Yow's one of those players I honestly don't see the point of. A nice developmental player for DC United but when you're talking the USMNT pipeline from middle schooler to professional, does anyone, anywhere think he has what it takes to play Mexico for the seniors 2 or 3 years from now? I don't know anyone anywhere, I doubt even he thinks that. Nice young player, but senior team material prospect? Not a chance. I'll gladly eat crow on that if I'm wrong, but honestly, why aren't we speculating more on players w/legit long term upside rather than guys w/high floors like him? It just makes no sense to me, especially w/a team that's a bit weak in terms of creative attacking talent. Roll the dice on a more volatile prospect, we don't need a high floor guy like him for anything other than Concacaf qualifying, if that. Watch him score in the 2nd half.
Busio quick of thought and has the technical chops to usually get himself out of trouble...Yow not so much
Definitely- with Busio it's not so much his offensive value I question- more his ability to help win a few balls back and close out defensively.
Lovable playing from the back. Again. With KHF being the only solid passer out of four defenders. Most passes to midfielders are hospital balls. Busio is quick enough to do something with those, the rest aren't. We will never see whether Gio is as good as Schalke thinks he is, he doesn't get the ball upfront.
Can’t have Saldana and Lleyva in at the same time. Absolutely no athleticism in CM is getting us killed. Scally needs to play far more conservatively because of this deficit. Yow needs to go. AOC on for Yow (Pepi’s been poor, but Yow just can’t do it at this level) Kayo on for Lleyva (Lleyva just can’t move. He’s not a box to box at all. He’s a slower Zelalem with slower feet and more passing range) Saldana is actually worse but if Lleyva isn’t a 6 either Saldana needs to stay
This team has struggled to clear the ball out and at one point attempted to back heel a ball that went straight to a another Senegal player. Why.
You're right on that. I think I'm confused on Reyna in terms of athleticism. I never have looked at him as an athletic player, but rather as a smart, very technical, tall player. Speedy and/or athletic, not really, and yeah, the team as a whole lacks that quality beyond a couple of players here and there. I still think they're a good group and hopefully we survive this group of death, but yeah, it's a spotty collection, feels like the first time since 2013 U20's and 2015 U20's a youth squad has had a rather large gap in terms of upside talent players. I felt the '15 and '17 U17 crops (especially if we use our, instead of the idiots selections in '17) were legit deep and top heavy, and I thought the '17 and '19 U20's were really deep, while the '15 crop was more, defense, keeper, and maybe 1 or 2 attacking players. This team kinda feels like the '15 U20's where there's a handful of guys you could see pushing through, but a lot of filler overall.
Because pretty much all U17 games are error-prone affairs that have stretches of lack of cohesion, etc. Even in CONCACAF qualifying, against worst opposition, these types of things aren't unuseable. It seems like you expect it to be played at a high level for adults.
I would say no, barring some unforeseeable growth spurt and gain in athleticism. That said, that is a position we are very weak at. But Wicky should have brought Pynadath as a super sub option. He's even an effective one at the Eerste Divisie level currently. And if that's the case, why be tethered to playing that 433 formation? Instead play AOC up top next to Pepi and play a diamond. AOC is a better prospect/player at this level. And it would allow us to be more direct + win more balls in cm. Not doing that now or finding outlets, contributing to a lot of back passes, but that's partially the keep possession at all costs instruction.
All I hear is that Wicky is a great coach. He’s the one whose deciding to play this guy all these games, even though everyone sees he adds nothing and there are much better options. I think we shouldn’t criticize the kid too much for not being good and should instead ask why the coach is using a guy who we all know has no business being anywhere near this team.
Don't think this game calls for AOC on the right if we're getting killed there. I'd rather him be a 75th minute sub up top and just tell Pepi to press the hell out of Senegal for now. He can use his body to shield the ball at least, which is more than you can say for some of the players out there right now. Second half I want: ------------------Pepi----------------- Reyna--------------------------Busio ----------Leyva------Kayo---------- ---------------Saldana--------------- Armour----Kobe---Gray----Scally
Senegal is more athletic, but I'm not sure too many personnel changes are going to rectify that. Perhaps Kayo. What we need more of is our better players stepping up. Too often they more talented guys are acting like they are playing with a top flight team, where they are dumping the ball off quickly on the easy play, instead of realizing that they are significantly better than their teammates. KHF is really the only guy stepping up. I think Pepi is trying to. Busio, Leyva and Reyna need to.
He glides passed opponents like they're not there. At times he's even done it today against Senegal. And they're a 9 or 10 out of 10 in terms of athleticism. Most of the time he's at least matched them stride for stride and only got pushed off the ball once. And that was more a footwork issue.
Considering the fact that most of these are pros, I guess maybe I’m expecting too much from them to play basic soccer and well, you know, not give possession away so cheaply in transition?
I know you love Scally, but he's been subpar. He continues to ignore defense, and it's taking him a long time to realize that he's slower than the guys he's going up against.
So far Pepi lost every single challenge. So far Pepi lost every single challenge. Reyna is OK when he gets to the ball, Busio is by far the best our poayer.
They are playing against strong opponents who can effect that. And anyway, the vast majority of the pro experience in this squad is at the USL level. Which isn't the prettiest soccer.
First game you've seen? Maybe they're an ill-fated partnership in some games, like when they play a highly athletic opponent with some ball skills, such as Senegal. But in regionals, against Latin American sides especially, they really controlled possession, and pressured the opposition into TO's, to boss the mf. Leyva is little like Zelalem. He's got a tremendous motor, is more physical, and a decent ball-winner. At 16-17 he was already a better player in MLS.