Top Stories

SBI Question of the Day: Should Pulisic start at Copa America?

Photo by Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today Sports
Photo by Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today Sports

The U.S. Men’s National Team struggled to make an impact in the attacking third during the first half of Wednesday night’s friendly against Ecuador, but a flurry of substitutions at halftime provided the team with a massive spark.

Among the second-half inclusions was Christian Pulisic, the 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund sensation.

In just 26 minutes on the field, the U.S. attacker made a legitimate case for a starting role ahead of next month’s Copa America. Pulisic completed 10 of 16 passes after entering the match and looked confident overall in on-ball situations.

His hold-up play in the final moments of the game highlighted his solid performance. Pulisic stole the ball off of Juan Carlos Paredes in stoppage time, before working his way out of a tight situation and finding the feet of Bobby Wood.

Following the match, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann discussed Pulisic briefly, saying that he, like everyone else in the squad, will be in contention for a starting spot.

“Everybody’s in contention,” Klinsmann said. “It’s nice to see a youngster like Christian having no fear, having confidence.

“It’s also a confidence given by his teammates. He can make mistakes but he also has that change of pace. He has the technique. He’s not overthinking the situation.”

While Klinsmann’s comments are relatively vague and don’t provide much insight into whether or not Pulisic will start on June 3 against Colombia, SBI wants to know your opinion: What role do you see Pulisic playing this summer? Does playing at Dortmund make him a lock to start?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Probably not v Colombia. However- given the schedule of games in succession, if the US plans on making a run at all in this tourney… they will probably need him to start at some point. If they do and his performance is consistent with what it has been, it will become more and more difficult to not do so with regularity. Kind of the regular progression of talent making it’s way up the food chain. In the case of the US, being that the depth with the type of game and ability CP possesses is limited- he well could EARN a spot right quick.

    Reply
  2. He should play more often than not. He’s too good. Pulisic and Nagbe brought an ability to possess and create that we rarely ever see from the US.

    Reply
    • Contextless snipes are probably my favorite posts on this site. How’s about you expound upon that idea and tell us what entertains you?

      Reply
  3. It’s obvious. He comes in at min 58 in the first game. If they get a result he does the same until they don’t.
    If there’s no result he starts on out.

    He plays 30 mins v Bolivia saving him for heavy mins in game 2 3 and..4

    Reply
  4. The question is too broad.

    I certainly wouldn’t start him in all 3 group matches just for conditioning reasons, but he is absolutely among our best five attacking players (striker, winger, attacking midfielder) on skill and physical tools. Any arguments for keeping him off the field are due to fear, fear of tactical inferiority or fear of injury based on a US system that has struggled to effectively integrate youth for some time.

    I don’t see him not being up for the competition. If he’s good enough for a deep and talented team like Dortmund in the Bundesliga he’s good enough to crack the US team under any circumstances. He’s got as good a chance as any other US player at impacting the game in these conditions.

    He could start any of the three games, but I sense he may not find his way into the game very much against Colombia as we are likely to cede possession and take route 1 attacks very often to avoid turning the ball over in the midfield–leaving us ripe for goals on the counter. I would predict a late sub appearance for him in the first game, and then to go the full 90 for at least one of the remaining two.

    Reply
  5. It depends. If you want to have one of your top five players on the field for most of the game who happens to play for the best club of any American right now, then I guess maybe??? But if you want to not start him just because he is 17 even though he is better than the majority of your team, I guess that makes sense too.

    This isn’t an nfl quarterback situation where sitting him for 2 years does wonders for his development.

    Reply
  6. For Bolivia, I’d say no, bring him on in the second half. For the next game I want to see Chandler at LB to see if he can hold that down, freeing up FJ to play elsewhere if we want. If Chandler can play LB, we have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield and some good players will have to sit. A good problem to have.

    Reply
    • Chandler has played LB before but its not his preferred position. Most likely Orozco would be considered there in case FJ was injured.

      Reply
  7. ————-wood—————
    ———————-dempsey
    pulisic—– –nagbe————-zusi/bedoya
    ——————–bradley————-
    FJ—–Brooks—Besler/Birnbaum—-Yedlin
    —————-Guzan————–

    When you start with 3 naturally defensive minded midfielders (KB,MB,JJ) there is literally nothing going forward. Let MB run the show from the 6 spot. * I wouldn’t be opposed to having jones in the midfield at the expense of zusi or bedoya.

    Reply
  8. for the copa america? absolutely he should start. and then start him in the upcoming qualifiers if he shows well this summer.

    wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t start this summer, though. most managers try to avoid looking like idiots, and it’d look pretty bad if they start a 17-year-old who proceeds to get totally outclassed.

    Reply
  9. I start him, Wood and Nagbe. Sitting Zusi, Beckerman and Zardes.
    Put Jones and Bradley behind Nagbe and you have enough D, with Dempsey in front.
    Both of which gives you enough experience around them if any of the youth panics.

    Reply
    • I can see that, but then, you have no second gear. Especially if you find yourself down to Colombia with those guys already on the field. If you start with a slightly more pragmatic lineup, then in the second have you can bring on more offense. If we have all our offense out to start with, then there is no fine-tuning possible after the half… so if we don’t score… then we will be fucked in the second half.

      Reply
  10. I’m going to go with sub the dude on for Colombia. 1, I think colombia’s roster has wood+Dempsey up top, with Bedoya, Zusi, Nagbe/Jones, and Bradley… and I think that conservative approach may need adjustment in the second half… so I hold him until I think I need him in half number 2.

    But, I think I start him later on in the Tournament, depending on schedule.

    But does he deserve to start? The way he, at 17! got the ball back, protected, found the right pass and released upfield… Man, the US hasn’t had that in AGES… Bradley just gets his pocket picked… Beckerman just quick back passes… That cross field trap too. Just smooth silky skill on the ball and I like it!

    Reply
  11. Yes.

    You put the best 11 to win each game. No intelligent person thinks he is not in our top 10 field players. I am tired of “experienced” players that make the team worse. Let’s try winning and taking it to opponents. Didn’t JK promise that when we hired him??

    Pulisic and Nagbe start or JK is a coward and doesn’t believe in what he is preaching.

    Reply
    • The Bolivia game is a tuneup and Bolivia is not near as good as Ecuador or Colombia, so for that game it doesn’t matter much. It’s a good game for trying different combinations.

      Reply
    • Finally some logic!! Why are people scared of starting him. I’ve watched just about every game he got playing time in for Dortmund this year. You could argue he is already our most technically capable player. His touch on the ball is rediculously good (better than anyone in the team already). He has good vision and soccer instincts, is quick and fast, can beat people one on one. Who cares that he is 17. He plays under way more pressure at Dortmund.

      Nagbe wood and bedoya need to play too, it’s not a coincidence the team was better when they played yesterday.

      Reply
      • I probably should just let this go, but I must comment on obvious exaggerations. I see this more and more now, that Pulisic is our most technically gifted player. Based on what? I’ve seen him play a few games for Dortmund and the 2 games for the national team and he is very good for his age. but most technically gifted? Better than Fabian Johnson? Better than Dempsey? Just a little while ago people were saying Nagbe was. Freddy Adu was more technically proficient. I haven’t seen Pulisic really dribble his way out of serious trouble yet. By that I mean get away from two defenders at once. I once saw Jozy do that with a cheeky backheel nutmeg. And his passing is good, but I haven’t seen him do anything like thread a ball perfectly to a streaking forward in between defenders. I have seen other players do that, including Bradley. Please people, stop with the overblown hype. If you say something like he’s the best American I have seen at 17, that I could agree with.

      • Gary: Technique is much more than dribbling out of trouble. How about looking at the way he traps a long pass, or his awareness to keep a ball shielded while his teammates free themselves to space for a pass? How about the way he uses his first touch to create space or put himself in a better position to find a teammate to keep possession and open up space in the attack. Pulisic has on more than one occassion used a nasty elastico to beat a defender 1v1 in the attacking third. He’s also, because of his club experience, one of our best 1-2 touch players. He gets the ball off his feet quicker than any of the MLS crop and rivals our only other good European outfield player (Johnson).

        Dempsey’s technique used to be first rate, but ever since his move back to Seattle he has looked less sharp on the ball. He could have had a goal against Ecuador with better technique on his traps.

        Adu had good technique, but horrible work rate and average pace. Pulisic easily outshines him in all 3 areas.

        Nagbe is very good, but not on Pulisic or Fabian’s level.

        Fabian is very good, but he’s slightly behind Pulisic in terms of his technique. He’s not nearly as quick on the dribble and not nearly as good at controlling the wide passes. That’s no slight against Fabian, who is in my opinion right behind Pulisic on our list of technically gifted players, but he gets to show far less with the national team thanks to Klinsmann’s apparent need to move him all over the field.

        Why are US fans so afraid of recognizing a talented player? European publications were calling Pulisic one of the most impressive young midfield talents IN ALL OF EUROPE, but somehow he’s not good enough for the USA? You tell me what other player was close to sniffing first team minutes in Europe at 17, leave alone with a club like BVB? That doesn’t just happen because he’s a talented prospect who might be good in 3-6 years, it happens because he’s a good player RIGHT NOW.

      • Gary – just wait and see. He has more technical soccer ability than anyone on the team. He did a couple things Wednesday even that help show it too. Can I remind you that he would be a junior in high school and is getting valuable minutes for a top 10 club. No one else on our team is even good enough to do that at their current ages or prime (except johnson Howard and maybe Bradley)

        I’ve watched all his games, they are not obvious exaggerations. Obviously my opinion, but I think it’s informed. I’ve never hyped a young American before either. I’m usually a doubter.

      • Ps – Dortmund fans are more excited about him than Americans. It’s my hype. Though I do understand why Americans are hesitant to get overly excited about young players given the crap players we have hyped before

  12. Yes. Very Late in the second half he got shouldered off the ball by one of the defenders (number 4) He fought to win the ball back. The next time they played him the ball he had the defender draped all over him, he held him off and worked out of tight space This a a rarely seen trait in US players and all important to maintain and break out of pressure. In the limited time we have seen him he shows better than Zardes and Zusi. If Fabian Johnson is our left back, then Pulisic should start at left mid over the likes of Zardes (stone touch), Zusi, and Bedoya. I would also like to see Nagbe get some starts as he has also earned them. Also think Dempsey as a lone striker is a mistake. Makes us one dimensional. Defenses can step up and press with out fear of being beating for pace,

    Reply
    • I absolutely loved when he won that ball back. My first thought was, “Oh, that’s what happens when you are 17….” followed by “OOOOHHHH, THAT is what happens you are are 17!”

      Reply
  13. I was impressed with what I saw from him. For me he is the first really hope to fill a hole I think has been left open by Landon’s retirement. He’s an advanced player that knows how to support, hold up and push forward.

    Perhaps a start against Bolivia, but then ease him in to the tournament with increasing minutes each game.

    Reply
  14. Should we advance out of the group stages I think there’s a real chance we see Pulisic start in the knockout stages crazy as that may seem to some. He’ll have more training sessions, more minutes and there will be a greater mutual feel between staff, team and player.

    I think we’ll see multiple line-ups through the group stage (and if we advance) but I’m still not certain where we fit Dempsey into our starting XI and I feel like moving parts are contingent on his placement.

    I think our initial primary starting XI will look something like either of these two scenarios:

    (A)

    ———————————Dempsey———————————

    —-Wood——————-————————————Zusi——

    ——————-—Nagbe————-—Jones————-———

    —-——————————-—Bradley——————————

    ———-Johnson—–Brooks——Cameron——-Yedlin———

    ———————————–Guzan———————————

    (B)

    ———————————Wood———————————

    —-Nagbe——————-————————————Bedoya—

    ——————-—Dempsey————-—Jones————-———

    —-——————————-—Bradley——————————

    ———-Johnson—–Brooks——Cameron——-Yedlin———

    ———————————–Guzan———————————

    Neither scenario involve Pulisic in the starting XI. Rest assured, I think he’s absolutely capable, but (purely a guess) I think the staff is trying to bring him on slowly.

    With that said, if Pulisic continues to perform the way he did in a 30 minute role, I think he’ll make the decision hard and continue to warrant consideration for a starting role…regardless if he’s only 17.

    I think the Copa Centenario is a great platform for young players to cease an opportunity. I like a lot of what Jurgen Klinsmann said in the half-time interview with Taylor Twellman. When asked about older places still keeping their spot on the roster: “It’s the job of the younger guys to become more dominant. To become more aggressive and to really go for it. Hopefully we see some of these youngsters step up and push them out”

    I just hope the young players are given the opportunity and grab it when they do. Winning the cup is pie in the sky nonsense. Our focus should be utilizing this to prepare for Russia and if these young players gain from this we’ve achieved our objective.

    Reply
    • Definitely not B, Nagbe is not a winger and Dempsey can not cover the ground that Jones and Nagbe were covering in that central position (or Bradley in the first half) in our 4-3-3 those advanced midfielders have to be able to run box to box to cover for the fullbacks.

      Reply
      • Both are 29, 5′ 10, with a pony tail,
        Bedoya 47 caps, 2 goals 6 assists
        Zusi 34 caps , 4 goals, 6 assists
        Perhaps Zusi hits a slightly better dead ball and Bedoya has a slightly better work rate but that’s about it

      • Zusi might have the edge for coming up big in important games. He had the assist on Clints goal against Portugal at the WC and was MOTM in the last Guatemala game. I can’t remember the last meaningful game Bedoya had a stellar performance in. Plus, as you mentioned, Zusi’s set pieces are better.

  15. No.
    He’s 17. His body is not developed enough to deal with the rigors of a senior team tournament. Too much to lose too little to gain.

    Reply
    • his play in the Bundesliga and the opportunities with the Senior Mens National Team would suggest otherwise but don’t let physical proof stop you from assuming smh

      Reply
      • You ignorance aside…. the question is whether he “should start at Copa America ” which implies every game. When was the last time he played three games in 9 days? that’s righ, never. It’s not going to happen because 17 year olds can’t handle that against full grown men. Not even Klinsmann is that stupid

    • Worst logic I have ever heard… Can the kid play? Yes. Is he energetic and fearless? My answer is yes. Would Copa experience be HUGE for a young nat like him? Absolutely. The deciding factor is… does he give us the best opportunity to create chances and win? Only JK knows the answer to that, if the answer is yes (which again, I think it is) then he should be on the field. Same applies to Nagbe. When Bradley moved back to his natural role and Nagbe was allowed to combine and create the game changed, the same goes for Wood and Pulisic. Zardes touch is just too bad. Pulisic was in complete control. Dempsey can loaf around and be Dempsey when all these young guys are moving and finding space around him. Maybe he comes off the Bench against Colombia but I think the goal is to get him in the starting 11 as soon as possible.

      Reply
      • I see nobody learned any lessons from Freddy Adu and Julian Green. You star power these kids with too much too soon and they’ll have a head to big to carry on the field. He’s 18 for fu*ks sake, it’s not critical that we put him into a major international tournament as a starter.

      • Didn’t know we were talking about Adu or Green… I guess that makes sense if you don’t see big game tournament experience as something these guys who we will depend on in the near future need then sure.

    • There you go assuming again….your ignorance clearly out does mine for the simple fact that you think this kid couldn’t start multiple games in a row, it’s not realistic, and I don’t think the article insinuates that he’d start every game. This is a tournament where the games come quick and fast so not everyone will be starting every game which again proves your ignorance. There are a lot of things 17 yo’s can’t do but until it is proven without the shadow of a doubt this kid can’t how about we take a wait and see approach

      Reply
  16. ———————————Wood————————————–

    —-Pulisic——————-—Nagbe————————Bedoya—-

    ——————-—Jones————-—Bradley————-—

    ———-Johnson—–Brooks——Cameron——-Yedlin————

    ———————————–Guzan————————————-

    Reply
  17. I really like what I see when he is off the bench both for Dortmund and USA. In a 4-3-3 he is absolutely a starter-worthy winger, but I am just more comfortable starting games in a 4-4-2 with vets like Bedoya and Jones on the field and bring Pulisic on to make that switch later in games.. that’s how I would run it – but I am not against giving this kid the keys to the attack for a full 90.

    Reply
  18. Starter? Potentially…I think his role in Saturday’s game will let us know if he is in line to start. I tend to think he won’t start against Colombia, but potentially later in the group stage. Last night as I watched the game I was extremely impressed with him. That touch when he chested down that 40 yd long right to his feet was a level of technical ability we don’t see often from USMNT players.

    Reply
  19. I think he and Nagbe should both start against Bolivia Friday and see how they look from a starting role. Certainly both should start at least one of the three group games.

    Reply
  20. Depends…on who else is on the field. I’d take either Wood or Pulisic over Zardes. Pulisic vs Bedoya vs. Zusi is a tougher call since it isn’t his primary side. I hope he gets some good minutes against Bolivia so we can get a better feel for what level he is on.

    Reply
    • I’d say it depends more on what the aim of JK is per game. He likes to play it safe more often than not. While annoying to fans, it is understandable to some extent when playing teams of very high quality. After saying that, it is not my approach. I am far more interested in attacking the opposition and keeping a decent amount of possession (i.e. waves of attacking pressure). This requires the right players, the right positioning, and the right pressing. In addition, I am not big on the whole “if you are a veteran (regardless of age) that you take precedence on a roster or in the starting lineup”. My thought is, if you are the best player at a particular position, then you play. Simple. As such, I say that you start Pulisic. It doesn’t matter that he is young and/or may not have fully grown into his frame or whatever else we can try to come up with. Fact is (or seems) that he gives us a better shot of winning than a lot of players on our roster. That also includes Nagbe.

      Now, we haven’t exactly seen these guy get a ton of reps with the Nats, so lack of experience in the form of team chemistry is a reasonable argument as to why they may not start, but from what I saw last night, when you put players in the positions they are accustomed to and you allow your best players to create/attack, you are going to see better soccer. France plays guys like Pogba and Martial because they can make a difference. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are younger, simply that they give France the best shot at winning. We should use a similar policy (and yes, I know that those guys are on another level, but just using them as an example of age, in and of itself, is irrelevant even for powerhouse national teams).

      If everyone is healthy, I’d like to see something like below:

      Options:
      Drop Dempsey, move Nagbe up further and bring Jones behind him
      Drop Bedoya, move FJ to RW and Chandler to LB
      Change to 4-3-3 (CP17,Wood,Dempsey–Jones,Nagbe,Bradley–FJ,Brooks,Cameron,Yedlin–Guzan)

      —————-Wood——————
      ————–Dempsey—————
      Pulisic——-Nagbe———Bedoya
      —————Bradley—————-
      FJ—Brooks—-Cameron—Yedlin
      —————-Guzan—————–

      Reply
      • With pusilic, I’m not worried about chemistry or experience (donovan, beasley had little in 2002). What worries me is the hype machine. People say that if he can handle the dortmund media he can handle us. It is a different animal to represent your country (hometown). It is a different intense pressure. I say bring him on slowly. I’m probably wrong, but I think perhaps this helps in the long term.

Leave a Comment