Jalen Neal in LA Galaxy's dramatic comeback back win over crosstown rivals, LAFC:7.4 FotMob rating ✅90 minutes played0.02 xA88/92 (96%) accurate passes103 touches10 passes into the final third1/3 accurate long balls5/5 tackles won3 clearances2 headed clearances1… pic.twitter.com/ldEBnHbMZW— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) September 15, 2024
Duncan McGuire scored for Orlando in their 3-0 win over New England last night. Nothing hits quite like a Duncan goal 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/3MR3qW0IAw— Orlando City SC - x (@OrlandoCitySC) September 15, 2024
Unfortunately he was less than stellar against Bouanga. Neal is a good passer, something we desperately need from.our CBs. However, his one on one defending needs lots of work. I don't think he can make the leap to the USMNT until he improves his weakness.
Rule of thumb, keeper's fault if he gets beat near post. Neal's just very young in a position that rewards experience (Ream, e.g.).
He could have done better but even the best FBs struggle to cover Bouanga one-v-one coming in from the left side... where the heck was Yemane on both of those plays? Bouanga is going to lick his chops any time he has a CB isolated while entering the 18. Optimally, the FB would be the first player contending and Neal would be covering the move. Does Neal still have a lot of room for growth? Sure. What 21-year-old CB has it all figured out? But I think he has a very high ceiling and floor. IMO, he is ready for another USMNT call-up.
Which CB in our pool holds his own out wide v. Bouanga? Maybe Miles Robinson, and that's it. Ream, Richards, CCV, Brooks, Zimmerman, Trusty, McKenzie, etc.; ain't handling him. If they could handle a player of that ilk outside, they'd probably be fb's, & most of them would struggle. Neal even does a halfway decent job on both goals. He forces him all the way to the end line, then it's Yoshida blowing a clearance & the keeper getting beat at a tight angle. This is a systemic problem for LAG to not have a d-mid or fb back to bracket or stay out wide to partially match Bouanga's speed. Which Costigan pts out. Or it's not a problem, cuz it's a trade-off, & LAG lead the west in goals & pts, while their defensive record is above average. Neal is our most interesting young CB at home & abroad, and should be at the next camp. I'm feeling underwhelmed by the vet alternative newbies like McKenzie & Trusty to replace Ream. Thinking outside the box, fast-tracking Neal, & using Maloney out of position.
He's lanky, has a high center of gravity, & sub-elite anticipation. So he's struggled plenty in space at CB or LB. It's been a miscast when he's played LB for club or country (youths). Needs to improve in this dept &/or ball skills, otherwise he's an underwhelming CB option for us. Good in Championship, Bad in EPL. Similar to CCV, Ream prior to late career breakout.
I’d call Jalen Neal lanky, not sure that’s how I’d describe Trusty. Athletically he can hang against the best off the ball. He’s just not great on the ball and prone to making slow reads. 1v1 defending is fairly simple.
If Neal's lanky, Trusty surely is. It's been apparent since Trusty was a youth and having trouble staying with quicker players. He's high-waisted, & simply can't change directions quickly. That's continued at the higher levels where if a player cuts across him on or off ball & he doesn't recognize it early, he can't recover. He was likely worse in MLS than the Championship because he was getting tested by trickier, DP attackers. For a CB, Neal's never had this problem. And he can get better at rotating, not losing his mark, nor beaten off the dribble w/ greater health (coming back from injury) & experience. Trusty has 6* the senior appearances. So if it's a question who's better now, you favor the guy who improves more over the next couple of yrs.
Jalen got absolutely abused by Bouanga in the first half. He came out in the 2nd hald and played Denis much tougher and LA Gals just stifled LAFC's which further limited Jalen having to defend 1v1.
Morris was a beast, but couldn't finish tonight. The beast part is more important. He's finished plenty this season & the questions were about his post-injuries physicality. Stock up. Ragen also was a force and looks like a guy we have to keep in the back of our mind for the CB position. He may already be in the mix if not for a Jan camp injury. He should be back next time.
Monster numbers from Roldan(DM in 4231) in the double-pivot. He has been at his best when has had true destroyer to partner with. 47/58 passing 8/11 long balls 8/11 duels 0/2 fouls/fouled 9 recoveries 1 clearance off the line SofaScore(8.2)2nd
Leon Flach's passing has seen tremendous improvement. He is currently averaging 87% vs 2022's 77% per game. He is averaging 85% in the opposition half vs 2022's 68%.
Roldan's best position has always been as part of a double pivot or as an 8, not the weird hybrid CAM/winger usmnt and seattle has had him in for awhile. Schmezter finally has wingers and CAMs that he trusts and with JP injured and old I personally think he should stay at 6/8 (with Obed until we sell him for a lot of money soon, then probably Atencio). He's an excellent swiss army knife too but having him in his best position helps so much more. Also even when Morris doesn't finish he holds up pretty well and has that gravity you want from your 9 to pull defenders away so other players can capitalize plus still having the elite speed teams have to worry about.
Some complain that MLS teams spend big on foreign signings and don't play more Americans, but it's great that MLS has guys like Bouanga around to abuse Neal because he would have to face guys that level and better with the USMNT
W/re to the Trusty mentions. I watched him play him the Prem. At LB, the best that can be stated was that he was a warm body. Sheffield United did an OK job at providing the necessary cover as he lacked the pace to play the position in the typical manner. At LCB in a back 4 or 3, he was reasonably competent. His reading of the game was slow but did improve as the season went on.
If Neal overplays, Bouanga cuts the ball back and the keeper goes after Neal post-goal saying he had the near post and Neal should have covered the cutback where the keeper is exposed big time.
Galaxy's best guy helping cb on Bouanga has been Delgado tracking back inside the cb on Bouanga to make the correct timely intervention. Delgado wasn't starting in this one (80' sub). Even Delgado got skinned by Bouanga in previous games. The guy really found a home at LAFC.
He was paired with Obed so I’d say he was more the destroyer. He’s a good player who hasn’t had a USMNT coach give him much rope. He’s probably past his chance now but stranger things have happened.
I just don’t think he’s international quality but he’s only 29 so I feel like he’ll still be around come 2026 if Pochettino decides to give him a look.
It’s a balance. You want lots of young American players to get opportunities, but you also want talented foreign guys to get signed to raise the level of the league so the reps those players do get are at a high level.
Best of the best from the weekend. 🤩🗒️: https://t.co/4LqXgXqDUz pic.twitter.com/GkoI7JVpEG— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 16, 2024 Freese appears to have made it back from his injury.