extended hilights. Booth's cross about 6:15 in. Good cross but really mostly down to great work from Douvikas. Ajax squandered so many chances.
Stayed on the bench for a 3-2 regular season finale win: 🗞️ 𝗢𝗻𝘇𝗲 🆇🅸🆕 Voor het eerst bij de wedstrijdselectie: 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐚𝐫#fcutrecht #vanuithethart #utremm pic.twitter.com/0JlotavqCT— FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) May 28, 2023 Sounds like they have Europa League playoff matches coming.
Finished 2nd in club's POTY voting: USMNT international Taylor Booth finishes as runner up for FC Utrecht’s player of the season (David di Tommaso trophy) 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/LkiRyJz3uS— Takes 🇺🇸 (@USMNTTAKES) May 28, 2023
Why isn’t he with the squad? Has he left for international duty already? Doesn’t look like camp opens until the 4th so that doesn’t seem make sense.
Not sure the issues, but he's got a knock/illness of some sort: Booth, one of Utrecht's trendsetters, is not fit and is therefore not included in the selection. https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuw...-smaakmaker-tegen-sparta-in-beladen-duel.html
Utrecht have the 2nd leg today at 9 am PST (believe it is on ESPN+) I've not seen any further reports about his injury at all. Line-ups not posted yet. 'veen getting wumped by Twente today so if Utrecht can get past Sparta (down 2-1 atm, and playing in Rotterdam today) they would face a Twente team that has been on a bit of a tear. (Ironically, the last lost to Utrecht in league play - and since that game have scored 23 goals in 6.5 games, beat Ajax, tying Sparta and now embarrassing 'veen. A shame if Booth doesn't get to participate - seems unlikely he's back in N'lands next season. (Edit: found this quote from a few days ago from two "super fans" - Which adds nothing but suggests it may not be very serious. Dunno how much these guys know - they are a "fan blog" kind of duo, it seems)
He's certainly done enough to get transfer inquiries. Has he done enough to get the kind of money he and Utrecht want at the kind of club he wants to go to? I got no idea. The ManU and Napoli rumors were the last "hot" ones. I'd imagine a bit depends on the injury and what his and the clubs expectations are. At one point I read 12 mill Euro, which is not crazy money for a promising younger player, but no idea if anyone interesting will pay that.
I have watched him quite a bit and there is a lot to like. I also see a lot of inconsistency, a player pushed off the ball very easily, a kid whose DM making could be better and who really has only had this year as a pro at a highly competitive level. I look at him and think the Dutch league would be perfect for another year, especially for one of the bigger boys. Fingers crossed things work out. Of course if someone pays a decent amount he will get chances.
Certainly many Utrecht fans would love to have him another year, from what I've read, and more Ered seasoning rarely hurts a player. But I don't know that Utrecht sees him as critical to their plans so I'd guess for the right money they would let him go. I don't have a great sense either way. Seems an ambitious kid, if he gets a shot at a fancy club, I could see him take it, but I got no inside info at all.
Booth makes the bench today. 💜🖤 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞! #SamenVoorUUUropa #vanuithethart #fcutrecht #spautr pic.twitter.com/Cwp131UnPc— FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) June 4, 2023
Utrecht needs a big game away. Decent chance he could be a late offensive sub if they're chasing it late.
0-0 at the Half. If this keeps up, I'd expect him to come in - maybe Ram's or, if they want to get more attack they'll take out old man Toomstra.
Made his PK after the matches ended 2-2 on aggregate. 📋 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲 Taylor Booth neemt de tweede penalty van FC Utrecht. De Amerikaan is trefzeker: 2-2!🔴⚪ ✅✅💜🖤 ✅✅#SamenVoorUUUropa #fcutrecht #vanuithethart #spautr— FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) June 4, 2023 Lost 5-4 in the shootout.
Yeah - the game fell apart, esp in the ET, but his crosses could have been much better. I'd put him in the fat, unexceptional middle for this. But he did make his PK (Utrecht 2nd shooter) so that's a big +
He signed for them last July on a 3-year deal. Given his age profile, they surely expected inconsistency this season. The question is whether they saw enough potential to make him a factor for their 2023-24 planning. If they didn't, he got more than enough PT for someone else to see where he could fit into theirs.
With be interesting to see. Utrecht was clearly happy to start him quite a bit. He was subbed out or missed a few games due to injury illness, but when healthy he tended to put in at least 60/70 mins. They've got a couple of aging players: Toornstra and Dost are 34 or so. vdStreek is just 30, I think. Jansen, who swapped in or out for Booth the most, I think (it wasn't super consistent. Booth also swapped with Toornstra, Boussaid, to name two other I recall off hand) is only 23 but he did not have a great season as far as I saw/read. Labyad is also 30 and came in for Booth at least once, but I don't think he excited anyone. Douvikas is gone, it seems. Some former Utrecht players, like Amrabat, are getting some attention - and money. Does anyone think Booth can be "that guy" down the road? Does Utrecht? We shall see.
He had a hot October/Early November.... everything else was pretty meh. I haven't seen anything that would make be think a big club should be after him.