ASN’s Brian Sciaretta writes in regards to the U.S. U-17 workforce and the way it appears in World Cup qualifying following Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Canada, plus different Individuals in motion, and the newest on Jesse Marsch.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
February 16, 2023
6:55 AM
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U.S. U-17’s win Group F
The U.S. U-17 workforce accomplished group play on the 2023 CONCACAF U-17 Championships with an ideal 9 factors from three video games following Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Canada. The mortgage aim got here within the sixty fifth minute when Liverpool’s Keyrol Figueroa headed house an excellent cross from winger David Vazquez.
Nice cross from Vazquez and an aesthetic header from Figueroa. – If he indicators, Vazquez could possibly be one other good homegrown for Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/so5OumU6St
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 16, 2023
The USA will now play the Dominican Republic on Saturday evening within the Spherical of 16. Ought to they win, they may face the winner between Guatemala and the runner up of Group G (which looks like it is going to be Guadeloupe however there’s an outdoor probability of Costa Rica or Jamaica). Guatemala could possibly be the trickiest given they’re the host nation.
What’s to make of the U.S. workforce’s performances from the group stage? The U-17 degree could be very completely different from the U-20 degree. They’re far much less full as gamers and type can dip or rise rapidly. Issues may be very inconsistent from recreation to recreation between gamers and the whole workforce. Outcomes do should be taken with a grain of salt.
The U.S. workforce has been capable of management the tempo and tempo of video games fairly simply. Sadly, the workforce has been missing a last go deep within the attacking third to create high quality probabilities. When the workforce has managed a breakthrough with passes, the end has usually been missing.
The workforce exhibits quite a lot of expertise, however it’s nonetheless a piece in progress placing issues collectively. In every of the three wins, the U.S. workforce ought to have been up by much more. Towards higher groups, the usmight have been bother on the restricted occasions the opponents have ben capable of get on the entrance foot.
Towards, Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. workforce had a troublesome 15-20 minute spell within the second half when T&T had the higher of play. The U.S. had the 3-0 cushion from a powerful begin, so it wasn’t an issue. Canada completed the primary half taking part in effectively (after a troublesome first 37 minutes) however the U.S. discovered management within the second half. However the U.S. ought to have produced rather more in its previous two video games.
Within the knockout phases, the U.S. workforce might want to have extra of a killer intuition early in video games. If they’ll get a fast lead, the sport ought to open up greater than it did within the group phases as opponents can be pressured to come back out of their shells given the elimination on the road.
However now Segares has the possibility to go all out. The primary knockout recreation is on Saturday, for 2 days of relaxation. Then the quarterfinal isn’t till Wednesday. After that, the outcomes aren’t too essential on condition that World Cup qualifying is safe after the quarterfinals.
This workforce hasn’t seen a large breakout participant just like the 2015 workforce did with Christian Pulisic or the 2019 workforce did with Gio Reyna, however the workforce appears pretty deep.
Winger David Vazquez performed effectively within the group phases and he looks like he may turn out to be the subsequent spectacular Philadelphia Union academy product. The membership needs to be aggressive to lastly getting the homegrown deal completed.
Keyrol Figueroa has additionally impressed. It stays unclear what trajectory he’s on at Liverpool and it has been a very long time since an American has thrived at a Premier League academy.
Cruz Medina can be one other participant who has seemed the half and his hat trick within the opening recreation set the tone. His play has been uneven, however that is because of youth. The upside is there.
The protection merely hasn’t been examined but and we are going to study extra about them within the knockout rounds.
All in all, extra is required however the performances have been nice, thus far.
Marsch & Southampton talks crumble
Everybody, together with us at ASN, was speaking about Jesse Marsch this week as if his signing onto turning into the subsequent Southampton supervisor was a foregone conclusion. Effectively, maintain that. On Tuesday evening, Marsch was in England however the two sides couldn’t attain an settlement reportedly as a result of membership’s reluctance to commit previous this season. Southampton sits final within the Premier League and is 4 factors deep within the relegation zone.
Southampton was most likely intrigued with Marsch about how he guided Leeds United final season to security. Marsch was capable of join emotionally along with his gamers, have the membership play positively, and seemingly will themselves to keep away from relegation.
However then there’s the query of subsequent yr. What would occur to Marsch in the event that they have been relegated to the Championship? Or what would occur in the event that they stayed up?
What is probably most attention-grabbing is that Marsch’s system would most likely have quite a lot of success within the Championship. Together with his aggressive urgent, the Championship lacks the standard the Premier League has to play by that press.
Does this now imply Marsch could possibly be again within the image for the U.S. workforce? Possibly. However Marsch may also wish to stick on the membership degree if there’s extra alternative.
Talks between Southampton and Jesse Marsch over turning into supervisor have damaged down. #SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/WOHanwke2r
— The Athletic | Soccer (@TheAthleticFC) February 15, 2023
Individuals in motion
On Wednesday, a number of Individuals took the sector for video games.
Within the Championship, 4 Individuals have been concerned.
The standout was Zack Steffen who had 9 saves for Middlesbrough in a 3-1 away win over Sheffield United. This was the very best recreation of the season for Boro which solidified its grip on third place and reduce into Sheffield United’s lead on second place (and computerized promotion) with the hole now seven factors. However profitable at Sheffield United was a press release for Boro. Steffen making 9 saves put him entrance and heart of the win.
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) February 15, 2023
Luton City can be disillusioned settling for a 1-1 draw at Preston North Finish because the hosts have been diminished to 10 gamers within the fiftieth minute. Nonetheless Luton City remained in fourth place and is in good place to qualify for the promotional playoffs after the season. Ethan Horvath made one save for Luton City.
— Huddersfield City (@htafc) February 15, 2023
Within the Premier League, Matt Turner watched from the bench as his Arsenal dropped a 3-1 determination at house to Manchester Metropolis. With the win, Manchester Metropolis moved atop the Premier League desk on aim differential over Arsenal.
Within the Champions League Spherical of 16, first leg, Borussia Dortmund defeated Chelsea 1-0 and Gio Reyna was an unused substitute for BVB. Interim USMNT supervisor Anthony Hudson was in Dortmund to observe the sport. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how any dialog between the 2 went after the sport given U.S. Soccer’s investigation into the Reyna household’s conduct throughout and the World Cup continues to be ongoing.
On Thursday:
Ajax hosts Union Berlin within the Europa League with Jordan Pefok hoping to participate.
Sevilla hosts PSV Eindhoven within the Europa League and Richard Ledezma may make the roster though rumors of a mortgage stateside are lingering.
In Brazil’s Gaucho match, Internacional hosts EC Sao Jose with Johnny Cardoso presumably participating for Internacional.
MLS preseason notes
The New York Crimson Bulls defeated the Galaxy 1-0. United States Olympic hopeful Cameron Harper scored for the Crimson Bulls within the fiftieth minute – which fielded a powerful beginning lineup minus Dante Vanzeir. Harper seemed sharp and is pushing for extra minutes. In the meantime, John Tolkin stays one to observe.
For the Galaxy, Tyler Boyd performed his second straight recreation for the Galaxy regardless of not being introduced but as a brand new Galaxy signing. U.S. U-20 defender Jalen Neal additionally appears like a participant who ought to make his MLS debut quickly as he began for the Galaxy.
One other preseason win ? pic.twitter.com/nhIc61Dlk7
— New York Crimson Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) February 16, 2023
St. Louis and NYCFC performed to a 3-3 draw. St. Louis has been taking part in higher in the direction of the tip of preseason. Nicholas Gioacchini began for St. Louis whereas Akil Watts and Indiana Vassilev scored the workforce’s first two objectives. For NYCFC, Individuals Keaton Parks, Justin Haak, Alfred Morales, and Tayvon Grey all began.
