For heaven's sake. Before this year Diego Luna had zero goals and zero assists as a first team soccer player. So he wouldn't have been with our senior team. He was with our U20s and then our U23s in 2022/2023. Now that he's had an impactful MLS season, he'll get a January camp invite. If he does well, he'll get further opportunities. Why was Cowell into the USMNT earlier? Because in 2021 he had 5 goals and 5 assists as a 17 year old. Do i need to run thru Jesus Ferreira's statistics in MLS for 2021 and 2022? I shouldn't have to. Yes. The USSF/USMNT staff is biased. They're biased towards players actually doing things as soccer players. Once you get thru that initial door, sometimes you keep getting opportunities even if your club form subsequently declines. Cowell is an example of that.
He didn't outplay Cowell (he did at Concacaf U20 Qualifying, but Cowell was definitely better by a good bit at the U20 WC), and Kevin Paredes was not available for the tournament other than spot minutes in the knockouts. Those guys aren't try hards, not even a little. One is a high ceiling low floor guy (Cowell), one is a moderate-high ceiling, high floor guy (Paredes). Luna is far more speculative than either of them, one of the biggest and easiest ways to illustrate this is that: Paredes broke into MLS at age 17 and moved on to Europe at age 18. Cowell broke into the MLS at age 16 and earned interest and a transfer offer from Europe at age 18. Diego Luna broke into MLS right before his 19th birthday, and had his first start right after his 19th birthday. You're ignoring a lot of info and data that's pretty relevant. I'm very excited for Luna, very excited, but Paredes and Cowell became professionals Years plural before Luna did, and drew interest and in one case a transfer to Europe year(s) before Luna as well. Hell I'm not even aware if Europe is even interested yet (though I'd be if I was someone over there of relevance). I'm excited for all 3 of them, but you just appear to really, really love Luna, which is fine, but really, there isn't much evidence he's way ahead of either of them and a lot that he isn't ahead of either, or even potentially all that close. If you want to add that Cowell hasn't broken out with the counting stats to a degree we wanted, I'll agree, that's why I call him the high ceiling low floor guy, tantalizing ceiling but plenty of alarm bell warnings despite an age 16 breakout as a professional and an excellent U20 WC. But Bologna doesn't seem bothered and his play at the U20 WC and flashed at the Gold Cup suggest that raw ability is still right there, and it comes out in bunches at times. Luna is exciting, but it's largely based on the U20's, the minor leagues, and a couple of nice games the second half of this MLS season. It's low sample size, and recency bias run amok, but also exciting.
He’s beginning to enter that level. I can’t see anyone knocking Pulisic or Weah to the bench. But he appears closer to that level than to our bench.
the team really missed the width that Pulisic and Weah provide when they're at. we've seen that the gap between Balo and Pepi, and even guys like Dike (when friggin healthy), Sarge, Jesus, etc isn't that great. But between Pulisic and Weah and guys like Aaronson, Paredes, Tillman, and Zendejas is pretty stark. it looks like Koleosho would fall closer to the Puli/Weah side of the spectrum so yea, i'd agree. he'd be a big pickup who would make a big impact
I don’t think he’s quite at the level a win as Balogun as we’re talking about a player who just had his first goal as a professional. But he’s definitely someone who’d have the potential to be in the 23 for the World Cup.
Let’s see how Koleoso progresses, you never know @Eleven Bravo could be proven right. Balogun looks a lot different now than when he was at Middlesbrough at a similar age. Koleosho looks good for a bad Premier League team without scoring goals. That’s a good level for a 19-year-old.
................and, of course, one of Pulisic and Weah always seems hurt. If not both as in this past window. Right now, based on form, would we start Koleosho over Aaronson? Probably. I really like Aaronson. Great kid. Works his socks off. Has played in the Champions League knockout stages, Premier League, Bundesliga, etc. If we can get Koleosho, we just add him to this young developing U23 group with Paredes, P. Aaronson, Luna, and others. Reyna, Booth, and others are also in this age group. We tend to go completely off the rails hyping dual-nationals while we're in the recruiting stage. Then once we get them, we're more circumspect. You're starting to see that right now with Balogun as people realize he's not the second coming of Thierry Henry. The birds are chirping about how we should start Pepi over him with the USMNT. Koleosho this year has 1 goal and 2 assists across all competitions. His only goal has just come against the worst Premier League team any of us have seen in a while. That's not being negative. Just showing cautious optimism.
Right now Weah is a more complete and dangerous player than Koleosho. Could change in a few years and depth never hurts.
reposting this here although there is a question about citizenship should still fall under “could” suit up
Weah has definitely been that player for the USMNT. We’re a different team when he is on the field and this was the case all throughout qualifying.
Our two most effective attacking players at the World Cup were Weah and Pulisic. Hell...............our only effective attacking players? Weah and Pulisic are key pieces for this team. It won't be easy for ANY young player to displace them if they're healthy. But as we say, when are they both healthy? Pulisic only started half of our WCQers. Weah missed 5 of them. Reyna friggin' missed all but one. Aaronson missed a window with injury. The list goes on. Gotta build depth and depth and depth and depth. We started Konrad de la Fuente in a WCQer. That seems like a million years ago, but it wasn't.
100% true on both accounts. Weah is one of the team’s top performers. Not only does he perform with the USMNT, he performs with his club Juventus. Weah is arguably the US’ top player behind Pulisic and maybe McKennie. Not only is he a high performer, but he is consistently a high performer. The guy produces. He’s also a glue guy and leader in the locker room.
I suspect that if we consider calendar year 2022......................the USMNT's top performer for club and country may have been Tyler Adams. In terms of the CONCACAF Player of the Year, he finished high up in the voting. There'd be other candidates for that like Ream (not one of the 5 finalists for CONCACAF player of the year). [Balogun hadn't committed yet, or he'd be up there.]] But anyway I totally agree with you. When one or both of Weah and Pulisic is unavailable, you can really see the difference with regards to the USMNT. Great to get additional guys like Koleosho into the mix (if he commits).
You can also see an incredible difference between Adams and alternatives. Adams is in the group with Weah, McKennie, and Pulisic. Dude is a monster player.
................when he's healthy. He has fewer USMNT caps than Roldan at this point. He's never played in a Gold Cup game. Only ever started one Nations League game. Hasn't played for the USMNT in a full calendar year. Last game he played with us was December 3, 2022 against Holland. He's critical to this team, but how much should we count on him? I don't know. And all of his backups are dual-nationals. Maloney, Johnny, Morris, etc. Sure would have been nice to get Amir Richardson too, but we can't win 'em all.
Weah has looked amazing for the USMNT. The only reason why the USMNT looks different without Weah is that we don't have another Right Winger. If we are saying that Dest should try to be Right Winger when Weah is not there. That should tell you everything. If we can win Luca Koleosho that would put a big question mark for Weah starting in 2026 WC. I am not sold on Weah.
It would be extremely difficult for Koleosho to supplant Weah. Weah is a proven player for club and country, and he plays for a much better club than Koleosho.