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MLS Player Combine: Day Three - Finishing with a flourish
Goals came in from all angles as the Combine combatants attempted to ward off fatigue and injury to make their final impressions ahead of Thursday's SuperDraft.
Jan 10, 2012 11:16:00 PM
By Kyle McCarthy
Major League Soccer
LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Reality emerges as the final day of the MLS Player Combine winds to a close: there just isn't any more time left to jockey for position ahead of Thursday's SuperDraft.
Truth be told, most of the moving took place on Sunday. Fatigue, heat and injuries sapped much of the endeavor and the energy on this final day. There were flashes of brilliance in front of goal (particularly for players wearing a red adiPower shirt), but several players buckled under the rigors of the situation or missed out entirely for one reason or another.
All of those factors exacted a toll, though adiPower continued its weekend of dominance even with Kelyn Rowe (Generation adidas/UCLA) off with the U.S. U-23 team and Casey Townsend (Maryland) relegated to the sidelines through injury. The strongest side on the whole consolidated its position at the top of the table with a 4-1 victory over adiPure to depart south Florida as Combine champions.
“We had some good players,” UCLA and Generation adidas forward Chandler Hoffman said. “It was a lot of fun to play, obviously going 3-0. Hopefully, I did well and answered some questions about myself. I scored a couple of goals, got an assist. It was a good experience.”
Individual performances will matter more than collective efforts in the coming days, but the rise in self-interest ahead of Thursday's SuperDraft won't diminish the shared experience of the past five days for most of these players.
“It's unique,” Creighton forward Ethan Finlay said. “You love it because you're playing with the best players. You have a lot of friends here. The competition is high and we all thrive off that. To be able to play in front of all of these coaches and have them get a first-hand look, it's great. You're going against the best and you're getting seen by the best.”
Every single player harbors aspirations of joining the MLS ranks in 2012. Those dreams may or may take another step forward in Kansas City, but the time to influence whether or not they will come true has well and truly gone. The hectic nature of this Combine now yields to an excruciating waiting game until midday on Thursday.
“You can't do any more,” Generation adidas and South Florida forward Dom Dwyer said. “You just have to sit down, enjoy the day Thursday and just go from there.”
Recapping the day
Game one: adiZero (Blue) 3, adiPrime (Green) 1: Evan James (Charlotte) scored his second goal of the Combine from distance and added an assist later to pace adiZero (1-1-1) to a comfortable win. Warren Creavalle (South Florida) doubled the lead as the first half progressed, but Aldo Paniagua (General Caballero/Paraguay) reduced the deficit early in the second half with his second goal of the Combine for Prime (0-3-0). Dwyer offered up a reply to secure the victory.
Game two: adiPower (Red) 4, adiPure (White) 1: Lucky Mkosana (Dartmouth) opened the scoring for adiPower (3-0-0) after 13 minutes, but a second-half onslaught separated the two sides. Jason Banton (Leicester City/England), Callum Mallace (Marquette) and Tony Walls (Wisconsin-Green Bay) found the back of the net to create a four-goal cushion. Andrew Duran (Creighton) finished off from college teammate Finlay's cross to grab a late consolation goal for adiPure (1-1-1).
Sifting through those Combine performances
Goalkeepers: Chris Blais (South Florida), Ryan Meara (Fordham) and Brian Rowe (UCLA) all had their moments this weekend, but the overall strength of this class and the needs elsewhere may see teams wait until the Supplemental Draft to address their goalkeeping requirements.
Defenders: The lack of depth in this particular department showed over the course of this weekend, but there are potential additions that will make a side happy come Thursday. … Austin Berry (Louisville) probably had the best Combine in this central defensive class. His solid and steady play exhibited the type of composure MLS clubs like to see. … Matt Hedges (North Carolina) will lean more on his successful college career than his work this weekend. … Andrew Jean-Baptiste (Generation adidas/Connecticut) and Aaron Maund (Notre Dame) should hear their names called fairly early, though there are still questions about their distribution out of the back. … There are plenty of fullback options available for sides wishing to strengthen in that department. … Tyler Polak (Generation adidas/Creighton) didn't perform particularly well, but it won't keep him from being the first left back off the board with Hunter Jumper (Virginia) also in the mix. … Warren Creavalle (South Florida) emerged as one of the stars of the Combine by adapting to his new role at right back and may have worked his way into the SuperDraft mix. … R.J. Allen (Monmouth), Nick Blake (Connecticut) and Andrew Duran (Creighton) also fared well enough to provide options at that spot on the field.
Midfielders: The events this weekend shouldn't drastically alter the pecking order in this deep crop. … Kelyn Rowe (Generation adidas/UCLA) may have raised some concerns after his so-so performance in the middle of the park on Sunday. His body of work and his GA status will keep him high on the draft boards, but he needs to play the ball more quickly to better use his passing ability and his vision. … Luis Silva (UC Santa Barbara) displayed his skill in flashes without overtly influencing matches – it's tough to do so as an attacking midfielder in this sort of environment. … Nick DeLeon (Louisville) suffered a quad strain and didn't really factor much into the proceedings. It won't hurt his stock, especially if some team whispered in his ear over the weekend. … Enzo Martinez (Generation adidas/North Carolina) is a footballer and a leader, but where does he play at the next level? … Tony Cascio (Connecticut) showed pretty well on the whole with his energy and his pace in the wide areas – he stood out as the most complete winger over the course of the weekend. … Some team may take a gamble on Jason Banton (Leicester City/England) because he possesses searing pace, but his decision-making in the final third, his defensive indifference and his penchant for holding the ball too long won't help his cause. … Evan James (Charlotte) and Callum Mallace (Marquette) played well and kept their names in the mix. … Greg Jordan (Creighton) and Kenney Walker (Louisville) offer simple and tidy work as holding midfielders – players just like them have succeeded in MLS over the years, but they'll have to land with the right team. … Aldo Paniagua (General Caballero/Paraguay) operated on the periphery in most games and shoots far, far too often. … Kohei Yamada (Thespa Kusatsu/Japan) could come off the board – probably in the supplemental draft – after his positive second day displayed his technical ability.
Forwards: The surplus of goals showed that this group of players can score against college competition, but questions remain about how that ability will translate to MLS. … Darren Mattocks (Generation adidas/Akron) revealed his blistering pace often enough to comfortably maintain his place at the top of the heap. … Chandler Hoffman (Generation adidas/UCLA) probably comes next given his instinct in front of goal. … Dom Dwyer (Generation adidas/South Florida), Ethan Finlay (Creighton) and Casey Townsend (Maryland) will still face queries about their physical suitability for the next level, but Dwyer works his socks off, Finlay always seems to make the right run and Townsend has a habit of popping up in the right spot. … Sam Garza (Generation adidas/UC Santa Barbara) flitted in and out of matches – he will benefit from his body of work and the roster protection afforded to him. … Colin Rolfe (Louisville) didn't play well, but some team should and will take him anyways. … Babayele Sodade (UAB) offers a target-type option if teams are in the market for one. … Evans Frimpong (Delware) and Lucky Mkosana (Dartmouth) represent two small-school stars who may have done enough to warrant interest at some point over the next week.
News and notes
- In the wake of his hat trick on Sunday, Finlay looks likely to put pen to paper on a MLS deal before Thursday's SuperDraft. If the deal isn't done just yet, it's on the verge of occurring, according to sources familiar with the situation.
- Finlay followed Sunday's stellar, Golden Boot-securing performance with another fairly active display. One assist wasn't enough to keep the Hermann runner-up from a little dose of self-criticism.
“I had a great first day,” Finlay said. “Today, to be honest, I was a little stagnant. Hopefully, I didn't hurt myself too much. That happens. That's soccer. You have good days, you have bad days. You hope you come here and have great days, but that's soccer.”
- Townsend watched the proceedings from the sidelines as a precautionary measure after sustaining a calf injury on Sunday.
“I just had a little tweak in my calf,” Townsend said. “They told me not to force it. That's the advice I took. I didn't play today, but, luckily, we won. We had a good game. We went 3-0 on the weekend, so it's all good.”
- After toiling away for much of the Combine without any tangible reward, Dwyer finally got the goal he wanted on Tuesday.
“It was a nice relief,” Dwyer said. “I've been getting everything apart from a goal and now I've finally got the goal. I could have had a couple of others, but not today.”
- Mallace's goal drew perhaps the most energetic team celebration of the Combine. Why? Today was his birthday.
- Sodade limped off the field with a right hamstring injury. The big forward said he made a stride toward the ball, felt a twinge and failed to run off the knock when he tried to do so.
- Injuries continued to hamper the Indiana contingent. Chris Estridge sustained an injury on the back of his right leg on Sunday and watched from the sidelines today, while Alec Purdie spent the first half stretching in order to make sure he could play with a hamstring injury.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSsoccer.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
Truth be told, most of the moving took place on Sunday. Fatigue, heat and injuries sapped much of the endeavor and the energy on this final day. There were flashes of brilliance in front of goal (particularly for players wearing a red adiPower shirt), but several players buckled under the rigors of the situation or missed out entirely for one reason or another.
All of those factors exacted a toll, though adiPower continued its weekend of dominance even with Kelyn Rowe (Generation adidas/UCLA) off with the U.S. U-23 team and Casey Townsend (Maryland) relegated to the sidelines through injury. The strongest side on the whole consolidated its position at the top of the table with a 4-1 victory over adiPure to depart south Florida as Combine champions.
“We had some good players,” UCLA and Generation adidas forward Chandler Hoffman said. “It was a lot of fun to play, obviously going 3-0. Hopefully, I did well and answered some questions about myself. I scored a couple of goals, got an assist. It was a good experience.”
Individual performances will matter more than collective efforts in the coming days, but the rise in self-interest ahead of Thursday's SuperDraft won't diminish the shared experience of the past five days for most of these players.
“It's unique,” Creighton forward Ethan Finlay said. “You love it because you're playing with the best players. You have a lot of friends here. The competition is high and we all thrive off that. To be able to play in front of all of these coaches and have them get a first-hand look, it's great. You're going against the best and you're getting seen by the best.”
Every single player harbors aspirations of joining the MLS ranks in 2012. Those dreams may or may take another step forward in Kansas City, but the time to influence whether or not they will come true has well and truly gone. The hectic nature of this Combine now yields to an excruciating waiting game until midday on Thursday.
“You can't do any more,” Generation adidas and South Florida forward Dom Dwyer said. “You just have to sit down, enjoy the day Thursday and just go from there.”
Recapping the day
Game one: adiZero (Blue) 3, adiPrime (Green) 1: Evan James (Charlotte) scored his second goal of the Combine from distance and added an assist later to pace adiZero (1-1-1) to a comfortable win. Warren Creavalle (South Florida) doubled the lead as the first half progressed, but Aldo Paniagua (General Caballero/Paraguay) reduced the deficit early in the second half with his second goal of the Combine for Prime (0-3-0). Dwyer offered up a reply to secure the victory.
Game two: adiPower (Red) 4, adiPure (White) 1: Lucky Mkosana (Dartmouth) opened the scoring for adiPower (3-0-0) after 13 minutes, but a second-half onslaught separated the two sides. Jason Banton (Leicester City/England), Callum Mallace (Marquette) and Tony Walls (Wisconsin-Green Bay) found the back of the net to create a four-goal cushion. Andrew Duran (Creighton) finished off from college teammate Finlay's cross to grab a late consolation goal for adiPure (1-1-1).
Sifting through those Combine performances
Goalkeepers: Chris Blais (South Florida), Ryan Meara (Fordham) and Brian Rowe (UCLA) all had their moments this weekend, but the overall strength of this class and the needs elsewhere may see teams wait until the Supplemental Draft to address their goalkeeping requirements.
Defenders: The lack of depth in this particular department showed over the course of this weekend, but there are potential additions that will make a side happy come Thursday. … Austin Berry (Louisville) probably had the best Combine in this central defensive class. His solid and steady play exhibited the type of composure MLS clubs like to see. … Matt Hedges (North Carolina) will lean more on his successful college career than his work this weekend. … Andrew Jean-Baptiste (Generation adidas/Connecticut) and Aaron Maund (Notre Dame) should hear their names called fairly early, though there are still questions about their distribution out of the back. … There are plenty of fullback options available for sides wishing to strengthen in that department. … Tyler Polak (Generation adidas/Creighton) didn't perform particularly well, but it won't keep him from being the first left back off the board with Hunter Jumper (Virginia) also in the mix. … Warren Creavalle (South Florida) emerged as one of the stars of the Combine by adapting to his new role at right back and may have worked his way into the SuperDraft mix. … R.J. Allen (Monmouth), Nick Blake (Connecticut) and Andrew Duran (Creighton) also fared well enough to provide options at that spot on the field.
Midfielders: The events this weekend shouldn't drastically alter the pecking order in this deep crop. … Kelyn Rowe (Generation adidas/UCLA) may have raised some concerns after his so-so performance in the middle of the park on Sunday. His body of work and his GA status will keep him high on the draft boards, but he needs to play the ball more quickly to better use his passing ability and his vision. … Luis Silva (UC Santa Barbara) displayed his skill in flashes without overtly influencing matches – it's tough to do so as an attacking midfielder in this sort of environment. … Nick DeLeon (Louisville) suffered a quad strain and didn't really factor much into the proceedings. It won't hurt his stock, especially if some team whispered in his ear over the weekend. … Enzo Martinez (Generation adidas/North Carolina) is a footballer and a leader, but where does he play at the next level? … Tony Cascio (Connecticut) showed pretty well on the whole with his energy and his pace in the wide areas – he stood out as the most complete winger over the course of the weekend. … Some team may take a gamble on Jason Banton (Leicester City/England) because he possesses searing pace, but his decision-making in the final third, his defensive indifference and his penchant for holding the ball too long won't help his cause. … Evan James (Charlotte) and Callum Mallace (Marquette) played well and kept their names in the mix. … Greg Jordan (Creighton) and Kenney Walker (Louisville) offer simple and tidy work as holding midfielders – players just like them have succeeded in MLS over the years, but they'll have to land with the right team. … Aldo Paniagua (General Caballero/Paraguay) operated on the periphery in most games and shoots far, far too often. … Kohei Yamada (Thespa Kusatsu/Japan) could come off the board – probably in the supplemental draft – after his positive second day displayed his technical ability.
Forwards: The surplus of goals showed that this group of players can score against college competition, but questions remain about how that ability will translate to MLS. … Darren Mattocks (Generation adidas/Akron) revealed his blistering pace often enough to comfortably maintain his place at the top of the heap. … Chandler Hoffman (Generation adidas/UCLA) probably comes next given his instinct in front of goal. … Dom Dwyer (Generation adidas/South Florida), Ethan Finlay (Creighton) and Casey Townsend (Maryland) will still face queries about their physical suitability for the next level, but Dwyer works his socks off, Finlay always seems to make the right run and Townsend has a habit of popping up in the right spot. … Sam Garza (Generation adidas/UC Santa Barbara) flitted in and out of matches – he will benefit from his body of work and the roster protection afforded to him. … Colin Rolfe (Louisville) didn't play well, but some team should and will take him anyways. … Babayele Sodade (UAB) offers a target-type option if teams are in the market for one. … Evans Frimpong (Delware) and Lucky Mkosana (Dartmouth) represent two small-school stars who may have done enough to warrant interest at some point over the next week.
News and notes
- In the wake of his hat trick on Sunday, Finlay looks likely to put pen to paper on a MLS deal before Thursday's SuperDraft. If the deal isn't done just yet, it's on the verge of occurring, according to sources familiar with the situation.
- Finlay followed Sunday's stellar, Golden Boot-securing performance with another fairly active display. One assist wasn't enough to keep the Hermann runner-up from a little dose of self-criticism.
“I had a great first day,” Finlay said. “Today, to be honest, I was a little stagnant. Hopefully, I didn't hurt myself too much. That happens. That's soccer. You have good days, you have bad days. You hope you come here and have great days, but that's soccer.”
- Townsend watched the proceedings from the sidelines as a precautionary measure after sustaining a calf injury on Sunday.
“I just had a little tweak in my calf,” Townsend said. “They told me not to force it. That's the advice I took. I didn't play today, but, luckily, we won. We had a good game. We went 3-0 on the weekend, so it's all good.”
- After toiling away for much of the Combine without any tangible reward, Dwyer finally got the goal he wanted on Tuesday.
“It was a nice relief,” Dwyer said. “I've been getting everything apart from a goal and now I've finally got the goal. I could have had a couple of others, but not today.”
- Mallace's goal drew perhaps the most energetic team celebration of the Combine. Why? Today was his birthday.
- Sodade limped off the field with a right hamstring injury. The big forward said he made a stride toward the ball, felt a twinge and failed to run off the knock when he tried to do so.
- Injuries continued to hamper the Indiana contingent. Chris Estridge sustained an injury on the back of his right leg on Sunday and watched from the sidelines today, while Alec Purdie spent the first half stretching in order to make sure he could play with a hamstring injury.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSsoccer.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
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