ASN: LAFC dazzles, De Boer’s blues, Poymkal shines, plus an MLS youth report

After the primary two weeks in MLS there are some attention-grabbing surprises. De Boer is struggling as is USMNT hopeful Nick Lima. LAFC is enjoyable to observe as is Paxton Pomykal and Kenny Saief. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks all of it down

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
March 11, 2019
10:55 AM

SHARE THIS STORY

THE SECOND week of the 2019 MLS season is now within the historical past books and there’s a lot to digest from the league’s opening begin. What is especially attention-grabbing is that there actually isn’t a lot of a gray space. The great groups look actually strong. The dangerous groups are simply dangerous.

Don’t misunderstand. MLS stays actually onerous to foretell however the high quality appears to rise to the highest pretty simply. For one, it’s onerous to not see LAFC as being actually robust to begin the yr. It’s additionally not onerous to see that the Philadelphia Union has issues. There’s additionally a number of murky groups that might go both means.

The video games this weekend have been not so good as the primary week and there wasn’t all that a lot drama as not one of the prime groups confronted one another. However there was nonetheless lots to absorb.

Listed here are a few of my ideas from Week 2.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Los Angeles FC
Even whereas each of its first two video games have come at house and the membership hasn’t needed to take its present on the highway but, Los Angeles FC seems like a group that actually ought to compete this yr. On the heels of a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas Metropolis, LAFC received its second recreation simply over Portland by a 4-1 rating.

Bob Bradley’s group proper now has all of the instruments to be good and is absolutely enjoyable to observe. Carlos Vela is perhaps the perfect participant within the league and Diego Rossi can also be an important playmaker. You then mix two completely different forwards in Christian Ramirez and Adama Diomande, it turns into an assault that’s troublesome to cease. The membership additionally goes to get higher when Andre Horta lastly will get wholesome. The backline, in the meantime, is strong.

Atlanta United is perhaps down, however LAFC might be probably the most entertaining group to observe proper now.

American participant of the week: Paxton Pomykal
There are a number of gamers who’re within the operating for this. Gyasi Zardes scored two targets for the Crew. Christian Ramirez appeared strong for LAFC. It was an ideal weekend for goalkeepers as Invoice Hamid, Sean Johnson, and Tim Melia all performed very, very nicely.

However Paxton Pomykal was very spectacular for FC Dallas all through a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy. It was significantly refreshing to see a younger American playmaker assist his group to a pleasant win over the LA Galaxy – even with out Zlatan.

Pomykal’s help to Bryan Acosta was the purpose of the week – for each the help and the purpose.

Frank de Boer: Disappointment of the week
It’s one factor for a brand new coach to implement his personal fashion. However when a coach inherits a successful group, it’s a little bit completely different. Most coaches that inherit a championship group have a tendency to stay with what has been working after which implement his personal concepts over gradual time period.

De Boer inherited a really gifted Atlanta group that likes to run free and beat everybody with its superior expertise. De Boer has tried to pressure a inflexible system on a group that’s about as unrigid because it will get. Along with dangerous outcomes, the group is certain to get annoyed in a short time.

While you evaluate de Boer’s rent with the rent of Chris Armas, who additionally inherited group, the distinction is stark. Sure, Armas got here from inside the system from Jesse Marsch however he additionally has his personal concepts that he’s progressively placing into place. De Boer is taking a wrecking ball to a successful method? Why?

When all is alleged and executed, I do assume Atlanta will make the playoffs once more and won’t be like Toronto final yr. There is just too a lot expertise and too nice of a house discipline benefit. The underside of the Japanese Convention is so dangerous that the group will work out a strategy to make factors.

However De Boer seems to not recognize what a phenomenon Atlanta was final yr. Saying the followers have been spoiled with outcomes (which he did within the press convention following the sport) is just not the proper method as a result of the group has the expertise to get passable outcomes. Following the loss to Monterrey within the Champions League, de Boer echoed Jurgen Klinsmann along with his response that the Mexican league has extra historical past (which it does, however so what?) and that American youngsters go to school and Mexican youngsters play soccer on the street – an announcement/excuse that appears to be each irrelevant and vastly outdated.

De Boer may change issues round, however he’s off to a foul begin.

Saief impresses
Kenny Saief is now with Cincinnati on mortgage and the U.S. worldwide made a powerful first assertion in opposition to the defending champions Atlanta with an impressive help to assist the membership win its first ever level.

What a ball from #USMNT left mid Kenny Saief. https://t.co/6NFUNdlaX5

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) March 10, 2019

Saief is an excellent participant who has had an unfortunate run with accidents. He’s at Cincinnati to get his profession again on monitor. That is one other space the place MLS will be invaluable on the American soccer panorama.

When wholesome, Saief has the most effective left foots in all the U.S. participant pool. Whereas he’s not quick, he performs onerous and has good imaginative and prescient.

Minnesota: 6 factors, 2 highway video games
Minnesota is likely one of the greatest surprises to begin the yr. Two highway video games within the first six weeks has yielded six factors. After a 3-2 win over Vancouver, the group dealt with San Jose simply by a 3-0 rating.

Whereas neither of the opponents have been playoff materials, highway wins are vital regardless. Darwin Quintero, particularly, has been the perfect participant of the primary two weeks.

Head coach Adrian Heath was the perfect in his response to the group’s robust begin, just about trashing the rosters of the primary two years.

After successful two straight, I requested Heath what’s completely different this yr than years prior. He didn’t maintain again, #MNUFC: pic.twitter.com/Jde6GZhko9

— Joel Soria (@soriajoelfutbol) March 10, 2019

Lima disappoints
Sadly, one of many extra disappointing tales of the opening two weeks has been Nick Lima. After a really robust January camp and constructive coaching stint with Hertha Berlin (which ASN heard went very nicely), Lima has not began off the season nicely for San Jose – which doesn’t look improved from final yr’s horrible run. Quintero had a discipline day going at Lima all day on Wednesday. Ebobisse’s scenario
Jeremy Ebobisse, 22, is an attention-grabbing scenario and an vital marker for Portland whether or not or not it’s severe about improvement. The seemingly starter for the U.S. U-23 group for qualifying, Ebobisse continues to be uncooked however watching him on the finish of final season and the beginning of this season, you may see there may be an upside. He wants a number of work, however will Portland present the willingness to work with him and provides him the minutes to deal with his flaws.

Sadly it doesn’t look as if it’s the case as a result of Portland is making an attempt onerous to signal a high-price, costly heart ahead. Why? As a result of that’s the default method for too many groups. Portland’s downside is that it has conceded seven targets to begin the season. Groups want to take a position extra in protection.

However extra American forwards have to get on the sphere in MLS. If Ebobisse goes to the bench, will probably be too dangerous.

Youth report

To this point, 29 gamers eligible for both the U.S. U-23, U-20, or U-17 nationwide groups have performed in MLS over the primary two weeks of the season. That’s an excellent quantity early within the season since a wholesome variety of youth gamers are likely to emerge later in seasons as soon as they get adjusted.

Pomykal has certainly impressed, however he has sometimes been one of many extra extremely regarded American youngsters within the league.

One of many higher surprises up to now, nonetheless, is U-23 eligible Aaron Herrera at Actual Salt Lake. The left again has nailed down a beginning spot and appears vastly improved from his days on the 2017 U.S. U-20 World Cup group the place he didn’t look as if he was a prime prospect. He has improved fairly a bit.

Justin Rennicks additionally made his skilled debut over the weekend and whereas his Revolution group misplaced to Columbus 2-0, Rennicks appeared energetic and promising. He has impressed this cycle with the U.S. U-20 group and appears able to make the transition to the professional recreation.

Central defender Miles Robinson has been one of many deliver spots for a struggling Atlanta group and he must be prepared to maneuver as much as the U-23 group regardless of having been lower from the U-20 nationwide group in 2017.

James Sands, 18, can also be a really attention-grabbing story as a result of he has by no means actually been given a lot of a glance by Tab Ramos regardless of having been on the 2017 U.S. U-17 World Cup group. As a defensive midfielder, he has began each of New York Metropolis’s video games and has appeared extremely environment friendly, if unspectacular. To this point he’s enjoying extra skilled minutes in 2019 than anybody else in that place within the U-20 pool.