Robbie Rogers and Others to Watch

Three of the top US Young Talent playing in the MLS. Landon Donovan (no question), Robbie Rogers, and Sasha Kljestan.

Stats on Robbie Rogers (7/13/2008: 2nd on team in minutes, 1st in shots taken, and second in goals)

Others to watch: Stuart Holden (Dynamo), Chris Rolfe (Fire), Kenny Cooper (Burn), Adam Cristman (Revolution)...

We are really seeing a trend of Younger American Talent playing with seasoned international players: Rogers w/Schelotto (Columbus), Barrett, Mapp and Rolfe w/Blanco (Chicago), Donovan & Buddle w/Beckham (LA), Kljestan, Guzan & Borenstein w/Razov (LA Chivas), and to some extent Holden & McCarty w/De-Ro (Houston). If you watch these players week in and week out, simply, they are getting better.

Three things American talent has lacked on the international level as a whole: (1) creativity, (2) superior touches and ball control, (3) pure striking or scoring ability.

This article will deal with creativity and ball control. If you watch the EPL or any other of the major European leagues, our American players truly lack the creativity and superior ball control that other nations' stars exhibit. This is continually what plagues the US in international competitions (excluding WC 2002). However, if you season young players with the likes of Beckham, Schelotto, Blanco, etc. eventually we'll develop a new level of creativity. It is the old adage if you want to get better, play with better players. Well, this year by far MLS has ascended the talent ladder by paying and bringing in better international talent.

If you look at the US Men's National Team, the question arises, who in our Midfield or Striking Force is comparable to any major international team? Maybe, Landon on his best day. And I'm a big LD fan. If he's not on the team, it's a drag to watch. He moves excellently off the ball and has ideas. I like our defensive midfielders, but we lack true attacking midfielders and big, talented strikers who have the creativity to find ways to score. Bradley at Heerenveen is a nice improvement, but he's not the same player on the USMNT. Mastroeni is a stopper, is it Edu from Toronto FC?

Of those in the Lower 48 at this time: Robbie Rogers and Sasha Kljestan have the most potential to fulfill this "touch and create" void. Overseas, Freddy Adu is the answer. Demarcus Beasley is a nice player, but eventually his speed will fail. No more sending our promising, young talent to be lost on 2nd and 3rd division teams in Europe. Better keep them here in MLS for several years where they can gain confidence and get many touches (this was one of the purposes of MLS), and then send them to Germany, England or Holland for some technical work...then, with the exception of keepers, could we see a Premiere Club featuring a Yank!

We have come a long way from Balboa, Lalas, Ramos, and Stewart. This is not the same US Soccer program. We are headed in the right direction.

Thank you Mr. Beckham, Mr. Angel, Mr. Blanco, etc. We'll have our U-21's play with you all for a couple of years and then send them overseas for even more development.