u/Zestyclose-Farm8654

If Leverkusen could have sold him for $40mm, why didn't they just do that instead of benching one of their most expensive signings?

Decided to watch the Orlando x RSL game. Ellis comes on at the second half and looks: (1) miles better than everyone on the team; (2) super smooth on the ball; (3) unlike any USMNT prospect we have ever had.

Two guys who were Inter Miami "rejects." Freeman spent three years in MLS Next Pro, 70 appearances 12g/15a, promoted at 20. Justin Ellis spent two years there, 40 appearances, 9g/6a and promoted at 18. Freeeman 0.386 G+A per game, Ellis 0.375

Most fan-driven podcasters love Poch because..well who wouldn't...if nothing else he has a personality. But when you watch journalist-driven podcasts who usually have the "inside scoop" on soccer news in the US, they constantly rip on him and criticize him.

It seems like every podcast Tab Ramos shows upon, he takes shots at Poch, from everything from roster selection and friendly results to Poch's tactics against Belgium (criticizing Poch for not moving the team into a low block). No one is immune from criticism but Ramos seems to criticize Poch specifically every chance he gets. Why?

Why is McGylnn still in MLS at 23? He seems pretty dominant in MLS. Am I overrating him or he is just in that in between area being really good at MLS but not good enough for a top 5 league, and Champion's League is lateral move?

EDIT: McGlynn has two skills that would work anywhere in the world: striking a dead ball and hitting long-range/placement shots, plus elite passing delivery. Those specific skills don't degrade when you move up leagues

some objective stats:

• two goals on 0.41 xG sounds like luck until you see the xGOT: 1.75 so post-shot value is running at 4.3 times his pre-shot chance quality
• thirty-two chances and 6 big chances in 839 minutes is 3.43 per 90 — statistically identical to the 3.37 Tsakiris was running when he led all of MLS
• 87% completion on high volume and 39 accurate long balls
• entered 29 duels in 839 minutes — 3.1 per 90 — against Berhalter's 9.6 in the same league at the same nominal position. He's been dispossessed three times on 743 touches — one loss per 248 touches, where Ellis loses it every 16. He's been dribbled past once all season.

 

• Ten career MLS minutes to MLS Best XI in eleven months
• Dinged by Inter Miami's academy and switched to Orlando (something presumably players of lesser financial means cannot do).
• Orlando moves him from an attacking player to defender -- due to weaker technical skills?
• Orlando City B with minimal MLS minutes through 2024, then his impressive fall 2025 stretch averaging 7.23 across ten games with several peaks in the 8.0-8.5 range, followed by the January 2026 move to a new club for €3.5M plus €2.5M in add-ons with a 15% sell-on clause
• 70 appearances, 12 goals, and 15 assists for Orlando City B across 2022-24 
• first-team exposure through December 2024, age 20 and a half: roughly ten career MLS minutes across three substitute cameos.
• On the day the 2022 World Cup kicked off he had zero
• Phase two, the detonation (calendar 2025, age 20-21). A sub in the season opener, then the everyday starter: 29 league appearances (26 starts), 2,451 minutes, six goals and three assists on 43 shots, 82% passing on 1,130 attempts with 42 key passes — the fourth-most of any defender in MLS — plus the two-way line: 42 tackles, 26 interceptions, 86 clearances, and 58.2% of 110 aerial duels won, with his six goals tied for the most among MLS defenders.
• MLS All-Star in July, Young Player of the Year in November — the first Orlando winner, with Obed Vargas second and Diego Luna third — and MLS Best XI at 21 years, 88 days, the youngest honoree since Aaronson in 2020
• Became the locked-in starter over Joe Scally (?) at the World Cup.

He was apparently too good for MLS that he is sold to Europe within a season and starting for Poch at the World Cup -- but then why was he in Orlando B for so long?

Great free kick and great game overall but had some uncharacteristically poor, unforced giveaways.