Chivas USA's search for someone who can score and create goals has unearthed a real prospect, and now the Goats are figuring out whether they can afford him -- and whether he fits into the master plan.
Teen attacker Jason Banton, on trial the past week from Liverpool FC's youth academy, put on a show Sunday as Chivas' reserves toppled the L.A. Blues, 2-0, in a friendly at Home Depot Center's Track and Field Stadium.
He set up the first goal, hammering off the left post from a corner kick for defender Andy Boyens to finish, then scored the second, effortlessly beating Blues goalkeeper Oscar Dautt from a Victor Estupiñan through ball.
Can he play at the Major League Soccer level? Yes. Would Chivas like him on its roster? Sure. Will a deal be done? We'll see.
“It's a matter of deciding if his asking price is something that we can afford or should afford,” head coach Robin Fraser said after Sunday's game. “He's a talented young player, for sure, but like any or most 18-year-old players, there are some concerns. So we just need to weigh the whole thing and decide what is right.”
Fraser said he likes that Banton is “forward thinking, he likes to run and guys and he's pretty good at taking people on.” His concerns: “He's young, and while the boxscore will show you the goalscorer and that sort of thing, it doesn't tell the whole story. It's really a snapshot of the game. There's a statistic out there: You only have [the ball at your feed] for, like, two minutes of the 90 minutes you play. So what are you doing the other 88 minutes? These are all the things that go into that decision.”
Banton, London-born and -bred, has played in Arsenal's, Blackburn's and, since January, Liverpool's academies. He says he told his agent he wanted to look for a club overseas, and that his first choice was MLS, and less than two weeks later he was headed to Los Angeles.
“I thought I needed a change, and I need some first-team football” said Banton, who played at forward, in central midfield and in his favored position on the left flank against the Blues. “We're looking for me to stay on; obviously, just negotiating a few things, but hopefully stay on, but looking positive so far.
“It's a great club, great staff, great manager, great background. So hopefully stay on and push forward.”
Banton has seen a few Major League Soccer games. He was at Arsenal when Thierry Henry was setting standards for the Gunners and has watched a couple of his games with New York, and he's seen David Beckham with the Galaxy.
The Blues team Banton faced Sunday, which is preparing for its debut in third-tier league USL Pro next weekend, was dotted with former MLS players and a few with experience in Mexico, so if it wasn't a true reflection of what he'd face in the league, it offered at least a hint.
“It was fun. I enjoyed it,” he said. “It was a bit physical, but slowly got used to it, then just getting used to [playing with] Chivas. Hitting the post and then scoring off that just boosted my confidence, and then when I got my chance, just took it.”
Banton set up Boyens' goal in the 36th minute, hitting the base of the left post from the top of the box, then doubled the advantage in the 61st. In the final minute, he dropped into the goalmouth a free kick from left left flank with which someone like Jimmy Conrad could do a lot of damage.
Fraser says the salary cap and the club's long-term vision will influence whether Chivas signs Banton, who almost certainly would arrive in a loan deal.
“When we got the job relatively late [before camp opened], I think we looked to make some quick decisions that we thought would get us up and running, and I think we have two mindsets going on at once,” the coach said. “I don't mean to sound cryptic or evasive, but, really, that's kind of what's going on in my mind right now, all these decisions, how are they going to affect us, not just tomorrow, but how are they going to affect us next year and the year after that.
“We work in a world of finite finances. It's not like other leagues where if a player doesn't work out, go get another one. And go get another one. And keep stockpiling. We don't give the luxury of spending frivolously, so we need to look at all the financial implications.”
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