Then why not start other players who would work in the system even if they might not have the MLS quality at this point. We keep hearing that it takes time and such but there has not been any swapping of players to those that can pick up the system faster. These guys practice everyday and should be making progress everyday on a new system, they have now been working on it for over 6 weeks. Look, if you older or more established then you are not changing your personal system of play since it was never needed to be successful in the past. If your younger and still trying to find your best then you are fungible into a different system. Why are we not mixing the parts to find those that can play in the system and demoting those that are not changing.
I agree. Find the players within the team that are willing to work with you on how you want to play rather than try to force those that aren't going to change. Ideally you use your youth system to establish style and expectations, and then promote them up so you have a team that plays how you want. Of course, you never can get the ideal, since you have to bring in experienced players, etc. You make good points. If I were in Almeyda's shoes, I'd be looking to change the lineup considerably at this point after three bad losses. He has to for the friendly, and I'm hopefull he likes some performances in that game enough to sit some players who haven't proved much in the regular season. I'd be inclined to believe that some players may be on board with Almeyda but may not be able to do exactly what he wants just from years of doing things a different way, but his recent comments about trust makes me think he's at the end of his rope with some guys. For the sake of the team as a whole, I hope he's empowered to make changes where he's deemed in necessary.
If we wait for the summer transfer window, we will have lost so many games by that point that we will be long, long out of the playoff hunt. I keep saying that we have to win, right now. Not because I'm an impatient jerk (though that might be true also) but because if we dig too deep a hole, improvements won't matter. Look at Montréal last season. They were great the last 21 games, but still didn't make the playoffs. That's close to two thirds of the season that they were really good, and they still didn't make the playoffs. I expect us to lose our first eight games this season, and that will terminate our season. Let's say that we win two and lose seven of our first nine, that's still a very nearly hopeless situation. We need new players right now. Jesse OUT!! Go Quakesfans!! - Mark
We needed new players last year. The last summer transfer window, as bad as we were, we only brought in Kashia. He’s an ok CB but I knew something is very wrong if this is all they can do or want to do. I thought damn I have to wait til winter before we make all the big moves. Now I can’t believe not a single DP and 3 TAM that I know aren’t going to be enough. It was so incredibly disappointing when Jesse said there would be no more moves in this window. I know we need new players now but the coach has literally told us new players, if any, are coming in the summer. I don’t want to get disappointed again so I only expect one additional TAM player in the summer and I don’t think it’ll be enough. Hoesen’s getting his green card now which gives us 1 international spot and Jonas reported they’re trying to get a second as well. So maybe we’ll get two players this summer.
If Almeyda's record continues, he won 't last longer than Stahre did. If this were Europe, he would be fired within the next few weeks. Then again, not many Euro clubs would give him a guaranteed 4 year contract....
Yes, we needed new players last year. Again, when I spoke to Jesse last April, he (and Stahre) had identified four players that they wanted, but only one of them was available in the summer transfer window. The other three guys they couldn't sign until the winter break. Then of course, Stahre got sacked and they had to change plans. And I'm concerned that they had made plans by or in April that they didn't modify given how much worse the season was by July. We should have sacked several more players than we did. Specifically, Afolter, Eriksson, Godoy, Jungwirth if we're not going to play him, Kashia, Paul Marie, and I'd have considered ditching Vako. Notice that my choices are all internationals. This would both free up roster spot and international spots, and most of these guys are seriously overpaid. And yes, we needed to bring on a bunch of new players this past off-season, both because our players weren't (and aren't) good enough, and because the quiest way to change a team's attitude is to bring in a bunch of new guys. I keep saying that losing is habit forming, and it is. I don't see our team coping well with a six or seven game losing streak. Of the new guys that we brought in, I think that Vega is a waste. We could have scored an MLS veteran in the re-entry draft, saved an international spot, and gotten a player who already knew the league and the teams we play against. I'm pissed. Go Quakesfans!! - Mark
Vega is a player for whom the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming that Matias Almeyda specifically asked for. It's inconceivable he would have been targeted as an acquisition, let alone signed, otherwise. And the lost international slot he represents is therefore one of the prices we're paying for churning coaches so cavalierly -- the tangible fruit of #StahreOut. The real head-scratcher is why the Quakes are keeping four keepers.
I was initially sceptical of the Vega signing, however, I have been impressed with his play so far. His distribution is superior to any keeper we have had, he is not afraid to punch the ball in a crowd, (unlike alligator arms Bingham) and seems to be a decent shot stopper. Someone here questioned whether he could have done more on the shot he parried aside against RB that was then put back across to be tapped in. Imo he did what he was supposed to do there, he parried the shot to the outside away from the goal. His defenders needed to then do their jobs.
Vega is experienced & is pretty good with his feet. Need a sweeper keeper if we want to play like a top team.
I also have to say that last year Tarbell let in soft goals that clearly deflated the team’s confidence. I haven’t seen that from Vega and to my eyes he looks a lot more in charge and confident then Tarbell. The team may be poor but he is an upgrade for sure. Now why Tarbell has not been traded is a big mystery to me.
I cant fault the manager anymore. Sir Alex Ferguson couldnt turn this bunch around. Its at the point you have to look squarely at the locker room. Thats where the responsibility lies now.
OK, I'm not saying that Vega isn't decent, he is. What I'm saying is that we could have picked up an MLS veteran keeper in the re-entry draft, save an international slot, which we need, and probably saved on the salary cap hit too, though we don't know how much Vega costs yet, and he might be cheap. My issue with Vega is use of resources, not that he's bad per se. Go Quakesfans!! We Fans ought to be running the freaking team!! - Mark