Cade_cowell_-_asn_top_-_celebrats_sj_goal_vs._lafc_-_8-20-22
MLS analysis

MLS thoughts: DC United sinking, Minnesota rising, plus a look at youth & USMNT players

It was a good weekend in MLS with some exciting games, young players making a difference, and the standings continuning to tighten in the race for the playoffs. ASN's Brian Sciaretta offers up his thoughts on it all. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
August 23, 2022
6:10 AM

WITH NO MIDWEEK games this week, we will take this time to reflect a little on the last weekend in MLS and offer up some thoughts about where those games left us in the season’s home stretch.

But with the World Cup approaching and U.S. youth teams with big tournaments on the horizon, we always want to look at the American players and youth players involved in the league.

 

American youth report

 

The big story of the weekend from a U.S. youth national team angle is Cade Cowell. The U.S. U-20 winger came into the game against LAFC in the 67th minute with the score 1-1. It was a huge opportunity for Cowell as LAFC is perhaps the best team in the history of the league and Cowell hasn’t been making a significant impact this year.

In the 77th minute, Cowell scored a terrific goal on a cross from Tommy Thompson and it proved out to be a winner.

 

This was only Cowell’s second goal of the season, but he remains a key young player in the league. This goal, against a top opponent, hopefully is a boost of confidence and a sign of better things to come from Cowell.

Daniel Edelman and John Tolkin each earned the start for the Red Bulls against Cincinnati, and both had good games. Edelman, the U.S. U-20 co-captain, got the start with Red Bull head coach Gerhard Struber rotating his midfield and wingers heavily (with two games over the previous six days) and he showed well particularly defensively. In one instance, he was forced to defend golden-boot hopeful Brandon Vazquez in the open field and muscled him off the ball.

For Edelman, this was his second straight good outing for the Red Bulls and while he still needs to round out some more areas of his game, but his passing is efficient and the physical and defensive edge he brings to the game is impressive. In this game Cincinnati had little to go up the middle of the field. The only blemish was missing an open shot over the net towards the end of the game. For Edelman, he is setting himself up for a big year in 2023 with both the Red Bulls and at the U-20 World Cup in May/June.

 

Tolkin, meanwhile, continues to be impressive with his consistency. He was named to the league's team of the week and it would not be surprising at all if he is sold this winter.

The Philadelphia's second consecutive embarrassment of DC United was an eye-opening 6-0 decision and while the Union's U-20 team is still yet to get going in full, Jack McGlynn is a midfield maestro with his smooth left foot.

Caleb Wiley was another U.S. U-20 player who impressed over the weekend as the left winger/left back created three dangerous chances for Atlanta United in a 2-2 draw with Columbus.

Danny Leyva is another player who has a great opportunity down the stretch with Seattle. With Joao Paulo out for the season and it looking unlikely to see Obed Vargas returning in 2022, Danny Leyva has the chance to help Seattle in the deeper lying midfield role. Leyva was in a tough spot at the start of the season but now he has the chance to help Seattle climb back into the playoffs. In Saturday's 3-3 draw with the Galaxy, Leyva performed well. His passing range was impressive but he held his own physcially and defensively.

Will Leyva get back into the U.S. U-20 picture? It will be tough. Head coach Mikey Varas has a great deal of comfort with Edelman and Rokas Pukstas (and then with Vargas when he returns), but Leyva can start to impress now.

 

National team player look

 

Walker Zimmerman did not have much to do for Nashville in its comfortable 4-0 win over Dallas. Paul Arriola was not able to generate much offense for a Dallas team that had no energy from the start. Jesus Ferreira was suspended for yellow card accumulation.

Jordan Morris played 86 minutes for Seattle but only touched the ball 20 times. Fortunately, one happened to be a tap-in goal. Seattle’s offense is getting better in their attempt to get back above the playoff line but getting Morris more involved is key. Meanwhile, Cristian Roldan was out with a sports hernia and underwent surgery on Tuesday with no timetable set for his return. 

 

Kellyn Acosta has been among the best Americans in the U.S. pool based in MLS in recent months and despite LAFC dropping a 2-1 decision to San Jose, Acosta was sharp and assisted on LAFC’s only goal.

Brandon Vazquez saw his four-game/five goals streak end in New Jersey during its 1-1 draw with the Red Bulls. Vazquez is still looking at a September call-up but the odds of him making the World Cup team seem small with so many in-form strikers. But MLS Soccer reported this week that Vazquez is in the process of signing an new three year deal that will increase his salary. It doesn’t mean he won’t ever get sold, of course, but this does offer protection to the player and FC Cincinnati.

With the Red Bulls using squad rotation, Aaron Long only played the final 32 minutes and did well to keep Cincy off the board. Matt Miazga remains a long shot to make the World Cup team but he’s in the deeper player pool and his goal against his former team put him on the MLS Team of the Week.

Finally, DeAndre Yedlin helped his U.S. national team case with a nice outing for Inter Miami in a 2-1 win over Toronto FC.

 

Mihailovic to AZ

 

According to multiple reports (and what ASN has heard), Djordje Mihailovic will move abroad to AZ Alkmaar at the end of the season for a reported $6 million fee. That is an impressive fee and Mihailovic has seen his career take off since his move to Chicago ahead of the 2021 season. In Montreal, Mihailovic has 12 goals and 19 assists in 59 games.

Mihailovic will turn 24 at the end of the season and before he joins AZ. He will serve as an interesting case as MLS continues to be a “selling league.” It is relatively easy to sell a talented teenager like Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, or Alphonso Davies – but when players are in their mid-20’s they are more seen as finished products who are needed to help a team immediately.

If Mihailovic can succeed with AZ, it will add further value towards its prime age players – which is a healthy sign.

As for remaining with Montreal for the rest of the season, it’s a huge test for Montreal. Romell Quioto, 31, is having a career season with 14 goals and then Mihailovic has had great numbers for two seasons. It seems as if Montreal has been building for this post season run and that after this season the team is going to have, not rebuild, but make some serious upgrades.

 

DC United’s horror show

 

DC United was embarrassed by Philadelphia 6-0 on Saturday and the good news for DC is that it was actually an improvement from the last time it faced the Union (when it lost 7-0). It was so bad that even Wayne Rooney said he never saw anything like the way DC United fell apart.

 

It is bad and DC United needs so much overhaul. It’s not just the 6-0 loss either. DC United also has not scored in five straight games. The question becomes how quickly can they turn over the roster so Rooney can keep rebuilding?

It’s not up to Rooney either. Rooney didn’t put together this poor roster but the people who need to disband this team and build a new roster are the ones who put together the current roster. Lots of changes are needed at DC. Rooney seems like a smart hire but there is onlyso much he can do.

 

Minnesota and Columbus

 

Two teams I am bullish on for the post season are Columbus and Minnesota. In the postseason, it becomes far more about what your designated players can do as opposed to the regular season. With that said, both teams have true difference makers and are trending in the right direction.

For Minnesota, Emmanuel Reynoso is one of the best players in the league. He is a top tier playmaker and someone who can also score. In Saturday's 2-1 win over Austin FC, Reynoso showed up and converted a penalty for the opening goal. Buy Reynoso also had six shots and was the best players in the field. He is the type of player who can dominate a game by himself but the issue with Minnesota has always been putting too much pressure on Reynoso. In the past, if he didn’t deliver, Minnesota was done. But Luis Amarilla has been very impressive over the past two months and has assumed some of the burden.



As for Columbus, the 2-2 draw with Atlanta on Sunday was a highly entertaining game and it was two points squandered by the Crew when Juan Perata headed home a corner in the 75th minute to give Atlanta an equalizer.



But Cucho Hernandez is an absolute game changer and along with Lucas Zelarayan, it could make for one of the two most dangerous tandems in the league. Cucho now has eight goals in eight games since arriving in Ohio. It’s a team that is a very real threat to make MLS Cup out of the East.

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