It all depends on the quality of Ochoa's play for RSL this season. I personally think he might be the best young keeper we've had come into the league since Steffen (who re-routed from Germany). To me, there's no point calling a 21/22 year old starter in MLS a "breakout youngster." Only in the US would a player over the age of 20 be called a "youngster." For FCD, the most likely breakout possibilities this upcoming season are 18 year old Thomas Roberts and 17 year old Ricardo Pepi. With 16 year old Dante Sealy more likely the following season. Jesus Ferreira played in 36 games last season for a playoff team. People should really have been more vociferous about Ferreira finishing ahead of Pomykal in our voting from an MLS perspective. But since he didn't have his US citizienship yet, folks really didn't focus on him. From my point of view, Jesus already broke out last season. But that's just my definition. Other people don't have to agree.
I think Ochoa could play great but is Gregg going to play him in a World Cup Qualifier? In a LON Final? He is not going to be called in March most likely. Just hard to get a cap this year as a GK. A good or great year at RSL should get him into January Camp. They might leave him with the U20 team then also.
Thomas Roberts is an interesting player...he is similar to Pomykal except that he is a bit less of a defender, but more of a passer. Stylistically, he fits Berhalter's ideals for a #6.
oh c'mon, go further. people are high on the kid but let's be real, this is a U20 GK aged 19 and someone who while handed a 1 shirt at RSL coming into the year lacks a league appearance. i also agree with the assessment that he will be shut out of the NT this year. if he does break out in league it will be recognized in 2021 or thereafter. GB doesn't seem enlightened on the keeping future and if steffen is out has reverted to something like 2011 choices. horvath disappeared and the dual nationals haven't been given a chance. so unless ochoa is a star and <1 GAA he's not even jumping that stale queue. this would be reyna in a walk because he should be on the pulisic track if healthy. big club playing time and fast tracked into the senior team. with regular first team appearances and the olympic qualifying vacuum he will hopefully have a march opportunity or two which is then his foothold into the rest of the NT year. i sense the response will be "but reyna is even younger," except to me keepers have to finish growing, fill out, to deal with senior level size and contact. where a field player who can hack it could get out there and mix it up age 17. reyna is also objectively further down the club career path, if but by how the calendars line up. fwiw one player is not a team and the truly important thing is not which one is best and give them all the oxygen but trying to accumulate several young star players at one time, as opposed to 4 years and pulisic is all we can find. as i said on the davies discussion on the other thread, a single davies, even if he blows up huge, isn't going to make canada a qualifier. it's a team sport.
Reyna is the clear and obvious frontrunner and favorite, but maybe we could get a few more challengers. It's only March, and while we don't have a U20 and U17 World Cup to spawn challengers, it wasn't really until after June that Dest appeared last year. Paxton, Uly, Ledezma, Jesus all seem like they could make a very real run, maybe not at Reyna, but at breakout.
Paxton pretty much broke out as much as he could in Dallas last year. Was one of the best central mids in MLS. His next opportunity to take the next step will be when he moves imo.
A reminder to keep eyes peeled on Llanez potential debut real soon. And folks have probably forgotten Otasowie's been making appearances for a team in Europe as well. 1230212417843613698 is not a valid tweet id Don't crown Gio just yet. We basically awarded the MLS version of the award to Paxton last year. There weren't actually many options. Brenden Aaronson probably finished 2nd. Jesus Ferreira would probably have finished higher in our voting if he'd been US-eligible at the time.
Still hoping that this kid can stay healthy and put it all together. Nick #Taitague has extended his contract until 2021! 🙌🇺🇸#SchalkeUS🇺🇸— Schalke 04 USA🇺🇸 (@s04_us) February 20, 2020 And for those that don't follow the youth forums, this kid (formerly of FCD academy) has "it." Been trialing at a couple different teams in the Bundesliga. One to keep an eye on. His brother is Johan Gomez, who is at Porto. 1230565448548114432 is not a valid tweet id
While Pomykal had an excellent season last year, there is definitely room for growth/improvement. Hopefully he will show that he can last a whole season and be a consistent difference maker. He faded last year with injuries and (exhaustion?) which affected his form. He can take a step up in the statistics column. He was obviously an important (most important?) cog in the team for parts of last year but hopefully will expand on that role by scoring and providing assists while maintaining the rest of his strengths.
It will be interesting to see if Pomykal and Ferreira get a chance to play together and show their personal understanding of each other. They are both very good on their own but watching together is like they have a headset where they know what the other is about to do. Hasn't happened in MLS yet but they are both getting comfortable enough that it is becoming likely.
Well, Reyna keeps extending his lead for this award. Berhalter calling up the son of his high-school teammate/buddy https://t.co/4CM2gOrxUb— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 26, 2020
Oh no does this mean we will get the nepotism stuff with Reyna we used to get with Bradley if Arena or Papa Bradley called him up?
Keep an eye out for this kid right away in MLS. https://t.co/ZfdwzAEMW8— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) February 27, 2020
I suspect FCD made it financially worth his while to sign................................. A football career was speculative depending on how development at Clemson went; a pro soccer contract was on the table.
In all seriousness, this kid had the choice of signing with FCD or leaving the country. However good FCD is (and they are good) at development, they had total leverage if the kid didn't want to move continents. By using another sport, he created leverage and probably got a much better deal. In the proud tradition of Elway and Bo Jackson.
Physically he is a strong kid. 6'2 190 lbs. forward. I just saw a vid of him from last year. To me, he looks very raw. He may be a better CB than a midfielder.
Somewhere someone was discussing his best position... by the look of him, he looks like a center back.