2012/13 Rumors, Speculation and Roster Punditry

I would take exception to the first point where Boskovic is concerned. He took a paycut to stay, acknowledging that he hadn't produced. I also think he really upped his defensive hustle and his willingness to endure a bad challenge. It's anecdotal, but watch the last goal he scored (it's on the DC website); he climbs over a ridiculous challenge, ignores a shirt tug, steps over another late challenge as he enters the box and finishes his run. When he first arrived, he would have gone down under the first challenge and appealed for a free kick. While he wasn't the hero CAM that we, the fans, wanted, I think he started to show signs of his class with his fantastic deadball kicks in the summer, his no-look, over-the-shoulder pass to Neal to clinch the playoffs, and that incredibly cool and graceful run and finish in the last game. Yeah, he had to adapt, but I disagree with the claim that he didn't try and wasn't succeeding.

 

Everything I have read and heard suggest that Branko at least was very popular in the clubhouse...

 

this guy's teammates must hate him, they won't even share a blanket...

 

Would YOU share a blanket with the guy playing with himself?

 

I thought that's what the blanket was for.

 

Well, that explains all those indecent exposure charges I....er...some guy I know got.

 

Maybe he can send some money to NJ to encourage them to keep Marquez.

 

I don't see why anyone's head should roll for signing Salihi and Boskovic - they are both good players. We're not talking Franco Niell.

 

More like, you go to the store to buy beer. Then, when you get home, you realize you really wanted wine. But now you're out of money and can't go back to the store for wine.

 

Could/Would DC United trade for Benny Feilhaber? I know he may be out in NE (declining play towards end of season and NE recent signings of mids). Our attack could look like this (with most recent roster):

-----------Salihi------------------------------
--------------------------DeRosario----------
Pontius--------------------------------DeLeon
------------Feilhaber--------------------------
------------------------Kitchen----------------

 

I doubt that NE gives him away -- even if they really are easing him out and I wouldn't want to give up something of value for him -- he's just not that good. Also, IIRC, he is rather injury prone.

 

Meh... he was terrific under Nicol, and a huge disappointment under Heaps.

If you get the 2011 Benny, he's worth every penny. If you get the 2012 Benny, you'll want to stab your GM in the throat with a pair of rusty scissors.

Hasn't really been injury prone since he came to Foxboro, though.

And yeah... the Revs will pretty much give him away at this point... although I wouldn't rule out the possibility of the Revs picking up part of his salary either. The midfield in Foxboro is suddenly pretty crowded between Feilhaber, Toja, Rowe, Cisse, Dorman, and Simms. Not to mention that we're apparently close to signing Honduran International Pery Martinez.

 

I think Benny makes a play for Feilhaber, and I wouldn't be upset about it. NE was haphazard in 2012, and Feilhaber's role in the midfield got more and more muddled. I think he could be that transitional midfielder that Saragosa and Kitchen alternated between and allow Kitchen to continue becoming that destroyer type player. NE would take on some of his salary, but they probably aren't going to ask for a lot in return. Just freeing up $250-300K in cap space would be incentive enough.

 

Apparently he made only 11 appearnaces in league play last year -- coach's decision or injured?

 

Happy Thanksgiving DCU familia! I'm thankful for:

- A playoff berth
- Great DCU supporters groups
- Knocking the Metros out of the playoffs (ensuring that their trophy case stays empty)
- Our new, deep-pocketed ownership group

In the next couple weeks I'll prepare my wish list for Santa (very likely it'll include a striker and a stadium).

Enjoy the holiday.

 

That's the last thing I would want to see. Kitchen greatest improvement over the season has been his contribution to the attack. He sees the field well before taking possession, can hold under pressure, plays confidently with both feet and has started to look to move forward more and more with the ball.

Look forward, not back. The role of destroyer is the US game is now reserved for players that don't have the talent to be box-to-box players these days. DCU needs to get him overseas training with a dynamic attacking squad and give Perry more offensive responsibility, not less. He is the closest the US has to the next Michael Bradley.

The US game is not the way it used to be, and this is one of the many things for which I am thankful today...(you like how I worked that in there?)

 

We had a box-to-box midfielder recently. His name was Dax McCarty, but we traded him for an all star.

 

When people say dero should take a paycut, what would that accomplish? He will be a DP next season unless they buy down with allocation $ again. So him going from 700k to 400k wouild be meaningless torward the salary cap.

Also they might be stuck with Salihi since his contract is guaranteed for one more year. Will count torward the cap even if he goes back to Europe. Only way would be a trade within MLS.

 

We did, and I hope we learned the lesson of trying to force a good box-to-box player to fit into tired positional stereotypes. Benny tried to slot him into a traditional Attacking Center Mid role and the results were horrible...remember how bad his set pieces were (and with Najar and his beautiful delivery watching...it was almost tragic in a not-at-all-tragic way)?

Who here wouldn't like to see a midfield with Kitchen and McCarty patrolling the middle together? Dax is probably the most influential player on NYRB, at least as far as results are concerned.

 

Your saying this like he's a plague. Seriously I get the fact he's a DP but he only started 10 games all season long and he scored 6. Whichever striker we get if he doesn't start games how on earth do you expect said striker to score. Coming in as a substitute once every 3 games is sure to dent your confidence and lose some of the ability you have as a player.

I for one am a supporter of Salihi staying exactly where he is. I guarantee that if he moves to a San Jose or a Chicago he'll be smacking in goals left,right and centre and we'll feel like crap.