YNT-eligible MLS players: 2021 In-season thread

The Gold Cup roster should be very interesting, but I don't think there's any way that includes Che.

Busio could play any of those central positions and is probably more suited to play higher for the US. Agree that he has earned a spot at the Gold Cup. Cowell and Clark have, too, unless you want to say that they haven't been doing it for long enough.

Which other young MLS players should be in the mix? Bello? Araujo? Not as young, but I'm really hoping Sands will be in the squad. Of course, Flach is being talked about as a shoo in...

Did Dallas buy that new midfielder because Tessmann will be with the US this summer? Maybe Pomykal?

 

I wouldn’t mind seeing both Caden Clark and Cade Cowell with the group for the gold cup. Because this is more of a b-team event where both of them currently are. I have a hard time seeing Caden not make it but Cade may not because of guys like Dike and Zardes. Cade needs more consistency in his on ball skill before he passed Gyasi in my opinion

Busio has a chance in my opinion to make the full strength USMNT due to the opportunity of a wide open race for TA’s backup.

I’ll go current u23’s who if they made the gold cup roster I’d agree with:
GK: David Ochoa, Chituru Odunze
RB: Julian Araujo, Bryan Reynolds
CB: Chris Richards, EPB, Miles, and CCV
LB: George Bello, Jonathan Gomez (he won’t and shouldn’t but we really lack high ceiling LB’s)
6: Gianluca Busio, James Sands, Leon Flach, Christian Cappis, Chris Durkin
8: Keaton Parks, LDLT, Eryk Williamson, Paxton Pomykal
10: Caden Clark, Matthew Hoppe
Wingers: Uly Llanez, KDLF, Emmanuel Sabbi
Striker: Cade Cowell, Ricardo Pepi (stretch)

Guys like Tanner Tessmann and Cole Bassett although talented aren’t good enough to beat out the three 8’s already listed as well as older options like Julian Green, Sebastian Lletget, and Christian Roldan. Justin Che goes in this category as well, a 23 man squad has room for 4 CB’s and he isn’t in that group.

There are quite a few thread eligible, former u23 eligible, and u30’s who I think should probably stay home to focus on their club careers overseas. Bryan Reynolds won’t make the team because of this but Uly Llanez and Konrad both also apply here as well. While I want us to win the gold cup, I want us to also not disrupt the careers of any players while doing it

 

I don't think Busio is as good as some do, but there's no reason to lose a player from the program that has a claim to be on the Gold Cup team. If that interest from Italy is serious (it may not be), call him into the Gold Cup and cap-tie him. This is nothing like calling in Che.

 

Part of it is a failure to distinguish between all-out attackers and everyone else. Teams are going to feel much more comfortable putting players with fewer defensive responsibilities out there to give it a rip at goal. Guys like McKennie, who are expected to do something defensively, are in a totally different category. The notion that there is even a debate about Che, a defender, is ludicrous at this point.

 

My biggest fear about both Cade Cowell and Caden Clark possibly becoming regulars for the full USMNT is the prospect of trying to determine which CC people are talking about!

 

I can't say if Busio is up to the international game but here's a great opportunity to at least get his feet wet and see how he does. Obviously because of how things are working out he won't face the best competition there but some of those teams, like Jamaica will have at least some facsimile to teams that we'd face in qualifying.

He's played well. We don't have a ton of better options and he deserves a shot.

 

Its as simple as this. Gianluca Busio isn't a 16 year old prospect.
He's a 19 year old that's excelling in MLS at a position of need.
He's worthy of a place on the Gold Cup roster based on performance.
This isn't a risk. If you're playing well against MLS-caliber opposition, then you're already playing at the level you'll face against 90% of CONCACAF opposition. We don't even need to invoke any of the same premature cap-tieing issues that apply to Che (which I'm not in favor of anyway). Gianluca is worthy of a spot. MORE worthy based on performance than a guy like Tanner Tessmann.

The focus of this Gold Cup roster should be: Which of these young and fringe players can help us NOW as we begin WCQing. That's what we're trying to find out. It's an important task. This isn't an exercise in cap-tieing, providing caps for work permits, or judging who has the highest ceiling for 2026. Who can help us NOW? And at the #6/8 position we need depth. Let's see who amongst Busio, Flach, Tessmann, etc. is ready to help. If we learn they're NOT ready at the Gold Cup, then we've still learned something. Then we go with veterans like Acosta and Roldan that the staff trusts to do a job at this level.

 

The signing of the new #6 has been in the works at FCD for a long time.
He wasn't playing in the Copa Libertadores last year because he didn't want to jeopardize the move, which infuriated his Argentinian team. The worst kept secret in FCD transfer history.

So I don't think it has to do with Tessmann, who I think many of us view as a #8 anyway. In a perfect world (or my world anyway) I think this new #6 would start behind Tessmann and Pomykal. Acosta is in the last year of his contract (and will be gone a lot with Honduras this summer/fall) and Ricuarte is just there on loan.

That's not to say Tessmann might not be moved. I just haven't seen any legitimate reporting on that.

 

NEWS: #OrlandoCity Signs Defender Thomas Williams as Club’s 11th All-Time Homegrown.

📝 https://t.co/7xxo1otsWS #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/PvvBgkOmU5

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 15, 2021

 

https://t.co/oxRT0NVbqE's @tombogert says things are pointing towards a move to Europe this summer for #SKC's Gianluca Busio.

Listen to the full interview tonight on the @SportingKC Show with @nate_bukaty, @AlyTrost & @Conall_Mcc @ 7 PM. pic.twitter.com/y5uIEmhV3G

— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810) June 15, 2021

 

Gregg doesn't really play with 10s, and even the players who might play 10s tend to start as wingers before drifting in like Reyna. I don't see Hoppe doing that but Clark does it a lot with NYRB. The issue with Clark still is that he's just not that good on the ball yet as a dribbler or passer. He's competing with Mihailovic and Llanez at the very least and possibly Roldan too. Memo Rodriguez absolutely deserves a callup too but he might as well not exist to Berhalter.

Cowell is playing great as a vertical threat 9 but from what I have been seeing Gregg wants his strikers to drop in deeper to facilitate possession. It's a bad fit. He might compete at the winger spot but he's got to beat Mueller and the Olympic guys - Michel and Lewis as they're the more direct ones. He doesn't create like the Olympic guys even though I think he's the more complete player than either.

Bassett is another odd one. His positioning has been very advanced this season, he's playing basically as a second striker and is doing great. Outside of playing the 9 though that role doesn't exist in the Berhalter system.

As for the 8s.. I don't think we'll see Williamson, Parks, or Pomykal. It sucks because they've been the best 8s in MLS. De La Torre is really good, though, and I am excited to see him if he gets called.

 

if we really are going to try busio as a kind of regista for the umsnt then get him to italy and playing that role asap

 

Does anyone have a subscription?

Here are 2,000 words on the looming Gianluca Busio transfer — the money Sporting is seeking, what an agreement might look like, what Busio wants in his landing spot and when it all will occur. (Hint: soon)https://t.co/Dc94nsLiys

— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) June 17, 2021

 

Both busio and Vermes agreed that it's time for Busio's career to progress. Fee SKC is looking for is somewhere around 5 mill with incentives. Busio wants to go to a team that will play him and develop him, so basically a mid table team.

 

honestly all sounds very sensible and unless incentives are completely out of wack like skc learned something from epb

 

Yeah that seems all very reasonable as far as demands and expectations go. Really hope it works out for him/them.

 

All sides win here. Hopefully SKC can manage a sell on cause

 

More so should say they’ve learned from the past 3 transfer windows of people coming after Busio

I’m pretty surprised he’s lasted this long in MLS. He had a lot of interest before he even start to play at a consistent high level

 

'02 LB who was a regular for Real Monarchs last year:

Presenting the 27th Homegrown in club history.

The Homegrown Factory™️ produces again!

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) June 17, 2021

 

Farnsworth was really good last season in USL. I was thinking that was one of my own opinions that’ll never be effected by the club he plays for, but I’m glad they are recognizing how well he played with a first team contract.

 

His parents:

 

This article says Farnsworth is out until around October with an ankle injury he suffered in preseason. That makes a lot of sense, considering why he hasn’t played this season and why he’d be signed now. The article also says that they see him as a CB. I prefer him at LB, but I think he’s versatile enough to play many positions well (LB, CB, LWB, DM, CM).

“I think this is just the best place for me to grow and I knew it from the minute I joined the academy,” said Cedar Hills native Zack Farnsworth. https://t.co/lSHImX8Q3U

— The Salt Lake Tribune (@sltrib) June 17, 2021

 

Gianluca Busio update: Sporting Lisbon 🇵🇹 have joined the race as well as a French 🇫🇷 and Belgian 🇧🇪 club, I'm told. Nothing close yet, a lot of clubs interested.

Still two offers from Serie A 🇮🇹 and expecting more. SKC asking price likely more than $5m + add ons + sell on %

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 18, 2021

 

This is why he hasn’t played yet this season.

The internet tells me that Jalen Neal -- with a stress fracture -- will be out 6-8 weeks.

If it's a "minor" fracture, maybe that shrinks to 3-4 weeks. Maybe.

Will have to check on his condition this week during media calls. #LAGalaxy #MLS https://t.co/q1EOZe7WgY

— Corner Of The Galaxy (@GalaxyPodcast) April 26, 2021

 

Clark and Tolkin starting