Really we just seem to be trying to provide an answer to that age old question, how would the USA do if we were in the Oceania World Cup Qualification group.
Think of it this way.......Are we really improving the team if we are moving to a 3-man backline and Sjoberg's lack of speed and mobility is exposed due to the formation? No. Playing three centerbacks in a 3-5-2 really relies upon and demands the CB's to be mobile and have recovery speed to cover the outside if the wingbacks aren't tracking. That's not to say Sjoberg isn't a good player. I think he is and improving. He is taylormade for a traditonal 4-man backline. He becomes expendable under Hudson's system and has trade value.. Smith is a quality CB. He's played under Hudson with NZ. He knows the system inside and out.
I'd rather have Ford-Sjoberg-Smith than Ford-Watts-Smith though. I'm not even thrilled with our depth if we trade Sjoberg and bring in another CB to replace him.
This trope is getting a bit old already. Realistically Smith is the only New Zealand player who's going to see significant minutes this season. The other two are no more than this year's Castillo. So is it really that surprising that a new coach brings in one of his own guys? Does it matter if our depth players are from New Zealand, the U.S., or Wakanda?
Kinda since they take up international slots. But then if the Rapids don't care enough to use those slots I guess not.
True, however wasn't one of our complaints last year about lack of depth. Our opening XI were barely, at best, MLS caliber and who do the starters practice against? If you allow lack of talent due to a coaches vanity, there is no push on starters and no real completion for starters to prepare for other MLS sides. What blows my mind is all the talent other MLS teams have found in S. America and yet Rapids keep going for the aged white guy signing. I get we have had some bad signings from there but you need to go where the cheap talent is.
I'm just glad we made some changes. Any changes. Personally, I've never liked a three man back line, which often turns into a five man back line. Most defenders have played their entire lives with four. We'll see how long the learning curve is. That said, I am looking forward to watching the team again. The past regime would have brought in a few MLS retreads and told us it was all about jelling. This year, I have no idea what I'll see. (Admittedly, I never thought I'd see Watts beat Tim Howard to the near post.)
The Watts own goal broke Howard. I think it cost us World Cup qualification. It is probably still rippling out there in the galaxy somewhere.
At this point in the off-season I'm satisfied with where the roster is, with one obvious exception. We have significantly better depth in the defense and midfield compared to last year. Goalkeeping is a non-issue with Howard and MacMath, with the third spot likely going to either the draftee Olsen or an MLS pool keeper. The lack of a proven goalscorer among the new signings is a serious issue. This has been our single greatest need for years and there is no excuse for this not being done. Even with all of the other new signings I can't consider this off-season a success until this happens. Continuing to rely on mediocre forwards while other teams are spending TAM/GAM and DP level money for strikers isn't acceptable.
It's been a pretty good off season for the Rapids This and... The Rapids' off season is pretty good only in a vacuum. It deviates toward average the more MLS teams it's compared against. That said, I'm more optimistic now than I was 6 months ago.
If at all helpful, for those asking about #Rapids96 int'l spots, here are a couple of quick things to consider:1) Important to note that the MLS roster compliance deadline is March 1. So roughly five weeks until compliance must be met.(cont...)— Ryan Madden (@Ry_Madden) January 22, 2018
He just re-iterate the ways to get a green card with other posts and said they value "rapids fans" at end. Not sure why he even bothered with these posts.
This concern seems a bit overblown to me, especially as Ford and Smith would be the outside centerbacks. In a "modern" 4 back offense as played in top level competition, the fullbacks are often way upfield as well and you often have centerbacks racing back to cover counters, including going out to the touchlines. Sjoberg's too slow for that too. You get away with a little more in MLS. That said, how reliable were the rumors that Sjoberg is being traded? Were there multiple angles on it like the Tommy Smith rumors?
Though his mention of any loan means the player doesn't count surprised me, I thought it had to be a season-long/no recall loan.
So seems to me that if Wynne heads off on loan then we have 6. Smith brings it back up to 7. Then with us chasing multiple green cards we may have more spots. Still 5 weeks to get everything organized and green cards can be a long process. Guess this has been worked on for a while. Wonder who will be getting green cards?
I hope you're right. To me I see another season where I'm buying tickets to games based on seeing the opponent rather than seeing the Rapids.
Badji and Gashi are likely the only ones here long enough to expect to get one in the near future (and Gashi might be pushing it unless they started working on it during his first season in 2016).
Unless the rapids have very specific information on the status of anyone's green card application, I would not bet *any* money on any GC being delivered within the next five weeks. I doubt they are relying on delivery of green cards to acquire any other international players, bad idea. LOL. I thought I was the only one who did this.
I wouldn't be shocked if Badji gets his in the next few weeks. He was rumored to be getting it last season so I bet they feel he's close. Beyond that though...