If we don't win MLS Cup, it is basically set that roster changes will insue. Contracts are up for Wingert and Beltran at the end of the year. Olave is not the same. Morales has lost a step. That being said, we still have a solid group of guys for the years to come. So. The question, who stays, who goes, ect. A name I would like to throw out for an offseason aqquisition is Fabian Castillo for FC Dallas. Yes, midfielders in our system need to be in the offense and the defense but I think maybe, just maybe he could work out. The dude can fly. Anyone you would like to see come in? Anyone go out?
I honestly would like that quick, little annoying guy for Chivas that was flopping and giving us a little trouble....he's got ton of speed (which we have very little). As I said earlier in the season that as much as I love him...Olave needs to be traded...he's hurt way too much. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but with what Steele makes and as much playing time as he gets...he'll be here next year
I'd keep it simple (and I hate saying this) but these are the two main moves I'd look to make, with an eye towards reducing cap usage and acquiring younger players and draft picks. 1. Trade one of our starting CBs. We have a wealth of 4 solid Center Backs. That's not common in MLS. Who it is is up to what you can get for them IMO. Olave when healthy still makes us very tough. 2. Trade or waive Javier Morales. We need more speed and an AM that we can rely on to stay upright and start consistently, else our whole offense never gets in rhythm through the year. We need to groom a new AM. We need better forward options behind Saborio. We need a 3rd and 4th starter quality Outside midfielder - either via emergence (Sebastian?) or acquisition - that isn't playing out of position...as that's where we seem to substitute the most - so it needs to be a spark off the bench.
It's rather interesting that we are going to go from 3 starter worthy outside backs last year (Tony, Wingert, and Russell) to two this year (Tony and Wingert - Mansally an iffy option) to possibly none or 1 next year... Suddenly outside back is a position of serious concern. I'd be in favor of waiving Javi so long as we had intentions of re-signing him at a lower contract. He has to understand that he just isn't at the level he was when we signed him to that $400+ contract. Oh, and very seriously of note, Sabo's contract ends this year. If his agent has anything resembling a brain, he'll have Sabo as the highest paid RSL player next year by quite some margin. It's hard to argue he doesn't deserve it, either.
Don't Trade unless you can get significant return: Nicky Nat KB Sabo Shop around seriously/renegotiate contracts if not Olave Tony Wingert Will Grabs Javi Espy PJ Gil Keep next year at low cost Mansally Schuler Velasquez Enzo Yordany KWS Viana Meh Bonfigli Braun Fernandez Reynish Steele
I just want to pick up someone new who can score. When Sabo is out, and we only need one goal to advance, but we still can't get it...that shows some deficiencies in our attack.
I still say it's not the necessarily the forwards that are the problem. This year Sabo has 17 and Espindola has 9 goals on the year (46 total goals for). 2011 Sabo had 11, Espy had 10 (44 total). 2010 saw Sabo with 12, Espy with 6 (45 total). 2010 was far and away our best year with only 30 games played. We had a higher goal per game average and set the record for fewest goals allowed. Both last year and this year we've had essentially the same goals scored and conceded. We're about on par with the rest of the teams in the playoffs in goals scored, and one of the better teams on goals conceded. Having a solid 3rd option at forward would be heaven, but it's not like we're drastically behind the league on scoring. One thing that would certainly help our forwards though, is a speedier midfield. Build a midfield that has the pace to get around and disjoint the other team, and our forwards will get a lot better opportunities. The game is largely won and lost based on the midfield battle. If we can get some pace there, Mansally getting up the field whipping in crosses, I think we'll look pretty good for next year even if we have no forward turnover. Just look at this year compared to years past. Our midfield got up into the attack a lot more, which gave both them and the forwards more and better opportunities. It hasn't happened as often this season, imo, yet we're still doing pretty good in scoring. If it were up to me, the pieces I'd look to shop around are Morales, Grabavoy, and Johnson. See if someone is dumb enough to take Steele, and shop around one of Borchers/Olave, and Wingert/Beltran. We have capable starters in Schuler and Watson-Siriboe so moving Schuler into a starting role and finding a 4th CB on the cheap would work for me. I'd love to see Mansally starting more, and if someone did take one of Wingert or Beltran, look to finding an outside back with pace that can put in a decent cross. Look for skilled guys ~25yo, it'd give us some players that can impact immediately if our younger guys still aren't quite ready to start. We'd still have some veterans around to guide all the players, and I think we'd still be pushing for the cup again next year. It'd give us a solid balance of youth, players nearing their peak, and veterans moving towards the ends of their career.
I would keep Espy, and stay with the salary he's getting. The guy is passionate. When Sabo is out he is our only dangerous player. Adding some other capable people to the cast will improve his scoring. He also was under-paid for a while and I would like the front-office to make it up to him a bit.
Yeah, he was a hard one to decide on. Honestly, even with his deficiencies, he is way under-paid for what he does (and compared to what others on the team make). I'd say keep him. But it is very obvious we need someone to pressure him for that #2 spot.
I'd love for someone to be pushing for the #2 spot. It'd make all 3 or 4 forwards better for it. The problem I see is one we've seen over the last couple years: once you're a starter, you're a starter. Unless you get injured, you're almost never getting benched. I really wonder how much better our team as a whole may have been had there been some rotation based on form, not due to injury. Even the subs seem to be a largely planned thing that seem to only vary if there's an injury during the game. Velasquez started off doing pretty good for us at the start of the year, yet when the starter was healthy he was dumped back to the bench or not on the roster at all. At some point I can see how that might get to a player and become frustrating. Where's the motivation to push harder in a game or practice when the odds of being rewarded for it are pretty slim?
With Espy I would find someone else to score 6-10 goals a year - someone who will not miss open goals in the CCL final (as Espy did twice against Monterrey), or a CCL elimination game (as Espy did against Herediano). He's proven twice not to be the guy you want to rely on to score a goal in a big game; why would you want to rely on him going forward?
What about moving Espindola into the left midfield spot? I think we he produces compared to what he is paid is a great deal. I like Will Johnson but not enough to pay him 250,000K, plus he's Canadian.
Does Espy play good enough defense to be a middy? I think he would be Nelson Gonzalez 2.0 in our midfield. Great in attack but gets sucked too far wide and is a massive liability going the other direction.
I like your analysis. I'd like to add: 3. Trade Will Johnson. His salary is too high ($250k). He has his sights set on Europe. Let him go. 4. Luis Gil will no longer be GA in 2013, and his salary is about that of Will Johnson ($200k). Maybe RSL sends him to Europe too. 5. Beltran is reported to be making $160k. Wingert is $145k. Maybe cheaper options? (salaries here)
FIRE EVERYONE!!! I think we should really focus on improving the attacking midfielders in our lineup this offseason. Not that we should ignore everything else, but the midfield is our weakest link IMHO.
I don't think Mansally is an MLS starter at leftback. The guy is pretty good, don't get me wrong, but I see him as a constant weak point. If you have 2 solid CB's behind him, you could get it to work, but don't count on him to be solid defensively at all
Agreed. When I think of "player most likely to foul in the box or near it", he's the clear choice. I liked it when we acquired him because of what he could add to the attack. His last 3 games have demonstrated he canno place a good service into the box.
When will Martinez and Vaina push players? Can we afford Olave or Borchers gone with Schuler or Watson starting?
You need Borchers. And, given his salary, he really isn't part of the issue. He plays a style that should make him able to play for another 2 or 3 years at minimum. I'm not sure Olave can play another year at anywhere near the level we expect out of him. And no, I would not have confidence in a CB duo of Watson and Schuler. I watched it against the Houston reserves for about 20 minutes. Cam Weaver was finding far too much space
Can Enzo, Sebas or Vaina push Johnson, Morales, Steele, Grabs? If not then we will probably see more of the same next year. I can't see this club doing more than minor tweaks with people like Mansally or Watson.
Looking only at the starters... Leave the forwards alone, and look for a better third forward with speed. (It doesn't look like Junior will be able to get the job done.) BTW, how bad is Braun if he can't find any time? Midfield...keep Captain Kyle - get any value you can for Johnson, Morales, Grabs and Steele. We need serious speed upgrades to enable the mid to press the way Kreis wants them too. Gil isn't worth the $$ if any more than $100k. D...the only difference between this defense and the one that only gave up 30 goals is Olave's health. The front office will have a much better feel for how many games he can play a year. If he is healthy, the D is one of the top in the league. If he isn't, it is only above average (with Shuler) or below average (with W-S). Both outside backs are being overpaid for the lack of offensive skill they bring. On the open market, they're not going to command much, so we should be able to re-sign them for less. Keeper-is a keeper. No reason to change.
I think Gil is worth a continued investment. He is young and just needs experience. Pay him as a young, developing AM. I think we will be hard pressed to upgrade in our midfield or outside backs for much less than we are paying now. Finding a player who just happens to turn out to be amazing is a rare thing.
Gil currently makes nearly $200K as a generation adidas player. He will graduate next season, making that salary (whatever it turns out to be) count against the cap. He has the potential to be good, but anything over $100K, to me, is overpaid.
I agree, $200 is too much. I do hold out hope that we can find some "diamonds in the rough" because I think we are aging and some of our players seem to be complacent, or at least not as motivated as they could be.