when he came in against Inter (the only time I've seen him play in person) he was on the left wing. He immediately tucked more and more inside, though. He didn't look like a Javi type who always wants to be on the ball, but his movement was awesome. I'd like to see him play there with Plata and Allen on the wings. I think the interchanging play could compensate for the lack of a true 10
Still some significant holes on the roster. IMO - CF, FB, CB, right wing, and ACM are the biggest needs. Probably in that order. I'm not convinced that Allen can be a 90-minute, every game option yet but I think it's time that he sees significant time on the wing. I'd like to see Bofo get some chances, but not convinced he's ready for significant prime time experience yet. Rusnak for all his promise, could struggle at times, especially early on and right now his backup is Mulholland. Would like to see that area bolstered still. When Movsisyan was out, RSL struggled last year. Need a quality backup. Not sure Silva is the answer there (to me, he's a classic 2nd forward which doesn't help w/ RSL's style of play). I still don't see 2 legit starters from Glad, Schuler and Maund. Schuler could get back to that level, but Maund is a backup IMO. Phillips is up and down, and Wingert isn't the strongest backup. As-is Allen would still be the emergency FB. HM is set. GK is set. Sidenote: I think this year will be a huge one for Movsisyan. Last season his movement off of the ball was fantastic, but he was seldom rewarded. The Burrito, Javi, Plata trifecta appeared to be playing keep away from Yura at times. I think that will change big time this year. I think Rusnak, and Allen will help make him more successful. Adding LD would be huge for this. I see those two as players who could play well off of each other. Those getting significant minutes CF - Movsisyan LW - Plata, Saucedo? (is he ready for this level?) RW - Allen ACM - Rusnak, Mulholland HM - Beckerman, Sunny, Mulholland FB - Beltran, Phillips, Wingert, Allen CB - Glad, Maund, Schuler GK - Rimando Other contributors Holness Velasco Van Oekel Won't see any time Acosta Hernandez Lalo Draft picks Potential Additions Donovan - could help at ACM or even right wing Silva - ACM, winger or CF? Need CB and FB depth Potentially need CF depth if Donovan or Silva don't happen, need ACM depth (especially need some experience there)
Agree with KIR's post, the way I look at the roster right now is that we've signed a potentially good player to be a future replacement for Javi and that's it. We have glaring needs at outside back and center back, all of the players except Glad will at best be the same player as last year or, at worst, take a step back. I don't believe we can get more out of Beltran, Phillips, Maund, and Schuler than what we have already seen and I believe Wingert is only going to get worse. Schuler and Maund are essentially injury guarantees and we have no starter/star quality player at center back, IMO. I believe the defense, as a unit, will be no better than last year as currently assembled which is a GLARING weakness, without signing at least one very high quality defender (preferably a CB) this team will not make the playoffs. The lack of forward depth is also pretty glaring, besides Plata and Yura we have nobody essentially. Allen can player there if he needs to, after that it's Holness and Velazco, that cupboard is bare. Is Silva a high enough quality backup? He essentially hasn't played in a year, so that's troubling, and he's a known quantity (which isn't extremely high, IMO). IMO I think the most important signing will be a leader/all-star quality center back who can command the unit, I truly don't think we have a defensive leader on this team and that's troubling. Given our apparent offensive deficiencies I think it'll be really important to have a strong defense, keep clean sheets, to give our team a chance while guys like Rusnak and other new forward(s) a chance to integrate and become productive (consistently).
Agree with your thoughts, so we have to wonder why with so many needs in the back and upfront why any interest in Donovan? Jersey sales?
A few thoughts why: Donovan can play up front on the wing - so it does address the forward needs to a degree. If he's interested in being a mentor - RSL has a number of players that could benefit - Allen, Holness, Velazco, etc. Judging by Albert's reaction to Kyle - think of what a recruiting improvement they could have with the most famous USMNT/MLS player of recent years also on the team. Ditto #2 for Academy marketability. If LD was interested in academy involvement, he becomes a big added reason for UT and AZ kids to consider joining (+ potential quality improvement in the exceptions allowed in from out of region) Jersey sales Team visibility - basically any team with LD is automatically going to be in the news more often Owner machismo - sometimes it's just about the ego of landing the big deal You have to give RSL FO for upping their game this offseason. Young DP, Petke for Monarchs, and chasing after LD. The other 'catches' on the roster may not be lighting the world on fire, but they've taken the $ and effort to put a few big bets down in a smarter, non-over-the-hill Euro-has-been way.
You are getting the hang of this game. It's all about the sales of replica kit, just ask Man Utd et al. Home kit, two away kits, special edition cup kit, european kit, cup final kit.... all to be priced for profit and if possible changed twice a year. ... which made me smile when Newcastle United received a mountain of replica kit all with Glasgow Rangers buttons on
I'm in. We can improve our play, our kit options and maybe add some organic vibrancy to the stadium in one bold move. Fortune would favor us.
Visions of past glory: I know all the below has been said, but it has to be said again... sadly. Because this is painful to watch. DLH is sullying the memories of players who we love. For some of us, our memory of Javi is forever undermined due to the horrible way he was treated, and then how he responded... DLH maybe thinks the fans come out to see personalities on the field? Nope, though we do have affection for them. We want to see a winner, not a bunch of our old favorites who are unable to compete in their dotage. It sullies the memories. I believe DLH has a blind spot to the team. He bought into the team on it's high point (he's a business guy, buy low, sell high, oops!). The heart of the team in his mind (in our minds, also) were: Rimando, Olave, Borchers, Beckerman, Morales, etc... He's enough of a businessman to know that you can't keep them all as they get more expensive, so he's let some go as budget necessitated, BUT, I believe he keeps thinking they are the same as they were when they were originally part of the wonderful days of the team. So, they come back, more worn out, older, less capable... all happening in a league that is improving by leaps and bounds. RSL will be fortunate to finish more than 1 position above the Loons, regardless of who is coaching. DLH doesn't appear to have learned the core differences between running a sports entertainment business compared to his other businesses. In other businesses, as your talent ages, they tend to improve in productivity due to gained expertise and networks. In sports, experience helps, but not everyone can be Cal Ripken and learn the perfect positioning for every hitter in the game given his limitations. In general, athletes become less and less productive after a certain age. Many sports teams employ physiological measurement systems to gauge how a player is changing through their career and know the signs for drop-off that won't return. They know when to move the investment on while it still has value to others. I don't know that RSL (or many MLS teams) have that capability. Or, if RSL does have it, does DLH trust what he's told? Does he override it due to visions of past glory? This team needs to change into RSL 3.0 (4.0?) and that means losing everyone over the mid-20s except MAYBE Beckerman. It's long long long past time for RSL to stop living in the glory days.
I'm not ready to get rid of Rimano yet. But the others....yeah. I don't know what's going through Dear Leader's head, tbh. I wonder how we might perceive him if he had more competent people running the team and related organization. That he doesn't is on him, but he came in pretty new to all of this. He has the opportunity to correct that error and he should.
Both Rimando and KB's contracts expire at the end of this season, no? I think we'll really see just how tied to visions of the past DLH is with how he handles those two.
An excellent submission, well worth reading the full text if you haven"t already done so.... Soccer is a great game constantly developing and recycling. Tactics and system that are world beating with one set of players just don't work with another set. Occasionally a set of journeymen gel in such a way that they win the league, Leicester. Total football as played by the Dutch, Johann Cryft, Jonny Rep et al takes some beating in my book but it's rarely seen today because teams have developed counters some of which are new, some of which are derived from older approaches Such is the nature of soccer. These developments and retro's make my opinions founded in a playing career 45 years ago just as (but no more) valid than those of a person who has only known the game for a season or less Soccer is the beautiful game: Pele
A simpler way of saying the problem with RSL is the team is aging and getting slower while the rest of the league has gotten both younger and faster. We are going to get smoked for 4+ goals several times this year. Atlanta is an obvious opportunity for a solid nut-kicking. Seattle and Houston could give us the same. And, while I love Rimando, the fact is he is on the downhill slide starting last year. He should have been moved this past offseason, trade to the Loons for massive allocation money, done and dusted. He's got 2 years, maybe 3, left in him and they will not be as good as his $$ cost. If you aren't working towards the future, you are mired in the past.
This is the current RSL roster from what I found....Those signed to the senior team. After what we have seen recently, who would you try to move during the season, or after the season ends to replace with either a better starter, or some quality backup? I just copied and pasted the names over, so if they aren't playing that position now, that's why. Lalo Fernandez 1 Goalkeeper (homegrown) Tony Beltran 2 Full back David Horst 4 Defender Kyle Beckerman 5 Midfielder Sunny Stephen 8 Midfielder Joao Plata 10 Forward (DP) Albert Rusnak 11 Midfielder (DP) Omar Holness 12 Midfielder (Generation Adidas) Chad Barrett 13 Forward Yura Movsisyan 14 Forward (DP) Justen Glad 15 Defender (homegrown) Chris Wingert 16 Defender Demar Phillips 17 Defender Nick Rimando 18 Goalkeeper Luke Mulholland 19 Midfielder Luis Silva 20 Midfielder Aaron Maund 21 Defender Ricardo Velazco 22 Forward (homegrown) Sebastian Saucedo 23 Midfielder (homegrown) Danilo Acosta 25 Defender (Homegrown) Brooks Lennon 27 Forward (Homegrown) Chris Schuler 28 Defender Jose Hernandez 29 Midfielder (homegrown) Jordan Allen 70 Defender, Midfielder (Homegrown) Justin Schmidt Defender Matt Van Oekel Goalkeeper Reagan Dunk Defender
Honestly, for me, my "Keep for sure" list is small. A lot of this is based on the fact that I would advocate a switch to some sort of 4-4-2 system, whether a diamond, flat 4, something like a 4-1-3-2 maybe. However, Weibel is also "playing for his position" in that he has got to bring in some decent talent, and not the same old MLS level backup to the backup. Keep: Rusnak, Lennon (make the deal), Holness, Glad, Allen, Acosta, Saucedo, Luke, Maund,Van Oekel. These are based on the fact that they have shown something, have great potential, or are a steady known quantity. Move/Playing for Spot: Yura, Plata, Tony, Phillips, Velazco, Schuler, Hernandez, Sunny, Lalo. These are those that we have seen some ability in the past, and they need to find it again. Some may be good to move in exchange for something else, player, $$, etc. If Yura and Plata can start performing, then take a look at their future with the club, or possibly using them as trade. Something has to be done so RSL can make the Lennon move permanent. Kyle and Rimando are a different matter. I don't want a similar thing to the Javi situation to happen. I think an honest, frank discussion needs to happen at the end of the season. Both look like they are not playing up to even their average seasons past. Dump: Barrett, Horst, Wingert. Sucks when they are injured (Wingert may be out with concussion shortly), but I would have selected these to dump anyway.
I'll simplify this in two categories. A group of players worth keeping, a group of players that should go. There are nuances of trading and getting value (GM's job) that are being ignored here. However, an exercise like this is good as it then highlights those special situations. Here is who I keep. I offload everyone else and give our GM a lot of space to work with. Keep: Lalo - cheap Rusnak - build around Holness - depth/youth Glad - build around Mulholland - cheap experienced depth (might change on new salary) Velazco - cheap Saucedo - HG's should be valued much higher than they are - see Toia Acosta - see above Lennon - we won't be able to Hernandez - HG Allen - last chance next year Schmidt - young depth
My thoughts. Don't know where there are all in their contracts but this is what I would do if they all had the option to return. Lalo Fernandez 1 Goalkeeper (homegrown) Don't care. Keepers seem to be plentiful. Tony Beltran 2 Full back TRADE, TRADE, TRADE. Probably one of the few players with actual trade value. David Horst 4 Defender Gonzo. Kyle Beckerman 5 Midfielder Ask to retire or take lesser role. Sunny Stephen 8 Midfielder Not a player I would keep. Joao Plata 10 Forward (DP) TRADE, TRADE, TRADE, if he has any trade value left. Albert Rusnak 11 Midfielder (DP) KEEP AND BUILD AROUND AS MENTIONED Omar Holness 12 Midfielder (Generation Adidas) KEEP Chad Barrett 13 Forward Dunzo Yura Movsisyan 14 Forward (DP) I love Yura but if he has less than 12 goals seriously consider moving. Justen Glad 15 Defender (homegrown) KEEP Chris Wingert 16 Defender Time to be done. Demar Phillips 17 Defender Need an upgrade Nick Rimando 18 Goalkeeper Looked like toast on Saturday. Will battle injuries all season. Luke Mulholland 19 Midfielder Keep for depth Luis Silva 20 Midfielder Cut or trade today. Aaron Maund 21 Defender Keep for depth Ricardo Velazco 22 Forward (homegrown) Keep Sebastian Saucedo 23 Midfielder (homegrown) Keep Danilo Acosta 25 Defender (Homegrown) Definitely keep. Bright future. Brooks Lennon 27 Forward (Homegrown) Dream on. If they can keep him it's a no brainer. Chris Schuler 28 Defender Keep for depth unless he gets injured again. Ok he's gone. Jose Hernandez 29 Midfielder (homegrown) Keep Jordan Allen 70 Defender, Midfielder (Homegrown) Keep but try and find him an actual position to play. Justin Schmidt Defender Keep for depth Matt Van Oekel Goalkeeper Keep. Gonna need goalies that's for sure. Reagan Dunk Defender Who knows? I would trade Plata for a ham sandwich. If Tony can come back from injury I would trade him as well. For all the talk about RSL being a deep team, by Dunny that is, I just don't see it. This team is dreadful.
Also, how anyone could think that RSL is fine at CB is beyond ludicrous or ludacris. All of their CB's combined together don't add up to Borchers and Olave. They don't have one, out side of Glad, that even looks to have that kind of upside. Sad. And that's a quote.
RSL is really deep. That's essentially all we've got on this roster outside a handful of players - MLS depth. The problem is we're expecting those players to be starters in this league. Luke Mulholland epitomizes our roster situation. He is the best option at the number 8 position right now. Luke isn't an awful player, but he isn't a starting 8 on a team that's competitive in this league. We'll win a decent amount of games. Hell, we might get hot and find our way into the last playoff spot if things go really bad for others. But winning any silverware? No. Absolutely not. We have depth. We don't have starters
I agree with 15 and goob's lists. It's hard though, because that's a lot of people to try and move, which likely won't be possible in one offseason. KB and Wingert you let go at the end of the season, possibly Rimando as well. Beltran I think we should trade for an offensive outside back. For now, I could live with Phillips as a backup. Play Acosta on the right, try and sign a quality LB. Dump Schuler and Horst and get a top CB to pair with Glad. Out of Plata and Yura, I think the FO would dump Plata before Yura. Barrett is ok for a backup, but I'd prefer if we could upgrade there as well. It's a lot of pieces that could/should be moved, but I think it'd be hard to pull off at once. If we could trade Beltran in the summer window, that'd be a good start. Maybe we could sucker someone into taking Schuler as well. The offseason will be quite busy, but if we can move a couple pieces in the summer, moving most or all of the rest in the offseason will be a little easier.
Acosta is typically a LB. Hence his extreme favoritism of his left foot. I want to see him out there for a game. If he can play as well as he does on the right, imagine if he has his strong foot away from pressure