PBP: 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championships, Finals: USA vs. Dominican Rep. 7/3 @ 8 PM EDT

The Heyope tyre dump near Knighton, Powys, would appear to be the longest burning tyre fire in the world. Started in 1989 it continued to burn until at least 2004. The tyre dump with an estimated total of 10 million tyres lay in a deep wooded valley in the Welsh borders.

 

If nothing else, this tournament has drastically changed my viewing preferences for US domestic league soccer.

Lots more viewing of the Union, FC Dallas, RSL, USL, and MLS Next. I’m all about watching these young players who can be the next generation. Talk about a single event changing how I view US Soccer.

 

Things are so much better now

 

San Jose is coming hard too. One of the clubs that didn’t take their academy seriously for years, but switched their mindset a few years back and just at the beginning of that paying dividends.

 

No question. I am very close with some Jamaicans who have a pipeline into their Fed. And it was discussed at one point that there was a rumor that Jamaica was going to pull out of this tournament. That is true. The JFF had screwed up the finances, completely. One kid I KNOW of on the team flew to Jamaica for the pre-tournament camp and no one showed up to collect him from the airport. His father had to frantically call friends in Jamaica to get him, house him and bring him to practices in Jamaica, in early June. When it became clear that the funding to actually fly to Honduras was not there for the team, he and other wealthier parents had to fly down and spend their own money to send the team to Honduras. No, I am not joking. I could tell you who it is, but I dont want to out the specific player/parent I speak of. It is ridiculous. So, this is what OTHER teams are dealing with. It is why I am so dismissive of the complaints of our "fans" about our team. Comparatively, our folk are living the life of Riley.

 

Brilliant post.

How may relegation candidates play that type of football?

Also, in my short tempered over tired work rants, you don‘t need every team to be like Dallas or Philly.

Talent concentrates. Top level coaching concentrates. Systems become structural and engrained over time.

We will have 6 or 7 acadamies like them and then watch out. RN lookalike they are coming back.
NYFC has Rena and Scally.

Forward. Exciting times.

 

That team gave us three starters DEST, RICHARDS, and WEAH.

The 2022 U20 plays an attractive game, but I doubt they will give the senior team 3 starters, maybe 1 starter (Aaronson) and two bench players..

 

They will, I have a feeling that few, if any will be for us.

If you understand Miami you will know why I say that.

It might take another decade but their will be Yanks on some of the best foreign Nat teams in the world.

Consequence of success.

 

I can‘t argue with this take, I knew we would beat Mexico that cycle. Knew it. Dest neutered their hero Llanez.
It was one sided and clear.

I do feel we probably should beat Mex with this squad but there is some doubt.. Most likely, but that cycle I texted friends to tune in and watch us beat Mexico. We were so much better in my mind it wasn‘t even funny.

This team plays the world game, but what they do have is game changers.

Sullivan needs a smart Euro home where he can grow properly.
McGlynn the same. To many lazy passes, and unnecessary that needs to b coached out of him.
I can see why both can be a detriment in an MLS game, but long term look out.
I say again. Have said from match one. I love Pax. On to RB Salzburg and Top 5 upper half team. Love him.
Clark. Man he looked uneven, but know what he does? Makes goals. Final passes and recognition are really good.
Give him time but he makes goals.

Cowell. Upside limited IMO but man he can create one at any time.

Luna. I see why he is a fan fav, but he will struggle IMO. Good luck at RSL son and prove me wrong.

We have a bunch of game effecting, confidant, smart, skilled problem solvers. Be happy folks.
One or two will hit.

 

Pepi has already started multiple USMNT matches and will likely be in Qatar. Paredes and Che have received Bundesliga minutes already, and I think Paredes receives significant time with Wolfsburg this season.

Although, Ferreira would’ve been on that 2019 team had he been eligible, and Pomykal should be in the USMNT mix now that the injuries seem to be behind him.

 

Weah didn't come to the CCAF championship; just the World Cup. Dest and Richards only showed up for the semis and finals.

With Richards and Dest, it is interesting.

Otherwise, I think this team wins.

 

Not fair to compare the 2 because Dest and Weah (and Richards to an extent, though I would not say he his a proven starter) were all coming into the team when the USMNT cupboards were bare. Hell, the team had only recently missed qualifying for the World Cup, in embarrassing fashion. The players on this U20 are entering the fray when the starters on the senior team they desire to join are all within 5 years of them. The explosion of talent in our pool makes it harder for any one youth class to contribute multiple starters in the senior team, immediately.

 

Just put a better team out there today. Congrats to the guys for a trophy. Room to grow, but some really nice play on several occasions. Fun to watch.

 

Good point.
In a nutshell, they have to be better than the current starters. Hard to do when the bus is full and not taking many passengers.

 

Neither Paredes or Che are anywhere the level of ARob or Richards.

Like Onefitnessq said, it is going to be hard to be starter when the current starters are young themselves and playing at high level clubs.
I see any new player coming in as a bench player for the foreseeable future.

 

Paredes and Che are on much better trajectories than ARob and Richards were.

Che was starting for Bayern's reserves when he was 16-17. Richards was when he was 20. Che was a regular for FCD when he was 17. Richards didn't play at all for them when he was 19. Che is now a squad player for Hoffenheim at 18. Richards was playing more for them, but he was 21.

As for Paredes, he was a good player in a league close to the Championship when he was 17. It took ARob until he was 20-21. Paredes, at 18-19, is now at a bigger club than ARob ever has been. Though, in fairness, ARob had a move blocked, and the specific club Paredes selected was stupid.

But if these players continue on the trajectory they were at, then they'll surpass the incumbents in terms of merit. Incumbent advantage matters, but only to an extent. That pecking order gets chipped away at over time.

 

2 of those 3 players you mentioned are probably bench players when everyone was available. Richards hadn't surpassed Miles/Zimmerman & Weah would have been on the bench if Gregg insisted on playing Reyna at wing. The other player is a fullback. Not that the situation can't evolve. But same goes for this cycle relative to older players/incumbents.

This cycle should beat that one out between all contributors due to its depth and chances for starter caliber players. It's not like only best xi matters anyway. We're deriving value from replacements, rotational players, and subs. The last u-20 WC team had more dead spots.

 

Pro/rel would play a part because it incentivizes building local clubs that can reach the top of the pyramid.

That said, zealots act like it cures cancer. And they ignore there are workarounds, like affiliate clubs, for adequate scouting/integration. Or that lack of pro/rel doesn't have benefits to giving young players with top level clubs more opportunities.

 

Yup. The improvement of those 3 QF teams was easy to see, but it was also easy to see that there were shortcomings, if you use top ten programs as a comparison. There were still some real limited players technically, tight space interplay was mediocre, and tactically Tab was simplistic.

This is the first I saw a US team and think they could be wearing the unison a real good SA team or technically adept Euro team and folks wouldn‘t be able to tell the difference. It was obvious to me during the Canada match. This is different I thought. It is.

 

Pax had a nice tournament, winning both the golden ball and boot, but for me the MVP was Alvarado. I'm interested to see how he develops at Vizela.

 

I was gonna mention him then realized I never really keyed on him. Have watched over coffee this AM, Hondo and CR, and this is another smart player. He actually got into quite a few really good scoring positions over those two matches after starting the play, and for one reason or another he never got the ball back. Much more forward thinking then I recalled.
He and Edelman were excellent in half one versus Hondo.
It was much easier to understand our pool when there were only 2 to 4 really adept players on each squad.

 

I'm not too worried about the U-20 WC. The OFC gets 2 slots and we still don't know who will qualify from Asia and Africa. There could easily be 3-4 teams worse than the DomRep and the Dominicans may even be put in a group with one of those worse teams.

The Olympics on the other hand...there won't be any other bad teams there unless New Zealand fails to qualify out of the OFC. Things could get really ugly.

 

Dominican Republic will need big performances from their Dominican-Americans, and they'll need to hope to add a few more of them. Those three carried them to the U-20 WC. We saw how bad they were without them.

 

I think if their coach is smart, they will also bunker down a bit. Watching a bit of their other games, they were always a bit loose in the back, but they definitely tried to play against us. Being happy to be there also showed. I think they will have more intensity and more of a defensive gameplan in Indonesia.

Still aren't getting out of the group, but I wouldn't be shocked if the 6-0 we put on them is their worst loss unless they draw a France or something.

 

Those announcers were criminally unprepared with their knowledge of the U20 pool. Reyna is not able yet they never mentioned how FCD had three players that could have been there and Paredes could also have been there. I mean that was easy info to find out so basically zero research at all. I guess I'm spoiled with Mark Followill who does FC Dallas games, Maverick games, some youth soccer etc. He is always prepared and brings up interesting tidbits, knows the names players go by not what's on their birth certificate as their first name. And what exactly was Edu getting cranky about? I thought it was a legit questioner two one of which should players go back to U20 after games at first team and if the US could win the WC. Edu countered with they were in the U20 WC so of course they could win. The other guy gave the body slam by pointing out so was DR. Good grief.