Tsakiris is a 2005 and only a month older than Ngoma max. But yes, that age is very young, especially a year before the World Cup proper. I think where Ngoma makes sense is over someone like Tyler Wolff, This team has very few real forwards or wingers, and Ngoma's game is much vertical as opposed to rostering 75 CAMs, as we kinda did. That said, one goal in MLS doesn't mean he should be there, yet, either. Consistency is an important virtue.
You know me. I rolled my eyes at the NYRB tweet raving about the goal, but this kid looks very impressive. Id say the goal was actually one of the least impressive plays in this video. Looks to move well, see options, clean technically, and explosively quick. This kid like a much bigger prospect than Cowell. Thanks for posting and not going averboard with your comments.
Nico Tsakiris was 16 until like a week ago, and is on the U-20 roster. All three are just months apart in age: Nico Tsakiris: June 19, 2005 (age 17) Serve Ngoma: July 9, 2005 (age 16) Obed Vargas: August 5, 2005 (age 16) Clearly age isn't the issue...
There are 20 on the roster. Tsakiris and Pukstas are 17 and the rest are 18+. I commend you for identifying Tsakiris as someone who just turned 17 and my post did mention Vargas. But I think they are outliers. Vargas had earned it based on his quality minutes in the MLS and CONCACAF CL. Tskiris less so... but he has appeared for his senior team this season. At any rate... I maintain that there is still a level of seniority going on here. I think a significant portion of the roster has done enough to at least make the 2023 WC Finals roster... but others like Wolff may not make the trip. So I think there will be slots to fill. I too was very impressed with Ngoma and I could see him making a push for Indo. But it is early days for him. We shall see.
Huge night for the U20s and US Soccer as a whole IMO. What a dominant 1st half on the road. A bit shaky in the 2nd half but they maintain the shutout against Honduras. This 3-0 win earns us a berth in the 2024 Olympics! 1st time back since 2008. Major Kudos to our boys. Oh happy day
The issue for Ngoma was an injury that kept him out of the NYRB squad since March. Hamstring injury. He only returned to the NYRB squad a week ago, and has played in their two games since. So he wasn't really considered an option for this event. He wasn't available for the preparation trip to Argentina in March, and hadn't played a game in 3 months when Varas had to pick his squad. We have a year until the U20WC next June. There could be huge turnover in this group. Some guys may "graduate" to the senior team like Pepi/Slonina have. Guys in this pool will bubble up and bubble down. Will the U20 staff look at Ngoma? I don't see why not. Guys that were on the young end will have another year of play under their belts. But not just Serge Ngoma. Lots of guys out there.
I was thinking that when players were celebrating on social media yesterday... What percent of this roster makes the U-20 World Cup? I would guess 50%. What percent of this roster makes the Olympics? I would guess 5-10%.
Seeing how the U20 WC is well after the 22 WC I see no reason why any player should be considered graduated unless there is a conflict with other full mens games and even then I'm not sure it wouldn't be better for say Pepi to play at the U20 WC than the Gold Cup or Nations league when maybe Vasquez could get a run out. Now getting club releases is another story but making deals with teams that they will only go to one event that summer so might as well let the USSF choose which one. I'll add another thought. If the US can make real waves at the '24 Olympics it will really help build up hype for the '26 WC which of course will be played here. Imagine if every U23 called up was able to play and add three over age to fill in gaps. Could be very close to the full men's team. Where being the youngest for WC qualifying was a bit of a detriment having that same team in the Olympics and gasp winning it could be huge.
Hard to know what the plan will be. We don't even know who the USMNT coach will be. Nice to have the problem, though. The Nations League next year directly overlaps with the U20WC. That Nations League and Gold Cup next summer will be the first events of the new cycle, and I'm sure any USMNT coach will want to take a look at the young/emerging talent.
Big ups to Josh Wynder for scoring his 1st goal in the USL. He has had a solid half in the back so far. Could have had a 50+ yard assist in this one too. Picture perfect vertical ball just not put home. At any rate... I have liked the way he has attacked the ball offensively on set pieces so far this year for a CB so young. Well deserved 1st goal. This kid needs to be on the U20 WC Roster next year. Perhaps starting next to Henry?
IMO, you always look to improve your squad and the Olympics being U23 means there is a slew of high quality players that could be added to the mix.
The kids were told they were doing favor to the older group who missed their U20 WC because of covid (Olympic Qualifying). Carrera said he was helping his older brother possibly get a shot. I think quite a few of these kids will still be on the team but first comes the U20 WC and then a lot will move to Europe and who knows who will get released.
Other teams are going to take the Olympics seriously, including almost certainly France as the host nation. The teams going can be a bit random, as the DR can demonstrate. But I don't think we'd be doing anyone any favors by sending a team full of players at LEAST two full years younger than their opponents across the board. I'm not sure a quick exit with some possibly pretty bad scores is the way anyone wants to go, anyway. This group will have the U20 World Cup. Maybe a few of them are in the Best 22 for France. I don't think we should be overly biased to the older players, either -- the 2001 class hasn't developed well. But there's a gulf between U20 and the senior team at a team level -- the gap is just really huge when it exists for EVERY player on the field. I mean, both Mbappe and Griezmann have talked about playing. Let's put our best foot forward.
As someone who didn't hate Klinsmann but would never argue he is a good coach (in the way folks around here define it), I have been called a lot of names on here, but that is a new one. You didn't strike me as the type of guy to put labels like that on folks. Disagree and way too simplistic given what actually happened. Disagree and while he may have had other motives, I think he did what he thought would be best for the team. I do think he underestimated the impact it would have on some people. I did as well. I would have never thought people wouldn't be able to get over it and still bring up over 8 years later. I dont think LD is a starter on the current team.... one of the biggest reasons I dont get why people can't get over it. Last comment on this in this forum. One interesting observation is that some his biggest fans who have rejected any and all explanations for his exclusions are the ones defending Brooks (and many other past exclusions) while being comfortable making up excuses that include actual concerns about LD based on his actions throughout his career and especially ones from 2013 to 2014. If you want to discuss, I will tag you in the thread in the general forum.
Looks like another tournament for "breakout youth players" The USSF🇺🇸 is planning to accept the invitation to the 2023 PanAmerican Games held in Santiago ,Chile 🇨🇱 from October 20 to November 5, 2023The team would likely be a U22 with 3 overage players.The tournament will serve as prep for the 2024 Summer Olympics.#USMNT #USYNT pic.twitter.com/CpTX6Dv4i1— Edgar Moreno 🇺🇸🇲🇽 (@ConcacafEdgar) July 3, 2022
It'll be intriguing to see who they can actually get to play. We haven't played the PanAm games in the past because it was virtually impossible to get players released. Europe is mid-season and MLS playoffs are ongoing in late October. Mexico usually plays the PanAm games with a very fringe roster. We will probably do the same. But that's OK. Play all the events that we can. Test as many players as possible. Go to the Toulon tournament too. If the only players we can bring are guys on the eliminated MLS teams and on the fringes in Europe..............so be it.
Tyler Wolff of Atlanta scored to put the US up 1-0 over DR in the Championship game. That nice cross was by Jackson Hopkins of DCU. These were two of Varas' big lineup changes for this match. ¡Gooooooooool de Estados Unidos! 😎Wolff la manda a guardar y el Team USA ya lo gana al 18'. 👏🇺🇸 1-0 🇩🇴#CONCACAF | #TeamUSA | #RepúblicaDominicana🔴 EN VIVO📺 TUDN📲👉 https://t.co/pPUe4FZeiG pic.twitter.com/gigbtTVMNu— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) July 4, 2022
Paxten Aaronson of Philly makes it 2-0. This could be 5-0. The US has squandered some chances. ¡Gooooooool de Estados Unidos! 👏😎Aaronson la manda a guardar y el Team USA ya toma una ventaja cómoda. 😱🇺🇸 2-0 🇩🇴#CONCACAF | #TeamUSA | #RepúblicaDominicana🔴 EN VIVO📺 TUDN📲👉 https://t.co/pPUe4FZeiG pic.twitter.com/ZYQ8FmffoQ— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) July 4, 2022
This is OVER. Put a fork in it. Noah Allen of Inter Miami makes it 3-0. These are the good days folks. Enjoy it. You may not see a more lopsided Championship game in CONCACAF than this one. On the men's side anyway. If you want to know how dominant this team is today, note that this goal was the right back crossing to the left back in the box. ¡Gooooooool de Estados Unidos! 👏😎Esto ya es una goleada y el Team USA ya prácticamente tiene el trofeo en las manos. 👏🇺🇸 3-0 🇩🇴#CONCACAF | #TeamUSA | #RepúblicaDominicana🔴 EN VIVO📺 TUDN📲👉 https://t.co/pPUe4FZeiG pic.twitter.com/dONB54l561— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) July 4, 2022
Paxten Aaronson, Jackson Hopkins, Luna, Wolff, Sullivan, McGlynn… super talents in this U-20 team. Paxten is an absolute problem for opponents. Dude might be better than his brother.
the replies lol Also for all the MLS haters on #USMNT twitter.. Take a wild guess where 90% of the USYNT CONCACAF Champions play?— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) July 4, 2022