Henry defends Pulisic’s Milan and USA role: ‘Stop making him something he’s not’ – Football Italia – March 24 latest

Thierry Henry believes that Christian Pulisic is a ‘technical leader’, but insists that supporters should not hammer him if he isn’t vocal, nor a physically imposing figure on the pitch. ‘Maybe he’s not that type of leader’. 

It has been an underwhelming international break for Pulisic and his USMNT colleagues – Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah among them – as they fell to consecutive defeats against Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League over the course of the last week. 

Pulisic lined up as a starter in both matches, but was unable to help his team in terms of goal contributions in the 1-0 loss to Panama, or in the 2-1 defeat by Canada. 

Henry: ‘Pulisic is a very good player, stop making him something he’s not’ 

As Pulisic has established himself as a key player for club and country, some supporters feel that he should be showing more as a leader, but Henry, on punditry duty for CBS Sports, explained why Pulisic still sets the benchmark for both Milan and the USA, even if he is not the most vocal on the pitch. 

“Pulisic is a good player, a very good player, and for the first time is playing week in, week out and delivering for a good team in Europe,” Henry told CBS viewers before the 2-1 loss to Canada (via goal.com). 

“But you also have to stop the narrative that maybe he’s not that type of leader. Stop, don’t force him to be that. He’s a technical leader,” Henry continued.

“Is he that enforcer type of leader? Gattuso wasn’t Pirlo, Pirlo wasn’t Gattuso if you know what I mean. That doesn’t mean he’s not the best in this team as a player. 

“He’s very good at a lot of things, but he doesn’t have that type of leadership, and that’s okay right. Stop making him something that he’s not, because when it comes to that, you’re going to highlight his weaknesses. Concentrate on what he can do. He’s a very good player.”