Jordan had less than 130 minutes in WCQ to make his case. Pepi produced in his 1st two games in WCQ and then had 1 assist in the next 8 games. He has had almost 650 minutes of WCQ action... despite not scoring for club and country for pretty much a year. It isn't like I am not a Pepi fan... I think he has a ton of talent. Just think he could have used some more seasoning at the Youth NT level. He played for our U17 level in 2018 and then never made another cap for a USYNT. At any rate, despite the fact that Ferreira is a lot shorter than Pepi and Sargent I think GB asks them all to play the same way. Basically like a False 9. It is like the USMNT has no concept of how to use a target forward. Zero hold up play and literally no opposing CB gets physically bullied inside the 18.
You're stating Pepi is the best striker based on two games in the qualifiers against the worst teams. Pefok has been able to score in the Bundesliga, tough shots mind you. Something Pepi hasn't done yet. Yet, you think Pepi is the better striker.
He hasn't been with the team since March. Pepi was with Augsburg for several months but now he's on loan to Groningen.
Just watched the US/Mex game. Wow, we totally dominated, loved seeing our talent at this level, not worries about the result. They buried 2 nice chances but we manhandled them the rest of the game. Random Notes: - Neal is concerning for me on the ball, slow and sluggish with it. Some risky turns under pressure and seemingly slow to release it. Notice it during qualifying as well. Is he like that for his club team? - I actually liked the ref and here's why. There was no conspiracy or whatever some are saying. He wasn't falling for players from either team that were looking for a foul, he was consistent I thought. Notably when players with the ball purposely back into the defender and flop to the ground. Those aren't fouls and most refs fall for it. I'm glad he didn't call those. - Aaronson not nearly effective enough in this game and looks to be really soft like his bro, going to ground easy and getting knocked over easy. The 2nd goal was because he was frustrated not getting a call and sprinted angrily 40 yards after the ball and crashed into the Mexico player, he was quite out of control, imo. - the Alvarado (i think) at the top of the Mex box was literally him purposely backing into the defender and flopping to ground. I hate that stuff. - what on earth was that Mex defender thinking. Just picking up the ball, what a melt down. - Luna was total playmaker but does at times try one extra move too many. Late in game he was super active and moving the ball into dangerous spots. - Sullivan looked super dangerous early on. - what a save by Brady. Wow that was top notch. - I have a problem distinguishing between Jogo and Paredes and Clark. My eyesight is getting bad. Love this team when firing on all cylinders.
There's no conspiracy needed. Most overused, abused concept in US culture. The Mexican fed picked the refs. So they have the option of selecting who they think is most biased to them. And just about everybody who is assigned would have some degree of bias since they want to appease their employers to get more work. Have your bosses had any tacit influence on you? Of course. He wasn't just calling it light both ways. Aaronson got trampled then he got called for a foul on the edge of the box. Alvarado got clattered into on a ball he got to first inside the box. There was no falling into him for a foul on that 1. On the pk the ref begrudgingly gave up, there were hand balls first. There were more by Mexico in the game. But the ref called a handball on the U.S. where it was total incidental contact. There were 2 different sets of standards. Maybe hometown officiating, or what I said.
Well.. it wasn't a concacaf or fifa event so who else would pick the refs. Just like the Nike Friendlies, did you think those refs were biased to the US team? I just prefer when refs don't fall for it when players go to ground looking for fouls, it happens too often these days and I applaud refs that don't take the bait. I thought this guy did the same with the mex players.
Then it's an event where you should take results w/ a grain of salt. It's kind of a joke when one team/fed picks the supposed impartial mediator. I've never watched the Nike friendlies, but if the US fed picks the refs, maybe it partially explains why we get disproportionately positive results.
Eh. No need to complain about reffing in a meaningless event. Did the boys play well? Yes. They lost, but c'est la vie. When you play well, you just shake your head and move on. The more I see of the group the better I start feeling about the U20WC. Are there holes? Yes, but every squad in the world is going to have holes on this type of roster. Yes, even France has a position or two that aren't up to the standard of the rest. The only question for me is which players are actually going to be available for the U20WC. We're still more than 6 months away.........................
Kevin Paredes! The Wolfsburg winger puts the U.S. U-20s up 1-0 on Paraguay in the 8th minute.— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) September 28, 2022 Goal! Brian Gutierrez scores the second for the U.S. U-20s. Kevin Paredes (who is really playing well) got played behind Paraguay's backline. He sent a short ball back across the goal and the #cf97 attacker was able to finish from close range. 2-0 USA in the 32nd minute— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) September 28, 2022
Some great passages of play in that first half. 2-0 really flatters Paraguay McGlynn has had the time to carve them up. So fun to watch pass when he’s on. Paredes and Gutierrez standouts as well.
The first goal was a funny one, a nice team move that kind of broke down but Paredes ended up with the ball in a must-score spot anyhow. The GK didn't have much of a play from that range but he jumped early, apparently assuming Paredes was a righty. Whoops! The second goal was a really nice combination that flowed inevitably toward its end. McGlynn shoulda scored a third right before halftime -- he hit a ball low and hard, unsaveable, just wide from maybe the 18. With that said, Paraguay is a decent opponent, though we are better.
Kevin Paredes and Jack McGlynn should be in serious contention for World Cup roster spots. With Reyna and Weah's injuries, Pulisic's form, and Arriola and Morris' limitations, Paredes could have something to offer. For McGlynn, he brings the passing for the middle of the park that Adams, McKennie, Musah, Acosta, de la Torre, Long or Zimmerman can provide. Hell, I am less convinced of this, but I would give Gomez at least a thought as Robinson's backup. U20 is theoretically a starting point for senior team integration, and and this team has a ton of talent. Based on how dire things appear heading into Qatar, I think at least a couple of these guys should be considered on a potential fast track....
Good performance. Comfortable victory. Paraguay had some chances, but they wasted them. We also had more chances. We were the clear better team. I thought almost everyone played well. Not many bad performances. Brady-Very little to do. Handled what he had to do well. Che-Quiet, but thats a good thing. If he can play a quieter game, he'll make the U-20 WC team. Ferkranus-A few nervy moments, but otherwise pretty good. You have to chalk the nervy moments up to a guy that gets almost no game time at club level. Craig-Great performance. Once again was excellent. He's getting to that point where he's as ready for the first team minutes as the other three Union U-20's. Gomez-He was pretty good. A little lacking in cohesiveness (mostly defensively) with teammates, but I think he played better than the Peru game, it was a good performance, and the cohesiveness element should get worked out eventually. He had a few moments of brilliance, but his performances can improve. Edelman-Quiet performance. Did his job pretty well. Not many complaints. McGlynn-He got time and space, and we know what happens when a team plays off of him. He's a difference maker, and was in this game. Has a wand of a left-foot and elite soccer IQ Luna-Not his best game. Probably the only US starter I would say struggled. Paredes-Started very well. Had a goal and an assist. Cooled down a little after that, but a much better performance than his first performance. Like Gomez, this is his first camp. Lacks cohesiveness with team. That element should only improve. Gutierrez-He's yet another that you could see lacks cohesiveness. Decision-making seemed to be a little out of sync with teammates. I chalk that up to needing more time to get accustomed to teammates. Goal was a tap-in. It counts, but not one of his better performances. Sullivan-He worked hard and had a few nice offensive moments. I don't think he was bad. He rarely ever is, but not one of his better games. Pukstas-I didn't think he was that bad, but he also got himself sent off. It didn't matter, but being subbed on at the half and being sent off for two yellows in the second half is hard to do. Aaronson-He was a lot better in this game. Could've scored a few goals. Finishing wasn't there, which you could say is similar to the Mexico game, but I thought this was a lot better of a performance. Alvarado-Didn't think he had one of his better performances, but he was a sub, so minutes were limited. There might've been another sub, but I can't remember exactly if there was.
They’re not physically developed enough for the World Cup. After watching Paredes in this tournament and being very impressed, I am certain that he’s not getting burn in Germany because he is still physically underdeveloped. He’s not stout and strong enough yet. Same with Jonathan Gomez. Gomez is a fantastic player, but I saw him in LA with the full Nats and he just wasn’t there physically yet, but he has the brain and the skills (and the budding athleticism) to be a special player. Neither of them would add more than Arriola, who is a really physical, athletic, explosive and smart player who plays much quicker than most of the other guys on the Nats.
But U-20 needs to STOP playing that 4-3-3 without a true striker Greg system shit. We need to have future good strikers and play them NOW.
Rodrigo Neri? He has been scoring for the U19s. I would have also used Sullivan at CF and might have called Yapi in rather than a guy like Hopkins who just doesn't have it IMO. Hard to argue with the results though... the U20s outplayed every team in this tourney. Just wish they were learning how to play with a target forward. It is like the entire fed wants all our YNTs to play like the MNT (i.e. w/o a striker) and I think it will inevitably lead to failure.
You're probably right, but I still think these guys should be in contention even if they aren't selected. I don't know how that looks at this point, though. McGlynn would be the most important given that he brings specifically what the senior team is really lacking. Paredes would be more of an insurance option given all of the issues with our wingers. It's not about a head to head comparison between Paredes and Arriola or another player. It's more the fact that the senior team is lacking so much right now, and these guys seem like potential options to address those specific concerns. Probably an overreaction, but these issues with the senior team to be addressed somehow.
A reminder that Pepi is eligible for this team.............................. Maybe Cade Cowell can play there, but he wasn't released. Wolff wasn't available either now that he's in Belgium. So there are 2 of the 3 forwards we used in qualifying. So we're dipping down into the pool a bit. Also true that some the #9s we thought would be in the pool when the cycle began haven't seemed to progress. Sanogo and friends....................