If Soumare is on the roster he is pushing Okugo out (most likely) and back to DM. That would make things interesting as far as Carroll is concerned. Mac is the best striker we have, and no that doesn't mean a whole lot. He has gotten better but that several game period where he disappeared should sound alarms. I too would prefer Marfan on the right and would be really curious to see Freddy get a chance at CAM. I think that combo could be strong. Gaddis has shown some spark the past two games and maybe either him or Williams can slot to LB?? Not sure as they are both stronger on their right foot. If either can play LB I think it will help Garfan out as he can then become our LM. Garfan as a LM may also lessen the need to play two DMs like we have been. If we used the modified 4-3-3 that we used at times with Hack I would be really interested in seeing a midfield of Garfan/Okugo/Marfan with a possible top of Adu/Mac/Cruz (just going off current roster). Also having serviceable rb/lb/cb starting in your midfield gives you flexibility.
All strikers go through slumps. Wondolowski went 6 or 7 straight matches recently without a goal. LeToux didn't score a goal from the run of play last season until late August/Early September. Montero has droughts every season.....ALL strikers go through Slumps. He's still very young, learning his craft, and more importantly maturing from a physical standpoint. He's starting to breakout and show glimpses of his potential. He made numerous dangerous runs into the box on Saturday. His teammates either didn't connect with him, or didn't see him. If the FO gets a legit striker to play off of him next season, he should reach 10 goals easily. As for Marfan. Last season, when he was surrounded by veteran players, his stats were better. This season playing in the central role in midfield, with two defensive minded MF's his stats are down, yet his play has been very good. We need a veteran striker to combine with Jack Mac and Freddy up front in the 4-3-3. Creating chances is great when you have someone on the other end who can convert them, and this season................we haven't had that on a consistent enough basis.
I like Marfan but he has 1 assist and no goals in his last 13 games. If you take out 2 games in early July (where he had a goal and 3 assists against LAG and TOR), he's got 2 assists all year.
I do not think he's a true number 10, but he does control the ball well and provide a release valve for the team. He's a table setter, rather than a play maker. I look at what he does being more like what Claudio Reyna did for the national team. Marfan is involved in pretty much every play going forward. He doesn't often make that killer release pass, but he's a vital link.
As I said, I don't dislike him as a player. I agree with most of what you wrote here and was surprised to see how mediocre his G/A contributions have been this season. Marfan is certainly versatile and his position next year will probably be determined by what attacking players are brought in and how Hackworth & Co. decide to restructure the team.
I understand completely. I think he's playing his current position because either this is where the coaching staff sees him in the future or because he's the best 90 minute option they have in that role right now. I am trying to judge his play, not his stats. Every week, I see a guy who improves and who looks more comfortable. Would he look more like a 10 if there were more established and credible threats up top? I think he might, and he'd have better numbers as well. I think he's more of a number 8 though and that he'd absolutely excel playing with a true 10.
While I understand that they go through scoring slumps, he had several games where his play was close to abysmal and got benched for it. While I know he is young and still has a great deal to learn his play is what worries me. He at times seems disinterested, he misses sitters all the time, he can also appear lazy. As to the lazy part, take the NE game, there was one time we were pushing up and he got into an offside position by a yard or two as the ball was played back by NE. We had a steal and here Jack was just walking back, even after we regained possession. It wasn't like he was off by a lot like sometimes happens when someone tries to make a run, he only had a little bit of ground to get back on. He didn't. I yelled 'Jack get back on' hoping he would hear me (seats in 131 near the front and players have heard us before and he was near the sideline). After I yelled that, my brother turns to me and says 'I hate lazy forwards'.
Hmm...it's hardly statistical gerrymandering, especially since I noted what I was removing from his stats in the post. It's just another piece of evidence toward the larger point I was making: a team can't have one of their most important offensive players go missing on the stat sheet in 24 of the 29 games in which he's played, at least if they want to be successful on the offensive end. The fact that the Union won each of the 4 games in which Marfan scored or assisted this year means we're 6-15-6 (W-L-T) in all the other games. So it isn't that "those games don't count" as much as "all the games count." Marfan also isn't really a young player...he turns 25 next year. Since he's likely closer to his peak, it's difficult to talk about his potential the same way you might with Okugo, McInerney, or Hoppenot. I'm definitely not blaming all the team's offensive woes on one player but I think we do need more production from that position. In that case, Marfan will hopefully be replaced by someone who can rack up more goals and assists (and perhaps be moved somewhere with less offensive responsibility). I think you could make the exact same point about Adu needing to be more consistently productive. Ideally, we'll bring in some new attacking players and be next year's Earthquakes with goals all around.
I like this. Adu is his preferred central role with Marfan back out on the wing. We definitely need a new winger too. Daniel and Garfan just aren't good enough attackers at this point. Daniel had a great game but mostly with set pieces. We need someone with fast who can create a quick counter attack. We might have the slowest counter attack in the league. I also like the idea of keeping Carroll. If Soumare finally steps up then Okugo can move into that spot where our attack would be boosted greatly. If not then it's no big deal (Soumare's wasted salary aside). The only thing I would change though is to get a legit LB as well. Keep Williams in his natural RB position and use Gaddis as cover on both sides.
LB/LM/Target Striker/back-up forward with some size & skill. They can massage the current roster to fill in the rest, and they don't appear willing to invest beyond............ Incidentally Dills; Forget Stahl and Laing, the FtL player the Union should make a run at is MF (and Manchester native) Mark Anderson. Gotta do my part to help that kid get a real job.
We do not need a new squad. Just one or two pieces will make the puzzle work. We tried the new squad approach and look what happened. (The players were not really upgrades.) PERSONALLY, I would like to try make this team work by adding one our two players rather than destroying again. I am a Flyers FAN*, I know some hockey but not much as soccer and I catch a game or two a year. Year after year I will never will quit being a fan, because I love Philly. I could name most of the roster then they did an overhaul. I hated that. 1. Because I didnt know most the players becuase I dont follow hockey, 2. Hated seeing fan favs go. And we did not go any further than before. *In between wagoner and die hard.
Off topic but if the NHL loses even one game I dont think I will ever watch a game again. Serious. Not after the bullshit just a few years ago.
Well, NHL has canceled all regular season games through Oct 24 so you can start your boycott now if you want.
Saw that, but I believe it was with the caveat that it might be possible to still play a full 82 game sched.
Oh man, definitely not hoping to bring Toni Stahl back. Was just Googling who Lance Laing was and came across that shocking image. I know he's not with the team anymore, but if we're going to pillage the Strikers' roster, let's bring back Eduardo Coudet.
Speaking of Union/Strikers connections, there is always Cristian Arrieta (last seen playing amateur soccer for the NY Greek-Americans).
Yeah, if Soumare is healthy, then Carroll becomes very attractive trade bait (well, unless Valdes goest to Europe). I'm sure 80% of MLS would love to get a "legit" LB, but they are pretty rare. I'd rather run out Williams at LB than have another Lopez-type experiment. What is the Union's PPG rate since Hack took over? Is it fringe-playoff? I'd rather add one or two pieces and build around what we have, since the U isn't exactly rolling in cash right now.
Trading away Carroll is a bad idea. Considering he's been one of our best players this year, and he's got a ton of experience, we'd be foolish to give Carroll away.
They still have salary cap space to play with and that is paid for by the league, it is only if they add a DP that the Union actually pays anything. Adding pieces from within MLS most likely would not be a DP player. It is the international players that may be a DP. Also, if they get a DP at 500k or so, the Union only have to pay 150k from their pocket, unless they use the cargo ship full of Allocation money they have.