2013-2014 Off-season rumors, news, opinions and hijinks

Kitten killer

 

Yeah, Jonathan Spector just dropped off the radar a couple of years ago. I guess Klinsi wasn't impressed, but for a time he was a regular on the USMNT.

 

Mexico has overtaken the US as the most obese nation on the planet per capita.

Can't say that I blame them. If I was surrounded by real authentic Mexican food every day I wouldn't stop eating either

 

Joe, I thought you went crazy to suggest trading down, but then I saw Shawn's post. According to wiki, NE acquired KC's first rounder, Philly acquired ChivasUSA's and Vancouver acquired TFC's. Based on today's point total in the MLS standings, the first round draft order would look somewhat like this:
1. DCU 15
2. ChivasUSA Philly 26
2. TFC Van 26
4. FC Dallas 41
4. Colorado 41
6. Van 42
6. NE Rev 42
8. Chicago 43
9. San Jose 44
10. Philly 45
11. Montreal 46
12. Houston 47
13. Colorado 48
13. LA Galaxy 48
15. Portland 50
16. Seattle 51
16. Kansas City NE Rev 51
18. RSL 52
19. Pink Cows 53

Trading down for Philly or Vancouver's two picks might be plausible depending on how strong the draft class is. Add ACC player of the Week Jalen Robinson to a Home Grown contract and that's a stellar draft per se. I'm nervous about trading down this year since we drafted Kemp as a left back at the number 7 spot last February and he didn't grace the field much this season despite our historically porous defense. We gotta take what the draft gives us. If we get Jalen and one starter from the first over all pick, then great. If the staff believes we can get Jalen and trade down and pick up two starters, even better.

 

Correction: Drafted Kemp at 17 not 7

 

http://uwire.com/2013/10/02/robinson-named-acc-mens-soccer-player-of-the-week/
Wake Forest’s Jalen Robinson has been named the ACC Men’s Soccer Player of the week on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The Catonsville, MD, native scored the Deacs’ only goal in the 1-1 tie against UNC on Saturday, Sept. 28, when he headed in a corner from sophomore midfielder Michael Gamble with 57 seconds left of regulation time. This was Robinson’s first goal of 2013, and his third career goal at Wake Forest. “It was awesome for sure,” Robinson said. “I never would have expected that for myself, just coming back from injury. It’s truly a blessing.”

This is the sophomore defender’s first time receiving this honor, and Robinson is the first Demon Deacon to be named ACC Player of the Week this season.


He scored off a header on a corner kick, that might disqualify him from DCU's player search

 

We could also trade with Philly for a 1st and a 2nd rounder. They picked up Chicago's 2nd in a trade, so they have multimple 1s and 2s.

 

Those who are jumping fences are the ones whose mothers are bad cooks.

 

This has to be a priority.

He played CB for them last year but he's undersized there and he's playing RB, for the most part, this season. I don't know that he'll make a DeAndre Yedlin-like impact but he should be able to step in and be a regular contributor.

I think upgrading the wingbacks has to be a priority for United this season. I like Korb but he should be a sub, not a starter. Same with Riley.

Two FBs in MLS who have become afterthoughts at their current teams who could be upgrades for United are Kevin Alston and Anthony Wallace.

Alston was a starter for New England his first four seasons in MLS but was sidelined by cancer, this season. He has supposedly beaten it and is back on the roster but has lost his starting RB spot to Andrew Farrell and even LB, where he played some for NE, is now taken by Chris Tierney. He's 25 so he's still in his prime and I'm sure he wants to go someplace where he can start. He's been an MLS all-star starter and NE's Defender of the Year so he is not without quality. He's also from the DC area, for what that's worth.

NE won't give him away, but he's also no longer a starter so they aren't going to be able to get a whole lot for him, either. This is a do-able trade that should help all three parties.

Now, should United trade for him and sign Jalen Robinson even though both are best at RB? Absolutely! Depth is never a bad thing, especially with this team being in CONCACAF next year. Also, Alston can also play LB. Speaking of which, United should kick the tires on Anthony Wallace. This guy was a starter at left back in MLS Cup for Colorado and even got capped by the US National Team the following winter.

But he got hurt and missed last year and part of this year and when he got healthy he was buried behind Chris Klute, who seems to be entrenched at LB in Colorado till he decides to go to Europe in a few years. (Just a guess.) So Wallace is available. He's played a little bit for the Rapids but I can't imagine they'd ask much for him. He's never gonna be Roberto Carlos, but a guy who has won an MLS ring and been capped by the US and is just 24 would, if healthy, be an upgrade at LB for DCU.

And a trio of Alston, Wallace and Robinson would give United a really nice fullback rotation and toss-in Korb and now you've got actual bona fide MLS caliber depth at FB.

Alston and Wallace, while viable in my opinion, are just suggestions. Signing Robinson is a must-do.

 

There are plenty of good CBs out there in college. A lot of them are underclassmen and unless MLS changes its stupid rule and lets them declare for the draft, they won't be available without a GA deal.

There are some good seniors out there. One sleeper might be right under our noses at George Mason. Check out Hugh Roberts, a 6-4 Sr. CB from Maryland who is a converted attacker.

http://www.gomason.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=25200&ATCLID=205055989

I'm not saying Roberts is a lock to play in MLS, he just someone who could slip because he's not at a big program and DCU might benefit because he's local. Certainly worth looking at.

 

Another 6'4" CB who was a converted attacker is Clarence Goodson, and he turned out well.

 

Christian Dean. 6-3, Jr. Got some looks from Ramos last U20 cycle but apparently he didn't suck enough to play CB for the U20s.

http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30100&ATCLID=207895266

Pisses me off. I have FIOS, too, and the Pac-12 shows a LOT of soccer and it's all obviously teams we don't see out here much. Would love to be able to watch those games for evaluation purposes.

 

Omar Gonzalez is converted, too.

 

The one area the team needs to go big for the off-season, financially, is at forward. The kind of forwards that would make a difference cost a lot of money but that's what the DP slots are for.

If they want to start building excitement for the new stadium, winning games in MLS and doing well in the CCC would go a long way towards doing that and a forward who can actually score consistently would help immeasurably. But that takes management committing to the cost. And a front office capable of finding the right guy. Those are two BIG ifs.

 

Another academy player DCU could sign is Duke Jr. CB Nat Eggleston.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.d...DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=205159927&Q_SEASON=2013

He's kinda got BWS Syndrome but he's a smart player. Not sure if he'd walk away from a Duke education for HG money. (Of course, it's not like Wake Forest is cheap or a bad school and DCU got Martin and we're already penciling in Robinson.)

 

Davies was the last DCU forward to score 10 goals in a season and before him you have to go back to Emilio. It's not surprising without an upfront threat DC has been so sad these past few years.

 

Agreed. Pontius, Silva, Doyle, even DeRo at this stage of his career, are all secondary or supplemental attacking players. Good in a role but not the go-to guy.

United needs that. And again, they don't come cheap. (And they don't come from the MLS draft, either.)

 

Mamadou Duoduo Diouf - Clearly this is the guy we need to sign. I would pay good money to be the game day announcer just to say that name over the PA system at RFK! His name itself is an echo so that would sound even cooler

 

If we trade the number 1 pick, I would want two picks as close as possible in this year's draft in the top ten. 2nd rounders tend to be long term projects and tend to get cut in the preseason on some teams.

 

I would gladly trade allocation money to acquire Alston. I liked what I saw from him coming out of college. I think he was in the same draft as Pontius. This would be a great time to make a trade for him as long has he has a good medical review and we give him a full offseason to prepare for 2014. I'm not familiar with Anthony Wallace.