Now that the 2021 cycle has been cut short it is time to begin the 2023 cycle. This cycle will be focused around the 2003’s and supplemented by the 2004 and 2005’s. In my opinion this is the most talented u20 cycle that we have ever had
Fair. But really, it doesn't count unless it's clearly marked as a U20 cycle thread that was started before the end of the current cycle. (This is listed under the "Gonna be the best cycle yet!" subheading in the handbook.) I don't make the rules!
I’m beyond excited for this cycle. The 03’s are undefeated at 8-3-0 as an age group so my expectations are super high for them
A few things that could help us bring the strongest team possible. There’ll be no players that will obviously had played up a cycle. So, a Caden Clark or Ricardo Pepi would probably have more interest in playing in 2023 than they would have if the played in 2021. Like with Sargent last year, he wasn’t interested in playing in another U20 WC. The bigger thing is there’ll be a Gold Cup that year (the one usually taken more seriously), and you’d have to be a damn good ‘03 to crack that roster and contributor in 2.5 years.
Every cycle I try to make a list of 100 players at the beginning who could factor in, and see how close I can get. This is my list of 100. GK(16): Andrew Cordes ('03), Eliot Jones ('03), Beckham Sunderland ('03), Will Watson ('03), Mitch Budler ('03), Chris Brady ('04), Jeff Dewsnup ('04), Gabe Slonina ('04), Matthew Tibbetts ('04), Cole Kulhanek ('04), Antonio Carrera ('04), Isaac Nehme ('04), Damian Alguera ('04), Jude Bosshardt ('04), Emmanuel Ochoa ('05), Gavin Beavers ('05) RB (10): Mauricio Cuevas ('03), Noah Hall ('03), Colby Quinones ('03), Michael Halliday ('03), Justin Che ('03), Juston Rainey ('03) Erik Duenas ('04), Justin Reynolds ('04), Angel Bernal ('05), Carlos Sanchez ('05) CB (13): Casey Walls ('03), Jalen Neal ('03), Marcus Ferkranus ('03), Matthew Edwards ('03), Antonio Leone ('04), Nigel Prince ('04), Alejandro Cano ('04), Cody Baker ('04), Bryce Swinehart ('04), Nati Clarke ('05), Demitrious Tanks ('05), Haroun Conteh ('05), Matiwos Rumley ('05) LB (8): Jonathan Gomez ('03), Anton Sorenson ('03), Boima Cummins ('03), Jacob Greene ('03), Tristan Viviani ('04), Caleb Wiley ('04), Jackson Travis ('04), Damon Rouse ('05) DM/CM (20): Elton Chifamba ('03), Alejandro Alvarado ('03), Danny Leyva ('03), Jack McGlynn ('03), Tarun Karumanchi ('03), Javier Casas ('03), Brandan Craig ('04), Zach Booth ('04), Kenan Hot ('04), Cullen Wilkerson ('04), Jackson Gilman ('04), Efrain Morales ('04), Josemaria Barrera ('04), Rokas Pukstas ('04), Reed Baker-Whiting ('05), Brooklyn Raines ('05), Bryan Moyado ('05) Alan Carleton ('05), Francis Jacobs ('05), Jordan Jones ('05) AM/Wing (27): Moses Nyeman ('03), Sam Sarver ('03), Chris Garcia ('03), Caden Clark ('03), Fabrizio Bernal ('03), Kevin Paredes ('03), Tyler Freeman ('03), Dante Sealy ('03), Edison Azcona ('03), Dairon Reyes ('03), Paxten Aaronson ('03), Brian Gutierrez ('03), Dantouma Toure ('04), Quinn Sullivan ('04), Amari Salley ('04), Leo Torres ('04), Fede Oliva ('04), Evan Rotundo ('04), Gage Akalu ('04), Chris Thaggard ('05), Felipe Valencia ('05), Jonathan Villal ('05), Alexis Luna ('05), Dominic Dubon ('05), Adriel Rocha ('05), Bryan Arellano ('05), Anthony Ramirez ('05) CF (6): Ricardo Pepi ('03), Matthew Roou ('03), Patrick Weah ('03), Malick Sanogo ('04), Christian Torres ('04), Marcelo Mazzola ('05) Best 23 (I know qualifying is 20 and WC is 21): GK: Chris Brady, Jeff Dewsnup, Emmanuel Ochoa DF: Mauricio Cuevas, Justin Reynolds, Jonathan Gomez, Tristan Viviani, Casey Walls, Jalen Neal, Antonio Leone, Nati Clarke MF: Elton Chifamba, Alejandro Alvarado, Brandan Craig, Reed Baker-Whiting, Moses Nyeman, Gage Akalu, Chris Thaggard, Quinn Sullivan, Sam Sarver CF: Ricardo Pepi, Malick Sanogo, Dantouma Toure Brady Clarke-Neal-Walls-Gomez Chifamba-Alvarado Nyeman Akalu-Pepi-Thaggard
I know you don't love Cowell, but not picking him in a Top 100 seems almost like setting yourself up for failure.
I also didn’t pick Clark for the best roster. I’m purely going off my own list I had. Cowell was really close to making that list of 100, but it’s a stacked attacking group. I don’t personally see him as good enough. Doesn’t mean he won’t factor in. It’s only what I’d do if I was coaching the team.
Yeah, I was mostly referring to the 100. If you're trying to make sure that all of the actual 23 is coming from that 100 ... the players already playing first division ball seems like a good bet. Aside from some players in his age group still playing academy ball, there's like 5 '05s on the list in the midfielder / wing section. The U20 teams usually carry a couple of guys two years underage, but it's just incredibly hard to make it at that stage. I was less thinking about the scouting -- I know we disagree on how good he is -- and more just about the percentages.
This cycle I think the only positions that an 05 can make it in are right back, 6, and winger. The rest are simply too deep with 03’s and don’t have a standout 05 ready to play up. Nati Clarke is the one I think will play up because the RB’s for the 03’s and 04’s outside of Cuevas all suck. Reed Baker-Whiting if he can pass up Danny Leyva in the Sounders depth chart also has a very good chance. Diego Lopez is another 6 to watch out for. There are tons of quality 05 wingers who could steal spots if Dante Sealy, Kevin Paredes, Cade Cowell, Fede Oliva, and Chris Garcia aren’t all at the top of their game
Yeah, you guys know the individual players more than me. In 2019, there were 4 2001s, with one being a GK. In 2017, there were 2 1999s, with one GK (Tyler was the other). In 2015, there were 3 1997s (CCV, EPB, Zelalem) In 2013, there were 2 1995s with one GK. In 2009, there were 2 1991s. (We seem to often bring an underage GK as 3rd string to have them ready to start next cycle -- for example, Steffen was the 1995 GK in in 2013). Anecdotally from the last WC, we tend to be pretty open about bringing younger players -- our teams were very young this time around, while some of the teams we were playing were all 20 year olds. But we seem to have anywhere from 1-3 outfield players 2 years underage. I'm not sure if the talent surge will change that -- will more of age players reduce this? Will the better of age players already be playing above this so younger players will get more time? Dunno. But I doubt we're going to see more than 4-5 2005s on a 23 man roster, and five would be the highest in recent memory.
I think the best few 05’s are really far along compared to where players their age usually would be. I could see Clarke, Akalu, Thaggard, and Baker-Whiting competing rather easily to make this team. Also, we usually see a third keeper playing up a tournament, if there’s a good candidate. I don’t see a big difference between the 3rd keeper candidates. Ochoa might not be the best of them right now but I believe that considering it’s close between 4-5 candidates that you take the one who’ll be there next cycle.
Who knows if Baker-Whiting contends for this team -- could well be possible with two-plus years to go -- but I had certainly felt he at least belonged with the US U17s before they got canceled, more so than a number of the '04-born d-mid options. He and Clarke were the two '05s who were fairly clear U17 inclusions.
Some love for '03 Jeremy Garay (not yet mentioned on this thread) from his USL coach: 👀 @jeremygaray10 has a bright future! Fantastic passer of the ball and reads the game at a big level for his age and will keep getting better and better 💪🏻🔥 https://t.co/EcvLqwoi5P— Ryan Martin (@rpmartin10) January 5, 2021
Las joyas del LAFC Christian Torres y Erik Dueñas estarán entrenando por primera vez con la Selección Mexicana Sub17 en un microciclo en los próximos días https://t.co/pzqQda0Qdy— Enrique Mtz Villar (@enrique_mtzv) January 7, 2021 Christian Torres and Erik Dueñas going to Mexico's U-17 camp
Antonio Leone was called up as well. Duenas has a chance at breaking into the new u20's because RB is weaker for this group after Mauricio Cuevas who is the lock starter. Antonio Leone as a CB could go anywhere in his career because that position is so unpredictable so if we can keep him that'd be ideal. If Torres wants to walk I wouldn't fight it.
Another nice interview from this podcast. Weah says FC Dallas wanted him while he was still playing high school. Also mentions there something in the works with MNUFC but he’s also talking to other MLS clubs. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HVL8szMDexIfEyPsJuPB4?si=hZMxXHLXSxyPaAqMRb5Qow
I appreciate someone putting these together but a review video based on a single game seems unnecessary.
2021 Texas YNT Regional ID Center Roster – 2004s & 2005s https://t.co/1Dg7mGS32rEven more DFW talent.#DTID #FCDallas #SomosFCD— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) April 13, 2021