The 2021 U-20 Qualifying Thread

Discussion in 'Youth National Teams' started by Peretz48, Mar 18, 2019.

  1. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Given the current U20 team, I think it's interesting to evaluate these players on at least a minimum of athleticism. Durkin is obviously a player who was very good at at the U17 level who simply might be too slow to be a great player at the next level. I think Mendez struggled with the speed and size of the Ecuadorians as well.

    Are there players above who are highly skilled but a little slow? They might be challenged during the next cycle.
     
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  2. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This group has more time to develop physically. But it's better in this department than the last group certainly was around this time. It's a question for Busio and Fuentes, to name a couple. Might be for Roberts, Saldana, and Yow; but they are a few players who may make up for it with spunk and anticipation, even if so. Vassilev was a super technical but not very mobile player the last time I saw him.

    This is why I think Reyna is such a good prospect. Not only is he skilled, but physically he's a man already. Fast, long stride, plenty strong. Just needs to speed up processing with experience and maybe not be selfish. Combo makes Pepi, KHF, and Bello pretty sure things to be solid pros and factor in during the bigger youth comps at least, if not as senior nt'ers.

    Scally and Leyva are borderline players in terms of that skill and physical tool combo being enough beyond becoming solid pro (Scally at cb). Leyva is a pretty sure thing to be an asset in MLS or a comparable league. Senior NT regular/top league player is the open question.
     
  3. Sombrerito

    Sombrerito Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    May 6, 2018
    I think Mendez would’ve been fine if he had a more athletic destroyer behind him like Adams, Cerillo or Servania. Terrible coaching call
     
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  4. Eighteen Alpha

    Eighteen Alpha Member+

    Aug 17, 2016
    Club:
    Stoke City FC
    I vote Tab for the U-23s With some fresh blood (like Wicky, cough, cough) at the helm for the U-20s. I’m not asking for much... just someone who can select a squad based solely on talent and/or potential.
     
  5. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Half of these players probably won't make the team, and we don't know the coach, but this is what I'd predict.

    GK: Las, Ochoa
    DF: Scally, Gray, Araujo, Akanyirige, Gomez, Bello
    MF: Booth, Tessman, Atencio, Chifamba, Nyeman, Palomino, KDLF, Llanez
    FW: AOC, Hoppe, Reyna

    Las
    Scally-Araujo-Akanyirige-Gomez
    Booth-Tessman
    KDLF-Nyeman-Llanez
    AOC

    Thats 20 players, so that would be a qualifying prediction. Add another keeper, if we qualify. I think Wilson is the second best keeper in this cycle after Las, but Ochoa will almost certainly make the team because he made it this cycle.

    It looks like clear weaker crop of players than the 2019 cycle, and maybe also weaker than the 2017 cycle, although both U-20 WC teams didn't have full strength teams, so the 2021 cycle could put out a stronger roster.

    We now produce enough talent that you can come up with a good list of players, but what made this past cycle such a talented age group was the incredible 2000 age group. It mitigated a pretty weak 1999 age group. The 2017 cycle had a very good 1998 age group that might've been a little worse than 2000, but 1997 was also a good age group, so there wasn't much of a gulf in talent between the two years.

    2002 looks even worse than 1999, and while I think 2001 shows good depth in the 11-50 spots in the age group, it lacks a little in the top end talent. I think 2001 looks good if you consider the sheer amount of quality prospects, but doesn't look good when you are picking about 10 players from the age group to make a roster like this. It's probably about an average age group altogether, but its strengths might not show on a roster like this.
     
  6. ShaftBrewer

    ShaftBrewer Member+

    Jul 18, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also, it's important to remember all the talent that can quickly emerge. At this point at the start of the 2019 cycle, players like Soto, Richards, Ledezma, etc. may have been seen as good prospects but probably to the status they are seen at now
     
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  7. ChuckMe92

    ChuckMe92 Member+

    Jun 23, 2016
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One player I wouldn't sleep on is '01 winger Cameron Harper of Celtic. He's drawn attention on the Celtic fan forum and some fans were advocating for him to be named to the bench for the final Scottish Premiership league matches. (Instead, '03 Dembele was selected.) As of April Harper was the leading scorer for Celtic U18 with at least 17 goals, a nice breakout season after a relatively low-key move from Pateadores in the DA. Not going to be easy to compete with the likes of Llanez, Konrad, Reyna but he might.
     
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  8. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    And let's be honest, a player like Edwin Cerrillo only emerged as a serious roster option months before squad selection. A kid that had no caps on any youth level was picked for the roster.

    Here's an awesome reminder. We're up to 11 players eligible for this U20 team that already have played MLS minutes this season. [We gained Leyva and Haak this week].

    Danny Leyva (Seattle)
    Griffin Yow (DCU)
    Efrain Alvarez (LAG; I'm going to keep him in the pool until cap-tied)
    Sebastian Anderson (Colorado)
    Gianluca Busio (SKC)
    Julian Araujo (LAG)
    Cole Bassett (Colorado)
    Justin Haak (NYCFC)
    Thomas Roberts (FCD)
    Bryan Reynolds (FCD)
    Luis Arriaga (RSL)

    I mean, let's be honest. That's awesome. That's not normal. There are going to be a lot more players emerging in first team play really soon. The pool will be volatile. Players will bubble up and down over the next two years. But there seems to be increasing opportunity for these kids.

    How many players eligible for the next U20WC played in the Bundesliga this past season? I think the answer is two. Both for relegated Stuttgart.
     
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  9. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    There's a bunch of players in Europe that we just don't get to see a lot these days that could fade to obscurity or rise to be important components of this team. Taylor Booth and Blaine Ferri, for instance. Charlie Kelman. He kind of zoomed into our consciousness when he debuted so well, but has fallen off of our radar. He's an '01. Just kinda have to call everybody up and see who emerges...…………………

    Typically we as fans skew these very early prediction rosters younger than they end up being. '01s in this pool will start to really solidify roles in MLS play, and that'll really force them into consideration. These are the Edwin Cerrillo types. Guys that we don't really know much about right now.

    The good news, as you say, is that the pool is deep. The numbers are there. We'll just see who emerges.
     
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  10. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    At the start of the 2019 cycle, nobody knew who Soto and Ledezma were and Richards was just starting to get attention having been part of the Houston Texans U19 DA champion squad.
     
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  11. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    if we were to predict a lineup for 2021, no one would have over 60-70% of the correct players.

    However, one player who looks like he will be there is Ricardo Pepi. he's shown to be an elite 16 year old prospect.
     
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  12. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Marlon Vargas and Azriel Gonzalez.
     
  13. Luksarus

    Luksarus Member

    United States
    Jul 27, 2018
    My favorite team:

    GK: David Ochoa, Damian Las
    DF: George Bello, Jonathan Gomez, Tayvon Gray, Julian Araujo, Jacob Akanyirige, Mauricio Cuevas
    MF: Taylor Booth, Justin Haak, Cameron Duke, Tanner Tessmann, Thomas Roberts, Marcelo Palomino, Uly Llanez, Konrad
    FW: Ricardo Pepi, Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun


    Other players to consider:
    GK: Seth Wilson, Abraham Rodriguez
    DF: Joe Scally, Kobe Hernandez Foster, Blake Malone, Axel Alejandre, Nico Benalcazar, Bryan Reynolds
    MF: Luis Arriaga, Cole Bassett, Bryang Kayo, Gianluca Busio, Josh Atencio, Ethan Bryant, Danny Leyva, Moses Nyeman, Jose Gallegos, Cameron Dunbar.
    FW: Roberto Hategan, Bryce Duke, Matt Hoppe, Johan Gomez, Griffin Yow, Alfonso Ocampo Chavez, Stefan Stojanovic
     
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  14. ielag

    ielag Member+

    Jul 20, 2010
    He had an injury filled season, but I see Otasowie a big part of this cycle.
     
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  15. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I believe he had another surgery. I've admittedly only seen him play a few times, but we can use all the CB depth we can get, if he's a good player. He'll need to stay on the field, which he hasn't been able to do up until this point.

     
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  16. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    We'll see. Pepi is an '03. He's so young that he's eligible for the 2023 U20 cycle.

    I'm sure the USYNTs are going to be calling him up when they can in order prevent his eyes from wandering to Mexico.

    Whether he's one of the top 3 forwards that end up making the important rosters is TBD.
     
  17. Thundering165

    Thundering165 Member+

    North Carolina FC
    United States
    May 1, 2017
    Raleigh
    It's so early in the cycle that it's ridiculous to make too many guesses but here's my thoughts, watch most of them be wrong.

    At this point, the only thing keeping the current U20 '01s off the roster is injury or getting to good for the U20s. That's 4/21 spots right there.

    1. Ochoa
    2. Konrad
    3. Llanez
    4. Araujo

    Then I anticipate 4 spots will go to 03s. The most obvious is Pepi and after that it is a crapshoot but the underage U17s have a decent shot. I feel like usually there's a up-cycle GK but I don't know enough about the pool to say who that would be.

    5. Pepi
    6. Leyva
    7. Nyeman
    8. GK

    The final 13 spots should be an interesting mix of 01s and 02s and the competition should be reasonable tough. I don't see a reason to skew young with this cycle and the 02s will need to be on top of their game to make this team. These are just some guys whose game I like and wouldn't be surprised to see on the roster:

    01s:
    Owen Otasowie (if healthy)
    Matko Miljevic (if we can get him)
    Folarin Balogun (same)
    Taylor Booth
    Indiana Vassilev
    Thomas Roberts
    Tanner Tessman
    Ian Hoffmann
    Cameron Harper

    02s:
    AOC
    Sagir Arce
    Busio
    Reyna
    Kobe
    Bello
    Las

    It'll be interesting to see if there are any guys who come out of nowhere for this U20 cycle; there are definitely opportunities to be had.
     
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  18. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I don’t think right now there are any GK’s that should be playing up a cycle. I think we saw it this cycle that we sacrificed quality in net to bring a keeper from a year without much top end GK talent. I think that’s similar for now with the ‘03 year. That’s also not to say Ochoa was our biggest problem in net. I think you can make an argument after the tournament that we left the three best keepers at home.
     
  19. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    I was extremely impressed with Mendez' left foot. If he can improve his accuracy just a a fraction, (I'm sure he will) he will be lethal). His ability to make that inch perfect pass was also evident.I do think, however, that he had trouble with the speed of the game which led to quite a few turnovers. It seemed to me that he often lost the ball due to indecision or just holding the ball on a dribble a bit too long. Also, his defense and ball winning ability is not one of his strengths (as you alluded to by him requiring a stronger player behind him).

    Some of the issues I mention above are probably related to his lack of experience playing with adult professionals. (only a few games with lag II that I know of)
     
  20. TheFalseNine

    TheFalseNine Moderator
    Staff Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Jul 15, 2014
    Norman, Okla.
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tweets from @ChuckMe92:

     
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  21. TheFalseNine

    TheFalseNine Moderator
    Staff Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Jul 15, 2014
    Norman, Okla.
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tweet from @ChuckMe92:

     
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  22. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Ethan Bryant is about to turn 18. At what point does he say "if I want to advance in my career, I need to move to a club at a higher level than San Antonio." He's in the pool for the next U20 team. Sure. But his ceiling is limited at San Antonio. Gotta go. Does he want to make the upcoming U20 team? He's not going to compete effectively against the Taylor Booth, Blaine Ferri, Thomas Roberts,
    Gianluca Busio, etc. etc. for a midfield role while at San Antonio. Maybe I'm being too harsh...…………...but I don't see it. People saw the quality of midfielders that DIDN'T make our most recent U20 team, right?
     
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  23. TheFalseNine

    TheFalseNine Moderator
    Staff Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Jul 15, 2014
    Norman, Okla.
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Another 2021 U-20 pool player probably on the way to Germany:

     
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  24. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I don’t think he’s a YNT level talent.
     
  25. Peretz48

    Peretz48 Member+

    Nov 9, 2003
    Los Angeles
    Let's keep an eye on Quincy Butler. He's an '01 who looks like he moved from Sacramento Republic to Hoffenheim:

     

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