Since we already have an Andrew Carleton thread we should certainly have a George Bello thread. I'll start it off by saying that he could be a candidate for the 2022 WC team. He'll be 20. Of course a lot will happen between now and then but I wouldn't rule it out.
I was at the game tonight, and Bello was outstanding. I hope we get an all touches video from him. He was making passes and connecting on runs that not a single other of our LBs have done all season. He was so technical and relaxed out there. I am/was blown away. He reminds me so much of Yedlin because of he's a young American who plays full back in MLS, but he's honestly got such a higher ceiling because he's already much more under control and a better 1 v 1 defender than Yedlin was when he came into the league out of college. I've been to every Atlanta United home game since the inception, except for maybe half a dozen, and the applause he got coming off of the field was the loudest I've heard at one of our games. My entire section was going nuts every time he touched the ball. He did struggle at times physically, and it showed when he was trying to hide the fact that he was cramping around the 60th minute, and he noticeably started to slow down. He's 16 though and hasn't played a 90 minute game in a while, that's to be expected.
He heard the love in the stadium... 🙌RT to congratulate @_georgebello on a stellar first start https://t.co/vfvoZJbidP— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 23, 2018 1043667453149163520 is not a valid tweet id A message from the Homegrown 🍑@_georgebello checks in following his first @MLS start pic.twitter.com/wSGxb6xaIq— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 23, 2018 .@_georgebello on @929TheGame with @MikeConti929 & @Longshoe. 16 year old made his first @MLS start for @ATLUTD. Great performance! Tune in to the Full-Time Report! @ATLsoccer929 #ATLUTD pic.twitter.com/8GElCnouJt— 92.9 The Game (@929TheGame) September 23, 2018
Over half the posts at the Andrew Carleton thread are related to displeasure over Tata Martino's not playing Carleton more and how he won't play young players in general. I've said before that I'll give Martino more credit for determining who is ready for 1st team minutes than most of the BS posters and I hope that tonight proves that. I hope that in time Carleton finds his minutes, but if Tata thinks he's not ready right now that's probably where he needs to be in his development. As for young Mr. Bello, I don't know that he'll start every game, but Tata will know when and where to put him on the field.
Not an all-touches video, but all the meaningful ones, and all of his key skirmishes with Savarino on the wing: https://streamable.com/u2tet My sense was he lost his legs at the half. Got beat by Savarino a couple times in the second half but shut him down in the first. Also, as @punintended_13 pointed out, his quality on the ball and decision-making are very good not just for his age but for MLS fullbacks in general. Won't be surprised if he's competing for a spot on the NT by this time next year.
Why are you so bothered by all the Carleton discussion? You've referenced it twice now. You do realize the reason a thread was started about him was because another person complained that there was too much discussion about him? Shut up and only discuss what certain fans want us to discuss? I will give Martino no benefit of the doubt for a couple of reasons. Lets face it, Bello has played less than 90 minutes. Is that unusual for a player his age? No, but at the same time Atlanta has had all kinds of LB problems for months. First two LB's have been injured, the guy filling in has done a terrible job. Bello isn't getting starters minutes. With all these openings at LB, he's gotten 87 minutes. If you had an elite young player who signed with your team, you should feel the obligation to give them playing time at a young age. I tend to think its not a requirement that it comes this season as opposed to next season, but I also am not going to start acting like Martino has given Bello so much playing time. With Garza back in training, I suspect his playing time will be nearing an end for the season. There are also other young players at Atlanta United. Its not just the two everyone talks about. Atlanta has successfully ruined and given no chance to Robinson. Robinson was a promising player a couple of years ago. His U-20 counterparts are having a lot of success. He hasn't yet gotten a chance at 21 years old. Vazquez has been turned into a target winger because the coach (who we are told we can't question) prefers a journeyman CF that can't trap a football. What has happened to Chris Goslin? He did so well at the U-17 WC a year ago. His counterparts have done well since. Should we place all the blame on him? Lagos Kunga hasn't played a minute all year. I don't think he's good, but why sign players if you are going to give them no chance? Look at the complete picture, and you see a coach who has given no chance to any of the young Americans at his team. I don't even see a coherent case for him being young-American friendly. He gave Bello one start this season and we are supposed to now say he does well with young American players?
Was impressed defensively with his ability to use his super quick feet to poke away a ball from an opponent. Already appears tactically aware of cutting down angles defensively. Too bad that hip injury sidelined him a couple months earlier.
@ussoccer97531 Bello was hurt for the entire summer. He hasn’t played played 90 minutes in months. Even his first game back for the 2 team he only went 45 minutes. He was gassed last night after 50 minutes. Seems like Tata has gotten it right with him so far. If you were paying attention you would’ve know this. Robinson has gotten his chance. He started in a huge game against New York and conceded a penalty. He’s not good enough passing out of the back and Tata has mentioned that as the reason he doesn’t get more minutes. Brandon Vasquez is a striker on a team behind the best goal scorer in MLS history. Why would he be given starts? He needs to move in my opinion. He’s not good enough to deserve more time. Goslin has been hurt too. He just came back and played a few minutes off the bench for the 2 team. Again, this is basic information that you are not aware of, so why are you forming such strong opinions? Usually people with strong opinions should have knowledge about the things they are opinionated on, but welcome to the internet I guess. Even if he was at 100%, he’s not good enough yet to get in over anyone in the first team. Lagos, as you said, is not good enough yet. Bottom line is Atlanta United is 7 point away from being the first team to hit 70 points and has shattered MLS records, so how has he gotten it wrong? Complaining about Tata about not giving young Americans enough minutes is pretty distinct tunnel vision and shows a lack of awareness of what’s actually going on. George Bello is a 16 year old kid who was just given his home debut for one of the best teams in MLS history in front of 72,000 people. Tata could’ve gone with Jose Hernandez, a Venezuelan u20 international LB, but he went with Bello over him. I think he knows what he’s going. The only player that has a gripe for getting more minutes is Andrew Carelton, who ironically enough has been left on the bench a few times in favor of guys like Brandon Vasquez. No one has a problem with you questioning, but whenthe basis of your questions and complaining is ignorance and lack of awareness of reality then don’t be surprised when people push back.
He is obviously very skilled and his tactical awareness for his age is way above average. To my surprise, I am concerned about his pace. In both yesterday's game and his cameo against DC United, he seemed to operate at a fast jog. I don't know if that's just his personality as a low-key dude, a result of the hip injury, pacing himself for not being 100 percent fit or simply a figment of my imagination, but he didn't look nearly as fast as an Antonee Robinson or DeAndre Yedlin type. But that's my only big qualm. Everything else was there and he totally looks like the real deal. The goal for next year should be to in the 1,000-1,500 minute range and then to be a full-time starter in 2020 and sold in 2021. I also think he'll be knocking on the senior national team door this time next year. But here's hoping he accelerates past that timeline. One other concern is how many left backs Atlanta has. Obviously you want some depth there, but when they are healthy, ATL has Greg Garza, Chris McCann, Mikey Ambrose, Jose Hernandez and Bello who can, and have, all played left back. Now, I don't expect all these guys back next year. Between the expansion draft, trades, sales and just being let go, I suspect at least two of them (excluding Bello) will be gone next year. (I could see Atlanta offering Dallas Garza for the pick they got for Acosta and using that pick to take Manny Hernandez and slotting him into right back.)
I didn't watch the game yet, but it's hard for a 16 year old to play against pros. I wouldn't be concerned about his pace at all because he's both a physical guy and he was probably so gassed that a fast jog is all he could do. Not all fullbacks are fast, either. Bello's so young that I really don't know if any more starts this year would be good for him. Even next year, somewhere around 1000 minutes at this level would be good for me. I don't want to run the kid into the ground, especially if he has hip problems. Last, I assume you meant Manny Perez, and that'd be cool. He's trained with Atlanta a few times before and hangs out with Carleton and Goslin a lot. Defense is obviously a place where Atlanta can take advantage of American prospects, and hopefully they do that. It seems like they want to, anyways. Their standard of American player has been really good with Guzan, Garza, Nagbe, Parkhurst, and all of the young players.
@punintended_13, I'm not going to go over all these situations. I could and have done so before, but it takes away from the larger point. I do want to comment on what you said about Goslin because I think you are muddying the waters. The injury hasn't been all season. I've kept up on his situation. I actually decided not to post updates recently to not drag him through the mud. What you fail to mention here is that he was at a US U-19 camp prior to the two most recent Atlanta 2 matches. After playing for the U-19's, he recorded a DNP in the next match for Atlanta 2, and then only subbed on at halftime of the most recent game. He was fit and not starting. Lets not distort this situation. One of our best players at the U-17 WC less than a year ago, and he's struggling to get into the starting lineup of a USL team. Also, its very possible he might not develop into a good player and doesn't deserve a better role than he has right now. That type of thing happens. Atlanta very well might be right and US fans might be wrong in a couple of theses situations, but they've given us no real reason to believe there's any merit-based plan here. 6 players. None of them have had a regular role. You can push back, but you are distorting the situation to defend your club team. They've handed out five MLS starts all season to thread eligible Americans, while having six on their roster. I've posted the numbers before, and they score dreadfully on it compared to other teams. Its not particularly arguable, but if you want to argue it, I can find the numbers again. I can understand the argument that they are good so they don't need to give these players minutes, and thats a valid viewpoint. What is not valid is trying to claim that they actually do give minutes out to these players. Thats plain misinformation, and I'm not going to say nothing, if I see it.
I think he has very good speed and elite acceleration. I would not worry about that part of his game. I think if there's anything to worry about with his skillset, its his defense. I could see him having some problems there as he learns the pro game. I don't think its going to be a huge problem long-term, but I also don't see it as a strength of his game and he's still learning to play against pros. The big problem I see here is getting minutes. I'm in agreement with you that over 1000 next season, and then a full time starter the season after is about what we should see. If Martino is in charge, I don't know why we should think he will get those minutes. Thats the biggest issue here, IMO. That also creates a problem towards him being on the NT in a year, unless you want guys who aren't playing much in MLS to be on the NT.
@ussoccer97531 I'm going to defend our coach and you're always going to defend the players, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Regardless I think we can both agree that a healthy Bello should be at least #2 on the ATL LB depth chart, if not the #1 guy in the next 18 months.
To borrow from my Euro club’s fellow supporters, lad looked boss. I think him looking “slow” to some people is that he’s actually pretty much always under control. A foreign concept, I get it. He’s ahead of where Trent AA was at the same age. Kid has a massive ceiling and pretty damn high floor.
All I know is that Gloster & Real better play well for the 20’s this fall or else Bello could do what Sargent did in 2017 and play in both the U-17 and U-20 World Cups in 2019
Haven't been able to see Gloster lately so he *might* give Bello a run for his money in terms of effectiveness. Not Real though. Bello is a lot better than Real right now. edit: turns out Real hasn't been called up to either of the last two U20 camps. Gloster, Dest, Lindsey and Sam Vines were the left back options and Lindsey and Dest are both right-footed obviously.
Kellyn Acosta did that at fullback, right? 2013 U17 and U20 cycles....................? So its not unprecedented. Then in 2015/2016 he played for the U20, U23s, and made his USMNT debut while playing tons of games for a trophy-winning FCD team. I do sometimes wonder about burnout with kids that we use too much, too soon. To me Kellyn is a good example of that. He just hit a wall some time in early to mid 2017. It was too much. By 21 that kid looked physically and mentally exhausted. So much so that he needed a "re-start" in his career at 22! So I'm of the opinion now that I want kids to play with either the U17s or U20s. If Bello really is a starting fullback for the U20s (and he might be), then have him play with that group. If not, have somebody like Gloster start with the U20s and let Bello be the key guy for the U17s. More time at clubs, less time at USYNT camps for these kids. [Sargent is a little different as he didnt' have a professional club to train at on a day-to-day basis. So I was in favor of him attending every camp across all levels up to USMNT.] I'm a fan of the fact that Pulisic had zero appearances for our U18, U19, U20, and U23s (probably). We could have ridden that horse a lot more than we did to meaningless youth wins. But to what end? I mean, will Atlanta have to go buy an outstanding first team fullback...............just because they can expect Bello to be gone at so many U17 and U20 camps & tournaments next year?
Tab likes Real. He was called up to the last camp but was hurt With Real, there are a lot of off-field/leadership qualities Tab likes a lot
It's going to be very interesting to see what Tata does this weekend at left back. Atlanta and NYRB are neck-and-neck in the Supporters Shield standings and they play one another in NJ on Sunday. My gut says he will go with McCann but my head says Bello. Bello had the best performance we've had from one of our LB's since Garza went down, period. He got beat for pace a couple of times, but McCann would've been beat, and even worse. Savarino is just a quick dude. Bello did more going forward in 70 minutes than McCann has all season, that is an objective fact. McCann has been starting LB since July 15th- in that time period, we've only held one clean sheet in 9 games, and it was against a god-awful Colorado team. In Bello's first outing, we get our first home clean sheet since July 1st against a Real Salt Lake team that had scored 13 goals in the previous 3 games. We just looked better with Bello. He's already a better player. The only issue is this is a huge game, Tata has called it a 'final', so it might be too big of an occasion and he might want more experience against a NYRB team that is a living nightmare to play against at home (12-2-1 at home this season). Experience or raw ability.. that's what Tata is choosing between.
If this game was at home his decision might be different. But a game of this importance ON THE ROAD, and this time of the season? I expect McCann.
Bello replying to a U17 teammate on social media that he'd see him soon. Maybe his performance will make Atlanta reconsider releasing him though. After RBNY the schedule for Atlanta is pretty easy so I hope he can get at least ~60 more minutes this season