2015 Prospect XI USL Team Analysis - New York Red Bulls II

2015 PROSPECT XI USL TEAM ANALYSIS – NEW YORK RED BULLS II

By: PXI Staff (@ProspectXI)

PXI TEAM ANALYSIS - NEW YORK RED BULLS II:

The Red Bulls have been one of the top academy clubs in the history of the USSDA, but were hesitant about starting a USL club. NYRB II were forced to play their games at the Red Bull Arena, which lead to third worst attendance in the league. The club drafted well in 2015, bringing in Leo Stolz, Manolo Sanchez, Dan Metzger and Steven McLaws as well as Homegrown signing Sean Davis. They also brought in some young MLS quality players in Karl Ouimette, Devon “Speedy” Williams and Stefano Bonomo. Red Bulls also had some homegrown players on the senior roster, including keeper Santiago Castano and midfielder Marius Obekop who were loaned out to the “B” side while the rest of the team was filled with Red Bull academy players.

Red Bulls started the season impressively, lead by Cameroonian teenager Anatoie Abang who scored four goals in six games before being call up to the first team. As the season played out, they struggled in the same way other MLS reserve teams inthe Eastern Conference did. Consistency became an issue, finding it difficult to have players for every position in some games. Stolz did score four goals and added two assists, while new signings Michael De Fonte, Daniel Bedoya, Konrad Plewa and Chistopher Tsonis had the most productive season and helped the Red Bulls make the playoffs. They beat Pittsburgh at home 4-2 in extra time before being knocked out by Rochester.

READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL:

The Red Bulls II had players such as Davis, Ouimette and Abang graduate to the first team and play decent with the Red Bulls in MLS. Of the other more senior NY Red Bulls II players Jamaican Devon “Speedy” Williams probably impressed the most in his 11 games, scoring a goal and added three assists. NYRB II’s midfield of Plewa, Stolz, Obekop and Sanchez showed enough quality to trial with an MLS club and be solid USL players if they remaining playing in the league. All of them are at least 24 years old or younger and have a good upsides, while McLaws, Castano and Bedoya are players that can still reach the goal of playing in the MLS full-time.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH:

The Red Bulls II had some younger exciting prospects that played in 2015 as well. US Youth International Tyler Adams played started 11 games with Red Bulls despite being only 16 years of age. Adams has played 23 times with the United States U-17 National Team and is playing at the 2015 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Chile. The Red Bulls also brought up some USSDA players such as Derrick Etienne, who scored three goals and three assists in 14 games and is now playing with Virginia in NCAA Division 1. Two other players to watch for the future are forwards Brian Saramago and Ethan Lochner, who after staring in USSDA made brief USL appearances as academy players during the 2015 USL season.

THE STATS:

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2015 Prospect XI USL Team Analysis – New York Red Bulls II