2021-2022 Academy Season

This probably doesn't belong in this thread but I didn't know where else to put it. It's always fun to see a roster of unknowns and speculate if any of them can do something down the road.

Rosters are set for the first-ever @ECNLboys National Selection Gamehttps://t.co/wSwSsGYDTP

— SoccerWire (@TheSoccerWire) November 18, 2021

 

We criticize Colorado Rapids for not having the best academy, but they deserve distinction as I think the only MLS academy that posts full roster info for their academy teams on their website.

Why is this so hard for other teams?

 

Anyone have any sense how the GA Qualifiers will be sorted?
7 groups… only 3 (not 4) in group G.
Will there be International teams in the GA Cup to finish it out?

 

I would be putting out more consistent summaries, but it's been very hard to get roster info, and I already have numerous games written up that I can't release due lack of roster info. Some of this post is games I've been sitting on for months, so its not completely up to date. Here's what I have for now. I'll split this up into two posts to not make one extra long post that becomes hard to read.

LAG U-17: Brandon Tellez (‘05) was very impressive. Passing range, good size, wins tackles. Not the greatest athlete. Halfway between Leyva/McGlynn athletically. Alex Alcala (‘05) was excellent as the main playmaker for the team. Paulo Rudisil (‘06) had some good creativity as a striker, and linked up well with teammates. Justin Knighton (‘05) is a small winger with good dribbling ability and athleticism. Noah Livingston (‘05) is a smaller keeper, but pretty good command of the game. Diego Rodriguez (‘05) was another player who was impressive.

Barca U-19: Brooklyn Raines (‘05) was with this team for a few weeks before he left for El Paso. I saw him play one game. He dominated, as expected, on both sides of the ball. I’d like to see how he does in the pro game. He’s so solid in every part of the game. I’m not sure he’ll have the same degree of success (dominating) at higher levels like MLS or higher, as he’s more of a very high floor player with a pretty good ceiling than a very high ceiling player, but I don’t expect that USL will be much of a challenge either once he gets adjusted to the pace. He should be one of the first 05’s to be playing at a high pro level due to his style of play.

Korede Osundina (‘04) also played one game. He is another guy that probably should be playing pro soccer soon. Winger/striker with good speed, power, and size. He’s not overly technical, but the dribbling, decision making, and finishing is all good enough. He’s similar to someone like Ayo Akinola, although maybe a little faster. Samuel Mendoza (‘04) was the big surprise in this team. I knew about most of these other players. Mendoza is a winger with pretty good creativity, dribbling ability, and above-average athleticism. Considering the competition level is low as Barca has about 80% possession in all these games, all these attackers get a lot of goals and assists. They win these games by huge margins, so it’s a little difficult to judge end product, but I think his end product looks good enough. It may be better than that.

Joseph Buckley (‘05) is the other ‘05 in this team after Raines. He’s not as far along as Raines, but he’s a pretty underrated player. RB (can also play LB) with a very good soccer IQ. Very gritty player, good defensively, makes good decisions going forward. He’s not overly athletic or technical, but his soccer IQ and tenacity allows him to contribute positively in that part of the game.

Emmanuel Johnson (‘03) is a winger/wingback/striker type of player. I’m not sure about his best position. He has good size, speed, power. He scored a great goal with a very nice strike, but looked a little weak technically aside from that, so maybe he has some bouts of nice technique, but it’s inconsistent. You could argue that this profile fits best as an attacker at CF or at winger. You could also say this profile with inconsistent or worse technique doesn’t fit well in attack, and is best utilized running the flank as a wingback to utilize his athleticism.

Nathan Hurtado (‘03) is a defensive midfielder that plays a very basic game. Good positioning, can make tackles. Passes the ball at an average level. Size and athleticism is right around average. Doesn’t have much offense in the way he plays. Can also play CB, although likely not at the pro level. Hurtado and Johnson are more fringe prospects compared to the other guys.

Barca U-17: Brian McManus (‘05) was playing CB in this game. I don’t see him as a CB long-term. He’s too small and not very good in the air either. He’s more of a DM/CM/RB profile. At CB he brings the ball out of the back well with dribbling or passing. He’s also pretty adept with how he reads the game defensively. Efe Aror (‘06) is probably the best prospect in this game. He’s a defensive midfielder that plays a basic game. Good tackler, makes good decisions with the ball, pretty mobile. He’s a little undersized and lacks offense in his game. You could probably use him in a #8 role or a fullback role, but his best position is likely as a Tyler Adams style #6. Jalen Guadalupe (‘05) is a smaller GK with pretty good reflexes. He’s okay with his feet, and pretty reliable. Likely lacks upside.

PDA U-17: It was hard to assess this team because the color scheme of the jerseys makes it very difficult to spot numbers. There were a few players that I thought were good enough to mention, but I have no clue who they are, so I won’t be mentioning them. I am nearly sure the goalie was Alan Rutkowski (‘06), so I will mention him, although it’s possible he was not the goalie for PDA in this game. He showed a good all-around game in net. Made numerous nice saves, good athleticism, quick, good with his feet. Size is right around average for a keeper. The main criticism I’d have was that he was too aggressive. PDA scored a bad own-goal because he came for a ball he didn’t have to, and the CB headed it back to him before he could get there. It was poor communication, but there were also a few other instances where he should’ve been less aggressive. I don’t think it’s too hard to correct. It’s not unusual that young goalies are sometimes too aggressive.

DC United U-17: I didn’t think any players were great, but a few that stood out. Brian Chavez (‘05) has some good ideas and can advance the ball. Not sure he’s dynamic enough or passes the ball well enough to be a high level #10. James Snaith (‘05) did a good job in a holding midfield role. All-around type of player in that position. Very basic skillset for a holding midfielder, but was effective. Joost Almekinders (‘05) played CB and I thought he made some good interceptions. Pretty good soccer IQ. Showed some ability on the ball, as well, making some nice long passes. He can apparently also play as a #6 from what I’ve heard.

Matai Akinmboni (‘06) still shows some inconsistency in his positioning, but he looks improved with his passing ability. I find him to be a player with very high potential. If he can ever clean up the small defensive concerns, he could be really good as a left-footed CB with very good size, speed, and above-average ability on the ball.

Gavin Turner (‘07) does struggle with the physicality and athleticism playing up an age group, but his soccer IQ is very high. He’s also a good passer and very skilled. I don’t know what his best position is. It’s probably as a #10, but he’s able to pop up in open spaces, and make offensive plays using a lot of deception. He’s one of the better 07’s, although I am a little worried about how his game translates to higher levels, because the guys whose main skill is their soccer IQ are always tough to project. It doesn’t always translate. Isaiah Chisholm (‘05) is a target forward with very good size, and pretty good mobility. He holds the ball up well, and he makes pretty good decisions in his combination play. I don’t know if he has the best goal-scoring ability or is the most threatening striker, but due to his physical/athletic profile and ability to win headers and hold the ball up, he has pro upside.

New England U-19: Matthew Tibbetts (‘04) played only a half. He didn’t get much work, so it was hard to assess. All the work he had he did well with. I need to see more of his game. He’s looked pretty good and has good tools from the games I’ve seen, but I just have not seen enough of a sample to really assess his potential. It could be higher than I am stating (I suspect it is), but I will be a little more conservatie in my estimation until I see more. Alex Parvu (‘05) at RB had good ability on the ball and could combine well into the attack. Defensively, he looks passable, but it’s probably not a strength.

Daniel Bede (‘04) is a big CB. He’s a little raw, but not as raw as I initially suspected. He needs to work on his positioning and maybe eliminate a few errors on the ball, but I think he recently converted to CB, so that isn’t unusual. He’s like 6’4 200 with good speed, pretty good ability to pass the ball, and since he’s a former midfielder he can dribble the ball better than most CB’s. I think he has high potential. I’m surprised that I had never heard of him previously, but it seems like he only recently joined the New England academy, so he might have slipped through the cracks.

Philadelphia Union U-17: Daniel Krueger (‘06) had a very good game. Showed good ability in the build up, made a number of nice defensive stops with how well he read the game, he’s mobile enough, and has above-average size. Looked like a well rounded CB. Gavin Wetzel was also good at CB. Read the game well defensively and was reliable in that part of the game. Not as big of an impact, but made almost no defensive mistakes. Andrew Rick (‘06) in goal had a reliable performance. He didn’t have that many difficult shots to stop, but he never put himself in any trouble, and he was good in the buildup. That’s Rick’s game. He’s a very dependable keeper, even if he’s slightly undersized.

Luke Zielinksi (‘06) had a good game in attack. He showed some pretty good playmaking ability from the #10 position, and helped create a few goals. He’s small, but has above-average quickness, he has a high soccer IQ, good passing vision, and he’s able to play quick combinations. Marcelo Mazzola (‘05) was excellent. He’s such a well-rounded CF, and so dangerous because he’s able to cause havoc in so many areas of the attack. He’ll drop deep, then he’ll make runs in behind, or the CB’s will lose track of him in the box. He scored a goal, but was usually involved in all of main sequences from the Union. He also looks a little taller. I don’t think he’s the tallest CF, but I figure he’s 5’10/5’11 by now, so I don’t see the knock on his game at this point. It’s not that he’s undersized.

NYCFC U-17: Cooper Flax (‘04) had a good all-around game at DM. He had a good passing range, and did well protecting the backline. Tyler Morck (‘05) made very quick decisions, showed very good passing vision, and was excellent in combining with teammates.

Philadelphia Union U-15: Gavin Atkinson (‘07) in goal has good size, is good in the air, not too bad with his feet, and looked reliable. I’m not sure he’s the most athletic keeper though. Zachary Greer (‘07) at CB reads the game well defensively and was also pretty good in the buildup. He has very good size, but may lack a little quickness.

Andrew Craig (‘07) had a very good performance, and looks improved from what I had previously seen. He barely put a foot wrong defensively at CB, he made a number of very nice interceptions, and was reading plays well defensively. His positioning was the most improved part of his game, in my opinion. It looked a lot better. I thought that part of the game had caused him some trouble previously. Like his brother, he’s a very good passer of the ball. I think Brandan is better in this area, but Andrew is at least an above-average passer from CB. Andrew is probably similar height-wise to Brandan, but he’s a lot stronger, not as mobile or positionally versatile. However, Andrew looked more athletic than I remember, and I would say his mobility is only slightly below-average.

Stefan Chirila (‘07) in CM showed some nice passing and made some defensive plays. Cavan Sullivan (‘09) showed some very nice passing ability and ability to dribble past defenders. He looked much better adjusted to this age group than I had seen last season. I think he’s going to be very good, but I think we need to let the kid develop physically. He has all the tools to be a great player, but should not be put under too big of a spotlight too early. Kellan Lablanc (‘08) showed some nice composure on the ball at LW, but struggled to adjust to playing up an age group. The level was too much physically.

 

SKC U-15: Angel Franco (‘07) is one of the more dynamic ‘07 attackers. He’s a winger with very good dribbling acceleration. He attacks defenders 1v1, and usually has little trouble beating them. He’s much more of a shooter than passer. His creativity is a little above-average, but it’s not the main part of his game. He’s similar to Moises Arciniega from the ‘06 age group or Uly Llanez, if you want a pro comparison. Leo Christiano (‘07) is a CB with very good passing ability. He saw one pass that I didn’t know how a player could spot. The player hadn’t even started his run from RB, and he hit him in stride down the right wing. Defensively, I find him pretty good. He reads plays well and he has good height. His mobility isn’t too bad, but I wouldn’t call it a strength.

Jacob Molinaro (‘07) made a big error that led to a goal in one of the two games I saw, but I do find him to be probably the top ‘07 keeper in what is looking like a weaker GK crop. He has good size, he’s mostly sure-handed, but occasionally makes some errors (as he did in this game). For a bigger GK, he has pretty good athleticism, although I wouldn’t say it’s elite athleticism. His feet aren’t terrible, but below-average. He’s similar in playing style to a player like Gabriel Slonina or Eliot Jones. Probably somewhere between the two. Johann Ortiz (‘07) is a #10 with good passing vision, good soccer IQ, some creativity, and good composure on the ball. He’s not the quickest, but he’s powerful for a kid his age.

DC United U-16: Dash Papez (‘06) at CB was probably the MOTM. Very assertive passing out of the back. Started a lot of the attacks. Has good size and athleticism. Defended well, although a little risky a few times. Ethan Pendleton at LCB also showed well, but nowhere near as flashy as Papez with how he approaches the game. Graham Jones (‘06) at LWB got up and down the line well. Has good size, combines well, good field vision, looks to put in crosses. Not a bad defender either. His speed is a little lumbering.

Gleb Bogdanov (‘06) plays an understated game. Calm, composed in midfield. Does the defensive work needed, and can play some passes. James Ashby (‘06) plays a good two way game in midfield. Scored a nice goal. Garry Zhang (‘06) in CM is very smooth on the ball, very good soccer IQ, passing vision. A little small/slow, but attentive and willing defender. Alessandro Maldonado (‘06) had good passing vision. Braxton Hayes (‘07) works hard defensively and is good enough with his passing, but not very flashy. Luke Peacock (‘06) in goal got little work, but he made the one difficult save he had to, and showed well in the little work he got.

LAFC U-15: IMO, the best prospect in the team was the DM DeCarlo Guerra (‘08). I don't know that I see an incredibly high upside player, but he looks very solid. No real holes. Does some of everything. Drives the team on both ends of the field. That he’s an ‘08 might suggest his ceiling may be higher than it initially looks, if he’s the best player on this team.I would probably say the next best prospect is the CF Charlie Rosenthal (‘07). I'm just not sure how he turns out as he moves up levels. I thought he was quick, and showed some very good composure with his finishing. He's not particularly tall though for the position. That’s always a concern, unless you are hugely dynamic, and I think this country has a propensity to fail that type of player in our development system. He can also play as a winger, which may make more sense eventually.

I’ve seen this team play twice now, and I struggle to assess the keepers because they’ve gotten so little work. I’ve even struggled in figuring out which keeper was in goal. I believe Ethan Kell (‘07) is the starter and Dylan Auffret (‘07) the back up. It looks as if they play a pretty similar game, and both are pretty good. I need to see more though. I don’t have a good read yet on their keepers in this age group.

The RB Joshua Santiago (‘07) has some nice dribbling ability. The other team didn't attack very much down his side, but maybe a little suspect defensively. The LCB Kristian Villalobos (‘07) looked a little suspect defensively, but above-average in the buildup of the attack. I thought James Arteaga (‘07) showed a nice connecting game between defense and attack. More of an attacking player than defensive player, but can play both sides of the game, and drives forward well with the ball. The LW shows a direct 1v1 approach. I'm just not sure he's incredibly dynamic with either his speed or skill. Kyrome Lumsden (‘07) came on in the second half in CM. Looked athletic, and some decent technique.

Chicago Fire U-15: Jayden Quezada (‘07) is really good IMO. I don't know why he's not been promoted yet. Nicholas Nobles (‘07) had a weaker game for a top-level '07. I see some potential, but I'm not completely convinced. Marius Aiyenero (‘08) and Juan Villa (‘08) are both good. Not sure either is a star, but given their age, both are good. I think Villa's best position is probably going to be as a RB. Aiyenero may be a winger, if he doesn't grow, although given his age, it's not a concern yet. Christopher Cupps (‘08) was subbed in during the second half. I didn't think he was that good, but he did show a couple moments of quality.

I like Nick Mitrega (‘07) and Leonardo Orejarena (‘07). I think there are similarities to how they play. #10 types. Aleks Duncevic (‘07) has good passing ability and composure on the ball as a left-footed CM with good size. Thats a good base, but he has absolutely no right foot and lacks coordination right now.

Columbus Crew U-15: I have to be honest that I should’ve written this up at the time instead of waiting until I didn’t have the best recollection of exact descriptions, so some of this may be inaccurate. I would not have the best info on this website about these players, so take this for what it’s worth. Xavier Sims (‘07) at CB and Aaron Hurge (‘07) playing as a #8 were the two most impressive players. Sims is a bigger CB with a complete game, and Hurge is a Brooklyn Raines style CM. Cooper Flannery (‘07) is a big CF that may have pro talent, but I thought he lacked upside.

Saint Louis SC U-17: Nick Bishop (‘06) is among the top ‘06 keepers. Does everything well. Good size, pretty good with his feet, reliable shot stopper, good in the air, doesn’t make many errors. I don’t know if he’s the most athletic goalie I’ve seen and he could still improve some with his feet, but both areas he’s no worse than average and potentially a little better than average. Very complete goalie. I’ve seen him play like 6 or 7 games by now, and not seen one real error. He’s also been the first player promoted from the U-16’s to U-17’s this season, as he’s the best player on the team. Nathan Yao (‘05) is a well-rounded LB, but lacks a little athletically. Jacob Lusignan (‘05) does a good job of shielding the back line. He’s a very boring style of #6. Effective player though.

Anthony Faupel (‘05) is one of the most athletic wingers in the youth pool. His acceleration is really high-level. One of the games he wasn’t very effective, but he was going up against the best player in his age group, so I can’t fault him too much for that. Even in that game though, you saw that he was constantly trying to make plays. He can be prone to run himself into trouble and commit too many turnovers, but I think his soccer IQ is above-average and he’s pretty good at combining. I wouldn’t say he’s creative. He’s effective in the final third. I find him to be probably the best prospect in the Saint Louis SC academy right now, although it’s close between a few players.

Caden Glover (‘07) is playing up an age group, and scored a goal with nice movement off of a Faupel run with the ball. He’s a target striker. Good soccer IQ, decent technically, holds the ball up well. He’s not slow, but his game is not about winning foot races. His goals will come almost entirely in the six yard box.

Josh Maher (‘06) and Harrison Engel (‘06) are both CB’s, and extremely similar. I have yet to be able to identify real differences in their games. What complicates it is that they are both all-around types of CB’s without any big strengths or weaknesses. It often can be hard to tell them apart when watching a game if player positioning becomes scrambled. Aaron Heard (‘06) has some ability, and you see it in spurts, mostly through dribbling through good quickness or beating defenders who are too slow to react with soccer IQ or combination play, but I just don’t see dynamic ability that many thought he’d have. I’ve never seen it, and I think the idea of Heard has always exceeded his actual play.

Saint Louis SC U-16: Zach Stanton (‘06) is probably the best prospect on the team, if we are now counting Bishop with the U-17’s. He’s a very similar player to Casey Walls. CB with above-average size, good in the air, very comfortable on the ball, and capable with his passing. Above-average defender, but I wouldn’t call him great defensively. A little slow, although not terribly. Tyson Pearce (‘06) is a RB that is pretty good offensively and defensively. The best part of his game is probably his passing. He’s slightly slow though without being that great on either side of the ball.

Eddie Stewart (‘06) is a central midfielder, used as a deep-lying playmaker, with a very good range of passing. He’s a left-footed playmaker that sits deep. He’s not bad defensively at this level, but he’s slower/smaller, so it’s not a great combination for higher levels. I think some of those problems can be solved if he’s used as a #8. Landon Weber (‘06) is a hard-working #8. He has good enough quality on the ball. Fringe level prospect, but he’s good enough that I’m including him.

Gavin Netzel (‘06) is a player with a good amount of ability, but I don’t yet know what his best position will be. I’ve seen him play as a CB, RW, and CAM. The best part of his game is his crossing. He’s an elite crosser of the ball. He weight’s passes exceptionally well. He also has some skill on the ball that you feel would be wasted at CB. His size and athleticism is probably pro average, so likely not good enough for CB, but he won’t struggle in those parts of the game in any of the other positions he could probably play, which I think would be #6, #8, RB, CAM, and RW. I think the position that makes the least sense is as a winger. I would say that he’s too offensively skilled to play as a #6, so I think either an attacking RB or a #8 makes the most sense. Defensively, I find him to be pretty good. He reads plays well from what I find when he’s tasked with defending and the work rate is there.

FC Dallas U-17: Nolan Norris (‘05) looked very good in this game. I would say he’s probably improved, but I’d need to see more before I’m sure. His passing ability from the LB position really stood out. He also looks much taller. He’s probably about 6’0 now. Defensively, he did a good job. He’s a little slow, although not terribly. He’s not the most dynamic player, but if this is his regular level of play, he’ll be a HG signing. Alejandro Urzua (‘06) didn’t have his most active game, but he still does a lot of the dirty work, running, and linking of the play in a game like this where he wasn’t at his best. Gabrial Brandon (‘06) played well. He doesn’t do much spectacular, and he’s probably only about 5’10, but he’s a fast CB that reads the game well and is moderately technical.

Colorado Rapids U-15: Diego Gurrola (‘07) is a fringe level keeper prospect. Not too great in any part of the game, but not bad in any part of the game. One of the better players on the field, but I do wonder about if there’s pro upside. Too early to tell, given it’s close enough. Carlos De Luna Villalpano (‘07) is a big left-footed winger with good foot skills. He’s a little slow though. He was playing on the left, and may be better playing inverted off the right, as he struggles to beat players to the end line on the left.

Max Simpson (‘07) is a left-footed #10 with some skill on the ball. I thought he had the best skillset of the team, but not by that much. He wasn’t great, but I don’t see any big impediments to how he plays, and he looks to have pretty good upside. Christopher Robles (‘08) is playing up a year, so I thought I’d make note of his play. He’s a #9 with good quickness and combination play. He didn’t get many touches in and around the box or too long on the ball, so it’s tough to judge his foot skills or his finishing. He belonged though, which many kids that age playing up a year aren’t able to do.

Colorado Rapids U-17: Keith Chavarria (‘05) is a player that I’ve seen a few times now, and I continue to like his play. He’s a central midfield, probably a #8 long-term. He’s not too dynamic in any one area, and he’s also smaller and slower, but he plays bigger than his size, plays physical, he’s good defensively, and can play some good passes. There probably isn’t big upside, but if he can overcome the physical/athletic limitations, he could be a good pro player. Griffin Moore (‘05) at CB plays an all-around game. I would call him a very fringe pro prospect. Matthew McPherson (‘05) is probably the best long-term prospect on the team. He’s a keeper. I liked what I saw. He has good size, he’s good in the air, made some very nice saves, and his foot skills weren’t bad. It’s always tough to judge goalies on one viewings, and much more so than field players, so I need to see more, but I thought he was pretty good.

 

Does anyone know if any of the matches will be streamed this weekend? They are some great match ups, especially in the GA groups!!!

 

Came across this video on youtube. This guy is pretty good. He can have a similar impact in a few years for Chicago Fire to what Gutierrez is doing currently.

 

I’ve found in the last week that Cincinnati and New England also do so, so they deserve some credit.

 

Check out the link below and hit the arrow on left. There is a stream link column next to each games. Guess we will find out Friday who is featured.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext/mls-next-fest/2021/u17-ga

 

fwiw…. I’ve been told all games are recorded and all games will be linked in modular 11.

 

Now how does one access modular 11

 

See image. On the website, everything in the red is basically in a frame within the main MLS Next page. The content in the frame is delivered by Modular11. They analyze the data, host the video and all the content then push it out as MLS Next allows. more simple version… MLS is a customer of Mod11 who provides all the schedules… think GotSport.
but the blue asterisk shows you when you tap a team, then game, then look roght, you’ll see where the link SHOULD be posted.

 

Here is Jayden playing up one year in June Playoffs. Only promoted game I've seen.

 

Jayden did not play up. You might be thinking of Juan Villa.

 

My apologies. Yes, published rosters would be nice!

 

A few players I wanted to provide updates on that play on teamsI haven't been able to give a full recap of because I haven't been able to get full info on all the players on their teams that I wanted to mention. I thought I should provide updates on some of the top players for the time being that I'm able to identify in these games.

Nati Clarke ('05): Put in two dominant performances for the SKC U-17's. The first game he absolutely shut down one of the best ‘05 wingers. The second game he was equally as good, but didn’t face as good competition. I can only speak for myself, but I think he’s developing at a pretty good rate. I think when you have all the hype he did at his age a player will be criticized if they don’t hit their absolute ceiling. I think some of that is unfair. I’m not sure he’s done much wrong to not develop towards his ceiling other than he’s stopped growing.

He’s still a little undersized, about 5’9, so he probably won’t be a CB long-term. He’s been playing mostly LB this season (some CB and RB). As I’ve continuously said, all the tools are there to be an elite defender, except for height. That probably means he’s a RB/LB as opposed to a CB long-term, but all the other tools I’d classify as somewhere between very good and elite. He still makes the occasional error, as all 16 year olds do, but he’s playing great. I've mentioned many times that the floor is a Julian Araujo trajectory. I don't think he's on any worse than that trajectory.

Chris Thaggard ('05): Thaggard was playing CF. I think he can still play underneath the CF or out wide, but he looks stronger, and more like a true CF. He's still very fast. He has great footwork and body control. He creates a lot in small areas due to these parts of his game. He scored a nice goal. Decision-making looked improved, but it’s only one game. Thaggard is another player where I just find it hard to believe that his floor isn't very high. He's very efficient in the final third. Excellent finisher. He has all the attacking tools. Elite speed and creates with very good foot skills and underrated passing vision. The decision-making isn't that great, but its improving.

Charlie Reed ('06): Reed is a player I thought was very talented the first game I saw him play, but the sample was so limited that I couldn't put too much into it. He's also a goalkeeper, so it's even harder to take a lot out of a small sample. I've seen some more games, and I think Reed has the makings of a top level GK prospect. He's very talented. He's right up there for the top tools among GK's in the YNT system. He has a combination of above-average size, elite athleticism, and flashes of elite distribution. Now, Reed is raw in a few areas of the game. His shot stopping and positioning is pretty good.

His decision-making on aerial balls needs to improve. He's way too aggressive. He's able to come for aerial balls that other keepers can't because of how capable he is of getting up higher than everyone else or making some type of contact (a punch or tip away from goal, if not a catch), but he also sometimes overdoes it. He also needs to work on his decision-making with distribution. Whether it's throwing the ball out to a teammate or passing it out, he makes some really bad turnovers. Some of it is accuracy, but some of it is poor fundamentals in his technique. He has the talent in these areas, but needs to make better decisions and not let bad habits creep into his distribution.

There's some middle ground with assessing Reed's game. I don't yet think he's a top 5 or so player in his age group. He's too raw for that, but all the major tools are there, and it'd be a good bet that he is the type of talent that will help his stock in the next few years and elevate into the top tier of 06's. The things he needs to clean up are pretty minor. We've seen this type of trajectory before with a player like Jeff Dewsnup.

Nelson Hernandez ('07): I've mentioned before that I think this age group is a little weaker. There is a real lack of elite talents. There aren't many players I would consider myself a big fan of. Hernandez is one of the few players I see really high potential. He's is a box to box midfielder. He's also sometimes used as a CF, but his future is as a #8.

His ability to win the ball is elite. He covers so much ground, and seems to come out with the ball in almost every duel. He has about average size and slightly above-average speed. He also has some skill in advancing the ball. He has good attacking instincts that probably comes from the games he's played at CF, and he has a very aggressive mindset to playing the position. His passing accuracy needs work and he turns the ball over too much, but he has high upside. There are shades of a McKennie or Alvarado type of midfielder in how he plays.

 

A few other teams I've watched and have full roster info on that I can post my recaps on.

FC Cincinnati U-19: Didn’t see much of note. Owen Noverr (‘03) wasn’t bad at CB.

St. Louis U-17: Anthony Faupel (‘05) has dynamic speed that will result in a successful pro career as a floor. I think he’s good without the speed though. He has enough technique, combination play, finishing ability, passing vision, soccer IQ, and work rate to add to elite speed. The speed is a difference maker though. At this level, he’s way too fast for almost all defenders to keep up with. I think I’m finally able to see the differences between Josh Maher (‘05) and Harrison Engel (‘05). They are both CB’s with slightly above average size and average movement. Maher is a little better with his passing, although both are no worse than average. Engel is a lot more clean defensively. Maher is error-prone with his positioning, and some of his reads. I like Engel slightly more between the two.

Houston Dynamo U-17: Brian Alanis (‘06) is really developing very well. His speed has improved. I’ve been watching this part of his game closely this season, and I think it’s probably going to be pro average. As I’ve said before, the comparison was Jonathan Gomez without the same degree of athleticism. The way he’s developing I think we can soon the caveat part to that. He’s a difference maker at both ends of the field, and he’s developing physically/athletically. He doesn't have the same degree of size/power as Gomez. He's still like 5'7/5'8, and weak physically. However, in my opinion, he’s the best LB in the system right now outside of Gomez, and the way he plays is similar, outside of Gomez being a a few inches taller and more naturally powerful.

Columbus U-17: Owen Presthus (‘06) is absolutely dominant at this level. He’s been doing this playing completely out of position. He’s a classic #10. Unbelievable passing ability between his vision, touch and two-footed passing. His creativity is the best in his age group, and among the best in the youth pool. His composure on the ball is about as good as it gets. He’s able to turn defenders so easily due to how he manipulates the ball. He has good size, but he’s not the fastest. I wouldn’t say he’s slow, but probably no better than average speed for a bigger #10. His game will not be about dribbling. He also is the only player I’ve ever seen that takes set pieces with both feet depending on which angle is better. He’s that accurate with both feet.

Gio de Libera (‘05) is a #8/#10, probably a tweener between the two. Good soccer IQ, works hard, pretty technical, and a good passer. Small/slow, and not that creative.

New England U-17: Kevin Christinsen (‘06) in goal showed some good and some bad. He made one excellent save to tip a shot over the goal, he also played a few nice passes with his feet. He has very good size, as well, which helps for a keeper. He was very inconsistent though. He was slipping often, and I don’t think the problem was the field. He was very indecisive and didn’t have the degree of control of his movements that he needs to have. He made an error that led to a goal, I wouldn’t say he’s a natural with his feet either, and he made some bad reads on aerial balls. There’s some potential there, but he’s raw.

Matiwos Rumley (‘05) played LB. I had previously seen him play more CB. I don’t know if he’s going to have the height for CB. He’s probably a LB anyway. I liked what I saw. He plays a very reliable game at the position. He has some ability on the ball, good ability to combine, he’s fast, and he defends pretty well. I don’t know that he does anything great, but for a LB he has a very positive impact.

Jack Burkhardt (‘05) showed pretty well at CB. He played some very nice passes out of the back, he made good defensive reads, he’s pretty quick for a CB, he’s physical, and athletic. There may not be anything he does great, but I liked what I saw. Henrique Dias (‘06) was the other CB. I’ve seen him play a few times now, and I think I decided not to mention him the last time due to the lack of a good performance. This one wasn’t much better, but I’ve seen the same thing in both games. He didn’t perform well, but there is a good mix of tools for a CB. He needs to be more consistent, but there’s some potential there.

Alexi Karalis (‘05) is an undersized central midfielder with better defensive ability than you’d think, and a very good left-footed passing range. He’s probably an #8, but at this level can play as a #6. Benaiah Hanson (‘06) showed some good dribbling ability and quickness from the wing. He wasn’t too involved, but I saw some tools there.

Esmir Bajraktarevic (‘05) was the best player in the team. He’s a left-footed #10 with a lot of talent. I think the best part of his game is how accurate and powerful he shoots the ball. For a small kid that is more of a midfielder than striker, he has unbelievable power and accuracy to his shooting. He scored one goal cutting to his left away from his body and putting it in the far side netting from the edge of the box. Another shot he cut in the same direction, and nearly put one in the near top corner, but he rocketed it off the bar. The goalie didn’t have a clue either time due to how accurate and powerful the shots were.

He manipulates the ball very well, and while I wouldn’t say he’s fast, he does have above-average quickness, and can turn some defenders. He also shows a good soccer IQ, and he finds good spaces in midfield. I think he also shows some very good passing ability with vision and accuracy on his passes. I need to watch more, but he looks like a very good player.

Jamie Kabuusu (‘06) came off the bench in the second half. He’s smaller than I remember. I would consider him undersized. Last year in the U-15’s he was about average size, but it doesn’t look like he’s grown, and he’s also moved up a level (with some players a year older). He didn’t have that many sequences of play, but he still showed incredible ability to close the ball down. He’s so quick with that, and I think he positions himself well. He made a bunch of simple plays with the ball. If he hits his ceiling, it may be something like a Tyler Adams.

Enzo Goncalves (‘06) scored a nice goal on the counter not long after coming on. He’s a left-footed RW that shows good skill and a direct approach. I’m not sure he has more than average quickness to beat a defender. Isaie Louis (‘05) came on in the second half at CF. He showed an all-around game at the position and was effective. I would’ve liked to see more minutes as he was one of the more effective players in his limited time on the pitch.

Columbus U-19: Denilson Velasquez (‘04) has only one start this season from what I can tell. It seems he’s very out of favor with Columbus, but I don’t understand why. What I see is a LB with excellent offensive ability. His passing vision is really good, his combination play is excellent, and he may be the best left-footed crosser in the YNT system. He’s not the biggest, the quickest, or the best defensively, but I don’t see any of these areas as a big weakness. I regard him as one of the better ‘04 LB’s, and yet he doesn’t play much for Columbus U-19 team. I don’t understand what’s happening here, but the guy is a talented player.

FC Cincinnati U-17: Sam Vota (‘05) has a pretty well-rounded game for a CB. He had one error with a bad pass that resulted in a goal, but there was a lot that could’ve been done after the bad pass that led to the goal, so I wouldn’t fault him too much. He also was a little loose with his passing accuracy. He doesn’t have many weaknesses though. Most of his tools are right around average. He looks a little quicker than I remember and played a little more physical than I’d previously seen. He’s probably the best of the FCC ‘05 prospects. Nick McHenry (‘05) is not too different than Vota, and also plays CB. McHenry is a little smaller and I would say his game is a little more about how he reads the game. He could probably play as a #6.

Connor Stout (‘06) put in a dependable shift at LB. Stout has a very advanced defensive game, but may lack the athletic/offensive tools to be more than a low-level player. He’s a LB that can defend though, so that has its value. Matt Dreas (‘05) in CM wasn’t bad. He plays a well-rounded game as a #6.

Zach Kennedy (‘06) is a versatile defensive player that plays with size, power, and good technique. He works very hard, and is a reliable defensive player. I like him best as a #8 because I don’t think there are that many players in that role that can bring a good offensive, defensive, and physical/athletic component, but he played RB in this game. He could also play CB. I suspect he could probably play LB or as a #6. Isaac Calderon (‘05) is an attacking midfielder, probably a #10, but he can play wide. He brings some craftiness and creativity. He’s not the quickest or most dynamic, but at this level he’s able to create some offense.

FC Dallas U-15: Myles Nicholes (‘07) is a better defensive player than I think I’ve given him credit for. He’s a CB with size, athleticism, and ability to pass the ball. His defense was the part of the game I had questioned, but I would say that it’s pretty good right now. He’s still a little raw with how he reads the game and he makes a few more errors than you’d like, but I don’t see anything too worrying about his defensive game. Kaden King (‘07) is a LB that brings a good 1v1 defensive game and with how he reads the game. He has slightly above-average size, he has foot skills, and can combine. His speed isn’t bad, but he’s not the quickest. He’s often caught too high up field, and struggles to recover. He needs to work on his positioning.

Cayne Madlhangove (‘07) is a RB that has some good skill on the ball driving forward. I find him to be pretty average across the board aside from his dribbling ability, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Zach Molomo (‘08) is a CF that looks pretty well-rounded in what he brings. For a kid playing up a year, that’s impressive, and he’d probably show a lot more tools playing against kids his own age.

FC Dallas U-17: Julian Eyestone (‘06) didn’t play too bad. He only played half the game, and didn’t get much work his way. He often never does, which makes him tough to evaluate. I don’t think there’s anything about his game that is a disaster, but I’m just not convinced about his athleticism for his size. I feel like he’s slow and lumbering, and not good with his feet either. I’m of the opinion that goalkeepers often need to be in the 6’1-6’5 range because taller than that they are often too lumbering and weak with their feet, and smaller than that they can’t cope with the physicality of the game. I don’t think his size is disqualifying, but I think there are real challenges a player like Eyestone faces. You can’t just put the biggest guy in goal, and think that makes him a good goalie.

This was a game from before Matthew Corcoran (‘06) left the FC Dallas academy. He looked pretty invisible in this game. I don’t want to say he was disinterested because I wouldn't know that. The few times he was involved, he was very effective because he’s a real quality player, but there was very little involvement for a player that you’d expect to be dominating this type of level. I thought Jared Salazar (‘06) had a bright cameo off the bench, and brought some attacking impetus.

San Antonio U-17: Angel Bernal (‘05) continues to show well at RB. He’s an all-out attacking type of fullback. As soon as he gets the ball, he flies forward at high speeds. He has good technique, an ability to combine, but he makes his mark mostly with his acceleration and direct dribbling. His attacking mindset gets him into some trouble defensively because his positioning often isn’t the best, but he does a pretty good job of recovering. His defense is passable. I wouldn’t call it an issue, but it’s also not a huge strength. Andres Bacho (‘06) is a diminutive #10 that has pretty good soccer IQ, technique, and creativity. The offensive game isn’t dynamic enough for his size/speed profile to make me think he’s anything other than a fringe prospect. He often does play well at this level though.

 

Any word on some streams for these games?

 

Parent chatter is that the MLS Next event is just for seeding and that all MLS academies will go into groups for GA Cup. Then 16 will advance to single elimination tourney…
Anyone with any actual info?

 

Nothing official but it was explained to that these qualifying matches for the MLS academies will result in the teams being placed in 3 brackets:
1) Group winners in top international bracket
2) Second place in separate bracket with some international squads
3) Third and fourth in MLS showcase-type of grouping

 

And then there is this:

https://www.intermiamicf.com/news/academy-update-2021-generation-adidas-cup-winter-event

 

This tells me that there won't be international representation in the April GA Cup in 2022, unless I miss interpreted the article.

 

16-year-old Diego Sanchez had a goal and assist as @IndyEleven took a 3-0 victory against @QueensboroFC in a hard-fought @USL_Academy Playoffs Final on Sunday night at Al Lang Stadium. #USLAcademy #IndyForever #QBFC https://t.co/75pospJGcz

— Nicholas Murray (@NJEMurray) December 6, 2021

 

MLS Next Pro -- the U23 league which will presumably serve as a bridge from Academy to MLS -- announced its teams.

All MLS teams except Montreal and Austin, weirdly, will be in by 2023, but a few teams not joining until then.

The Rochester Rhinos are also joining as an independent squad, which opens up possibilities.