wolf stansson

What a world. I don't know how complete his game is, but he's definitely got the late run behind-finish at pace down fuckin pat. He's on a one-year deal, btw. Kids going to have options if he wants them. MLS is getting seriously scouted now and I think as much as Pulisic has to do with that, MLS owners becoming much more reasonable about transfer fees and playing ball with agents is a bigger part of it.

https://twitter.com/espnfc/status/1351658894389616646?s=21 V bad.

When Miami hired Chris Henderson from Seattle, I thought they had finally figured their mess out. And then... That’s going to go very very badly

He's the soccer version of "Is Cate Blanchett good or is she just tall?" He can feel free to find his Thor: Ragnarok anytime now. Lost in all the Werner misses and chances killed is the fact that Kai Havertz has been very pedestrian, when he's actually been fit to play.

I don't know how good a coach he is, but it's going to be a tough job. He was hired after 4 other candidates said no because they either wanted control over coaching staff choices or were too cheap to pay reasonably.

Josh Sargent - 7 goals in 53 league appearances for Bremen. Matt Hoppe - 4 goals in 6 league appearances for Schalke.

Timo Werner is lost unlike any elite player I’ve ever seen.

Once the release clause is triggered, I believe he can pick. Regardless, I freaking love this:

Juve is spending their non-EU roster spot on a young American again. Incredible leap forward.

It’s about Haaland’s bargain of a release clause ($90m) and the fact that City Group had a big role in Reyna’s development at NYCFC, they let him walk to Dortmund on a free, and if they ever want to build their American brand around him, which many people think they do, they better strike soon before he becomes an incredibly expensive transfer. I am not a city fan, but it seems the time is right for them to grab both, while they’re already working on the Haaland deal/his personal terms.

Good player. Strong passer from the back, has some solid leadership qualities(he was the known leader of the US U-20 at the WC even with an injury), had interest from Brugge and Celtic. I really like him. The US has some nice depth at CB so he’s not a big name yet, but I think he has all the tools to be a very good European pro. I think he’s looking for 2 seasons and a sale to one of the big leagues, and I think he’ll make it happen. Really good signing for Genk. Very strong, fast, athletic, & improving in his tactics/reading the game. Great passing range and closing speed. You know we’re in a good place re: talent development, when an American teenager scores a hat trick in the Bundesliga and the highlights are the first time I’ve seen him kick a ball. Hoppe is from California but played at the Barca Arizona academy in Casa Grande. Anyone who knows what’s up with Casa Grande knows how weird it is. In the early days of MLS a bunch of clubs did spring training there because it had a bunch of empty hotels, was cheap, and had good enough weather for winter training. Barca took over the lease when the MLS clubs moved to better spots. It’s just a gas/food stop way out in the middle of the desert, halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. Truly a wild spot for Barca to have an affiliated academy, but they’ve developed some really good players already.

Big Wes with the “watching out of shape middle aged White dudes commit acts of terrorism” consolation goal at the San Siro. The lesson here being that all cool Americans must leave this country to thrive and be free.

City better get that Haaland-Reyna combo pack while the price is still low. https://twitter.com/tmusa_news/status/1346577760920117248?s=21

Post-ESPN LeBatard coming out hot

Sounds like Juve getting another Dallas product.

This is a cool scouting breakdown of the next American name getting the big club hype:

I'm already at the point where I'd bet on Gio having the better career just because of his robust frame and Christian's recurring lower body injury issues. By the time he's CP's age, Gio will be razor sharp as well.

CP on form is still more lethal and disruptive than Gio. Gio has moments of brilliance and definitely fits in, but he’s never tilted the field and grabbed the game by the neck like Christian has for both the MNT & Chelsea. Speaking of lethal:

Didn’t even notice he switched feet from the touch to the finish until I saw the slo-mo.

It must be horsefeathering annoying being an FC Dallas supporter. Your senior team is perennially mediocre and yet you develop youth players that go to giant clubs once a year. You get to watch McKennie & Richards in the champions league but never for your club. It makes a ton of sense that the Dallas metroplex is a hotbed of elite soccer talent, but this is why I’m not as high on Pomykal & Ferreira btw. If they were elite prospects, they would’ve been sold a while ago. They might still be good and take the Reggie Cannon path to Europe/the national team, but they’re probably not elite.

Reyna and Haaland are too good for Dortmund? Jesse Marsch to the rescue? Cool to see Matarazzo get this result tho.

His finishing is lethal. Considering that’s usually the last skill an elite, world class player refines, we’re in for something special. At this point, physical maturity alone would make him world class. If he keeps sharpening these final ball skills in passing and finishing, this is a Real Madrid starter type player for the next 12 years. I don’t know if you guys saw his essay in the player’s tribune about his late brother (tons of parallels to Clint Dempsey’s late sister), but he seems like a special dude with healthy priorities: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/giovanni-reyna-usmnt-borussia-dortmund-soccer

The US has an incredibly congested schedule next summer. Qualifying, Olympic qualifying, gold cup... every player on our roster had a ton to play for. Doubt that was true for ES. This is a cool social media gimmick: