Sure, but those "rankings" are totally meaningless. Those aren't professional scouts or talent evaluators. The folks who are supposed to be experts at this are the scouts that recommend players for youth national team callups and camps. I generally agree with your point. Paxton Pomykal wasn't on the radar for most until roughly end of the 2015/2016 DA season.
It was my understanding that Cannon and Pomykal were told to go to FCD to be considered for US Youth National teams. That was the word on the street. Ferri was spotted by USYNT scouts who attended a Solar-FCD game, but the scouts were there to watch the FCD players. Ferri was willing to go to Bradenton, so no need to switch to FCD.
There are national team scouts in many cities. In Dallas it was that Dutch guy the current U15 YNT coach Dave Van Den Bergh for several years. These guys also organize all the local practice of national training centers. Some meaningless little history here: Whenever good academy teams play each other, Dave would be there to watch. So Dave knew every good player in Dallas area. Pomykal and Ferri were well known long before they went to YNT, so no big discovery per se. Pomykal has always been one of the best players since age 6-7, everybody knew him. I think they just thought he’s too small so YNT didn’t want him. Another big thing with YNT especially the early U14 camps is that the well known coaches (for instance, Hassan and Kevin Smith in Dallas) with connection just recommend their own players to the early camps. Nobody pushed for Ferri at first, but he played great at annual U14 academy games where many national coaches were watching (also he was sensational at academy Futsal tournament), that’s how he was finally invited. Cannon went to U15 camp when he was still at Solar. He was an awesome CB then. Obviously he is kinda short to be a CB, plus he’s great going forward, so YNT coach told him to tell his coach to play him at RB. His coach (I won’t reveal the name) replied: no, I’m the coach, I decide where you play. That’s why Cannon went to FCD, he actually didn’t even want to leave! It’s true YNT coaches want players to go to FCD, it has more to do with Texans playing the ugliest soccer - Hassan chooses big dudes to play kick ball. Pomykal wasn’t close to make YNT when he was at Texans. He left quite late, U16? Then people realize how good he was when he dominated U18 academy games
The "deserve" thing doesn't always make the most sense. It isn't an absolute. Sargent "deserved" more minutes at Bremen this year but the situation wasn't right. Playing Sargent with seniors will expand his horizons. Playing Sargent with U20's might do just the opposite, not to mention what it does to constrict the careers of those "behind" him like Soto et al. Weah was a little peripheral at u17's where Sargent played cf. Having him take over more of the striker burden with u-20's was a good next step for him.
Also, scouts like Van den Bergh go to local academy teams practice a lot. I saw him all the time (obviously he went to FCD the most). In other words, if you are any good, national scouts know you. Please trust me There is no such thing as falling through the cracks in US youth soccer. If there is, it is only because they don’t like you (just like Pomykal before U16), as opposed to they didn’t know you exist
Pomykal will excel when he gets out of mediocre Dallas and is in a better system than FCD and the U20 NT provides. His talent and style of play suggests superior success when surrounded by higher level off the ball movement and creativity than he currently is.
Pomykal’s through ball to dlF was inch-perfect and well-weighted. He can still crack a defense when the opportunity is presented to him. He’s playing more like an “8” because that’s what he is. Most attackers who aren’t fast, extremely quick with the ball or big and strong simply don’t score that many goals as adults. It’s why I think Soto is milquetoast and Sargent really needs to get stronger. And the guys who can still log assists have outrageous ball-playing abilities, like a Mendez or a Carleton. But Pomykal is strong on the ball and clever. He’s able to move the ball through the middle of the pitch effectively and pitches in defensively. You don’t want him as an “8” on a team that doesn’t play with the ball, but with him out there that might not be a problem.
For what it's worth, that long Nigerian throw that led to the shot that forced Scott into a save? That was a foul throw. Foot was way in bounds. Honestly.
I noticed that as well. Tab should tell our guys to make sure their feet are inbounds and watch the other guys so if there's a goal off a throw in we can complain to VAR if they were over the line
Having these games during Memorial Day weekend was actually worse than during a work week Finally got to watch the whole game. Funny, some players have been given good reviews and others poor reviews. But having watched it: Gloster: The second goal and the pass in stoppage time, that Soto is injured on, were great. But when things were a little dicey in minutes 60-80, Gloster gives the ball away multiple times with no pressure. Several USA players are also giving the ball away at this time, but usually under pressure. Gloster would just try low percentage passes when he could have cycled possession. Durkin also had some giveaways all game. His clearances in the box were mostly weak and central. One of them led to a flurry by Nigeria at the end of the half. Weah was pretty good, much better than people are saying. He generally kept the ball and was active. His shots weren't on frame for the most part, but several required good saves. Was unlucky to not get a goal. Dest was fine, not sure why he was getting so much bad press. Keita defending was generally good. He kind of has Omar disease a bit as you would see him drop rather than hold the line. On the ball, sometimes it seems like he can't decide fast enough what to do. Mendez was great. Seemed off after the head collision. Not sure why he was left out there so long. Did Ramos want him to get a second yellow so he would be clean for France? Pomykal and Richards were also as good as advertised. KDLF is kind of a one trick pony, think it is time for Llanez.
@DHC1 had it. 9th minute of injury time. It was similar to the one he changed his mind and punched at last minute. It was played poorly. Missing it didnt have any ramifications as there was nobody behind him to get on it, but it was low enough that an attacker in front of him could have put it in an open goal.
Interesting take on the game from the Nigerian perspective; a lot of praise for the level our players play at.
We have been hearing about Carleton for years, and the guy still hasn't made his name is MLS for cripes sake. I think it's his mentality/maturity. I was watching a clip of 2017 U-20 game against India, and he scored the third goal. He immediately goes over to the crowd and starts waving as if to say, go home, it's over. This is against India, in India. That is either complete immaturity or being as dumb as a box of rocks. I'm sure the crowd was rooting against the American team, probably vociferously, but have some perspective about where you are and the game situation. I don't think his brain has caught up with his talent yet. Hopefully it will at some point.
so he actually has a personality? we need more of that in us soccer not less....we need players that won't wilt in hostile environments...I didn't know about that but it makes me like him more not less.... Carleton has more first team minutes than richards, dest, kdlf, mendez, gloster and soto COMBINED....none of them have mad a "name" either.... this despite being stuck behind "Tata's Argentinian Underground Railroad" to MLS.... ....kinda harsh to hold his development against considering, imo.
I think the only thingt Pomykal lacks is his talent for eating hotdogs. Carleton has some good passes in him but the kid is fat and out-of-shape. That is a major no-no in an american system that pretty much can only win with fitness and running about looking busy. At least at the senior level.
At 6:07 of that video, the analyst says they need to pick brains over physicality. So they themselves are even admitting their players dont have high soccer IQs. You cant make that up. LMAO
Just finished watching Sokratis mauling Giroud exactly the same way (studs raked just above the ankle.). nothing. Only non European teams ever get shown those kinds of cards.
I thought the start of the 2nd half deserved a little anatomy of a goal, play by play: Soto takes kick off back to Durkin, who takes a couple of touches, then goes square to Dest. Sergino looks to go long to De la Fuente who is making a run down the right wing, but it's well defended, so Dest goes back to Richards. Richards back pass to Scott, who collects, and sends a ball to Keita, who has spaced wide left. Keita pushes slightly forward with his first touch, then sends well weighted little diagonal ball to Weah, who has dropped back centrally into a pocket of space Gloster, before Keita has even released the pass, is sprinting the touch line. Key Play - Weah, first touch, turns quickly, perfect triangular pass to Gloster who has several steps on his marker - Keita-Weah-Gloster sequence, perfectly executed Soccer 101. Gloster then explodes centrally with his dribble, with his marker left chasing his number 45:22 Pomykal has moved out wide left, creating diagonal outlet there and concerning the LCB Mendez is alone, top of the box, 25 yards out and KDLF is calling for the ball wide right; Mendez and KDLF are 2 v 1 vs the Nigerian RB Nigerian RCB caught as to step to the marauding Gloster or track Soto, who is making a run in behind him, ultimately does neither 45:23 Excellently weighted through ball from Gloster to Soto who has timed his run perfectly An aside: there's an angle for Gloster to go square here to Mendez as well who is not marked, and set up Alex's dangerous left boot from 20 yards. Soto lets it roll a bit, steps over the ball, and hits a nice little chipped shot with the outside of his right foot, beating the prone Nigerian keeper. GOAL Interesting little hesitation moves from Soto here. Normally hesitation in the box can't be recommended, but here it works perfectly. It reminds me of something Clint Dempsey might have done. Something just unexpected and tricky enough to unbalance defenders and/or goal keepers
Not sure how you want to explain the comment about our "least intelligent player" "probably having Nigerian heritage." To be fair, I'm not sure if it is racism, but, at the very least, it's really stupid.
I watched this and i frankly don't get it. Its not possible for this team to put together that type of tactical awareness. They are coached by Tab Ramos who most on here think is terrible. I guess it must have been all the U10 coaching they got.....lol
Yeah, well, he did the "throat-cutting" gesture to the crowd... At the time it was commented on as being open to multiple, mostly negative, interpretations. At the very least, it displayed poor judgment.
I interpreted it differently... I think we forget that other countries select players from a wider pool, as well....and that the teams we see at international tourneys aren't the only ones we could've seen from those countries. I thought he was implying that Nigeria selects players from its pool for its national teams to be as physically imposing as possible. They recognize that their players are often very physically imposing...so they take it to the extreme by magnifying that trait that is seen across their player pool when selecting players. He was saying - if I got him - that the thinking that Nigeria can use its superior physicality as an advantage - is obsolete - even at the youth levels where the advantage is historically and theoretically more pronounced. african countries often do better at youth tourneys than adult level (largely b/c of earlier and more pronounced maturation) I thought he was saying that the Nigerian federation needs to start just picking the best technical players and forget about trying to be a physical wrecking ball of a team...which seems pretty smart to me!
I'm not a big fan of Carleton's antics, and I'd really prefer if people posted in the Carleton thread, but the gesture, even if silly for a 17 year old, isn't meant as anything other than a sporting gesture. It just means "it's over". It's like an ice-in-the-veins thing. There's obviously more connotation and putting on a one man show in the NBA is a little more deserving than scoring a clinching goal against India, but this isn't the thing to get worked up about.