I honestly wish we would go Central European or Latin in our coaching hires, but US Soccer seems to prefer either British coaches with (typically) outdated tactics or Americans who are buddied up with the decision makers. This federation needs fresh ideas badly.
2017 Nike Friendlies 1-0 loss to England 5-1 loss to Netherlands 1-1 draw with Brazil Player evaluations of these players using the same categories as I used for the last cycle after the first Nike Friendlies (counting more than just this tournament) Not impressed: Anderson, Goeggel, Stroud, Oladapo, Serrano Mediocre: Saldana, Gaines Average: Busio, Fuentes, Lopez, Nielsen, Atencio Good: Scally, Judge, Alejandre, Ocampo-Chavez, Sealy (grading on a curve due to age) Star potential: Las, Bello Need about another 10 good players. Need a starting CM (maybe 2), need 2-3 starting AM's (Reyna can be one), and we need some more defensive depth (a few full-backs, maybe another CB).
Mine Not impressed: Anderson, Goeggel, Stroud, Oladapo, Mediocre: Saldana, Busio, Serrano, Hagan Average: Gaines, Nielsen, Atencio, Ocampo-Chavez, Sealy, Bello Good: Scally, Fuentes, Lopez,Judge, Alejandre Star potential: Las I would rate Bello higher if he was better on the ball and had better positioning.
I don't care if Fuentes-Perez didn't score, he was the best playmaker on the team. We need to find replacements for Busio and Hagan. I guess Reyna would play in one of those positions. Lopez is a decent forward, better than Ocampo-Chavez.
He might be the best. I still want to see how Nyeman integrates into this side, I think he'll be the best player, but I'm not completely sure.
Perez looked pretty good to me. Only watch the first halves mainly but at least we could play the teams Brazil and England straight up and not look overmatched
He's been injured for 2+ months now, I don't know what the injury is, hard to know how long he'll be out. And I can't say for sure that Hackworth will integrate him, but it would make no sense not to. He looked way too good for the rest of the competition playing up a level in the DA, the level that most of the '02s on this side play at.
GOALKEEPERS (4): Aiden Hanes (Arsenal FC; Riverside, Calif.), John Tyler Harms (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Whitefish Bay, Wisc.), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Marzuq Puckerin (FC Greater Boston Bolts; Cambridge, Mass.) DEFENDERS (12): Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Michael Barragan (Atlas FC; Guadalajara, Mexico), George Bello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.), Amir Daley (New York Red Bulls; Elmont, N.Y.), Zackery Farnsworth (Real Salt Lake; Sandy Utah), Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.), Owen Guske (Portland Timbers; Saint Johns, Fla.), Kobe Hernandez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mason Judge (Chargers Soccer Club, Tampa, Fla.), Kenneth Nielsen (Pateadores; Irvine, Calif.), Joseph Scally (New York City FC, Lake Grove, N.Y.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls, Chatham, N.J.) MIDFIELDERS (10): Emmanuel Ameres (Chargers Soccer Club; Palmetto, Fla.), Julian Anderson (Philadelphia Union; Ocean, N.J.), Luis Flores (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Bryang Kayo (D.C. United; Poolesville, Md.), Benjamin Redzic (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas), Louis Quin Rogers (De Anza Force; San Jose Calif.), Anthony Rouse (New York Soccer Club; Albany, N.Y.), Adam Saldana (Real So Cal; Panorama City, Calif.), Peter Stroud (New York Red Bulls; Chester, N.J.) FORWARDS (10): Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; Greensboro, N.C.), Aboubacar Camara (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Penn.), Cade Hagan (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.), Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Diego Lopez (FC Golden State; Chino, Calif.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Joshua Pynadath (AFC Ajax; Amsterdam, Netherlands), Giovanni Reyna (New York City FC; Bedford Corners, N.Y.), Wasswa Robbins (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.) Pynadath and Reyna are both in this one.
Michael Barragan was at a Mexico camp a few months ago. I believe he's a CB. You are right, it seems Gio has returned from his injury. Pynadath is a good add to this group. Names that weren't at the Nike Friendlies: Hanes, Puckerin, Daley, Farnsworth(new RSL name to keep track of @irondeepbicycle), Gray, Guske, Hernandez, Ameres, Anderson, Flores, Kayo, Redzic, Rogers, Rouse, Camara, Jasson, Pynadath, Reyna, Robbins Gray and Kayo are two players I've seen play, but I didn't notice them (some of these other non-Nike friendly players I've mentioned as potential call ups). I had to actually go back and check boxscores to make sure I watched them play. Maybe a mistake on my part or maybe not, but thats notable to me. All these players are 02's.
Redzic has put together some great numbers in the DA. Anyone know anything about his game? Style of play?
I think the attack will look better than at the Nike Friendlies. Pynadath and Reyna are some basic additions that should make the team better. Ajax’s American winger Josh Pynadath has game! #usynt pic.twitter.com/hxfN6zr9zf— Joey (@USAprospects) January 10, 2018
Even without adding 03's, I think our attack is going to be good enough. Maybe not as good as last cycle, but good enough to get by, given the defense is pretty good. Ocampo-Chavez is a good striker, Reyna and Pynadath are good creators, and you can add either Fuentes or Busio in there, and thats a quality enough front 4. Are any of those players great? Probably not, but it should still be decent. That doesn't include Redzic, Jasson, Anderson, etc. If we added Alvarez (who I think is a better prospect than all of these attackers), our attack could be really good. I also think we are fine at back up striker. You can use Busio there, but I think Lopez has shown fine nearly every match I've watched. He's not great, but he's not a liability. I'm not sure there are any 03's who definitely get into this attack. We saw what Sealy did. He's one of the best 03's in the country, and he looked out of place. There's a big step up in that one year, not many can make it at this age. The midfield is more of an issue for this team. There's a lot that needs to be sorted out there.
What performances are you going off of to say Alvarez is the best u17 prospect? I wanna see what the hype is all about with this guy.
Sounds like Gio Reyna has had a growth spurt. “The skill Reyna showed didn't surprise anybody, but the growth spurt he clearly had in recent months surely did. Boasting a deft touch, high soccer IQ and now a taller frame, Reyna looks more than ready to take the next step and turn pro. The question now is whether that will be with New York City FC or in Europe with a top club like Borussia Dortmund.” http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/reyn...-at-us-youth-summit/r6jxtg66hgwg1tsr6hf3azfb8
Has he or does Ives just not know how tall he was? When I read that, I assumed Ives just didn't know he's a taller attacking mid. If he's had a growth spurt, he must be over 6'0 now.