CONCACAF Olympic qualifying is lower than a month away and at present the provisional rosters for the match had been launched. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta seems on the lengthy checklist Jason Kreis put collectively for his U-23 workforce and examines how the roster is likely to be narrowed down for qualifying.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
February 22, 2021
5:55 PM
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CONCACAF TODAY launched the provisional rosters for the upcoming U-23 Olympic qualifying match and included within the launch was roster chosen by U.S. head coach Jason Kreis. His roster accommodates 48 names and would be the foundation from which names his 20-player roster for the match – in a format that consists of 17 area gamers, and three goalkeepers.
The provisional roster was principally predictable and it contains many latest call-ups from December and January – and it dips closely into what would have been the 2021 U-20 workforce. In whole 14 gamers of the 48 had been eligible for what would have been the U-20 workforce this yr. In that respect, these gamers are all eligible for the 2024 U-23 Olympic workforce as effectively.
One vital word, the roster is non-binding however do not count on another additions.
It’s a younger, however skilled roster in contrast with earlier editions. Beneath is the roster in addition to a few of my ideas.
GOALKEEPERS
Drake Callender, Matt Freese, Jonathan Klinsmann, JT Marcinkowski, David Ochoa, Brady Scott
DEFENDERS
Julian Araujo, George Bello, Kyle Duncan, Marco Farfan, Justen Glad, Chris Gloster, Aaron Herrera, Aboubacar Keita, Henry Kessler, Mauricio Pineda, Donovan Pines, Bryan Reynolds, Miles Robinson, James Sands, Auston Trusty, Sam Vines
MIDFIELDERS
Brenden Aaronson, Efrain Alvarez, Frankie Amaya, Cole Bassett, Gianluca Busio, Caden Clark, Johnny Cardoso, Hassani Dotson, Djordje Mihailovic, Keaton Parks, Andres Perea, Brandon Servania, Tanner Tessmann, Eryk Williamson, Jackson Yueill
FORWARD
Cade Cowell, Konrad de la Fuente, Jeremy Ebobisse, Jesus Ferreira, Brooks Lennon, Jonathan Lewis, Uly Llanez, Benji Michel, Ricardo Pepi, Sebastian Saucedo, Sebastian Soto
Launch points
Whereas the roster was predictable, what it does inform, nevertheless, the diploma at which there is likely to be cooperative releases from European groups as a result of golf equipment will not be required to launch gamers for this match – or another youth match, even whether it is in a world window. With that respect, it seems like there was in all probability fairly a little bit of resistance. That is smart given tight quarantine restrictions all through a lot of the world proper now.
On a constructive word, a lot of the eight gamers named to this roster from non-MLS golf equipment (Servania, Llanez, Gloster, de la Fuente, Reynolds, Soto, Saucedo, Cardoso) in all probability have a excessive diploma of getting launched simply to be named to this roster. If Kreis needs them, there’s in all probability a very good likelihood.
One notable exception is Brenden Aaronson who’s on the ascent at Salzburg and turned in an enormous outing on Sunday that moved Salzburg six factors away from the desk. Mixed with suspensions to Mohamed Camara and Sekou Koita together with an harm to Noah Oakfor, Salzburg is brief on gamers in the mean time. It’s arduous to see Aaronson leaving the membership – even for the portion of this match within the worldwide window because of the challenges of getting again to Europe.
Who shouldn’t be on the roster?
Whereas nobody was anticipating to ever have the likes of Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Josh Sargent, and Timothy Weah at any level this cycle, there have been some gamers primarily based overseas which are notable absences as a result of launch points.
Luca de la Torre and Erik Palmer-Brown are well-experienced younger gamers who play for mid-table golf equipment exterior of the large 5 leagues in Europe who’ve performed effectively. There are additionally gamers like Nicholas Gioacchini and Daryl Dike who’re at midtable second-tier golf equipment who’ve been at latest camps. Kreis additionally didn’t included Alan Sonora who performs for Independiente though which may have been both a launch challenge or the actual fact he has by no means been referred to as as much as play for america at any degree – not like his holder brother Joel.
By way of domestic-based gamers. Kreis lined all of his bases. Ayo Akinola isn’t on this roster however as Charles Boehm at MLS Soccer reported, the Canadian-American has well being points. Most likely essentially the most stunning omission on the domestic-based entrance is Philadelphia’s Anthony Fontana who was very sharp in restricted minutes in 2020 and who will assist fill the void left by Brenden Aaronson sale to Salzburg.
Schedule transferring ahead
Kreis is probably going going to have a camp in Mexico beginning subsequent week to start with of March. That camp will in all probability encompass round 25 gamers after which that will probably be narrowed right down to a remaining 20-player roster across the 14th of March.
Proper now, Kreis in all probability has a reasonably good thought on who would be the core of his workforce and who has a sensible likelihood of constructing it.
Important drop since 2020
A bit over one yr in the past, the U.S. U-23 workforce was in Mexico for qualifying. That roster was named however the competitors was suspended earlier than it began as a result of COVID-19. Sadly, this U.S. U-23 workforce has misplaced quite a lot of its expertise from the one which was in Mexico a yr in the past.
Brenden Aaronson, Richard Ledezma, and Paxton Pomykal had been the guts of the play-making midfield. The latter two are injured whereas Aaronson is probably going not going to be launched. As well as, central protection has taken an enormous blow as Erik Palmer-Brown and Mark McKenzie are common starters for golf equipment which are seemingly not taken with agreeing to a launch. Then at proper again, Reggie Cannon is now at Boavista which is in a troublesome relegation battle.
That could be a large loss in key gamers. On high of that, Daryl Dike was not on the workforce final yr however was in all probability regarded as becoming a member of the fold in 2021. His mortgage to Barnsley eliminates that chance.
The expertise that has changed these gamers remains to be fairly good. The doable addition of Konrad de la Fuente who shouldn’t be taking part in a lot for Barcelona would deal with an enormous gap on the wing place. The development of Tanner Tessmann, Eryk Williamson, Maruicio Pineda, Henry Kessler has been an enormous assist. Different gamers like Sam Vines, Julian Araujo, and JT Marcinkowski took the following step of their growth.
Nonetheless, the squad doesn’t appear to be as gifted as final yr.
Can it qualify?
Will probably be robust to qualify and there are quite a lot of issues working towards this U.S. workforce. Launch points, the lack of key gamers from 2020, and most significantly, the early preseason standing of the MLS season are all working towards this workforce. On high of that, solely two groups qualify from this area versus 4 that qualify from CONCACAF for the U-17 and U-20 World Cups. It’s a robust match to qualify and the margin of error may be very small.
The U.S. nonetheless in all probability needs to be thought of one of many favorites given the sting of expertise however getting this workforce sharp within the camp main as much as the match would be the decisive issue if it will probably succeed or not. To not point out, it is going to want luck alongside the way in which.
The U.S. U-23 workforce did not qualify for the Olympics in 2012 and 2016 and this workforce has extra expertise however nonetheless quite a lot of holes and never a lot preparation.
Predicted roster
Who will make the 20-player roster? Primarily based on the preliminary roster, I’ll give it one other shot.
Goalkeepers (3): Scott, Marcinkowski, Freese
Defenders (6): Araujo, Herrera, Glad, Pineda, Kessler, Vines
Midfielders (6): Yueill, Perea, Tessmann, Williamson, Saucedo, Mihailovic
Forwards/wingers (5): De la Fuente, Lewis, Ferreira, Soto, Ebobisse
A number of notes on the prediction:
I predict the next:
Atlanta United won’t launch Miles Robinson or George Bello.
Uly Llanez will probably be handed over in favor of Konrad de la Fuente.
Cardoso won’t be launched because of the native tournaments in Brazil
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Author : usa-foot
Publish date : 2025-01-07 09:21:30
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