Look, a lot of these can feel like a sucker punch. Throwaway sentences from authors who are probably on a deadline and may not have even watched the game.
But – what’re you doing the job for if you don’t know what you’re talking about? It’s not for the pay.
So, semi-apologies to a man named Kyle Bonagura:
Though he’s still a long way from seeing the field in England, Slonina certainly has the talent to someday develop into the US No. 1. Is it possible by 2026? That seems like a stretch, but not outside the realm of possibility.
Gabriel Slonina, for the uninitiated, is arguably the hottest American goalkeeping prospect to come through the country since Tim Howard. That’s saying something, since GK is the only position the USA has consistently been able to send overseas in top leagues in the twenty-first century (a trend that’s changing before our eyes, as the USMNT talent pool becomes significantly deeper).
Three things here:
- Slonina was just scooped up by Chelsea. That’s the biggest move for an American GK since, again, Tim Howard. It is true that Slonina won’t start for Chelsea in the foreseeable future. Instead, he’ll be loaned out, like almost every other u21 on Chelsea’s books. I love Matt Turner (Arsenal) but he’s a 2.5th-stringer there who frequently fails to make the bench. He’s 28. Slonina is 18.
- I have to assume Kyle Bonagura writes about soccer primarily. As such – he should know that 18yo is mature enough for the pitch. This isn’t the NFL or even the NBA. Hockey comes closest for the speed of maturation of young players. Want to argue that goalies develop later? Sure. So how about 22yo – when the next World Cup will be played? Slonina is very, very much in play for 2026.
- The two men ahead of him on the 2022 WC depth chart, Turner and Steffen, are getting no PT for Arsenal and loaned out from Man City respectively. Odds are Turner is not the #2 for Arsenal next year. Steffen seems like a lock to be moved on in the next 18 months. This to say – the position is wide open.
This is almost certainly a lazy throwaway. “Oh he’s young – it may be a stretch to think he’s ready by 2026.” DON’T BE LAZY. He was on the fringes of the World Cup roster at 18. Given he was one of the best goalkeepers in the MLS at 18, it’s poor writing to say 2026 seems like a stretch.
First Take Forever 