A good day for Pulisic and McKennie yesterday. By the way, I was pondering this yesterday as it relates to McKennie. How many USMNT-eligible MLS academy products have started a game in the Champions League group stage? [Andy Najar of the DCU Academy and Honduras has probably started a group stage game for Anderlecht. Probably...............]
The number of MLS Academy products outside of North America is probably pretty low. Looks like Najar started 6 games between 2013-14 in the UCL. Salcedo hasn't done it, Miazga hasn't done it but it looks like he dressed for a game.
Maurice Edu and Beasley are two others of the top of my head. DMB was an IMG product and Edu went to Maryland for a couple of years IIRC.
Lots of IMG guys. Freddy Adu started a Champions League game or two. The DA and MLS Academies are newer, but not that new. It was an interesting question.
I think it's good to track MLS academy players at this level but the bar has to be substantially higher than our track record when we didn't even have Academies and still sent players to these games.
Having youngsters (lets say U23s) consistently playing in the group stages of the Champions League will be an important step for the program. The MLS academy system only really started in 2007, and that was at only a few clubs. Half of the league didn't exist in 2011 (and we have more expansion on the way). So we're really still in our infancy when it comes to professional youth development. Weston McKennie was at the FC Dallas Academy for 7 years, choosing to move to Schalke as an 18 year old. He's a domestically produced player.. He started his first Bundesliga game within a calendar year of moving to Germany (as did Pulisic actually). So its worth noting this little bit of a cool milestone (first USMNT-eligible MLS academy player to start a game in the group stages of the Champions League). We had two other U23s with a chance of getting playing time in this group stage. Tim Weah of PSG and Keaton Parks of Benfica. Weah spent time at NYRB, but Parks is a non-development academy player. Christian Pulisic with Ethan Horvath after yesterday’s Champions League game. pic.twitter.com/0b2jNDu2tT— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) September 19, 2018
England's World Cup places from '82 onwards are 6th, 8th, 4th, DNQ, 9th, 6th, 7th, 13th, 26th, 4th. Their Euro results from '84 onwards are DNQ, Group Stage, Group Stage, Semis, Group Stage, Quarters, DNQ, Quarters, Rnd16 Beyond a two-cycle blip--the '10 and '14 World Cups--their WC results have been fairly steady regardless of the number of UCL players in the pool.
The 2016 Euro squad only had 4 players that played in the UCL that Spring. Not sure Wilshere even started for Arsenal and Hart was soon to be kicked out of Manchester. That team lost to Iceland. The 2018 WC team had 15 players that played in the UCL that year and came in 4th. Players in the UCL and results at major international tournaments is highly correlated.
McKennie almost certainly out for next CL date as he is out indefinitely with a thigh injury suffered against Bayern yesterday.
I saw somewhere that it was a deep bone bruise and they can take a while to heal (may depend on severity).
Not sure Horvath sees the field this year other than spot starts, which is a shame because he really needs to be playing to build up his confidence. Good to see Pulisic net one though.
I think a year focusing on his game without the pressure of games may be better for his confidence and long term development. He hasn't looked ready for the Jupiler or USMNT. To be honest, he made too many mistakes at Molde that his performances since the move shouldn't be too surprising. He would have to drop down a level or two to be in situation where playing is building confidence. I'd prefer he train day in and day out at a higher level.
I can see some of that too, I always just like my keepers playing. Just my preference, but absolutely getting training and not have to focus on anything but cleaning up mental errors could long term help him more.
Champions League start for McKennie.Quick recovery indeed. https://t.co/bXpJNkQxyx— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) October 3, 2018
We only have two players and only have played in three games but we have two goals and both were dramatic late game winners.
I wish that was true but we have only played 2 of 6 group stage matches and are tied with Porto on 4 points. There is still a long way to go before we are even out of the group.
Najar started and played 90 against Olympiakos in the 13/14 Champions, in a game where Anderlecht were already eliminated. In 14/15, he started all games in the group phase but one, including the tie away at Arsenal where he was one of the best players (5 games). He played 90 minutes in all five games, scored a goal and assisted another. In 17/18 he started against Bayern, got injured early and was replaced. So, Andy has started seven Champions games, played 90 minutes in six of them, and has 1G/1A to his name.
Pulisic and McKennie played today. Horvath started for Brugge and played well in their historic (for them) win today. Big saves, clean sheet. Many around BS had already flushed Ethan down the toilet.
Some of us kept the belief. Steffen and Horvath going forward. At least we don't have to worry so much about goalkeepers anymore.
Hopefully that is true. Our player pool is young and very fluid. There are so many guys at the fringes of top Euro teams that would instantly be call-ups if they got on the field for their first team. Nick Taitague (an example) is usually hurt and with Sxhalke reserves, but Schalke's wingers are not great and a few injuries and the kid could be in. He then goes from nobody to needing a look. Sebastian Soto, Gloster, Dest, Klinsman, Richards, Mendez, are a few more names. This winter break in Germany should be fascinating.
Draw for knockout stages revealed. Weston McKennie and Schalke get Man City. Pulisic and Dortmund get Spurs (if Christian is still at Dortmund). Spectacular. The round of 16 draw 😍Most exciting tie? #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/ZjUBmvLwVl— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 17, 2018
We will see if Wright is added to the UCL roster. Probably everyone is back healthy by then, but you never know.
They have a number of available spots on their list A, so that shouldn't be a problem. I think its more likely he goes out on loan in January than stays at Schalke and isn't registered. He might stay at Schalke and play no part the rest of the season, but they have a lot of available spots. They'd be stupid not to register him. He might also qualify for list B, but I don't know if players who are loaned out can count towards the two years rule.