This year one can argue that they've done a better job than FCD with it. Although the Pomykal injury kinda soured the season for FCD homegrown fans. It'll be interesting to see which team actually wins the "most homegrown minutes per game" contest. That's the HMPG metric. It may not be Philadelphia. They just had two really impactful starters with Aaronson and McKenzie. And impactful subs like Fontana. There are some sleeper teams in there. Colorado made a big leap up that table. Bassett was one of the revelations of the season. FCD has finished 1st or 2nd in that table every year over the last decade. Almost by default some years. But there are a lot of clubs that are now challenging them. This year it was Philly's turn. But with Aaronson gone, it may be some other team that's going to shine next year. It could pass back to FC Dallas actually. Cuz Pomykal will be back, Reynolds and Tessman will continue to grow. Pepi will take another step. Sealy will hopefully get more of an opportunity. Che will hopefully be introduced. The head-scratching question marks are what to do with Servania and Ferreira. Of course we can thank FC Dallas for McKennie, Richards, and Cannon.
Potential back up to Brooks who doesnt travel well and has problems with quick sports cars types whom we might face? Look at Matondo spinning Brooks yday. I have not seen much of McKenzie but if Brooks is out we want somebody good on the ball at lcb especially with Antonee just not measuring up. What I've seen of McKenzie is kind of some good and some bad, overall t.b.d.?
oh yeah, Dallas is still the quintessential standard to look up to, there is absolutely no question about that. San Jose did good bringing in Cowell and Marcinkowski this season along with Lima and Tommy Thompson as established players. Hopefully they can get Akinigyire, Fuentes, and Walls along to the party next year to a greater degree. Best thing about the Almeyda regime is his belief in growing internally (that and he might be forced to by ownership not giving him a dime)
It was an unusual MLS season, but here is the 2020 Goals Added (g+) Best Eleven! (well, ten... we're still working on GKs). pic.twitter.com/UOSBYbtJ6K— American Soccer Analysis (@AnalysisEvolved) November 11, 2020
I'd take him over Lletget if we want age and wisdom and teaching Berhalter's 'principles'.....Looks like he, Morris and Mckenzie are all we should be looking at from MLS based on this. Not Ream, etc. If we're going off MLS form.
I don't think there's any TBD with McKenzie. He's 21 with 2 years of starts. It looks like he is a good CB. Some guys were very good but didn't have the minutes like Ayo. I would go ahead and get him a cap at the next good chance, although If I were in his shoes I might still go Canada.
Firstly, Goals Added is a very flawed metric it seems. Pozuelo is many pundit's league MVP. And while I'd argue he's overrated because 5 of his 9 goals are pk's, it's ridiculous he's all the way down at 225 in Goals Added. Secondly, best xi is an absurdly high standard, & doesn't even count for positions being stacked. Chris Mueller is 10th on their list but doesn't make the best xi. Bedoya is lower & almost a decade older but he'd suffice? You have a lot of players lower who are regular internationals to stars for respectable or better teams - yet it's not acceptable for American players surrounding from their own domestic league to play any significant part internationally. This is a mental disease for a sect of USNT fans. It hugely colors every perspective on players in both directions. Pure association fallacy. Yields a low-brow analysis. And it's really tiresome to boil every one down to that. 1328064983482109962 is not a valid tweet id
Agree on Ayo The US youth has got be a magnet for other young studs. The team they could be building under the right tutelage could be once in a lifetime type.
made a post earler that midfield was becoming constricted by the YAs for MLS flavor chances, and that might be the case with the forwards with Other Gio and Soto showing impressively today too. Gonna have to be some lights out amazing MLS play to even get a sniff of the bench at either position respectively. central defense, to me, still shows mortality. Outside Brooks, and the pure upside of Richards, I still think we have two spots readily available for direct competition. Id like to think at least one of Zimmermann, Miles Robinson, Parker, or Long can upend Miazga and/or Ream in that competition.
I posted this in the Panama post game thread in response to someone, but thought I'd add it here: I've been one of the very few hold outs here still being ok with Roldan call ups. Problem has been he has NEVER had a good game in a USMNT shirt. When you get double digit caps and never impress at all, the fan base is done. I've also always been of opinion that when the rosters were MLS based or limited, I would have preferred Roldan at the #6 over the Guys GGG & Sarachan before him have played. he's never been played there. Now finally seeing Adams given the reigns (hopefully!) at the #6 by Berhalter, a backup must be found. Maybe it's Johnny - who did well - or Otasowie who is supposed to be a #6 (wasn't played there). In an MLS only camp there are a few other guys I'd try before Roldan but they would be guys getting their 1st caps, not Berhalter's guys. Just for fun, here's the list of US guys from MLS that Whoscored thinks played as a DM ranked this MLS season. #1/#5 - Roldan, 7.47(4) #2/#13 - Jacori Hayes, 7.25(3) - Emergency Type #3/#14 - Lletget, 7.21(1) - Not sure he could do it, but DLP Lletget is not crazy #4/#21 - McCarty, 7.15(8) - 33 years old #5/#22 - Williamson, 7.12(9) - Should be tried for sure #6/#23 - Mihailovic, 7.06(1) - More intriguing further forward, not crazy as a DLP #7/#25 - Sands, 7.02(11) - 20 year old. Should be looked at as soon as healthy. OK I'll stop the details there but coming up next are Hairston, Busio, Bedoya, Nagbe, Davis, Rowe, Parks, Tessman, Pineda, Polster, Canouse, Dotson, Corona, Portillo(?), Delgado, Basset, Kitchen, Acosta, Kitchen, Ulloa, MacNamara, Creavalle, then.... #30/75 - WIL TRAPP...#33/#79 - MICHAEL BRADLEY...#42/#105(out of 113 players) - JACKSON YUIELL Hmmmmmm
Kai Wagner apparently has interest from the B1 and the EPL. The Union are moving from strength to strength! Wouldn't be surprised if a team swooped for Ernst Tanner. Per source, EPL clubs starting to show serious interest in Philadelphia Union LB Kai Wagner. West Ham and Fulham among those who are tracking Wagner, could make transfer bid soon. A couple Bundesliga clubs also with interest. Club has received some offers already. #DOOP— Kristian Dyer (@KristianRDyer) November 16, 2020
Eh. Kai Wagner isn't American. He's German, and we're learning German teams are interested. That's probably not a surprise. Don't get me wrong. Its great. Same as FC Dallas breaking their transfer record when they sold Gruezo last year to Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
I think their point is this has positive implications as far as top league(s) interest in standouts from MLS, even if they aren't internationals yet. The domestics would have the impediment of the vast majority not possessing an EU passport. But it's still notable. Vis a vis Philly specifically, Charlie Kennan sounded pretty confident McKenzie will be on the move this winter, based on his intel. So that part of the equation, with teams like Philly being more amenable to transfer players when there's serious interest, is progressing nicely as well.
The challenge for teams like Dallas and Philadelphia (and others are moving in this direction) is how to remain a contender for trophies while also being "selling clubs." NYRB and FCD won supporter's shields before Philly using this homegrown strategy. .....................I say this because there are elite clubs in MLS like the Sounders who aren't selling clubs. Portland isn't pretending to be a developmental club. They're going to max out their resources every year to put the best team together for a title challenge. We really have to hope that Philly wins MLS Cup this year. Developmental clubs win Supporter's Shields. When push comes to shove its been the "big money" teams that win MLS Cup. Its TFC with Giovinco. Its Seattle. Its Portland. Its Atlanta United with their big money monster two years ago. Philly winning MLS Cup will really go a long way to convince other clubs to follow this model. Last year RSL gave the most homegrown minutes in the league, and did very well in the regular season. Exited the playoffs with a whimper. FCD was second and exited in the first round. We don't want a repeat of this.......................
I really dislike our current options for RCB next to brooks, including long, is McKenzie or anyone else I don’t see very often a legitimate option at this point?
Agreed and I need to watch more McKenzie as I’ve seen very little. Will try to tune in for the playoffs. RCB is arguably the most wide open position on the USMNT depth chart wise. Could care less if the best option is currently in MLS or abroad; if he’s good enough he’ll likely be abroad sooner rather than later anyway.
Yep. Yangel Herrera, Kai Wagner, and Jack Harrison---all from modest playing backgrounds--- doing well in top-5 leagues will only bolster MLS.
McKenzie has improved a lot as a defender this yr. Went from sleepy to poised. And his ball-playing ability with both feet is excellent. Miles Robinson regressed as a defender from great to good, while improving from mediocre to good w/ the ball. I think you have to accept Long begrudgingly as your best option in the interim for the reason you said. Other alternatives need to prove more 1st. Miles Robinson is still the guy I'd have 2nd most confidence in if we needed to win a game tomorrow, based on how he handled playing at Monterrey & v. an outstanding Americas' striker in Funes Mori. Zimmerman has had an MLS defender of the yr caliber season, but I think of him as the backup option to Brooks. Together aren't fleet of foot.
Another positive is that Philly just announced 2 more young "home grown" academy signings for next season as well. Midfielders Brandan Craig & Quinn Sullivan. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020...emy-products-brandan-craig-and-quinn-sullivan That Homegrown Life 😎#DOOP | @BrandanCraig1 pic.twitter.com/y9MDge5Gfg— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) November 12, 2020 "With @PhilaUnionII, to be a Captain at such a young age speaks to the talent he has." - Head Coach Jim Curtin pic.twitter.com/RZTvxoc93l— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) November 12, 2020 Heart of a Homegrown 💙A Philly native, Coach Curtin has stayed true to our #PlayTheKids philosophy, a major key to our successes throughout our season.#DOOP | #CoachOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/EGLgkqdx27— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) November 17, 2020
Craig's not going to be ready for primetime at his age and performance-level. So that's a stash for now. I would have kept Trusty to help bridge the gap. Even if academy product aren't deemed blue-chippers, you still could use lifers.