Sealy was solid but Farrington was as good in this game as the preseason game against DC. He has an odd assortment of skills with flips being a big part. He also has one of those instant hard shots from anywhere with either foot. Had a few shots from far out that looked dumb until I realized how hard they were and forced the keeper to make great saves. I expect a few 3-4-1-2 lineups when Musa gets here to use this kid.
On the other hand, I thought San Jose looked really rather poor. If Dallas is going to be without its 3 DPs (Ferreira, Velasco, Musa), Pomykal, Farfan, etc........you should win that game. And also................where on Earth were the young USYNTers for San Jose? I thought that was the whole point of hiring Luchi Gonzalez? Not even in the 18. People noted the CCL game in which Porter brought Esmir and Buck off the bench (and then started them in MLS play). Where are the San Jose HGs? Cowell is gone, but they have a bunch more on the roster. I should say Cade Cowell, because one of the HGs on their roster is his brother Chance. I guess Tsakiris might have been out. What about Cruz Medina?? Its kind of a really uninspiring San Jose lineup. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Paul Marie (Vítor Costa 66’), Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo; Carlos Gruezo (Michael Baldisimo 90+6’), Jackson Yueill (C), Jack Skahan (Alfredo Morales 73’); Benji Kikanović (Amahl Pellegrino 74’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Preston Judd 66’), Cristian Espinoza. Substitutes not used: William Yarbrough (GK), Daniel Munie, Tommy Thompson, Ousseni Bouda.
After watching NE v DC, it was very noticeable how much more comfortable and effective Esmir was working on the right versus the left. Yes, one side had Aaron Herrera defending and the other an ancient Pedro Santos, but Esmir looked like he didn’t know what to do on the left. He certainly knew what to do on the right. Buck had some nice passes but wasn’t a factor, and his defending wasn’t full of vim and vigor like I would’ve expected. No break out players in this match for me.
This is now Benjis time to lock down a starting spot and impress. Would be cool to see him do good enough for a camp cupcake can
My nomination for pass of the week didn’t ultimately count, but man… everything about this ball from Jack McGlynn is 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼 pic.twitter.com/5VLp8eEND0— Ben Wright (@benwright) February 26, 2024
Sofascore US-eligible Team of the Week 1 * = Olympic eligible ------------------------------------JMorris(7.0)4th------------ --------Gutierrez(8.2)2nd*---Williamson(8.0)2nd---Esmir(7.7)2nd*----- ----------------AMorris(7.5)1st*-----I.Sanchez/Parks(7.5)2nd----- ----Sealy(7.8)3rd*-----------------------------------------------Harriel(7.4)4th*---- ---------------------Tafari(8.1)2nd-------Keller(8.0)1st-------------- -----------------------------Callender(9.0)MOTM--------- Player of the Week: Callender Stuver Gutierrez Olympic Eligible: Gutierrez Sealy Esmir
Sofascore US-eligible Played in college Team of the Week 1 * = Olympic eligible ------------------------------------JMorris(7.0)4th------------ ---------------------------------*---Williamson(Maryland)-------- ----------------AMorris(Indiana)---------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------Tafari(UConn/Seattle)-------Keller(St. Lous)------------- -----------------------------Callender(Cal)--------- Player of the Week: Callender (Cal) Stuver (Cleveland State)
Honorable Mention: GK: Stuver(8.7)MOTM Freese(7.8)1st Willis(7.8)1st Johnson(7.6)1st Guzan(7.4)2nd McCarrthy(7.4)4th Bono(7.4)5th Brady(7.3)5th* CB: Glad(7.7)2nd Robinson(7.6)2nd Glad(7.4)1st Zawadzki(7.4)2nd Maher(7.3)4th RB: Harriel(7.4)4th* Moore(7.4)3rd CM: AMorris(7.5)1st* I.Sanchez(7.5)2nd Parks(7.5)2nd Edelman(7.5)3rd* Amaya(7.5)3rd McGlynn(7.4)4th* Tillman(7.3)4th Delgado(7.3)5th RM: JStround(7.6)2nd Kamungo(7.5)4th* AM: O.Wolff(7.5)2nd* Ku-DiPietro(7.4)5th*
Honored to have received the MOTM award https://t.co/VLXzjmbGQ0— Quinn Sullivan (@QuinnSullivan33) February 28, 2024
It's great to see Eryk Williamson with the chance to run an offence. He has always had a few elite skills, but his workrate and defense were always lacking. This game, he was 6/9 in duels and was fouled 3 times. Zak Steffen, Sam Vines, Mihailovic. Damn. Europe is supposed to make you better. Some Olympic-eligible CBs got starts. Unfortunately, only one, George Campbell, was US-eligible. Still waiting for Wiley to put it together. Only one Olympic-and-US-eligible CB got a start, but a good number of 23/24-year-olds got the nod. So, the next Walker Zimmerman--or even better--should be in there.
Really seems to be one to watch this season. I don’t know what Quinn Sullivan did in the offseason but he’s been on another level through 3 games in 2024Game 1: 2 critical hockey assists vs Saprissa Game 2: assist vs ChicagoGame 3: goal & assist vs Saprissa (so far)pic.twitter.com/NaVj1WJaCM— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 28, 2024
I am not sure I have ever seen his name mentioned before (for USYNT), but Dado Valenzuela with FC Cincy is starting off the season strong. He played 7 first team minutes last season, is at 132 minutes 3 games into this season (currently 120 of those in CCC). Had a good game last night getting a nice goal and assist while picking up the MotM Award. Overall playing really well in this small sample. Only 19 so maybe he can get around the Olympic roster discussion.
Trying to share from my phone so hopefully this works… AARON BOUPENDZA! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Qc5cHIG0cv— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 29, 2024 Gerardo Valenzuela extends Cincinnati's lead to 4-0 with a clinical finish! ✨ pic.twitter.com/xeWLcCcgMW— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 29, 2024 He closed @fccincinnati's account! ✅POTM ↔️ Gerardo Valenzuela pic.twitter.com/ZCCPR6WMXw— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 29, 2024
Cincy also used highly regarded USYNTer Jimenez last night. It's amazing how few U20s have already played minutes in MLS/CCC this year. He's so young that he was in US U16 camps last year. 16 Year Old Stiven Jimenez makes his season debut for FC Cincinnati Great things to come 💫 pic.twitter.com/QH1uElLmoY— Youth Soccer Central (@yscentral) February 29, 2024
Here's 2+ months of Apple TV Plus for free: https://redeem.services.apple/leo-kfm-amr-2024 You can't get all the games like MLS Season Pass, but I think you get a 1/3 or more. It's a big upgrade from just Fox. I was going to be pretty in the dark otherwise.
Gressel has started this Inter Miami-Orlando match with two assists to Suarez.................... For a team needing a token American, he was a nice pick-up. Oh man, there's 3-0. Miami tearing Orlando apart in the 1st half. Orlando, by the way, finished 2nd in the SS standings last year. Quietly.
RSL V LAFC is sadly underwatched since it got delayed and is up against the Miami match. Wind storm, lightning delay, and then heavy snow in a 3 hour span. It's awesome. Luna has an assist so far too
I am 99 percent sure Bruce Arena is our shadow coach behind the scenes. Roster is loaded with "old reliable MLS guys". Completely uninspiring
The young talent in MLS is impressive and vast18 year old Kristian Fletcher part of that group.👀 on @dcunited winger.pic.twitter.com/pBL4xZzIY3— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) March 3, 2024
And we can write a long list of USMNT and American players he championed in DC. Bobby Convey even lived in his basement for a while. [Not to mention the future USMNTers that played for him at UVA.] In his last stint with Los Angeles, he really seemed to be in the mode of "I've only got a few years left. I don't have time to develop the kids. I want trophies now." Younger fans only know him for that, I suspect. I suspect that if we made a list of USMNTers that Bruce Arena directly influenced in club soccer, it would a longer list that anybody's. I look at the league right now, and I'm a little discouraged. Oscar Pareja. Supposedly a youth development "professor." Always talked about championing the young and homegrown players in Colorado and Dallas. What was that lineup he used against Miami yesterday? How many US eligible players were in the XI? And then he took out McGuire at halftime for their new Colombian forward. Maybe it was a "The kids would get crushed by this Miami team. I'm going to go with vets" kind of a lineup. And then the vets got demolished. That was a shocking display by Orlando. [Also on the list of shocking display's. Dallas' loss to Montreal last night. Not much you can say about that. Although Sealy and Farrington started again. So two young Americans they're giving a run to.]