It's interesting Jonathan Bell got the start over Kessler who had started on the bench. It seems that at higher rate than before, more USL vets have been transitioning to high level MLS performers. Marcinkowski vs Stuver: was that some kind of goal keeper duel? Lewis scored off the bench. His best path forward is as a 2nd forward. Hopefully, Fraser maintains the 352. Lennon--was his non-inclusion on Gregg's list a mistake? Schmetzer continues to roll. This year is shaping up to be his best coaching job. Farfan--returned to the starting lineup. Can he keep it up? The lad has good tools. In the d-mid opta sweepstakes-- Busio--another quality start at the single pivot. Perea---hadn't been a regular starter, but got the start at d-mid for Orlando. And shined. Williamson---has been losing ground since getting moved out of the single pivot Acosta got the start at dmid in 3142. Sticking the position at club level could give him an inside track with the National Team. Sands at d-mid is not being helped by NYC using him at CB.
I was intrigued by the Bell inclusion for the Revs.. The Revs announcers talked quite a bit about how impressed the Revs staff have been with Bell. They're not down on Kessler. THey just felt like the matchup favored Bell yesterday. He was a 2nd round draft pick by San Jose a few years ago. SO I guess he was a known commodity and didn't come out of nowhere. That 2020 draft was abysmal........................ Bruce Arena knows what he's doing in MLS. Best team in the East and a legitimate SS contender.
K. Smith must have been a busy guy before soccer. He’s known as the accountant @ OC because he’s also a CPA. Somehow he’s kept this whole Morrissey bit on the down low.
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/358142/Fixtures/Gianluca-Busio It looks like he’s only had one bad game on the season.
I mentioned Bell in the U23 thread... he has unreal hops/athleticism and scored in this last game on a set piece. It seemed like Kessler was the defacto young CB for the Revs but I am not so sure anymore. They have been splitting time which makes sense w/ the congested schedule coming up. He is a late-bloomer to keep an eye on.
He's a late bloomer but not really out of nowhere. He was invited to a US U20 camp in 2016 as that team prepared for the 2017 U20 World Cup cycle. The CBs on that roster ended up being Carter-Vickers, Palmer-Brown, Justen Glad, etc. A pretty stacked cycle of CB prospects. He played for the DCU academy for a little while. I don't know what happened there...................
Zlatan got ownership stock in Hammarby (which was controversial for him, since they're rivals to his childclub Malmo, where he's a legend. The Malmo fans didn't take it well)
I thought Clark made a nice play. He turned away from pressure, and hit about an 25-30 yard bending ball into KD's run. Maybe not brilliant by Clark but certainly a nice play.
I see what you mean about Sands but with Long out CB depth is not great if we have old man Ream out there. He’s gunna get turned like a top vs teams in the Ocho. Sands being so versatile is great.
Didn't say it wasn't a nice play, it was fine. That same play happens 20 times a match. Receive ball, turn, hit an easy pass to a wide open teammate.
I agree. Plus, he takes a great first touch away from pressure that allows him to turn at the same time. Then his next touch is the pass that switches the attack to the open Duncan. Yes, if you are watching Belgium and Germany and Italy in the Euros, it doesn't seem like anything special. But you don't see many MLS midfielders doing that and not at 18.
So two things. First is Ricuarte is actually decent but not a #10 so that's on the coach for playing him there. he didn't start Jara for once but the other big three foreign players all started in midfield and Minnesota controlled the midfield. Second is even though I like Ricuarte he is not a good fit in a 4-3-3 which is the teams main formation so that is on the GM for acquiring him. MLS 101 for a team with a great academy is when you do go after foreign players they need to be really, really good and fit a position on the team that is a need and also where the player won't block a very talented HG that is ready for minutes. Ricuarte is good but not good enough to be one of three DP level talents, he doesn't play a position of need because he actually doesn't have a position in the 4-3-3 and he's blocking several players who are ready for minutes. Jara and Acosta also don't fit the 4-3-3 though Jara would if he wasn't as slow as a turtle. Acosta just deceives to impress (this year). He runs around a lot and does add some ball winning, but no great offensive production of any kind, terrible at free kicks and is always a threat for cards. FCD needs an overhaul. New GM and new coach. GM is the bigger problem. Even Martinez the new LCB who seems to fit all the criteria just isn't that good. At least he's not blocking any prospects ready for minutes as all the possible prospects are right footed.
Zanotta needs to change or go. He's doing the same thing almost every foreign GM does -- overrate players from his home country or region. The CDM he brought in was AWFUL. Absolutely terrible. If any young player played that badly, they'd be benched for weeks. Acosta was also straight trash when he's asked to push forward -- he's possibly the worst offensive decision maker I've ever seen. The goal they generated was because of Hollingshead and Pepi; notably, none of their foreign imports were close to involved in anything dangerous.
no, its not a huge deal (especially in terms of the pass, which was routine), but he shaped his body in a way that completely took dax (no slouch) out of the play and in the same movement played that routine pass. i wouldnt say hes locked down a starting spot with the nats or anything, but we look for really good signs in players right? the norm for your average american cm would be a heavy touch (if they can hold off their marker) back to a cb- but heres an 18 year old midfielder bodying a concacaf vet defensive mid, receiving and playing the correct pass in one movement (three tiny aspects our cms havent exactly excelled in over the years or ever recently) aint nothing. i imagine if it were ledezma vs the go ahead eagles in preseason the reaction might be a little different from some posters...
Yes, it wasn’t OMG! spectacular but it was fluid, quick and well executed for a youthful pro. His first touch to take out Dax and quickly and accurately deliver the pass is all stuff you want to see from someone in the middle. The one play doesn’t make him more than what he is at the moment but it is good to see and something to keep an eye on.
I have hope for schon. Stick him across from ferreira as the dribbling wing. Let sealy be a supersub if he's staying. Pepi up top. Pomykal central as 1 of the 8s. Che the defensive fb to complement hollingshead marauding. Pump the breaks on tessmann. He doesn't press or play quick. Play roberts more for dynamism centrally. Give cerrillo another chance to protect a back line. Servania can fill in at a bunch of positions. I still don't think fcd would be great, but probably decent, have a direction, and sell players for big #'s to get a couple good dp's finally.
That's a last place MLS team right there. Right now........................FCD is a last place team anyway. So, let's do it! Roberts, Servania, Cerrillo will all be gone shortly. Maybe in this summer window.
Does Paredes project as a winger or left back for the USMNT? More and more I’m seeing him become a left back.
Yes. He is left-footed and it is a serious weapon. His crosses have fantastic whip and he is quite good at releasing the forwards on long balls over the top. Kid has talent in buckets... so good dribbling one-v-one. Just needs to add some weight to his slight frame in order to hold up to the demands of a long season.