If the outside backs aren't providing much going forward, I don't think you can expect much from a midfield of Taha/Soma/Corcoran -- I don't think it's dynamic or creative enough, so you need someone like Medina centrally -- maybe Morales will be that player (or maybe Olney should be) -- to create. I haven't bought into Corcoran's hype, and I haven't seen very much from of Soma, but they are two players that I see something in, and Habroune is in the same boat. I don't expect a lot out of those three, but I wouldn't be surprised if one or maybe two turn out to be really good players.
I think Habroune is a little underrated right now. He was far more productive than Medina in the same league (albeit on a better team) and of course was a breath of fresh air in qualifying. To me he’s actually a guy who could break into the 2025 U20s if things go right (both for him and the guys who might play their way out of teams letting them go). He’s really dynamic and does so many things well. He’s got a much higher floor right now than most of the midfield options. He’s also not officially a Crew HG (though maybe there’s a quiet deal) and turns 18 in February. I think this will be a big tournament for him.
The majority of second team deals YNT caliber players are signing lately at clubs are hybrid contracts that turn into first team deals. I’d expect Taha’s to be one of those as well
I don't know about others, but I do think the general sense is that this team is going to struggle to advance, but it has a better chance than it did a month ago when it looked utterly hopeless. There's some talent, but the draw was not kind, all three opponents are either very good (France and Burkina Faso) regionally at worst, or traditionally pretty damn good (South Korea). You never know how CAF is going to perform, or AFC sides for that matter, but to get a side that looked damn good in CAF qualifying, and one of the 3-4 best international sides in the world, including at youth levels, the past decade, plus a traditionally solid South Korea, it looks like its gonna be more 2015, 2019 than 2017.
Peaky Blinders kid just earned himself a fan From pandas to ninjas to zombie soccer players, the #U17MYNT went all out on Halloween 👻What was your best costume? 👇 pic.twitter.com/3fMDMuzJPj— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 31, 2023
We can almost guarantee that Boudry will start the first game at keeper, because Ferree's red card at the Gold Cup. From there, it will be interesting if they rotate or if one of them will be the clear #1.
Team tied Poland 2-2 in a friendly this morning. Starting XI: Beaudry, Harangi, Hall, Banks, Reid-Brown, Soma, Habroune, Medina, Vasquez, Berchimas, Figeroua Subs came in after 2-2 score line around 60th minute.
Banks for Hawkins is a positive change. I would’ve kept Hawkins in the lineup and had Hall on the bench, but Banks in the lineup is a major positive.
To the extent that I'll be able to wake up and watch these games, I definitely want to see how he does. My super-superficial takeaway at qualifying was that he seemed to have tons of the right ideas and was like, I dunno, a quarter- or two-fifths or some weird amount, less than a half-step, slow executing them, and if he hadn't been, he'd have been covered in roses after that tournament. If he can show that he's moving in the right direction (which you'd hope he would be after another season) he could take a big step forward here.
Also worth nothing he spent the whole season in MLS Next Pro, a much higher level than MLS Next, and was peaking at the end of the season. Looked really good in the final. I think he’s going to show just how much his game has leveled up. Between him and Soma I think this midfield has the chance to be excellent.
From training with Lionel Messi to captaining the @USYNT at the #U17WC 🔜🇺🇸 Tyler Hall believes that his side could be holding the trophy at the end of the tournament...— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 8, 2023
Kochen Kevin Grimes, U.S. Soccer's Spain scout, never had been on a plane when he was picked to play for U.S. U-16s in 1983. They won Concacaf tournament in T&T but couldn't go to first U-17 World Cup. Here's what he says about Barca GK Diego Kochen. https://t.co/aEiXTQJHyV pic.twitter.com/820q6fbNJE— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) November 10, 2023
I see this issue currently playing out in midfield regardless of which 3 combo. A lot of youth holding mids that are held to be such great prospects do not pass the test when they are pressured by a good team in a high press, like France. Too often in average games they have all the time in the world to make decisions to turn. Conversely, attacking mids constantly in development have defenders up their backs. Sure, errors occur more often as a result of "learning" to take risk. I don’t see this realization being made enough by youth scouts in talent assessment. Learning when to play forward, and be direct on counters with pressure is extremely difficult. This current midfield needs attacking minded players, that also have high defensive work rates. Scouting needs to bring in more 10s and less 6s. The hard working 10s can also play 6. It doesn't work the other way.
The best 6's have a certain amount of 8 in them. Which is part of the reason I think Soma and Vargas are good prospects. Soma is an 8 for his club team.
It's easier to make 6 out of a FB than from 8. And Soma is a poor 6 btw. Want to see him as 8. Neither is Vargas a decent 6.
Until US Scouting realizes and prioritizes physicality in a player’s profile we will be second rate. That’s not to say pick the “biggest fastest” kids. Berchimas has incredible physicality at 100lbs soaking wet. His athleticism and work rate mentality make him a physical player! Banks has the traditional physicality. Both are great prospects! Technical competence and tactical Iq also very important but Physicality is often missing in selection. Pendulum swung too far other way.
One player who has not been mentioned as one to watch for the future is Stuart Hawkins. He definitely has holes in his game but he has the long lean body type that might project forward. He also moves well.
I don’t think Stuart Hawkins will blossom into a raise the usmnt RCB position level player, but I think he’s very well rounded for his age and I expect him to have a very solid pro career. Just not a ton of upside in his game that national team level prospects need to break into more established player pools. If I’m Seattle I’m very optimistic about his potential and hopeful he becomes a solid piece for them long term
So many miss this point. It's very important. If you look at the top 20 club teams in the world and hope our players are good enough to play for them eventually, there's just not a ton of guys that are like 5'7 and slow for an attacker or like 5'11 and slow for a defender. The ones that are that and are on those teams are like Xavi type talents that are legitimately world class (not just good or very good) in technical/tactical aspects. It's very hard to make it at a high level and be a bad athlete. It's not a fair game. Some just don't got what it takes in that regard to make it.