It's not stubborn to look at the big picture. Players are their averages. As of today, Clark's average is probably still better than most 19-year olds who were picked. He's just on a downtrend. That could be temporary, and explained by him having looked beyond MLS to RBL & the WC. He was looking beyond the situation he was in. Could be re-invigorated once he gets to Europe and/or in the u20 WC (though I have him as a backup atm). That's the hope. Hard for me to look at the tools & performance for a while & not still think he's going to be something. I'd be buying low here.
Yeah......................I'm not putting him at 80% because I think he's the most talented player in the squad. I see LB as the least competitive position on the roster right now in 2022. Our depth chart at the World Cup at LB was Robinson.......................and then moving RBs over. Berhalter chose not to even bother taking a natural LB as a backup. I guess the plan was to play Scally or Dest there if Robinson went down. I guess. Robinson played in 13 of 14 qualifiers, started both of our recent Nations League games, and played every minute of the World Cup. He is the most entrenched starter we've got. He's even more of an automatic starter than Musah, Adams, and McKennie. Cuz we at least have a body we can put in for those guys. Berhalter doesn't seem to trust anybody other than Robinson when the games matter right now. [Hopefully the next coach finds somebody.] You do have to make a giant, giant leap of faith to expect a guy like Tolkin or Wiley to get there. Again, starter in the top half of the Premier League is the level. Basically.................you're just guessing and hoping. Which is fine. That's what this thread is for.
This is just being short-sighted & hyper-conservative. The WC 2026 is not in 2022 by definition. That's ages for the position to flesh out, w/ better candidates than most positions, and an incumbent who's more vulnerable. And with better integration, our lb position at the WC probably wouldn't have been ARob w/ a big hole after. Tolkin has been a good MLS left back with talent for about a year and a half. Same thing went for Paredes as a player around that spot, then broke in at Wolfsburg which is rare for our players, albeit he became injured at the end (which was not an excuse for his lack of use prior). The next manager isn't bound by Berhalter's bad talent evaluation abilities that saw him play Lovitz over Hollingshead, and Bello over Tolkin + Paredes. They'd likely have played those alternatives to give ARob, a guy with suspect technique and intricacy, more of a challenge. ARob himself went from a nobody last cycle, to a lock this one. Tolkin, Paredes, & Wiley at minimum proved more at younger ages. While JoGo looks to have taken a harder road up to this point. If he breaks thru at Sociedad, unlike ARob did at Everton, he'd have out-performed Antonee as a teen, and already pose a challenge. We typically have much more turnover than you're suggesting is reasonable. While you're being bound by the history of the position as opposed to where we are now. LB has been strong among the youth for a few years now, possibly due to emphasis, knowing it was a sore spot. That was always going to bear fruit eventually.
With U-20 he played the same position as Cowell, and was way more dangerous. Whom do you see as a starter? One of them or Paredes with Wiley as a LB.
Indeed, I'd have Paredes at wing, and either JoGo or Wiley starting at LB. Aaronson on the other wing. Sullivan at CF (unless Pepi is there of course). In CM I'd probably have Gutierrez, Alvarado, & Edelman. McGlynn could figure in there somehow. I think this is where Clark would have more of a case because of his 2-way play, while Gutierrez & McGlynn don't bring as much. Alvarado was lights out in qualifying, but last tournament he was a weaker link. Still, Clark needs to pick it up for club and country to take this spot.
Aside from the "more vulnerable incumbent" thing, my understanding is that a lot of the prospect watchers consider the upcoming LBs to be stronger than the RBs... LB: Paredes, Tolkin, Wiley, J Gomez, MacFarlane? RB: Reynolds, Che, Harriel, Baker-Whiting, Cuevas? Gill? Obviously that's behind two established RBs (Dest, Scally + Moore) versus just one LB (ARob + Vines, Bello) but still...
The players I see as more than likely to be starters in 2026 are: Puli Reyna Musah McKennie Adams Dest so 6 of XI. And depending on the formation it might be 3 of 4 and rotations between MMA+Reyna in midfield. That's based on age, quality level and upside as all project to improve. Beyond them the talent level is lower and less of a barrier for a future competitor to replace others. But as pointed out previously, things can chance quickly. In 2018 Reyna and Musah were academy players who hadn't yet moved to Germany and Spain respectively. Considering both recent history and the number of players 18 and under both in MLS and across Europe, we very well could see what appears like a quick rise to top levels from 2-3 players who are largely off the radar as well. Striker is the one position we're unlikely to see that as the development curve is later and requires more experience. I still say it's likely Sargent/Pepi developing further as both are young in the world of strikers. Projecting who breaks thru can border on futile as all it takes is a handful while dozens of others just appear to fall to the wayside. For all we know Adrian Gil breaks thru at Barca and has success, instead of being the next KDLF. Or Axel Perez at Lyon. Paxten Aaronson could be a legit Bund AM in a couple years or not. Booth might set the Ered on fire and continue upwards to a big club. There's also countless young domestic players who could make the jump to MLS regulars and from there we have to wait and see. For all we know a guy like Niko Tsakiris or Serge Ngoma break thru. It can happen so quickly. I follow our prospects but try to stay away from projections as it's so hit and miss. Boils down to a numbers game. Dozens and dozens of them both sides of the pond and a handful will ultimately break thru.
A matchup with HUGE implications for the 2026 roster Major Matchup in Spain!!! Barca U17s take on Pedro Soma’s academy squad pic.twitter.com/BMeZ1gDpmX— Youth Soccer Central (@yscentral) December 17, 2022
Up and coming vs actually done something. RB: Dest, Scally, Cannon, Reynolds Reynolds looks to be turning the corner in Belgium. LB: Jedi, Vines the LBs have quite a bit of ground to make up. And Paredes is being developed as a wide forward.
Sure, Paredes & Tolkin have done nothing, but Reynolds and Cannon have. Unless by doing something you mean getting any cap(s) and transferring to rando Europe already. Which is superficial and circumstantial. That's not fitting a narrative to be the contrarian or anything.
Well I forgot about Tayvon Gray from NYCFC and Kayden Pierre from SKC, both right backs... if you add those guys in it's more even. Really hard to keep track of everyone, first world problems... These were the U20 🇺🇸 Fullbacks who stood out this past MLS season #USMNT pic.twitter.com/5xABaQUQQa— US Soccer's Bot (@USSoccersBot) December 16, 2022
Uefa (for 2023) ranked 7 and 8 leagues aren't 'rando'. Tolkin has done well at NYRB but needs move on. He especially needs to move to a team will him improve his passing. Paredes doesn't even play fullback.
Cannon and Reynolds were arguably worse than Tolkin and Paredes during their time in MLS. Tolkin had the highest rating of the group. Now, Paredes is in a top 4 league, looking like he belongs. Wow, wing-back, to fullback - that's a real stretch. Cannon and Reynolds are average players in leagues and at clubs where they pay less than our domestic 1, which our teen to early 20 players have an excuse to be in at this stage of their careers, unlike Cannon and Reynolds at their ages. Cannon especially is a low ceiling player who has the upside of depth now. Not a threat to be an upgrade, unlike Paredes & Tolkin at LB. Reynolds has some potential still, but needs his mojo back, and now the likes of Paredes & Tolkin have better trajectories on the opposite side. They are bigger threats to unseat as of today.
It will be fun to see if the available spaces are filled by second-rank players on the weah-Dest she range and up or the best of the younger players.
Well Wolfsburg are playing Paredes as a winger not a left back, but on the right side... I have him as the starting right winger in 2026, because what's the point of doing this four years out unless you have some fun with it? not even sure if I wanted this to be a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 lol
I really like Tolkin's game. Tons of potential, well rounded. I don't think he's going to be a star but if we go a bit more offensively conservative on the left side, I think he's got a real shot. I think he can have the tactical smarts of Cannon but simply have more game. Paredes ... at some point, he'll actually have to play fullback to really be considered at fullback. He's super talented, but he was an offensive wingback at DC (though he did defend eagerly) and now he's playing RW. I get that he can do it, but I think we will likely have better options if he has no real reps there. Reynolds has always been a high upside dude. He has a fantastically zippy cross, so if he hits AND we get a real striker, he could be super dangerous and a nice contrast to the dribbly game of Dest. But I'm not sure he's even well-rounded.
One of the things that stood out to me watching Paredes at DC was his 1v1 defending, just taking the ball of guys...
I think he's one on one capable, but I think defense is a lot of situational recognition, and requires reps at some point to be really good.
I would hope to see Dest move into a flank attacking role without having to play RB. As the nats improve and games are tighter against quality teams, you can't have moments like he had on the second goal. It is still an issue and will be magnified in tight games...the margin for moving on or getting bounced. He is so good up field, imo, probably one of our best in combo play and getting separation from defenders...with a hell of a shot. Honestly he's a more well rounded attacker than Weah...better decision making, better touch in tight space, very proactive aggressive mindset around the box...no brainer in my mind...get him out of RB for 2026.
26 for 2026: ST: Balogun, Pepi, Sargent W/AM: Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, B. Aaronson, P. Aaronson, Tillman CM: Musah, McKennie, Luca, Tsakiris DM: Adams, Tessmann FB: Dest, Robinson, Scally, Wiley CB: Richards, CCV, EPB, Trusty GK: Turner, Slonina, Brady On the long list: ST: Pefok, Wright, Ferreira, Dike, Vazquez, Neri W/AM: Ledezma, Paredes, Zendejas, Djordje, Sullivan, Medina, Clark, Cowell, Llanez, Ngoma, Gutierrez CM: Pomykal, Alvarado, Mendez, Booth, Cremaschi, Parks, Cardoso, McGlynn DM: Morris, Vargas, Edelman, Williamson, Soma, Flach FB: Tolkin, Reynolds, Che, Gomez, Jones, Harriel, Bye CB: Robinson, McKenzie, Zimmerman, Miazga, Wynder, Craig, Brooks, Cannon, Tomkinson GK: Steffen, Horvath, Kochen Overall: The standout youth talent coming through last cycle was easier to spot and the guy with the most questions about translating (Carleton) also turned out to be the least “professional” of the bunch. I think I got 18/26 (if we are allowing honorable mentions into the expanded 26) with Pefok and Brooks in my 23. The harder calls were the next tier or two down, who would hit? Luca or Pomykal or EPB or Zendejas or Dest or CCV etc…? Then there were the young guys not as on the radar in 2018 like Aaronson or Musah (Dest could almost fit in here but was more well known). Feels like projecting this roster is rife with a bunch of those harder calls and “late bloomers” and “development is not linear” types. It feels like 1/2 of the midfield is a crap shoot with a dozen guys who could fill those last 3 spots.