Important MLS Playoffs Match-Up: Sebastian Lletget vs. Dillon Powers
When the Los Angeles Galaxy play the Colorado Rapids tomorrow on Sunday, Dillon Powers and Sebastian Lletget are set to face off in the semifinals of the Western Conference of the 2016 MLS Playoffs, and this is an exciting duel for American soccer fans.
World Soccer Source has been high on Lletget and Powers for a few years now, and of the two, Lletget is the more exciting talent. Nevertheless, Powers is the type of complete midfielder that the United States didn’t have on the national team a decade ago.
It’s hard to see why these two don’t play for Jürgen Klinsmann on the national team yet, but the MLS Playoffs offer a chance for fans to see these two play in important games, and the two should motivate each other to raise their games.
Both Powers and Lletget have been played in basically every midfield position by their coaches, but one would have to say that Lletget is an attacking midfielder and Powers is a box-to-box midfielder. Lletget has more trickery and creativity than Powers, but Powers is a technical and creative player in his own right. Powers will shake people off the dribble, play skillful assists, and score. Using both feet to dribble, pass, and shoot is an often overlooked skill, but both of these midfielders use both feet well.
When the LA Galaxy face the Colorado Rapids, the Powers-Lletget matchup won’t be the main storyline or talking point, but this is what soccer fans and U.S. national team fans should focus on. This matchup will be a battle of two fairly young American midfielders who offer a glimpse of a more talented breed of American attacking midfielders. Although Powers was described as a box-to-box midfielder, he is also an attacking midfielder who hasn’t been mentioned when the media and fans discuss possible playmakers for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
If you want to look at the improvement and growth of American soccer, looking at these two midfielders is a great place to start. For a few decades now, Americans and non-Americans have been wondering when American soccer would really improve, and the fact that two complete midfielders like these are playing in MLS really showcases how the ability and soccer-mind of American players has noticeably improved.
It will be interesting to see if Lletget will look to turn on the creativity and individual trickery against Powers, and it will be interesting to see if Powers can wear Lletget out in the midfield. Based on this season’s play, we should see Powers displaying more skill than he gets credit for, and we should see Lletget show that he can run hard for the entire game.
Sacha Kljestan once tweeted to Klinsmann, “Are you even watching?” Obviously, he is watching, but maybe there are more American skill players out there than he will acknowledge.