I've never been very impressed by him.

I've never been very impressed by him.
by baloo88 (2017-05-22 22:24:02)

In reply to: Gooner fans say he is quite injury prone * posted by plaid_pants

I don't mean to kick him when he's down, but I don't think this team will miss him much if he's out for a while. I watched him in the 2015 U20 World Cup when his stock was pretty much at its highest, and I came away unsure how others could project him as a star. He plays a decent ball with his right foot, but his left foot is little more than a kickstand. His athleticism is below average, he's not very aggressive with his passing (lots of short sideways/backwards passes), and he has a tendency to dawdle on the ball.

He seems like a nice kid, and I really hope things pan out for him. It isn't time to put him out to pasture, but I just don't see it happening for him. And if this injury is serious, it really won't help.

He was elite at one thing early on but never developed

He's always been good in the middle of the field setting the tempo while finding and making good, high percentage passes. I think a lot of people forecasted him to get bigger, stronger, and faster and develop more areas of his game. He hasn't really done that and with his struggle to find playing time, I don't see him being able to.

If the injury is serious, I think that we have seen the last of him in a USA kit. He just doesn't offer anything that we'd miss with a player who is more well rounded. The next step for him will be crucial. I like the guy, and I hope he'll pan out, but I don't see it.