TOP TEN 08’ BOYS TEAMS

Liverpool Dad, you will have to try a little harder to get a rise out of me. It’s just soccer so nothing to get emotional about. It is what it is. Teams win, lose, or draw, and their records speak for themselves. Liverpool Heighway is a good team. But they are somewhat “new” to the scene, so i can’t put them above the Kicks just yet. And for the record, I am not a Kicks parent. But I do respect what they have accomplished as an independent club.

Liverpool Heighway have been around for a long time...just under a different name. They used to be Ayses Gold Foster.

Maybe so, but neither team(Ayses/Liverpool) were ever in the top 10 conversation until recently.

Top 5 Teams -

1 - Solar Mckinney - has been together for years. Deepest team in the bracket.

2 - Kicks Black - Very Strong all around team. Not the most consistent, but definitely one of the most talented.

3 - Liverpool Heighway - Another strong team. Spent most of their time playing up for at least a year before the qualifiers. Should finish top 4.

4 - Allegiance 08 Black - Good showing since king tut. Best Coach in the bracket IMO.

5 - FCD Suares or North - Lots of changes in those rosters. Time will tell.

Texans Dallas, Texans red, Solar east are not nearly as strong as they used to be.
The rest of the league is still "unknown". Lots of soccer to be played.

1a2b3c. I like your picks overall. However, I still think colleyville evolution ends up finishing top 5 when it’s all said and done. They have had the hardest fall schedule so far having to play kicks, Solar, and Atletico espanyol. And how they have to play FCD Suarez this weekend. I think evo has a chance of beating fcd and turning their season around. Game of the week will be allegiance vs Liverpool. I’m going to give Liverpool my pick. What does everyone else think?

Agree... Top 2 look pretty clear... McKinney & Kicks... didn’t lose many players, both current year record and history consistently support.
Liverpool Heighway - Being a finalist at Plano labor have earned next slot in the discussion. After that, it is pretty easy to poke holes in most every other team’s body of work this year.
Based on record alone, I’d say Rayo’s earned a spot in the conversation despite being in the lowly d2. One loss to Liverpool and another 1-0 loss to Texans Starvou in their last 11 games while reaching semis at Labor Day tournament is much more impressive that beating up on the lower half of d1 teams.
For teams 4 - 10... It is easy to support or rebute any argument... parity at it finest until more is known. While some are anointing teams with as little as 3 wins in their last 10 or 11 games as a top team or alternatively, teams with a body of work of 6 - 7 games, even though they have yet to run into a top team.
Unless someone takes down a top 2-3 team or continues to consistently beat good teams... It is laughable to think there is anything close to a clear top ten.

Completely agree that the top game this weekend is Allegiance vs Liverpool, and also give the edge to Liverpool. Liverpool plays a lot of "kick ball" and can create advantageous matchups up top to beat slower teams, bolstered by their solid defensive back line. My prediction, Liverpool wins handily, but they give up their first goal of the year. Based off of the message board Allegiance is still putting their team together, so its still yet to be seen how they play against top talent.  

I do not envy Colleyville's start to the season, they have been run through the gauntlet of top teams, better days are indeed ahead for them as their team starts to gel. They never quit, I see them as a top 5 team in the end.  

Seed's Current Top 5

1) Solar McKinney - Speed, spacing, they will pass you to death, get ready to run

2) Liverpool Heighway - Killing teams, very confident right now, great start to their CL season

3) FC Dallas Suarez - Started off slow, but picking it up. Great speed, and defense, a hard out for any team

4) Dallas Kicks Black - Winning games but not in impressive fashion - Gave up 5 goals to a team Liverpool shut out

5) Allegiance 08 Black - Easier start to the season (toughest game against FCD West Gonzalez) and have not impressed. They are going to have to step it up to stay in the top 5.

6th Man

FCD 08 Molina - 3 wins to start the season including one over Solar Juliao who is playing very well right now. Wont be tested this weekend.

I agree with Seed about Liverpool they play kick ball and struggle against teams like Solar McKinney that can take the long ball away. From that highlight video I watched from Allegiance they are a ball control team. Im going to fade the public and take Allegiance +1 and on the moneyline -190 for a 3-2 win.

I’m ready to make a ranking:
1. Solar McKinney. They are strong at every spot take one kid away another will beat you.
2. Liverpool H. They play solid D and that will keep them in games but will struggle against teams that can win the long ball.
3.Kicks they are solid, but the 2 times I watched them it was like I watched 2 different teams.
4. FCD Suarez. They play excellent D. with 4 in the back I just don’t see them scoring a lot of goals against the top teams like that.

I think Colleyville should be in the Conversation. They are a solid team from what I’ve seen that has had a very tough schedule. The big problem Colleyville is they do not have many goals in them.

1 Solar McKinney
2 Liverpool H
3 Kick Black
4. Fcd Suarez
5 Alligiance Black
I can say FC dallas ETX should be number 6
Rayos should be on D1 but Rayos Play against Dallas Texans red west last weekend and they have really a hard time beating them and they are not a top team. I only saw 3 good kids with rayos.

Solar McKinney and the Dallas Kicks are the top teams in D1. Both teams are experienced and consistent clearly the top 2 teams. Filling out the top 3-10 spots is impossible. There are teams in my opinion that are on their way to becoming a top team. Here are some teams to watch in D1.

Liverpool Heighway, they are off to great start however playing kick ball will only get you so far
Colleyville Evolution, they have some very athletic and talented players and good coaching.
Athletico, talented team, experienced good coaching
FC Dallas Thronber, talented team athletic players and excellent coaching
Allegiance Black, talented players, great coaching focused on ball control
Dallas Texans Stavrou, excellent coaching look for them to improve over the season
FC Dallas Suarez, experienced talented players and good coaching
FC Dallas Molina, talented, athletic and physical team good coaching

These are not in any order, just the teams that I believe are showing the potential to be great.

It's interesting that so many are saying Liverpool plays "kickball". We have a friend on the team and have seen them play plenty of times...I would not call their style kickball at all. All of the games we have seen, they played with very controlled passing and team work. I don't have an 08 boy, so I can't really compare to anyone else but I don't think kickball is their style at all.

melashbrew wrote:It's interesting that so many are saying Liverpool plays "kickball". We have a friend on the team and have seen them play plenty of times...I would not call their style kickball at all. All of the games we have seen, they played with very controlled passing and team work. I don't have an 08 boy, so I can't really compare to anyone else but I don't think kickball is their style at all.

I agree with you. They do not play kick ball. Maybe they used to, but that is no longer the case.

When it comes to controlled passing the entire game, there are very few teams actually doing it.

1 - Allegiance Black - if they pass as well as their 07s, no one even comes close.

2 - Solar Mckinney - They do a good job of passing the ball. They are better team than Allegiance 08, not sure they're as good at passing.

3 - Liverpool - My 08 BB recently played against them. Our team is not as good, but they can certainly pass the ball.

4 - FC Dallas ETX - They pass the ball very well too.

Other than those teams we haven't played a team that passes the ball much.

Let's see what happens when Allegiance plays an athletic pressuring team. I am not taking anything away from recent opponents, but I have seen them struggle with pressure. We will see how it goes when the match up against Kicks Black or McKinney. Allegiance is a very well coached team with some really talented individuals, but I would drop them down to number 3 or 4 on your ball control list. I have seen Solar McKinney thrive against athletic teams applying pressure. You can rattle their defenders from time to time, but their starting midfielders and forward are really solid. They are the best ball control 08 (non-DA) team I have seen.

I saw Liverpool Heighway play in the spring when they were Ayses and they never put together more than 2 passes. They would launch the ball downfield toward their forwards. I haven't seen them play over the summer or this fall yet. Ball control soccer is very hard and the only team I see in D1 that is totally committed to that style is Allegiance.

I've watched a good amount of Liverpool games (King Tut, Qualifying, Labor Day) and it doesn't look like it has changed much. They rarely play the ball out of the back, its mostly the big leg on the back line taking the goal kicks, sending it far down field. The goalie mainly plays the ball far up the field when he gets the chance to touch it. It might not look that way in CL so far because the games have not been competitive, only time will tell.

I think we need to see more from Allegiance to put them anywhere near the top of any category. 1-1-1 in qualifying, no tourney wins in a competitive bracket or tournament, some big 3 or 4 goal losses, it seems like a stretch to me right now. If the 08 team passed as well as their 07 team they wouldn't have given up 3 goals to an 09 team in Summer Splash, we need to be objective. No disrespect to Allegiance, they are a very good team, and Pedro always gets the most out of his kids, but there is a clear delineation between the top teams and the second level.

Im praying for no rain this weekend, so we can see these two teams play, unfortunately I think I used all my capital last weekend.

If anyone saw Manchester City vs. Solar McKinney in Iber Cup in the Spring... Solar lost 3-2, however, both teams played beautifully.  City was all lateral passes, looking for opportunities, diagonal balls and making full use of the pitch... while Solar lived up to their competitors, hung in the entire game and were very impressive.

After that game, I turned around to the next field and watched two other "top" teams play in pretty much the semifinals with most current DA kids and it was ugly long ball fest.  Yes, ugly long-ball won D1 for the '07's last year. The '08s, just by expansion of '07 DA, has to be the most poached there has been and therefore, a lot of mediocrity for the most part.  This year looks to be another rat race to DA and teams that sacrifice smart soccer for long balls for wins will eventually get caught up to.

Not to name any names... but of last year's top teams, one lost their heart and sole Striker, another lost their Striker, Winger and CM, yet another, their two footed Striker and the best team in the country completely jumped ship.

I say this out of a little bias, but best 5 D2 and some outside classic league, when given time and competition, will prove to be on the same level as the Allegiance's, Evolution's, Juliao's, and the various other Solar/Texans/FC Dallas teams.

FCForça wrote: Not to name any names... but of last year's top teams, one lost their heart and sole Striker, another lost their Striker, Winger and CM, yet another, their two footed Striker and the best team in the country completely jumped ship.

Nice post FCForca. There was also a 2nd “Top 5” 08’ team in the area that changed clubs and “jumped ship” to DA. They were based out of the “south”.

FCForça wrote:If anyone saw Manchester City vs. Solar McKinney in Iber Cup in the Spring... Solar lost 3-2, however, both teams played beautifully.  City was all lateral passes, looking for opportunities, diagonal balls and making full use of the pitch... while Solar lived up to their competitors, hung in the entire game and were very impressive.

After that game, I turned around to the next field and watched two other "top" teams play in pretty much the semifinals with most current DA kids and it was ugly long ball fest.  Yes, ugly long-ball won D1 for the '07's last year. The '08s, just by expansion of '07 DA, has to be the most poached there has been and therefore, a lot of mediocrity for the most part.  This year looks to be another rat race to DA and teams that sacrifice smart soccer for long balls for wins will eventually get caught up to.

Not to name any names... but of last year's top teams, one lost their heart and sole Striker, another lost their Striker, Winger and CM, yet another, their two footed Striker and the best team in the country completely jumped ship.  

I say this out of a little bias, but best 5 D2 and some outside classic league, when given time and competition, will prove to be on the same level as the Allegiance's, Evolution's, Juliao's, and the various other Solar/Texans/FC Dallas teams.

Don't forget most of the kids on the City team were 09's...

Wrong. Most of those players on ManCity were 08’s they had 2 09’s on the team. I know personally from speaking with numerous man city parents after one of the games

Miyagi, you are correct about the South team that went DA. It was interesting to see them leave for DA when they hadn’t even topped the 08 division. I don’t believe they won any major tournaments and they lost numerous times to solar McKinney and Dallas kicks in the months prior to July. They did make it to the final of iber Cup.... although they hardly put up a fight against man city. The real final of that tournament was man city vs solar McKinney...it was a great atmosphere as the field was surrounded with spectators

Ntxsoccerfan08 wrote:Miyagi, you are correct about the South team that went DA. It was interesting to see them leave for DA when they hadn’t even topped the 08 division. I don’t believe they won any major tournaments and they lost numerous times to solar McKinney and Dallas kicks in the months prior to July. They did make it to the final of iber Cup.... although they hardly put up a fight against man city. The real final of that tournament was man city vs solar McKinney...it was a great atmosphere as the field was surrounded with spectators

I was shocked as well when I heard that whole “south” team was jumping up to DA. But I guess with the void of 22+ DA roster spots needing to be filled in a hurry, their “new” club did what they had to do. In defense of the “South” team, they did finish as the top team in their JR Classic League bracket last season.

I just don’t get the hurry to jump to DA. With the exception of the old PSG, which was the clear top team in the country, no other 08 team really had any business in DA. I don’t mean that in a “can’t compete” way, but more of a “they need a lot more time to develop way”. But as you said, there were roster spots to fill so some 08 parents jumped at the chance. I wonder what the play is next year. Will those 08 DA players move down to their respective 08 DA teams or will they remain with the 07 DA teams and continue to play up a year?

I believe that most of the 08’ kids playing DA this season are actually playing on the “B teams” this year. Based on their individual performance’s this season and tryouts during the pre season for next year, will dertermine their placement for next seasons DA roster; Whether that be to continue to play up with the 07’s, or moved back to an age pure team. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Ntxsoccerfan08 wrote:Wrong. Most of those players on ManCity were 08’s they had 2 09’s on the team. I know personally from speaking with numerous man city parents after one of the games

Miyagi, you are correct about the South team that went DA. It was interesting to see them leave for DA when they hadn’t even topped the 08 division. I don’t believe they won any major tournaments and they lost numerous times to solar McKinney and Dallas kicks in the months prior to July. They did make it to the final of iber Cup.... although they hardly put up a fight against man city. The real final of that tournament was man city vs solar McKinney...it was a great atmosphere as the field was surrounded with spectators

it was reversed...More 09's than the 08's. You could tell by just looking at them. Plus I was speaking to one of the coaches during the game before the Solar game...But if it makes you feel better that a North Texas team was close with Man City...Go ahead....It was a good game though.

Nice balotelli. But again you are wrong. They were mostly 08’s. The previous year some of them played with the07 age group when they were actually younger. This last iber cup man city squad was mostly 08’s. I think you may have been talking to one of the 5 water boys/trainers they brought and not an actual coach But either way you are right, a north Texas team played a very good game against them everyone here seems to agree with that regardless of you trying to take away from it. This is a NORTH TEXAS SOCCER FORUM, so I think everyone is right to acknowledge the great job a north Texas team did against a man city team confirmed to have mostly 08’s on their roster

Balotelli45 wrote:

FCForça wrote:If anyone saw Manchester City vs. Solar McKinney in Iber Cup in the Spring... Solar lost 3-2, however, both teams played beautifully.  City was all lateral passes, looking for opportunities, diagonal balls and making full use of the pitch... while Solar lived up to their competitors, hung in the entire game and were very impressive.

After that game, I turned around to the next field and watched two other "top" teams play in pretty much the semifinals with most current DA kids and it was ugly long ball fest.  Yes, ugly long-ball won D1 for the '07's last year. The '08s, just by expansion of '07 DA, has to be the most poached there has been and therefore, a lot of mediocrity for the most part.  This year looks to be another rat race to DA and teams that sacrifice smart soccer for long balls for wins will eventually get caught up to.

Not to name any names... but of last year's top teams, one lost their heart and sole Striker, another lost their Striker, Winger and CM, yet another, their two footed Striker and the best team in the country completely jumped ship.  

I say this out of a little bias, but best 5 D2 and some outside classic league, when given time and competition, will prove to be on the same level as the Allegiance's, Evolution's, Juliao's, and the various other Solar/Texans/FC Dallas teams.

Don't forget most of the kids on the City team were 09's...

Geez Balotelli, what do you have against Solar McKinney? Did they beat up on your kids team or something? Looks like members on here were complimenting the performance they put forth against Man City and there you go trying to take away from it somehow. If you re read the post, the point FC Forca was trying to make was that there was a huge difference between the way Solar plays and the way other "top teams" in North Texas play. It had nothing to do with actually comparing Solar to one of the biggest clubs in International Footbal. Its actually quite comical that you felt the need to somehow take away from the great accomplishment of a local team