Let's run down South [America] and pick up a DP

Craig Merz @icer12 posted this yesterday:

Any guesses on who they are targeting? Anyone have faith this trip will secure anything? I have my doubts...

Tevez?

A Brazilian, dammit.

Neymar?

Juan Roman Riquelme

Book It!

And, yes, I know he is not a forward. May as well be right now, he does little defending for Boca. Plays like a forward.

34-years old. Still class on the ball. With Arrieta (sp?) coming, read speed and attitude (is it good attitude? hmm?), gets Rent-a-stone off the field.

Our goals come from midfield now, why not, Arrieta, Riquelme, Gaven, Meram, Mirosveic as an attacking group. That will get goals. In MLS, I sure hope it would.

The other five starters are defense first, middle and last. Miro and Gaven help in a pinch, which they do well anyway.

We have zero clue what Arrieta will bring to the team. We hope its attacking qualities but how will they translate. Meram is unproven and seen hardly enough game time to know what he will do. Mirosveic has not shown (maybe not his fault, formation issues) that he is a ultra attacking player. Riquelme would have to adapted to the physical nature of MLS quickly. Basically that group still does not strike fear for me.

it work out good last time

Fair points, but... I have seen Arrieta play, he is a poor man's Alexis Sanchez. So...perfect for Crew and MLS. I have also watched Riquelme play this year. He draws fouls like flowers draw bees.(with Gaven and Miro adept at the same thing, the odds that any team the Crew play finish with a full eleven are slim) Gaven and Meram attacking from the wings, their rightful roles, is possibly the most dangerous wing duo in the league. If not Meram, Duka or Anor. The depth would be good at all positions important to playing this style.

Bottom line, Meram, when played in his position has been solid for the Crew. Miro is not an all out attacking player, and wouldn't have to be in this set-up. You're saying that one of the best players in the last twenty years would have to adapt to MLS, and I assume you're intimating that he might not?, of course he would. He is perfect for MLS, a foul inducing machine.

Plus, in two years, when Riquelme hangs up the boots he can join Guillermo and Padula, thereby creating the greatest academy in the states.

Of course, this idea suggest strongly that there is malice of forethought on the part of the Crew brass, and they want to stick it to the league one more time. I will admit this is a stretch.

Bolded part is a bit much right? Meram has played 19 times for the Crew with 1 goal. Not saying he can't but he has not come close to even proving that.

Riquelme might not adapt. Happens to players of all caliber levels. Fouls in South America are not fouls in MLS that surly you know that. I am not saying he can't be successful or productive he is almost 34. Just call me skeptical of the success he would have if he came (depends on the money paid as well)

Ehh, it's probably someone else. Don't know why I got myself so revved up. (Boca play the 26th and 29th) He, he , he.

Now that...would be amazing.

Any wing tandem that includes Eddie Gaven is already half way there. Also, I did mention the Crew's depth on the wing, and I still believe after watching Meram the last couple years, that if Warzycha gave him his head in an advanced wing position he would shine.

A foul is a foul is a foul. This notion that getting kicked in another country is somehow different than getting kicked in the US is kind of personal perception driven. The Argentine league is not for sissies.

Well, it took a year to click....

The difference is that in Argentina they usually get the calls. Here, not so much...

There's no reason Meram (and maybe Finlay) shouldn't be playing up top instead of on the wing. Renteria's opportunities with the ball almost always come at the top of the box with a defender to beat. Meram is quicker and better with the ball at his feet than Renteria and just as good shooting from distance. When he plays on the wing, he's forced into a situation where he has to be a distributor, and he's just not that great passing the ball.

The idea that quick players should always play on the wing confounds me. When you have two guys that were prolific goalscorers at the college level, why would you immediately move them to a different position, rather than giving them an opportunity to create and finish scoring chances, the one thing this team can't do? Goodness knows we don't currently have anyone that can do that with Renteria on a cold streak. We have plenty of guys who can hold the ball up to pair them with. If you look at our attack since Warzycha took over, the majority of the goalscoring chances have come from the forwards, not the wings. Why wouldn't you want someone with a prolific scoring record playing there?

A foul is not a foul in every country. You can not honestly say that if you watch Mexican League vs MLS or EPL vs La Liga, or any other leagues. Some leagues are rougher than others.

Crew please pick up Ronaldinho. He is absolutely worthless for Flamengo. Trust me, a drunk Ronaldinho is better than whatever the Crew consider an attacking presence.

It is like groundhog day. About this time last season Meram had one or two games off the bench where he affected the game. He then started several games and was terrible, worse than terrible.

I agree with you about quick players though. I think you can play one up front with someone who has pace and movement will stretch the defence and create space for the midfielders. Even the best defenders hate playing against pace.

When I say wing, I don't mean midfield. I mean attacking wing. I agree that Meram shouldn't be in midfield, but he is also not a player who should have his back to goal, thus wing, and less defensive responsibilities. If guys like Meram and Gaven float in and out according to the flow of the game, so be it. In attack the only good are players who have good skill sets, know where to go, and when to go there.

The only game in which Meram was "worse than terrible" and I think he may have been "way" worse than terrible was the Chicago game at home. He started in midfield, wide, and I don't think he completed a single pass. The guy is just not a midfielder.