Hope you had a good vacation. I'm talking about athleticism: Angel di Maria is well known for having excellent pace, both with and without the ball, hence why I was confused by the comparison.
I just don't agree. Not a big deal though, we are talking about one aspect of a player's game who doesn't even play for our NT.
🇺🇸 stars @HajiWright, @WMckennie & @NTaitague were among six U19 players to train with the first team today! #S04US pic.twitter.com/2aHw3E8xH8— Schalke 04 USA🇺🇸 (@s04_us) March 22, 2017
For those that don't know about Weston McKennie of Schalke, Brian published a really good column on him today. Weston McKennie on U-20s: "I Think We Can Win It" BY Brian Sciaretta Posted March 22, 2017 http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/weston-mckennie-on-u-20s-i-think-we-can-win-it
In case folks didn't see this in other threads, both McKennie and Taitague appeared for the Schalke first team in a friendly yesterday. Earlier in the year I said I wouldn't be surprised if Schalke gives a debut to these youngsters. However, they've now pulled themselves up into shooting distance for the European slots. Now I'm not so sure. 844986346401927175 is not a valid tweet id 844992040551243778 is not a valid tweet id
Talk about having a leg up on other young Yanks Abroad. Additionally, McKennie felt very comfortable in Germany. From ages six through nine, he lived in the country while his father served in the U.S. military and was based near Kaiserslatuern. While living there, McKennie became fluent in German and began playing soccer for a local village team. From that experience, he always considered Germany a “home away from home.”
Three US U20s started the NYRB-RSL match. Tyler Adams for NYRB and Sebastian Saucedo/Brooks Lennon for RSL. RSL had another U20 on the bench in Danny Acosta, and a 4th (Justen Glad) would have started if healthy. Of the three that played, Tyler Adams had a really good game. Yet another central midfielder in the pipeline to go along with Acosta, Roldan, Hyndman, Weston McKennie, and others. Adams' passing game has really developed over the last couple of years. Here's your Tyler Adams highlight video from today. Get the #HypeTrain going. #NYvRSL pic.twitter.com/fuA2Hu9Gqm— Ben Baer (@BenBaer89) March 25, 2017
McKennie and Wright named in a Goal.com article on the top 5 talents in Schalke's youth system U-19 and up. This article is in German.They threw in a U-23 player just for the sake of it, I think, to make it seem like they have to pick players from both teams, but I don't think that guy belongs. http://www.goal.com/de/news/3643/ex...e-mckennie-co-fünf-top-talente-von-schalke-04 By my estimation, the top five (in no particular order) are McKennie, Wright, Kubler, and two of Kruger, Goller and Taitague, based on what I've read and the little I've watched of their play this season, potential, pro readiness.
So it looks like, by the criteria set at the beginning of the thread, that we aren't going to have a breakout youngster for the 2016-2017 season. Maybe Hyndman, if he counts (already has 1st team appearances for Fulham and the USMNT)?
Hyndman is a little older than the intent of the thread. He's certainly have a nice season at Rangers, and is worthy of consideration for the Gold Cup squad this summer. [A player in that age group that's gone the other way is Rubio Rubin, who's really fallen out of USMNT contention.] The fact that we haven't had a U20 break thru to the USMNT after Pulisic isn't that big of a problem. Pulisic really is an outlier with regards to how young he broke thru at both Dortmund and with the USMNT. Christian jumped over both the US U20s and U23s, for whom he never appeared. We have a bunch of U20s "on the verge" of a breakthru. The names are mostly the ones we recognize from this thread. Carter-Vickers already has a USMNT callup and is the obvious name to keep an eye on. The US U20s just won the CONCACAF U20 championship without the majority of their European contingent. There's a lot of talent in this pool. The U20s are starting to get more game time in MLS, with Farfan starting again at left back for Portland last night..........................
So...I love the idea of Christian Roldan. But I just don't quite see it yet. A lot people do though. I guess I don't think he can really overcome his physical limitations with his technique, rhythm, and vision on the international level. He's not a six, he's not really a ten, he's not a winger. So he's gotta be an influential, metronomish, 2-way 8. And I don't think he'll cut it. Ralston line. I hope I'm wrong. Somebody please tell me why I'm wrong.
Yeah, I get all that. I think it's just a little disappointing that we apparently aren't going to get another breakthrough u-20 player this European season given how most of us were feeling about things in the fall. Back in those heady days, it seemed likely that EPB would be bought by Porto, Perez might break into the 1st team at Fiorentina, CCV would get decent minutes at Spurs, Zelalem would score a good loan/transfer, etc. Not that it's a big deal long-term that none of that happened RIGHT NOW, but it was kind of bummer year for young Yanks Abroad breaking through in Europe.
I don't see the skill on the ball needed to project to the higher levels of the game. A difference between Roldan/Acosta and EMO is the latter has more skill, more 1v1 ability and from what I've seen, better ability to create and play the right ball going forward.
And on the contrary, Roldan has a much better motor, and doesn't struggle defensively, like Hyndman does. Neither might be the answer. I think Acosta is the best of the bunch as a #8.
I haven't seen EMO struggling with his motor or defensively. His motor seems pretty good given how physical SPL games are and how much pressure he gets on the rock.
The SPL is of a really poor level. I wouldn't take his play in that league too seriously, we saw what happened at Bournemouth, although of course its good that he's playing well.
Pressure? In the SPL? Against the likes of Hamilton and Dundee? Are you serious? The Celtic match was the first time at Rangers he actually was dealing with much pressure "on the rock" (to use your words) and unsurprisingly he looked decidedly mediocre in that match.
Its okay, we just don't agree here. Not a problem. I've long documented my opinion on this, its nothing new.
Hyndman needed experience and playing time, which is what the Rangers loan provides. He's doing exactly what he should be doing at Rangers, which is excelling. The SPL (outside of the few games against Celtic) isn't MLS level. If Hyndman had gone to Rangers and performed poorly, then the writing would have been on the all..........................................[For instance, what exactly is Zelalem doing at VVV?] Roldan, Acosta, and Hyndman should all be called up to the USMNT over the next calendar year whether to January camp, Gold Cup, Euro friendlies, etc. There's only one way to discover whether they're good enough to be consistent contributors at the international level, and that's to call them up. Of course, none of the three are U20s. Hopefully by this time next year we'll be arguing about who amongst Adams, McKennie, and Derrick Jones is most "USMNT-ready." Tyler Adams has been starting in MLS and he's so young that he's eligible for the NEXT U20 cycle.
McKennie's the best of any of the bunch of CM's, IMO, but he can't be called up until he gets some pro games.
He just needs minutes in order to grow. Minutes and maybe he can go on loan to another club to get time. It all about getting minutes.
Its hard for us to say much about McKennie as we haven't seen him play against adults in games that matter. He's ambitious and really talented, though. As I've said earlier in this thread, I won't be surprised if McKennie makes his debut towards the end of this club season at Schalke. [Unless Schalke pulls themselves up into Euro contention, which is possible.] Schalke's Weston McKennie dreaming of following Christian Pulisic's path https://t.co/BYCjVmEz4o— Dallas Cup ⚽️ (@dallascup) April 4, 2017