Hindsight or Foresight : Twellman or Gbandi

Discussion in 'FC Dallas' started by Northside Rovers, Jul 30, 2002.

  1. Northside Rovers

    Jan 28, 2000
    Austin TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is something that has not received too much attention here. We picked 1st in last years draft and chose Chris Gbandi.

    By all accounts an outstanding defender with a bright future. We also knew he had a lengthy rehab ahead of him and at this point it looks unlikely he will set foot on the field. Gbandi also fit with Jefferies building this team from the back by picking up Bonseu and Morrow this season.

    Also, by all accounts, Twellman was a pretty darn good player who wasn't getting a fair shake in Germany. The Revs picked him up with the 2nd pick I believe. We all know how good a year he is having. He's got more goals than Jason Kreis on a much crappier team.

    Did we make a mistake by picking Gbandi over Twellman? Before I pass judgement, should I at least wait until Gbandi plays one game OR does Twellman's 15 goals make it a moot point? Did Jeffereies make a mistake?

    Knowing what we know now, would we make the same decision? I doubt it, for some reason I think Kreis and Twellman would have worked well together. But then again, I thought the same about Kreis and Graziani.

    I don't know, I'm just throwing it out there. We picked a defensive guy who will not play this year over an offensive guy leading the league in points scored.
     
  2. Alex Sanz

    Alex Sanz New Member

    Apr 6, 2000
    TX
    I have always believed a draft should not be judged until two or three years down the line. We are barely at the point (and maybe not even yet), where we should rate the 2001 draft. That one, at least, seems to have been a good one for the Burn so far. But it needs another year or so before it can truly be judged.

    As far as Twellman vs. Gbandi, I will reserve judgement until Gbandi can play. Gbandi has been said to be the best player to come out of the NCAA in several years and a lock for the national team in the future. But until he steps on the field, all that matters none.
     
  3. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Jeffries' decision not to pick Twellman made sense back in Feb. considering how deep we were at forward.

    But I'm wondering what exactly Jeffries' plans will be for Gbandi now that Broome and Martinez are doing quite well on the left side.

    Perhaps Gbandi might end up playing some in the center, either at d-mid or center back, with the aim of eventually taking over for either Morrow or Deering.
     
  4. Bethlehem

    Bethlehem New Member

    May 18, 2002
    Gbandi vs. Twellman

    It is too early to judge. Knowing what Jeffries knew in February (best athlete, no proven left back, depth at forward), Gbandi was the obvious choice. It is easy to consider second-guessing the decision at this point in time given Twellman's success and Gbandi's slow re-hab. We will know much better in about a year.

    As to Gbandi's position. Gbandi will either take over the left back position or be a bust. That is because the only thing that will possibly keep him from being a left back is his knee. If that heals, he will play left back. If it doesn't, he is a bust. Time will tell.
     
  5. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Gbandi vs. Twellman

    I thought Gbandi played quite a bit at midfield in college. If so, I'd like to see the Burn try him out there as well as in the back.

    I'm all for the USMNT and understand their desire to have a better player at left back than either Heydude or Regis, but the Burn need to do what's best for them, not what's best for Arena.
     
  6. Chamo

    Chamo New Member

    Aug 9, 1999
    Plano,TX
    With the glut the Red and Black have at forward, it just did not make any sense to draft another one. However, it is delicious to think that Dallas could have had a forward line of Twellman and EJ for the next few years with Rhine, Cerritos and Kreis coming off the bench.

    La locura rojinegra
     
  7. PaulGascoigne

    PaulGascoigne Member+

    Feb 5, 2001
    Aotearoa/NZ


    As thin as this league is at forward, there is no chance whatsoever we could keep all 5 of those guys for any period of time. Remember Dante Washington--we didn't let him go because we didn't want to keep him. And wouldn't it stink if EJ left or got in a snit because TT was getting PT instead of him?

    I think if (okay, when) EJ develops and Rhine keeps it up we'll have the best strike force in the league (even better than San Jose), probably very soon.
     
  8. Jambon

    Jambon Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    Austin, TX
    Re: Gbandi vs. Twellman

    Tell that to Paul Broome. Frankly Gbandi will have to play like Roberto Carlos to displace Broome at left back after the way things have gone this season. Perhaps you watched the last Burn game? If so, you noticed the side where our goals came from, and where theirs did not, Broome's side. This has been a consistent pattern for most of the year.

    It was certainly unexpected after the trainwreck last year on defense, but we are soon going to have a very difficult time getting all our defensive talent on the field at the same time, despite running a 4-4-2. Suarez, Morrow, Bonseau, Broome, Gbandi, Rodriquez - wow. I smell trade early next season.
     
  9. 3rd Degree

    3rd Degree Member

    Feb 6, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Re: Gbandi vs. Twellman

    don't forget Bussey has been playing right back (as well as right mid) in practice & scrimmages and is doing quite well. Morrison is also kicking around at center back, plus Matt Behncke is a true left footed player and has made vast improvements at both center back and left back.
     
  10. The Wanderer

    The Wanderer New Member

    Sep 3, 1999
    Maybe Gbandi could play dmid in a libero type role. We'll find out more this coming month.
     
  11. Jambon

    Jambon Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    Austin, TX
    The best outcome for us would be if he could spend a year coming in along the back line as others get injured or fall out of form, then move into Morrow's spot in central defense when Steve moves on.
     
  12. Northside Rovers

    Jan 28, 2000
    Austin TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This glut at forward is having trouble taking up the slack with Kreis in a 5 game slump.

    I think it is difficlut to play 2 quality goal scorers at the same time. We saw that with Kreis and Graziani. The problem with having 1 go-to guy is that when he dries up, someone else has to take up the slack. Cerritos and Rhine are not doing that. If we had Twellman, he may not have 15 goals at this point, but he is capable of being the offensive focus.

    Right now, Rhine isn't able to do that - and it looks like Cerritos will never again be able to do that.

    If I am given a choice, I choose offense over defense every time. Especially if I already had Bonseu, Morrow and Suarez.
     
  13. DigitalTron

    DigitalTron New Member

    Apr 4, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    Well Gbandi is the latest in a string of local guys in the last few years that Jefferies has brought in, and almost all have been good additions. With Gbandi in the most recent draft were Jordan Stone and Carl Bussey who appear to both have bright futures.

    The next local phenom might just be a Vaca-like player, Arturo Alvarez. There's a discussion about him at:

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=3898

    It seems he is one of the top youth players, can play forward, attacking midfielder or winger. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jefferies select him in the 2003 SuperDraft.

    -Tron
     

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