The image of the U.S. U-23 staff got here into focus slightly bit with the preliminary roster being introduced. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta seems to be at that roster and the way issues look heading into March.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
February 26, 2020
2:55 PM
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THE PRELIMINARY OLYMPIC Qualifying roster for the USA U-23 staff was made public in the present day and the checklist consisted of only a few surprises. Nearly each participant on the staff has had vital youth nationwide staff expertise in main tournaments and lots of have hung out underneath Jason Kreis with the U.S. U-23 staff in 2019.
Right here is the roster and listed here are a number of ideas on it.
THE ROSTER
1) Justin Glad (Actual Salt Lake)
2) David Ochoa (Actual Salt Lake)*
3) Aaron Herrera (Actual Salt Lake)
4) Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union)
5) Reggie Cannon (FC Dallas)
6) Kyle Duncan (New York Purple Bulls)
7) Omir Fernandez (New York Purple Bulls)
8) Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas)
9) Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union)*
10) Chris Gloster (PSV Eindhoven)
11) Richard Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven)
12) Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids)
13) JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes)*
14) Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union)
15) Benjamin Michel (Orlando Metropolis)
16) Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas)
17) Brandon Servania (FC Dallas)
18) Auston Trusty (Colorado Rapids)
19) Indiana Vassilev (Aston Villa)
20) Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids)
21) Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
22) Josh Perez (unattached)
23) Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fireplace)
24) Ulysses Llanez (Wolfsburg)
25) Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United)
26) Mason Toye (Minnesota United)
27) Drake Callender (Inter Miami)*
28) Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers)
29) Marco Farfan (Portland Timbers)
30) Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy)
31) Erik Palmer-Brown (Austria Wien)
32) Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona)
33) Sebastian Soto (Pumas)
34) Cameron Carter-Vickers (Luton City)
35) Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)
36) Alex Mendez (Ajax)
37) Luca de la Torre (Fulham)
38) Sebastian Soto (Hannover)
39) Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati)
40) Brooks Lennon (Atlanta United)
41) Emmanuel Sabbi (Hobro)
42) Christian Cappis (Hobro)
43) James Sands (New York Metropolis FC)
44) Keaton Parks (New York Metropolis FC)
45) Derrick Jones (Nashville SC)
46) Chris Durkin (Sint Truiden VV)
47) Aboubacar Keita (Columbus Crew SC)
48) Brady Scott (FC Koln)*
49 Chris Richards (Bayern Munich)
50) Miles Robinson (Atlanta United)
*Denotes Goalkeeper
Few surprises however releases stay high difficulty
So general, the roster was very logical – which is sweet. But it surely doesn’t reply a couple of of the staff’s lingering questions relating to the discharge of gamers. The principles are pretty straight ahead: golf equipment are by no means required to launch gamers for youth nationwide groups, even when they fall in a FIFA window. Whereas the window may make golf equipment extra agreeable to releasing gamers, it’s by no means obligatory.
For this event, the U.S. staff will play its first, and maybe most vital, sport earlier than the beginning of the worldwide window vs, Costa Rica on March 20. The window will open from March 23-30. If the U.S. staff advances to the ultimate (which is meaningless when it comes to qualifying), it should finish on April 1.
Whereas it’s straightforward to see U.S. Soccer being keen to launch some gamers between the semifinal and ultimate, ought to it advance that far, the possibilities are that U.S. Soccer will want the cooperation of golf equipment to launch all gamers for earlier than a big interval earlier than the window opens.
That being stated, the highest younger European-based gamers should not on this roster: Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest, Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent, and Weston Mckennie. If these gamers are wholesome, they are going to be with the total nationwide staff in March for friendlies in opposition to Holland and Wales.
MLS groups have been keen to cooperate up to now though Atlanta United has proven indicators of reluctance and questions over the discharge of Miles Robinson and Brooks Lennon are legit.
Additionally, this event additionally would doubtlessly crush FC Dallas by eradicating virtually its whole core (Jesus Ferreira, Paxton Pomyka, Reggie Cannon, and Brandon Servania). Being such a hotbed of high younger American gamers, Dallas will need launch gamers but additionally get them again as fast as potential.
Among the many European-based, Uly Llanez needs to be launched as he was not too long ago granted a launch from January camp. However many key U-23 Euro-based gamers in current camps have additionally not been taking part in first staff soccer: Richard Ledezma, Alex Mendez, Chris Gloster, Chris Richards, Sebastian Soto. For the golf equipment of those gamers, there is a bonus for releasing them in that it provides them significant video games that they aren’t but getting for his or her golf equipment.
The massive difficulty for European releases, ought to Kreis need to choose them, will come right down to the Hobro duo of Christian Cappis and Emmanuel Sabbi, Luton City’s Cameron Carter-Vickers, and St. Truiden’s Chris Durkin.
Hobro within the Danish Superliga and Luton City within the English Championship are each in tight relegation battles and Cappis, Sabbi, and Carter-Vickers are common starters. St. Truiden would in all probability be extra keen to launch Durkin however since he’s an everyday starter, it isn’t settled.
Age breakdown
To regulate the start years, as many would suspect that this roster favors older gamers. Which may not be how the roster finally ends up, but it surely typically declines because it will get youthful. The exception being the 2000-birth 12 months which is shaping as much as be a productive 12 months.
1997 (18): Glad, Herrera, Duncan, Lewis, Marcinkowski, Michel, Yueill, Dotson, Callender, Ebobisse, Palmer-Brown, Saucedo, Carter-Vickers, Lennon, Sabbi, Parks, Jones, Robinson
1998 (9): Cannon, Freese, Trusty, Perez, Mihailovic, Toye, Farfan, de la Torre, Vazquez
1999 (7): Fernandez, Pomykal, McKenzie, Servania, Vines, Cappis, Scott
2000 (10): Aaronson, Ferreira, Gloster, Ledezma, Medez, Soto, Sands, Durkin, Keita, Richards2001*(5): de la Fuente, Ochoa, Vassilev, Araujo, Llanez2002*(1): Reyna
* denotes gamers eligible for subsequent U-23 cycle in 2024
Vassilev and Reyna
Two of the extra stunning picks had been Indiana Vassilev and Gio Reyna who’re each eligible for the 2024 U.S. U-23 staff.
Reyna was on the roster however received’t be known as as Gregg Berhalter already introduced that the Dormund-based prodigy will play for the total nationwide staff in March.
#usmnt coach Gregg Berhalter tells me that (no shock) Giovanni Reyna can be known as in for subsequent months friendlies in opposition to the Netherlands s Wales.
— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) February 26, 2020
Vassilev had seen some first staff minutes within the Premier League with Aston Villa however that has trailed off as gamers have returned from harm. Vassilev, 18, has by no means performed with the U.S. U-23 staff. The 2017 U.S. U-17 midfielder is eligible for the U-20 staff this cycle and that’s the place he’s almost certainly to play. The U-20 staff can be taking part in in Portugal in March with video games in opposition to Portugal and France.
Vassilev may sneak on the U-23 staff however in all probability if there are accidents or launch points to different attacking midfielders.
Projecting the U-23 qualifying staff
What does the almost certainly Olympic qualifying staff appear like primarily based off this provisional checklist. The roster dimension is 17 subject gamers plus three objective keepers. Right here is how I’ve it now:
1) David Ochoa (GK)
2) JT Marcinkowski (GK)
3) Matt Freese (GK)
4) Reggie Cannon (Captain)
5) Julian Araujo
6) Erik Palmer-Brown
7) Chris Richards
8) Mark McKenzie
9) Sam Vines
10) Chris Gloster
11) Jackson Yueill
12) Brandon Servania
13) Paxton Pomykal
14) Brendan Aaronson
15) Richard Ledezma
16) Jonathan Lewis
17) Uly Llanez
18) Sebastian Saucedo
19) Jeremy Ebobisse
20) Jesus Ferreira
At this level, I don’t see Hobro as keen to launch gamers throughout its vital relegation battle. I believe the identical is true for Cameron Carter-Vickers. Miles Robinson’s timeline remains to be reducing it too shut.
I may need to drop Brandon Servania and Paxton Pomykal quickly as properly if they don’t seem to be again quickly for FC Dallas. If Pomykal can’t go, search for Mendez to come back in. If Servania can’t go, it’ll be both Hassani Dotson and Chris Durkin.
