Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-31278419-20170211023835/@comment-9782468-20170211042059

Sakura was the most level headed out of all of them. That was her purpose in the team back in Part 1. Naruto and Sasuke often got swept up in their competition, and Sakura had to rein them in.

Kakashi couldn't teach them Elemental Release until their chakra control had improved. He did that with the Tree Climbing Exercise. But even with the better chakra control, Elemental Release is extremely difficult to learn. It took the prodigy Sasuke a week before he was able to produce any of his own affinity at all. Naruto managed it later with clones.

In any case, each Ninja kinda develops their own style of fighting. The best way to do that is gradually through experience. That's why they'd go through all those stupid missions in the beginning, to get their feet wet. The whole Zabuza thing was just a bad situation; it was a C rank mission which Kakashi should've been able to handle even with Genin, then it turned into an S rank mission where he had to protect both the client and his team who were hopelessly outmatched. He taught them what he could in that short timeframe; better chakra control.

And it obviously worked; Whereas Sasuke and Naruto could barely handle one Zabuza clone before, Sasuke was able to defeat like 10 of them himself with minimal effort after the training.

The reason Kakashi focused on Sasuke was because he saw how dangerously alike Sasuke was to his younger self. Yes, Sasuke was a prodigy. But in a way, he needed the most help out of any of them. Naruto and Sakura weren't going down a path of hate and vengeance. Sasuke was. Kakashi had to stamp it out fast, and prove to Sasuke that he could become strong by staying with his comrades. Naruto and Sakura didn't need to be convinced.

If you remember, Kakashi was very nearly successful. When he had Sasuke tied to a tree, it was clear Sasuke was rethinking things after Kakashi talked to him. If it wasn't for the Sound 4 fighting him at this crucial moment of decision, Sasuke probably would have stayed. Then Kakashi woulda been able to give equal attention to the entire team.

TL;DR Sakura was level headed and had great chakra control. Naruto was hot-headed but improving fast and very loyal to the Leaf. Both weren't going down dark paths. Sasuke was, so Kakashi needed to convince him otherwise. Would have succeeded if not for the intervention of Sound 4