DeAndre Yedllin moves from fifteen in our ballot last year to six this time around.
Neil W. Blackmon
Last year, in an effort spearheaded by The Shin Guardian, we, along with writers like Charles Boehm, released a MLS “24 Under 24” ballot ranking the 24 best players under 24 in Major League Soccer and explaining our rankings. We included commentary from a MLS assistant coach, as well as a MLS scout, to help explain our positions on each player. We simply felt it was too difficult for us to watch enough soccer to create our own ranking without seeking help folks within the league. Juan Agudelo topped that list, with Darlington Nagbe, Shane O’Neill, Amobi Okugo and Luis Gil rounding out our top five.
The piece was so well-received we thought we’d offer it again in 2014. Same formula, with one caveat: we’re only explaining the top ten. If you want to know what our insiders said about the remainder of the list, we’d be happy to do so in the comments section.
With that in mind, The Yanks Are Coming presents its 2014 MLS “24 Under 24” rankings. And just so we’re clear: here’s how the voting process actually works (it is, in our view, more difficult than it should be).
There are five categories to rank the players: technical, tactical (renamed Soccer IQ this season), physical, potential and personality. Further, the “potential” and “personality” categories, at least in our view, are hugely difficult to gauge because we can’t go party with the players and then cast a personality vote and of course, the players are on multiple teams, each of which have their own club culture (or lack of) and club upside (or lack of). Needless to say, our rankings changed in a couple of drafts before we came up with a list we liked.
We’ve also included their rank in our list last year, if they had one, in parentheses.
24. Zac MacMath, Philadelphia Union
23. Deshorn Brown, Colorado Rapids
22. Mauro Diaz, FC Dallas (23)
21. Jonathan Osorio, Toronto (22)
20. Felipe, Montreal Impact (13)
19. Olmes Garcia, Real Salt Lake (8)
18. Harry Shipp, Chicago Fire
17. Perry Kitchen, DC United (24)
16. Andrew Farrell, New England Revolution (11)
15, Kelyn Rowe, New England Revolution (16)
14. Jack McInerney, Montreal Impact (11)
13. Dillon Powers, Colorado Rapids (19)
12. Luis Gil, Real Salt Lake (5)
And for a sampling of how the Top Ten will work…
11. Diego Fagundez, New England Revolution (17)– A six spot leap for a team that has lit it up over the last month. We bumped him despite the decrease in production, largely because his production, not simply his potential (see, Gil, Luis) is the reason expectations were so high.
The take from a MLS assistant coach: “Main thing is he’s smart and relentless. He always seems faster in person than he looks on video, and we tell our guys that. There are more physically gifted young players in our league, and even on his team, but he’s the one who is the best technically. He’s trying to incorporate another foot this year, too, which shows evolution. That’s pretty significant at his age.”
Credit Ben Olsen and Bobby Boswell all you’d like. Hamid has been huge for DC United this year.
And here’s the top ten, with more commentary and short takes from a scout or assistant.
10. Bill Hamid, DC United– We didn’t put Hamid on our list last year, even though MLS did.
An assistant coach explains the turnaround:“There are a bunch of ways to look at the turnaround in DC. Maybe it was the players being motivated by the Concacaf Champions League, but that seems the most silly explanation. Maybe it was Ben Olsen. He should get some credit. Certainly the front office just rewarded him for it. A great deal of credit should go to Bobby Boswell too. He’s come back to where he started and he’s done more than anchor the defense. He’s cleaned up the locker room. He’s the glue. He’s got guys like Steve Birnbaum looking like they have long futures in this league, and I think that’s impressive. Boswell is the key off the field. All that said, if you watch this team on video, the most improved and most important player they have is Hamid. Last year we told our guys to fire at will. We were that confident he’d make a mistake. This year nothing comes easy and he’s making the spectacular saves they thought he’d make. He’s finally returning their investment. And the standings prove it.”
9. Shane O’Neill, Colorado Rapids (3) — He had so much exposure last year, with a FIFA youth tournament and a Rapids team that played him in three different spots out of necessity. He was far too low on the MLS master list last year and doesn’t warrant a substantive drop this year.
Here’s the take from a MLS Scout: “They don’t win without him on the field. Plain and simple. I wonder about his national team future because he’s a ‘tweener. But then I remember a versatile defender like Geoff Cameron was instrumental in the US getting three points against Ghana. Cameron is a good comp for him too– maybe not physically, because Geoff is freakish– but in terms of where he’s best long-term– center back. Klinsmann seems to value the ones who can pass too- it is why Fiscal is always there and John Brooks gets look after look even when he’s not playing at his club.”
8. Amobi Okugo, Philadelphia Union (4)-– The only player on this list who was handed the captain’s armband early in the year. Here’s the scout’s take: “I guess the line is that his versatility has hurt him but if I were with that organization I wouldn’t stand for him not playing. You don’t know if he’s a 6 or a CB? Well, you have Mo Edu. So figure it out. It’s not tough math. I wish he were better with the ball. It would make him more national team ready. He’s a leader. He’s fearless, too. Makes up for what size he doesn’t have with tenacity. His teammates would run through fire for him, I think. People will peg him lower because of potential, I suppose. But here’s the thing– he’s smarter than you. So you better beat him with technique or just be stronger. He’ll play at a high level for a long time.”
7. Cubo Torres, Chivas USA– Straight to our MLS scout for the take on the youngster who set the world on fire early in the MLS campaign: “He’s strong and tough, and I think mentally it will do wonders for him to play on a bad team early in his career. Young kids go one of two ways when that happens– he went nose to the grindstone. Americans wish Juan Agudelo had been that tough. Technically, there isn’t much he can’t do. He could pass better, I guess. People will talk about the lack of goals down the stretch, but there’s no service or complimentary playmakers. And he might be a little tired. Was great for the league that he got the Mexico call.”
6. DeAndre Yedlin, Seattle Sounders (15)– The comments section is where you can rip us if you’d like. But remember our reservations with Yedlin existed last year, existed during the build-up to the World Cup, and continue to exist when he plays against elite competition. Maybe this is more about national team bias– but given that he’s headed to Tottenham soon, that has to be a consideration.
A MLS assistant offers his take, aware of our concerns: “You are right that he doesn’t seem to want to defend, but that’s actually been better this year. I thought he did a really good job in Brazil. The criticism you mention that is warranted, and what might keep him in the reserves in London, is the service. We tell our defenders to help a bit quicker when he’s out wide, out of respect for his pace, but understand the ball won’t always go where he wants it to. With his pace, he doesn’t have to be Leighton Baines. But average service would be nice. That will be a point of emphasis.”
Gyasi Zardes has turned a corner in 2014…
5. Gyasi Zardes, LA Galaxy (6)– Early in the season, I wasn’t sure what Bruce Arena was doing with him, and was openly critical. I was wrong. Arena has done a masterful job, and his game has picked up in the second half. Is that just because Landon Donovan’s has to? There’s some of that. But if you credit Landon and Robbie Keane with all of it you cheat Zardes out of hard work and development. He’s developing a killer instinct too. There’s way less flash of brilliance and kick the ball into the stands this year. The only real concern I have with placing him this high is his age. If he were nineteen or twenty, I’d be convinced. At 23, it was time for him to start cashing in on his talent. Fortunately, we think he has.
4. Will Trapp, Columbus Crew– We left him off last season. Part of that was because we didn’t see him regularly until last July and the sample size wasn’t big enough. Part of it was concerns that after a blazing start last year he’d become a bit easier to deal with because opposing teams would figure him out. The example we usually use is the rookie who hits around .400 his first month in the big leagues, and then pitchers get a scouting report. We were wrong.
A MLS assistant on the hometown hero: “Pick whatever cliche you are comfortable with: engine, fulcrum, hub– he’s all of them for that team. We tell our midfielders that the only way he doesn’t dissect us is to pressure him immediately and often. Will he figure that part of his game out? Can he deliver with a guy on his shoulder or in his face? It isn’t that he rattles– I’m not around him all the time so I can’t speak to that– it’s that you can disrupt his execution. The flip side is that if you fail to pressure him he’ll rip you up like a quarterback facing a soft zone. And there’s some steam locomotive to him too. He’s the only guy they have that plays better in the second half on a consistent basis.”
3. Joao Plata, Real Salt Lake-Plata was just called up the Ecuador national team, who have missed an elite finisher since Chucho Benitez’s tragic passing. He’s been in the mix with the senior team for the last three years or so, but the telling sign here is this is the first “back to back” callup he’s received. That indicates that they’d like him to be a big part of their plans moving forward. He’s already been immense for Real Salt Lake, stepping in after the injury to Alvaro Saborio and delivering thirteen goals in his stead. He’s fast, powerful, a clean passer of the ball and a fairly good finisher, something the Royals will need as their core continues to age.
2. Fabian Castillo, FC Dallas– We wrote a few weeks ago that we think he’s one of the most electrifying and compelling non-DP in MLS. The questions had always been about consistency, not technical ability. If it were a personality + potential contest- he’d be our top guy. The key has been he’s technically improved.
Our MLS scout agrees: “I used to have heated arguments about whether he was even the best young guy they had down there. Don’t think for a second I don’t get twenty texts about that a month, too. He’s still so raw. You’ll watch him try things and wonder what he’s thinking, but this year, it’s been working a bunch. Now he’ll beat you off the dribble and the pass he used to whiz behind everyone connects and your keeper is doomed. Still not a great finisher. But on that team, does he have to be? Will be really fascinating to see him in the playoffs. Could become one of the league’s biggest stars.”
Since arriving from Toronto, Max Urruti has been a wonder for Portland, keeping the ship afloat.
1. Maximiliano Urruti, Portland Timbers– The question is “Did the Timbers acquire Urruti, who has kept them afloat this season, in a trade, and if so, from what team? And what king’s ransom did they pay? The answer to the trivia question is “Bright Dike.” And this is why you are Toronto FC. Dike has played twice for Toronto this season. Urruti has played with his hair on fire, scoring nine times for a Portland attack that would have seen major regression under Caleb Porter this year if not for the Argentine’s presence.
A MLS assistant coach gets the final word, and wonders how Urruti ended up off the MLS final ballot: “They’ve used Adi as their starter which makes sense because he’s the DP but that’s the only reason it makes sense once you watch them. Urrutti is fast but the key is he’s just as quick once he receives the ball, and he’s so fluid he doesn’t waste movement and defenders have a tough time recovering. They are a tough team if they score first and he’s playing, or if they dictate tempo. That makes his bench role even more mystifying. He’s just not as effective when they chase. Nonetheless, it’s amazing what a win that trade was. Put him back on Toronto with Defoe and Bradley and they are a threat in the East.”
That’s it. The comments, as always, are yours.
Neil W. Blackmon is Co-Founder and Co-Editor of The Yanks Are Coming. He can be reached at nwblackmon@gmail.com and you can follow him on Twtiter at @nwb_usmnt.