Top 5 kids from TFA OC moving to TFA MLS along with Gus Gomez as their coach. This only strengthens them and could make them the top team in the MLS Next Southwest along with LAFC. LAG and LAUFA also picked up very good players from other MLS Next teams. Those four teams should again finish in the top five along with one Arizona team.
2007 DA
- Thread starter USC
- Start date
EastBaySoccerFan
BRONZE
Anyone know what happened with Clovis Crossfire? They played their first game yesterday. But now all their games are showing as 1-0 losses, including tomorrow’s game. So it looks like they forfeited all their games.
I would expect Strikers to also compete for a top 5 spot.
RedDevilDad
GOLD
a positive Covid test on the team...
RedDevilDad
GOLD
Strikers did get Aydan, GK, from Pats. I think he's a good keeper adding to Rhodes, also a good keeper. I expect Strikers to do well next season in the MLS Next. They walk in as the 4th or 5th best team, in my opinion... and that (plus $8 will get you a combo meal).
But.... I'm not reading much into this tournament or even into Strikers performance... yet. I am personally a big fan of several of those individuals (and Willie) but not wow'd by beating DeAnza and Arsenal plus a forfeit from Clovis...
DeAnza was their B team. Their better team was in the A group. Arsenal was missing two of their better players (AJ and Amarie) and I thought the 3-0 scoreline wasn't indicative of the game... and Strikers didn't have to play Clovis because of a positive Covid... I think they would have ran over Clovis though... 6 or 7 to zero easily.
I will be very interested to see how they do against SD Surf. I expected them to win their group and to their credit, they won both of their games. In their defense, they beat the team they were told to face.
I think the winner of that semifinal game vs SD Surf will win the Best of the Best... I am also very curious to see who SD Surf keeps when seasons rolls around...
Disclaimer: I think this overall and in most age groups is the weakest Surf Cup groups I've ever seen. Top teams from SoCal aren't in it and top teams from out of state aren't in it...
Just in the 07s: No LAFC, LAG, TFA OC is at USYS, SDSC is at ECNL, TFA, Real SoCal/LAFC Youth, Solar, Dallas FC, Crossfire also at ECNL, Mustang, Sac Republic, Cordica from Mexico, RSL AZ... none of the quality teams that I've seen there before.
My hot takes:
I also think that the 07 ECNL will be substantially weaker with SDSC getting raided, SD Surf losing some and Strikers leaving, while taking players from other ECNL teams too.
I thought that the draw of high school soccer would keep the shine on the ECNL for several more seasons but I think there is a significant consolidation of talent now in the MLS Next. (And, for the record, I'm not a fan of kids having to sacrifice high school soccer, especially just to compete for third and who finishes behind LAG or LAFC).
I also think that there will be kids bailing out of MLS Next teams (next year) and going to teams like TFA OC where they can play high school and go win a USYS National Championship... Glendale, Anaheim FC, BOCA OC... those teams stand to capitalize if they can fare well in some tourneys and draw the gaze of talented players annoyed that they're not playing high school.
Friendly reminder to anyone (not directed at you Cafu, just saying...): at the end of the day, it's just 14 year olds kicking a ball... simmer down if we disagree. I don't really care that much. hahah.. be well all.
I don't know if all of these players were top players on their ECNL teams, but if they were and you are right about where they came from, then it sounds like the talent is starting to gravitate toward the MLS Next teams (along with Strikers moving to MLS Next as a club). Very small sample size, but it's something to watch for this coming season.
RedDevilDad
GOLD
SD Surf 4-2 over Strikers than 5-1 over DeAnza to win it all. Good for them. Definitely a culture of winning there.
Heard Strikers stacked up on defense. Added a quality center back and brought back their froward MS from Surf. Would’ve thought the game would’ve been closer or gone to PK’s.
RedDevilDad
GOLD
Yeah, me too. Everyone saying Surf is depleted… losing Oliver to Austin FC and others… but good for them.
Maybe the 4-2 Surf/Strikers game was closer than the score would indicate. Did anyone happen to catch the game? Strikers may be adjusting to the new players, and as we all know just adding gifted individual players is not always the recipe for a successful team.
Strikers vs Surf was close in the 1st. Surf scored early and then Strikers answered back very quickly. Strikers may have had more scoring chances with Surf a slight edge in possession. Surf dominated the 2nd half and went up 4-1, before Strikers got a late 2nd goal. These were the two best teams In that age group.
As another note on this and other tournaments recently. Teams can only play who is in front of them. I’m not aware of LAFC playing in any tournaments and Galaxy lost to SDSC + was in penalties against Strikers in Man City. Surf beat Solar (who is very good) 2-0 in Dallas Cup, Sac Republic 4-0 in a pre season game this year (who won the MLS Next Bay Area league) , LAUFA 1-0 in Man City ( and I thought played an attractive style of soccer) and Crossfire 5-0 in Dallas Cup. And the last time LAFC - Surf played in bio banding, Surf won that 1-0. Surf still has 4-6 kids that MLS academies track and have brought out or contacted recently.
My only take on that is the top ends of MLS Next and ECNL are pretty similar. The middle MLS Next has an advantage and the bottom are the bottom for both (I’d put my money on DMCV Sharks over Nomads for example). And SoCal is a hotbed of soccer. The level here is higher than around the rest of the US. There are 6-7 teams here that could beat 50 -75% of the MLS academies right now. If RSL after recruiting 5-6 SoCal kids recently, was to play TFA, who would win?
As another note on this and other tournaments recently. Teams can only play who is in front of them. I’m not aware of LAFC playing in any tournaments and Galaxy lost to SDSC + was in penalties against Strikers in Man City. Surf beat Solar (who is very good) 2-0 in Dallas Cup, Sac Republic 4-0 in a pre season game this year (who won the MLS Next Bay Area league) , LAUFA 1-0 in Man City ( and I thought played an attractive style of soccer) and Crossfire 5-0 in Dallas Cup. And the last time LAFC - Surf played in bio banding, Surf won that 1-0. Surf still has 4-6 kids that MLS academies track and have brought out or contacted recently.
My only take on that is the top ends of MLS Next and ECNL are pretty similar. The middle MLS Next has an advantage and the bottom are the bottom for both (I’d put my money on DMCV Sharks over Nomads for example). And SoCal is a hotbed of soccer. The level here is higher than around the rest of the US. There are 6-7 teams here that could beat 50 -75% of the MLS academies right now. If RSL after recruiting 5-6 SoCal kids recently, was to play TFA, who would win?
Real SoCal/LAFC Youth had 2 teams there. Both went to the semis of Super White, but yes, there were fewer top teams than usual.
Obviously Covid had an impact on the turnout. I also think the MLS Next and ECNL split had an impact, the tournament, like Surf, was ECNL dominant. The wonky bracketing didn't help the tournament either.
The u14 & u15 teams in the top brackets are there NEXT teams.
Gus is the u15 coach who happens to run the oc chapter but TFA just has status for the club not individual affiliates so just there top team in each age group for NEXT that can train out of LA or OC.
The TFA MLS Next team in the Copa Americana is made up of mostly the TFA MLS Next kids from last year's team that finished third in the SW Division. They have added 6 kids from TFA OC and their coach Gus. They also added one new kid from LAUFA. However, they lost their 9 to LAG and are looking for his replacement to go along their two wingers who I saw play and are extremely fast. IMO they should finish third again unless their new coach can take them over the hill and beat both LAFC and LAG.
The games were competitive, there was only one blowout and it occurred in the 2nd half of what was a competitive game in the 1st half. I wouldn't really read too much into the results though. It's early. One team was playing with 3 very accomplished "guests" and I think there is still going to be some significant changes with at least a couple of the teams. I also question if the style of play of one team is sustainable over the course of a full season. How's that for being completely vague?
I will say it was a very good preseason warmup for all four teams and I expect this season to be more competitive top to bottom than last year's season.
RedDevilDad
GOLD
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