As you’ve mentioned before, striker seems to be the area of concern for this team. What is so interesting is just how deep this age group is at keeper (Alguera is very good too), centerback and center midfield (no Pukstas?) This team could be really good if someone can consistently finish.
Interesting how many proposed changes since the 2019 U15 CONCACAF team. 2019 CONCACAF U-15 BOYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN) GOALKEEPERS (2): Damian Alguera (De Anza Force; San Jose, Calif.), Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire; Addison, Ill.) DEFENDERS (6): Armando Avila (LAFC; Torrance, Calif.), John Carlos Cortez (New York Red Bulls; Ridgewood, N.J.), Antonio Leone (LAFC; Long Beach, Calif.), Angel Martinez (Seattle Sounders FC; Everett, Wash.), Justin Reynolds (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Devan Tanton (UE Cornella/ESP; Barcelona, Spain) MIDFIELDERS (6): Kenan Hot (New York Red Bulls; Lincroft, N.J.), Allan Rodriguez (Chicago Fire; Elkhart, Ind.), Rokas Pukstas (Sporting Kansas City; Stillwater, Okla.), Evan Rotundo (San Diego Surf; La Mesa, Calif.), Victor Valdez (LA Galaxy; Santa Ana, Calif.), Aethan Yohannes (AZ Alkmaar/NED; Springfield, Va.) FORWARDS (4): Osvaldo Cisneros (Sporting Kansas City; Omaha, Neb.), Rafael Jauregui (Sacramento Republic FC; Rancho Cordova, Calif.), Federico Oliva (Atletico de Madrid/ESP; Madrid, Spain), Christian Torres (LAFC; Fontana, Calif.)
I agree, but that wasn't what I was trying to predict. I suspect my team will look different from there's, and even more so due to the lack of games this cycle. More than trying to pick a team for a youth tournament, it's a way to put down a measuring stick of who are the better players/prospects in the age group. I don't want to start insulting these 15 and 16 year old kids individually, so I'll just say that I think a lot of those kids aren't real high level players at this point. Development changes from year to year, and I didn't even think that was a well picked team at the time.
I’d love to see Cano called in to go head to head for the position. He played mostly left center back for the Quakes last year, but he’s right footed and could also play at a high level at the six. Leone is listed as six foot by LAFC, Cano was just measured by San Jose at six one. He is eligible for the US, Mexico and even El Salvador. My concern is facing Mexico with both Cano and Leone playing for them. I believe Viviani was called into camp last March, but the virus outbreak caused the cancellation. It’s interesting that the Quakes are playing Cano up on their U-20s but Viviani will play for their U-17s.
I agree. I was more making a subtle point that kids develop at different rates and a kid who may be chosen at the highest level one year may not be chosen the next and vice versa. Like many posters, I agree, we can't get overly excited too soon about a prospect. However, I like your selections to start the conversation.
Cano is very underrated. I think Viviani has started to get some more hype recently, but Cano still isn't getting it, and he deserves it. I think the '04 group around the country is deep at the CB position. I'd hope we call in Cano soon, and don't let this become an issue down the road.
I wonder how many of those called into the camp last March will be grandfathered in for the next camp. There were a lot of new faces.
My 21 man u17 roster GK: Gabe Slonina, Chris Brady, Jeff Dewsnup There is a very clear top 3 goalkeepers. Gabe is the best one in my opinion but the gap isn’t very big. All three are elite. Jeff Dewsnup should be joining them as a HG by the end of 2020 RB: Nati Clarke, Erik Dueñas Nati starts as an 05 among 04’s here. He has elite speed, good dribbling skills, and great distribution. Combined with the fact that he’s also not going to be very tall (maybe will become 5’10 with how he’s growing) and your looking at the ideal modern right back prospect. Erik Dueñas is a player I really like and makes it over a pretty lackluster group of 04 right backs CB: Antonio Leone, Efrain Morales, Brandan Craig Center back is the hardest position to predict for this group because you have Antonio Leone and then a massive group of players competing for the other 2 spots. That list includes Efrain Morales, Brandan Craig, Kobi Henry, Thomas Williams, Alejandro Cano, Nigel Prince, and Sam Jones who are all good enough to make the team. I think Efrain Morales would be the perfect partner for Tony as a natural LCB and Brandan Craig would be the ideal backup LB: Caleb Wiley, Tristian Viviani Caleb is an obvious starter here. He isn’t an elite left back but he’s the best one this age group has. Tristian Viviani is on par with John Tolkin and Adam Armour for me. Good enough LB but I don’t want to rely on him at this level. Jackson Travis for Colorado Rapids could snatch that backup spot very easily as I’ve been super impressed with his game 6: Kenan Hot, Allan Rodriguez Kenny is the best option we have here. He has elite potential and can do it all as the 6. Allan brings the leadership, the grit, and the ability to never lose the ball like Darlington Nagbe. These two are very safe on my roster 8: Zach Booth, Aethan Yohannes Zach Booth was the winner of the England trip and has only elevated his game since. He’s a lock starter. Aethan is a big winner of covid and has worked on his game a lot and he’s really staring to look like a great prospect to me. Rokas Pukstas just misses out here but could move up very easily. 10: Evan Rotundo, Victor Valdez This is another big weak spot in this team. Evan is a player many have concerns about but his play in Germany so far merits the starting spot here. Victor Valdez hasn’t given us a reason to not include him in the team yet. Missing out here is Diego Sanchez of Indiana Fire who is a criminally underrated prospect Winger: Fede Oliva, Dantouma Toure, Quinn Sullivan Fede is our best winger and is budget Gio Reyna. He is a auto starter. Dantouma Toure is someone I have major questions about but if you want to beat the team in front of you then he needs to be in the team. If he doesn’t improve his soccer IQ then he’ll enter the prospect graveyard quickly but he’s good enough now to start for this group. Quinn Sullivan is the backup here. Quinn hasn’t regained that 2018-19 form that many still hold him with high regards for but he’s still a good enough player for this team. Leo Torres is the odd man out 9: Malick Sanogo, Christian Torres Malick Sanogo is the best player in this team and arguably the best striker prospect in the Germany u17 pool after future Ballon D’or winner Youssoufa Moukoko. He is a lock written into the lineup in stone by God himself. Christian Torres is the backup here until another striker can get MLS minutes for a good team Starting lineup GK: Gabe Slonina RB: Nati Clarke RCB: Antonio Leone LCB: Efrain Morales LB: Caleb Wiley 6: Kenan Hot 8: Zach Booth 10: Evan Rotundo RW: Fede Oliva LW: Dantouma Toure ST: Malick Sanogo Projection for this group: round of 16. Overall they’re a good group but not great. They’re most notably lacking a true star prospect in the 04 age group with Sanogo being the closest one. The 2000’s would’ve taken this group to school
@David Kerr has provided us with some guesses of what a hypothetical Nike friendlies roster would have looked like. Sadly, the Nike Friendlies aren’t happening this year but there were some roster discussions last night about what the team would look like. We decided to use covid rules and only include USA based playersRosters in order: mine, @OverrunMidfield, @charlie_kennan, @USAprospects pic.twitter.com/6NlTAR1lDO— David Kerr (@dkerr0118) November 20, 2020
So this is just an idea I’d like to see. USSF should hold a large 2004 U-17 camp in Arizona over the Christmas break. Arizona teams are playing right now and there are plenty of hotels that USSF could use to “isolate” their player pool. I’d do 2 weeks with about 50 players called in. After the first week, send half home and keep the top 25 or so. Play 3 games over the following week (maybe Barca Academy U-19s? U-17s? Phoenix Rising?) Invited players have to submit Covid tests prior to traveling and cannot travel if they have any illness symptoms. Probably test all players early on at camp as well. Call in the top 5 keepers. First week work with 4 teams of 12-13 players each, coaches can move players between squads to refine cohesiveness and evaluate which players to keep for week 2.
MALICK SANOGO THIS IS NOT A DRILL pic.twitter.com/w7Qep1qkI2— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) December 13, 2020
Gonzalo Segares has been making rounds this week personally calling every member of the u17 YNT pool. Multiple players/agents have confirmed this to me Notable 05’s I know he’s talked to are Brooklyn Raines, Diego Lopez, and Reed Baker-Whiting. Other 05’s I wouldn’t be shocked to see contacted are Daniel Sebathu, Sebastian Carbajal, Chris Thaggard, Felipe Valencia, Isaiah Chisholm, Alex Alcala, Curtis Ofori, and Nati Clarke. I think all of these 05’s are good enough to step up and play with the 04’s.
Can someone please walk through the LB depth chart for this cycle? Especially interested in depth past Caleb Wiley, who imo should be converted to a LCB asap. I ask because I've been impressed with FCD's Cesar Elizalde at LB this fall, and I'm trying to assess his chances of sneaking onto this roster.
For me it’s 1. Caleb Wiley 2. Curtis Ofori (2005, NYRB) 3. Tristian Viviani (2004, San Jose) 4. Jackson Travis (2004, Rapids) *sizable gap* 5. Cesar Elizalde
I also wonder if Clarke might be used there. He's been used there before at times for SKC and USYNT's. I can't comment on Ofori, but I would personally have Viviani first among the LB options. Then I think players such as Wiley, Travis factor in. The options there aren't bad. Unless a player projects as a good pro LB, I don't think they are breaking into that team at LB.
Viviani is strong going forward but he also has size, another weapon in the aerial wars (nearly 6 foot).
I completely agree. I think he's pretty good and likely the best fullback in the age group, but I find that he's another of these San Jose kids (along with players like Walls, Karumanchi, Cano) that are just a little under the radar because their integration from academy teams to higher levels hasn't been great. The only one its worked well for so far is Cowell.
I feel like San Jose was one of the biggest losers in the COVID shutdown in March. They were top 8 in the DA Cup playoffs, top 2-3 in every age group in West Coast league standings and qualified to play in Generation Adidas Cup. It was by far the best teams the academy had ever produced and many new players that were recruited to join were able to outplay counterparts that had national youth team caps. Just at the U-17 level the Quakes looked very strong against Chicago, Seattle, LAG , LAFC, SKC, Portland, Solar, etc. I would have loved to have seen them against Dallas and Philly, but I guess that’s the breaks.
I think Nati is likely to either be the starting RB or the backup RB. Wiley for me is the starter but doesn’t have a firm grip on the position. I think any of the 3 I listed behind him could become the starter. I do know that Tristian Viviani was called up to the March u17 camp that got canceled so Ussoccer is aware of him.