YNT-eligible MLS players: 2019/2020 Offseason thread

Philly and FCD are playing a pre-season friendly right now.
Really getting close to finalizing rosters here.
McKenzie, Aaronson, and Real starting for the Union.
FCD started Cannon, Ferreira, Pepi, and Nelson.
Cerrillo, Tessman, and Reynolds have subbed on in the 2nd half.
Last I saw it was 3-1 FCD.

Ya squad’s lining up for today’s preseason match👀

Streamin’ 👉 https://t.co/A5QdcJLXLj#DOOP | @VSPC https://t.co/mxVLrTds6F pic.twitter.com/n0mBUcMIvi

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) February 19, 2020

 

How did he do? I had watched the first half yesterday, saw him get on the field in the 2nd half with a few touches after skimming through the recording this morning, but I’m sure I missed some.

 

nice pro debut for 18-yr-old Bryce Duke tonight, played a half-hour in LAFC's loss to León in CCL

thought the U20-eligible center mid had four or five clear plus moments -- this one was the most telegenic https://t.co/PU1hyygUvA

— scuffed (@scuffedpod) February 19, 2020

 

I thought he looked quite a bit in over his head, but about as would be expected considering the circumstances.

 

So he fit in with most of LAFC, then?

It was in Leon, so I think it will be a bit of a different story in LA, but the midfield and defense for LAFC did not play well. Everyone was super rusty on passing, but they also had runs where they just seemed overwhelmed. Giving up Walker Zimmerman must've been an offer they couldn't refuse, but I have to imagine it was a big reason for the disarray.

 

Aaronson looks really good on the ball. has quick feet and moves off the ball well. Not sure who the Philly holding mid was but he gave the ball directly back to FCD numerous times.

The game finished 3-2 with FCD goals from Picault and two from the Cobra. Felt bad for Pepi as he started and had two point blank chances and another that should have been a really strong chance and he bungled all 3. Cobra then comes in and scores on his first two chances. Pepi is young and not really pushing Cobra for time but he looked frustrated.

No Pomykal or Roberts in the game.

 

What are you even talking about. There are so many bizarre assumptions you’ve made in this lol.

edit: I’m sorry this reads more condescending than I intended. The whole Freddy Adu thing is what I’m talking about. The point isn’t super coherent.

 

THe Philadelphia #6 in that game was Jose Martinez. The definition of a mediocre foreign veteran. He'd spent his whole career in Venezuela prior to this.

Called up to the Venezuelan national team recently, but I don't think has been capped yet. I'm not convinced..................

Brenden Aaronson has been impressing me for a while. He has "it." With some of the Euros not available (partly due to injury; partly due to not being released), i suspect Aaronson is a shoe-in for the U23 Olympic qualifying team next month.

 

He might be ahead of any #10 anyway.

 

Aaronson just needs the final ball -- either the shot or the pass that creates the shot. He has everything else, and is one of the best US prospects at moving off the ball.

But he needs to spend hours after practice shooting.

 

Week late update on this...Justin Reynolds was not injured as he was with the Fire GA Cup squad. Personally I don't think Reynolds is nearly as pro ready as the other Fire prospects and I think the Fire have the same opinion. For me he is a RB that will be on ynt's in a very weak RB year but he hasn't impressed me at all.

 

Hey his last name is Martinez and he's from Venezuela so he must good like Josef!

 

Keita, Berhalter and Morris both played for the Crew last night.

The thinnest part of the roster is the center midfield. Nagbe and Artur are the locked in starters but those two are the primary backups and will likely see the field at some point especially without any reenforcement coming till the summer.

Keita looks to be the primary center back backup. His passing looked good again last night and he is playing with confidence.

Bez has been very clear that they are not signing HG players who are not ready to challenge for playing time.

 

I find their evaluation of talent to be sorely lacking, if that’s so. I don’t rate Morris, but I understand that he supposedly had a good college soccer season. I doubt that translates, but maybe it will. Berhalter was a strange signing that doesn’t make any sense to me. To think they’d think this guy can play now, but Chifamba and Sarver can’t is puzzling. It could also just be the public answer, if these two don’t actually want to sign with them. Maybe they are set on Europe.

 

Congratulations to our very own, Cameron Dunbar for signing with the LA Galaxy 👏 pic.twitter.com/W1GX5g3lJm

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) February 20, 2020

 

Morris has a good college season and has impressed in his most recent NT camps. This is exactly the player a team should get out of the college environment and into the pro world to continue to develop. This makes perfect sense and is better than trotting our David Guzman again.

I cant say what has kept Chifamba and Sarver from being signed but not having a Crew 2 team (coming in 2022 or 2021) isn’t helping. I have confidence they are working on it but it would be hard to argue either is ready to get 1st team minutes. Sure keeping them protected from Europe but that’s part of the risk as the new ownership build back up the infrastructure.

 

I’d rather have Guzman than Morris. I don’t think Morris will amount to much, but that’s only my opinion.

 

This opinion makes me question if you watched the Crew at all last year. He was terrible. Not a single fan wanted him back. He was as bad as a crew player has been over the course of a season as anyone can remember.

Morris will continue to improve and I have no idea what his limit is but much rather have him.

 

Guzman is a Costa Rican international. He might not be a starting caliber player, but as a back up to Artur and Nagbe, I don't think he's a terrible option. He's not a bad option to fill in.

Morris struggles a lot defensively. His reputation is as a good passer in CM, but I don't think its much better than average, and I think his defense will make him a big liability.

 

Sands and Parks starting for NYCFC. Although the positioning looks weird for both, I’m assuming it’s wrong.

Scally on the bench. No sign of that other young DM that got a bit of time and looked decent last season.

Can’t think of the other HGs that we could have seen.

 

Early on looks like Sands as the 6 and Parks as the 8.

And Parks just shanked one in front of the goal.

 

No he really is a bad option. That was proof last year. His form dropped hard last year. That could be the team and tactics but he was bad. I watched every minute he played.

Morris is 18 with plenty of growth potential. Those are all areas for him to develop and I muuuch rather him than Guzman. Literally what is argued on these boards is more young players getting an opportunity over the journeyman veteran which this is exactly that.

 

Sands with a nice half so far against San Carlos. Some pretty nice one-touch lofted passes.

 

Scally subbed on.

 

Danny Leyva subbed on in Sounders-Olimpia