Well with the Union ending the 2018 season like the sacrificial lambs they have all too often been since year Zolo, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2019 season. What changes will be made? Will Ernst make a head coaching change? Will Tanner find a suitable (& productive) replacement for Dockal? Will Trusty be sold? Inquiring minds....errrrrr....slightly interested Union fans want to know!
I know I'm a broken record, but Sapong's sudden decline in play from last year to this one was the major factor in our performance. He can no longer play either striker or midfielder. When he is on the field we might as well be playing with 10 men. So cutting him or renegotiating his contract is a priority.
Would be interesting to see if there is any chance for even a slight change in the level of ambition or acquisition philosophy under Tanner. I certainly don't anticipate any, though, since he's not the guy who cuts the checks.
I can't believe how many people I've seen on various media speaking of Dockal coming back as if it's a foregone conclusion. The guy had an amazing season and got himself featured on his National Team. Knowing the way the league in China works, there is no way the Union can afford what they are going to be looking for. Even if they have to reduce a bit, he's still going to command 7-figures on just his transfer fee.
I think it would take a pretty big signing for people to be excited for this team again. Like Rooney big. Zlatan big. You have to think it's going to be empty down there next season. Emptier I should say.
2-0 NYCFC at halftime.It's been clear for a while that Ernst Tanner has been planning to dramatically overhaul the roster this winter. This game should give him all the latitude he needs.— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) November 1, 2018 wasn't aware it's "been clear" ... but I'll take it. Off-season wish list, in no particular order: Striker CAM (assuming Dockal isn't retained) Right Wing Left Back Coach I also predict the team expecting Picault to have another great year and Fafa pulling a CJ... meh, maybe Accam will have a miraculous come back.
Well Tanner has said hardly anything publicly except supporting Dockal. Last night might have him reconsidering though.
We really need a true 6. I love Haris but we have to be able to put an elite defender with passing ability in that spot. I'm hoping Jones can be that guy, but if not then they need to find him. We need to figure out how to start owning midfield property.
This. Just look at how different NYCFC is with Yangel Herrera patrolling the midfield compared to the 2-3 months he was out. It's night and day. Hopefully Derrick Jones can be that player....though he's getting to a point in his development where they may need to move on if he doesn't step up in the pre-season. Striker is a gaping black hole for this team, and has been since 2010 (minus the hot minute Ruiz was with the team). Spare me the Seba* talk.............he was a midfielder playing striker, not to mention he was the only good player on a terrible team. Ernst has his work cut out for him this offseason............ *I love Seba as much the next Union fan, but I am under no illusions that he's an all time great MLS player. He's an all-time great Union player and Legend/Icon for sure. Let's be honest though, that's not saying a helluva lot considering the Union's albeit short, yet terrible history.
I don't know, the 50-50 club in MLS still doesn't have that many members. And the names that are next to Seba's on that list are nothing to scoff at. JMO, though.
And the fact that he put up those numbers with the (mostly) mediocre-to-bad teams he was on makes the numbers all the more impressive.
Well, on the other hand, even bad teams score and someone has to do it. And he couldn't have done it on a good team because he wouldn't have been the primary scorer.
That list will start to grow VERY quickly in the next few seasons. Giovinco's in the club in 4 seasons.......Piatti & Kei Kamara may join the club next season. If Almiron stays in the league, he'll likely enter the club within 2 seasons..... Point...that club is not that exclusive anymore. Bigger point: The Union have severely lacked difference making talent for their entire existence. One difference make up top, and this current Union team would have a good chance at making noise in the playoffs. They don't and well............bounced on the road in the knockout round because they could only manage two points against San Jose, Colorado, and Orlando (2x) this season. Manage 2-3 more points in those 4 games and at WORST the Union are hosting a sparsely attended Halloween night Knockout Round game. When he did play for better and more talented teams (Red Bulls, Whitecaps, Sounders (MLS)) he didn't put up good numbers. He was to the Union what Shariff Abdur-Rahim was to the Grizzlies.....
Since we signed him on a free, this would be perhaps the most profitable deal since selling Lahoud to Miami for $50k and a Flan of the Month club membership.
With his propensity to stand still, point and bark instructions at others, I think Haris needs to be transitioned into coaching.
Funny you mention that. I'm not sure how many of you follow games on the Reddit Match Threads, but one of my favorite things from Wednesday night had to do with what you stated here. The guy posted wanting to know why our team just seemed so angry all the time (it wasn't you was it @Phillyspur ?). And the more I thought about it, the more I found myself agreeing with that simple observation. There are a lot of soccer players who complain about this and that, but our guys seemed, all season, to consistently be angry - yelling & screaming (at each other, coaches, referees, etc.). I guess that says everything about this organization.
Before everyone jumps on the "we need a high priced foreign striker bandwagon," remember that the two highest priced strikers, Zlatan and Rooney, played for a team that did not make the playoffs (LA Galaxy) and a team that made it as far as the Union made it in the playoffs (DCU). Meanwhile, Portland starting Jeremy Ebobisse, ($130,000) made it to the next round. Moreover, the starters on Columbus (Zardes - $630,000) and RSL (Kreilach - $930,000) earn less than Dockal, Bedoya and Accam.
High priced players isn't an instant win card but it does show ambition. That is something the Union have never shown. ever. Also Zlatan and Rooney are the worst examples you could ever pick. LA and DCU were both dead in the water before those players came. Zlatan single handedly brought LA back from the dead to the brink of playoffs and Rooney did the same for DC to the point where he got them to the 4 seed and a home playoff game.