Former USMNT player Eddie Johnson thoughts on ECNL College Showcase

[Unregistered]

Okaaayyyyy...

US soccer=failure
But we still buy their products.
Does your Iphone fail all the time and if it did, would you continue to buy one?

Tough sledding here today.
Obviously the Ivy leaguers aren’t online...

[Unregistered]

US soccer=failure
But we still buy their products.
Does your Iphone fail all the time and if it did, would you continue to buy one?

Tough sledding here today.
Obviously the Ivy leaguers aren’t online...

Okaaayyyyyy

[Unregistered]

What's wrong snowflake? You can dish it out but you can't take it?

Oh are you rubber and I'm glue?

If you think giving commentary/critique on technique and tactical ability in a "national selection" online streamed game is 'dishing it out' then you have some issues.

[Unregistered]

Eddie Johnson should focus his energy on what he knows: a USMNT that is middle of the road, with middle-of-the-road players, that is light years away from the developmental level of top-ten international teams. The USWNT is already there, at the top.

So, instead of whining about girls playing soccer, he should focus on his own gender, dontchathink? What a nob.

That said, USWNT, most college, and high school use long-ball tactics. It's what they do. Lob the ball forward with no great precision so an athlete/track star can run onto it and push the ball in the direction of goal. There is no reason for any youth club to develop Manchester City style play because the teams their players go to pretty much only play long-ball.

you make it sound like track stars grow on trees. they dont. i do chuckle at how these boards imply that elite talent - be it soccer, speed or general athletic - are so prevalent. Teams play long ball because

1. many girls do not deal with aerial balls well
2. minimizes risk in your own defensive third
3. places a lower premium on ball control and precision
4. reduces risk in transition

Obviously there are other reasons, but the implication that everyone has great athletes is false. They are rare as well.

In general, part of the reason we play long ball is because its the easiest way to achieve some success in the shortest period of time.

[Unregistered]

Use the video. Sit your player down and teach away. Use it for team instruction. No issues.

This is ts..an anonymous chat forum populated by nasty trolls. Discussing specific non-pro youth players on here is a dick move. Period.

[Unregistered]

Use the video. Sit your player down and teach away. Use it for team instruction. No issues.

This is ts..an anonymous chat forum populated by nasty trolls. Discussing specific non-pro youth players on here is a dick move. Period.

As much as this forum is disproportionately populated by nasty trolls, I agree, I also think (hope??) that sharing information like this might help some players, parents or coaches.

If my post gets even 1 person to coach a player to "look for the right pass" instead of "take the space [until it runs out and you get into a kicking match]" I'll take it.

But maybe you're right and the bar on here is set so low that even that is a lofty goal!

[Unregistered]

As much as this forum is disproportionately populated by nasty trolls, I agree, I also think (hope??) that sharing information like this might help some players, parents or coaches.

If my post gets even 1 person to coach a player to "look for the right pass" instead of "take the space [until it runs out and you get into a kicking match]" I'll take it.

But maybe you're right and the bar on here is set so low that even that is a lofty goal!

Sorry but you need to use video of your own player or pro players to be so helpful on an anonymous chat site. ...not others people's kids just because they got to play in game one evening that was taped.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but you need to use video of your own player or pro players to be so helpful on an anonymous chat site. ...not others people's kids just because they got to play in game one evening that was taped.

Sorry, but ECNL streamed this video as a way of promoting the "best" that their league has to offer. As such, it is open to criticism.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but you need to use video of your own player or pro players to be so helpful on an anonymous chat site. ...not others people's kids just because they got to play in game one evening that was taped.

I disagree, if it's in the public domain and especially if it's purporting to be one of the 'highest' levels of soccer in the country, it's worthwhile to review and discuss.

[Unregistered]

I think this is the livestream that another poster mentioned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW26v_sS4EE

I watched the first 5 minutes of the game and this is what I saw:

Game starts at 8:02

8:08 - attempted kick and run past a midfielder, lost possession

9:19 - long ball, lost possession

10:23 - turned into pressure instead of passing to the open defender, lost possession

11:12 - touched into pressure instead of switching field to right defender, lost possession

11:27 - dribbles towards the midfielder, inviting unnecessary pressure, making the switch
field late

11:45 - dribbles around a midfielder instead of passing back to the thrower, lost posession

12:20 - picks up the ball and drives towards 3 closing defenders instead of turning back out, lost posession


7 unnecessary mistakes in 5 minutes of play, 6 of which lost possession for the team that tried it.

Yes that was interspersed with some better play, but the overall standard of play should be better for a "national" selection game.

Funny, I think you could watch a professional game and come up with same list.

It's sports, you clown.

When you locate the perfect game in any sport (besides bowling which I am not certain is even a sport), feel free to post it.

We will all be waiting until it's time to be permanently put in the box.

[Unregistered]

Funny, I think you could watch a professional game and come up with same list.

It's sports, you clown.

When you locate the perfect game in any sport (besides bowling which I am not certain is even a sport), feel free to post it.

We will all be waiting until it's time to be permanently put in the box.

Which kid in the video was yours?

[Unregistered]

I disagree, if it's in the public domain and especially if it's purporting to be one of the 'highest' levels of soccer in the country, it's worthwhile to review and discuss.

Can you please stop. Make your point with some pro video or something. Just because a kid wants to participate in the event does not mean they want to sign on to be used by you for instructional purposes.

The players don't control whatever nonsense these leagues do for their marketing. They are stuck with this situation like we all are. You really should just leave them be. Why do you have to be one of the ones that discusses children on here? Just don't do that.

[Unregistered]

I think this is the livestream that another poster mentioned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW26v_sS4EE

I watched the first 5 minutes of the game and this is what I saw:

Game starts at 8:02

8:08 - attempted kick and run past a midfielder, lost possession

9:19 - long ball, lost possession

10:23 - turned into pressure instead of passing to the open defender, lost possession

11:12 - touched into pressure instead of switching field to right defender, lost possession

11:27 - dribbles towards the midfielder, inviting unnecessary pressure, making the switch
field late

11:45 - dribbles around a midfielder instead of passing back to the thrower, lost posession

12:20 - picks up the ball and drives towards 3 closing defenders instead of turning back out, lost posession


7 unnecessary mistakes in 5 minutes of play, 6 of which lost possession for the team that tried it.

Yes that was interspersed with some better play, but the overall standard of play should be better for a "national" selection game.

If this video isn’t a great example of what EJ was talking about, then I don’t know what is. This is last weekend’s “national selection” ECNL game in FL. I randomly fast forwarded to around the 23’ to 20’ immediately before and after the red team scores and couldn’t believe the number of mistakes in a random 2 minutes. Both teams passes the ball poorly, not using the field well, players not looking for space, and ultimately just booting the ball to the other team for no reason. And this isn’t a ulittle game from some tiny travel league; these are HS-aged girls playing in a top league. And it’s far into the game when they should be in a good rhythm and their training should be shining through; it’s the first 5 minute jitters. If this is even close to what EJ saw, then it’s hard to dispute his comments. It’s terrible soccer.

[Unregistered]

If this video isn’t a great example of what EJ was talking about, then I don’t know what is. This is last weekend’s “national selection” ECNL game in FL. I randomly fast forwarded to around the 23’ to 20’ immediately before and after the red team scores and couldn’t believe the number of mistakes in a random 2 minutes. Both teams passes the ball poorly, not using the field well, players not looking for space, and ultimately just booting the ball to the other team for no reason. And this isn’t a ulittle game from some tiny travel league; these are HS-aged girls playing in a top league. And it’s far into the game when they should be in a good rhythm and their training should be shining through; it’s the first 5 minute jitters. If this is even close to what EJ saw, then it’s hard to dispute his comments. It’s terrible soccer.

Is this the same Jack a** as before or do we have another one on here now? Go away. You don't need to do this to make the point about lousy youth soccer. Everyone already understands that

[Unregistered]

Can you please stop. Make your point with some pro video or something. Just because a kid wants to participate in the event does not mean they want to sign on to be used by you for instructional purposes.

The players don't control whatever nonsense these leagues do for their marketing. They are stuck with this situation like we all are. You really should just leave them be. Why do you have to be one of the ones that discusses children on here? Just don't do that.

It is completely relevant to the topic at hand. This was a publicly streamed event with the BEST players in ECNL. If we can't watch this and discuss it then all you want are simple platitudes because your kid is wearing a patch.

Nobody is criticizing the girls either because how they are playing is not their fault ultimately.
It is the fault of coaches and parents who believe in the false hubris because of the so called selectivity of their league of choice.

When told in other discussions over the years in forums like this that kids were selected based on size and speed at young ages you said no, my kid is different.

When we told you that smaller, later born technical kids deserved consideration for A teams you said no, my kid is different.

When we told you that high U11 GotSoccer rankings and wins at that age did not mean your kid or team is talented you said no, my kid is different.

When the film of the culmination of all that training, exclusivity is put on display for all to see, you say don't look at it.

You were warned that your kid isn't special.