U17 USYNT June Roster Analysis

WING, Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund)
Albert is reportedly traveling with Borussia Dortmund for the Club World Cup—an opportunity he understandably couldn’t pass up.

WING, Nimfasha Berchimas (Charlotte FC)
Berchimas is still recovering from a foot injury, and it’s unclear whether he’s currently available for this age group. He has consistently played above the 2008 age class.

CB, Ian James (Sporting KC)
James appears to be the odd man out in a very competitive center-back group. Personally, I would have taken him over Wilp and Martinez—one of my few gripes with the roster selections.

AM/WING/CM, Lionel Gitau (Houston Dynamo)
Gitau’s challenge is positional fit. His natural role is as an attacking midfielder, but with Sullivan and Carrizo already in the squad, that spot is crowded. I also like him as a box-to-box midfielder, but Segares doesn’t seem to see him in that role. He’s typically played as a winger in these camps, which isn’t his strongest position. He’s a top-20 player in this class, but finding the right fit remains tricky.

CF, Austyn Jones (PSV)
Jones had one camp with the U.S. but hasn’t been invited back since. He continues to score consistently for PSV, and I believe Segares should give him another shot. One camp often isn’t enough to fully evaluate a player.

CM, Cristiano Oliveira (New England Revolution)
Oliveira seems to have slipped out of the preferred midfield group after an underwhelming performance at the Concacaf Championship. The talent is there—he could still work his way back into the mix.

GK, William Lodmell (Sporting CP)
I was impressed with Lodmell during the March U-17 camp. I believe he’s on par with the two goalkeepers selected, but Segares likely leaned on familiarity—Kortkamp and Stokes have more history in the system.

CM, Luca Moisa (Real Salt Lake)
Perhaps Moisa is dealing with an injury—this is the first time he’s missed an A-team camp. I’m not as high on him as some are, and I actually like the midfield group that was selected for this camp.

Matthew Dos Santos is the only player receiving his first call-up to a first-team camp. With the roster largely solidified and only a few camps remaining before the World Cup, the lack of new faces makes sense. That said, I like the addition of Dos Santos. Segares has been testing different options at left-back beyond Guimaraes but hasn’t settled on a clear choice. Dos Santos is a strong attacking full-back who brings quality in possession and could fill that gap effectively.

It’s hard to find many issues with this roster—it’s a strong group overall. Structurally, I do wish there was a second right-back behind Villa. Olly Tan is the most experienced option, but instead, Segares opted to bring a fourth center-back. Speaking of center-backs, as I mentioned earlier, I rate Ian James higher than a couple of the players selected.

I have no major complaints about the midfield. It’s great to see a non-professional academy player like Logan Moniz included—he played really well during the March camp. He adds physicality, progression, and bite to the midfield. It’s unfortunate that the New England Revolution haven’t been able to sign him yet.

The only midfield-type player I wish was here is Lionel Gitau. I think Segares needs to find a role for him—his talent warrants inclusion.

On the wings, Hall, Johnson, and Preston all bring dynamic qualities. Preston, in particular, was excellent in his first U.S. camp back in March, and his return is well deserved. If and when Albert or Berchimas become available, I’d like to see Hall get a look at striker.

All in all, this team is shaping up well as it builds toward the U-17 World Cup.