Breakout US Youth Players in the MLS [2021 Edition]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by glutton4Bolts, Apr 15, 2021.

  1. RefIADad

    RefIADad Member+

    United States
    Aug 18, 2017
    Des Moines, IA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    OK, I think we can scratch "lack of confidence" off of the potential questions list for Cade Cowell. :)
     
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  2. glutton4Bolts

    glutton4Bolts Member+

    United States
    Mar 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Whether the player plays at one of the best clubs in Europe or is just starting out a young MLS career... you can count on overreaction on this forum. If a player balls out for a couple of games then they are the next big thing.... that is until they have a dry spell and then they suck or are overrated. I am certainly not calling you out... just using your post because it relates to a player who had his first real "coming out" game. Post after post on the next big thing. Now watch him go a couple of games off the scoresheet and the talk will be about how he is only physically gifted and will likely not translate well at a higher level. If watching too much soccer has taught me anything is that it is extremely difficult to maintain a high run of form. That is why guys like Messi and CR7 are such anomalies. They were consistently great for so many years it boggles the mind. Heck... even after the restart and CPs unreal run he had a tough 1st half of the season.... So many people jumping off the bandwagon. Now he has hit another rich vein of form and people are booking their tickets again. At any rate... being consistently good is so hard to do. Cade is a phenomenal talent... but I fully expect him to struggle at times even if he is the best case scenario.
     
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  3. RefIADad

    RefIADad Member+

    United States
    Aug 18, 2017
    Des Moines, IA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, I totally get that. My post was much more tongue-in-cheek about the players to whom he compared himself (to a degree). Usually, you hear a kid speak in media-speak cliches about "doing my best for the team", "taking things a game at a time", etc.

    I haven't had a chance to watch him play for any length of time yet. I'm hoping to do so. I just was trying to have a little bit of fun with him saying he wants to be a combo of Mbappe and Neymar.
     
  4. grandinquisitor28

    Feb 11, 2002
    Nevada
    The Dutch should've been worried about Dest, and Germany probably should've kept JAB a bit closer on the speed dial.
     
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  5. FTGOTC

    FTGOTC Member

    Feb 21, 2021
    Yep yep yep.

    Also, while I get the idea of "pick a position and watch him develop", that assumes that the person picking has picked the *right* position.

    Imagine if the manager in charge of McKennie had said, "Yep, you're a CB," or "You're playing CDM for us from now on exclusively." He'd get better at those positions, sure, but it wouldn't maximize his ability like playing the 8 does.

    Busio has shown that he isn't just competent, but very very good in the 6, the 8, and the 10. (And even scored last week in the role of false 9.)

    I'm not sure what his best position is. And unless we're 100% confident that we know what it is either, we shouldn't be overly keen to force him to play there (wherever "there" may be).
     
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  6. yurch10

    yurch10 Member+

    Feb 13, 2004
    It's a good point, and a good comparison with McKennie. I think the issue is most players would struggle getting jerked around so much, but it seems busio is flourishing. Probably a lot to do with all his experience so far (and even some struggles) despite still being so young. Hope he gets a transfer soon.
     
  7. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Shrug. Whenever a Euro club moves a young player around folks see it as them trying to get the young player on the field.
    Bayern tried out Chris Richards at RB, LB, and CB this season. McKennie and Adams are the other examples of course.

    But heaven forbid an MLS club do the same thing......................................
     
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  8. yurch10

    yurch10 Member+

    Feb 13, 2004
    I don't get this response...do you think I was saying it's bad an MLS team is doing it?

    My point was it's good that he's playing and has succeeded in multiple positions. I said I hope he gets a move because it'd be good for him to get to Europe, and has had lots of interest.
     
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  9. RefIADad

    RefIADad Member+

    United States
    Aug 18, 2017
    Des Moines, IA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To be completely fair, I was scratching my head a lot about Schalke playing McKennie in so many positions last year. I get they were trying to find ways to get him on the field, but to me it was looking like "throw s*** against the wall and see what sticks." My thinking about Busio actually stems from watching McKennie play for Schalke last year and then move to Juventus where he's focused on and succeeded at a more focused position.

    Not a right or wrong for this. I'm just the one participating in the discussion.
     
  10. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Yeah.....................people give Euro clubs the opportunity to "throw s*** on the wall and see what sticks."

    When Dutch clubs do it people say................"OH, they like their youth players to see the field from multiple positions and multiple angles. This is a great learning tool!!"

    FCD just moved recent homegrown signing Collin Smith to fullback and some folks on the youth boards threw a tantrum.
    As if FCD doesn't have a recent history of successfully converting attacking players to international caliber right backs. Cannon and Reynolds were both forwards when they arrived at FCD from Solar.

    We can give other examples from Europe. What position did Jonathan Spector play when he arrived at Manchester United as a 17 year old? He was a forward.....................

    Its OK that SKC is using Busio in multiple positions to see where he can have the greatest impact. The kid is 18 and still learning/growing.
     
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  11. Bite o' the Cherry

    Charlotte FC
    United States
    May 3, 2006
    Charlotte, NC, USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Schalke were in dire straits due to injuries, necessitating a gaps-plugging like the bethumbed little Dutch boy. I don't think 04 was unsure what Wes' best position could be, just that he was a baller and could help almost anywhere.
     
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  12. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I think that's what's happening with Busio too. Vermes surely knows what he has but also sees that the kid can do a respectable job anywhere in his front 6.
     
  13. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  14. glutton4Bolts

    glutton4Bolts Member+

    United States
    Mar 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Clark with another fantastic goal. Still has a ways to go to be a complete player... but the kid sure has a knack for scoring great goals. This one showed that he knows about Mr Miyagi's Crane Technique:



    Huge ups to Kyle Duncan for the steal to set this one up. He was very good today.
     
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  15. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Could Caden Clark please score just one non-banger
     
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  16. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Zlatan or dust.
     
  17. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
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  18. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Pomykal's pass on this one was fantastic.

    He also had a great one on one attack earlier that would have been an assist if Franco Jara wasn't lazy and kept playing.
     
  19. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #94 xbhaskarx, May 1, 2021
    Last edited: May 1, 2021
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  20. gunnerfan7

    gunnerfan7 Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 22, 2012
    Santa Cruz, California
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Cowell with an excellent goal and 2 assists. Ruthlessly punished that DC backline over and over for 90 minutes. Involved in just about every Earthquakes attack in a game that was all offense for both teams.
     
  21. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's time to have a serious Cade Cowell discussion after the last two weeks, given Cowell's 2 goals and 3 assists....





    Yes it's only two games but the dude is playing like 2020 Jordan Morris (who frankly looked too good for MLS for stretches), except he's 17 not 25-26.

    We already had reports in October 2020 that Barcelona was monitoring Cowell:
    Cowell turns 18 mid-October 2021, if he keeps anywhere near his current form, it's difficult to imagine him staying in MLS for very long.

    My prediction:
    When: winter 2021 transfer window
    Where: Tottenham
    How much: $12 million plus bonuses and sell on clause

    Reasoning:
    -There might even be a deal reached this summer (see Aaronson last summer) but Cowell will leave for Europe after he turns 18.
    -Barca are like a billion in debt, and even though this would still be pocket change for them (and Cowell likely speaks Spanish given his mom), their situation is unpredictable there are just so many more clubs with crazy money to throw around in the Premier League.
    -Aaronson from a year ago: "The transfer fee was reported at $6 million plus performance bonuses, making it the highest fee ever garnered for a homegrown MLS player."

    Any other guesses?
     
  22. run_it_out

    run_it_out Member+

    Earthquakes
    United States
    Jun 19, 2018
    I am as pessimistic as they come (especially with respect to the Quakes), so I can't believe I'm saying this. Cowell is on a rocket ship.
     
  23. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
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  24. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    New York Bruce Lee
     
  25. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    Cowell and Clark

    reminiscent of a small town law firm in Topeka. But these two kids are elite.
     

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