U17s lost 3-1 to LAFC but it's a super fun game. Worth watching the highlights. Some tough moments for the two '09s playing up: Sedeh and Vejrostek.
U19s finished up their MLS Next Fest this morning with a 3-0-0 record and an 11-3 cumulative goal differential against ATLUTD, DC United, and Barca-AZ. Good showing. First team pre-season starts in a month. Would expect a large handful of these players to get looks there.
U17s finished their Fest this morning with a win over SVSA and losses to LAFC and Miami. I think you see the first homegrown '08s sign with NTX in the next two or three months.
Same record but felt more disappointing from the U15s and U16s. U16s with dud performances against Philly and Orlando, U15s lost to the LA teams before beating Charlotte on the last day. Need to track down more footage to be able to say more.
Sounders at Heart and others are reporting that FCD may trade both Ferreira and Arriola to Seattle Sounders. Lletget may also be on the move. Big roster reset. Screams "Quill wants to play a 4-3-3 next year" to me. Stripping it down probably increases roster space for younger guys.
Surely you mean southern part of the Metroplex. Mansfield is south of Arlington (where the Cowboys and Rangers play) and in Tarrant county. Good thought that will have an appropriate sized stadium.
I guess it's all "north" Texas but it seems weird to have a team based in the southern part of the DFW area called "north"... SKC's second team was called Swope Park Rangers for a while, maybe these guys can be the Mansfield Park Rangers
North Texas has a definition. People down there know what it means. Its a specific geographical region of counties. Its like calling a team New England Revolution. West of Abilene, East of Lamar County, South of Oklahoma, North of Waco. North Texas Facts and Figures from the North Texas Commission 4d8e9c_70290a7a1b9a490db203851dbb206cfa.pdf
I'd call that the metroplex and add more counties around it as North Texas. As opposed to South Texas, East Texas, West Texas, the Valley and the Panhandle.
Yes, some people add surrounding counties where nobody lives. This is the wikipedia map of "North Texas." Its a term most used by residents of DFW, and we all generally know what we mean. It doesn't refer to the panhandle or Texarkana. But anyway, calling the soccer club North Texas makes sense to DFW residents. it actually makes more sense than calling a team FC Dallas that isn't in Dallas. If one were to make a "heat map" of where professional soccer players in Texas come from both now and historically, this region would again be hottest zone. Which make sense. One of the hottest zones in the country. Currently 4th largest metro area and gaining on Chicago. I like the stat in the above link. The population of North Texas grows at a rate of 1 person every 3.3 minutes.
My mistake making a literary reference... I guess just because the state capital is Austin doesn't mean the school curriculum includes Jane Austen... probably more popular with unbelievers than the state boe
FCD 19s v Barca-AZ, 12/10/24, W 3-0 Lineup (L-R, where applicable): Montoya; Dozier, Guzman, Charles ©, Cortalessa; Hickam; Mendonca, Swann; Outman, Salazar, Witis-Hughes Subs: At halftime, Sylvester’s on for Salazar, Kaakoush is on for Mendonca (and drops into a double-pivot, leaving Swann as the #10). 20min into the 2H, Contreras and Orejarena are on for Outman and W-H. Wheeler comes on for Montoya and Gaundique comes on for Swann (Orejarena drops back to the #10) with about 15min left. Luccin in for Hickam with about 5min left. Goal(s): · 27:36 – Barca RCB on the ball at the corner of his box. He passes inside to a CM, who takes the ball on the wrong side, letting the rapidly closing Swann muscle him off the ball and quickly play to Salazar at the top of the box. Salazar takes it, waits a beat, and finishes low near post. · 1:02:48 – Second CK in a row for FCD. Inswinger from Mendonca on the right side banks around to the top of the six in front of the far post. The Barca RCB underjumps it, Salazar creates a little chaos, and Guzman pokes it home. · 1:47:12 – FCD throw-in on their right side in their half. Cortalessa hurls it up the line and Sylvester flicks the ball inside to Swann, who gets it one lane over to Contreras (who just did the thing he does where he outran a bunch of players to get to a dangerous spot – that’s him at the bottom of the screen at 1:47:11) to touch it into the box. Contreras cuts onto his right and passes across his body (great vision) to Orejarena arriving late into the box. Orejarena confidently blasts it inside the right post past the recovering GK. Fantastic play all around. Other Key Chances: · 38:02 – Barca back on the ball near midfield after they win the second ball on a long FCD goalkick. The CDM putters a little bit before flipping a pass to a FW in FCD’s defensive line, who turns and plays the LW down into the corner. Weird play by Dozier on the far side as he checks his run marking the RW in front of goal and allowing the LW’s cross to find a man at the top of the six. Great, point-blank save by Montoya to preserve the lead. · 42:24 – FCD building from the back and it gets to Charles. He pokes a touch between two pressers into midfield and slaps a line-drive pass wide left to Dozier (would have been better to hit it deep and let him run onto it, but still finds the B-grade option). Dozier collects and just runs past the Barca RB down the left side and to the edge of the box. He shapes a low cross around the RCB and into Salazar’s path, but Salazar whiffs from about eight yards out and it dribbles through to the far side. · 54:05 – Swann presses through a few times and forces the Barca GK into a panicky pass up the middle that turns into FCD near midfield in transition. Outman takes a couple touches to the right and curls one out to W-H running down the right side. W-H gives a stepover inside and cuts to the endline, firing a schross at the far post and forcing the GK to get in the way. Rebound goes out to the middle where Outman has outrun everyone to crash the box, but his first time shot rings the crossbar and Mendonca’s follow-up smacks off of a blocking defender and out. · 55:20 – The Barca LB outmuscles W-H for a ball over the top and feeds the CDM at the top of the Barca box. Mendonca closes him down and forces an errant touch that Outman gets to Salazar inside the D. Salazar bumps back to Mendonca who goes left to Outman, back to Salazar, to the right side of the six for W-H to run onto and shoot, almost sneaking it under the GK. · 57:45 – Bad TO from Guzman after pushing into midfield and Barca immediately go the other way and get two decent shooting opportunities out of the resulting scrum. · 1:05:25 – FCD goalkick goes short to Guzman and then to Hickam at the top of the box. Hickam (not for the first time today) has some trouble controlling it, gets into trouble, and tries to poke it back to Montoya but he shorts it at a Barca FW zips in, blocking Montoya’s clearance out over the goal. · 1:29:53 – Outman’s pass back under duress from the left side misses Guzman and puts the Barca ST in on goal. Guzman and Montoya converge near the top of the six and Guzman manages to block the shot, but the ST gets up, collects the rebound, and shoots again, but Charles is there to clear it off the line. · 1:40:15 – Barca throw-in on their left side in their half. Goes inside and Swann backchecks the CM off the ball, turns, and pokes a pass out in front of Orejarena down the left channel. Orejarena takes a touch into the box, cuts left, and fires with his left from ten yards or so, forcing a smart kick save. · 1:44:50 – Barca in possession near midfield. They go backwards twice and Contreras is pressing through and forces a hurried pass from the GK that Swann nips in front of and is now 1v1 with the GK near the top of the box. He pushes it past the GK and is fouled. Yellow card (borderline call up I think correct to keep the red in his pocket). Contreras dings the ensuing FK off the pointy part of the top right corner. · 1:49:30 – FCD goalkick goes out right of the box for Charles, who blasts a ball between the opposing CBs and onto Sylvester’s thigh for him to take down and gallop away with toward the box. Sylvester’s second touch is a lefty shot from about 18 yards and it forces a great, low save from the GK at the near post. · 1:59:32 – Hickam’s on the ball on the left side in Barca’s half. He hits a disguised ball up the seam to Orejarena, and Orejarena turns and rolls a pass in front of Contreras charging down the left channel. Contreras hits a low cross in front of goal that deflects behind Sylvester and through to Gaundique arriving late at the back post, but his first time shot is blocked away from the lower far post corner and cleared. · 2:02:08 – Big ball from Barca out to the RW after a sweet turn in midfield. Dozier gets to aggressive in his close down and the attacker touches it by him and to the box. Guzman shifts over to cover but the winger’s cross to no one bangs off of Guzman’s arm and it’s a PK. #10 whacks it off of the crossbar. Notes: · There are some age groups where Barca are really good. This does not appear to be one of them. More of an upper-mid-table squad based on results in the fall. · FCD with very little of the ball in the opening 20min or so. Barca’s not threatening all that often, but FCD can’t get a hold of the game. · Something happens at 21:25 that leaves a player wide open in the weak-side channel in the box. Doesn’t come to anything as he takes a poor touch and Charles recovers, but it’s bizarre anyway. Not sure whether to blame Cortalessa or Charles. · Sexy turn by Mendonca in midfield at 29:25, but then he kills the play with a shanked ball to the RW’s feet. Gotta be played behind. · Lol Swann yanks a guy down at 32:49 and gets the call to go the other way. Dark arts maestro. Some great moments attacking the box on the dribble in the 1H. Absolute hound defensively. Great player (eg: 1:06:02 even though it’s erroneously called for a foul on him), MOTM. If he was willing to jump for a USL-C gig, surely he’d take a pro contract with FCD over college? · Impressed by Guzman’s range and/or reaction time a few times in the 1H. Flashes to get to a pass or a loose ball. LOVE the pass at 48:40 too. Typically helpful carrying out of defense (eg: 1:41:42). · Really loose game from Cortalessa. Tons of TOs. Offside line awareness at 54:32 is potentially catastrophic. · W-H doesn’t look the same physically after that big injury last season. Not the premier size-speed package he was at one point. · Nice vision from Kaakoush at 1:27:36 to hit the reverse ball and play sideways instead of backwards. Still struggle to see him as a pro unless he takes a few leaps athletically. · Awesome distro from Montoya at 1:31:38. Inconsistent (eg: missed two punches, the clearance at 1:48:40) but overall good game from him. · While we’re talking about great passes, whooooo boy check out Hickam’s at 1:33:30. If he meant to do that give this guy the Nobel Prize or something. (not a great game from him; disappointed by his control back there, though the passing was generally solid – 1:53:50 needs to be more out to the right, though). I’m also partial to the play at 1:40:00 – closes down the LB on the sideline and (should) win a throw-in, takes it quickly to the best possible target. · Okay, here’s another great pass: Orejarena scooped through ball at 1:50:05. · Idk what to say Contreras is awesome. Awesome on the ball awesome off the ball. Crazy high positive contribution rate when he touches the ball (of course once I write that three of his last four touches are poor), watch him off the ball and you see how much more he could do. Psyched to see him in MLSNP next season. · #59 for Barca’s a real player – love him. That 2H Barca GK is spindly.
While rumors of Arriola and Ferreira sales swirling, Jimmy Maurer confirmed he won't be back. So perhaps the young keepers each take one step up the ladder. This off-season is shaping up to be an eventful one in Frisco. 1867937305790492794 is not a valid tweet id
If you rate Carrera (or even Collodi) as the future #1 at the club, you don’t give Maurer minutes ahead of them at the end of last season. He’s not some club legend that needed a send off.
I don't think they see either as the future #1. .....................if Paes isn't going anywhere, then they're future #2/#3. For the moment anyway. Keeping can be a difficult one to predict in terms of who is actually starting in the league when they're 26. They have so much work to do on their roster. Backup keeper is probably down the list of priorities. If Ferreira and Arriola are sold, then there's a TON of work to do. Just about the only position an FCD fan would be happy with would be center forward. Musa as the starter and Farrington as the backup. Kamungo and others down the depth chart. [Velasco might come good in the attacking midfield, but needs to prove it.] There will likely be promotions from North Texas. That doesn't necessarily mean the promoted players will be US eligible. There are twitterverse rumors that they're signing Brazilian forward/winger Pedrinho from North Texas, for instance. He'd take an international roster spot, and currently Dallas doesn't have any open. So there's that. 1867342863727833158 is not a valid tweet id
'09 Diego Echevarria and '08 Ougir Vega are with Puerto Rico's U17s ahead of the CONCACAF Qualifiers in February.
I'm also starting to lean towards they've soured on Carrera. Recalling a player from a loan almost is never a good thing.
FCD 16s v Austin FC, 10/5/24, D 2-2 Lineup (L-R, where applicable): Rios; Vejrostek, Drygas, Odom, Wygant; Velazquez; Dias, Vargas; Glosson, Sedeh, Eason Subs: At halftime, Glosson, Dias, and Vargas came off for Wegman, Echevarria, and Aragundi (Sedeh goes back to the #8), plus Ortega comes on for Rios; Wygant and Vejrostek come off about 20min into the 2H for Grimm and Salm; during the 2H waterbreak, Olu comes on for Sedeh (while Salm steps forward into midfield and Odom takes the RB spot) Goal(s): · 16:59 – ATX coming out of the back under pressure, the LCB tries to play out to the ST, but Odom’s on his back and forces a miscontrol to Vargas in front of the box. Vargas quickly turns and pops a ball behind for Sedeh to run onto, and Sedeh gets to it first (after the weakside defender misreads the pass), touching it past one defender and then finishing far post from about eight yards out. · 27:43 – Drygas in possession near midfield. He fires a pass up the left channel to Sedeh in the pocket, and Sedeh turns and rumbles a little ways down the left before flipping the ball out wide to Eason. Eason dwells for a moment while Sedeh repositions near the corner of the box behind the double team, and Eason finds him. Sedeh takes a simple set-up touch to the inside and fires, hitting a driven shot into the far post. · 35:14 – ATX RCB in possession near the midfield circle with FCD in a mid block. Eason funnels him inside where he lays it off to another CM who splits Dias and Vargas to dribble up the middle before Velazquez turns him to the side for the RW to get the ball in front of Vejrostek. He drives at Vejrostek and the box and slips a ball between Vejrostek and Drygas for the RB to run onto near the endline. Drygas can’t quite get there and the ball is cut back to the top of the six yard box where Odom can’t quite get a full clearance in, leaving the ball for the ST to scramble to and fire from about 7 yards into the far corner. · 1:32:05 – Salm’s in possession in the middle of his half and fits a pass up to Wegman posting up a CB near halfway. Wegman overruns it a little so the CB pokes it back the other way, and then Wegman gets stripped while trying to fancy-feet his way out of pressure. The ATX CM then sidesteps around Salm and carries toward the box, shooting uncontested from about 25 yards and finding the upper near corner. Other Key Chances: · 6:16 – ATX throw-in on their left side just inside FCD’s half. Laid off short and then a CM hits a ball into the center circle that sits up in the middle of three ATX players before Glosson pounces on it and FCD’s going the other way. Glosson makes a little space and plays Eason streaking down the right channel into the box. Bad first touch lets the defender into the play, which forces Eason to use space to get around him to the end line, where he eventually shoots from halfway down the side of the six yard box into the side netting as the goalkeeper rushes out at him. · 20:20 – Odom gets the ball in his half and carries a little ways forward before trying to slide a diagonal pass into Sedeh near the center spot, but he’s way late to ID the opening and play the pass and it gets intercepted easily. ATX immediately plays into the space behind Odom, and he and Velazquez harry the ball carrier into the box before he tries to poke a shot past Rios, but Rios kick saves it to Odom and clear. · 29:22 – ATX in possession inside FCD’s half against a low block. A CM fakes a pass back to the RCB and measures a ball inside to the RW checking into the pocket in front of the CBs. The RW receives, bumps Drygas off of him (can’t get free that easily), and gets a couple of uncontested dribbles at the top of the box before slipping in the ST between Odom (who has slid to the middle to get in the RW’s way) and Wygant. Easy touch toward goal and a far post shot that Rios manages to get a toe to before Wygant clears it out for a throw-in. · 52:39 – ATX FK maybe 35 yards from goal and a little left of center. Weird setup where Wegman is still jogging back when the FK is taken. Swung to the back post where Ortega can’t jump over three FCD players and the ball falls to the ground. An ATX player jumps in and takes a swing, but his shot is blocked (spectacularly) by a recovering Ortega. A second ATX shot caroms off of Odom(‘s arm?) and he clears it out for a CK. · 1:02:17 – FCD building from the back through ATX’s press. Classic pattern: Drygas to Eason checking into midfield bumps back to Aragundi running forward and Aragundi plays through to Wegman running down the left channel into the box. Wegman’s in on goal but takes an extra beat to set himself before shooting with his left from about 12 yards and that gives the recovering CB enough time to get back and block the shot. · 1:21:22 – ATX hits a cross into FCD’s box but Drygas gets it cleared out down the middle to Aragundi, who again carries up to near midfield and measures a pass behind the ATX RB for Eason to run onto (Eason’s times that run up four or five times in the 2H). He takes two touches into the box and tries to find the lower far corner with a lefty shot from about 10 yards out just wide of the corner of the six yard box, but misses by a foot or so. The square ball to Wegman in the middle was on if he wanted to try to get to a tap-in. · 1:35:45 – ATX tries a quick FK in their half and passes it straight to Salm, who noodles forward for about 10 yards before finding Velazquez near the corner of the box; Velazquez plays Eason down the edge of the box, and Eason hits a cross into the mixer where it bounces for Salm inside the six, but his point-blank lunging toe-poke shot is blocked and cleared out for a throw-in. Grimm takes the throw-in and gets it back from Eason before popping a looping cross into the mixer again. Salm and Wegman contest, get a deflected ball back to Odom at the top of the box, but Odom’s volley is blocked right to Echevarria, who takes a touch and fires from about 11 yards toward the far post, where it’s blocked out of the goal by a recovering defender. Notes: · The game’s played 90% in ATX’s half until FCD’s first and then ATX comes out of their shell a little more. · Eason (several disappointing first touches in space; much more encouraging 2H even if he didn’t pack his finishing/final ball boots) and Dias the obvious late-developers left in this group. Let’s see how their next 12-24 months go. · They let Odom be the go-get-it CB and he generally does a great job in this one (see the first goal for instance). Can see how that might backfire if they come up against a matchup where Odom isn’t differentially athletic (or if he doesn’t stay generally differentially athletic going forward). Way too loose on the ball at 20:20 and 37:45. Super disappointing distribution in this one from him. · Speaking of go-get-it CB play, Olu continues to be shot out of a cannon back there. Ball or man mentality (that, admittedly, contributes to too many decent 2H set pieces for ATX). Great range to break up plays. · Sedeh’s clearly got some support from the club insofar as he’s one of the U16s playing up most often, he’s scoring a bunch, etc. He’s got to get better playing with his back to goal in possession, though. Wastes possessions at a borderline unacceptable rate (this of course is my criticism of Baran, however, and the club loves him, so go figure) – magnified in the 2H when he plays in midfield (which is maybe the point). · Disappointed by the defensive intensity from FCD’s forwards in this one. Lots of comfy jogging instead of hitting sprints when the situation demands it. · Neither Vejrostek nor Wygant covering themselves in defensive glory. Velazquez, otoh, doesn’t do much classic field general passing back in his spot, but he can carry very usefully and he’s a bulldog on defense. · Nice sweeper-keepering from Ortega at 1:06:49. Tough spot but he gets the ball out. · Aragundi has a great 20min or so of progressive actions in the 2H. Finding a ton of space in midfield and moving the ball through it.
3rdDegree's pro signing list. A few incremental tidbits: '07 Caleb Swann's graduating this month and enrolling in Maryland in January. DC United holds '07 Ian Charles' HG rights
He's completely missing on Vejrostek, but otherwise it's reasonable. I think Witis-Hughes will also be under consideration too (believe he already signed with an agent). I don't see Montoya or Cortellessa being signed. Swann they basically already passed on. They told him he could find another club, and he nearly signed with Louisville City. Dont know what the Charles "DC has my rights" thing means. It seems like he's just been told something and might not understand it either. He's not on DC's +9 list. Would seem like that's all there is to it. If they want compensation for him, he needs to be on that list and isn't.
Decent chance you see something like this in 2025. Baran / Orejarena - xxx - Contreras Orejarena / Swann Kaakoush - Urzua Molomo - xxx - xxx - Molina xxxx