Match thread: U.S. U17s vs. Paraguay, 10/16/17, 10:30 a.m. ET

I think he fits perfectly as a German style striker. Solid ball skills with really good striking ability

 

All around great performance today. I had to watch an hour behind, so I haven’t read everyone’s posts yet.

I thought Sands was really good. Carleton needs to stay in the middle of the field. He was great today.

The problem with Akinola isn’t his first touch. It’s his last. He insists on continuing to touch the ball until he loses it seemingly every time he receives a pass.

(Actually, he’s probably not all that awful, but alongside 3 guys who are among the top players in this competition, he looks poor. Hope he’s not injured.)

I don’t know why Sargent’s classy controlled knockdown to start the first goal wasn’t more appreciated. ********ing great stuff.

Carleton has vision. Forget all of his sometimes silly shit on the ball. He knows where everyone is. Get him in the center, get him the ball, and he can make things happen with only a touch or two. That’s football intellect. That’s stuff we don’t see too often. That’s what impressed me about him and acosta at Nike tourney.

Sargent is a very fine striker. Complete player.

Weah finally got to show some of what I always found when I saw him at PSG. That dude just finds goals, and he has class touches. He and Sargent and Carleton see the game in a way only Pulisic does for the seniors (maybe Yedlin, too, honestly).

 

I liked that account way more before they went nuts about Ferri after the first couple of games. I do not see it with him.

Tbf,I don’t see it with Vassilev either. He might one day be a decent squad man in MLS. But he seems really unathletic. That said, he doesn’t take nearly as many as touches as Ferri.

I find it funny that Reyes and Booth fern no liven (eta: autocorrect say what???? Aren’t getting time or credit or something like that, I would guess) . Both look super-technical when they’ve come on.

I swear I think coaching and refereeing in this country are laggin way behind player development.

 

Completely agree. I can kind of understand Hack's reliance on Ferri. He was one of this team's best players two years ago, and is a veteran within this group. Don't agree with it, but coach's do that.

Vassilev is the only '01 who has played more than a marginal role with this team. I don't understand it at all. I don't even think I'd have him within the top 10-15 in the '01 age group, it makes no sense to me why he plays so much in an older age group. Maybe because he's "versatile", but if you are bad at playing these positions, are you versatile?

 

A player on my old club team used to brag about being two-footed. We told him that was only true because he was equally bad with both feet.

 

Just finished watching.

Carleton.

The pass on the 1st goal.

One of the best I've ever seen.

 

I missed the game due to school, but dear GOD 5-0

That's spectacular

 

Now that I got that out of the way, 'cus damn that pass..., the rest...

Garces continues a fine Tournament.

Dest looks good, though he had a couple of errors. Reminds me of Castillo, which is terrible. I think he has a nice future. He's been good. El Homie, no. What's up with his fitness?

Sands/Durkin CB were solid. No complaints. Is Lindsey hurt? We need him next game.

Watts was OK. Nothing too scary at the back and got a nice secondary on the 3rd.

Goslin put in a shift. While he's not great, I'm still kinda scared to be without him in the next.

Ferri didn't do much in his time.

Carelton. God damn, what a game. I already said the pass on the 1st was one of the best I've ever seen. The back heel on the 2nd. The finish on the 3rd. The perfect through on the 4th. The dish on the 5th. I need an I came GIF.

Akinola. OK. Great pass on the 1st goal. And........ Awful. This guy...Ughh.

Sargent. Class. Absolute class. Still needs to get on the ball more because when he does. Boom.

Weah. Golazo sandwich.

Indiana was pretty good. Good ball out to Weah for the 2nd and stuck in nicely.

Gloseter was fine.

Booth was lively. Kick and run!

 

My son's part of the development system so my understanding runs deeper then most. I'm just not interested in debating folks that don't have all the tools to engage in meaningful dialogue.

 

I really like Carleton, his vision and accuracy are both superb but in don't it is his best trait. I think his weighting of passes is world class.

 

Tim Weah's in ...

http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/y=2017/m=10/news=weah-i-was-just-so-excited-2915217.html

... with some nice quotes.

My favorite: “I talked to my parents and they told me to get after them {Paraguay}, but to myself, I really felt that I didn’t have the best start to this World Cup, so I felt like this would be the right time to help my team win."

My translation: "Coach, play me more centrally and I'll get the job done."

 

Me too, but I've seen enough guys that can be amazing playmakers without all that much pace over the years too, Riquelme, Pirlo of course, and Reyna was never the fastest guy around either. It's not the end all be all, that picture perfect weighted pass is every bit as valuable as a less effective pass from a pacier player. Just praying he continues to develop and stays healthy.

 

I have visions of Pulisic, Carleton, Sargent and Weah shredding defenses in 4-5 years. And maybe throw "old man" Wood into that mix for some added energy up top...

 

Does anyone happen to know it FS1 or FS2 will be showing a replay, or if there is a full replay on youtube or some other streaming service? Thank you

 

Someone on twitter made a video of Carleton's masterclass.

https://vid.me/7DYV5

 

And yet, you felt the need to engage me? Lol ok, buddy.

 

Well, I have to say having watched England Japan, neither particularly impressed, except the Japanese defense. without giving away too much, I think our opponent will have their hands full with this US team

 

Ferri is what happens when a player has no exposure to those playing above his level. You can tell which players aren't used to playing with adults/a really good European academy: Gloster, Ferri, and Akinola. All those guys are indecisive and don't know the correct pass to play, and that's down to them not having played at this high of a level in practice since disbanding Bradenton.

 

I think his best attribute is his playmaking, in general. We can argue about the accuracy, the vision, the weight. I think when you combine it all, you get a level of playmaking that is very hard to defend because he can create attacking chances for teammates in so many ways, whether its one time through balls, long balls over the top in the middle of midfield, slipping a striker through the back of the defense, long cross field diagonals as a winger to find a player streaking into the box, set pieces (corners and free kicks), crosses, spotting runs in the box, dribbling, drawing defenders, and then dishing. He plays teammates open, finds passes you didn't expect to be there, its very hard to defend.

Defenders have to constantly be aware whether the ball is 10 yards from goal or 50 that Carleton might be finding the player they are trying to mark for a scoring chance. Thats different from what you see from a player like Pulisic who is very good (right now more proven and better than Carleton), but Pulisic is rather predictable in his offensive actions, Carleton is not. Its one thing to be creative (most good attacking midfielders are), but there are very few who are unpredictable and come up with new angles, ways to create plays, ways to throw defenders off. You can try to game-plan for him. Don't allow him to come inside if he's playing on the wing (he wants to operate centrally, even if he's assigned to the wing), cut off the passing lanes to him. Thats how you can neutralize him, but there's always the possibility that he's going to make a play you just didn't expect.

 

I think Gloster is a very good defensive player. He makes the least mistakes of any of the defenders, IMO, very defensively aware, good in 1v1's.

With the ball and in possession, his game can use work, but you can't be picky with LB's. A left-footer who can defend and is athletic is a very good player in today's game.

 

So Jadon Sancho, one of the best players for England (scored three, assisted on two) was recalled before this match by Dortmund. It seems clear that he was the engine that made things go for this offense because while England created some opportunities, the Japanese defense seemed to be able to recover regularly. For perspective, England scored at least 3 goals in every group match and Japan gave up a goal in all of its group games.

Also, the English were very "Arsenal"-ish in how they passed or dribbled the ball as close to goal as possible before attempting a shot. If our defense can stay in front of the England forwards and not get beat on the dribble then we should be able to limit shooting opportunities. Our athleticism in the midfield needs to be on full display.

 

I heard Cobi Jones say that Carleton was very good at receiving passes of any kind - ground, air, bounce etc and then make a perfect one time weighted pass. It made me think of a crazy haired Colombian who did all of those things and wonder if anyone thinks Carleton has a bit of El Pibe Valderamma in his game.

 

What exposure does Sargent have playing against adults or playing in a good European academy?

 

Presumably he's practiced with Bremen quite a few times by now, otherwise he's been wandering around Saint Louis for the past 5 months.

 

He can't play with them until he's 18. He can't live and practice there. I'm sure he's hodge podged some training with SKC and Scott Gallagher, but no he probably has not played with Bremen for the last 5 months. U17s have had alot of camps and trips too so I think that's taken most of his time. And yes of course some Bremen training but not that much. I think you've picked a few players out and then tried to find a reason for why you think they're poor not really connecting that other better players are in the same training situations.