ASN: January U.S. U-20 camp roster unveiled because the World Cup approaches

The U.S. U-20 roster for January is now introduced and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta walks you thru his ideas together with which gamers have the most important alternative and who’re the notable absences. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
January 19, 2023
12:30 AM

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U.S. SOCCER on Thursday introduced a 23-player U-20 roster for its camp that can run from January 19-29 in Bradenton, Florida on the IMG Academy. With Mikey Varas with the total nationwide crew as an assistant, this camp shall be run by assistant coach and U.S. U-17 head coach Gonzalo Segares.

At this camp, the U.S. U-20 crew will play two closed-door scrimmages with MLS groups.

The U.S. U-20 crew is slated for yet one more camp in March earlier than the U-20 World Cup in Indonesia will get underway on Might 20. 

Right here is the roster together with some ideas:

 The Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Emmanuel Ochoa (San Jose Earthquakes; Salinas, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (8): Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Mauricio Cuevas (Membership Brugge/BEL); Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.), Alexander Freeman (Orlando Metropolis SC; Plantation, Fla.), Michael Halliday (Orlando Metropolis SC; Apopka, Fla.), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Thomas Williams (Orlando Metropolis SC; Titusville, Fla.), Joshua Wynder (Louisville Metropolis FC; Louisville, Ky.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (Vizela/POR; Los Angeles, Calif.), Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Las Vegas, Nev.), Diego Luna (Actual Salt Lake; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Center Village, Pa.), Nicholas Pariano (Duke; Philadelphia, Pa.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.), Owen Wolff (Austin FC; Braselton, Ga.)

FORWARDS (6): Caden Clark (RB Leipzig/GER; Wayzata, Minn.), Jackson Hopkins (D.C. United; Fredericksburg, Va.), Roald Mitchell (Wake Forest; Montclair, N.J.), Korede Osundina (Orange County SC; Redmond, Wash.), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Tyler Wolff (Atlanta United FC; Austin, Texas)

A lot of the core collectively

This roster consists of 13 gamers from the U-20 crew which gained CONCACAF in June, 2022 to qualify for each the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. Mixed with the 5 U-20 eligible gamers who’re with the total nationwide crew camp (Gaga Slonina, Paxten Aaronson, Jalen Neal, Jonathan Gomez, and Cade Cowell), we nonetheless have a good suggestion of who’s seen as necessary to the crew.

Varas continues to be seeking to fill out his roster and launch points might nonetheless play a giant position in who shall be on the World Cup crew. Varas has not shocked a lot throughout this cycle. He has discovered a core group and has solely incrementally made adjustments.

The Philadelphia 4 has grow to be the Philadelphia Three after Paxten Aaronson departed to Eintracht Frankfurt. However Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan, and Brandon Craig are nonetheless necessary to this crew and are on this roster. If launched, they’re all locks for the U-20 World Cup. 

Alejandro Alvarado won’t be a lock and it is usually regarding that Vizela was prepared to launch him for this camp. His membership minutes have been declining. He did not have an ideal camp in September on the Revelations Cup however nonetheless has an ideal probability of going to the World Cup.

Diego Luna has additionally been at each major camp and ought to be thought of a lock for the World Cup. Mauricio Cuevas was a co-captain with Daniel Edelman on the CONCACAF Championships and whereas his performances have been blended, he has been core to this group. 

One of many gamers to observe on this group for this camp is Niko Tsakiris who’s taking part in up a cycle as a 2005-born participant. He impressed in direction of the top of the season final 12 months with San Jose and enhancing rapidly. He was on the roster final summer time for the CONCACAF Championships but it surely would not be stunning if he makes use of this camp to take an even bigger position inside the crew. 

Promising newcomers

Which gamers on this roster who will not be a part of the core group have the most important alternative at this camp to play their manner onto the World Cup crew? Listed here are my ideas:

Josh Wynder: Is the most important newcomer on this crew. The Louisville Metropolis central defender is without doubt one of the highest rated American prospects of the 2005-birth 12 months. It’s effectively inside his potential to earn a spot in central protection on this crew.

Alexander Freeman: The Orlando Metropolis homegrown proper again has completed effectively with the U.S. U-19 crew and will put strain on Marucio Cuevas for minutes. The appropriate again place is a little bit of a weak point on this U-20 crew and there is a chance.

Caleb Wiley: isn’t essentially a newcomer as a result of he’s been in camps earlier than (though not the CONCACAF Championships). However he is without doubt one of the finest American teenage prospects in MLS and was spectacular for Atlanta United. He could possibly be a giant a part of the U-20 World Cup crew.

Owen Wolff: The youthful Wolff brother performed recurrently for Austin FC final 12 months off the bench and typically in a beginning position. He additionally performed effectively for the U.S. U-19 crew in 2022. He’s additionally one of many gamers to observe on this camp.

Notable omissions

As with every U.S. U-20 camp, releases are an issue.

Group captain Dan Edelman was not launched by the New York Purple Bulls as he seems to be to take a giant position with the crew in 2023 and is remaining with the crew for preseason.

With each Chris Brady and Brian Gutierrez not in camp, it doubtless factors to the Chicago Fireplace not releasing both participant. Chicago has been reluctant to launch some gamers. Final summer time for the CONCACAF match, they launched Brady however didn’t launch Gaga Slonina or Gutierrez.

Gamers in Europe who’re with their first groups have been doubtless not launched and even requested. Kevin Paredes has made huge strides at Wolfsburg this 12 months and it has been powerful for him to get entangled. Rokas Pukstas has additionally been taking part in with Hadjuk Break up’s first crew and whereas he has been a daily with this U-20 crew, he’s not on this camp.

There are additionally some fascinating twin nationwide tales.

Ben Cremaschi was with the U-20 crew in November and with the U.S. U-19 crew earlier that 12 months. He was later known as up by Argentina’s U-20 crew and was on the preliminary roster for the CONMEBOL Championships (that federation’s U-20 World Cup qualifiers beginning subsequent week) however was not chosen for the ultimate roster. He’s a 2005-born participant and is taking part in up a U-20 cycle for each the U.S. and Argentina. We don’t know if he was not launched by Inter Miami, not chosen by U.S. Soccer, or declined a call-up as a result of he nonetheless favors Argentina.

Luca Koleosho performed the Copa de Rey this week for Espanyol and has additionally been known as up by Canada (and is eligible for Italy as effectively). U.S. Soccer has been involved with him and with this camp not being binding, he doubtless was not launched.

Obed Vargas isn’t on this roster, and he was necessary to the crew at the beginning of the U-20 cycle earlier than injuring his again in June. He subsequently missed the remainder of the season for Seattle. However Seattle is at present concerned with the Membership World Cup and is subsequently reluctant to launch many individuals. They did cooperate and despatched Daniel Leyva to this camp.

Justin Che has been with the crew prior to now and whereas he is not fairly a starter, thigs is likely to be enhancing for him as he has had a pleasant winter camp with Hoffenheim. 

What can the crew accomplish?
At this camp, the workers will hope to fill out depth in some key areas. Typically, the crew feels good about midfield, central protection, and goalkeeping. The highest two left backs are identified in Caleb Wiley and Jonathan Gomez (on the USMNT camp) however who has the sting there? Proper again is a little more extensive open and Cuevas won’t be a lock to begin if an alternative choice comes alongside. At this camp, readability at proper again could be useful. 

If Varas has his prime midfielders out there, he doubtless has a good suggestion of who he’ll take to Indonesia. McGlynn, Aaronson, Edelman, Vargas, Pukstas, Alvarado, Tsakiris, and Clark make up the pool. Presumably Cremaschi if he will get concerned. Not all will go, however most will. On this camp, creating chemistry and exploring mixtures shall be a precedence. 

Creating a spread within the assault can be key. The crew has been attempting to play and not using a heart ahead since choices earlier within the cycle didn’t pan out. However the U-19 crew has known as in a whole lot of forwards and, if somebody emerges, can the workers additionally implement an alternate assault with a ahead that’s efficient. If not, who can play the false 9 position? It is troublesome to go and not using a heart ahead and this crew must proceed to develop in that space for the World Cup.