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

Why can't he train with the team without signing yet? I don't get it because I have seen that talked about. Morris trained with Bremen and even trialed with them but he's an adult. Is your idea that because Sargent is a minor he can't train with the club that will sign him next year?

 

You're allowed to practice with a team before 18. It's not like there's a restraining order between their field and Josh until he turns 18. He just can't play games.

Look at Shaft Brewer right now, he doesn't turn 18 until next month, but he's been with Leipzig since May. He hasn't played a game, but he's not playing video games all day.

And out of players that have played meaningful minutes so far, I'm not picking and choosing. That's pretty much the three guys who don't fit the criteria.

Garces: Joined Atlanta, presumably trains with first team since he doesn't play for the academy team.
Dest: Trains at Ajax with better players than him.
Lindsey: Signed a HG contract, presumably practices with first team.
Sands: Has made MLS debut.
Gloster: No news of anything regarding being called up or a HG contract.
Goslin: HG contract, has played in USL.
Durkin: Has played nearly 1000 minutes in USL.
Ferri: Solar?
Acosta: North Carolina FC, has deal set up abroad.
Carleton: MLS debut.
Weah: PSG.
Akinola: No idea, but no news of first team training.
Sargent: Bremen.

Who would you say we've seen major improvement from since we last saw them? I'd say Dest, Durkin, Lindsey, Goslin, Weah. I think there's a reason for that, and playing for Solar Chelsea isn't one of them.

 

While I agree with your point that better training environments make better players but that's over long periods of time.
When did Bradenton close for the semester? June, then U17s have had numerous camps and trips, not alot of top notch training for many.
Akinola's been with Toronto and Gloster's been with NYRB, why not 'presume' he's been training with first team like your other presumptions.
Akinola's touch is bad and has nothing to do with the number of first team training.
Ferri and Gloster's is average just like alot of others on this team.

 

I don't think his touch is bad but it's not great. He's selfish but he serves an important function in letting Sargent do his holdup play and letting Carleton create in the half spaces around the CF. He does all this with just his athleticism. Dragging gobs of defenders out of the way to loosen spaces for your creators is a good thing to do as a Winger. There is no replacement for that on the roster.

 

I'd be fine with Akinola's contribution if he touched the ball less.

 

Akinola even played 10 USL matches in 2016 with TFCII.

 

FYI, if I am remembering correctly, it was top drawer pod that said Josh was spending regular time at Bremen well before this All was announced.

No effect from it. Just interesting.

Love you, you bunch of dickheads.

 

That is because at 17, he already understands the game much better than Cobi does.

 

Just watched the game and read through the post game comments. I really enjoy watching Sargent and Carlton. The both see the plays so much faster than their teammates. That said I feel there is a significant difference between the two in there readiness to play in first division professional games. Sargent is extremely polished for has age and does almost everything well. Great vision, good first touch, good movement, good passer, good finisher, good hold up play, solid in the air.

Carlton on the other hand has some huge gaps. I don't think he's athletic enough to be a difference maker on the flanks, but at this point is far too sloppy to be trusted with the ball in tight spaces in the middle of the field. His strength is that he likes to try things and can pull them off, but in the center of the field pros will turn him over and he'll cost his team a lot of goals. Unlike most, I think he's in a great position where he is. Many young US players with his talent would be allowed to skate through and not fix their weaknesses. In contrast, I think Martino will demand that he address them and make him a much better player as a result. Image if someone had been pushing Morris to address the obvious weakness with his left for the past 10 years.

I absolutely without doubt think you need to bunch your best combination players together as a player with vision who sees the play early is only effective if the players in the area he can combine with have the same level of vision. Will also be interesting to see Carlton and Sargent play against a team that actually puts players in the midfield to defend.

Still not sold on Weah being special. Great strike, good athlete, but his first touch, passing, vision etc. showed nothing special. Reminds of a guy like Badji for Colorado. Akandola is even more questionable. Many loose touches and passes. Will have to continue to grow into an adult beast to have a similar level of success.

Was not previously impressed with Goslin but showed well. Will need to show against a team that defends in the midfield to know whether it was a one off. Liked Durkiin's 1 v 1 defending on the flanks. Kid does a lot of things well.

 

Great to read that some of our guys are getting top nacho training.

 

The U20 World Cup?

 

I've gone beyond top nacho training to full nacho consumption.

 

Apologies, wasn't aware. Carry on.

 

919964825677062144 is not a valid tweet id

I don't think the two teams are comparable, but damn that is a depressing roster... there are more deceased players (Kirk Urso) than regular USMNT players (with underachieving f*ckup Brek Shea being the closest)... the next player in terms of name recognition (with US soccer fans, not the general population) is probably Josh Lambo because he plays in the NFL.

 

That was the worst u-17 team in history. The soccer they played was atrocious and no lucky win in U-17 tournament will change that.

 

I look at it like this.

Take out the first XI players we have now, and maybe our teams are comparable in talent to the teams we put out 10 years ago.

Its really just not comparable, considering what we are seeing from Pulisic, what we are seeing from McKennie, Adams, etc. The proof is there, and its there at a very young age.

 

What a silly tweet.

 

Assessing any team on one result is silly. That team also lost to Tajikistan in that U17 World Cup.

 

Tim Weah is the 5th #USMNT player with a hat trick at a men's senior or youth World Cup, and he's the 1st to do it in the knockout stage. pic.twitter.com/TLzoyA9ixO

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 16, 2017

Yes, we scored 5, but this was as impressive. 3:08 of possession to close out the match. 🇺🇸#U17MNT (played at 5x faster) #esketit pic.twitter.com/5DTKDu1pAp

— John Hackworth (@hackworthsoccer) October 18, 2017

 

meaningless.

or meaninglittle.

paraguay had given up.

 

I am excited to see ball playing CBs at this level. There is a clear philosophy to play out of the back whether the match dictates it or not and that helps keep possession in general. It helps buildup play and if it can be mixed with occasional well directed longballs met by good runs, will keep defenders honest. We weren't having too much trouble playing out of the back when the match was still in hand and that was against a team that tried to create turnovers in the back.

 

totally agree.

 

I'd credit that to Paraguay. I don't think these players are particularly good in build up. I think the best of the defense with that is the keeper, which says a lot, IMO.

 

They're adults for 3 weeks?

 

Always with the caveats.

I've seen YNT and MNT teams that get pressed into long-balls and lost possessions by a single pressing forward player. The fact that we're trying and succeeding is the point.

Can't win with some people.