I honestly don't know why Brandon Allen isn't getting some late game minutes to develop as that big guy, post-up option. He's already in house. Bilyeu is being tossed aside now, so yet another young American is gone, which leaves this team even older than before.
Yes that was who I was thinking of. There must a big body header goal guy here or in the lower divisions of Europe.
lol dude we're not giving you a hard time, Alan Gordon legit would have been a really great addition. Cheap veteran with size who could give BWP a break late in games when things get scrappy. Not too many of his kind around MLS these days, I was genuinely disappointed we didn't go for him. Allen has "Kenny Cooper Syndrome". He's got size but doesn't like to use it, prefers to play with his feet. Works great at the USL level, but I'm not sure he's athletic enough to make the jump to MLS.
The problem is you then place all the burden on BWP and one or two players who are not performing up to snuff, Gonzalo Veron for one. Continuing to try the same failed players over and over is the definition of insanity.
Let me be clear. We need a CB and a winger first and foremost. If we get both of those and they are GOOD signings (not injury history guys, not guys who haven't played in over a year, not Red Bull cast-offs, not Rainbow FC 18 year olds) then I will do backflips and sing the praises of our Austrian overlords. If they go one step further and sign an Alan Gordon I will actually drink a Red Bull (sugar free).
I felt okay with just BWP when we had Gulbrandsen and Grella. Now we're screwed if BWP goes down. But lets be honest, even if both those guys WERE playing we'd probably still be screwed if BWP went down. He's an all time great striker in this league and with the system we play what kind of great backup are your going to find to sit behind him? I think we need to make a depth signing at striker, but if BWP goes down we're sunk either way. No quality strikers are going to want to come here right now. That's just the reality.
Allen is he was a known quantity when the club signed him, so they should have know pretty well what they were getting. He's a great nose for goal striker, and he is a body, even if he doesn't score goals that way, he can still get in there and bang, and he can also poach goals when provided proper service, which might be great against tired defenses. I think the point I was trying to make with regards to him is the club has once again failed to integrate a player who could now be of particular use, so he's not ready, and probably never will be, with the rumor now flying that he is on his way out of the club. There's also Etienne, who is not a striker, but could provide a dimension to the attack, again, as a late game option. This team has younger options, but has seemed to go conservative, and older at odd times. This is not a season where much should be expected of the team, but maybe they could find a way to integrate some of the good young players, and find new options to sign, without the burden of expectation.
This is what I think will ultimately hold Allen back. He's got one appearance with the first team, he came on in the 83rd minute when he was in full fitness, and he was far and away the slowest guy on the field. He looked like he was running through a foot of mud compared to everyone else out there. At some point, lack of MLS-level athleticism has to be a factor.
Like I said, this team has had every opportunity to measure and test him, if his foot speed was that much of a problem, why sign him at all? I would also compare his lack of speed to Perrinelle's. He too is rather slow of foot, but at least adjusted to the pace of the game, using his smarts to anticipate plays better. Just because a guy is fast, doesn't mean he'll score goals or make good decisions, and poacher doesn't necessarily need to be a burner. Elevating his nose for goal is way more important than pure speed, but would expect him to also improve his anticipation and positioning, at least give him a good run before deciding he's too slow.
There are some things I don't trust with management, but evaluating our youth/college/academy players isn't one of them. They see these guys day in and day out and the guys they've brought up to the first team for legit minutes look to have earned them. If Allen isn't on the bench then I assume he hasn't earned it.
A belated post: I watched Wednesday's win over NER late that night on DVR and my final thought was... Veron may have just started to earn his paycheck. But can he keep it up??
All those people who left when it was 3-1 missed the pleasure of seeing Etienne set up Royer for a beautiful goal or watching Veron actually perform like the DP he is.
Guilty! Although it was 3-0 when I left, so I missed the Quake goal too. Left to watch the affront to the beautiful game that was US/El Salvador. Wish I had stayed...
The USA did everything in their power to lose that game, still not sure how they shut out ES. It was much more fun watching Veron do a little shake and bake.
Looks like we have a new addition coming in... http://www.metro.us/sports/new-york...r-signings-muhamed-keita#.WXIglEOrAVQ.twitter
Sacha Kljestan has become the player with more assists of NYRB in MLS, he is also the leader in assists of the defunct Chivas USA.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...s-sign-panamanian-defender-fidel-escobar-loan 22 year old Panamanian center back Fidel Escobar loaned to NYRB for 18 months. Played in a couple of their Gold Cup matches.
Villa had already waltzed through the D a couple of times before Zizzo had a chance to put on his clown show.
A final thought on Sunday's atrocity, Villa is basically their only offense right now. I didn't see anyone else creating danger and Villa did most of it by himself. If he goes down, Citeh are screwed.
https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2017/08/10/new-york-red-bulls-sign-midfielder-dilly-duka NYRB Sign Midfielder Dilly Duka