Stephen Eustaquio

[maccaliam]

Our best player? No  

Our most important player? Yes

 

[PegCityCam]

4 hours ago, maccaliam said:

Our best player? No  

Our most important player? Yes

 

Exactly🏆

[Corazon]

The goal is even better from the other angles.  Absolutely incredible shot.  The best angle of his goal is just after 8 minutes in.  It’s worth watching the full highlights.  Early in the game, Eustaquio did get dispossessed and then given a yellow on the play while checking back.  After that, there’s some impressive plays from Eustaquio.  A couple of Porto’s good chances came off Eustaquio’s steals/tackles won.  He had a nice dribble in attacking box.  He had a great through pass that should have been scored.

https://hoofoot.com/?match=Antwerp_vs_FC_Porto_2023_10_25_Goals
 

Edited October 26, 2023 by Corazon

[SthMelbRed]

11 hours ago, Obinna said:

Best midfielder in concacaf?

McKennie is a rotational player for a Juventus side not currently in Europe, Reyna (different profile btw) has a super high ceiling but is still a sub for Dortmund, Musah is getting more starts lately for AC Milan, a better team than Porto, yet it doesn't really feel like he is a "best in concacaf" player - maybe because he hasn't proven to be consistent for club, be it Milan or Valencia. Alvarez is a good player and similar age to Eustaquio, he could probably lay claim to the "best in concacaf" title, maybe I would put him at 2 if I am putting Eustaquio at 1.

If Eustaquio is the best midfielder, it's by the slightest of margins. Am I being biased here? I mean Porto are a very big club, but they are still a level below the very best in Europe, nor are they in a top 5 league. 

I really think Adams is the USA's best midfielder, not McKennie. He's not just a better player, but a far more likeable human being.

[narduch]

 

 

[Bigandy]

17 hours ago, Obinna said:

Best midfielder in concacaf?

McKennie is a rotational player for a Juventus side not currently in Europe, Reyna (different profile btw) has a super high ceiling but is still a sub for Dortmund, Musah is getting more starts lately for AC Milan, a better team than Porto, yet it doesn't really feel like he is a "best in concacaf" player - maybe because he hasn't proven to be consistent for club, be it Milan or Valencia. Alvarez is a good player and similar age to Eustaquio, he could probably lay claim to the "best in concacaf" title, maybe I would put him at 2 if I am putting Eustaquio at 1.

If Eustaquio is the best midfielder, it's by the slightest of margins. Am I being biased here? I mean Porto are a very big club, but they are still a level below the very best in Europe, nor are they in a top 5 league. 

For best player I would argue:
1. alvarez
2. Adams
3. Musah
4. staq 
5. mckennie

However staqs profile is such that he can singlehandedly make CMNT much better. I wouldnt trade him for any of the other players. Alvarez in a great side is worth more than staq. Alvarez for CMNT doesnt transform us like staq can.

[Obinna]

49 minutes ago, Bigandy said:

For best player I would argue:
1. alvarez
2. Adams
3. Musah
4. staq 
5. mckennie

However staqs profile is such that he can singlehandedly make CMNT much better. I wouldnt trade him for any of the other players. Alvarez in a great side is worth more than staq. Alvarez for CMNT doesnt transform us like staq can.

I think Adams is further down this list than most, it seems. He's not even a clear starter for the USMNT with Reyna at the 10 and Musah on the field. He's also been out injured for a long time now and who knows how he comes back from that. He's rightfully in the top 5, I think, but maybe lower on it.

If we are going with Alvarez as 1, I think I would go with:

1. Alvarez

2. Eustaquio

3. Musah

4. McKennie

5. Adams

Admittedly it's close though and we are really talking about holding players here, because if we threw 10s in the mix Reyna would have to go somewhere here. 

[VinceA]

50 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I think Adams is further down this list than most, it seems. He's not even a clear starter for the USMNT with Reyna at the 10 and Musah on the field. He's also been out injured for a long time now and who knows how he comes back from that. He's rightfully in the top 5, I think, but maybe lower on it.

If we are going with Alvarez as 1, I think I would go with:

1. Alvarez

2. Eustaquio

3. Musah

4. McKennie

5. Adams

Admittedly it's close though and we are really talking about holding players here, because if we threw 10s in the mix Reyna would have to go somewhere here. 

Adams is a clear starter for the US. Every game he doesn't play has the commentators and the fans saying "Adams would help a lot"

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Adams is a clear starter for the US. Every game he doesn't play has the commentators and the fans saying "Adams would help a lot"

I have heard that. I have also heard fans asking where Adams fits when he returns. Do you drop Musah? Do you drop McKennie? Maybe it's McKennie you leave out? Maybe it's Adams? I get the sense Musah is going to start, but he's not a lock either. 

They are definitely going to give Adams some starts when he gets back to see which combination is best, but this is assuming he returns to the form he was in before he had the long injury lay-off. 

[PiedPilko]

I haven't watched de la Torre, but he's starting every game in La Liga. He in the conversation?

[Obinna]

27 minutes ago, PiedPilko said:

I haven't watched de la Torre, but he's starting every game in La Liga. He in the conversation?

He would be a starter for us no question, but for the USMNT it seems he is coming off the bench and it's pretty unanimous amongst their fanbase. However, I would also say it seems like he is the first off the bench while Adams is out. When Adams comes back it's going to knock him down the pecking order.

Johnny at Internacional is rumoured to go to Europe in the Summer, possibly as soon as the Winter, and La Liga is the destination, so that may raise his stock closer to de La Torre's level. 

[InglewoodJack]

8 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I think Adams is further down this list than most, it seems. He's not even a clear starter for the USMNT with Reyna at the 10 and Musah on the field. He's also been out injured for a long time now and who knows how he comes back from that. He's rightfully in the top 5, I think, but maybe lower on it.

If we are going with Alvarez as 1, I think I would go with:

1. Alvarez

2. Eustaquio

3. Musah

4. McKennie

5. Adams

Admittedly it's close though and we are really talking about holding players here, because if we threw 10s in the mix Reyna would have to go somewhere here. 

Agreed on Tyler Adams- I think him getting the captain's armband at the world cup and being part of the Leeds American Invasion really boosted his stock, but he played for a team that got relegated last year, he's signed to a team that will get relegated this year. He has one goal and zero assists in 20 European games (7 starts) across 4 seasons and outside of his tenure with USMNT, he hasn't won a single game of significant consequence since he left Germany. Compare that to Eustaquio who has started all 10 of his Champions league games over the last 2 seasons, has scored 3 times over that span, he's consistently been one of the best midfielders in Portugal, has a title under his belt, from a skill level, a statistical level, and a trophy case level, Steph has him beat. I take him over Musah based on experience and alcolades, and I take him over McKennie out of preference, though I'd at least be open to the argument that either are better. I think Tyler Adams had a moment in the sun, and hasn't panned out as expected since. Still young, still high quality, and still has a better resume than Eustaquio at his age, so there's still time for the rankings to change, but I think Steph is underrated, Adams overrated.

[narduch]

Another goal.

 

 

[Jack1997]

Holy shit what a goal

[dyslexic nam]

Alright - so the plan against Jamaica is to get the ball to Staq.  

[narduch]

18 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Alright - so the plan against Jamaica is to get the ball to Staq.  

Feel a lot better about my prediction we will beat Jamaica after seeing his play of late

[Obinna]

If he is not the best midfielder in concacaf....he is certainly the most complete midfielder.

[dyslexic nam]

[grigorio]

Come Nation’s League don’t even get him on the pitch for any training sessions. He’s to stay off the pitch until game time. 

[costarg]

3 hours ago, narduch said:

Another goal.

 

 

Absolute beauty, just wish they'd have cut the clip before he hugged Pepe.  I didn't need to see that.

[InglewoodJack]

Saw this pop up on my feed and another journalist repost it- apparently IMFC wanted Eustaquio once they found out Cruz Azul wasn’t going to extend him:

https://x.com/sofianebenzaza/status/1203056249744564226?s=46&t=spIaqlQfufAO3HreB1455Q

 

Considering where he landed in Portugal and where’s at at now, especially coming off those injuries, talk about betting on yourself. He could’ve come to Montreal, made good wages and have become an excellent career MLSer if he wanted to. 

[Obinna]

6 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Saw this pop up on my feed and another journalist repost it- apparently IMFC wanted Eustaquio once they found out Cruz Azul wasn’t going to extend him:

https://x.com/sofianebenzaza/status/1203056249744564226?s=46&t=spIaqlQfufAO3HreB1455Q

 

Considering where he landed in Portugal and where’s at at now, especially coming off those injuries, talk about betting on yourself. He could’ve come to Montreal, made good wages and have become an excellent career MLSer if he wanted to. 

I remember those links! Seemed like a decent option at the time but knowing how things played out I am glad he bet on himself (no offence to you Impact guys).

[narduch]

Apparently Man City had scouts at Porto's last league game

[Obinna]

36 minutes ago, narduch said:

Apparently Man City had scouts at Porto's last league game

Eustaquio always struck me as a Pep player.

[dyslexic nam]

That would be pretty crazy.  If guys manage to either up their game just a bit, or recapture previous inertia (depending on who we are talking about) you could conceivably have Canadian players at Bayern, ManCity, Inter and one of the many destinations David was linked to (Inter, Spurs, etc).  I know that is a pretty stretch, but just a few years ago that sort of scenario would have been utterly ridiculous.