2013 U20 World Cup Roster Thread

Discussion in 'Youth National Teams' started by Real Corona, Feb 26, 2013.

  1. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I'd say we're unquestionably better.....................the problem is our target has moved. Plenty of nations have gotten a lot better. Spain at virtually all levels is ridiculous right now. So when you go up against them at the U20 level, prepare to learn a harsh lesson. France isn't messing around when it comes to their youth and development program. And Ghana's a lot more organized than they were a decade ago.

    We had a really tough group here. I'm not making excuses for the sake of making excuses. This was the "group of death" and we weren't as good as those other elite teams.

    I think our problem this cycle was that we were badly out-coached, ahs Tab Ramos learned on the job. And the U20 coach is in parts a scout and talent evaluator, and I really question a number of his roster decisions. But I think a large portion of this U20 squad and pool have legitimately high ceilings when it comes to their pro potential. We normally say about 4-5 players from a U20 cycle should get USMNT caps in the future. I have a feeling we'll get more than that from this group.
     
  2. Brown Shark

    Brown Shark Member

    Feb 8, 2013
    Upstate NY
    It's all a learning experience. Our players have a better understanding of how they relate to other countries in their age group. This should drive them to get better, to improve every day and never quit.

    For me the biggest difference is the first two touches. Spain and France always receive the ball knowing where they're going next. The US guys are a second too slow in their thought. As for the guys who I think get senior caps: Gil, Yedlin, Cropper, and Villarreal. Maybe Joya as well.

    Sure it's disappointing but that goes with the American mentality of winning OR losing. It's never that simple.

    On to 2015!
     
  3. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I like you first quote..."we are better, the problem is our target has moved" so true.
    I think we made progress in the way we play from mid to forward. The defense and goalie are pretty much stuck on neutral and needs to catch up to the other groups. Is it me, or the U23 and U20 classes have been very weak on goalie and defense?
     
  4. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was so impressed by our play in qualifying this cycle. Without a doubt we are still one of the kings of CONCACAF but we have to start doing things at the highest level and I believe that is soon to come.


    Thanks for giving us hope guys.:thumbsup:
     
  5. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Performance-wise that's probably true.

    It seems, based on our history, that we have an enormous number of "late bloomers" when it comes to keepers and defenders. Even some forwards. After Bradenton, I don't think McInerney played an important role for either the U20's or U23's. (memory is hazy. could be wrong about that) Neither did Will Bruin. Those guys are now on the Gold Cup roster while Porter selected guys like Tony Taylor and Teal Bunbury for the U23 team. The pool just evolves greatly over time. From year to year there's an ebb and flow to it.

    Sandon has posted about the inexplicable selections Ramos just made at the keeper position, and he's undoubtedly right. There are quite a number of U20 keepers now that are doing very well in the NCAAs that will be probably be playing MLS some day. (Gomez of Georgetown, Bono of Syracuse, etc.) I don't know how McIntosh or Steffen were selected..................

    As always we have to be mindful that these rosters are only 21 players, and we have a much bigger pool than that out there. And the gap between many of the selected youngsters and the rest of the elite pool is minimal. We just assume these are "the guys" going forward, because for many of us these are simply the guys we know the most about.
     
  6. drgonzo

    drgonzo Member+

    Jun 1, 2011
    Club:
    San Diego Flash
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good: O'Neill, Gil and Yedlin

    Disappointing: Villarreal, Joya

    Out of all the players I would say the one guy I'm most worried about is Villarreal. He wasn't bad during the tournament, it was worse then that. He looked like he was never there. Have to wonder if he can get back on track with LA but with Zardes and Mcbean ahead of him mins will be hard to come by.

    Also going to watch the Trapp situation very closely. Thought he did well against some of the best midfields in the tourney. It'll be interesting if he gets loaned out or if he can get some sub mins off the Crew bench.

    Joya needs to start getting some mins at Santos or consider asking for a loan to a 2nd division side.
     
  7. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    The Crew are actually quite deep at the position Trapp plays................right? He's gonna struggle to get playing time this season. Like a number of these players, next year is going to be when Trapp should break thru.

    Villarreal is up and down, up and down, up and down. He'll look fantastic in one game, and then completely disappear in the next. The cure for that kind of inconsistency is consistent playing time, which may be possible for him with the Gals. Remember that Donovan will be gone for a significant period for the Gold Cup. Zardes, McBean, and Villarreal are 3 very different types of players. So it's all up to what Arena wants to do against a given opponent.
     
  8. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If Trapp can get a bit stronger and tougher he could be an exceptional player.
     
  9. YanksAreComing

    Mar 1, 2012
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll add to this list:

    Fourth- Tremendous experiences for a lot of these guys. From the start of qualifying, they had to deal with Mexican crowds booing them and rooting for the other side. This of course culminated in the Final, in a jam-packed stadium, in Mexico, in front of a hostile crowd, with a trophy on the line, and going into extra time. Then Toulon where they got to take on a lot of French 92s and Colombia, who, when you look at the Round of 16 draw, has a legit shot to go deep into this tournament. Then finally, the Group of Death, where they saw some of, if not the, best teams and/or players in the world at their age group in all 3 games. Some great, great stuff to this end. Yes, I'm disappointed in how it ultimately turned out too, but like you said, plenty of positives from this cycle.
     
  10. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We drew with the winner of the U20 WC, lost against against the 3rd place team and lost against Spain.

    The sky is surely falling
     
  11. genom

    genom Member

    May 27, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I made a video of DeAndre Yedlin's best moments during the U20 World Cup.

     
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  12. soccerusa517

    soccerusa517 Member+

    Jun 23, 2009
    Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd start Trapp instead of Kevan fricking George. But I'm not the airhead coaching the Crew.
     
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  13. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    What impresses me the most is his hair is never out of place.
     
  14. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yedlin will be an elite RB once he improves his marking, passing and vision.
     
  15. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think Trapp has already proven that he is a starter.
     
  16. USvsIRELAND

    USvsIRELAND Member+

    Jul 19, 2004
    ATL
    If you're a "happy settler" thats fine with me.

    I'm not a happy settler.

    Our team could have done better, alot better.
     
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  17. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    We could argue endlessly about whether a hypothetical group of U20 players not exactly the same as the one Tab selected would have done better than the one he did, but I don't see much point. As for whether this specific group could have done better -- I'm honestly not so sure.

    Some better finishing and/or a better game plan might have limited the Spain loss to two goals instead of four. The France draw was solid, businesslike tournament play for which they deserve credit. Ghana ran them off the field in a crucial game.

    I frankly think that, as a selection of our top players in this age group, there were some pretty good characteristics on display and maybe even a few potentially exceptional players. They played very good opponents, of course; still, the next step, in the context of this tournament, seems like a pretty big one that they didn't really show much sign of being able to make.
     
  18. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    To many MexAmerican players, Spanish heritage players/coach for him to criticize.

    Haven't u figured out his MO yet?
     
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  19. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    It seems to me that it is possible to be critical of our players who are Mexican-American without criticizing them for being Mexican-American. It also seems to me that some people believe otherwise.
     
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  20. YanksAreComing

    Mar 1, 2012
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Did anyone else notice how the similarities for the US between this tournament and the 2006 World Cup?

    USA opens with a bad loss to a European team.

    Second game a hard fought come from behind draw against a powerhouse team that goes on to win the tournament in penalties.

    Third game, win and advance to knockout round, a disappointing loss to Ghana.
     
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  21. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    What I have learned is that we are way to forgiving of Liga MX produced players.

    Liga MX is a better league than MLS, but really only their top, top players can cut it internationally.

    Gil was our best player, and even though JV had a crappy tourney, I have seen enough of him to feel he is still right up there...MLS guys.

    Joya can go either way. I think Pineda (another MLSer) has real bite, brains and some promise.

    All the last few years has taught me is that Liga MX players shouldn't be thought of so highly...unless they are knocking the doors off it. Unfortunately, if that happens, unless we get our hooks into them right away...Mexico usually has the inside track. Hell, who are two key guys we were missing...Packwood and Pelosi of course.
     
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  22. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    We didn't get our ass handed to us in game three in 2006.
     
  23. YanksAreComing

    Mar 1, 2012
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well of course it wasn't exactly the same, but some pretty coincidental similarities from a US standpoint, in my opinion.
     
  24. YanksAreComing

    Mar 1, 2012
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Jack with U-20s and U-23s:

    Not much of a role at all with the U-20s and I think he could have made a massive difference in that Guatemala game. Oh well.

    The U-23s he was a regular call up early in the 3-4 November-January camps and seemed to be in contention before not getting called up to the last one prior to qualifying, which included the Mexico friendly, and obviously didn't end up making the qualifying squad. Got lost in the numbers and was in a tough spot as a 1992.
     
  25. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Is McInerney a center forward or a winger? If the answer is "neither", then he didn't have much of a role to play on youth teams that completely committed to a 4-3-3. And of course it didn't help that he wasn't getting much time for Philly and that he was young within his age cohort at both levels, as you mention.
     

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