I think this a bit harsh, but I agree with the general sentiment. I figured his career trajectory was such that he was headed to the USL or Eerste Divisie, so getting a run of games as a starter at any position for a team as good as PSV (including UCL) is great. However, Dest will clearly reclaim the spot as soon as he's fit, and I'm not sure Ledezma has a future as a RB at a high level. I think the plausible best-case scenario is that he's shown well enough in these games that a lesser Eredivisie team will be interested in him for a modest transfer fee and will give him a shot in the midfield.
Me, too. Good for Richie. I didn't actually expect him to do well. But he still didn't play very well. There are some posters here who simply either can't tell what good play is or simply want to pump up a player's performance for whatever they want to argue. I don't know if he can play top flight fullback, frankly, defensively, but I hope he can. I suspect he lacks some of the high end footspeed needed against a decent percentage of wings. But I'm not really projecting here -- he just simply didn't have a good game and he absolutely did not defend well on the goal.
On the second goal Wes scored was the bigger issue for Ledezma. He just trotted back and didn't slide over to cut that out. A fb like Scally or Tolkin are getting across their man & providing resistance. Combo of bad instincts for the position, effort, & lack of speed. Goal 3 he doesn't cover the man or the space to stop the thru ball. His teammate had the ball possessor. Juve posted a short highlight package & most of it is him getting abused defensively. And what's the trade off w/ him not being a ball carrier or dynamic in the final 3rd the other way. Luxury player at fb.
Shrug. He looked like a player still learning the position and this was the first dangerous opponent he's faced. This was the first opponent that could say "let's try to abuse the newbie right back" and do it. I think the high praise after the first Eredivisie games was too much, and the criticism after this Juventus game is getting to be too much. Give him time...............................
Believe it or not some things are very likely true or false. You can't shrug everything off and claim anything could happen equally in either direction, nihilistically, to stave off critiques. His foot speed, which is sub-par, & matters more at fb than most positions, is not changing. His lack of ability to beat players off the dribble isn't either. So he's starting out w/ major limitations. He'd need to totally maximize in other areas to be passable but still far from ideal. And he's starting out with a serious disadvantage in terms of instincts at the position, attempting to convert in his 7th season as a pro. Also, from their or our perspective, playing in big comps, or soon to be, you don't want a guy learning on the job. From their perspective it's been a necessary evil maybe, because they're a club, & they have a limited amount of natural players at each position. As far as ours, we have a whole pool of real rb's, & potential converts at other positions, so we don't need to be bothered w/ him as viable option any time soon, if ever.
Who are we using at RB exactly? Dest whose out, Scally, whose a floor option. Shaq Moore and Yedlin's corpse? The prospects, Reynolds, is still a well, prospect, in Belgium, and not even a top club in Belgium, and Fossey a former prospect that I don't think anyone had posted about since 2018 until this past year after injuries derailed his U20 and club career for so many years. I mean, RB is basically a wasteland of prospects that haven't fired, a floor guy in Scally, and Dest, who people basically ---- on and want to replace every other year. The fact that Ledezma actually was chosen to provide cover at RB in a CL game for PSV alone is, well, shocking, and worthy of attention considering the pool depth at the position. CB, a complete ---- show of a position for the national team, has like twice the depth of talent in terms of startable tools, even if all of them are limited and disappointing, or prospects that have failed to fire. RB is a position where we have guys, but no great options, and just one good one. So even if Ledezma gets smoked, by freaking Juventus, welll.....what exactly? There's purely speculative detritus behind Scally and Dest there, and few are happy with Scally and many are forgetting how often they've crapped on Dest. I don't think he's answer in terms of depth at the position, but it's possible he could be depth. RB isn't WF, or, lol, striker, or CM. RB is one of those positions, like CB, and GK, where the starter is limited (in Dest's case, defensively), and all the depth is problematic. You may not want him to be part of the pool, but when the RB group is basically Dest's injury recovery and crazy club history, Scally's floor, the corpses of Shaq Moore and Yedlin's careers, and Reynolds and Fossey, the truth is, you have no depth. Youve just got question marks after Scally.
Personally, I look at Jones or Lennon before calling a guy just getting his feet wet at the spot. There are other options. If Ledezma is called, that’s fine by me, but I would go another direction first.
There is a limitation of your way of thinking. For example, it leads you to not mentioning Jones, who, on his weaker foot, out-played Reynolds at GC. There are actual fb's who have the attributes and good performance in 2nd rate leagues to project to play the position much better for the US that a slow, finesse defensively, un-instinctual, non-dynamic Ledezma. I guess they don't have the shininess of playing for PSV in a pinch or in UCL (well Wingo, a previous backup for Seattle, did). This is not to mention our actual potential converts of Weah, McKennie, Musah who have some experience there, better attributes for the position, & would get a superior XI on the field. Hell, we'd be better off converting Brenden Aaronson. Using WBs. If Ledezma is anyone's unimaginative option for the national team, cuz he temporarily plays the spot for PSV, they shouldn't be manager of the USMNT.
I'm open to all of it, I just view the situation as: We've got injured Dest, who probably won't be fully himself athletically until winter '25/'26, and Scally whose a floor option who got ---- on throughout '23-'24, and then shockingly was largely fine if limited at Copa America+friendlies. After them it is all speculative, prospects that haven't really fired, vets that stink, yeah, Weah and McKennie (although I am a bit skeptical of that being tried after Berhalter didn't go with it during the summer, but then again, the coach is poch, not Berhalter). I'm open to whatever, I just view Ledezma as a guy who just kicked open a door. Is it long term relevant? Probably not, but could it be? Maybe...and its a position where we lack answers, is he an answer? Maybe to FB #4 or #5, FB #2 or #3? Probably not. But Fossey wasn't FB #10 on anyone's list in 2022, so who knows.
that’s fair. Didn’t watch the game so can’t really give my own insight. If anything I top this helps put him in the shopping window or they eventually move him to more natural position. Frankly speaking I’m sure he’d probably admit openly that he would prefer to play somewhere else , but he’s keeping quiet and professional and that’s getting him on the field. I’m a central defender but if coach asks me to play center forward I’ll give it a try if that’s my only opportunity
Monaco get the win. Balogun has been getting minutes. It's not all bad. Current options at RB/RWB are Scally---fine as a stay-at-home RB. could also play RCB in a back three. Weah---did well there at Lille. is also a wingback. Ledezma---is doing well in UCL and in Eredivisie at the new position. would be great in offering possession and passing from the position. His top speed in UCL play was listed at 33.2 km/h which is not far off Dest's 33.6. Pace shouldn't be a problem for Ledezma. Fossey---at club level, he mostly plays at wingback. offers energetic attacking play. McKennie---is an excellent wingback who has seen time there at Juventus. Reynolds---should be ready in another season. I'm not seeing a major issue at the position.
Balo: “is this the 5 o’clock free crack giveaway?!” (Disclaimer, I know the new autocorrect is absolutely diabolical. It’s got me more than a few times now )
I agree with this and that’s why I don’t need to see him at this stage of his development. This is like the people who wanted Malik as an 8 at the World Cup when he was a novice at the job. 2 years later and he’s still not exactly a good two way 8.
Busio(LCM n 352) gets a goal and Venice get the 2-0 win over Genoa. In his first Serie A stint, Bus had actually been pretty solid. It's surprising he then struggled at times in Serie B. On the other hand, Tessmann who had struggled mightily in the Seria A went on to have the stronger Serie B campaign. 1 goal 2 key passes 30/38 passing 3/5 longballs 4/5 ground duels 0/2 fouls/fouled 7 recoveries SofaScore(7.9)MOTM
Here's the Busio goal. A goal is a goal. 🚨 BUSIO GOALLLL 🚨 they all count the same 😅 #USMNT pic.twitter.com/xtYZf3hopc— USMNT burner (@burnerusmnt) September 21, 2024 🇺🇸 GIANLUCA BUSIO SCORES AN ACCIDENTAL GOAL FOR HIS FIRST OF THE SEASON 🇺🇸 https://t.co/D9rNoLZvSv— American Ultras Talk (@ameriultrastalk) September 21, 2024
Richards back in the lineup for Palace! 🇺🇸 Chris Richards starts for Crystal Palace today against Manchester United. Matt Turner is on the bench 🇺🇸 https://t.co/grseLLaBJg— American Ultras Talk (@ameriultrastalk) September 21, 2024
🇺🇸 Brenden Aaronson ASSIST with a perfect through ball 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/j7VDT332G0— American Ultras Talk (@ameriultrastalk) September 21, 2024