Yeah, I saw him going to a higher Eredivisie club like Twente. I am amazed he went to a higher league, but I am really pleased. When fortune favors you, you take it and run with it. I think he'll make the best of his opportunity.
That can be said of many good players. To my eye his national team performances, on balance, have been very, very good.
¡Segundo estadounidense en el #RCCelta! 🇺🇸Acompaña a @delatorreluca en una nueva entrega de #InsideRCCelta durante sus primeras horas en Vigo 👀La elección de su nuevo dorsal, sus nuevos compañeros... y te sorprenderá su comida favorita (o no) 😜¡Dale al PLAY! #BenvidoLuca— RC Celta (@RCCelta) July 11, 2022
How does a guy with Spanish parents grow up in California, playing soccer and can't at least get by?!
He's an American. The thing is that Holland is one of the most anglophonic non-anglophonic nations in the world. Spain isn't. I mean it's all down to the soccer, and if he plays well and helps them win they'll love him and it'll work out, but for him to feel not like an outsider, to be involved and invested he's really going to need to be able to talk more with them. It's a really nice opportunity for him, though. A cool club in a cool, stylish but smallish city in a very big league. If he becomes an important part of the club he could really enjoy his life there.
Just looked up, only dad. That would likely explain why he doesn't know spanish to generalize a bit I feel like more often if mom speaks another language kid is more likely to learn it (yes i'm generalizing, but that's just what I've seen)
It seems that on BigSoccer players are either the best thing ever or the worst thing ever. I just tell the truth, which is usually between those two extremes. I love Luca and the way he plays. At the same time, he's not a top class player. He's not athletic enough to be a top class player. However, he's good enough to play in La Liga. I love players who are not super athletes, but who find a way to succeed through skill, determination, and intelligence. It was easier for them when the game was slower. Furthermore, while Luca may not be super fast, he's pretty darn quick.
Another thing to say about Luca is that outside of a toothache in February, he's not been injured the past 2 seasons. That's pretty remarkable. That's durability. I'm crossing my fingers, because I just jinxed him.
Luca could score more goals, but he has often played as a deep-lying midfielder on a team with crappy strikers. Now he'll be playing with Iago Aspas who had more goals in La Liga than Vinicius Junior. In fact, Aspas was second in La Liga in scoring. Luca should be able to learn a thing or two about finding the back of the net.
Usually whoever is with the kids more can teach other language(s). That is usually but not always the mother unless both parents work full time.
I see this as only a positive move for him. Seems a league his style fits well with, a small club so he should via for minutes, the compettion is a step up, and quality teammates he can learn from. He's a good, quality backup mid for us. Nothing wrong with that. If he can push MMA, Reyna, and Aaronson, then that's a good thing.
He looks to have notable acceleration and speed. He has run away from guys while carrying the ball on multiple occasions. I haven't seen him enough to judge his endurance but he seems to be smallish, not nonathletic.
He came up through Fulham's academy as a winger, and he wasn't blazing fast, which is part of the requirements for a winger. So he became an attacking midfielder. He's not slow by any means. He's super quick and has great acceleration, balance, agility, and stamina. However, he doesn't seem to have the sprint speed required for a winger. How can a player have good acceleration but not be fast? They go from zero to their top speed quickly, but their top speed is not elite, and they can't go any higher. Luca is not physically strong and not fast. Some may call that unathletic. He can get a bit stronger, but hopefully not at the cost of being slower. Luca can quickly accelerate past people in midfield who are not running in the same direction, but over long distances, he would be caught. Fortunately, he's typically running 10-30 yards, so there is not enough time to catch him. A winger might run 30-50 yards. He's 5'9 1/2", so not tall, but tall enough. He's taller than Messi, Maradona, Neymar, and Pele.
And taller than Modric, Pedri, Gavi, Iniesta, and Xavi—by the metrics applied too often by America fans none of whom are “athletic enough to be a top class player. However . . .good enough to play in La Liga.” If Luca can make it as a midfielder in La Liga, he will be one of the best US players ever. To me he looks the part, but at age 24 he maybe too close to the peak of his development to acquire the tactical sophistication required to hold down the job.
Luca's more than fast enough. I'm not worried about his height at all, but his strength will be an issue. That can be improved, but he can get bumped off pretty easy. (ASIDE: While he's technical for an American, we can stop comparing him to Modric, Pedri, Gavi, Iniesta, and Xavi. I mean, when he's ANYWHERE near their class technically, we can use them as examples.) The size will hurt him in ways. It's just a matter of whether he can compensate, especially on defense. It's not just a matter of "can he hang," it's "can he beat out the competition." I think the other concern is about how he fits in a more possession based system and if he can stand out. I know he's technical enough to do it, but his best play for the US and his best highlights from Heracles are in transition offense. He'll have that opportunity, but Celta also owns the ball a bit, IIRC, so I'm curious to see if he can beat others out there. These are just question marks, not damning elements. The size is overcomeable; and he has skills that can work in places other than transition, so that seems eminently possible. But he's taking a step up in competition, so these things matter.
Very good post. Luca is technical….enough (for La Liga). He’s not on par with the top attacking midfielders in the world in this area. He’s a clear step behind Gio Reyna, for example. But he’s an 8. And one of his top qualities is his work rate, which is elite or near-elite. I also think his physical strength isn’t THAT big of a deficiency. Yeah, he’s not Weston in this area but in La Liga I think it’s fine. He’s getting knocked off the ball occasionally because he’s not technical enough- not because he’s weak. Iniesta wasn’t a physically strong player at all- but his technicality always allowed him to be between the ball and defender.
After learning Spanish - Castilian, really - he might want to take a shot at Galician, Gallego. Vigo lies in Galicia, after all.
I wasn't comparing his technical ability to the Spanish greats just his size, and it won't be his height that holds him back. I think his technical ability is adequate (obviously not exceptional like the greats) but what will either get him over or hold him back in La Liga is whether he necessary vision and time/space awareness.