I wonβt put all of Qatar on Pulisic, I mean watching that team be so handcuffed by βthe coachβ was absolutely frustrating and a big reason that team didnβt do more than it did.
However you do lightly brush on a point about Pulisicβs play that I donβt see getting a lot of chatter here: with the USNT when he feels the team isnβt playing well, isnβt producing, he goes into this hero mode and starts trying to do it all alone.
This type of takeover the game play works at clubs because your talent is so high and others will step up and jump on for the ride. The Menβs squad isnβt that talented. Iβm not saying we have a massive drop off, but if Pulisic is a 9, it drops to a few 8s and then 7s and 6s very quickly. The team canβt match his level. And this play can breakdown our team game for stretches. Often the players start to ball watch.
And again look I get it. Heβs our most talented player. He wants to jump start the team. But a top talent leader knows how to do that and keep everyone going. Pulisic doesnβt seem to see/get that. Worse in a way, he becomes a ball stopper. He gets the ball and then is 100% βI must score on my own!!β
To me, thatβs his strike 3, when itβs to the detriment of the team (often). A leader either is keeping everyone involved (in his shoes) or telling him to do so (on or off the field).
As far as who our captain is - I donβt care if they donβt speak a lick of English, if they have the command of the locker room.
A. The casual fans donβt understand captaincy anyway and
B. The die hards will totally get it
C. This team needs real leadership and accountability! You take what you can get right now. What we have isnβt cutting it.