If Jose Villareal carries his form from U20 qualifying over to MLS, he's going to be a factor. For those that don't follow the YNTs, he has 3 goals the last 2 games for the US. I continue to believe that Philly's starting fullbacks, Gabriel Farfan on the left and Sheanon Williams on the right, have national team potential. Among rookies, I'm intrigued by Eriq Zavaleta in Seattle. The idea of a CB with enough ball skills to be the leading scorer for an NCAA champion intrigues me. Oh, and as others have noted, I think Luis Silva is going to have a solid year.
As a Galaxy fan, Villareal really excites me. Even in his previous performances last season, he showed a lot of promise. He only got some sub minutes but no Galaxy fan can forget that amazing goal he scored against Vancouver last season. I hope Villareal gets more minutes this season and maybe even start. I think with Donovan missing and no 3rd DP yet, Villareal will likely be starting up top with Keane pushing Magee to LM.
Villareal is going to be a joy to watch this season. A very skilled, intelligent and entertaining player.
Hope so about Villareal, but the fact that he is playing more U 20s instead of returning to LA, if true, would appear to indicate that he is not immeidately in line for much playing time with the Galaxy.
Well, we'll see. One would expect Magee and Keane to be the starters until Donovan returns from the wilderness. So that means the forwards on the bench are Villarreal, McBean, and the now-injured Zardes (and Rugg if they sign him). So at least until Donovan comes back, I expect Villarreal to get plenty of playing time. Arena probably saw value in Jose possibly playing against a high-quality Mexico U20 team in Mexico. [although a meaningless game from the qualification point of view]
It's a bit facile. The point imo is to discuss the qualities that a player might bring to the international level. For example here is what I posted about Alan Gordon back in July.
So where do you rate Andrew Wenger, #1 pick of 2012? In 2011, Duke's Wenger moved from center back to forward. He led the ACC with 17 goals and 42 points and was ranked fourth in the nation in total points and sixth in total goals.
i hope Wenger is in the discussion soon, thats a good player. Hell, id love to throw him at central defense with Nesta. We need the bodies back there. If he has a pulse he will probably be in the national team discussion by default for central defense.
My concern with Wenger is he just isn't in a good place for him in Montreal. Seems like he's buried on the depth chart and that there isn't much interest in developing young (especially American) talent. Hope I'm wrong.
Wenger is a smooth scorer. He receives the ball in one smooth motion that sets him up for a shot that he can calmly place. Very similar to Henry. He also has size and solid pace. Quite honestly, as a pure forward i=I think he's better than Agudelo. It's too bad the Swiss coach is going to give Di Vaio every chance to start over him. Their production was basically the same last season.
I wonder how much Montreal/MLS would want for Wenger if an EPL team made a bid. Bet he would succeed for Fullham after a stint with their reserves. Also have to wonder what he would cost FCDallas compared to Cooper.
I'm going to try and do what Ives did and name just an 18 of breakout players for this season (excluding all players that have received a cap under Klinsmann)... -----------Cooper--------McInerney----------- Pontius------------Silva-----------------DeLeon ------------------McCarty----------------------- Sinovic----------------------------------Beitashour -------------Berry----------John---------------- ---------------------Hall------------------------- Bench: Meara, Jean-Baptiste, Okugo, Cronin, Kitchen, Duka, Villarreal
Can I have a few? My breakthrough bets would be DeLeon, Silva, Villareal, Okugo, Wenger, Hedges, Berry, and a resurgent Feilhaber.
MLS Players Who I Believe Will Look to Move Overseas in 2013: *=small chance **=medium chance ***=big chance Mid Season: George John*** -he's qualifies for a work permit due to dual citizenship, I think he's going to try and go overseas again if he has a good year. Hedges will be his replacement and Zimmermann will move into the understudy role. If I were him, I would go somewhere I was really needed... And to be more specific, a Championship play-off contender who need a good CB to build their team around. Graham Zusi*** -if he continues to play with the national team, somebody should snap him up. I would like to see him go to Fulham (or a similar level club) so that we can have at least one American there. Freddy Adu*** -he's in such a bad situation, I see him being in limbo until summer where he will move to some obscure league abroad. I hope that he moves to.... Mexico or Latin America??? strange, I know. But he needs to go somewhere that will suit his talents and not exploit his weaknesses. Juan Agudelo*** -It's time for Agudelo to get out of MLS...but it's even more time for him to get out of the sinking ship that is CD Chivas. I'd like to see him try to head to Holland and try to emulate Jozy's success before trying to fight off the sharks in the bigger leagues. Omar Gonzalez** -he's too good to not go. The only thing holding him back is that he is the glue that is holding the Galaxy together as they rebuild. Therefore, he may wait until the end of the season. Either way, I hope that Fulham or a similar level club takes a look at him. Matt Besler** -I am predicting another big year for the defender. He's absolute quality, I can see a new team in the EPL picking him up. From there, I predict that he will emerge as an international quality CB. I hope that Fulham will take a look at him too. Like Gonzalez, he may stay with Sporting Kansas City out of loyalty to finish out the season. Season End: Chris Pontius** -He needs to stay healthy to get attention, but I am going to say that this is going to be Pontius' year. My prediction: He will finally get enough attention and move to a bottom of the table caliber EPL team to start of his YA career. Teal Bunbury** -Bunbury suffered an unfortunate ACL injury that his recovery is going to determine a lot. I can see him moving to what I'll say a middle league (Dutch, Scandinavian, Belgian, Bundesliga II, Championship, etc) where he will try to work his way up the ranks. Andrew Wenger* -I absolutely hate the situation that he is in at Montreal. I just want him to leave there, and leave there sooner than later. But he is going to have to impress in the scarce minutes that he will get with the Impact to warrant a move. I say that he'll move to one of the nuddke leagues in Europe and have to work his way up the ranks. Sean Johnson** -I think he'll finish out the season, but we have to try and continue the strong tradition of American keepers doing well overseas. He has the talent to do it. Bill Hamid** -Same as Johnson. Ryan Meara* -Same as Johnson and Hamid. Zach Loyd* -From what I know, Loyd did not renew his contract. That said, he had a poor season last year, but he is still a very capable defender that I think could work his way into the rotation of a descent club in one of the middle leagues. Luis Gil** -I think it's good that Gil has received a lot of good training with RSL, but I do not want to see him become a career MLSer. I hope that he has a good season and goes Abroad if he gets a good offer. Omar Salgado** -Same as Gil. Not Now/Ever: Will Bruin Steve Beitashour Zac MacMath Sheannon Williams Gabriel Farfan Kenny Cooper Steve Lenhart Eddie Gaven Kelyn Rowe Jack McInerney Michael Farfan Kofi Sarkodie Kevin Alston Justin Morrow Tally Hall Nick Rimando Brad Evans Eddie Johnson Heath Pearce Seth Sinovic Chance Myers AJ De la Garza Dax McCarty Mike Magee Connor Lade Austin Berry Amobi Okugo Matt Hedges Luis Silva Nick DeLeon CJ Sapong Dilly Duka Perry Kitchen Andrew Jean-Baptiste Kyle Beckerman Landon Donovan Benny Feilhaber Brad Davis Ricardo Clark Jeff Larentowicz Sam Cronin Lee Nguyen Chris Wondolowski Alan Gordon Edson Buddle
Interesting. Some are pegging him to score 15-20 goals this season. You really think at age 23 if he puts up those kind of numbers someone overseas wont want him?
Possibly... I won't say no. What I will say is that he may want to spend another year in MLS. He's in a good situation under Kinnear. I'll add that I put players into these categories based on if I think they have outgrown the league or not; or if I think that another league might suit their development better. For instance, I currently rate Will Bruin higher than Luis Gil and Freddy Adu who I listed to move abroad, but I would speculate based on their situation and their potential trajectory that Bruin would probably benefit by staying in the league another year and Gil & Adu would benefit by moving overseas. Again, this is simply only my preseason predictions... I am not going to say that my views cannot change on the matter.
Big year for Gil. He has played understudy for a long time, and now he has a chance to step up and be a focal point for RSL. I believe he has the talent, but has to show more vision and take more risks to separate himself. Worst case scenario, he becomes a capable ball-distributor for RSL. Best case, he blossoms into a good enganche. This year will largely reveal the player he is going to be.
Objection Gil has solidified himself as a fixture in the RSL starting rotation. Salgado has struggled to get playing time, partly due to injury and might not even see much time this year in a crowded Caps lineup.
Not disagreeing with your broader point, but it bears mentioning that Gil has yet to earn RSL's trust when the chips are down. In last year's playoffs, he sat behind Ned Grabavoy.
Salgado needs to get to a different team. The obvious suggestion would be Crazy Ass USA but other than Kennedy they don't have much Vancouver would want and even the folks at Crazy Ass aren't so stupid as to trade their top flight GK with nothing experienced to back him up.
Vancouver seem to genuinely value him on the trade market, asking the moon for him. Yet at the same time, they clearly don't value him because he doesn't seem to be part of the first XI.
To recap, Salgado needs to get to a different team, Wenger needs to get to a different team, and Agudelo needs to get to a different team (again). If Villarreal isn't getting regular minutes this year, then he needs to get to a different team, and if he is getting regular minutes, then maybe Zardes or McBean needs to look elsewhere. Will Soony Saad get a chance this year? Will Victor Pineda or Kellen Gulley? Or Jonathan Top? And in spite of a very productive 2012, will Jack McInerney end up stuck behind Casey and LeToux? Looking around MLS, it's tough to see many teams that are likely to give an unproven young American forward a good opportunity.