren't. remember charlie davies? got brought in, banging in goals, playing great. breaking curfew during a camp and with drunk drivers and crash, dream over. bottom line, bringing in a 17 y/o as a key contributor is down right insane and bringing him for experience is insulting to whichever veteran's spot he took. gotta pay your dues. too much too early can really backfire. jordan morris was left off the 23 and good for him. he didn't look good at all with the u23s that flopped. better he stay and develop with his club. klinsy took the 33 y/o vet wondo instead LOL!!!
But the difference is that Pulisic is actually playing for Dortmund now and has really shown his value down the stretch. Adu hype was when US Soccer was desperate for young talent (they still are but not like they were back then). The guy never actually did anything other than be young and show some promise. Adu, Green and Agudelo hadn't actually proven anything at the highest levels in Europe when the hype started. Green was signed by Bayern Munich but he either rode the bench of played with BMII in the second or third division. Agudelo is a bit of an odd case because of the whole work permit issue but again he never actually played in a major European league.
Adu is a completely different case. Drafted into the MLS at 14 when he should've been playing in a youth academy overseas. The USMNT didn't ruin Adu. Adu's family's choices ruined Adu's career. You can't compare what any one player's path was vs. Messi. Just because he's on the roster doesn't guarantee minutes. The bare minimum it gives him is experience with the senior side. He's played on a successful Bundesliga team...and been successful at doing it. Some people are mentally capable of handing the pressure and learning how to manage it. Some aren't. On Agudelo and Green...it turns out they just weren't as good as advertised. Green still has a chance to grow. His time in the World Cup did not ruin him or set him back at all. He simply isn't good enough yet to get on the roster for one of the best club teams in the world. He's likely to move this summer and needs to go somewhere he'll at least have the opportunity to get regular minutes. Still with Bayern sitting the bench. Rumors are that he'll likely leave this summer. Saw one that said AC Milan is looking at him. He needs to go to a Bundes II or EPL Championship team for a year to get regular minutes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">Christian Pulisic. <a href="https://t.co/i7cW0KB7ET">pic.twitter.com/i7cW0KB7ET</a></p>— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/735658149294804992">May 26, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Exactly my response. Pulisic has held his own in the Bundesliga and looked every bit of the part as a USMNT contributor now and in the future. His "development" will not be hampered by playing minutes at this point. He appears to already be one of our 5 best players IMO and that could never be said about the guys you mentioned. If Green begins to play for Bayern or in some major league in the next year or two and holds his own then he should get minutes too. It seems strange that ipaman added Green's name to the list of early busts when he needs the opportunity on the field to see if he is a bust or not. Adu and Aguedelo proved they were just not talented enough/strong enough, etc. to compete. Also, I don't remember any hype surrounding Agudelo? Was there any? I am excited that Bobby Wood is only 23. I figured he was somewhat of a retread but good to know he still has some improvement to be made. Davies being mentioned is strange too. What does him getting in a car wreck have to do with anything? Are you thinking Pulisic will make the same life changing decision he did just because he is 17? Not all young adults are the same and the fact that he has had structure for probably his whole life in the form of grooming him to be a professional soccer player I think he will be fine. The poster that compared Donovan is spot on. He didn't look old enough to drive a car let alone play professional soccer but he more than held his own right off the bat and the rest is history. I can see maybe not playing a 17 year old like Pulisic in the World cup but we are only taking some friendlies and a summer tournament where the USMNT should be searching for their next contributors. I am tired of retreads and players with no creativity or 1 decent skill. Pulisic and a couple of young players bring that so it is time we start experimenting and seeing what we have. This isn't baseball where a young players confidence can be shook easily.
Regarding the game, Beckerman, Zusi, Zerdes and Yedlin to an extent did not play very well. I guess Beckerman wasn't that bad but that is part of the problem, he is so conservative and hardly gets in the mix. As for Zusi and Zardes, their first touch is terrible. Several turnovers as soon as the ball was passed to them. Dempsey practically handed Zardes a goal and his first touch went about 20 yards to the goalie and they both got hurt. An attacking player has got to settle that and put it away 9 times out of 10. I guess that was his 1 out of 10 to fail but I fear he would have a bad first touch and ruin that chance at least 5 times out of 10. I think Wood would have settled it and buried it. Yedlin seems like a mess. I thought he had some good plays and his defense was mostly okay but just didn't seem to know what to do with it when he got it. Nagbe has got to see the field more. He keeps possession and is always under control. Him and Bradley worked well together and he actually has same creativity to put pressure on the opposing defense. Wood provided a spark and I have high hopes that he can be our main striker up front. Needs to hold possession better but it seems he has all of the tools to be what we all hoped Altidore would be but never was and never will. We need to find away for Dempsey to play more of an attacking midfielder role with Wood up top and Nagbe, Pulisic and Bradley along side him. Those are probably our 5 best attaching players with the most creativity on this roster. None of them are one trick ponies either. Dempsey had 2 or 3 passes that could/should have been goals so his passing is on point. I wish Johnson could be a winger but I am not sure who else you can trust to play left back. Would love to see Johnson playing more of an offensive role. Maybe he can still play defense with Pulisic playing left winger since they are both pretty solid on defense and fast enough to cover for the other if one gets too far upfront.
I think it was very clear that we are a more creative and attacking team with Wood, Nagbe, and Pulisic. They created havoc on Ecuador's defense with movement and fearless play. Not many US forwards historically have the balls to take on 3 defenders as Wood and Pulisic did at different times. The threat that they bring opens up spaces for Johnson and Yedlin to attack. The goal was set up largely because of that. I can only hope that Klinsmann sees it, too. I hope he saw how boring and limited the starting 11 were and how much things changed when he brought in the youth. If he wants to find a way to get Dempsey in there with them, fine. But i have no problem with Pulisic starting over Zardes and Nagbe starting in the midfield. Let Bradley play deeper with Jones or Beckerman. At least Jones is a threat offensively and plays decent enough defense. I think they have a decent chance to surprise and get out of the group. It will be a hell of a lot harder if Klinsmann goes with the old vets and ignores what clearly makes for more attractive and productive football.
That was not the CONMEBOL leading Ecuador. That was a totally different team they played against USA. On Nagbe's goal, there were no defenders within at least 10 feet when he put the ball in the back of the net. Won't be the same in the Copa vs. better teams.
Thats a pretty ridiculous comparison outside of their age Pulisic has started to get relatively regular playing time with a top flight club in the Bundesliga and he is only 17 Agudelo and Adu were barely ever even relevant in the MLS. Green is still pretty young but still has never played at the level Pulisic has.
Wood's movement opened up the front line so much - really like him up top, and love Pulisic, we have some seriously high level youth coming up, mix in a little veteran presence with Bradley, Jones, and Dempsey and away we go. DD
First match, Match Day 1, tonight. 9:30 p.m - United States vs. Colombia: Fox Sports 1, Univision, UniMás and Univision Deportes; Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif. Prediction: COL 4 - 2 USA
