2007 DA

Looking at the TopDrawer Soccer Rankings...
(Note: yes, I know that these plus $3 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. No, my kid doesn't play for SDSC, just think they don't get the love they deserve...).

U14s 2007s

1. Phili: 8-0, 29 GF, 8 GA, did not face the other MLS team in their division (NYRB)
2. LAFC: 10-0, including a 5-2 win over LAG. 56 GF, 8 GA
3. NYRB: 9-1, 39 GF, 5 GA
4. LAG, 8-1-1 , 44 GF, 15 GA. 9-1-1 with a tournament loss to SDSC 3-2
5. SD Surf: 14-1 in ECNL, 69 GF, 6 GA. Loss to SDSC on PKs.
6 FC Dallas: 9-0-2, 33 GF, 7GA including 7-1 over #9 Austin FC and 3-1 over #8 Solar.
7 Sacramento Republic FC: 6-0 2nd in their division on points (less games), below #13 De Anza who they beat 3-1. 29 GF, 3 GA
8 Solar Soccer Club 7-2-2, including 3-1 loss to Dallas
9 Austin FC: 6-4-3, 20 GF, 19 GA, losses to Solar and Dallas FC
10 Albertson Fury - Albertson SUSA ECNL . I refuse to add anything for a club named after a grocery store. Piggly Wiggly FC next? Hard pass. (See note below)
11 San Diego Soccer Club: 15-1 in ECNL, 59 GF, 4 GA
12: Atlanta United
13 De Anza Force: 7-1-1.
14: Inter Miami
15: Cincinnati FC: They have some good results with some decent teams in that division... Chicago Fire, Indiana, St. Louis... seems like that there are challenging games and parity in the MidAmerica results.

Also, I got tired of math'ing somewhere after Sac Republic and my family woke up so I'm out. lol.
 
Finished:
U14s 2007s

1. Phili: 8-0, 29 GF, 8 GA, did not face the other MLS team in their division (NYRB)
2. LAFC: 10-0, including a 5-2 win over LAG. 56 GF, 8 GA
3. NYRB: 9-1, 39 GF, 5 GA
4. LAG, 8-1-1 , 44 GF, 15 GA. 9-1-1 with a tournament loss to SDSC 3-2
5. SD Surf: 14-1 in ECNL, 69 GF, 6 GA. 2nd in ECNL behind #11 SDSC and Loss to SDSC on PKs at Man City. Won Covid version of Dallas Cup.
6 FC Dallas: 9-0-2, 33 GF, 7GA including 7-1 over #9 Austin FC and 3-1 over #8 Solar.
7 Sacramento Republic FC: 6-0 2nd in their division on points (less games), below #13 De Anza who they beat 3-1. 29 GF, 3 GA
8 Solar Soccer Club 7-2-2, including 3-1 loss to Dallas
9 Austin FC: 6-4-3, 20 GF, 19 GA, losses to Solar and Dallas FC
10 Albertson Fury - ECNL.15-1, 90 GF, 9 GA.
11 San Diego Soccer Club: 15-1 in ECNL, 59 GF, 4 GA
12: Atlanta United: 8-0-1, 33GF, 11 GA
13 De Anza Force: 7-1-1. 34 GF, 5 GA
14: Inter Miami: 8-1-1. 2-1 loss to Atlanta. 43 GF, 9 GA
15: Cincinnati FC: Note: They have some good results with some decent teams in that division... Chicago Fire, Indiana, St. Louis... seems like that there are challenging games and parity in the MidAmerica results.
 
Yeah, I agree that something seems wrong with SD Surf #5 and SDSC #11. It should be a lot closer between them. Also I am not sure why Phili is higher than LAFC. LAFC is super dominant in a very competitive market, they played more league games and have a better GD than Phili.

Anyway, there is always going to be disagreement whenever someone publishes a ranking. And beside accuracy, the ranking doesn't account for non-linearity either. There is no "score" attached to the teams. There could be a bigger gap between #5 and #6 than between #6 and #12, and there would be no way to know. At least they are publishing a ranking regularly, however imperfect it might be. It gives us something to talk about.
 
LAFC, LAG, TFA and LAUFA walked through their SW MLS Next Division. TFA lost to LAFC 2-0 and to LAG 4-3. LAUFA lost to LAFC 3-2. Those two teams should be top ten in the U14s 2007s rankings.
 
IMO, LAUFA and TFA are very good teams; however, I don't see them as top ten nationally. I don't think relative scores are a great indicator for comparative quality of teams. I felt LAUFA was a better team than TFA. Despite some of the close scores, I think LAFC and LAG were on a whole other level compared to the remainder of the teams (Captain Obvious).

On another note, one encouraging thing I noticed is that there seemed to be better parity of teams the last few weeks of the season. Hopefully, that was the lower teams improving, and not the better teams missing players.
 
watfly said:
IMO, LAUFA and TFA are very good teams; however, I don't see them as top ten nationally. I don't think relative scores are a great indicator for comparative quality of teams. I felt LAUFA was a better team than TFA. Despite some of the close scores, I think LAFC and LAG were on a whole other level compared to the remainder of the teams (Captain Obvious).

On another note, one encouraging thing I noticed is that there seemed to be better parity of teams the last few weeks of the season. Hopefully, that was the lower teams improving, and not the better teams missing players.
Click to expand...
We can disagree on the first point, but I totally agree with your second statement regarding the last few weeks of play in the league. It seems like the middle to bottom teams started to pickup players to make those teams more competitive. We didn't see those 6-0 or 4-0 games as we did at the beginning of the season.
 
Cafu said:
We can disagree on the first point, but I totally agree with your second statement regarding the last few weeks of play in the league. It seems like the middle to bottom teams started to pickup players to make those teams more competitive. We didn't see those 6-0 or 4-0 games as we did at the beginning of the season.
Click to expand...
In our case it wasn't adding players, the coaches stopped messing with the lineup and our boys could finally play with some chemistry. The teams that haven't had the same core together for a couple years were starting to develop and catch up a bit.

The silly season is in full swing, at least in San Diego. The loss of players to MLS academies (all non- CA) and the reshuffling of players between clubs will make things interesting for the fall season.
 
I don't think the LAFC 3-2 LAUFA score was indicative of LAUFA as much as a very sloppy LAFC... also, I personally think the top 4 maybe 5 ECNL teams would slot in before LAUFA. Not a bad team but not a top 15 national...
SoCal
Based on my eye test/ranking teams I've seen this year:
1. LAFC
2. SDSC (if they keep their 3 studs from leaving)
3. LAG
4. SD Surf (if they keep K. haha.)
5. TFA (got some 07 talent that sometimes plays on the 06 squad)
6. Strikers
7. Pats (granted, their best 07 plays 06, sometimes 05)
8. LV Heat
9. LAUFA

So... I wouldn't put LAUFA in the top 15 nationally if their 9th in SoCal. You could argue them up to 7th or 8th but no way their better than Strikers and up.
Moving forward, TFA is and has already upgraded from the season that ended a week or two ago. They will be stronger next year.
LAFC is also strengthening. Heard they are adding at least 2 very talented players, YNT prospects. Concerned about SDSC... if they can keep their talent. Strikers may steal from other ECNL teams with their move to MLS Next. I assumed it would take 2-3 seasons post covid to shake out the difference between the leagues. So, a bit curious to see a team like Strikers jump into the MLS Next and bail on the Boys ECNL.

Um... -100 GD for Slammers? Ouch. That's a long season. I feel for those kids. Wish the club would have taken the hit and dropped them to ECRL. I wonder how many of those players now hate soccer. You don't have a -100 GD because you're bad but because you're playing in the wrong level. They had 46 goals scored against them in the first 4 games. Kudos to those players for not pulling a mutiny and quitting. Good character to keep getting up and coming back.
 
RedDevilDad said:
I don't think the LAFC 3-2 LAUFA score was indicative of LAUFA as much as a very sloppy LAFC... also, I personally think the top 4 maybe 5 ECNL teams would slot in before LAUFA. Not a bad team but not a top 15 national...
SoCal
Based on my eye test/ranking teams I've seen this year:
1. LAFC
2. SDSC (if they keep their 3 studs from leaving)
3. LAG
4. SD Surf (if they keep K. haha.)
5. TFA (got some 07 talent that sometimes plays on the 06 squad)
6. Strikers
7. Pats (granted, their best 07 plays 06, sometimes 05)
8. LV Heat
9. LAUFA

So... I wouldn't put LAUFA in the top 15 nationally if their 9th in SoCal. You could argue them up to 7th or 8th but no way their better than Strikers and up.
Moving forward, TFA is and has already upgraded from the season that ended a week or two ago. They will be stronger next year.
LAFC is also strengthening. Heard they are adding at least 2 very talented players, YNT prospects. Concerned about SDSC... if they can keep their talent. Strikers may steal from other ECNL teams with their move to MLS Next. I assumed it would take 2-3 seasons post covid to shake out the difference between the leagues. So, a bit curious to see a team like Strikers jump into the MLS Next and bail on the Boys ECNL.

Um... -100 GD for Slammers? Ouch. That's a long season. I feel for those kids. Wish the club would have taken the hit and dropped them to ECRL. I wonder how many of those players now hate soccer. You don't have a -100 GD because you're bad but because you're playing in the wrong level. They had 46 goals scored against them in the first 4 games. Kudos to those players for not pulling a mutiny and quitting. Good character to keep getting up and coming back.
Click to expand...
SDSC is losing at least 2 to MLS academies. It will be interesting to see if they can adjust to losing someone who accounted for 70% of their scoring. Their style has always been to filter their offense through one player, they will either have to adapt to a balanced approach or find a suitable replacement. Surf is losing their keeper to an MLS academy, but I've heard their backup is solid. Don't know of any other kids they're losing. They are supposed to be picking up the kid that guested and dominated at Dallas Cup.
 
It's done! SDSC lost two of their three studs and SD Surf their goalkeeper. LAFC is picking up a new kid from LA Surf and LAG is downsizing their roster. TFA picked up a speedy left winger and will also pick up the best players from TFA OC after they finish their National run. Strikers purged themselves of some lower-level kids and should pick up some better kids from ECNL OC teams. So, IMO here is how I see the SoCal rankings:

  1. LAFC
  2. LAG
  3. TFA
  4. LAUFA
  5. SD Surf
  6. Strikers
  7. SDSC
  8. LV Heat
  9. Pats
  10. Chula Vista
  11. TFA OC (after their losses)
  12. OC Surf HB (Raul)
  13. Murrieta Surf MLS Next
  14. Albion
  15. Santa Barbara
 
Cafu said:
It's done! SDSC lost two of their three studs and SD Surf their goalkeeper. LAFC is picking up a new kid from LA Surf and LAG is downsizing their roster. TFA picked up a speedy left winger and will also pick up the best players from TFA OC after they finish their National run. Strikers purged themselves of some lower-level kids and should pick up some better kids from ECNL OC teams. So, IMO here is how I see the SoCal rankings:

  1. LAFC
  2. LAG
  3. TFA
  4. LAUFA
  5. SD Surf
  6. Strikers
  7. SDSC
  8. LV Heat
  9. Pats
  10. Chula Vista
  11. TFA OC (after their losses)
  12. OC Surf HB (Raul)
  13. Murrieta Surf MLS Next
  14. Albion
  15. Santa Barbara
Click to expand...
For MLS Next I could see next season being a "free for all" below LAFC and LAG. Given the results at the end of this season, the shuffling of players and the potential development of some teams, hopefully we will see even more parity. The biggest wildcard is actually going to be puberty. Clearly some teams were put together with size as a priority, and the late developing players may make significant impact next year. Brute force becomes less of a factor and soccer IQ becomes much important as physical stature evens out.
 
Cafu said:
It's done! SDSC lost two of their three studs and SD Surf their goalkeeper. LAFC is picking up a new kid from LA Surf and LAG is downsizing their roster. TFA picked up a speedy left winger and will also pick up the best players from TFA OC after they finish their National run. Strikers purged themselves of some lower-level kids and should pick up some better kids from ECNL OC teams. So, IMO here is how I see the SoCal rankings:

  1. LAFC
  2. LAG
  3. TFA
  4. LAUFA
  5. SD Surf
  6. Strikers
  7. SDSC
  8. LV Heat
  9. Pats
  10. Chula Vista
  11. TFA OC (after their losses)
  12. OC Surf HB (Raul)
  13. Murrieta Surf MLS Next
  14. Albion
  15. Santa Barbara
Click to expand...

I'm assuming this is for next year?
LAG is recruiting hard so if they're downsizing then they're also adding...
You think those TFA OC kids will bail? That team is a tight unit (granted its youth soccer, lol). They seem to be all in on being together.
Who from LA Surf? Do they have 07s playing with their 06s? Not sure who from their 07 group would make that jump from an 07 group that only won one game.
Also, IMO, Albion is a better team than Chula Vista. Seen both play and based on their results... early tie with LAG, only 2-0 to LAFC... Albion is also a better team than Pats. Not sure why I left them out of my list and put Pats in.
 
I ask if LA Surf has any 07s playing on their 06 team because that 06 team is very good... Would make sense if a kid is playing up with them that he'd slot right in at LAG or LAFC.
 
RedDevilDad said:
I'm assuming this is for next year?
LAG is recruiting hard so if they're downsizing then they're also adding...
You think those TFA OC kids will bail? That team is a tight unit (granted its youth soccer, lol). They seem to be all in on being together.
Who from LA Surf? Do they have 07s playing with their 06s? Not sure who from their 07 group would make that jump from an 07 group that only won one game.
Also, IMO, Albion is a better team than Chula Vista. Seen both play and based on their results... early tie with LAG, only 2-0 to LAFC... Albion is also a better team than Pats. Not sure why I left them out of my list and put Pats in.
Click to expand...
Word is that Albion is losing at least 3 key players, 1 to academy and 2 to "retirement". Allegedly they are getting some players from CV and City.
 
MLS residential academies swooping in for 07s...

Rumors:
Austin FC taking 1 from Surf, 1 from Albion and 1 from SDSC. (Leaving names off since just rumors)

Confirmed:
Houston Dynamo: Ezekiel Soto (Murrieta Surf).
RSL: Anthony Ramirez (SDSC) and Ty Rinker (SDSC)
Philadelphia Union: Diego Rocio (SDSC)
 
RedDevilDad said:
MLS residential academies swooping in for 07s...

Rumors:
Austin FC taking 1 from Surf, 1 from Albion and 1 from SDSC. (Leaving names off since just rumors)

Confirmed:
Houston Dynamo: Ezekiel Soto (Murrieta Surf).
RSL: Anthony Ramirez (SDSC) and Ty Rinker (SDSC)
Philadelphia Union: Diego Rocio (SDSC)
Click to expand...
Finley the CB from SDSC is confirmed to Austin. SDSC posted it a number of weeks ago on social media.
 
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