A New Moreno? [R]

[Th4119]

Could it be possible that Moreno is finally out of his seemingly endless slump last night as I predicted after an opportunistic goal and then a beauty only a minute later?

Could all of this work he has already put in with Petrosarian already be helping?

We all knew he played well at White Hart Lane but there were some concerns that because it was a testimonial and there weren't any real contests and challenges for balls that you'd get in an MLS game that was the reason. But we all saw last night how chippy the game was against Aguila and Jaime rose above it to score a brace for the first time in ages.

Could this be a corner turned for good?

In Diceson's Post Game Quotes, Ray talks about how he blew his top at halftime at the team for them slacking off after gaining the 1-0 lead against the El Salvadorans. Is it possible that he finally got through to Moreno and lit his fire?

I sure hope Ray has figured out how to motivate Jaime, and I think his making sure that Moreno does the rigorous offseason training program over the winter is helping to prove this.

One thing I know for certain though is that if Jaime does go through the whole conditioning program and then gets dumped or traded in the offseason, regardless of how he normally performs for his new team, he will be that much more motivated against us and would be a serious threat.

Here's to Jaime regaining his form, fitness, and health this offseason and coming back next year to earn his salary again!

[Cweedchop]

Perhaps, but the caveat here is that the game simply meant nothing..

We are all guilty at one time or another of getting a little too excited over one single game performance and this is just one of those examples..

It will take a lot more than a brace against a dreadful Central American team to declare whether he is over his slump....

[Th4119]

I still think the game meant more than a typical exhibition would have.

The Salvadorans are playing in front of a bunch of their fans, and Moreno is playing for his job. Jaime has been invisible in physical games before but last night he wasn't.

Hopefully he has turned the corner finally.

[Cweedchop]

I think Jaime's pregame comments in the Times says all we need to know.




http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20021026-83951810.htm



Jaime is all but consigned to leave.. Though honestly, with his play the past few seasons, who in Europe would even consider him?

[Th4119]

Thanks for the link, Chris.

[ursula]

There are two things in play here with Jaime:

1) His ability/interest to get in shape- to show total dedication to re-energising his career. Obviously Jaime needs to do this to stay on DCU next year, but he needs to do this to show any other team that he's serious too.

2) His salary. As Jaime says, he should be at the peak of his career so his prime time to earn big bucks is NOW. He won't be happy at a salary reduction offer from DCU, so he'll be looking overseas this winter. Bad time to be doing so as we all know. Ya' know- Jaime would be the perfect player to have a contract with lots of incentives.


I don't think it's clear at all where Jaime will be playing come next spring.

[Funkfoot]

What we really want is the 1996-1997 model Moreno, not a new one.

Is this Times article really correct in saying that Jaime's contract is up? So we don't have to bother with trading him or anything like that?

Jaime sure didn't play like someone looking to impress European clubs this season.

[ursula]

Originally posted by Funkfoot


Jaime sure didn't play like someone looking to impress European clubs this season.

He sure didn't and so no Euro club is gonna offer him a contract without a trial. If he has a trial he had better be in better shape than he was for us this year, thus added incentive for him to do this off-season conditioning. Really, he needs to get in the best shape of his life if he wants to seriuously continue his career either with us or in Europe.

[DigitalTron]

Well Skip nailed the issues.

While I'd love to believe that this game indicated that Moreno was back or at least on the right track, I don't think it does. His first goal was a pure gift/sitter. His second goal was legit. But, many El Salvadorians incorrectly hold Moreno responsible for Raul Diaz Arce's trade away from United. They figured that if United was going to trade a forward, it should have been Moreno. As trading Moreno at the time meant also losing Etch, it was realy the salary-cap dilemma of either trading Diaz Arce (1 great goal scorer) or tradeing both Moreno and Etcheverry (1 great goal scorer and 1 great playmaker).

In any event, Moreno has suffered a lot of abuse both in and out of the game because of it. I do think he was more motivated for this particular friendly than most.

Also, there seems to be two real indicators of Moreno's effectiveness as a forward for United. They are his ability to take a shot with power, and his willingness to continually push forward to create chances to take a shot.

Ever since he missed 3 sitters against San Jose, Moreno has been horribly trigger-shy. He routinely drops back into midfield so as to avoid having to take a shot. He consistently avoids taking shots and using any opportunity to pass the ball to someone else. He'd rather dummy the ball than take a golden shot. It's fear. Whether it is fear of injury (almost every knee injury requires a post-physical-recover psychological confidence recovery period), or fear of failure (because his finishing touch is so poor lately), Moreno does not want to take shots. Furthermore, when he does take them, they have zero power behind them as if he were just going through the motions because it was required, not because he he wants to score. If this isn't addressed fairly soon, Moreno will not return to United.

Frankly, given Moreno's health and fitness over the last two seasons he's probably looking at the 3rd division or lower if he wants to return to England. His best bet would be to accept whatever cut United offers and then prove he's fully recovered (physically and psychologically) from his injury problems. Yeah, he'd be 30 then, but realistically he has zero chance of playing in a top Euro division before he has at least a full year of return to dominant form.

As much as I want him to return to form for United, I'm now even more worried about him finding any employment if he continues his unfit underperforming. :( Come on Moreno, we know you can do it.

-Tron

[Topo]

Unfortunately, Jaime really hit form in the last two games...after the season was over. If he can stay in shape over the off season (something he historically has had problems doing), then it would be great to have him back and ready to compete.

If Jaime wants to go to Europe, I think Hudson should try to arrange some training with him at a European club. That would give him the incentive to keep in shape in the offseason.

[GoDC]

As Pete Townsend said

Meet the new Moreno
Same as the old Moreno


Good bye Jaime.

[Red&Black]

i'd imagine jaime's move to europe would be relatively easy given his wife is english. while no top flight team may want him, i bet he could catch on with a 1st divison side in england or someplace. he likely already has permission to work and despite his slump, his credentials are probably still good enough to get a shot somewhere.

[BudWiser]

Jaime, instead of
"my goal is to go to Europe"
try
"I love DC United and am going to do everything I can in the offseason to be in shape and come back much improved over the terrible season I had this year"

Respect the uniform Jaime, the one that's made you rich and allowed you to live a comfortable life. If you can't do that, please take off

We should only want players who are committed to giving 100% to DC United

[GrillMaster]

Originally posted by BudWiser
Jaime, instead of
"my goal is to go to Europe"
try
"I love DC United and am going to do everything I can in the offseason to be in shape and come back much improved over the terrible season I had this year"

Respect the uniform Jaime, the one that's made you rich and allowed you to live a comfortable life. If you can't do that, please take off

We should only want players who are committed to giving 100% to DC United

Word! Nobody is wiser than Bud on this issue. ;)

GM

[Red&Black]

Originally posted by BudWiser
Jaime, instead of
"my goal is to go to Europe"
try
"I love DC United and am going to do everything I can in the offseason to be in shape and come back much improved over the terrible season I had this year"

Respect the uniform Jaime, the one that's made you rich and allowed you to live a comfortable life. If you can't do that, please take off

We should only want players who are committed to giving 100% to DC United
while i appreciate your sentiment, the fact is, for the forseeable future, MLS is at best going to be a "feeder" league to higher paying leagues abroad. we have to resign ourselves to the fact that our best talent will almost always be eyeing opportunities abroad.

no matter though, i would have liked myself to hear jaime discussing a willingness to play in DC. maybe he has already had "the talk" and is just putting a front on.

[BudWiser]

Originally posted by Red&Black
MLS is at best going to be a "feeder" league to higher paying leagues abroad

It's a little more complicated than MLS is at best a "feeder" league

MLS does a lot of eating itself. We get some of the best players from their particular countries-for example you can say THE best from the countries Bolivia, New Zealand (or wherever Nelsen is from-forgot!), Honduras, El Salvador are (or were at a time) on our particular team

The only thing limiting MLS from getting more players from abroad is the limit of 3 SIs. And every team is trying to "cheat" there way into more, w/the Green Card status that makes one exempt

Some guys just want to play in the US. Period.

Olsen wants to play in Europe, but he only says that in European articles to attract interest, not in American articleslike in the Wash Times where Jaime was quoted. And Olsen gives 110% on the field for DC United. That said, I don't like Olsen talking about going to Europe

If you're coming to MLS to play overseas, you've got the wrong idea....Getting out of MLS isn't a cinch. McBride was rumored to get an offer from the Premiership, wanted out of MLS, and MLS wouldn't let him go, despite getting a possible transfer fee

One more thing-Jaime already played in Europe and failed. He just completed a terrible year. Talking about playing in Europe at this point is not a good idea-he won't get much interest from top-flight teams. He should be doing everything he possible can to keep his cushy job at DC United-and if he isn't dedicated to DC United, at his salary and his SI status, maybe we can find a-uh-Polish forward who would kill to come to the US despite the fact that he could maybe make more $$ elsewhere ;)

[neilgrossman]

Originally posted by BudWiser


Olsen wants to play in Europe, but he only says that in European articles to attract interest, not in American articleslike in the Wash Times where Jaime was quoted. And Olsen gives 110% on the field for DC United. That said, I don't like Olsen talking about going to Europe


I doubt that is true, but I don't feel like looking for the US articles where Olsen says he wants to play in Europe.

My real question is so what? Is it really better for a player to tell different things to different media sources than to be honest?

[GrillMaster]

Originally posted by BudWiser


[snip]

Olsen wants to play in Europe, but he only says that in European articles to attract interest, not in American articleslike in the Wash Times where Jaime was quoted. And Olsen gives 110% on the field for DC United.
[snip]

Wrong. Preceding his loan to Forest, Ben was most uncavalier (pun intended) to the point of making me angry. In fact at that time (2000-2001), I posted the essence of what you posted in this thread about pissing off if you don't want to play here.

I'm not going to pull the specific cites, but take my word for it, Benny wants everyone to know that he really wants to be playing in Europe.

BTW, preceding the Olympics, Ben's focus was more on the Olympics than on DC United league games. In the couple of weeks preceding the Australian trip, he was maybe giving 75% to United, IMO.

A player is judged by what he has done lately. Ben has been producing for us and helped us to pick up our play. He is back in GM's "good book" (like he cares!). I mention the above only to give you some perspective, BudW.

GM

[BudWiser]

Originally posted by GrillMaster
Benny wants everyone to know that he really wants to be playing in Europe

Didn't know that. Just read a British article w/his quote

Hey I was wrong about that gave Ben the benefit of the doubt! I always welcome correction

Ben has been producing for us and helped us to pick up our play
He has, but no directly. No goals. 718 minutes, 1 assist. Stat-wise he's PATHETIC.

He is back in GM's "good book" (like he cares!). I mention the above only to give you some perspective, BudW.

Thanks for the correction and perspective as always! If he's in your good book-that's good to konw-cause he was about to go in my bad book won't let that happen (my initial reaction is GO AHEAD GOOD RIDDANCE)

Some of us would give a few fingers to get to play for United. Those who aren't committed to DC United should leave, or we should find a way for them to go

[Th4119]

I can't think of one person who showed as much effort in any amount of time this year on the pitch than Ben Olsen. If you can find one or 2 that did, then there are still 20 some that didn't.

Subpar production? Sure but who on the team didn't have that? If you couldn't play soccer for 18+ months would you come back at 100%?

His effort alone sparked the team in their late season run that almost got us into the playoffs even though we played miserably the entire season.

And how many of those minutes were pointless away games where Benny was playing as (sometimes the only) forward? 1 1/2 years out of the game and he comes back out of position?

Sorry he couldn't get buckets of points the second he stepped back onto the pitch, but if you were at any of the games when he was put on it was a completely different United side out there.