Who is going to play defense? U-23's Area of Most Concern

Looking at our forwards, midfielders, and goalkeepers, we look pretty strong. but let's look at our defenders...especially, our center backs....who the hell is there?

Are we going to have to try and convert some midfielders like Okugo, Balchan, Morales (if he chooses US), and D. Williams to play along the backline? Right now, we do not have one quality CB in the pool.

Porter's tendency has been to field smaller center backs such as Julian Valentin, who is a good option there.

As an aside, I'd be grateful to anyone who can provide an up-to-date rundown on the pool as a whole. If something like that exists among the 1200+ posts in the U23 pool thread, it isn't easy to locate.

The First Law of the YNT Boards is that Julian Valentin is never a good option.

(I know you meant Zarek)

Sure. This is the big tent version, with select 1993s thrown in at my discretion.

GK
Joseph Bendik -- 1989 -- Sogndal (Norway)
David Bingham -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Cody Cropper -- 1993 -- Ipswich Town (England)
Bill Hamid -- 1990 -- DC United
Sean Johnson -- 1989 -- Chicago Fire
Jonathan Kempin -- 1993 -- Sporting Kansas City
Josh Lambo -- 1990 -- FC Dallas
Zac MacMath -- 1991 -- Philadelphia Union
Bryan Meredith -- 1989 -- Seattle Sounders
Brian Perk -- 1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Kevin Piedrahita -- 1991 -- América de Cali (Colombia)
Ismael Ruíz -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Daniel Schmidt -- 1992 -- Kawasaki Frontale (Japan)
Brian Sylvestre -- 1992 -- Vancouver Whitecaps

DF
Gale Agbossoumonde -- 1991 -- Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Ventura Alvarado -- 1992 -- Club América (Mexico)
Shawn Barry -- 1990 -- LASK Linz (Austria)
John Anthony Brooks -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Timothy Chandler -- 1990 -- Nürnberg (Germany)
Sean Cunningham -- 1993 -- Molde (Norway)
Kyle Davies -- 1989 -- Toronto FC
Bryan de la Fuente -- 1992 -- Chivas USA
Bilal Duckett -- 1989 -- Vancouver Whitecaps
Kevin Ellis -- 1991 -- Sporting Kansas City
Moises Hernandez -- 1992 -- FC Dallas
Sacir Hot -- 1991 -- New York Red Bulls
Perry Kitchen -- 1992 -- DC United
Tyler Lassiter -- 1989 -- New York Red Bulls
Daniel Navarro -- 1991 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Juan Pablo Ocegueda -- 1993 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Ike Opara -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Emilio Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Kofi Sarkodie -- 1991 -- Houston Dynamo
Ben Sippola -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Chris Taylor -- 1989 -- Portland Timbers
Ryan Thomas --1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Zarek Valentin -- 1991 -- Chivas USA
Korey Veeder -- 1991 -- Columbus Crew
Anthony Wallace -- 1989 -- Colorado Rapids
Parker Walsh -- 1991 -- Karlsruher SC (Germany)
Ethan White -- 1991 -- DC United
Sheanon Williams -- 1990 -- Philadelphia Union

MF
Freddy Adu -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Davy Armstrong -- 1991 -- Colorado Rapids
Rich Balchan -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Danny Barrera -- 1990 -- Spartak Zlatibor Voda (Serbia)
Diego Chavarri -- 1989 -- Sporting Cristal (Peru)
Joe Corona -- 1990 -- Club Tijuana (Mexico)
Danny Cruz -- 1990 -- Houston Dynamo
Mikkel Diskerud -- 1990 -- Stabæk (Norway)
Bryan Dominguez -- 1991 -- América de Cali (Colombia)
Dilly Duka -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Steven Emory -- 1989 -- Colorado Rapids
Jorge Flores -- 1989 -- Chivas USA
Victor Garza -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Josh Gatt -- 1991 -- Molde (Norway)
Blair Gavin -- 1989 -- Chivas USA
Luis Gil -- 1993 -- Real Salt Lake
Cole Grossman -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Joseph Gyau -- 1992 -- Hoffenheim (Germany)
Kevin Huezo -- 1991 -- Pachuca (Mexico)
Fabian Hürzeler -- 1993 -- Bayern Munich (Germany)
Jared Jeffrey -- 1990 -- Mainz (Germany)
Matt Kassel -- 1989 -- New York Red Bulls
Ryan Kinne -- 1989 -- New England Revolution
Morgan Langley -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Sebastian Lletget -- 1992 -- West Ham United (England)
Carlos Martinez -- 1992 -- Rot-Weiss Erfurt (Germany)
Alfredo Morales -- 1990 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Nico Muniz -- 1992 -- Real Salt Lake
Francisco Navas -- 1991 -- Houston Dynamo
Ernest Nungaray -- 1992 -- Monarcas Morelia (Mexico)
Amobi Okugo -- 1991 -- Philadelphia Union
Moises Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Ryan Richter -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Conor Shanosky -- 1991 -- DC United
Brek Shea -- 1990 -- FC Dallas
Josue Soto -- 1989 -- Houston Dynamo
Andrew Sousa -- 1989 -- New England Revolution
Michael Stephens -- 1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Victor Ulloa -- 1992 -- FC Dallas
Daniel Williams -- 1989 -- Hoffenheim (Germany)
Devann Yao -- 1990 -- RBD Borinage (Belgium)

FW
Amro Tarek Abdel-Aziz -- 1992 -- Freiburg (Germany)
Chris Agorsor -- 1990 -- Real Salt Lake
Juan Agudelo -- 1992 -- New York Red Bulls
Jozy Altidore -- 1989 -- AZ (Netherlands)
Villyan Bijev -- 1993 -- Fortuna Düsseldorf (Germany)
Tristan Bowen -- 1991 -- Roeselare (Belgium)
Terrence Boyd -- 1991 -- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Blake Brettschneider -- 1989 -- DC United
Danijal Brkovic -- 1991 -- Velez Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Will Bruin -- 1989 -- Houston Dynamo
Teal Bunbury -- 1990 -- Sporting Kansas City
Dzenan Catic -- 1992 -- Kaiserslautern
Kenneth Di Vita Jensen -- 1990 -- Hønefoss (Norway)
Lester Dewee -- 1992 -- Ängelholm (Sweden)
Alex Dixon -- 1990 -- Houston Dynamo
Conor Doyle -- 1991 -- Derby County (England)
Jann George -- 1992 -- Nürnberg (Germany)
Corey Hertzog -- 1990 -- New York Red Bulls
Aaron Horton -- 1992 -- Columbus Crew
Stefan Jerome -- 1992 -- Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic)
Jerome Kiesewetter -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Matt Luzunaris -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Peri Marosevic -- 1989 -- Toronto FC
Jack McInerney -- 1992 -- Philadelphia Union
Ellis McLoughlin -- 1990 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Samuel Petrone -- 1989 -- Mjällby (Sweden)
Adrian Ruelas -- 1991 -- Jaguares (Mexico)
Soony Saad -- 1992 -- Sporting Kansas City
Omar Salgado -- 1993 -- Vancouver Whitecaps
Tony Taylor -- 1989 -- Atlético CP (Portugal)
Donny Toia -- 1992 -- Real Salt Lake
Jonathan Top -- 1993 -- FC Dallas
Andrew Wiedeman -- 1989 -- FC Dallas
Bobby Wood -- 1992 -- 1860 Munich
Andrew Wooten -- 1989 -- Kaiserslautern

very good list. i took the liberty to BOLD those players that have been getting (semi)-regular senior/1st team minutes this season ... just to help people get an idea of who's playing in this very large tent pool of players.

obviously i could have missed some, i follow mls pretty closely but don't know about every euro player. i am sure others do tho so please, everybody, add your two cents and BOLD any players you know are getting (semi)-regular 1st team minutes for their club (not reserve/youth team minutes).

GK
Joseph Bendik -- 1989 -- Sogndal (Norway)
David Bingham -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Cody Cropper -- 1993 -- Ipswich Town (England)
Bill Hamid -- 1990 -- DC United
Sean Johnson -- 1989 -- Chicago Fire
Jonathan Kempin -- 1993 -- Sporting Kansas City
Josh Lambo -- 1990 -- FC Dallas
Zac MacMath -- 1991 -- Philadelphia Union
Bryan Meredith -- 1989 -- Seattle Sounders
Brian Perk -- 1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Kevin Piedrahita -- 1991 -- América de Cali (Colombia)
Ismael Ruíz -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Daniel Schmidt -- 1992 -- Kawasaki Frontale (Japan)
Brian Sylvestre -- 1992 -- Vancouver Whitecaps

DF
Gale Agbossoumonde -- 1991 -- Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Ventura Alvarado -- 1992 -- Club América (Mexico)
Shawn Barry -- 1990 -- LASK Linz (Austria)
John Anthony Brooks -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Timothy Chandler -- 1990 -- Nürnberg (Germany)
Sean Cunningham -- 1993 -- Molde (Norway)
Kyle Davies -- 1989 -- Toronto FC
Bryan de la Fuente -- 1992 -- Chivas USA
Bilal Duckett -- 1989 -- Vancouver Whitecaps
Kevin Ellis -- 1991 -- Sporting Kansas City
Moises Hernandez -- 1992 -- FC Dallas
Sacir Hot -- 1991 -- New York Red Bulls
Perry Kitchen -- 1992 -- DC United
Tyler Lassiter -- 1989 -- New York Red Bulls
Daniel Navarro -- 1991 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Juan Pablo Ocegueda -- 1993 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Ike Opara -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Emilio Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Kofi Sarkodie -- 1991 -- Houston Dynamo
Ben Sippola -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Chris Taylor -- 1989 -- Portland Timbers
Ryan Thomas --1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Zarek Valentin -- 1991 -- Chivas USA
Korey Veeder -- 1991 -- Columbus Crew
Anthony Wallace -- 1989 -- Colorado Rapids
Parker Walsh -- 1991 -- Karlsruher SC (Germany)
Ethan White -- 1991 -- DC United
Sheanon Williams -- 1990 -- Philadelphia Union

MF
Freddy Adu -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Davy Armstrong -- 1991 -- Colorado Rapids
Rich Balchan -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Danny Barrera -- 1990 -- Spartak Zlatibor Voda (Serbia)
Diego Chavarri -- 1989 -- Sporting Cristal (Peru)
Joe Corona -- 1990 -- Club Tijuana (Mexico)
Danny Cruz -- 1990 -- Houston Dynamo
Mikkel Diskerud -- 1990 -- Stabæk (Norway)
Bryan Dominguez -- 1991 -- América de Cali (Colombia)
Dilly Duka -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Steven Emory -- 1989 -- Colorado Rapids
Jorge Flores -- 1989 -- Chivas USA
Victor Garza -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Josh Gatt -- 1991 -- Molde (Norway)
Blair Gavin -- 1989 -- Chivas USA
Luis Gil -- 1993 -- Real Salt Lake
Cole Grossman -- 1989 -- Columbus Crew
Joseph Gyau -- 1992 -- Hoffenheim (Germany)
Kevin Huezo -- 1991 -- Pachuca (Mexico)
Fabian Hürzeler -- 1993 -- Bayern Munich (Germany)
Jared Jeffrey -- 1990 -- Mainz (Germany)
Matt Kassel -- 1989 -- New York Red Bulls
Ryan Kinne -- 1989 -- New England Revolution
Morgan Langley -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Sebastian Lletget -- 1992 -- West Ham United (England)
Carlos Martinez -- 1992 -- Rot-Weiss Erfurt (Germany)
Alfredo Morales -- 1990 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Nico Muniz -- 1992 -- Real Salt Lake
Francisco Navas -- 1991 -- Houston Dynamo
Ernest Nungaray -- 1992 -- Monarcas Morelia (Mexico)
Amobi Okugo -- 1991 -- Philadelphia Union
Moises Orozco -- 1992 -- Tigres (Mexico)
Ryan Richter -- 1989 -- Philadelphia Union
Conor Shanosky -- 1991 -- DC United
Brek Shea -- 1990 -- FC Dallas
Josue Soto -- 1989 -- Houston Dynamo
Andrew Sousa -- 1989 -- New England Revolution
Michael Stephens -- 1989 -- Los Angeles Galaxy
Victor Ulloa -- 1992 -- FC Dallas
Daniel Williams -- 1989 -- Hoffenheim (Germany)
Devann Yao -- 1990 -- RBD Borinage (Belgium)

FW
Amro Tarek Abdel-Aziz -- 1992 -- Freiburg (Germany)
Chris Agorsor -- 1990 -- Real Salt Lake
Juan Agudelo -- 1992 -- New York Red Bulls
Jozy Altidore -- 1989 -- AZ (Netherlands)
Villyan Bijev -- 1993 -- Fortuna Düsseldorf (Germany)
Tristan Bowen -- 1991 -- Roeselare (Belgium)
Terrence Boyd -- 1991 -- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Blake Brettschneider -- 1989 -- DC United
Danijal Brkovic -- 1991 -- Velez Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Will Bruin -- 1989 -- Houston Dynamo
Teal Bunbury -- 1990 -- Sporting Kansas City
Dzenan Catic -- 1992 -- Kaiserslautern
Kenneth Di Vita Jensen -- 1990 -- Hønefoss (Norway)
Lester Dewee -- 1992 -- Ängelholm (Sweden)
Alex Dixon -- 1990 -- Houston Dynamo
Conor Doyle -- 1991 -- Derby County (England)
Jann George -- 1992 -- Nürnberg (Germany)
Corey Hertzog -- 1990 -- New York Red Bulls
Aaron Horton -- 1992 -- Columbus Crew
Stefan Jerome -- 1992 -- Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic)
Jerome Kiesewetter -- 1993 -- Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Matt Luzunaris -- 1989 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Peri Marosevic -- 1989 -- Toronto FC
Jack McInerney -- 1992 -- Philadelphia Union
Ellis McLoughlin -- 1990 -- San Jose Earthquakes
Samuel Petrone -- 1989 -- Mjällby (Sweden)
Adrian Ruelas -- 1991 -- Jaguares (Mexico)
Soony Saad -- 1992 -- Sporting Kansas City
Omar Salgado -- 1993 -- Vancouver Whitecaps
Tony Taylor -- 1989 -- Atlético CP (Portugal)
Donny Toia -- 1992 -- Real Salt Lake
Jonathan Top -- 1993 -- FC Dallas
Andrew Wiedeman -- 1989 -- FC Dallas
Bobby Wood -- 1992 -- 1860 Munich
Andrew Wooten -- 1989 -- Kaiserslautern

That's mostly true, but I'd offer a few corrections.

Sean Cunningham has hardly played for Molde's first team at all. Just a few cup appearances. He didn't make one appearance in the league. Likewise, Bryan Dominguez is with America de Cali's reserves.

If players like MacMath and McInerney form the lower bound of "semi-regular first team playing time", the following players should also be included:

Shawn Barry
Rich Balchan
Diego Chavarri (when healthy)
Danny Cruz
Amobi Okugo
Brek Shea (ahem, minor oversight!)
Michael Stephens
Kenneth Di Vita Jensen
Peri Marosevic
Tony Taylor

ha. yeah. i missed some the first time thru. i corrected it right after.

i'd say 500 minutes is about what i would want to bold on the list ... at least that is what i sort of went by.

i will make the other corrections you suggested.

tony taylor & chavarri had less than 500 minutes according to transfermarkt.co.uk

Taylor has been starting for his club in Portugal ever since he arrived, but it's not important because he's not going to make this team.

Chavarri's had some injury struggles, but he should be back soon. If healthy, he'd break your 500 minute threshold on merit easily. But again, he's a fringe candidate for this team anyway.

well it is your list so you know more about it than i do, i was just trying to make some sense of all of those names .... highlighting the ones who are actually playing, even a bit, for their 1st team seemed like a good idea.

i can definitely bold those two guys if you say the qualify along with the others i have already done.

It's not very important. It's just a rough guide. There are a number of players who are good enough to be playing regularly for German reserve sides (fourth division) but not yet good enough to be playing regularly for the first team in the Bundesliga. I'm sure some of them would have played as much or more than, say, Omar Salgado in MLS this season, but it's tougher to break into Hertha Berlin than it is to break into the Vancouver Whitecaps. It's not a pointless exercise, but there's a bit of apples and oranges here so it's not worth sweating the details.

very true. but i leave it to those reading to read between the lines and judge the level of the league/competition that the bolded players are starting in.

obviously those kids in the bundesliga have a tougher time breaking in to the first team, same goes for mexico. but playing minutes for the first team, wherever that may be gives people at least some idea of who might be in better shape than some others.

the whole thing is kind of a crap shoot anyway with the whole USSF regime overhauled ... JK and CP may have different taste in players than TR.

If we qualify, I imagine 2 of the overage spots would be used on CB's, whether it be Gonzalez, John, Ream, Cameron, Soares, Anibaba.

For CB, it's slim pickings for qualifying. White will be our most experienced there in terms of game time. Kitchen can play there but it's definitely not his best position. I think BNrooks will be called in.

Opara would be a lock but he's been so injury prone his first 2 seasons. Wallace has also been out for a few months with an injury.

For qualifying, I think we'll see Sheanon Williams at RB, and Valentin will be somewhere, whether as a CB or LB. Valentin played CB for Akron and played a little bit at CB with Chivas USA earlier in the season due to some injuries. Valentin reads the game pretty well, so I don't think it would be a huge stretch to put him at LB, but will obviously hurt offensively.

Bit of an update on Opara from a few days ago.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...ieces-still-missing-quakes-near-season-finale

Also, with the first camp occurring in Germany you have to think Alfredo Morales will be in the mix, even if calling him up for qualifying would be questionable at best.

Lester Dewee has seen some time recently; not sure at which position, as has Stefan Jerome.

Also, Tyler Lassiter was loaned to the Railhawks for the end of the season - I don't know how much PT he got.

I don't know if "1st team minutes" is the most important consideration, that favors MLS guys over players who are on the verge of breaking in to the first team in Europe. 1st team minutes with the Vancouver Whitecaps is not the same thing as Borussia Dortmund. Would anyone in their right mind take Omar Salgado for the Olympic team over Terrence Boyd? And at least Salgado is in the US team picture unlike some of the other MLS guys who are bolded...

That would be my choice as well at the moment. We really, really need Brooks to be the defender we hope he can be. He's still so young for the U23 level, though.

Wallace was benched by Colorado even before he got hurt. I'm not sure that Valentin wouldn't start at LB over him anyway.

does anybody know if the us and mexico are guaranteed to be set up on opposite sides of the concacaf olympic qualifying tourney? so that one cannot knock the other out before the final and thus one of them might not qualify?

We'll be in separate groups, but 2nd place in Group A will play 1st place in Group B and vice versa. If we both win our groups, we can't play until the finals, where we both would have already secured qualification.

The teams qualified for the tourney so far are: US, Mexico, Canada, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Panama/Costa Rica are play a home and home playoff to see who advances.

Two teams out of Cuba, T&T, Suriname, and St. Kitts will be the Caribbean reps.

Andrew Wenger at CB? It's worth a look even though he's playing forward this season. Last season he was 1st team all American and ACC defender of the year playing CB (ahead of Ethan White). Due to his DOB (dec/1990) he has slipped through the cracks in our YNT system

He's very good w/ the ball, athletic, has decent size and is versatile (cb/cm/st). Wenger is the best player I've seen in college this year and should be a top GA target for MLS.

but you are saying that if one or the other of us slips up and doesn't win our group then we play in the semis and one gets no ticket to the olympics? that is a seriously dangerous position to be in ... yikes!

That's what happened in '04. We won our group and Mexico finished 2nd due to GD.