Castrillon fits best at wing, I guess we will be stuck with this 4-2-2-2 (not a fan but I like how castrillon becomes 3rd forward and rivero slides into a 10 position) unless we find a way to play with just 1 d mid. Would like to see Thomas there in a true 4-3-3 this season, but he has some injury from LA game. This offseason we will see what the plan is, what they said it was but we didn't see this season. Or do something else that maybe matches personnel we have?
Well, now that the season's over, I figure I'll throw out my two cents as far as what moves I think the team should make. In alphabetical order: Akpan - Keep. Love how he's developing, and he seems to rarely put shots off-frame Armstrong - Keep. No reason to drop him as a homegrown player, depth at mid or D. Cascio - Keep. Amazing production for a rookie straight from the draft. Casey - Keep, if he can renegotiate for less money. Otherwise, trade. Castrillon - Tough call given his goal production, but I'm just not sold on him. He disappears too often and his distribution is lacking. Not sure what his contract status is, but trade or waive. Ceus - Keep. Solid backup net-minder. Cummings - Keep. He had a miserable first 60% of the season, but I actually feel he was improving by the end. I still consider him a bargain given how much respect he still seems to get from opposing D. Edu - Useless. Drop. Freeman - Keep. Got more impressed with him as the season went on. Hill - Keep, assuming he wants to stay after his numerous pointless benchings. That he didn't play more often this year is inexcusable IMO. Joyce - Keep I guess. Third string keepers are vestigial organs. Klute - Keep. Pretty impressed with him off the bat, give him a chance to grow. JL - I'd say keep given his performance since Thomas joined up, however if we get a good trade offer, I'd say they should consider letting him go. Marshall - Needs to retire. Not up to playing at this level anymore. Pablo - Retire and stay on coaching staff. Moor - Keep. No-brainer. Mullan - Keep. One of the most consistent performers this year. Nane - Once Thomas came on the scene, he became surplus. Drop. O'Neill - Keep. Homegrown and shows potential, good depth at mid. Palguta - We desperately need depth at D, but I don't think Palguta is the solution. Drop. Pickens - Team MVP. 'Nuff said. Rivero - I'm mixed on him. He's one of those guys that always seems half a season away from breaking out. Good skills and good work ethic, we should give him another season. Smith - Too expensive, too old and too injury-prone despite his skills and service to the team. Drop. Thomas - Bright spot of this season. Keep keep keep. Wahl - Good defensive depth guy. Keep. Wallace - Don't know how well he can perform after being out for 2 full years, but if he's up to snuff, let him fight to get his position back. Wynne - Keep. Pair him at center back with Moor and never move him again. Zapata - Not effective as a left back, he gets caught out of position constantly. I think Klute out-shined him in his short amount of playing time. Drop. Off-season acquisitions: Need depth at D, especially center back. Could use a bit more depth at mid as well. My preferred starting lineup, given our current roster with no major acquisitions: -----Casey/Hill-----Cummings/Cascio---- (Strikers contingent on form) ---Rivero------------------------Mullan----- -------------JL-------Thomas---------------- ---Klute---Moor---Wynne---Freeman----- ----------------MVPickens-------------------- It is a rather grand irony that we have returned to playing 2 D-mids, but we looked best trotting out a lineup like that. As has been said many times, the "system" should be secondary to what your personnel can do and what produces results. Granted, the games against Chivas and Houston were against inferior and unmotivated opposition respectively, but I saw a glimmer of hope for next season. Let's see what the off-season brings
Agree with most of your assessment except: I am a lot less down on Castrillon than many here. Golden boot winner for CO (yea, I know, 8 goals is hardly the jackpot) in first year in MLS. His being in the right place at the right time is no accident IMO. Rivero has been lauded by MLS.com articles more than once, his goal shots have been of target but playing as much as he has and showing some very good ball handling and decision making for plays, I see little reason to be anything but optimistic about him ('cept for those goal shots, again) especially given his age and first year in MLS. I like Zapata so far. I think he has actually been fairly consistent, though not perfect, to acknowledge your concerns. From what I saw of Klute in his only game, he was good on offense but I did not pay enough attention on D. Zapata has shown runs on offense many times this year that were similar to those of Klute. But, Zapata is 33 next season so he could be on the block.
Bravo / Pareja name the following players as safe (as I understand the article) Brian Mullan, Jeff Larentowicz, Drew Moor, Matt Pickens, Omar Cummings, and Shane O’Neill and it is a priority to secure Rivero & Thomas for next season and beyond. Individual talks to be held with everyone else ... http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/11/bravo-pareja-begin-postseason-individual-player-meetings
Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like those guys are safe because their contracts are recently signed and Rapids plan to honor them. I can only assume that there are many other players not mentioned in the article that Bravo/Pareja want to keep and likely will, but with contract renegociations and all, they can't really "confirm" the presence of some key players for next season (such as Pickens, Wynn, Castrillon, etc). No doubt they want to keep Thomas and Rivero. I'm guessing team building happens around those guys. I'd be surprised if Rivero comes back at less than $100k...but then again I don't know what his obligation is to the Rapids/MLS from Rosario or how the $ works into this. Pretty sure it ain't gonna be his current $50k.
Weird, there should be no negoatiations at all. We had a 2 year loan in place, unless they are talking about buying out Rosario.
Yeah, I don't understand why there is so much talk making it sound like he may not come back next year. Next year should be a given, but I also would understand if they were trying to finalize the transfer so he really would be ours going forward. That isn't the way it is being presented though which confounds me.
I guess I meant "No surprise they are negotiating with Rivero and Thomas as they would certainly like to keep them".
My uneducated take on the Rivero thing is that the Rapids have the contract for 2 year loan but the $ for him going forward after his first year were not set in stone. This may be for him or for him and Rosario. But they may be looking to secure him more long term, as you mention, and would therefore add the the nebulosity of the whole situation.
I am also baffled by way this is written as well. "(Priorities) One A and One B are securing Martin (Rivero) and Hendry (Thomas) for 2013 and hopefully beyond," he said. "We are in active discussions with the representatives of both (players) and the League. We have a timeframe set and that is for it be done before the end of the year." But I believe dismemberment and myself brought up our concern that Rivero would be back based off the circus it took to finally get him and his success here. Outside the usa lawyers and contracts mean little, it's who you know.
Yeah, but FIFA has already sided with MLS on Rivero. And MLS owners got rich by being very, very good at contracts.
Hey, my family is in the contract business but outside the western world they really mean nothing. Think you are stretching a bit, saying contract writing leads to wealth there buddy. Just one of our agree to disagree topics here, but I will be delighted to see Rivero return, just not surprised if it doesn't happen. What ever happened with guy who signed contract/ transfer last preseason then refused to go to MLS ( New England I think)
He went to MLS. The contract, as written, allowed the team to keep the player until right before the MLS season started. As much as the Revs FO complained, they were in the wrong. My point is that FIFA is very clear when it comes to something like this AND they've already had to step in once and tell the Argentine FA/Rosario Central to shape up. I have no concern that if MLS has a contract that gives them the rights to Rivero for 2013 that Rosario Central can stop him from being in MLS in 2013. MLS knows what its doing and FIFA will back them up. Now Rivero himself could be a problem, you can force a player's registration to whatever team the contract says, but you can't force him to play. Right now it seems like Rivero wants to come back and its all good though.
BTW, the NE player was Jose 'Pepe' Moreno, who played 7 games with the Revs before being waived in August.
i just think we need a player exactly like omar so when his gone or injured also same with casey. that way were not changing team philosophy's every week. would push omar and push casey