Big Strong Center Forward

[Eastern Bear]

I think it may be unrealistic for DCU to get a "proven finisher" for this season, but it may be possible to work a trade for a big strong center forward in the traditional sense. I've been watching a lot of other MLS games lately and I've been pretty impressed w/ Pat Noonan and Nate Jaqua. I know they're well regarded by their clubs, but perhaps DC could work a trade for one of those guys? Their strength gives them the ability to get shots off when most of our smallish strikers are pushed off the ball. Not to mention that they are good in the air and can actually play out on the wing. Earnie, Eskandarian, and others may be pretty good trade bate that I'd certainly be willing to part with.

There's also the possibility that Martins or Quaranta could play this role. I just would like to have a strong forward that can make a crashing run to the near post and finish chances --- who doesn't...

[Th4119]

Martins is the epitome of this role, except he can dribble well and has pace too.

[Eastern Bear]

Well then, heal Thiago and suit up! I do recall hearing that he scored a bazillion goals in the a-league.

[DutchFootballRulez]

And he did tie that game vs Columbus..or was it Colorado last season.

[eltico]

But will having torn his ACL and having had ACL surgery and having rehabbed said ACL reduced his pace and his strength and his ability to the point where he is no longer an effective target striker?

[JoeW]

I think there are several issues here. A big strong aerial threat--that would be nice. And we don't have that (Martins comes close). A finisher (not necessarily the same thing) who is ruthless and cold-blooded around the goal--we don't have that either (though a more experienced and a confident Eskandarian could be that person).

Right now we've got a lot of bodies at forward. For some of those players to develop (Quintanilla, Quaranta, Adu, Eskandarian), some people need to go.

[John L]

This is the type of Forward DCU really needs right now - Roy Lassiter filled this role in the Glory Years, and it opened up scoring opportunities for everyone else

For who we got right now, its Martins and possibly Santino - When they're healthy - Santino really grew a lot from his first year - Unfortunately every time he started to get rolling as a Forward he got injured or was put out of position as an Outside Halfback - Esky is a good scrappy Forward but he's just too small for this role

Possibilities from oversears? - Boca Juniors' ANTONIO BARIJHO - This guy's a second string forward but what a monster - I saw him score on sheer will power in a late season game a few weeks ago and again last night in a Copa Liberatores game against Sao Caetano - He's not playing regularly and given the financial plight of most Argentine clubs this is a possibility (remote)

Any others - Gotta be a sub or 2nd stringer on a good club


John L

[TEConnor]

While it is interesting to consider signing a new striker there are insurmountable odds at doing so.

1) We have zero cap room

2) We have no allocations

3) We have no transfer fund pool dollars

4) We have 6 or 7 strikers on the roster

5) We have at least 2 target type forwards on the roster

6) Several of our forwards have zero trade value

7) Each of our forwards is unwaiveable for this season

8) With the signing of Nana Kwame, we now have a completely full roster

9) There is a transfer window issue to complicate things greatly

10) Freddy Adu guaranteed playing time

Now, if you consider that Convey is jumping ship in the July-August timeframe, several of the items above are less obstacle like and more ambiguous. Convey makes a bit of money and would give us transfer $ and free up a roster spot by leaving. So we've got that going for us. But what do you do with the other 6 or 7 forwards when you've just lost a midfielder (a critical one, it's turning out).

In my rather useless opinion, we need to trade Quaranta or Cerritos or Eskandarian or all of them. I think it is highly unlikely that anyone will bite on these guys. Maybe we could shop Cerritos around in Mexico...but that seems unlikely too (if he can't make it here, he can't make it there).

What we are left hoping for is that when Martins returns that he plays very well. I find this to be an unlikely proposition, given the length of time he's been sidelined. Q1, we all know, is unlikely to return to any sort of form without sustaining another 6 month injury. Q2 is really just a midfielder, so maybe he'd step in there after Convey leaves.

Hence, our most hopeful scenario is that Q1 and Q2 provide a few minutes this year as midfielders, that Martins returns, that Cerritos disappears, and that we sign a quality defender or central midfielder to replace Convey.

Maybe Payne will return to 1998 form and pull off another Roy for Roy trade...one can only hope.

Tim

[michael greene]

1) We have zero cap room

2) We have no allocations

3) We have no transfer fund pool dollars

4) We have 6 or 7 strikers on the roster

5) We have at least 2 target type forwards on the roster

6) Several of our forwards have zero trade value

7) Each of our forwards is unwaiveable for this season

8) With the signing of Nana Kwame, we now have a completely full roster

9) There is a transfer window issue to complicate things greatly

10) Freddy Adu guaranteed playing time


Tim

"But other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" :)

[Shark]

"But other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" :)


Ahhh....the Roy for Roy trade. That was good stuff. Bruce pulling the strings on that one.

[Sandon Mibut]

8) With the signing of Nana Kwame, we now have a completely full rosterI don't think this is quite correct. DCU currently has 17 rostered players and five P40/DP players and, per Goff's stories, I was under the impression Nana "hey, hey, goodbye" Kwame was going to be a Developmental Player.

Thus, DCU would still have an open roster spot to sign a player. Cap room? That's another story and yet another example of the masterful job done by Dave Kasper.

[DutchFootballRulez]

..., I was under the impression Nana "hey, hey, goodbye" Kwame was going to be a Developmental Player.


Its nice to know that Chris Berman is a DCU supporter... :p

[stopper4]

Sandon,

Why is this Kasper's fault and not Nowak's?


How about Toni Nhlecko for Ronald Cerritos?

[TEConnor]

I don't think this is quite correct. DCU currently has 17 rostered players and five P40/DP players and, per Goff's stories, I was under the impression Nana "hey, hey, goodbye" Kwame was going to be a Developmental Player.

Thus, DCU would still have an open roster spot to sign a player. Cap room? That's another story and yet another example of the masterful job done by Dave Kasper.

Fair enough. Maybe we have the roster opening. That seemed to me to be the least important of all the points I made, nonetheless.

Cheers,
Tim

[Section106]

Sandon,

Why is this Kasper's fault and not Nowak's?


How about Toni Nhlecko for Ronald Cerritos?


Nowak inherited this team and all of its cap woes. He brought in Ara, Gros, and Perkins, all low or no cap number players. He brought back Moreno at a greatly reduced salary that is incentive driven. Kasper as Technical Director helped w/ the Curtis for Cerritos trade that caused the release of Milton Reyes and left DC on the hook for all of Cerritos' high cap figure. We keep a player that everyone on this board agrees is not the answer at forward for a player that was vigorously recruited, some financial future mortgaged(see discovery money) and was a huge fan favorite. To me, it seems that there is a high level of incompetence at the highest levels of DC United. I'd like to add that I'm still optimistic about this teams chances, however, if DC is to return to glory w/ this coach a roster shake up has to happen. The first and best opportunity for said shake up is the off season, barring a player transfer i.e. Bobby Convey. IIRC, Stewart signed a two year deal w/ the league so this should be his last year. If he isn't brought back and the under achievers are relased as well, DC will have room to go out and get players that will fit Nowak's mold and system. Because of what Nowak had to work with I think he desearves a free pass this year.

[DutchFootballRulez]

I agree, what Nowak has accomplished this early w/ the club playing much better than last year you cannot hang these errors on Nowak. Not yet anyway, if we've still got problems next season then Nowak's butt is on the fire.

[revelation]

(snip)Because of what Nowak had to work with I think he desearves a free pass this year.

This is one of the statements that I HATE from DC United supporters. We've heard it every stinking year since 1999. All it does is allows mediocrity and failure.

Nowak is in a tough situation - one year contract and a team that is capped out - but in a league where many teams have gone Worst to First and 8 of 10 make the playoffs, Nowak has to do something with this team.

Yes, Nowak has to get DC United to the playoffs. Yes, Nowak has to get them to play well in the playoffs (i.e. win at least one game).

If he can't do that, then See Ya! And then y'all will have another new coach to "forgive" for failure! :mad:

[Section106]

My assertion that Nowak deserves a free pass is more of a subjective admission than an objective critique of DC's circumstances. In other words, I'll understand if Nowak doesn't return DC to glory this season. That is not to say that I expect anything less that perfection from all invovled. I want DC to win and if anyone in the organization doesn't deliver then they should go. I think that Kasper has been under performing and someone should address his lack of results. Moreover, given Nowak's lack of invovlement with acquisition of current players, I do not think that we as fans will see just how good a coach he really is this season. And I think he is a very good coach. He needs help from the front office. Look at the Redskins. Gibbs was and is a great coach but he had help from Bobby Bethard and Charlie Casserly in finding the right personnel to fit his system. Nowak, and we as DC supporters, deserve the same level of professionalism and competence that all good coaches with great teams get from those charged with the task!

[TEConnor]

This is one of the statements that I HATE from DC United supporters. {snip}

You do a good Haig impression.

Tim