Apparently, we’re about to sign Olaza, a highly touted LB out of South America for 9m. What about Garza? What about a RB? Depth at CB? Although, I wish MLS would loosen entirely on salary cap, but given salary cap restrictions, is this move wise?
I think at this point we should probably just trust the wisdom of Darren and Carlos over our own Garza is no young buck and has a string of injuries throughout his career, including last year. Loved his play and interplay with Asad (who is gone) last year, but depth is depth and they are also probably forecasting a roster past this coming year unlike us who just want to win a championship this year.
depth, and competition for position, is never a bad thing. Olaza appears to be pretty cheap if some of the reports are to be believed. $9M pesos or around $750K for a transfer fee. I'd imagine this fits well in the budget with carmona being sold on.
Garza is only 26 years old and he's an all-star when healthy. Plus, we actually have a fair amount of depth at LB with McCann and Abmrose. My guess is any defenders we bring in will just be for added depth in general and not necessarily an insurance policy specifically for Garza. Also, it's not at all clear that the offer is really $9 million. Many conflicting reports on the terms, including the timing which may not be until the summer. That said, just because they show interest in a fullback doesn't mean they aren't also looking for a potential replacement for Carmona.
FYI, Steve Goff is reporting that DC United is deep in talks with Atlanta about acquiring the MLS rights to Asad.
Appears Asad to DCU is done, according to ESPNFC. Find it hard to believe he wanted so much money as to be priced out of AU's budget. Wonder if there was something more behind the scenes? For now I'll say good luck to him and no hard feelings.
I love Yamil and I wish him nothing but the best for the future, but DC? As ugly as they were last year? I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.
Looks like Carlos is being considered for the new USMNT GM role: Never thought I'd be a club before country guy, but I can't help it. I hope he stays.
How much cap space do we currently have? With Tim Parker asking for a trade; he’d be high on my list. He’s a younger, more tenacious version of Parkhurst.
Multiple sources (dirty south, ESPN, MLS main site) are stating that Atlanta is chasing Stephane Mbia. He's a 31 year old Cameroon international that was most recently playing in China. Plays defensive midfield. Sounds like be brings athleticism, leadership (national team captain), and fills a position of need. At least from a depth perspective. Appears to be an ideal candidate to fill a gap on the roster. But this got me to thinking. Anyone keeping track of the international spots? I believe we traded one away for this season and I recall this being a topic of conversation around the super draft that we wouldn't have room for the new selections due to this log jam. Has someone received their green card recently that I've missed?
Mbia might be a good fit for MLS but I'm not sure where he'll fit in other than as Larentowicz' backup. But if that's the case he seems a pricey option for that and frankly we need to use the backup roles for brooding the younger guys. Or could he possibly play central defense? Especially with the glut of midfielders already and Gressel playing extremely well.
I like Larry but he ain't exactly a spring chicken. Having an experienced player there to back him up and rotate if neccessary isn't a bad thing. I can't imagine we'll give him a long term contract so if we have the money and space there's no reason not to use it. Barring a departure or serious injury elsewhere, I can't think of any other moves the team would need to make.
I think people are vastly underestimating Mbia's value and level of play. He's not only good enough to be a starter in MLS, he's a borderline DP level player (similar in level/value to Nagbe or Guzan). So, Jeff could end up being his backup rather than the other way around. After all, if Carmona had stayed, Jeff would be mostly a sub right now and Mbia has more elite level experience than Carmona. Mbia has about 300 caps in the top European Leagues (Ligue 1, EPL, and La Liga) and 67 for his national team, for whom he served as captain. He's played in two World Cups and the Olympics. His Chinese Super League team paid $8 million Euros ($9.9 million USD) for him in 2015. That's more than we paid for Almiron just a year later. In his prime, his market value peaked at 15 million Euros ($18.6 million USD). This guy is 6'3", fast, and can defend without fouling. He's very good on set pieces and several of his teams used him as a shooter in PK situations. He can play either defensive center-mid or center back. And, although he's 31, he's not over-the-hill just yet. He's the same age as Carmona or Kratz and just one year older than McCann. Plus, it's good business. He can transfer for free on a TAM deal and still leave enough available TAM to make other moves. As a side note, Carlos Bocanegra played with Mbia at Rennes and would therefore know his personality and character. There are other teams interested in him so we don't even know if Atlanta can land him. But it's an acquisition that would greatly help us where we need it most, right down the defensive spine of the team.
If AU can afford him I'm not against adding him to the roster. More talent is more talent, and especially as we're seeing with CFG's New York franchise depth is a good thing. So don't get me wrong in that regard. What I am also a proponent of is team chemistry and keeping players happy. Realizing there may well be mitigating circumstances I'm not thrilled with the notion that the team apparently sold Carmona and then decided they need to look for a replacement. Compound that notion further if the idea is to replace Larentowicz after he's been an integral part to the team's strong start. Heck, many pundits are suggesting LGP should be the target for replacment, and many fans still question whether or not Nagbe will prove his worth. I get it, and I'm right there with everyone wanting to win ASAP. Believe me, I'm an Atlanta sports fan, too, so I get the desperation. If he comes I'll be cheering for him as hard as the other 45k in the building. I simply hope the addition bears fruit, is all.
Understood and we're all grateful for Jeff. But he's 34 and will turn 35 in August, so having another capable player in that position is key. Consider that we left him totally unprotected for the expansion draft, yet LAFC didn't take him and no other team attempted to sign him either. We've survived some injuries and suspensions on the back-end so far this year, but over a long season, we'll need another #6 who can also play CB. Plus, I think Jeff's deal is only for 2018 whereas Mbia could be here for at least 2-3 years. As for LGP, I'd argue McCann has earned 1st team minutes until LGP wins the job back. LGP has a ton of potential due to his overall athleticism, but he makes careless mistakes and fouls too much. Can Tata really trust the starting job to him right now? He's given up some bad goals, got a silly red, and I feel like he's a PK waiting to happen every time he challenges someone in the box. That said, I'm rooting for the guy because his ceiling could be higher than anyone else we have on defense.
This may well be the plan as part of a "win now while these stars are here" approach, and if that pans out then color me happy. I guess I'm simply a little taken aback by trying to resolve the issue of an aging player with someone who's only 3 years younger, and doing so on the back end of dealing away Carmona. I'm simply going to need more time and experience monitoring how Bocanegra, Tata and company manage the roster before I fully understand their approach. But I'll trust them. They've earned that much so far. Onward and upward.
Thoughts on Mbia deal falling through? Obviously, I want as many talented players as possible, but I think this was the wise choice to pass until the transfer window opens up. Also, personally, I think he’s too old. Granted, we have apparently ageless players like Larentowicz and Parkhurst, but more often then not, these over 30 players mostly fizzle and are overpaid. I would like to see about a loan for Keaton Parks or Caleb Stanko, however. But still think we need to look at beefing up our backline. Any chance of bringing back Walkes? I think he would have been a great fit in a 352 formation.
My initial thoughts are in the posts above. My cause for concern, however is that this is first instance of the team stating they have identified this need but are still searching for a solution. I don't expect Atlanta to hit the mark with every signing and to land every target in swift order, but this particular saga has dragged along for a team otherwise urgent to win ASAP. Equally concerning is the parade of options for Plan B. I'm content with Jeff and the selections available on the roster for the starting XI, but if they're going to bring someone in and risk altering the starting roles I hope the player is worth the investment. AU has earned my faith so far so I'm not panicking, but my curiosity is piqued.
I have to say I was bummed to hear that Mbia took a pass on the opportunity to sign with Atlanta. I was intrigued by his experience and his versatility (defensive mid / center back capable). I also was under the impression that he was dynamic, good in the air, and a leader. Add in that he may be a bit of a character? Yes please! As far as Walkes? I'm not really missing him to be honest. Bringing in Escobar , Zizzo and Hernandez for cover, the continued maturation of Robinson, and Gressel's amazing versatility makes me feel we have adequate cover without having to bring Anton back. Adding another piece like Mbia that can play multiple positions would be my shopping preference
I'm not sure we technically "passed." It may be that we simply couldn't offer what he's looking for. We can't offer a DP slot and he may command a higher salary than we can offer via a TAM deal. Fortunately, we have a few guys stepping up and providing defensive depth for now. I just worry about where we'd be if Garza's shoulder pain became unbearable and we had to put McCann in that spot (thus eliminating our ability to use him elsewhere), or we had to play without Jeff or Parky for awhile. Still think we need to land a CDM and/or CB in the next transfer window.