Fansided

Every MLS teams’ best player aged 20 or under

By Harrison Hamm

May 20, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United forward Andrew Carleton (30) runs on the field against the Houston Dynamo in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United forward Andrew Carleton (30) runs on the field against the Houston Dynamo in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 11, 2017; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact midfielder Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla (13) plays the ball and Seattle Sounders defender Joevin Jones (33) defends during the second half at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact midfielder Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla (13) plays the ball and Seattle Sounders defender Joevin Jones (33) defends during the second half at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /

Montreal Impact: Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla

The Impact have consistently been one of the older teams in MLS; the starting XI they almost exclusively deployed last year in the playoffs and this year included mostly over-30 players. They rely on 32-year-old Ignacio Piatti and 31-year-old Blerim Dzemaili for a lot of their offensive production, and 31-year-old center-back Laurent Ciman is their defensive leader. Marco Donadel and Hernan Bernadello (34 and 30) start in midfield.

Progress has been made, though, starting with 2016 draft pick Kyle Fisher’s increased minutes in central defense. They have a squadron of French Canadian Homegrowns waiting in the wings, like backup goalkeeper and future Canadian national teamer Maxime Crepeau and 20-year-old midfielder David Choiniere. Anthony Jackson-Hamel has become a goalscoring machine off the bench as well.

But it’s 18-year-old attacker Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla who has gained the most trust from the coaching staff. He has 10 appearances this season, six of them starts, and has two goals and an assist. When Piatti spent time injured earlier this year, Tabla filled in admirably out on the wing. The Ivorian-born attacker also spent time in attacking midfield, gaining freedom to move in all of those positions.

He will continue to have a big role with the Impact in the future, as will Jackson-Hamel. The Impact’s decision to dissolve their USL franchise — FC Montreal, which they owned and operated — has been a success so far, as FCM drew very little attendance, and were consistently at the bottom of the USL’s attendance figures. Montreal now have a partnership with recent USL addition Ottawa Fury, who have taken multiple players on loan.

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