Since 2017, Hurtado has played in 40 MLS games, started 19, and has 7 goals. Last year, 13 games played, 8 started, 2 goals. You're right, PV's "system" does place high value on CFs that don't score goals.
Yawn. Vermes always builds his teams and has them play so that the goals are spread around. Our best offensive years have never had a single player above a dozen goals. So I for one reject your pithy assertion that Vermes "places high values on CFs that don't score goals." Because the function of this system is not a singular reliance on a single goal scorer and rather a very clear focus of spreading goals out along the wings and into the midfield. Some years, like last year, it didn't work. Not much of last year's troubles rest on Hurtado. He's a depth piece. 13 games, 8 starts is totally a fine number for a backup CF. While we realized our depth was very lacking last season, I strongly disagree that Hurtado was a big point of dropoff. He was able to stretch and harry the back line, which is great for Russell and anyone else on the other wing who remembers how to score goals. He's not much, he's not exciting, but he works hard and that is a currency Vermes is very well equipped to generate reasonable value from. If we're relying on him for more than a dozen starts next year, something is very wrong. But spot starts and sub appearances, the guy has a rather useful toolset that we have no reason to throw away.
Looking at our unprotected players, it’s a list that isn’t going to generate a ton of interest. Hurtado can stretch the field and would be an attractive late game option for either team. So, if what Vermes wants is control over his roster, protection for Hurtado makes sense. No one on our available list fills an obvious role for either team, at least not without serious questions. Hurtado was an obvious pickup for someone. Medranda holds a place in our hearts but outside of SKC Land he’s walking injury concern. Same with GZ, the MLS choice for who goes. The huge point from looking at our lists though is that our roster needs so much help. We’re old and fragile, and mixed together with youth that isn’t quite living up to potential. Plus Jonny and Felipe. We could use upgrades at 6-9 positions just to reach the point of competitive for 2020. I am always way too rose colored SKC view heading into a new season but I am not hopeful right now
I've said this for a while now, but there was never going to be a huge, massive overhaul of the roster between 2019 and 2020. There are too many contracts on the books that you have to get rid of that you can't do it all in one offseason even if Vermes was really wanting to get rid of Besler, Espinoza, Zusi, Fontas, Sinovic, insert anyone else over 30 or who under-performed here. I'll be genuinely shocked if there's 6-9 new starters in the lineup to start 2020. It's going to take a couple seasons at this point to transition players out, not renew contracts, etc.
I don’t disagree with the logic, it just doesn’t leave me with a great deal of hope for 2020. I do believe we could use 6-9 upgrades. I don’t believe we’re gonna get them
I don't know that we need 6-9 upgrades to be amazing. We just need to start seeing our core moved to more depth roles. Hell, for a starting XI, I'd be comfortable with four new starters: Gerso - DP striker - Russell Gutierrez - TAM midfielder - Ilie Martins - Besler - new CB - new RB Melia And that doesn't leave me worried! Roger, Zusi, Salloi, Hurtado, maybe Barath, etc. are all solid enough depth. Hopefully the young players like Busio, Hernandez, Lindsey and so on really start showing some ability to succeed at the MLS level consistently. It's not all that bad. But if we skimp on CF, if we do not sign another serious midfielder to compete with or replace Roger or maybe Ilie, and if our defensive signings bust as hard as last offseason's did... Then yep, trouble.
I have always been a fan of Ilie. But has Vermes lost faith in him? And it’s hard not to love Gerso, except that he replaced the most disappointing player in MLS 2019 but barely out scored him.
I mean, he literally might have been, for the first time in three years, rotating him due to fatigue. I think the spot is still his to lose, and there really isn't anyone on the roster currently challenging him at all. I think it's fair to measure Salloi by goals/assists, but not Gerso. Gerso is more of a wide midfielder and less a wide forward, so he brings a lot more shape, control, and defense to the team than Salloi does. Daniel got a pass in 2018 because he was creating and finishing chances very regularly from wide. Gerso at his best is not at that level, but his contributions happen more meaningfully throughout the rest of the pitch and the course of the game, in my opinion. I mean, assuming Vermes fulfills my list above, here is where I feel we need to address depth: Salloi - Hurtado - new winger (TAM?) Busio - Roger - new DM new LB - Barath? - new CB - Lindsey Zendejas I guess And then plug some additional depth into midfield. I dunno, I still think fewer of our problems are due to how terrible our team is and more just to how badly it spiraled and players couldn't recover. I honestly don't think our current team is either as bad as they played or as catastrophic as the fanbase seems to think. As long as the team signs four or five players of varying starting caliber this offseason (and doesn't whiff so hard again), I think we can be just fine with the bulk of the same faces again.
Fiorentina apparently put 2 $3-$4M deals for Busio but KC value him at $10m. https://www.alfredopedulla.com/escl...rte-della-fiorentina-ma-ce-linter-e-non-solo/
That's fine. Would be good money, and a positive sign for our academy system that it can operate a bit more in the black.
More legs to the Busio rumor plus interest from Genoa. Liverpool and Wolves have also apparently scouted him. https://sbisoccer.com/2019/11/sources-fiorentina-set-to-make-multi-million-dollar-bid-for-busio
The problem with judging Gerso on all the things he does really well ( and he does a lot, esp the way he unbalances a defense) is that we also have a CF who doesn’t score a lot, and outside of Felipe we have kids who only occasionally can come through, and a defense that in 2019 I would guess chipped in the fewest goals it has in a while. I mean, someone has to score and I don’t think it’s fair to count on 40 from Russell
I think Gerso lined up with Russell, Gutierrez, and a real striker (one of these years, they'll do it, right?) still means we get a shitload of goals. I dunno. I think he brings enough that if we balance out our front line (and get that sturdy 6/8 midfield help I keep daydreaming about), Gerso nets 4-8 goals and gets a comparable number of assists, which is absolutely plenty out of him.
Thank you for a well thought out reason for the moves. The overreactions to this elsewhere are hurting my head.
I'll admit I didn't think of it myself, but once I read it, it made sense. I've been trying to convince strangers that Medranda is a lot more likable than he is necessary to the team. He actually probably has a better chance to get some actual minutes (assuming health) at a different team.
Medranda has been a loyal and unlucky player for us. But you’re right, he wasn’t going to be that important going forward, post injury. I liked him as a left back, but he wasn’t a starter. He was nice in the midfield, as depth. We will miss him because he was always game, but he was a player we could afford to lose. And, wow, we got a lot for two players who weren’t central to our plans.
His good bye said Medranda has been with SKC for 7 years. That can't be....I honestly can't remember him doing much of anything over that time other than hitting a few amazing knuckle ball shots from distance. Good luck to him, but its not a big loss. Regarding the long sought after half competent CF we never sign, Mandzukic and Cavani are available.
2016 and 2017 he saw a fair few minutes. Featured in almost 100 games over those seven seasons. So yeah, pretty sparse on the whole, not entirely his fault though. Cavani or Mandzukic would be pretty amazing, except I'd rather sign a less impressive guy and keep him for three or four years (or more) than either of those guys for a year or two.
I sort of remember that. He always seemed like he was just ready to explode onto the scene but never really did.