Alright, put your money (or Kyle Brew) where your mouth is. Who has the better year, Justin Meram or Padro Santos? For the poll, we'll just have to ask that generic question, though I think it would be fair to look at it both statistically (goals, assists, key passes, etc) and with the eye test. So, who ya got?
Santos is consistently subpar but more of a defensive presence. Meram can be the best winger in MLS and not good enough for USL in the same game. Who am I kidding, I'm voting Meram because I'm on Team Markus.
I...err, voted for Pedro. First, I don't imagine either player will set the league on fire this year. Santos, though, I think can contribute in more ways than Meram.
You can’t be great if you aren’t on your feet. I think Meram will be back to the inconsistent player we all know and love, making him the obvious choice.
I have a feeling a true answer isn't going to be easily found through out the season. As rough as the MLS write-up that Hang provided was, they nailed it on Meram and Santos: "Justin Meram can do it but he didn't at the levels we've come to expect in 2018. Pedro Santos seems like he can, then usually doesn't, which is unfortunate given the pricetag." Both will probably have mediocre to bad seasons and it will be to the eye of the beholder of whose was better. I went Santos because I feel his shortcomings are mainly mental and that's something Porter can fix. Meram seems to be a mix of mental/physical and the physical decline isn't something that's easily overcame. Especially when the mental side isn't 100%. I also feel like the substitution/bench will come calling for Meram sooner than Pedro. Of course, there's always the chance that it clicks for both of them and we get 10 Meram goals all assisted by Santos. Then the real Meram/Santos civil war starts and we get back to the eating of our own that I've heard so much about. Happy Tuesday of Crewsmas Week everyone! Black and Gold Glory Forever!
In my book, a vote against Meram is a vote against Markus. Not a lot of faith around here in Meram. The lion must show up on Crewsmas.
A few weekends ago, we were gifted a hand-me-down tricycle. Since this particular trike has a back basket, Markus has been using it as an opportunity for a new ride. Here are my two kids yesterday afternoon: As of right now, I am not sure if Tal or Markus is playing the part of Meram on the hype tricycle. For the sake of our team, I hope it is Tal. She really has to peddle to move that thing.
Any improvement from Santos would be like a new signing, so cheers to unsubstantiated blind optimism.
They are both crocked. A vote for Meram is a vote for hopeless sentimentality (or giving into to Chelsey and Markus's campaign of guilt). A vote for Pedro is a vote to absolve the sins of a past Head Coach and Sporting Director. How on earth, on the week of this once unexpected Crewsmas are we subjected to such an awful poll. God save us from ourselves.
Damn. I was close to starting a poll about a rumor of Christian Pulisic to Crew #EricksonGetFukt. Judging by your temperament, I am glad I did not.
As I said in the one of the other threads around here, getting MLS average from one, both, any of our wingers would be a step up. I don't think any of them have an MLS best 11 season in them. But a modest improvement of getting something along the lines of ten goals + assists from the 2 spots would do wonders to our point total. All of our "wing minutes played" last year combined for 6 goals and 14 assists (leaders: Hanson with 3 goals, Santos with 7 assists) between 5 players (Hansen, Santos, Meram, Martinez and Grella). If we could get that from the two main guys (whomever they are) and 7 or 8 more g+a from the bench guys, we're in pretty good shape.
It's such a contrast. Meram wants to stay on his feet but may not be physically able to do so. Santos can stay on his feet but chooses not to. Meram's ambition makes him the best and worst player in a game at times. Santos ambition means he is comfortably subpar. I just want to see improvement especially with the money these guys make.
You can't be great if you are standing still either. Santos. Though I think both will be better. Santos = 20 pts (5 g, 10 A) Meram = 15 pts (6 g, 3 A) Hansen & Robinho, & Opoku get some as well.
I wouldn't say it wasn't faith in Meram, just more blind optimism around Santos who in pre-season already tied his goal total for all of last season. It was a damn pretty goal too. Yeah, it's just one goal in pre-season, but it was A SANTOS GOAL! Plus, he NEEDS to be better. The wage scale says so.
They will both score at least 5 goals and get at least 5 assist and start around 28 games . In this scenario Meram brings more value but Pedro would be considered to have the better year since his goal scoring rate has been atrocious. Neither will light the world on fire but both will be Solid and take some pressure of Zardes . I will not vote because it’s a push in my book
The good news is that a bit of improvement is all they need to do. If Meram puts up his MLS career average of a .5 g+a/90 we're in really good shape, 8 goals 9 assists or something like that. His best year for goals he had 13, same for his best year for assists. He doesn't need a career year, just his average. I am not going to do look up on Pedros career stats. But if he brings his 7 assists from last year back for a repeat and chips in 5 or 6 goals instead of 1, and Meram does his career avg we're a contender for the top spot in the east. Or if Hansen takes his chance (he was a .5 g+a/90 guy last year) and brings that average back over more than the 1031 minutes he got, then we're fine. We just need MLS average wing play to be better. Any of these guys can do it. That we're paying MLS elite wing play money for 2 of them is the real rub.