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Not sure if anyone caught USMNT U20 vs. Myanmar last night. I haven't had much of a chance to watch them, only been doing some reading about them. But last night I came away with a few impressions.

 

2-1 win, Myanmar is not very good but their press got to U.S. in first half.

 

Team seems to be in good hands with Tab Ramos. He's also got Landon Donovan on his staff helping out. After a bad first half, they adjust in the 2nd and dominated everywhere but on the scoreboard.

 

A lot of hype about Arsenal MF Gedion Zelalem. He only played about 35 minutes, but obviously was the best ball handler on the squad. I am not sure if he's going to be the superstar many are predicting, but his talent is definitely above most everyone else on that squad. Though the same could be said for Jozy Altidore at the same age, and he's been little more than a tease his whole career.

 

GK Zack Steffen is very promising...he's about 6'2"...which is sort of on the edge of acceptability on a upper echelon keeper. If he were 6'4 or 6'5 I'd be more excited. But he is definitely the most promising US prospect since Brad Guzan. Glad he's getting reps in the Bundesliga rather than MLS. He's got a shot.

 

CM Emerson Hyndman is probably the most technically sound of all the U20 players, probably because his grandfather was a college coach. Reminds me a lot of a young Mike Bradley.

 

Sadly, like all of the USMNT squads, the U20's are very poor in their passing form. At times they appear to grasp the skill, others, they look like a pack of amateurs. Deep balls need much work as well. Until USMNT improves their passing form, which is key to ball security, they will be prone to giving up late goals.

 

There are some very athletic players on the U20...sadly, most are dum-dums. Just stupid, stupid mistakes. Rubio Rubin, who some say is the next great USMNT star, has 3 caps with the main squad, and plays frequently for FC Utrecht, had a couple of real head scratchers...worst of which was a cross he brought down in the box, 4 meters from the goal, dead center, no one within 3 meters of him, back to goal, he could have pivoted, set, and scored...but instead he chooses to bicycle kick, right into the keepers gut. 

 

In the 2nd half, Rubin had an epic ground gross that had the keeper fall to his knees, MF Kellyn Acosta, another one of the highly skilled dum-dums, has an open goal, and 4 meters to make it happen, and completely biffs the ball wide left.

 

Two other kids that stood out were F Maki Tall and Bradford Jamieson....both tremendous athletes with much promise.

 

U20's ahould move on from this group...Myanmar was the weakest, followed by New Zealand and Ukraine in the group. NZ/UK tied at nil. If U.S. gets their $hit together, they will win the group.

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Speaking of keepers, it's 10 flavors of wrong the embarrassing wealth of keep riches Germany has...Neuer, Weidenfeller, Ter Stegen, Adler, Zieler...hell, the next 5 would be the top keeper in U.S. history.

 

But to your point, the problem is, U.S. keepers are just not good enough for the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A or La Liga to get meaningful reps. The next best hope is they can hang in Eredivisie, but even that is a lot to ask. Howard has been solid for Everton, but he's starting to break down. Guzan started for Villa, but he has been just awful the last 4 months and is pretty much done in BPL.

Last edited by Chongo

Klinsmann's kid is a pretty good keeper, headed to Cal on a scholly...but if he were THAT could, he'd surely be headed to the Bundesliga 2.

 

The problem is in this country if a kid is 6'5" and can jump out of the gym, he ends up as a small forward.

 

US Soccer has done a good job with leagues in inner cities, but the problem is, you get a lot of 5'8"-5'11" kids with speed...not too many keeper prospects.

USA boat raced NZ this morning 4-0...and coulda been worse.

 

Zelalem got the start and saw significant action. While he has looked pedestrian in the previous two appearances, he finally started to translate some of the stuff people are excited about.

 

I am not sure he's every going to be an excite goal scorer, but he's a guy that will draw a crowd, and hopefully distribute to the scorers. No one on the U20's are as good with the ball in traffic as him...in fact, he may surpass anyone on the big club in that area...though Mix is pretty decent, and does it at a much more frenetic pace, Zelalem sees spaces and openings better than any US player currently.

 

Bradford Jamieson had a nice game, getting robbed of a goal that was already going into the net, and was touched on needlessly by Rubin.

 

Zack Steffen did a great job in the net.

 

Unfortunately Maki Tall who has been showing a lot of promise of late, was out with an injury. US has locked up the next round, now it's just a matter if they are the 1 or 2 seed from the group. A tie with Ukraine means they are the 2 seed, as by virtue of Myanmar basically failing to show up, UK was able to put 6 goals on them.

 

US vs UK should be a nice matchup on Friday.

USA vs Ukraine...talk about a disappointment.

 

After a fairly unsatisfying first half that saw them play to a nil tie, largely because it seemed like USA was content playing for the tie, the second half Ukraine came out with their balls on fire, and got up 1-0, and then the wheels fell off for a 3-0 final.

 

So by virtue of finishing 2-1 in group and Ukraine finishing 3-0, USA gets to take the tougher path vs either Colombia, Portugal or Senegal.

 

Senegal is like Ghana or the IC...what they may lack in other areas, they make up for in crazy athleticism and speed.

 

Colombia is also very good, leaving Portugal as probably the most desirable opponent.

 

Really, can't say how disappointing it is that this team absolutely $hit the bed for one half, and that completely altered their destiny. Particularly frustrating is the first 15 minutes was probably the finest segment I've seen this team play, maybe ever. The pressure didn't get to them, their passing was crisp and in control...but they could not capitalize in the net. But shape, movement in space and anticipation was next level for this team.


Le sigh...

Last edited by Chongo

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