Right, but there are 28-30 players on an MLS roster (depending on GedAds, etc.). You can have your first 20 players on an MLS roster that are getting the large bulk of the minutes. These are your trusted players, and youngsters can move into that group. ....................but a guy like Stuart Findlay barely played for Philadelphia. He suited up a couple of times for Philly II this year. You don't need mid-career journeymen for those end-of-the-roster slots that are unlikely to play unless there's a colossal injury crisis. A team like Philly can use academy or drafted players for that purpose. Those slots can be for "bridge players" in between MLS Next and the first team. Guys who make a bench once in a while. For FCD that would be somebody like Beni Redzic. You don't need to sign a Scottish guy from Kilmarnock for that purpose. Or at least you shouldn't have to. I get that a club like Portland has to.
I've gotten an education over the years on that. Green at Bayern was the first pass / fail class for me. I learned that a player for a prestigious team can be even past the Academy and even get some minutes and still not turn out. Now that we have players at some of those teams and I seen what they had to do to get there and even stay there a kid in a big academy doesn't really wow me anymore. They need to play and move up and become a starter or big time contributor. The US national team was in such a void of talent there was a desperation to add a player with a pulse but that is no longer the case and the Joe Scally's of the world have to dislodge a decent player or two to make the team now - which is as it should be. No more shortcuts.
I‘m gonna give Philly a break because you don‘t know for sure if those young kids can do it. Like I said, let them learn and earn. They still want a prepared team that can compete. Those players for me are cover if the youth don‘t pan out. We all like to assume they will (mistake), but as a boss it‘s not smart to assume that. That will get you fired. Will all the fans be as forgiving? Those are real life questions ignored here. I get why but they are still legit whether folks like to hear that or not. From what I have heard and others have said this looked planned. They really think they are mature enough, talented enough and ready, and are making moves to open up time for them. The more I watch these guys in action the more respect I have for them. They really know what they are doing.
Yup. that‘s all I have been preaching. Let the process unwind. We can actually do that now! I get why folks thought any kid in Europe had to be ready. A real void in talent and desperation which created a lot of delusion. The excuse making would go on endlessly for guys who clearly weren‘t rated or all that good. I said in the Green thread a while back. He isn‘t someone I would be willing to give DP money to on my MLS team. That is for certain. As we integrate more players the howls for the likes of Sabbi, Gooch, Green, Sonora types, who go on a few game run and return to mean will lessen. Thank goodness. Do what Haji or EPB did if you want a shot, and all they did was give themselves a chance to be looked at. That‘s all. That‘s a good thing. There are still to many behind the MLS curve. The respect for the league is much higher than quite a few realize. What they are doing is much better than many think (usually a US Nat only fan). We should be enjoying this. These are good times. We have arrived. I have folks in Europe who watched some of the U20’s and come away super impressed with the skill, technique and tactical understanding. TBF a few asked if the comp was that bad? I said it was a combo. Weak comp and good team. Even with the poor comp they all recognized the skills. I actually have a friend forwarding Pax‘s highlight clips to Villareal‘s front office! Just a few short years ago that would have seemed impossible. Let‘s see which kid grabs the bull by the horns. No excuses needed. Just go a no show it!
All the kids on the bench again today. Soon to depart Stuart Finlay with a start. I’m thinking we’ll see at least one of them start at home this weekend.
While I think they coulda gotten more than the 15 minutes Curtin gave them, Aaronson is really playing with some fire since the U20s. Had two great runs that left Miami players looking like they were in quick sand. Just like his brother he can make the first player miss even before he has the ball and has that shoulder feint already leveled up. Sullivan came in as a striker as well and played ok, chased down some good long balls and fought for them.
There was also that cross that Sullivan put on Aaronson's foot on the six that should have been an easy finish, but Aaronson put it over. Good cross, good technique, but he just put it over. Would have been nice for both of them, and it would have put the game to bed.
Aaronson and McGlynn join Flach and Harriel in the starting lineup this week. Bring the noise tonight, Philly This squad is 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙔📝👉 https://t.co/48YxDMHnSb#StartingXI | #PHIvNE | #DOOP | @MLS pic.twitter.com/S2N87aqloJ— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 16, 2022
McGlynn has looked quite good so far. It's funny, against kids it seems like McGlynn has the athletic issues and Paxten is fine, but against adults, McGlynn seems to mostly fit in. He's had a few moments where he could have done better, but he's mostly been very good. Pax, on the other hand, hasn't done much, and is giving off a he-who-must-not-be-named-on-these-boards vibe.
I think McGlynn has been the best player on the field thus far. Aaronson hasn’t done much, but I dont think he’s been bad. He’s done pretty well defensively. Carranza’s passing has ruined a few of their attacks.
I agree. Pax has looked average and more unsure as the half has gone on while McGlynn has looked really good. Complete opposite of U20. Complete opposite of opp age. Very surprised.
I don't mean to say Aaronson has been bad - I'd say he's conceded his matchup with Jones in his mind. He's offloading the ball the second he's getting it, and playing square balls almost exclusively. Way too safe for a player whose two main attributes are dribbling and creative balls.
Definitely agree there. This is my first time watching him with the Union and he has not looked very threatening in space. I wonder if he would be better playing in the middle. McGlynn looks like the type of player who could eat up CONCACAF bunkers, either with passes or long-distance shots.
Folks wonder why you want some reliable, even if the are limited vets on your roster? Well, this game was a great example.
McGlynn kept finding (surprising?) his teammates with the ball in the box. Right before Harriet subbed out McGlynn found him close to the penalty spot and Harriel took a bad touch away from goal and then committed a foul.
With McGlynn showing real quality with his passing and vision in MLS the conversation should shift from "his positives are so good we need to find him time" versus "his negatives are so bad we can't find him time". Also makes me thing of his immediate future. Does Curtin continue to work him in with various formation shifts like the 4-2-3-1, keep letting him grow as the 8 in a diamond, or does McGlynn move to Europe to a team that fits his style better?
McGlynn showed a lot of what he showed in U20 qualifiers…high IQ, quick decision making, good understanding of space and tempo, accurate short, medium and long range passing…. Let him continue to develop and get minutes in MLS. Can’t wait to see how his future turns out.
I'm not sure what you're trying to say? If your playing flach and Martinez alongside Mglynn that's enough cover for any perceived defensive differences. I'd argue Mglynn is already a top 3 passer in our pool and he should start for the union easy.
Trying to play Aaronson and Gazdag together is probably a mistake. I don't think Gazdag is actually nearly as good as Philly does; he's a very good player but he's not much of a distributor and placing him at the head of the diamond is part of their problem. But they really both want to play there. Aaronson's not a winger or a striker in the way Philly plays -- Sullivan would be a better call in those spots, I think.
The XI Philly put out there last night is a winning group but the shape was not the best option to get the most out of them. For me they should just adopt a 4321 as their secondary or primary shape. It’s the most interchangeable shape with their current primary diamond system and it’s a better fit for this XI’s attributes. A 4231 can work but they’d need Sullivan to be in there. The 4231 didn’t fully work because: 1. Flach can work as a shuttler but he will not bring advanced attacking width. He also isn’t going to slide into the halfspace and cook or make dangerous runs. He should be holding/covering because he does the defensive stuff well. 2. Aaronson needs to be very free to come inside. He is a technical dribbler, not a speed guy, who can create openings in congestion for his shot or service better than most. Maximizing his touches from halfspace to halfspace maximizes his ability to create value. With the U20s he showed an increased ability to make FW type runs in the box to get onto service and he has always shown an ability to get good shots off with little time. Sure he can put in a good ball but his service isn’t so good that you’d want to give up much freedom to find space closer to goal in order for him to be the dedicated attacking width. The wide attackers in a 4231 can have that freedom (think of how Mkhitaryan and Reus played for BVB under Tuchel) but the opposite side W has to be threatening and Wagner and Flach did not provide enough as a duo (Wagner obviously not the problem). 3. Philly need to do a better job of providing options just outside the box/in front of the backline when they are facing a block with the ball wide and using those interior options. If all their interior/weakside attackers are on the backline then the D can collapse on them and there are no advanced interior passing options. Creating a little depth in the middle of their attacking shape will force the D to respect passing options to feet and allow for counter movements between the ST and the other attackers. Both of those things open up options for better quality runs in behind while the former also allows for better quick attacking interplay options (where Paxten can provide additional value). This could be expanded to Philly just needing to be better at attacking in possession in general. 4. Another general area of improvement would be to cut out the worst 1/3 to 1/2 of the long shots they take (looking at you Martinez). With this XI the 4321 would: 1. Put Flach in his more normal shuttler role and, spoiler, allow him to do more of his natural 6 stuff if they use a regista. 2. Allow Aaronson more freedom to play within the width of the 18 and have defensive help wide. 3. Play McGlynn as a regista. Jack can play as a “shuttler” and then Martinez would hold in the middle but Jack would have to stay more to one side and wouldn’t be the pivot in buildup, decreasing his touches. If McGlynn played as the regista in-between Flach and Martinez he would be the natural pivot in buildup, and would be able to follow the ball as it progressed, sliding towards the side of play, while the weakside shuttler slides inside and stays deep/drops into the 6 space in the rest defense shape. In a 4231 you could have McGlynn do most of the same stuff and have the other 6 hold in attack but he’d have to be a bit more defensively disciplined in his positioning in possession relative to the FBs (the shuttlers do more covering for their FBs when they push on the ball). On D having Flach and Martinez on either side of McGlynn makes his job more about reads and positioning and kick starting counters while the shuttlers do more of the direct physical confrontation.
One new face at training today is U17 Player Marcos Zambrano-Delgado. The 17yo had a great tournament at the MLS Next Cup— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) July 20, 2022