Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 17:48     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:It is correct to say that top ECNL teams are competitive with the non-academy MLS Next teams. It is not correct to say there are "plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash, mls next teams routinely." It's not even close to correct.

My son plays on a U14 squad that lost to PP's team at Copa Rayados. (NCFC) They are an excellent team that plays well together, has skilled players, plays a good style, and seems very well coached. They are also one of the top 10 ECNL teams in the country at U14 and are from a region, North Carolina, where ECNL is stronger than MLS Next. I don't believe there are many areas in the country where that is true, and certainly not in our area. Here, Pipeline, Loudon, and VDA are all U14 teams that could beat the local MLS Next squads. The bottom half of the league, however, would not be competitive with any of the MLS Next teams and this is where ECNL falters. I'm thinking of this year's Arlington U14, Baltimore Celtic, BRAVE, VA Union, MD United, etc. MLS Next is much deeper, and good top to bottom.

The one exception to this is, I think, Achilles, who had a poor showing at Copa Rayados and is, from what I hear, in transition.


They seem to always have poor showings. Tell us more about this Achilles "transition".
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 16:51     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The Bethesda MLSNext teams are filled with giants but I think it's because they have so many to choose from. They are not clumsy giants. The kids we know are really smart, have amazing technical skills, and they are big and athletic.

Blue has any kids who are just as smart and skilled as those on the top teams but the kids are smaller. It's really noticeable if you ever see the teams practicing next to each other. It looks like two different age groups.


Well, Bethesda Blue coach (who is arguably the best in region) won’t coach MLSNext - apparently doesn’t like all the travel - so is likely selecting those kids who don’t fit mould of what-works-for-American-football-will-work-for-American-soccer. (Ie big, fast, dumb) The best kept secret is Bethesda blue for development.

Biological marking - picking large kids and largely focusing on their development- is a problem in other countries but smaller countries like Israel account for it by allowing later blooming people to play down. Quelle horrible.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7739788/


MLS Next allows biobanding as well. The UK popularized it; Oxlade-Chamberlain was biobanded when younger before going to Arsenal.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 16:30     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:The Bethesda MLSNext teams are filled with giants but I think it's because they have so many to choose from. They are not clumsy giants. The kids we know are really smart, have amazing technical skills, and they are big and athletic.

Blue has any kids who are just as smart and skilled as those on the top teams but the kids are smaller. It's really noticeable if you ever see the teams practicing next to each other. It looks like two different age groups.


Well, Bethesda Blue coach (who is arguably the best in region) won’t coach MLSNext - apparently doesn’t like all the travel - so is likely selecting those kids who don’t fit mould of what-works-for-American-football-will-work-for-American-soccer. (Ie big, fast, dumb) The best kept secret is Bethesda blue for development.

Biological marking - picking large kids and largely focusing on their development- is a problem in other countries but smaller countries like Israel account for it by allowing later blooming people to play down. Quelle horrible.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7739788/
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 11:44     Subject: Re:DCU14
+1
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 10:03     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:It is correct to say that top ECNL teams are competitive with the non-academy MLS Next teams. It is not correct to say there are "plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash, mls next teams routinely." It's not even close to correct.

My son plays on a U14 squad that lost to PP's team at Copa Rayados. (NCFC) They are an excellent team that plays well together, has skilled players, plays a good style, and seems very well coached. They are also one of the top 10 ECNL teams in the country at U14 and are from a region, North Carolina, where ECNL is stronger than MLS Next. I don't believe there are many areas in the country where that is true, and certainly not in our area. Here, Pipeline, Loudon, and VDA are all U14 teams that could beat the local MLS Next squads. The bottom half of the league, however, would not be competitive with any of the MLS Next teams and this is where ECNL falters. I'm thinking of this year's Arlington U14, Baltimore Celtic, BRAVE, VA Union, MD United, etc. MLS Next is much deeper, and good top to bottom.

The one exception to this is, I think, Achilles, who had a poor showing at Copa Rayados and is, from what I hear, in transition.


Plus it was a glorified preseason scrimmage fest. DS team was substituting heavily every game all game. New players getting tested out at different positions. New combinations of returning player/positions....some that didn't work. Established players getting subbed off early to make way for all of this. I noticed all the teams we played (ECNL, MLSN) were substituting a lot.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 10:02     Subject: DCU14
excellent analysis. spot on.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 09:36     Subject: DCU14
It is correct to say that top ECNL teams are competitive with the non-academy MLS Next teams. It is not correct to say there are "plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash, mls next teams routinely." It's not even close to correct.

My son plays on a U14 squad that lost to PP's team at Copa Rayados. (NCFC) They are an excellent team that plays well together, has skilled players, plays a good style, and seems very well coached. They are also one of the top 10 ECNL teams in the country at U14 and are from a region, North Carolina, where ECNL is stronger than MLS Next. I don't believe there are many areas in the country where that is true, and certainly not in our area. Here, Pipeline, Loudon, and VDA are all U14 teams that could beat the local MLS Next squads. The bottom half of the league, however, would not be competitive with any of the MLS Next teams and this is where ECNL falters. I'm thinking of this year's Arlington U14, Baltimore Celtic, BRAVE, VA Union, MD United, etc. MLS Next is much deeper, and good top to bottom.

The one exception to this is, I think, Achilles, who had a poor showing at Copa Rayados and is, from what I hear, in transition.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 09:08     Subject: DCU14
Mid-Atlantic U19 ecnl tied and won vrs MLS teams at Copa Rayados.

Bottom line, Top ECNL teams are just as good (or better) than non-academy MLS Next teams. This played out on numerous occasions several weeks ago across several age groups.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2023 00:36     Subject: DCU14
Nicely said PP!
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 16:46     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.


You don't get out much do you. I'd love for your rec team to come on out to Alexandria, Bethesda, or SYC and smash any of the age groups. That would be great. You're probably the same type of guy who thinks COVID vaccines are worthless too.


DS plays for a top ECNL U14 team in the Mid-Atlantic. Played in the Copa Rayados East Coast in Loudoun County at the end of Aug and beat Balt Armour, Alexandria, and FC Delco... all MLSN.

That said, those are good teams... not a PR stunt.

Play the same teams on a different weekend... who knows? Maybe the outcome reverses.

Point is, top ECNL and MLSN teams will be competitively matched at the U14 level.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 11:57     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.


You don't get out much do you. I'd love for your rec team to come on out to Alexandria, Bethesda, or SYC and smash any of the age groups. That would be great. You're probably the same type of guy who thinks COVID vaccines are worthless too.


Found the Pfizer sales rep.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 11:49     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.


You don't get out much do you. I'd love for your rec team to come on out to Alexandria, Bethesda, or SYC and smash any of the age groups. That would be great. You're probably the same type of guy who thinks COVID vaccines are worthless too.


The jury is still out on MLS Next vs. ECNL, but everyone knows COVID experimental vaccines are worthless. They can't even give them away at this point.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 10:58     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.


You don't get out much do you. I'd love for your rec team to come on out to Alexandria, Bethesda, or SYC and smash any of the age groups. That would be great. You're probably the same type of guy who thinks COVID vaccines are worthless too.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 10:14     Subject: DCU14
Anonymous wrote:MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.


Oh? Plenty? Which ones? Which age groups? I don't think it's true at U14.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 09:53     Subject: DCU14
MLS next academies are the way to go if you have a kid with potential, regardless of which team they join.

An MLS next team that pay to play in the league is merely a P.R. stunt. Plenty of local ECNL teams in the area that not only compete, but smash mlsnext non-acacdemy teams routinely.