I think that the generation to look out for is the one who will have seen the Qatar team during their formative years. They will not know what it is like to have a reticent, apprehensive personality as a disposition in world competition. They will have higher expectations to solve the problems that emerge when you are trying to wrestle the game away from the opponent and make them submit rather than trying to dodge them until you get your one chance for a knockout blow.
Neither Wynder nor Che were very good in this tournament. Craig was lights out and deserves to be on the all tournament team. I wonder how things might have looked had Leone been healthy and committed to the US instead of Mexico. His athletic profile is very, very impressive, and he can play the types of passes that Craig can. Now that the cycle is over, I would kill to see this lineup replay the Uruguay game (seven of them were not released for at least part of the tournament). ----------------Pepi Cowell-----------------Gutierrez --------------Aaronson -----------Buck---Vargas Paredes--Leone--Craig--Neal --------------Slonina [Paredes steps high in possession and it becomes a back three] This leaves McGlynn, Gomez, Sullivan, Luna, Tsakiris, Wiley, Edelman, Che, and Wynder as top potential subs.
As an approach I think we need to look at guys based on their performance level rather than the relative standing in the pool. Above average top 4 league starter level performer is a more stable measuring stick than where a guy lands in our pool. It isn’t subject to whether the pool is shallow or deep in a particular role. It allows for better cross era comparisons. Similarly, I think one has to look at how good of a prospect a player was when they were a prospect, not how good they ended up being. Now it is probably true that a lot of guys fall short because of mentality issues (Justin Mapp did not put in the work to be his best self, he smoked cigs, Eddie Gaven retired to be a youth pastor, etc…) and it could be argued that should be part of a hindsight prospect rating. I don’t think those things are as immutable as athleticism or even touch by the end of a guys’ teens so it affects the uncertainty of where a guys soccer abilities should take them (raising a guy’s floor) but it doesn’t erase the potential they had if they improved or found a situation that unlocked them. Still I think the general point is that evaluating based on where a player was at the time they were a prospect is better for making other determinations and figuring out what takes someone from being a prospect into becoming a high level performing pro. The core is determining what a player can do on the field, seeing what they actually do, then figuring out what closes the distance between the two or improves the first. Certain things are more amenable to improvement. Certain situations are better at spurring certain types of improvement. On that basis it is clear there is a general uptick in the volume of quality. However truly elite prospects are more a function of the size and sophistication of a soccer culture (Pulisic and Reyna being the economically secure sons of soccer playing Moms and Dads isn’t a coincidence).
Very hard to sit McGlynn. I think Wiley probably makes more sense as an actual FB than Kevin but WB is arguable. Gutierrez and Vargas would not be in my first choice XI today, even though Vargas has a great future. Because of the lack of RBs Che also has a better shot for me.
I agree on Wynder and the USLC point. While I still think Wynder has a USMNT future in some capacity, I was struck by (1) how average-sized he is and (2) how physically developed he already is, as opposed to how Jalen Neal looks and how Chris Richards used to look. He has plenty of skill for the position and moves well enough (not elite, but above-average imo) but his tackling and general ability in physical exchanges leaves a lot to be desired. The Gomez tapes are striking for how much more athletic he looks than all of USLC, especially considering that he’s a below-average athlete for a top 4-league fullback. There were times when Pepi looked like a young Mario Mandzukic just flying around everyone at North Texas.
Che and Wynder weren’t perfect and need to do better in the tackle and at stopping crosses. BUT THEY DID ALL THE DEFENDING. Craig was insulated because he can’t move. He just moved up and down a 40yd vertical column. He’s one of the greatest passing/ball-striking Americans I’ve ever seen. But he is almost a non-prospect to me. He can’t really play a professional position. I’d be shocked if he develops into an MLS starter.
There is nothing telling about it. That statement is directed at people like you. It is laughable to me that the leagues cheerleaders are celebrating them having taken one step in a long journey after being around for almost 30 years.
Of course there aren't. You have proven that there are people who are often wrong but can't learn from it. We can all look forward to your next home run take that turns into a swing and miss.
Uruguay justifies my pre tournament top 5 ranking for them by making the final. They managed to avoid Brazil in the semi's which probably knocks them out, but credit to them for playing consistently well all tournament. No real down games beyond I think the Tunisian match. Real run for them, 20 years and counting of superlative to solid U20 teams.
Again, if you think there has been "one step" in 30 years, you're just not even close to dialed in to what's been going on and how this works.
Expected Italy to smash South Korea (which has surrounded an occasional quality performance with garbage play) and that's exactly how it starts, for now anyway. The easy route South Korea had for the most part ended with this match and they're getting mashed for now.
Oh Donny Lamb! I can only imagine how dialed in you are. This country developed players of the quality similar to this u20 team before MLS existed. Doing consistently and systematically is the first step of a multi step journey. There have been improvements along the way, but this is first true step forward.
South Korea fought the good fight. much better effort than I expected, very competitive but Italy comes out on top and the best two survivors of the Quarterfinals make the final. Not a bad final all things considered, Uruguay a top 4-5 side for me pre tournament and Italy layed down a marker with their U19 Championship performance and opening win over Brazil. Only one subpar game for them all tournament, none really for Uruguay.
Actually millions. They made many mistakes along the way. The reality is they still have accomplished very little in terms of what they need to achieve.
This seems to be a world cup with no clear favorite. The finalists are the teams that avoided the worst case matchups.
You're all up in your feelings right now, and that's okay. Feel as you long to feel. Let the tears flow.
I thought we were one of the worst case matchups. , so I am sure Uruguay would have rather gotten New Zealand. BTW during the Uruguay-Irael game, the announcer said Uruguay had 5 players on the team of the tournament for the Conmbol qualifying tournament, more than any other team including Brazil.