Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man. As always you really do your homework GalaxyKoa. I'm impressed. Some random but relevant points: 1. We actually agree that Ema is better in the final third than Rogers. 2. But you show that Rogers offensive productivity compared to other outside backs is better than Boateng's compared to other wingers. 3. #2 is a testament to how good Rogers was at advancing the ball into the final third compared to most backs. He was terrible with the final pass but he got he could move the ball up the field with the best of them and got off many more final passes than the average fullback. 4. You also have to remember that Rogers got his stats playing with an in prime Donovan, in prime Keane and with Beckham, plus Sarvas and Juninho. Meanwhile Ema is trying to get his assists to and from players like the two Jack Macs, an out of form Zardes, an on-walkabout-Gio, and Pedro, Garcia, etc. He has exactly one good partner who will make the expected runs, passes, and finishes - Alessandrini. 5. More importantly "percentage better" has to be taken in context of absolute values, which in this case are very low. Rogers 0.122g+a/90 is 44% better than the average fullback but it still only amounts to 1.3 additional g+a even if Rogers played every minute of a 34-game season. 6. The implications of #5 are that outside backs should probably be rated 90% on their defensive abilities since they on average they have such low offensive output. But now to your main point: "More to the overall point, I just am not as sold on Boateng as the fan-base on here seems to be, regardless comparison to Rogers." I want to be clear - I'm a big Boateng cheerleader but that doesn't mean I think he is a great player. Like you I would love to have a Villalba, Accam, Meram, Piatti and I would start them in an instant over Boateng. But most of those guys cost anywhere from 400k to $2mil +. So when I praise Ema I'm not comparing him to those guys - I'm comparing him to his LA teammates. Ema at 110k/yr is the 2nd lowest paid regular starter playing for LA (Romney is getting 66k). Yet when I'm watching the games - especially later in games where we are struggling - I see Ema still running his ass off while most of his overpaid teammates either just walk around or else reveal with their body language that they've given up already ($2 mil Romaine being the exception). I just appreciate the fact that Boateng never loafs and he never gives up. He plays both sides of the ball. And while he isn't great with the final past he is still our very best player at getting the ball into the final third, something this team struggles with mightily. And he gets subbed every game and never complains. That's why I'm an Ema fan. But I like Rogers too. Just not his final third play.
I really can't disagree with much of that. I just am not one to pencil him in as an auto starter this or next year until he can improve his final ball.
Resurrecting this old thread. I honestly don't even know what we're trying to do these days. But this was interesting from AttackonRetail from Reddit: I'm going to tell you exactly what this team needs. STOP Stop playing possession. Stop the 352 or any variation that requires our wingbacks to overload. Stop with routing everything centrally. This includes even when we start on the attack and then drive in. If i know every time puig is going to cut right and run into the middle, so does every other team. Stop letting Douglas Costa be on this team Stop playing a high backline. It is killing us in possession when we have too many numbers forward and then give the ball away. START Start playing a 4 3 3 with a false 9. Start Boyd on the wing and keep him there. He is stretching defenses that are turtling against us. Start playing counter attacking futbol. Besides his terrible game against Colorado, Puig has incredible vision to thread passes. You don't need that skill in the final run-up of a possession-based attack. You need that in a counter where one well-placed pass unlocks defenses. Start exploring the use of Dejan as a false nine. The man can win hold-up passes, crosses, or moves on his own. Chicarito thrives on poaching and loose ball pickups. Start crossing the ball or putting balls in the air around the box. Too many balls to foot that dont find the last pass in the box and get cut off. With the numbers we commit in possession, there's a higher chance of collecting the ball.
I like the idea of a 4-3-3 with Chicharito up top and Boyd and Edwards on the right and left wings respectively.