I know you weren't entirely seriously, but I don't think it is fair to condemn an entire supporters group based on one person. Especially when that one person is a well-established BS troll. I do wonder why someone would name their supporters group something so unwelcoming. Between the name and this guy, it doesn't much seem like a group I'd want to join.
Wow! Lotsa new players. I, too, enjoy seeing the newbies and evaluating them, however, I believe that subbing around a known, stable core makes the most sense. Rotating 1-3 new players into the side to see how they compare to the know quality, how they fit the tone & rhythm of the side works best. With so many new players in 2012 & 2013 this will be an important and revealing pre-season for players, coaches & management alike.
I actually think LaBrocca, or should I say "Nick" so that certain posters don't think I only have a personal attachment to Pablo, actually developed into more of a #8 while in Toronto, and to an even greater extent at Chivas. He's actually a decent box to box guy and I think is more adept at linking between the d-mid and forwards (read: get the ball to Rivero as often as possible). I do like the suggestion that he could slide in next to Thomas in more of a holding role if Castrillion (who is gone, from what I'm hearing) or Hill/Rivero occupy one of the other midfield roles and another forward/wing/attacker is deployed. I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised by Pablo's ability to take on a large role this year. Other than the lingering psychological effects of his concussions (which were always MORE significant than the physical effects - this from the horse's mouth) he's as fit and healthy as he's been in years, and what he may have lost in pace, he makes up for in tactical sense and guile - certainly enough for a starting role in MLS. My two cents.
Did Castrillon travel/can he play? With all that talk about him needing "a procedure" I figured he couldn't take the field. It will be interesting to see Wallace take the field again. Didn't he have a knee injury the year before he had the achilles injury? He's been gone for a long time. Amazing that he has been in the league since 2007, but has just 2,116 career regular-season minutes. I think Jason noted that he has the shortest subbed appearance in Rapids history (shortest appearance in a game when the player had to be subbed). There was that 2011 match vs. Columbus when he came in as a sub and almost immediately pulled a muscle or something and had to be replaced.
Ah, so LaBrocca does give some attacking skill. That's good. I know his little interview clip on the website he says he can do both. I agree with previous posters that we will see a lot of the new guys in there, and I have little doubt about that. I think evaluating new players in roles and positions is probably a main priority of this series of friendlies. I have no doubt that OP would like to come out on top more than once, but with so much new blood, getting a sense of exactly how each one performs and meshes with the group will be one of the "goals". I just assumed that since there was no official word that he might be going. But likely not, I suppose.
Here's the travel roster: Goalkeepers: Matt Pickens, Stew Ceus, *Jimmy Maurer, *Clint Irwin Defenders: Drew Moor, Diego Calderon, Chris Klute, Anthony Wallace, Marvell Wynne, *Kory Kindle, Midfielders: Pablo Mastroeni, Hendry Thomas, Nick LaBrocca, Tony Cascio, Brian Mullan, Shane O'Neill, Martin Rivero, Dillon Serna, Nathan Sturgis, Dillon Powers, *Jamie Smith, Forwards: Andre Akpan, Deshorn Brown, Kamani Hill, Atiba Harris, *Cesar Romero * not under contract Dropped from the last camp roster we had: * = Unsigned Supplimental draftee ^ = Unsigned trialist GK: Joel Helmick^ DF; Marcello Castro*, Brenton Griffiths*, Luke Vercollone^ MF: Davy Armstrong, Jaime Castrillon, Kevin Harbottle, Machael David*, Carlos Diaz^ FW: Edson Buddle, Charles Eloundou, Stefano Souza Pinho* Buddle, Castrillon, and Eloundou are expected, the first two injured and the latter with the Cameroon Nats. Armstrong and Harbottle are interesting omissions though, not to mention all 3 Supplemental draft picks.
If I recall eloundou will not be here until right before season starts with Africa cup. agree on harbottle and Armstrong.
Cameroon didn't qualify for the ANC, losing their playoff to Cape Verde. They have a friendly with Tanzania on Feb 6th(?) after which Eloundou will join the team.
Some questions answered from Rapids Site Notes: Technical Director Paul Bravo will arrive on Monday and President Tim Hinchey will arrive Wednesday. Defender Davy Armstrong has back spasms that have not subsided and will remain in Colorado to see the team physician this week. Edson Buddle will continue rehabbing his right knee in California and is expected to join the team in Colorado next week. Kevin Harbottle had his visa appointment in Chile on Thursday. Once he receives his passport back, he'll be ready to come to the United States. If it happens early this week, it's possible that he could join the team in Arizona. Trialists Joel Helmick (gk), Carlos Diaz (forward), and Luke Vercollone (mid/def) have been released.
That approach is what I would do in the other games. I was just putting out a lineup that would allow the coaches to give guys who probably wouldn't get a chance in the others to get some minutes. Looks like from the news about the roster that travelled that they have already seen enough in training to make some of those decisions and doing something like that isn't necessary. It's strange that there is no mention about why the four supplemental picks weren't included on the trip. Very odd....
I wonder if it is because the supplemental draft was less than a week ago. It takes a few days, I suppose, to sign paperwork and make travel arrangements and pass physicals. I'm not too worried.... it is a long pre-season, but I am keen to see these guys play!
My guess is with all the roster turn they are going to give a lot of minutes to the folks they think will be playing regularly. It's hard to believe but the regular season in just a little over a month away. Not much time to have a team gel.
Considering 3 out of the 4 are internationals, this could be partly why, but Michael David wouldn't have to deal with that. Why isn't he down there? I wonder if they decided to get to pretty much their 30 man roster sooner than later so in these preseason games they can focus just on them and not have to devote time to coaching and training guys that they know aren't going to make the team. You keep an extra GK so you have 4 GKs for two scrimmages at the same time.
Teams have the option to pass in the Supplemental Draft. If you aren't even going to invite the players to camp, why even bother to draft them? My bet is that with the Sup. Draft so close to the AZ trip those 4 were told to report to Commerce City this week for fitness tests and such and they'll be worked into the team when it gets back from AZ and these 4 will be eligible for the Vegas trip.
Answers in the article about Perry Martinez joining the team in Tucscon http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/01/honduran-forward-walter-pery-martinez-trail-rapids For the lazy, Griffiths and Castro have also joined the team down in Tucson. The other two, David and Pinho, will join the team when they get back from Arizona.
Thank you both for your opinions & clarification. I have no insights into Griffiths, Castro or David but I was impressed by Pinho at Combine. He seems to be a tall, fast & technical player who kept popping up into dangerous spots. I believe that Pinho may make this roster. Moreover, I am delighted that the Rapids did not draft these 4 to go directly onto the scrape heap.
The back is a fragile thing...but you don't expect a 21 yr old to come down with back spasms. I hope Armstrong got an educational stipend, things don't seem to be going his way.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/live So the MLS.com site has the games streamed live... but I won't be able to watch live due to my pesky job. Does anyone know if this sort of thing will be available in a replay? I'm jonesin' for some Rapids action!