Holden was a great player when healthy. The problem is, as that article notes, he's had his leg broken twice. I'm not sure how he'd fit into the Rapids system or if he'd even want to play in Colorado, but if he did find his way here, he'd be a starter as long as he remained healthy. Ream is decent, but he had some major problems with positioning. There were games where he would completely shut down forwards, then in a critical moment, somehow end up 3 yards away from his mark and give up a goal. I haven't paid enough attention to Bolton to know if he's improved on that at all. If he hasn't, between him and Wynne, we'd give up at least one stupid goal per game.
I disagree that the order matters in this case: it's the offseason, and the team already identified that just 8 players were safe from last year's roster. So if we wanted a player badly enough, I have a feeling we'd wheel and deal. I don't know if either Bolton player necessarily fits the 4-3-3 we supposedly want to play, though, and that's the rub. Ream has good distribution for a defender, but he's no faster than Moor and has played the 4-4-2 his full pro career. Holden's either a wide midfielder or a central attacker, and we appear to have Castrillon, Cascio, Omar and Rivero for those positions. He'd be an upgrade at all of those, for my money, but hasn't played much 4-3-3 either and his acquisition would require a few more dominos to fall.
I guess one thing we can take out of this interview and multiple articles from it, is the Rapids had no clue who would be coach in 2012. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/11/13/rapids-hunt-players-fit-4-3-3-formation-2013 Then again even after OP was hired, they continue to sign new contracts with some players who don't seem to fit our professed style either. Seeing as Portland is also moving to this style, we will be fighting with them and other teams already playing it for players this offseason.
those injuries huuuuuuuuuurt holden bad. i feel the same for wallace. if he was able to play the last 2 seasons i think he would be our starter.
http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11/red-bulls-officially-decline-option-of-ten-players.html As many, including OP, have pointed out a CB is needed. RBNY released Stephen Keel. Surprised, I thought when he played he was more than capable and looked good in their system. I know he's a native and did have a prior stint with the Rapids but he's much improved since then. Could he be a cheap addition? Is he worth going after? Hell, I wouldn't mind going after Jan Gunnar Soli, either for that matter. Not a CB but a very versatile player. I have a feeling he'll head back to Norway, though.
Good call, Keel would be a quality depth guy and would probably wouldn't be pricey. If I remember correctly, when Marquez was suspended and playing CB, Keel came in and played well. He's also a Colorado native (Littleton).
I think Keel is exactly the kind of defender the Rapids need to add. Experienced, but not too old/slow. Then bring in a rookie/young player as the other back up (center back). Watching the Seattle-LA game, the announcers and pre-/post-game guys made a big deal of how Freddy Montero has never scored a playoff goal for Seattle and how they might decide to move on from him. Obviously, Montero would be a DP, but ignoring that, is he a guy the Rapids should considering going after? (I am probably dreaming here, but its fun to speculate.)
Well, with Casey & Zapata gone, looks like we have a healthy left back competition between Wallace (23) and Klute (22). Hopefully they're confident in Davy Armstrong backing up Freeman. I'd be down with the Rapids adding Keel. ---------------------Omar---------------------- ---------------------Andre---------------------- ----------------------DP------------------------- ---------------------draft/MLS vet------------- Castrillon-------------Rivero-----------Mullan Cascio---------------Smith-------------Hill ---------------------draft (#6?)------------------ -----------------Thomas--------Larentowicz------- -----------------Pablo?----------O'Neill------------- ----------------------draft/MLS vet------------------ Klute --------Moor------Wynne------Freeman Wallace ----draft(#6?)--draft/vet-----Armstrong ---------------------------------------supp. draft for offseason camp -------------------Pickens------------------------- --------------------Ceus-------------------------- -----------------supp. draft----------------------
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/11/19/mls-hold-waiver-draft-monday-330-pm-et MLS has released the names of the players available for today's Waiver Draft. The Rapids are set to pick 6th --- if they chose to do so. Some decent players out there. Players not selected in the draft will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis to teams. We shall see, I guess. A couple of names on that list worth considering: Carlos Rodriguez - DF Jan Gunnar Soli - DF/MF Julio Cesar - DF/MF (although age isn't on the latter two's side)
Hell, I didn't realize the Waiver Draft was today at 1:30pm. We might see a new face by the end of the day. Any good fits in here? AVAILABLE PLAYERS (former clubs in brackets): Goalkeepers (3): ,Bryan Sylvestre (Vancouver), Jeremy Vuolo (NY Red Bulls), Bill Gaudette (NY Red Bulls) Defenders (11): Jonathan Borrajo (NY Red Bulls), Cyprian Hedrick (Sporting KC), Ian Hogg (Portland). Flo Lechner (New England), Alex Lee (FC Dallas), Porfirio Lopez (Philadelphia), Neven Markovic (Sporting KC), Carlos Rodriguez (FC Dallas), Tyler Ruthven (NY Red Bulls), Nemanja Vukovic (Columbus Crew), Dicoy Williams (Toronto FC), Luis Zapata (Colorado Rapids) Midfielders (14): Freddie Braun (Portland), Julio Cesar (Sporting KC), Oscar Cordon (Toronto FC), Edu (Colorado Rapids), Gabriel Gomez (Philadelphia), Cole Grossman (Columbus Crew), Evan James (Montreal Impact), Bryan Leyva (FC Dallas), Nico Muniz (Real Salt Lake), Alec Purdie (New England), Jan Gunnar Solli (NY Red Bulls), Teemu Tainio (NY Red Bulls), Tiago Ulisses (Vancouver), Konrad Warzycha (Sporting KC) Forwards (14): Jose Angulo (NY Red Bulls), Jhonny Arteaga (NY Red Bulls), Etienne Barbara (Vancouver), Blake Brettschneider (New England), Sercan Guvenisic (San Jose), Corey Hertzog (NY Red Bulls), Matias Jara (FC Dallas), Nicholas Lindsay (Toronto FC), Ruben Luna (FC Dallas), Keith Makabuya (Toronto FC), Charles Renken (Portland), Michael Roach (New England), Olman Vargas (Columbus Crew), Krystian Witkowski (Philadelphia)
Well, we passed on the first waiver draft: http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/11/rapids-pass-selecting-players-first-waiver-draft Commerce City, Colo. - The Colorado Rapids passed on selecting any of the available players in Monday afternoon's Waiver Draft. The club will retain the sixth pick in the Waiver Draft for players released by MLS Cup finalists Houston and LA in early December. The following players were waived by their respective teams and not eligible for the Re-Entry process in December, therefor were made available to all other teams in today's Waiver Draft. The only player selected was Cole Grossman by Real Salt Lake. If a player was claimed, the team selecting him would automatically pick up that player's contract option for 2013. Players not selected in the Waiver Draft are now available on a first-come, first-serve basis to teams around the league.
http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11...s-for-return-to-red-bulls.html#comment-614467 It looks like Luke Rodgers is finally getting his visa issues worked out. He would love to return to RBNY but the problem is Soler and Backe, the guys who brought him there, are gone. If the new regime at RBNY aren't interested surely someone around the league will be. Should the Rapids keep a watchful eye on the situation? Age isn't exactly on Rodgers' side, at 30 yrs. old, but he's that gritty, hardworking, never-say-die, #9 that can be very effective. I LOVED the role he played at RBNY. He provided such a spark and partnered extremely well with Henry. I think Rodgers could fit into what Oscar is trying to do. I'm definitely interested to see how his visa and situation with RBNY pans out.
I prefer finding young inexpensive talent then bring in vet on backside of career, making lots of money and due to age always an injury risk (age draws out the recovery process).
I do as well. But then again if a guy of Rodgers caliber is available and isn't over the hill (just yet) then I would at least explore the idea. IIRC, he wasn't too expensive. He could be a great stop-gap, for instance, if the Rapids signed a 18-22 yr. old striker that could learn under him. However, the argument could be made that the Rapids don't need a stop-gap they need a long-term option.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...-exports-orozco-fiscal-san-luis-transfer-list Damn the MLS Allocation rules!! Michael Orozco could, out of the names I've spit out, actually be a logical choice as a CB. Unfortunately, the Rapids sit far from the top of the Allocation Order. i bet they are at least 15th or 16th. You could trade up but that's not always optimal.
Actually, we're 10th right now IIRC. MLS's allocation list incorrectly lists Kamani Hill as an allocation when he was a lottery. Of course that list resets in a week and a half after MLS Cup. At that point we'll be 6th.
6th is actual reasonable. Of those 5 in front of the Rapids, TCF and Chivas definitely could use Orozco. Portland, NE, and his former club, Philly not so much. Chivas, since he's an Orange, CA native and paired with Califf in Philly, makes the most sense. It would be nice to have Orozco, though.
I think that Hill needs to see the field at the same time as Castrillon & Rivero, as well as being Rivero's primary backup should he miss time. Smith should be a supersub & backup this season. Cascio----------Cummings-----------Hill ---------Castrillon-------Rivero----------- --------------------Thomas----------------- There's a lot to like here. Akpan looked good with this group, and Castrillon can slide up to LW, Hill back to central midfield, Mullan at RW, Smith on the wings or in center, etc. Add in a DP and a good draft pick and we have the kind of depth Seattle & RSL have, 2 potential starters at every position fighting for the job, no more bench warmers. This, of course, pre-supposes that we won't play with 2 CDM's in order to get our best attacking players on the field together.
5 all-out attackers on the field when team defense was a major problem last year...I hate to be cynical already, and I'm no more a 2-d-mid fan than anyone else here, but I don't see that ending well.
Well, we are supposed to be moving to a 4-3-3, and that is how the 4-3-3 is played, with 5 players typically going forward. They all do have defensive responsibilities, of course. It's up to Pareja to impart that to the players and get the system down in training.