Goff: Kovalenko Ready for Action

[NattyBo]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051001229.html

He could end up making another late-game appearance this Saturday against first-place New England (5-0-1) at Gillette Stadium. Regardless, he's planning to play in the reserve league match later in the day.

"I don't think Dema is ready for 90 minutes right now," Coach Peter Nowak said. "He's still coming back and it was nice to give him some minutes, but it's going to be another week to 10 days for him to get his fitness back. . . . He always competes, he always has his heart out there. I'm pretty happy with his progress."



Also, big ups to Simms:

Rookie Clyde Simms, who started the last two games in defensive midfield, is slowed by a hip flexor but should be available Saturday. He also has been tentatively selected for U.S. national team training camp prior to the England friendly May 28 in Chicago

[bigredfutbol]

Seeing him and Namoff on the field Saturday was the icing on the cake. I think the team is ready to take this season by the throat.


EDIT: And yes, props to Simms. Great to see how he made the most of his chance.

[Knave]

Unrelated to the injury, he was also being mentioned in informal trade talks with, among others, Chicago and Salt Lake City, according to several sources around the league. A deal never materialized and United's coaching staff patiently awaited his return.

With the team's ample depth in midfield, Kovalenko acknowledged it's going to be difficult to reclaim a starting job, whether it's on the left side or in a disruptive central role.
Makes you wonder ...

Big salary for somone who might end up on the bench.

[K]

OK, I've heard of (and done) all kinds of pre-game rituals to ensure winning but Gros breaking his wrist again seems a bit extreme! ;)

K

[eltico]

I doubt Kovalenko goes anywhere until Freddy comes back from the U-20s.

[Bruce S]

someone tell the Revs to wear the extra-thick shinguards on Saturday :)

[McOwen]

Makes you wonder ...

Big salary for somone who might end up on the bench.

OR he and Namoff are the key missing ingredients to give this team the heart and defensive drive they need to take home a 5th Cup.

I wish we could just admit Dema is a major part of this team. If he was such trade bait he would be gone by now. With Guppy ailing and Carrol sucking ass I'd say he is even more valuble then ever to this team.

[monster]

OR he and Namoff are the key missing ingredients to give this team the heart and defensive drive they need to take home a 5th Cup.

I wish we could just admit Dema is a major part of this team. If he was such trade bait he would be gone by now. With Guppy ailing and Carrol sucking ass I'd say he is even more valuble then ever to this team.
Agreed. And if we start trading anyone who makes a decent salary and doesn't start every game, where the hell will we be when some of the top-paid starters go down with injury or need a rest or are on national team duty.

It's not what they count for on the books, it's how the accept their role and contribute to the team effort.

[bigredfutbol]

OR he and Namoff are the key missing ingredients to give this team the heart and defensive drive they need to take home a 5th Cup.

I wish we could just admit Dema is a major part of this team. If he was such trade bait he would be gone by now. With Guppy ailing and Carrol sucking ass I'd say he is even more valuble then ever to this team.

I've never been a Dema fan, but ever since the second leg Vs. Pumas, I've been rethinking that. I couldn't help but notice how much fight the team seemed to be lacking.

[onefineesq]

OR he and Namoff are the key missing ingredients to give this team the heart and defensive drive they need to take home a 5th Cup.

I wish we could just admit Dema is a major part of this team. If he was such trade bait he would be gone by now. With Guppy ailing and Carrol sucking ass I'd say he is even more valuble then ever to this team. I don't think that anyone believes Dema to be a bad player. However, for price and position, I still think that I would rather have 2 good quality defenders (hell, or one good quality defender and a backup) for his cap number. I'm still more comfortable with the midfield without Dema than I am with our defenders right now. But again, that's just me. However, welcome back Dema. He's still United, and as long as he is, I am going to give him my support when he puts on the uniform.

[Th4119]

I'm with Owen on this one.

If United was the one going into this game with a 5-0-1 (and would have presumably done better in the Champions Cup--even closer losses at least) then Dema could definitely be viewed as expendable, or at least closer to it, because the team had kept their form without him and Namoff, and he makes considerably more money.

The fact is, they've played pretty unispired, crappy soccer for a lot of the time Kovalenko has been out.

What was that quote last year about him? He's the type of player who picks the team up by the scruff of their neck and doesn't let them underachieve? Something along those lines at least.

Without Nelsen and Stewart, this team is firmly lacking in leadership and effort, something that an energized Kovalenko can help provide.

[Knave]

I wish we could just admit Dema is a major part of this team.
I don't know for sure if you were directing that at me, but if you were then you need to look more closely at at what I quoted. What I said is a response to that quote. If he ends up on the bench then he's not a major part of this team. If he ends up on the bench then it's idiotic to pay his salary.

Those aren't terribly controversial statements.

I wonder who instigated those "informal" talks. I understand Nowak has shopped Kovalenko before, and there were times in the last couple months when we really thought we needed a central defender. It's possible those talks originated with us, and not with other teams around the league.

Make of it what you will.

[McOwen]

What I said is a response to that quote. If he ends up on the bench then he's not a major part of this team...

Those aren't terribly controversial statements.


My point is its highly unlikely he will end up on the bench because of his talent and value to this team. Its a moot point. Dema is simply showing humility in his comments.

He will and can start ahead of the vast majority of our midfield players when healthy.

For some reason there is a faction of fans here (not saying you specifically Knave) that cannot see how important he is to the team.

Through injury, talent, and need, Dema WILL play a major part/role this season. I am just not one of these people that get hung up on cards or misguided mythology (his leg breaking crap).

I see timely goals, 10 assists (last year) and the heart of this team = Well worth his salary.

[Knave]

We've had it out on this issue before (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4377220&postcount=77), and as I said there too, I think you misjudge why some people aren't crazy about Kovalenko.

[Daniel le Rouge]

All things considered, I DO think we miss Kovalenko in the midfield more than we need players in the back.

Let's face it: we were never going to be able to replace Nelsen. Just wasn't going to happen. Kovalenko's grit in defensive midfield means less pressure on rookie defenders. Plain and simple.

One thing folks need to realize is that we play defense from the front back, not from back-to-front. That's where we REALLY miss Kovalenko.

Is he too wild? Yes. Does he get too may rep cards? Absolutely. Does he get tossed from critical games? Unarguably. Does he cost too much compared to his contribution? I'm not so damn sure. We could get two Prideaux-level defenders for his salary, yes, but I don't think that does us any good. Bryan Namoff is a steal. You don't find guys like that laying anywhere. More important, you don't find guys who instill backbone in a team for that kind of money. The single biggest thing this team has been missing is backbone. The "I'm not losing this game" quality that makes the system work.

There's nothing on the ball that Carroll or Simms brings that Dema doesn't bring in spades. There's a lot on defense that Dema brings that neither Carroll nor Simms brings. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with Adu and Gomez both on the pitch if Dema was backing them up. Carroll strikes fear in no one. All Dema has to do to put Ronnie O'Brien off his game is get within 20 miles of the stadium.

He's an expensive habit, no doubt. But he's OUR expensive habit, and he makes us a better team. There are times when I wish it wasn't so, but we need that. In this time, and in this place, we need Dema. It's that simple.

[Sundevil9]

My 2 cents on this. I love the intensity that Dema brings. And, frankly, the team has been lacking that so far this season.

I'm usually one of the people that brings up the Trade Dema suggestion. But I don't mean it in a cast off kind of way. He does make a good chunk of change, but he's a quality player that deserves the money. He also deserves to play. And if United has a glaring hole in it's roster, the front office is obliged to try and fill that need. A likely candidate for trade will always be Dema due to his on and off field qualities. And the tremendous depth in midfield. The additions of Simms and Guppy only adds to it.

Also, you're not likely to get too many sweet trade deals like the infamous Roy for Roy deal. The other GM's are more savvy than they used to be. In order for United to acquire quality in a trade, it must give up quality.

But if things start clicking for the team, then there's no reason to make any roster moves this season.

[ursula]

All things considered, I DO think we miss Kovalenko in the midfield more than we need players in the back.

Let's face it: we were never going to be able to replace Nelsen. Just wasn't going to happen. Kovalenko's grit in defensive midfield means less pressure on rookie defenders. Plain and simple.

One thing folks need to realize is that we play defense from the front back, not from back-to-front. That's where we REALLY miss Kovalenko.

Is he too wild? Yes. Does he get too may rep cards? Absolutely. Does he get tossed from critical games? Unarguably. Does he cost too much compared to his contribution? I'm not so damn sure. We could get two Prideaux-level defenders for his salary, yes, but I don't think that does us any good. Bryan Namoff is a steal. You don't find guys like that laying anywhere. More important, you don't find guys who instill backbone in a team for that kind of money. The single biggest thing this team has been missing is backbone. The "I'm not losing this game" quality that makes the system work.

There's nothing on the ball that Carroll or Simms brings that Dema doesn't bring in spades. There's a lot on defense that Dema brings that neither Carroll nor Simms brings. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with Adu and Gomez both on the pitch if Dema was backing them up. Carroll strikes fear in no one. All Dema has to do to put Ronnie O'Brien off his game is get within 20 miles of the stadium.

He's an expensive habit, no doubt. But he's OUR expensive habit, and he makes us a better team. There are times when I wish it wasn't so, but we need that. In this time, and in this place, we need Dema. It's that simple.

I agree wholeheartedly. I was one who questioned the need for him this past offseason in part due to his salary. But we need him now. From what Daniel wrote above i think the following best sums it up:

One thing folks need to realize is that we play defense from the front back, not from back-to-front. That's where we REALLY miss Kovalenko.

Besides his offensive capabilities from a defensive position, I want him backing up Gomez and Adu because I want other teams to know that if they miss with our creators then they will pay through the nose.

[Sachin]

OK, I've heard of (and done) all kinds of pre-game rituals to ensure winning but Gros breaking his wrist again seems a bit extreme! ;)

K
It's a simple matter of weight ratios. If he breaks his wrist, he'll get the balance he had last year that allowed him to play so well.

Sachin

[monster]

It's a simple matter of weight ratios. If he breaks his wrist, he'll get the balance he had last year that allowed him to play so well.

Sachin
He can wear the cast all the time even if he doesn't need it, kind of like Twellman wraps his wrist so he looks like less of a woman.

[Jose L. Couso]

... kind of like Twellman wraps his wrist so he looks like less of a woman.

:D

I heard he likes to wear 32 pieces of flair!