Pineda is out 3-5 months after having to repair a torn meniscus. That probably isn't helping his progress. http://www.csnchicago.com/soccer-chicago-fire/news/Fire-Victor-Pineda-out-3-5-months?blockID=804841 Don't know anything about Gulley
http://www.chicagonow.com/fire-confidential/2012/12/prepping-for-the-january-window/ Grazzini ???????
Update: http://www.chicagonow.com/fire-confidential/2012/12/prepping-for-the-january-window/ GK 1. Sean Jonhson, 2. Paolo Tornaghi RB 3. Steven Kinney CB 4. Arne Friedrich 5. Austin Berry 6. Jalil Anibaba (RB) LB 7. Gonzalo Segares 8. Hunter Jumper (CB) 9. Tony Walls RM 10. Wells Thompson 11. Patrick Nyarko 12. Victor Pineda CDM 13. Logan Pause 14. Pavel Pardo 15. Daniel Paladini 16. Michael Videria CAM 17. Chris Rolfe, 18. Alex de Lima LM 19. Alvaro Fernandez ST 20. Kellen Gulley 21. Dominic Oduro 22. Sherjill McDonald 23. Maicon Santos http://www.chicago-fire.com/players Comming back from loan? Grazzini (Atletico Rafaela) Puppo (Defensor Sporting) Robayo (Millonarios) Barouch (Bnei Yehuda) Free Agents as of December/January M - Coren Bone (Cut from team but still negotiating) F - Guillermo Franco (free agent on Dec 31st) OUT D- Cory Gibbs (Retired) G- Jay Nolly (Free agent) D- Dan Gargan (San Jose Earthquakes) IN Maicon Santos (DC United)
I know he pulled some BS during the season but when you look at this skill level, his position, and his contract (100k a year) I think you have to take him if you can get him to commit. He is a game changer and there aren't that many guys like him in this league. If he comes back I think he'd be a backup to Alex (who is a similar player but younger). But I'd certainly take him for depth if he wants to come back.
If he comes back, he's not going to be anybody's back up. If he comes back, he's going to be in the starting 11. With Grazzini in the lineup Frankie will be forced to move Rolfe up top with MacDonald and remove one of the defensive midfielders (4-4-2). As much as everybody wants Rolfe in the CAM position, that's not where he belongs, he belongs up top with MacDonald. ------Mac Donald-----------Role------ -------------------Grazzini------------- Fernandez-------------------Nyarko ---------------pause/Pardo----------- Segares--berry---Arne--Anibaba ----------------Johnson----------------- If Fernandez is still with the team in 2013 he's going to be in the starting 11, I would rather have Alex out there instead of Fernandez. Since he's getting paid DP money (MacDonald), he's gong to continue start and play most of the minutes... As for which defensive midfielder plays, we all know it's going to be Pause (sad). Yeah, we can't play with one defensive midfielder either pause or Pardo,if that's the case then we have find one that can. I think we would be fine with either Pause or Pardo (you all know which one i'd play) out there by themselves, they wouldn't have any offensive responsibility. Stay back defend and get the ball to the offensive players.
I believe Millonarios qualified for Copa Libertadores, so I assume they will want to keep Robayo in the team, at least for depth.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/...al-fire-interested-argentine-mid-ivan-marcone If true and somhow we do sign him, make sure it's not the same kind of deal as Grazzini's. Also sounds like the kind of player that we only would need ONE defensive midfielder (but will contribute on both sides of the ball).
There is slew of young Argentine CMs the fire are scouting and talking to.rumor has them linked to Matias Laba from Argentinos Juniors.it looks like the club is actively pursueing a replacement for pardo.
I hope they are looking for one to replace both Pardo and Pause, we need a defensive midfielder that can handle the position by himself (meaning ONE defensive midfielder in the starting 11).
Yes, it is.....but the one person that could change that (Frankie), won't. I still don't get it, since he was a foward during his playing career, it's like he's scared to put out an offensive lineup (seems like he's playing not to lose, instead of playing to win). The only times he does it is when we go down a goal or two. So either pick one of the two or three players we have on our roster or go out a get a player that can do it.
They won't be replacing Logan, he will continue to play his role.they simply need a younger version of pardo on this team to really get things going.pavel is a great player, its to bad the fire didn't have him a couple seasons earlier.right now it appears the fire are trying to find a young Argentine version, here's hoping they do.as that is the best chance of seeing a two strikers formation.
How's that, if they find a younger verison of Pardo and Pause isn't going to be replaced, we will continue to play a two defensive midfielder formation.... In order to go to a two striker formation we need play ONE defensive midfielder formation. Everbody here keeps saying that Pause or Pardo can't do the job by themseleves. If that's the case then we need to find a player that can or we will continue to play defensive formation with two defensive midfielders. I hope that during preseason Frankie at least tries a 4-4-2 one defensive midfielder formation (just to see how we look in it). How will we ever know what we can or can't do in that formation if we don't at least try it?
Exactly, I would love a single d-mid, but I just can't see Pause taking up a benchwarmer role. He is our captain. For better or worse, he will be a starter until he is ready to leave/retire
It's a problem all over the world. Why do you think Giggs, Carrick and Scholes are still getting run outs at ManU? Captains and Club Legends will always get a blind eye turned towards their faults