Is Jonathan Klinsmann the Right Goalkeeper for the U20s?

Early Monday morning, the U20s kicked off their World Cup run with a dramatic 3-3 tie, leaning heavily on a 94th minute volley from Luca de la Torre. Despite the late game heroics, many pointed to Jonathan Klinsmann as the weak link of the team after conceding three goals. (Read BigSoccer's game day thread to hear fans go from awe to disgust in a matter of seconds.) There are many fans calling for Klinsmann's benching, while some seem to have been harboring their displeasure with the goalkeeper for some time.

Let's take a closer look at his performance before we dive into who should be the starting goalkeeper.

 

First Goal

You know a situation is bad when your main defender is in the process of starting his first of two somersaults. It's a tricky situation for Klinsmann because if he stays home, maybe he should have gone and vice versa. In these situations, the decision comes second to the execution. There's a right and wrong way to attack and there's a right and wrong way to stay back. It's not realistic to expect goalkeepers to know how everything is going to play out on 1v1s. Ultimately, they must make a decision and execute it as best they can.

Klinsmann decides to step to the ball and his approach is originally thought out well. He steps to the striker (second picture) as a touch on the ball is made, which is the exact time a goalkeeper should step. The longest amount of time a striker has before touching the ball is right after his preceding touch. The longer a goalkeeper waits to step after a touch, the closer the striker is to his next touch.

Building off the earlier point, Klinsmann's final execution is lacking. He makes up his mind very early to throw out a studs up one-footed tackle for an attacker who is going across Klinsmann's body. If Klinsmann throws his hands out low to his left, there's a high probability he knocks the ball away.

Additionally, Klinsmann is asking for a red card here. When accessing a referee's call on a play, a goalkeeper must limit the possibility of what a referee could call against them. Klinsmann does not receive a card on the play (personally the correct call) but it's very easy to see how a referee would give a red card to Klinsmann. Perhaps the touch doesn't lead to an open teammate and the striker goes to ground. We've all seen referees award red cards for similar plays and Klinsmann doesn't protect himself with an exposed one-footed slide that gets close to a scissor tackle.

It's an undesirable situation, but Klinsmann doesn't help himself as much as he could. A hands-led tackle likely stops the first goal and keeps the scoreline level.

 

Second Goal

This is a great example of how 1v1 situations can be drastically different from one to the next. The Ecuadorian striker takes a long touch but because of the defender staying in the picture (despite ultimately losing out) Klinsmann doesn't have a clear road to attack the ball. If the defender were to have an opportunity to clear the ball but only receive a tackle from Klinsmann, the chaos could very well backfire on the American defense.

Klinsmann's decision to stay home isn't necessarily wrong, but his execution is problematic again. He creeps up on the play in order to be ready to pounce on an extra touch but inadvertently puts him in a version of "no man's land". He is too far forward to give himself time to react but not far enough forward to cut down the angle to any real value.

Even more concerning, Klinsmann's feet go cold at the exact wrong time. Notice in pictures 3-6 how slow he is to move. The ball is not struck far from his body (the bending shot hits close to the middle of the net) yet his feet's loss of movement stops him from moving his upper body in time.

His weight is also too far back. (Picture 4 looks like he's sitting in an invisible chair.) The only movement he can do is a hopeful leg thrown forward, which is entirely the wrong motion needed. His body falls backwards, into his weight.

I'd like to see Klinsmann stay a step back here to give himself more time to react but the bigger issue is his feet. If his heels rest on the play (aka "cold feet") he makes the play ten times harder on himself. His upper body can move quicker if his feet are ready to spring but he's cemented himself in place. For a shot not hit far away from his body, it's a play that a goalkeeper of Klinsmann's caliber should be able to do more on.

 

Breakaway Save

For a game that was 2-2 with only 30 minutes left in it, it's hard to be critical of any save. Klinsmann forces the shooter to a take a shot into his body and the US were let off the hook for bad defending. However there are some worrying signs on the play.

The offside trap fails, as always, because of one defender. Unfortunately Klinsmann gives no verbal warning of the sneaky striker and appears to have no idea he's even there. Notice how Klinsmann goes to collect a long through ball only to realize there is a perfectly timed striker heading towards goal. (Second picture, Klinsmann is correcting his wrong step with his right foot. The misstep is displayed better in video.)

It's a fine save, but Klinsmann needs to keep an eye on backside runs to limit chances on goal. A goalkeeper should look to be preventative when dealing with shots and only have to make the saves when previous attempts of communication have failed.

 

Third Goal

Finally we arrive at Klinsmann's worst mistake. Needless to say it's a mistake that Klinsmann will be criticized for some time and honestly there is no protection for Klinsmann here. Some may argue that he shouldn't receive the back pass or that his left back should have opened up more for him, but the error is solely on Klinsmann. Players constantly receive undesirable situations but their redemption is rooted in if they made the best with what they could. Klinsmann, in contrast, makes a bad situation even worse three times over.

First, Klinsmann's starting touch is across his body with right foot (second picture). The awkward trap loses time for Klinsmann and sends out a loud alarm to defending attackers that the goalkeeper can't play with his left foot. A confident left footed trap dissolves the situation, despite little help from his teammates.

Klinsmann's second mistake is found in his following touch. Recognizing that he has no realistic options and is surrounded by yellow shirts, he must place the ball into the stands. Even if this results in a corner kick for Ecuador, at the very least the US could set up to protect the goal. Instead, Klinsmann tries to take another touch to round the first defender to little success.

Lastly, after Klinsmann has gifted the ball back into the opposition's possession, he panics in retreating to the goal. There is no time for Klinsmann to achieve better positioning. He must stand his ground and do what he can from there. The seven or eight backwards steps transform Klinsmann into the equivalent of a traffic cone. The shot is not struck far from Klinsmann (see last pictures) and if he does not backpedal, or at least limits the number of steps he takes, he can likely make the save. 

Perhaps the most frustrating part, Klinsmann looks completely defeated after the goal. His teammates already know he has messed up - everyone in the stadium knows in - there is no need to confirm a sense of disappointment in the play. There will be plenty of time to feel sorry about the mistake after the game. In the middle of turmoil, a team needs their goalkeeper to get them back on track, not mope alongside them.

 

Who Should Start for the U20s?

In true USYNT-form, we're left with one seasoned goalkeeper and a handful of untested backups. JT Marcinkowski has seen one game with the U20s in a throw away match, so it's hard to say how he would perform. For those who have watched him at Georgetown, he's performed very well but it's not necessarily a 1-to-1 transition to the U20s.

Ultimately there is a lot of information fans don't have. How does the player chemistry differ from Klinsmann to Marcinkowski? How did Klinsmann respond to the team after the game? In the next practice? Was the US's third goal a rally from the team's respect for Klinsmann? Has Marcinkowski put himself in a position with the team to confidently take over the starting spot? What do the coaches know about the goalkeepers that we don't? There are several questions we just don't have the answers for.

There's a strong possibility Klinsmann will be benched for the second game, but calling for it is admittedly based off a slice of information. Perhaps the bigger problem is that Marcinkowski hasn't had the opportunity to show his value. If we're worried that Klinsmann won't give his teammates confidence in the back, Marcinkowski's lack of game time doesn't solve that problem.

Cody Cropper v. Mexico - 04.22.15

This is a write up of an old game I did for the now defunct blog, back in April of 2015. Some additions were made but for the most part, the writeup remains the same.

Like any good US soccer fan, I’ve been tracking the next great bald goalkeeper, Minnesota native Cody Cropper, for a couple of years. In 2013, I watched him make two bizarre blunders in one play against France in the Toulon tournament. Later I saw him struggle against Mexico in the 2013 U20 Championship and tried my best to ignore some late game extracurricular activities. When the U20 World Cup came, he displayed some impressive saves against Ghana but gave up some goals that were head scratchers. He then followed that game by conceding another four goals against Spain, tallying eight in the two first games. He returned to Southampton soon after, where he looked a step behind when they played Chelsea in a 4-1 loss. A year later Cropper opened up against the Brazil U23’s by gifting the opposition with a free goal in the very early minutes of the match. So needless to say, when I heard he played great against Mexico in the #tresacero match, I was anxious to watch the highlights.

Some great saves to stunt the Mexican attack but what can we learn from the outing? Let’s take a look at three plays in the game.

0:33 - Cropper correctly skips his eyes ahead on the cross and is ready for the header. The header never comes so he takes shorts strides with his feet in rhythm to set himself for the next shot. As the shot comes, his hands hiccup, a result of habitually throwing your hands forward and slightly upward as the shot comes. He gets down for the save - a very good one at that - but the redirection in hand movement is not ideal. Goalkeepers should look to minimize excessive movement as much as they can as this is a good example of it.

3:15 - This play is similar in execution as the early save but with opposite implications. Watch as his hands go from thighs-to-textbook position (in front, holding an invisible ball) and then back to his thighs. While this would technically count as “excessive movement”, the reason he is doing this is, most likely, because he is trying to break a bad habit and start a good one. Ideally, the hands are in front for the pre-shot set so he only has to move his arms to make the save, not his arms and hands. His alternating between right and wrong shows their is a mental battle going on to be keen on correct technique. The resulting save has nothing to do with his hands, but it’s still a very good sign for development. However, the other thing to note on the play is that he hardly gets off the ground to make the save. This is a result of diving with just your upper body and lacking, in this case, and shuffle and a spring.

3:55 - An excessive high line on crossing situations causes more problems than solves them and we see Cropper backpedal to the goal to find the correct position. The scramble in the box pulls and hesitates Cropper, an expected movement given the circumstance. The bouncing ball is redirected by a head and the goalkeeper’s best attribute comes into action: strength. He dives, not falls, with one leg to keep the shutout. Is it correct technique? Definitely not. His right leg should not collapse on such a wide shut. But is it a phenomenal save that he can build off of? Absolutely if he is mindful of working on his technique.

 

The US U20s and U17s have historically struggled to field goalkeepers that go on to have successful careers. The USYNTs rely on pure athleticism to hold down the fort, which we have seen time and time again isn’t enough. The big question for Cropper now is where does he go from here? Optimism points to the fact that Cropper, still only 22, has years to develop and is clearly improving in a multitude of ways. The flip side is doubtful that he can successfully adhere to correct technique and not solely rely on his strength. Still, the hope that a bald man starts for the USMNT is a strong possibility for now.

 

Update: Cropper has signed with the New England Revolution after being released by MK Dons, where he had a polarizing time for fans. Some ups and some downs, both seen below.

Understanding Breakaways in MLS

It seems like every weekend we catch a goalkeeper getting scored on in a 1v1 situation only to hear the commentator describe the play as "nothing he could do". For most, a goalkeeper that saves a breakaway attempt has done the same as saving a penalty kick. However Gary Neville has a different standard for goalkeepers in 1v1s.

Video should start at 4:37

Neville's comments are from almost two years ago, so it's not exactly new information, not to mention he's citing goalkeepers that date back to the 1980s. While he does name the EPL's top goalkeepers of all-time when setting his standard for goalkeeping, he still makes an interesting point for goalkeepers: the advantage is on your side. Goalkeepers should be tell the strikers "you beat me" and not giving them an easy out.

When looking at MLS's "best saves", it's no secret that extension saves are valued so highly within the league. MLS lauds goalkeepers for their athleticism and ability for clawing saves out of the top corners. Unfortunately there is a shortage of appreciation for goalkeepers who compose themselves in 1v1s. What qualifies a "good" save in a 1v1 and what are some common mistakes? I don't have stats on 1v1 situations - and if someone does I'd be glad to list them here - but for the most part there are three problems we see with MLS goalkeepers in 1v1 situations.

Approach

There are several intricate details within a goalkeeper's approach (angle play, starting position, noticing striker tendencies, etc) but specifically we are covering a goalkeeper's strategy and ability to control the situation. The most common tactic for MLS goalkeepers is to rush out as fast as they can and slide through the ball before the striker can get a shot off. This aggressive strategy can work as it cuts down the angle and can even intimidate a striker but there are situations where patience and staying on their feet is the correct choice. Luis Robles made a fantastic save against Cyle Larin back in July.

Robles realizes he will not reach the ball before Larin, which is well outside the box. Robles uses negative movement - shuffling backwards towards his own goal - to control the the play for a few reasons. First, he gives himself room to go forward in his own box. If he sits a top of the box, he risks a handball outside the box. Second, the pressure is now on Larin, instead of Robles. Robles only has to get set and react. If Larin takes a big touch, the situation defuses. If Larin tries to round Robles, a defender likely spoils the attempt for Larin. Robles also helps himself on saving the possible chip (by being able to continue going backwards if Larin decides to try it) but also removes the likelihood of a chip, which is typically seen as a last ditch effort by a striker. If Robles rushes out or tries to cut down the angle here, he only hurts himself in this situation. He makes the correct decision and ends up with the save, something most MLS goalkeepers would struggle with doing.

Let's look at a time when rushing out wasn't the preferred choice.

Video should start at 0:20

Blake notices the obvious pass to Kaka, who is running into the middle of the 18, and tries to surprise Kaka by running out quickly. Kaka has his head originally turned away from goal and could be shocked by this if he was not Brazilian. Instead, Kaka takes a great turn on the ball. As Kaka notices Blake charging out, he starts to round him with his next touch. Blake throws on the brakes as quick as he can but ends up tripping Kaka and drawing the penalty. While you could argue that Kaka goes down easy, the problem from the goalkeeper's part is that Blake is out of control and hasn't assessed the situation correctly. There are three defenders in the area and Blake is by no means guaranteed the ball. For someone who is so good at extension saves, it would make sense for Blake to sit out of this one and try his hand with the shot from distance. If Blake shows a little more patience, he has a much greater chance of saving the shot.

Some more examples of this, if you're looking for them:

Timing

The second aspect of this is the reaction time of the goalkeeper. This is less about reflexes and more about being set, although both play a role. The previous point looking at the approach of a goalkeeper is centered around the mental game plan while this is referring to the physical preparation. Sometimes 1v1 saves incorporate both of these aspects. Sometimes only one, depending on the situation.

One of the easiest goalkeepers to beat is a moving goalkeeper. If they're carelessly charging forward or are just moving for moving's sake, there are a variety of options for a striker to put the ball in the back of the net. A good example of this can be found back in July, on Josh Saunders' first two conceded goals against New York Red Bulls. Highlights here or click on the pictures for a closer look.

On the first goal, Saunders is caught out of rhythm on the play. The shot is taken as he moves forward vertically, leaving him in the dust. While he is cutting down the angle by moving forward, he is doing so at the risk of not being able to break out horizontally, which is what the shot calls for. He never gets set and instead ends up flapping his limbs at a ball that really isn't that far from his body. As he is moving forward, he is alternating his weight on each step. This is fine as long as there is a final set position that evenly balances out his weight so he can step out or at least fall to one side. Instead, the shot is taken when Saunders is stepping forward with his left foot, which is why it ends up oddly in the air. If he limits his steps forward and gets set, he can make this save.

The second goal is not a 1v1 situation, but I wanted to highlight the problem of not being set or in rhythm with the shot. The header is taken about eight yards from goal but the screen shot is when Saunders finally gets his right foot planted. The ball is now 3-4 yards from goal and Saunders not only can't move in time, but is the recipient of the rarely seen dial up internet joke.

To be clear, there are times to sprint to attack the ball. If the striker is out of control or is close enough to goal, a goalkeeper needs to attack the ball. But there are also situations when a goalkeeper needs to stay on their feet. An incorrect, aggressive sprint at the ball causes two problems. First, the goalkeeper will put themselves in a bad situation that can lead to a penalty kick, a chip shot that easily trickles in, or to giving up a more favorable position in exchange for a less favorable. The movement needs to control the situation as much as possible, not result in conceding ground. Second, the excessive movement negates reactions and turns the goalkeeper into a moving wall. If the ball is not struck into it, the goalkeeper cannot extend out to make the save in time because he is moving so much.

Typically when a goalkeeper is moving too much, it is when he is running at the striker but goalkeepers can be moving too much laterally as well. The same principle applies that if a goalkeeper is moving too much to the side, he cannot get set for the shot. Frei falls victim of having too much lateral movement against Portland in July. He is crossing the goal mouth to get in the ideal spot for the shot, but he is so out of control that a skipped ball not far from the middle of the goal is unsaveable. If he controls his movement, he can cover both posts of goal more efficiently.

 

Body Shape

Goalkeeper guru Justin Bryant steps in to write about a goalkeeper's body shape to give us a historical perspective and observe the finer details of a proper slide. He writes the first three paragraphs while I provide an example to watch. Feel free to tweet at Justin with all your goalkeeper questions.

The common 1v1 goalkeeper tackle

The common 1v1 goalkeeper tackle

Bill Hamid with the spread leg Spanish K approach

Bill Hamid with the spread leg Spanish K approach

Goalkeeper body shape when dealing with 1v1 situations has undergone a dramatic evolution in the last decade-plus. A generation ago, most goalkeepers handled almost every 1v1 situation the same way: with a hands-first dive, in an attempt to smother, block, or claim the ball off the foot of an attacker. This can still be an effective technique when the attacker has taken a poor touch and the ball is there to be won; but when facing a composed opponent with the ball under control, it presents a very low barrier to the attacker, one which good players have little difficulty beating with a simple dink or chip. It also carries the significant risk of giving away a penalty if the goalkeeper fails to get a touch on the ball (although the recent change in the law means this is no longer an automatic sending-off). For me, the chief drawback is that it commits the goalkeeper to a single course of action, with no possibility to adjust, should the attacker take an extra touch or change direction.
 
In the 2000s, a generation of Spanish and Portuguese goalkeepers began popularizing a new way to handle 1v1s. The goalkeeper stays on their feet, advancing with small but fast steps, keeping the upper body upright while dropping the lower body close to the ground, with the hands in a blocking position to either side of the body. This technique, which originated in futsal, goes by various names, but I call it the Spanish K Barrier. Some call it the Starfish, but to me, this refers to the technique contrived by Peter Schmeichel when facing a point-blank shot: jumping and spreading all four limbs equally. This can be effective, too - Peter’s son Kasper does it well today, as does Joe Hart - but, again, it’s best used in point-blank shot situations, not when an attacker is advancing on goal with the ball under control.
 
The K Barrier’s two main advantages over the hands-first slide are that it presents a physically larger barrier to the attacker, and it gives the goalkeeper a chance to keep adjusting and improvising in the event the attacker tries to dribble, or the situation changes. By dropping the lower body but keeping the upper body upright, you take away the option of the easy chip/dink finish. A technique which keeps you on your feet also makes it far less likely you will give away a penalty, since there is no single ‘all or nothing’ moment of commitment, as there is with the hands-first slide. But it’s the ability to adjust, to improvise, and to ‘battle’ the attacker which makes makes me favor this technique. A goalkeeper who can use their feet to close space with the attacker, but keep enough distance between them to be an effective barrier and be able to react to a shot, all while remaining upright, is going to have an excellent success rate with 1v1s.

Bill Hamid and Steve Clark are MLS's largest proponents of the K Barrier. Here is Clark implementing the slide.

Clark does a wonderful job of avoiding any of the three common mistakes listed earlier. He reads the play well, seeing the striker is not going to hit it first time and will instead take a lengthy windup. Clark's movement is quick and in time with the shot. If the shooter is looking to round Clark or lay off, Clark can adjust as need be. The situation is lined up well for the goalkeeper to come straight at the ball and Clark makes the correct save on the play.

 

Conclusion

Most goals that are scored on a goalkeeper are ones they can do nothing about. They can be outnumbered in a counter, their defense can give up possession in a poor territory, a striker can make a phenomenal shot. The examples go on and on. But in the realm of breakaway situations, goalkeepers are actually empowered a great deal. It truly is a 1v1 and both sides have a their chance of executing their task. The goalkeeper actually has the benefit of not needing to make a save. They can force the shooter wide or stall out the play for added defenders. Every situation is different but for the most part, Gary Neville is right that elite goalkeepers should make more saves than concede goals. Tim Howard - USA's best 1v1 goalkeeper ever - was excellent at reading plays and knowing when to strike and when to hold his ground. It was not happenstance he reached this point. He simply was very intentional in beating the striker in the scenario.

“I’ve got quite a simple theory on 1-on-1s, a goalkeeper should save seven or eight out of ten. The idea that every 1-on-1 that goes in the back of your net... we never hear someone say “it’s a goalkeeper error.” We always say “defenders let him run.” Oh course it’s a goalkeeping error, her should save the majority of them. The best goalkeepers, Schmeichel, van der Sar, Seaman, Neuer, save the majority of their 1-on-1s.”
— Gary Neville

MLS goalkeepers, fans, and media alike are far too comfortable defaulting a 1v1 to the striker's favor. There are several factors that are in play that a goalkeeper can do to help his situation. A number of goals are too soft for goalkeepers, despite having no defenders in the surrounding area. Yes, breakaways are not ideal and the blame mostly goes to a defensive lapse, but a main component of a goalkeeper's job is being prepared in these scenarios. If the goalkeeper - or fan, or writer - is simply hoping the play just happens to work out in the goalkeeper's favor, they are not giving the goalkeeper enough responsibility for the outcome.

Santiago Castaño: Outstanding or Overrated?

Everybody Soccer is back with a second edition of "outstanding or overrated" after reviewing Bill Hamid's approach earlier this year. I had trouble thinking of a new title so here we are. Now it's a reoccurring theme.

Santiago Castaño is likely best known to US fans for his last minute switching to Colombia, just ahead of the 2015 U20 World Cup. Castaño had spent much time with the US's U20 program, predominantly as the backup to Zack Steffen. Even though he attended a Colombian camp ahead of the announcement, several fans were still shocked to hear his change of mind when he basically had a ticket punched to the 2015 U20 World Cup with the US. Even more confusing, he would not make the roster for Colombia and ended up being left at home by both countries. For more information about Castaño's switch, read this translated interview with Facundo Trotta.

Outside of the international stage, Castaño spent this year with New York Red Bulls II, earning twenty starts in the regular season and a trip to the quarterfinals, where they lost 2-0 to the eventual champions. Let's take a closer look at this last season to break down his strengths and weaknesses. US Prospects was kind enough to have made a highlight video for the Colombian-American goalkeeper back in April.

Strengths

Castaño possess a fierce mindset as well as quick reactions and above average distribution. He is not afraid to attack on a 1v1. He showcases an above average side volley and good throws from his hands. He strongly favors his left foot in kicking and generally knows how to locate a teammate in a positive space. He has good experience on the youth international stage and skipped the college route to join the New York Red Bulls, a system that has done good job of developing young goalkeepers.

Weaknesses

There are quite a few worrying issues with Castaño's play. First, while he is listed as 6'2", he most definitely is not. 

On the left, he is walking away form Mike da Font (6'0.5"). On the right, he is standing next to Konrad Plewa (6’3”) and Colin Heffron (6'0") is the blonde player the next one down. Castaño is most definitely not over six feet tall and could possibly be 5'11". Yes, you can be a short goalkeeper and become a professional, but there is a reason why there are more goalkeepers taller than six feet instead of shorter.

Additionally, Castaño does not display the explosiveness you'd like to see from a short goalkeeper. In the 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh, he concedes three goals that all could have been saved had he had more explosiveness in his spring.

On the opening laser, he can only rotate for the shot he is clearly unprepared for. Notice how his right leg is receiving much more spring than his left. His left knee doesn't move that far vertically and the right leg is recoiling more from the power. The overpowering motion from his back leg gives Castaño's body movement a teeter effect (as seen with how high his right left comes off the ground). The movement is similar to goalkeeping great Oliver Kahn, although not unique to the German, but Kahn pushed off equally with each foot to create the needed lift that comes with getting his body so parallel to the ground. (I wrote more about Kahn's technique here.) The next two goals are within Castaño's grasp but the dive doesn't come from a bigger issue.

I have not been quiet on my distaste of Howard's wide stance and Castaño gives us another example why it's not a good idea. His set position, one that is routinely slow and late to occur, is employing a wide stance that does not allow him to step towards the ball when it is shot unless he rearranges his feet, which happened on the first goal when he stepped away from the ball with his lead foot.

It's a huge jump to get set and when he finally does, the ball is half way to him and his feet are too wide for him to step towards the ball. All he can do is roll backwards, which is what he does. If he is in time with the shot and in a position to actually move towards the ball, he can make the save instead of stare at the ball hitting the net. A very similar situation happens on the next goal.

There's more to say about Castaño. His wide stance kills his lateral movement and his post-to-post time is slow. He opens up his five-hole too much. (He's megged in the Wilmington game, video above, as well as Richmond fairly easily.) He is on his heels far too often. His 1v1 approach is wild and not intended to play percentages while utilizing some hybrid of a crab stance while he waits for players to get closer (see red card in Wilmington game). He's not particularly great in the air. He also is very reluctant to use his right foot for distribution.

Conclusion

Cody Cropper has shown us how hard it is to develop with bad mechanics. Can it be done? Sure, but it's not likely. For Castaño to continue to grow, he needs to revamp his entire approach to the game. His time with the USYNT means nothing. Several goalkeepers have gone through the USYNT scene only to amount to journeymen backups and that's the path Castaño is on if something doesn't change soon. While twenty sounds young, he has been playing a certain way for some time now. He is becoming less moldable and some of his peers - sophomores in college - are already ahead of him.