PBP: United States vs Colombia; 1/28; 7:30pm ET

I can't say I'm convinced about the first touch part of your post otherwise I agree.

 

Neal is so composed. That pass at the end was smooth. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get on a watch list for a number of clubs.

 

I agree. I just can't believe we can't do better than him as backup 6.

 

Well, that was.

I'm not smitten with Tolkin, but he didn't do anything wrong either.

Hoppe is a mystery.

I think Aaronson is going to be playing with the youth teams for a bit while he bulks up, he's got tons of talent, but just needs to be stronger on the ball. Exciting player.

Everyone else was pretty unremarkable. Not giving Cowell at least a cameo is unfortunate.

 

He missed the hand ball

 

Well my 0-0 prediction was correct but, other than that, the only thing learned was that not one of the players for the USA is good enough to play any meaningful matches.

OK. Bedtime. "GOOD NIGHT, Mrs. Calabash--wherever you are!" - Jimmy Durante

 

They must have put something in the beer. You got me on that one.

 

Neal is not ready short term but definitely one for the future. This next season is critical in his development. He needs to show Vanney that he deserves consistent playing time and then go from there.

 

I was wrong: Soñora's calmness on the ball upgraded our central midfield considerably, and Paxton managed to just hold his own. Vazquez was a change of pace, but he wasn't really an "upgrade" over Ferreira. Jalen Neal I think is going to get his chance in MLS this season; he looks ready. Rogers was fine. Sabbi was unfortunately a significant downgrade from Arriola, and, lastly, I'm frustrated that Cowell didn't have a chance to try to follow up his strong match on Wednesday.

 

He looks like an Aztec king.

 

his agent sucks

 

Yeah, but if that's the way it has to be, then that's the way it has to be. I wouldn't choose him over either Vazquez or Ferreira (or Pepi or Sargent or probably Wright) at the 9 right now.

 

I jsut get the feeling we should head to a 3 cb formation to start the 2026 cycle, even if we shift out of it eventually and I feel that guys like Neal get that passing out of the back as a cb that would fit nicely, plus we don't have a traditional 9 so 352 with two mobile strikers kinda fits.

 

All in all nothing special across 2 games but it was nice to get some key U20s valuable experience, get some answers on some mid-20 types who people wanted to see with the NT and cement some opinions on the players who have played with the A team in the past.

 

And Jones looks like he can play LB as well.

 

Well, sure, it's easy to say a 19 yr old cb isn't ready but why not get him out there on the front lines so he will be ready at the soonest? The good news is that Caceres is back to play a season for Galaxy and will be tutoring Neal in the fine points of defending - hopefully.

 

Define effective? He was like ... ok at best? On a field full of meh, he was like the least meh?

The problem with Hoppe is that he has all of the swagger and dickness as Reyna but a fraction of the talent. And believe it or not most club teams are not falling over themselves to give players like that minutes or even opportunities to grow.

 

I see why people are high in Neal. Good on the ball. He needs seasoning but has a high upside.

 

Well.

Call Vazquez up to the full team to see how he meshes with them. He's firmly in that group of guys, but didn't do anything to say that he should be an undisputed starter.

Cowell looking good is good, but he's still a U20 player, and probably an Olympic player.

Neal should play for LA.

Everyone else can go back to their day jobs and resume life as usual.

 

My opinion of the U20s is for the most part as undecided as it was before the camp, except that I think Neal's primed for his breakout, despite the fact that he's still some ways away from being a full senior team contributor.

 

I earnestly thought Soñora was kinda invisible. When he did pop up it was not making plays.

Wouldn’t be against that. As long as we aren’t as brutal to watch as last cycle with the inverted right back. A good chance if we get that exact formation if it’s a European based coach that gets hired.

 

Or a cross between Jack Palance and Henry Silva.

 

You beat me to it, you bastards, you. Nice one.

 

We minded the ball a lot better this half than the last half, where we lost way too many duels which ended up turning into Colombian counterattacks at pace. He wasn't doing much that was that visible, he was just a bit tidier, and that resulted in less opportunities for Colombia to win a duel or a 50/50 and counter. I thought that he would be behind the pace of the game based on what I saw against Serbia, but he managed it well.