ECNL North Carolina-U17 Top Attackers

The ECNL North Carolina event provided us with a plethora of talent from across the country. At the U-17 level, also known as the 2008 level, there were a total of 68 teams. With so many teams from the entire country, the talent attacking talent shone. Many players impressed with their abilities in the short event. However, from a long list of impressive talents, the following impressed the most.    Alessandra is a left winger who imposes herself in the final third regardless of whether she has the ball or not. A welcome, unexpected, and wonderful attribute she has is her tough tackling. Constantly going in for duels, she does not allow the opposing right-back to play a forward pass. Given this virtue, she allows for her team to press high alongside her. If she doesn't recover the ball, her teammates will, thanks to her work in pressing. On the ball, she's just as talented. Her vision and execution of passes are unreal. Finding passes where many players don't even look, she's a constant headache for defenders. She proves this fact with her dribbles, which are always progressive and seeking to create danger.     Brooke is a left winger who dominates her flank all game long thanks to her technical and physical talent. A dribbler who outmuscles her marker, she proves to be a nearly impossible player to take the ball off of. She gets into one-on-one situations with opposing defenders where she knows she'll come out on top. This allows her to get into great positions to create danger near the goal. Her eye for goal, combined with her passes, makes her a threat all game long in the final third. Where most players wouldn't think to get a shot off, she does. Her passes look for players in dangerous positions, too. This is made all the more impressive with her crosses, which she can pull off with either foot.     Samantha is a right winger who takes the match to the opposing defence thanks to her technical ability. Her direct dribbling makes the opposing left-back uncomfortable, forcing them into making a decision in almost no time. Because of this, she knows how to beat them. Either by cutting inside or dribbling out wide, she skips past the confused defenders. If the play is quicker, she demonstrates the ability to execute a devastating change of direction. Beating her marker is not the only way she takes care of her flank, however. When the play calls for it, she drops back to offer a helping hand in defence.     Sophia is a wonderful striker talent who makes the opposing center-backs' work difficult. Skillful and agile, she makes sure that even if they do try to press her, she'll leave them behind her. Even when she's in tight spaces, she finds a way to maneuver out. This allows her to open spaces up, creating opportunities for either her or her team. If she's going to take the chance herself, she has a powerful shot that makes the goalkeeper have to spring into action. If she's not going to be the one finishing the chance, she's going to look for someone who can make that happen. Her link-up play allows for the ball to move more fluidly in the final third. This allows for her to create big chances, or lay it off for someone who is in a better position to do so.     Amanda is a striker whose function in her team's attack is to serve more of a "false 9" role. She is the sole striker for her team, but doesn't necessarily stick to the role. Thanks to her technical ability, this is a tactical decision that proves to be extremely effective. Her ability to retain the ball to wait for her team to move forward is remarkable. Constantly dragging center-backs out of their position while runners get into the space makes her a fantastic team player. She always looks to play within the channels when possible, but she'll also open up the play out wide. If she's the one who is tasked with finishing an attack, she'll do so great, too. She'll clear her path, getting into the box to get shots off. Her shots hit the target more often than not as well.

The ECNL North Carolina event provided us with a plethora of talent from across the country. At the U-17 level, also known as the 2008 level, there were a total of 68 teams. With so many teams from the entire country, the talent attacking talent shone. Many players impressed with their abilities in the short event. However, from a long list of impressive talents, the following impressed the most.