FLC OF B737-200 MISSES XING RESTR ON ARR RTE.

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WHILE I WAS GETTING ATIS THE FO WAS TOLD TO CROSS PLEASANT AT 12000 FT AT 250 KTS. WE WERE AT 90 DME AT 26000 FT. I WAS TRYING TO MONITOR HIM AND GET ATIS AND GATE INFO. WE HAD NEVER FLOWN TOGETHER BEFORE. WE HAD A 70-80 KT TAILWIND. WHEN HE DIDN'T START DOWN AT 80 DME; I TOLD HIM TO EXPEDITE DSCNT WITH SPD BRAKES DEPLOYED AND THAT HE WAS VERY HIGH. HE WAS TOO SLOW AND WAS OBVIOUSLY CONFUSED. I TOLD HIM HE ONLY HAD 17 DME TO FIX AND I ASKED ATC TO GIVE US AN OFF COURSE VECTOR AND TOLD THEM WE COULD NOT MEET THE XING RESTR. THE FO WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHERE HE WAS. I SETTLED HIM DOWN AND LET HIM CONTINUE TO FLY TO REGAIN SOME CONFIDENCE. I ALSO TOOK HDOF TO APCH AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. WE FINALLY GOT TO 12000 FT ABOUT 10 MI PAST THE INTENDED FIX. ONCE ON THE GND; I CALLED APCH ON MY OWN INITIATIVE AND THEY SAID 'NO PROB.' I BELIEVE THE PROB IS ONE OF HIRING AND TRAINING. THIS YOUNG MAN IS FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY; AND SPEAKS SEVERAL LANGUAGES; BUT OCCASIONALLY GETS CONFUSED. ATC HAS HIM REPEAT THE SIMPLEST COMS. HE NEEDS MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THE UNITED STATES ATC SYS AND AIRLINE STRUCTURE. MAYBE I SHOULD BE MORE CAUTIOUS WHEN FACED WITH THIS PARTICULAR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAVE FLOWN WITH HIM 3 MORE DAYS SINCE I WROTE THIS RPT. SAME PROBS WITH SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.