MLS Flavors of the Week: 2021 edition

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Eleven Bravo, Jan 19, 2021.

  1. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Especially since John Nelson's upside is Daniel Lovitz.
     
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  2. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #177 xbhaskarx, Apr 4, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2021
    Yes he was. At age 19. As pretty much the consensus best player in the draft. And a year later after killing it in MLS he's now killing it in the English second division.
    John Nelson on the other hand has played just about the same number of MLS games as Dike, despite being two years older... while Dike has likely played his last game in MLS already.
    The amount of stuff John Nelson and Daryl Dike have in common you could just about fit in a single tweet.

    So... national team starter?

    :laugh:
     
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  3. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's gonna be 22 in October.....what's the age cutoff for breakout player?

    I would keep on eye on some of the new home growns the Union signed. Nathan Harriel has a real, shot to be the starter at RB with Ray Gaddis' retirement. Then Brandan Craig, Jack De Vries*, Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn and Quinn Sullivan are ones to keep an eye on.

    *de Vries will at least get opportunities at the beginning of the season due to all of the injuries in the Union's Striker corp.
     
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  4. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’d say no age limit. Feilhaber was a World Cup vet when he broke out.
     
  5. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wait, I thought the whole point of breakout players were players who suddenly made a push and earned a spot on the National Team??? How does a player "Break Out" after being a World Cup Vet????
     
  6. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dike was a rookie. Nelson is going into his 3rd season.

    He was indeed an outlier. Fine w/ the rest. But I'd add:

    Cole Bassett, Patrick Weah, Caden Clark, David Ochoa, Auston Trusty, Moses Nyeman, Aidan Morris, Dantouma Toure, Christian Torres, Danny Leyva, Jackson Conway, Paxten Aaronson, Jaylen Lindsey, Dante Sealy, Marcelo Palomino, Cameron Duke, Cameron Harper, Travian Sousa, Mauricio Cuevas
     
  7. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Your definition probably makes more sense. I was thinking of in terms of their club play breakout.
     
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  8. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    and I’m sure it will be promptly reinvested into the squad without delay once it happens

    ......... :( :( :(
     
  9. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anyone want to give a stab at their guess of every club’s best XI before the season starts?

    Part of me wants to work on it again. Another part of me wants to see what others think.
     
  10. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    oh gosh, no disrespect and i may be presumptuous that youre saying do it here- but not in this thread. thats what the mls board is for. this is an overall mls in relation to the national team thread. thats WAY too intensive.

    this thread is for keeping up with the best/most promising players, not a full rundown of montreals rosters.
     
  11. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    I really appreciate your posts.
     
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  12. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    I don't have the knowledge and I shouldn't spend the time ... but I will say that the Reddit MLS board is doing its Countdown to Kickoff and most of them are pretty good previews.
     
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  13. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Eh, it’s not that intensive... when work slows down, I’ll be glad to do it. And it’s important from a USMNT perspective if you want to be able to examine how players fit in.
     
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  14. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    #189 Clint Eastwood, Apr 5, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2021
    So far in preseason, John Nelson hasn't been starting.
    Its been Eddie Munjoma ( FCD homegrown) and Ryan Hollingshead as the fullbacks.
    Luchi likes his athletic fullbacks/wingbacks in the mold of Reynolds and Cannon. Munjoma is the next in line there. As we know, Nelson is more of a stay at home defender. I like him a lot, but he doesn't really fit what they're trying to do. In fact, they might play a 3-5-2 this year (which gets Ferreira on the field more as a partner with one of Jara/Pepi). In that system Nelson would have to play as one of the 3 CBs. He's pretty undersized for that.

    By the way, another FCD name. It seems former homegrown signing and US U20WC participant Edwin Cerrillo has won the #6 job

    As far as big, big, big breakouts that lead to Euro moves................I'll go with Busio, Pepi, and Clark. I also think its the last year in the league for Bassett, Tessmann, and Bello. I just think those first three will garner the biggest headlines.

    Busio is doing great things in preseason.
     
  15. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Oh................I'll add another name out of left field.
    Every year there are kids that we don't see coming.
    In 2021 its likely the kids that would have been part of the U20 WC cycle. However, that cycle was cancelled. These guys are thus very much "under the radar." Cam Harper at NYRB is a prime candidate. Folks haven't really seen him much.

    The name to add to the breakout list is homegrown and former US U17 World Cup participant Andreas Jasson of NYCFC.
    It seems he's really impressed the coaching staff and may be on the verge of winning the left wing position.

     
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  16. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Busio has something that I think the USMNT has lacked lately, he’ll take a shot. I’ve often been frustrated by guys trying to walk the ball into the net.

    One of my beefs with Jozy is his shooting percentage is too high. Take some shots, create rebounds and deflections.
     
  17. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    In terms of hyped young players starting to deliver on their potential, Busio is only a little bit younger than Aaronson was last year and Adams was 3 years ago when both of them had breakout seasons. If he's going to follow a similar path, this might be his year.
     
  18. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    In terms of central midfielders we also can't forget 19 year old Aidan Morris, who started MLS Cup for Columbus last season.
    Another kid who would have been on the U20WC roster that's a little under the radar (despite starting MLS Cup).

    I'll go one more...................Philly gives lots of time to homegrowns. With the retirement of Gaddis, it sure seems like there's playing time available for 19 year old Nathan Harriel. We know about some of the Philly guys to watch this season (Fontana, etc.)...............but Harriel and midfielder Jack McGlynn seem to be the "new guys" that may break out. It might be next season for their big breakout, but I bet they both are in the rotation in 2021.
     
  19. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    The thing that sets Busio apart in my mind is (like Adams and Aaronson in the year before they had their breakouts), Busio already started a good deal last year - 16 out of 23 regular season and playoff games by my count.

    That's not to say that others (like Morris, Harriel, Fontana, McGlynn, etc.) couldn't succeed in their first full season as regular starters at that level, but if it does take a year or so to adjust to that level of responsibility, Busio may be the best positioned for that.
     
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  20. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    No question. What Bryan Reynolds did last year wasn't norm.
    Started for the first time, started about a dozen games, and then sold for big money to Roma.
    And he wasn't playing for USYNTs as a platform. If folks want a demonstration of how much MLS is scouted and its perception around the world, Bryan Reynolds is exhibit A.
     
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  21. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Another team to keep a side-eye on in 2021 is LAFC.
    They have a lot going on in their academy system, and first team impact is just around the corner.

    It sure looks like '04 Christian Torres is the 2nd choice left winger, '04 Erik Dueñas is 2nd choice RB, and '04 Tony Leone is 3rd choice LCB.

    All three are Mexican-Americans. They were all recently at a Mexico youth camp, which doesn't really mean a lot. Not cap-tying in any way.
     
  22. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
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  23. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can confirm this. Another road skin to add to Miles' collection, reinforcing how he'd play there against the top sides in CONCACAF. Really missed him in Guadalajara. Don't think he'll get a chance, as he should, to enter the NT thru the A-route this yr. Will likely have to go from B-team GC to A ala Stu Holden.

     
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  24. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Stu was so clearly the best player on that 2009 GC team.
     
  25. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    Yeah that was such an odd roster, mostly because we basically didn't call in anyone who had been on our A team rosters the prior month. (Feilhaber and Davies for some reason were kept on and made a brief sub appearance or two in the group stage before being replaced in the knockout stage.)

    By the end of the tournament, our starting lineup was made up of guys like Troy Perkins, Jay Heaps, Logan Pause, and Davy Arnaud, who more or less never appeared for the US before or after that tournament.

    I think Holden and Goodson were the only two players on that roster that ended up making the World Cup (although Beckerman would be there the following cycle, while Ching had been there in the prior one).
     
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