I really think he would be best just playing with a more hold up striker. Not necessarily behind him but more off of flicks and hold up play. Getting in behind the defense. I don't think he has the technique to play as a false forward.
"The false nine is essentially a position in which the lone striker drops deep, often as deep as the midfield line" I like that definition the best. I would say that is not his game. I think running off the other striker is more suitable for him. His back to goal play isn't what he is best at.
Got it. Right On! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_(association_football)#False_9 I am very familiar with the concept, yet I have not encountered the term in my travels. Guess I am not too old to learn after all. And yes, that is what I think Meram would do best, from what I saw at Michigan. He really has not seen the pitch much recently for Crew. You disagree. You think Meram lacks the technique for #10 and is more one dimensional. Run, receive in space, finish.
Yup. I think he should be on the shoulder of the defenders and playing with another striker and not by himself.
Right, also I think he's best in a team built to counter (that's when he had his best spell last season), or as a sub when chasing a result. But I also think he would probably look good as one of the wide men up top in some kind of 4-3-3. It would get him close enough to the final third to put his dribbling and finishing skills to best use. To Bob's credit IMO, he did stick Meram out wide (although as a more of a wide AM) when he used him last season, but we just could never get enough of a hold on any game and Meram usually ended up dropping way too deep and ended up looking like a liability. At first, I liked the idea of him dropping deep because I just wanted to see him on the ball beating his man. But too many moves broke down at his feet, I doubt he'll ever have the vision to play in a team that wants to keep the ball.
Meram is a forward, but he is not good enough to play there at this level. Whether he will develop to be good enough, who knows. He is good enough to at least find some time on the field. Not sure he is necessarily a good wide player. Tricky one. He reminds me a bit of Joe Cole. He is good, but where do you play him?
exactly - joe cole - and that is the good thing, if RW wants rid, he will probably have a number of teams to take him.
Duka is still little more than a bundle of potential. His attacking production last season was very limited, his defending dropped off from 2011, he has an injury problem that he can't shake, and he clearly butts heads with RW. I'd be totally fine getting rid of him for a first round pick and/or a mid-level MLS veteran. We have a decent track record of drafting useful players.
I just don't see what other people see in Duka. The potential is there but the injuries and rumored attitude cancel that out. I gave up trying to figure out MLS salaries years ago but if he has a large price tag it may be better to trade him now. Even if he stays I am not sure his potential will become talent with our coaching.
This and this again. Meram isn't a "false forward" just because he drops back when playing on the wing. He lacks the technical skill and vision to do be effective in this rule. Think of everything that makes Higuain great on the ball (eg vs. Montreal at home late last season), that's a false forward. Meram hasn't shown that capability. In terms of Duka getting traded for a higher first round pick, I see him in a similar situation as Lennie in 2011. He wants out. I also get the feeling he's bought into his own hype. At the very least, he has a history of bad attitude and knows he's on the auction block. That can't be good for the locker room. So, keeping in mind the past MO of this team during draft, I wouldn't be surprised if we swap him for another first round pick. The highest pick we have would probably be used fire a defender and the second one for an attacking-minded player.
Travis Clark @travismclark John Trask (Wisconsin), Brian Tompkins (Yale), Todd Yeagley (Indiana) and Greg Andrulis (George Mason) coaching at the combine.
Also Columbus bidding to have the 2019 MLS draft here. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2013/01/columbus-crew-bidding-to-host-mls.html?ana=twt
If anyone's curious about our potential picks, the MLS websites has pretty good scouting reports for almost everyone that has a shot at getting drafted. They're hidden, so the best way to find them is by searching for a given player, but they have some good info on there.
Looking over this Draft, these are the guys I hope the Crew target (Ives's ranking in parentheses: 1. Dillon Powers, CM, Notre Dame (7)- Kid has skills. He has started every game since his Freshman year at Notre Dame and is made for MLS. Probably one of the safest picks in the draft. 2. JJ Johnson, F, VCU (4)- Size and speed. Good finisher. Flashes of creativity. 13 goals and 6 assists his Junior year. Reminds me a bit of Eddie Johnson. 3. Ashton Bennett, F, Coastal Carolina (12) - Very quick. 39 goals and 16 assists his last 2 seasons. 24 goals and 19 assists his last season at Cincinnati State before transferring to CC. 4. Emery Welshman, F, Oregon State (22)- I'm VERY high on the Canadian-born Welshman. Very quick and agile. Lots of skill on the ball. 10 goals and 4 assists his senior season. 5. Dylan Tucker Ganges, CB, Washington (26)- At 6'3", he isn't going to lose many aerial battles. Scored 8 goals last season. Pretty calm on the ball. 6. Carlos Alvarez, M, UConn (8)- Crafty and good on the ball, but I worry that he doesn't have a true position at the next level. I don't think he has the pace to be a winger but don't think he can be relied on as a box-to-box player. Definitely has talent (similar to a DeLeon) but we already have a plethora of Attacking Midfielderss/Wingers/NotQuiteForwards (Gaven, Duka (unless he gets moved to the middle), Meram, Speas, Finlay, Anor). 7 goals and 9 assists last season. 7. Deshorn Brown, F, Central Florida (6)- Couldn't find many highlights of him, but he is big, fast, and is in the GA class. 8. Tommy Muller, CB, Georgetown (17)- Good size, awareness, and very good slide tackler. 9. Erik Hurtado, F, Santa Clara (9)- 15 goals and 7 assists last year. not tall but very stocky and strong. Has great pace and is a good passer, but I don't think his touch is the best. Regardless, he is extremely effective at getting to the endline. Would probably be perfect for a 4-3-3 system.
I've never quite gotten what the big deal with him is either. He shows flashes here and there, but so does everybody else. A solid professional is defined by his consistency. You know what you're going to get. With Duka you never know who's going to show up, the guy who puts in a good day's work or the guy who you don't even remember having played that day. Don't need it. He's not that good. The fact that he apparently feels he's a big deal for some reason only makes it worse. He could be a good pro but I doubt if he ever will be, and nobody can blame Robert Rifle for that. In soccer more than any other team sport you're responsible for yourself. And as you note, with injuries you reach a point where your supposed talent or potential isn't worth the roster spot which isn't producing.
Bill: Do you think it's just Duka or our youth system that produces these kinds of attitudes? I recall reading about Billy Wright and him talking about the apprenticeship system in the U.K. where the youth polished the boots of the first team, picked up towels, etc. Now I'm not advocating that as a model--but the kids that came out of that system rarely had swelled heads either. That's why I pose the question. For me, as I've said earlier, Duka reminds me of Szetela, but without the guidoness.
It's as much the fault of the kids as it is how we treat them. He was given a $150K job after never demonstrating he could do that job competently. The NFL and NBA have recently restructured their collective bargaining agreements for rookie contracts to protect the owners from inflated contracts for unprover draftees. On the other hand, for every Duka there are 4 or 5 success stories. Guys who came through the same system, played on the same youth teams, got the same big contracts, but have an entirely different head on their shoulders. Eddie Gaven being the one on our team that stands in stark contrast to Duka. Sure, Eddie isn't the most spectacular, but as a pro he is the pinnacle of consistency. You can count the sub par performances from Gaven on one hand. He shows up, gives you 90 minutes of top MLS level skill and hard work and goes home. Back to my point about guys in that $100-$200k pay range, if you're not a steady contributor and often starter providing the team with something each time out that gives us a chance to win, you have no place on the roster. If we can get something of value that will help us win games, I'm all for ending the Dilly era in Columbus.
I like Dilly's potential, so originally I scoffed at getting just a first-round pick (+some cash?) for him, but then I saw that both Kenny Cooper and Kris Boyd were traded away for first-round picks (though Coop's deal included cash). Was I underestimating the value of 1st-round picks, or am I missing something about those trades?
May have something to do with the size of the contract the new team is taking on. Due to the large size teams are unwilling to give up a player and rather send over a pick.
I would take Kenny Cooper... In a heartbeat...in fact I would trade duka AND a first rounder for Cooper.
I actually think Cooper and Arrieta would compliment each other well if Cooper could stay more centrally. Arrieta works so hard chasing loose balls that I think those two would be nice together. As long as Arrieta can learn to stay onside more.