2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship: USA vs. Costa Rica 11/16 7:30 ET

Why will Aranguiz be the #10 next season? You lament Pomykal's lack of production (through injuries, inconsistent timing of appearances), yet you are handing a spot to a less productive player. Aranguiz played 280 minutes after he came in. He has 0 goals and 0 assists. What has he shown to say he should be a starter over Pomykal?

We have seen yet again that he's ready for MLS minutes. I think he's been the USA's best player in this tournament. FC Dallas needs to commit to integrating him into the team regularly, otherwise they should sell him. I think that would be the way out of doing developing one of their most talented academy products that they signed to develop, so I'd rather see him play regularly for them this season. He has earned minutes. He has nothing more to prove at lower levels. He's been really good at just about every lower-level imaginable (academy, YNT's, reserve team games).

 

As I said, I would sell him. ​

I thought Aranguiz was the more dynamic player of the two. We can disagree on that. I'm not saying "hand the job to Aranguiz." It should be a competition if Paxton is going to be in the squad.

I would note that we have no idea who the next coach will be. Maybe they'll play a flat 4-4-2 as opposed to a 4-2-3-1. We also have no clue what the new general manager is going to do. Maybe he'll go out and sign another veteran #10. I don't know. Lots up in the air right now.

 

I think the issue with your analysis is that you are so insistent on not judging Pomykal on his good play from every youth level he's played at and want to judge him on what you have watched for the first team of FC Dallas in these limited minutes that come at very inconsistent times.

Is that fair to any player? If they don't immediately have huge success, we should ignore that at other levels they've proven to be great? FC Dallas is a team that has had trouble scoring in recent years when the games matter. They bring in all these players that we are told must be better than young Americans, and they don't produce. Why would they not want to believe that Pomykal's success at lower levels can translate? They need all the help they can get.

 

We will see after next summer after the U17 World Cup and it will basically be back to square one with him regarding his international future.

 

lol

 

Fairness has nothing to do with it.

I've said three times now that I would want it to be a competition. Aranguiz and Pomykal (as well as others like Mosquera) are going to start with a clean slate under a new coach, and may the best player win.

Youth performances, even in this CONCACAF tournament, have nothing to do with evaluating Pomykal for first team player selection. The reporters at FCD training over the season reported that Paxton wasn't earning playing time based on his level of play there. I don't know why that is. Those same people are lavishing praise on Thomas Roberts. I talked to somebody close to FCD last week who said he thought Roberts was ALREADY ahead of Pax on the depth chart.

 

I also thought Soto was just average and the team looked better with Rennicks (I do want to see him again to see if travel and the climate acclimation affected his play). Rennicks reminds me of why the US used to do well with just college players who were big and strong and worked really hard. Now we have more technical players who are usually smaller, weaker and may not play as hard. Once we get get the best of both to mesh we will have arrived.

Dest was terrific. Great first touch, nice moves and great at passing. Will be in the running for full team right back in the future.

Mendez and Llanez are good players with great scoring instincts. Not sure if that will be enough for the full national team but as goals are hard to come by they might push players who maybe better all around but don't add that scoring threat. Those two along with Servania and Pomykol also add some much needed long distance scoring that has been missing from US teams for a while.

I thought Pomykol was the player of the match. He muffed a pretty easy chance at goal he created for himself and would have had an assist on a great pass that Akinola mashed off the woodwork. But even without those he was stealing, tackling, cutting in and out, combing setting up others and must have been fouled 8-10 times.

I wished to see Richards but seeing Soto struggle it makes sense to not create a possible problem with center-backs that haven't played together yet and Real is pretty solid. I'd like to see Richards pair with Real or McKenzie in the next game depending on whether giving McKenzie a rest or using the game to let McKenzie / Richards get a game together is more important.

In my mind I want to play the what if everyone were available game but instead will enjoy that at least at this level the US outplayed a good team better than England outplayed the senior team. We may take our lumps for a few more years until all our good young players grow up enough to compete with men but make no mistake there are just too many good players coming for the team not be on a major upward move fairly soon. Reminds me of England and France just five to eight or so years behind.

 

First I hope Brandom Jesus and paxton get a chance at fair competition from Nee coach

I’ve watched all these boys for years. Thomas Roberts is a great player but he’s no where near ahead of paxton. Kudos to Thomas, he’s had a great year and doing very well.

Remind you, paxton played I think 125 minutes, of course the media say he’s not progressing, I would say the same. Look at his progression at u20 in just 4 weeks of competition. I’ve watched all the games and it’s clear. I’ve read the same reports of lazy, but he can’t come in here this fit with his last 90 min game being dallas cup if he was lazy. Point is he hasn’t played anywhere and that hurt his stock. You see what you hear. Tab Ramos has corrected that.

Jesus good year in usl. Not physical enough to start every day, but should get 15 games. He deserves it.

Servania has a great year. Played very well in usl. He’s challenging for starting 6/8. He should replace ulluoa. Watch this happen and he’ll play 15 games minimum.

Reggie had a great year after an awful year because coach didn’t play him or give him a chance. Remember this before you rate paxton or Brandon Thomas, or Brian next year.

If Richards was in dallas no one would rate him either because he would have stayed in academy.

 

I’m not saying Soto shouldn’t start again, just saying he didn’t impress against CR. Honduras is always dirty and we’re going to need Soto for the final. Best not to risk anyone we don’t need to. If Llanez and Mendez are physically ok I wouldn’t start them either.

 

I wouldn't mind Rennicks starting against Honduras. We've achieved the #1 result in qualifying, but we should still be able to get a draw with some squad rotation. Honduras will likely bunker to avoid losing by 4 goals and Rennicks is the type that will just annoy the hell out of them and probably draw a PK.

Assuming we get to the final two days later, then Soto starts.

 

Does this page only go to Montserrat for everyone? You have to search for any team after that alphabetically.

 

He's actually the old style solid body type that their hacking won't impact as much and may even hurt themselves attempting. Akinola too. Why there needs to be some players brought in just for CONCACAF qualifying at all ages and some who may play later but will get damaged in these games and may be better with small minutes or no minutes.

 

WHAT. A. RIP. 😱

Alex Mendez fires from 30 yards away to give the 🇺🇸 a 1-0 lead vs. 🇨🇷! pic.twitter.com/BKgoXTFlvT

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) November 17, 2018

Just Uly doing Uly things! 🤷🏽‍♂️

Ulysses Llanez scores his 7th (!) goal of #CU20 to double the 🇺🇸's lead! pic.twitter.com/VZpu08b0VB

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) November 17, 2018

Perfect restart! 🙌

Juan Pablo Torres bags a goal and the U-20 #USMNT now leads 🇨🇷 3-0! pic.twitter.com/qIq1uwa6ey

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) November 17, 2018

One more for insurance.

Ayo Akinola takes flight for the 4-0 advantage against Costa Rica at #CU20! pic.twitter.com/XCycPkJPIk

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) November 17, 2018