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US Men's National Team (17 Viewers)

CP is starting for Chelsea FC today, his first start for some time.  Would love to seem him play 90.

For those who missed his appearance on Sunday, the young man is now sporting a full beard.

 
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Chelsea have pretty much a B team out there today, with a couple exceptions, so this will be interesting.  I think Pulisic has worked well with Giroud in the past - hoping for more of that today in Sevilla.

 
Gio can extend the record today by becoming the 7th American to move into the knockout rounds of the Champions League in the same season.

 
Chelsea have pretty much a B team out there today, with a couple exceptions, so this will be interesting.  I think Pulisic has worked well with Giroud in the past - hoping for more of that today in Sevilla.
Spoiled for choices but this is the game I will likely focus on.  There is probably no more important item for how far this generation can go than Pulisic staying healthy.

 
Spoiled for choices but this is the game I will likely focus on.  There is probably no more important item for how far this generation can go than Pulisic staying healthy.
Both teams are through, so they are playing to top the group and (in theory) get a slightly easier tie in the first knock out round.  There is potential for it to be a snoozer.  I guess the good news on Chelsea's side is that they have several guys out there today who aren't getting many minutes and have something to prove.

 
Both teams are through, so they are playing to top the group and (in theory) get a slightly easier tie in the first knock out round.  There is potential for it to be a snoozer.  I guess the good news on Chelsea's side is that they have several guys out there today who aren't getting many minutes and have something to prove.
Yada yada yada....all about CP today.

 
Both teams are through, so they are playing to top the group and (in theory) get a slightly easier tie in the first knock out round.  There is potential for it to be a snoozer.  I guess the good news on Chelsea's side is that they have several guys out there today who aren't getting many minutes and have something to prove.
Yada yada yada....all about CP today.
The beard will be in the spotlight today.

 
a slightly sneaky game for Gio today.  That team is so overloaded offensively, you really need to be involved in goals to stay in contention for minutes.  Gio could use a strong game today.

As a side related note, Haaland is out of the rest of December with an injury and won't return until after the winter break.

 
How have all the boys looked?
I watched Pulisic for his 68 minutes and Gio for the rest (he went 90).

Pulisic was very aggressive and focused but was not sharp technically (relative to his normal high standards which is expected coming off a long lay off).  I noticed no issues with him running, quickness and burst looked solid.    This is hopefully another step forward for him.

Gio was clean as always.  He was playing in a 10 role when I tuned in.  He set a really good chance for a teammate who pulled it wide.  Other than that one moment, he was not involved dangerously but was making the correct simple passes from what I could see.

 
I watched Pulisic for his 68 minutes and Gio for the rest (he went 90).

Pulisic was very aggressive and focused but was not sharp technically (relative to his normal high standards which is expected coming off a long lay off).  I noticed no issues with him running, quickness and burst looked solid.    This is hopefully another step forward for him.

Gio was clean as always.  He was playing in a 10 role when I tuned in.  He set a really good chance for a teammate who pulled it wide.  Other than that one moment, he was not involved dangerously but was making the correct simple passes from what I could see.
Gio had the hockey assist with some neat quick touches on the goal.

 
He really should/could be a midfielder.  Looks like he's been learning a thing or two from Messi.
He used to be a midfielder and that's where he learned those ball skills. He then got moved to defender.

Given how fullbacks play and what they are asked to do for some of the top clubs, it's a perfect position for him. Especially since it looks like he defends well also.

 
My concern with the "modern" right/left backs is that they tend to be smaller and quicker players.  Even with 2 big central defenders, there will be times that a taller player is useful, like defending against free kicks coming in from wide or inswinging corners. 

 
My concern with the "modern" right/left backs is that they tend to be smaller and quicker players.  Even with 2 big central defenders, there will be times that a taller player is useful, like defending against free kicks coming in from wide or inswinging corners. 
Cannon is 5'11" and Robinson is 6'0". Reynolds is 6'3".

I'll take Dest's playmaking ability at the cost of his height for one of the FB spots, especially with lots of other taller players on the squad (lots of the MFers also have really good size).

 
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He used to be a midfielder and that's where he learned those ball skills. He then got moved to defender.

Given how fullbacks play and what they are asked to do for some of the top clubs, it's a perfect position for him. Especially since it looks like he defends well also.
It's a good position, but I would want that guy with the ball as much as possible based on that video.  There were Messi-like moments in there.

 
I keep saying the same thing- he looks like a guy who should be starting and featuring for Barca...which he is. I still can't believe he picked the US. Soooo good.

I know there are options if he doesn't come over, but I really want Musah.
Perfect time for Musah.  USMNT is on the verge of that big break through and there are still seats on the bus.  In 2 years that window may close and you may be a back-up on some crapppy England team while the US is making a deep WC run.

 
It's a good position, but I would want that guy with the ball as much as possible based on that video.  There were Messi-like moments in there.
He will have the ball a ton from that spot. He's in the mold of Jordi Alba. Alba used to average 6-8 assists/year and a couple goals. Or look at Liverpool and how they employ their FBs. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson had double digit assists EACH.

Considering the playmakers we already have in the MF with the likes of McKennie/Adams/Pulisic/Gio and potentially Musah, having fullbacks that can play 2 ways like that is a dream. That we will likely have one on each side given what Cannon/Robinson and hopefully Reynolds have shown is amazing.

Don't worry, you'll see him with the ball A LOT.

 
Perfect time for Musah.  USMNT is on the verge of that big break through and there are still seats on the bus.  In 2 years that window may close and you may be a back-up on some crapppy England team while the US is making a deep WC run.
Hyperbole alert.  Players like Sterling, Kane, TAA, Henderson, Vardy, etc. will still be on the team in 2 years.  

As promising as our young team is, there's a lot of talent on the Three Lions.

 
Hyperbole alert.  Players like Sterling, Kane, TAA, Henderson, Vardy, etc. will still be on the team in 2 years.  

As promising as our young team is, there's a lot of talent on the Three Lions.
Didn't their youth team u20 maybe, also win the WC recently? They feel like a team on the ascent, while already ranked highly. 

But that goes towards the same point- Musah has less likelihood of featuring on that team as he does for the US. And as the US just showed him hopefully, they're a quality side too that he can play a big role in boosting to elite status for years to come.

 
He will have the ball a ton from that spot. He's in the mold of Jordi Alba. Alba used to average 6-8 assists/year and a couple goals. Or look at Liverpool and how they employ their FBs. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson had double digit assists EACH.

Considering the playmakers we already have in the MF with the likes of McKennie/Adams/Pulisic/Gio and potentially Musah, having fullbacks that can play 2 ways like that is a dream. That we will likely have one on each side given what Cannon/Robinson and hopefully Reynolds have shown is amazing.

Don't worry, you'll see him with the ball A LOT.
Everything you say is true and he's going to be huge EV at the outside back position.   He's just starting to do things with the ball better and more frequently that you don't see as often from our other players.

 
Hyperbole alert.  Players like Sterling, Kane, TAA, Henderson, Vardy, etc. will still be on the team in 2 years.  

As promising as our young team is, there's a lot of talent on the Three Lions.
England are more loaded at the younger age group than I can ever remember.  

Lets use 22 as the upper age limit since that is Pulisic's age.   All these English players are 22 and under

Reece James, Bellingham, Sancho, Greenwood, Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Rice, Tomori, Foden, Alexander Arnold

 
England are more loaded at the younger age group than I can ever remember.  

Lets use 22 as the upper age limit since that is Pulisic's age.   All these English players are 22 and under

Reece James, Bellingham, Sancho, Greenwood, Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Rice, Tomori, Foden, Alexander Arnold
And that's without the players in their prime I mentioned above and doesn't include their other youngish stars like AWB, Grealish, Maddison and Rashford.  

I'm really excited about what we are building, and think we can be a top 10 team by 2026, but England is already ranked #4 and has enough young talent to be #1 by 2026.  

 
I would take us over England in '22 and '26
26, maybe.  No chance in 22. 

They have elite level strikers in Kane and Sterling not to mention the likes of Rashford, Calvert-Lewin, Abraham.  They have similar talent across the board as us plus many more so depth for days.  And, most importantly, these guys all play together regularly, some of them in very similar systems let alone the same teams.

A lot can change in just a few years so '26 isn't out of the question that we move forward significantly and/or they step back, but I don't see it in 1 1/2 years time. 

The ONLY thing England has against them is their uncanny ability to underperform consistently on the international stage despite their level of talent.

I would argue that, talent-wise, only France is ahead of them right now.  I mean, Brazil is Brazil, but I don't see names that pop like they have in years past.  And Belgium is taking a step back, IMO, with most of their stars on the older side and not as many filling in to replace them.  They truly had a golden age but are on the downslope at this point.

 
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I would argue that, talent-wise, only France is ahead of them right now.  I mean, Brazil is Brazil, but I don't see names that pop like they have in years past.  And Belgium is taking a step back, IMO, with most of their stars on the older side and not as many filling in to replace them.  They truly had a golden age but are on the downslope at this point.
Belgium is a really interesting team.  They truly now have the feel of a golden generation(as you said) instead of sustaining the talent level.

Ironically, their golden generation all stemmed from Belgium changing up how they were developing players and a large group of talent burst forth all at once but that level has not been sustained.

Belgium are the reason I am not ready to go all in on this being the tip of the ice berg for the US and not just a golden generation.

 

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