I really don't trust Gutjahr/BB at the RB spot as starters. From the sounds of what was reported at the scrimmage, Gutjahr had a particularly poor game back there. Agree about one more CB, but it's not the easiest position to get/scout under MLS rules. Sure Marcelo sucked, but he was far from the only bad acquisition in MLS last season at that position. Giancarlo Gonzalez sure didn't look like a guy who was a World Cup Best XI last season, and he spent saturday getting bossed around by the USA camp cupcake roster.
Bronico is penciled in as the starter at RB at the moment, but I suspect we'll be signing someone to take over that job soon enough. Wicky wanted the first and second team to be balanced, hence why Gutjahr started off at RB.
How many wins does this team get you? #cf97KronholmBornsteinKappelhofCalvoSekulicLjubicicMedranMihailovicAlisedaBericFrankowskiShuttleworth/Azira/Herbers/Pineda/Sapong/Bronico/Edwards— MIR97 Media (@meninred97) February 2, 2020 Answer: No idea, but that a heckuva more competitive team than I thought we'd be fielding a very short time ago.
Still... not great to be losing your man here by BB. ✨That Union Academy Connection ✨ Two academy products, @issa_rayyan9 & Cole Turner, connected for our third and final goal of yesterday's scrimmage! Love that #PathToThePros 💙#DOOP | @PhilaUnionII | @VSPC pic.twitter.com/wOXWcUVqAQ— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) February 2, 2020
So, if the signing of guys under 23 goes into the DP zone, what's the hit on the salary cap? I do not understand the "young DP" thing, but hope it would apply for a signing or two.
Eh, that's still short a guy or two. Djordje and Medran is not good enough quality or depth-wise at the dual 8's. That's the spot that still needs the most work, and I feel like it cries out for a quality MLS veteran of some sort. And this is all just to be a playoff contender. You need a superstar to push on beyond that, and with all 3 DP's filled, you have no way to get one. One of Ljubicic and Aliseda had better be buy-down-able.
Under the old CBA, DP players 21-23 years old were a $200k budget charge. 20 and under were a $150k budget charge. Don't know how they will change under the new CBA.
So that could leave about $500,000ish availible for other salaries, compared to three $500,000+ hits to our cap. Maybe
Agreed. But it's a metric stuff ton better than it was 2 weeks ago. My hope is that this is a work-in-progress and that Heitz is not content to stand pat. One thing I really like is that some of these internationals are young, which presumably means they have very good wheels.
Well the question is when these guys who are "signed" per insiders are actually part of the team. The squad they have down in Florida is scandalously bad. Obviously the plan was never to have a tiny, threadbare squad that makes half the salary of last year's team (if that), but how long is it going to take to actually stock up the roster and get everyone up to speed together?
Yes, there are "starters" penciled in who are not signed and players who are signed who are not included. Speculation is it.
And I'm all for speculating. But from where we stand, we're going to roll into Seattle with a hot mess and be in line for a drubbing on national TV.
We lost out on Chicharito, we are not pursuing any big name strikers or CAM, but we don't need them. We have COLLIER. MLS Cup, here we come. https://www.chicagofirefc.com/post/2020/02/06/chicago-fire-fc-re-signs-forward-elliot-collier “Elliot has fully earned this new contract,” said Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Raphael Wicky. “He has impressed our staff with his desire to come in and work hard and he has continuously shown improvement after every training session.” So, others are NOT working hard? Does he "practice cheerfully," Raph? Your predecessor emphasized that and look at how far that got us!
I get that this offseason overall has been underwhelming. It isn't Collier's fault though and I hope he's a good bench/spot starter. At this point, I'm not expecting anything big in terms of winning this season and am seeing it more as a rebuilding year. The front office has to set the culture, expectations and reputation for signings, which takes time. I also don't anticipate Soldier Field being sold out or hitting 25k, so not sure how that's going to impact Mansueto. I know I probably won't attend many games, unless I get offered tickets at low prices on game days. It's just not worth it to me at this point and I'm not super excited about anything. I will watch them on hopefully WGN...unless it doesn't pass it's physical or asks for more money.
The team needed another roster filler at forward anyway. Herbers is listed as a F but he tends to get played as more of an attacking midfielder.
On paper this team is nothing for Chicago to get excited about; I really hope on the field this team tells a different tale...
On paper, this team is nothing to even wake up about, much less get excited about. There is virtually nothing there. From a talent perspective, this team is miles behind last year (no replacement for Gaitan, Katai, Bastian, Nikolic-maybe Beric, even Dax may be missed). The only player on the team, so far, that I am even interested in seeing is Frankowski. It is pretty much desperation time for the Chicago Fire (FC)
Of course, it is not Collier's fault, but he demonstrated nothing in his first stint with the Fire. I anticipate double that now! I also do not see him as a building block for the future (like, maybe, Djordje is). Well, I have my season tickets, so I will be there, even there appears to be little hope.
LOL I seriously wonder what happened with Ljubicic. My guess is a failed medical. That would be such a Fire move
No can tell. Last year was sexy time, on paper. Turned out to be toilet paper. I agree nothing to get excited about, but I'll reserve judgement until they get some matches under their belt.
Hence, my anticipation of him providing DOUBLE of the nothing he demonstrated last time with the Fire.
Sure, I may not sound like it, but I always optimistic at the beginning of the season. Dumping Paunovic was a great start. It is my contention that he was the primary reason that the Fire did not finish in the top few teams last season. The talent was there, at least offensively. This season, I really do not see much. I also do not see much ambition, baseless rumors notwithstanding. We have lost out on marquee players (Chicharito, likely Pizarro) and lesser known players. This team, on paper is worse than the 2013, 2014, or 2015 teams. The 2013 team was dire, but with Magee, Rolfe, Nyarko, Segares, etc. should have done better. 2014 was pretty bad and had a potato coaching. However, it had a few decent players. The 2015 team looked semi-decent (Accam, Magee, Nyarko, Shipp, and we still had an actual goal keeper in Sean Johnson), but was potatoed to the wooden spoon. I am optimistic that we will make a couple of additional moves to give us something. Also, I have a sense that Wicky will be a decent coach. Strangely, I have nothing on which to base this sense, but I have it none the less.