Alex, I think you're off to a good start with the way you're thinking about composition. You seem to be applying the ideas of leading lines and the rule of thirds in the field. As for these images, I think you're headed in the right direction, but need to work on eliminating distractions. There are simply too many powerful ideas in the scene competing for attention.
Both have people in the background on or near the intersection of thirds making them very prominent in the scene.
In the first image the vertical lines in the sidewalk leading to the grass, draw your attention right past the girl.
In the second shot, the regular shapes of the drain grate and manhole cover create very powerful focal points that pull you away from the main subject.
The yellow curb could just as easily lead you away from the girl and out of the scene.
Blocked out I think they both make interesting compositions. However, the details that you've eliminated in the blocking are the exact things that make the compositions not work for me in the photograph.
Just based on these two shots the one piece of advice I would offer would be to continue what you're doing, but also try to reduce the distractions. In a word simplify.
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