Yes it does. I understand the frustration what with it not being an area of need but so what. That no doubt played a role in us not going after Altidore last year, a very painful decision that I think all of us had a feeling might have been a mistake at the time (every report i ever read about his youth exploits was superlative, why you pass up on him for a member of the lollipop gang to play midfield is beyond me), and this is another example of a guy of potentially huge value dropping. You get the guy that is the best player available whenever and if ever possible. You can always work trades later to acquire talent at positions of weakness, but simply acquiring players of need but lesser talent dramatically increases your chances of getting a scrub. Much better to get a guy that is obviously talented. This is a draft that everyone and their mother has said was dramatically weak in genuine quality. This is one of the few players in it that is regarded as a genuine talent. Ergo go get him. We can always trade depth at a position for help at Forward that's proven in this league, or on defense, or on the left side of the midfield or whatever, much better to acquire the guy with legit talent, than the guy with questionable talent that simply fills a hole.
Needham is a great pickup: 6-2 175 defender 1st team All-american Hermann Trophy semifinalist SMU had 14 shutouts in '06
Solid!!!!!!! Big improvement over Arena at CB for reserve games (going back to the 2005 Championship season).
stone is wrong. we may try to convert him to a full-time defender (which according to what i'm hearing about his exploits would be a massive mistake), but i'm also hearing that he is definitely a midfielder type.
Is he one of those centerback/defensive mid tweeners? That only really works in a 4-4-2, as far as i can tell. Do these picks indicate any change in direction with respect to formation? And are we going for a goalie with the next pick? Maybe that guy from WV?
Short list for remaining 2 picks: F (speed/smaller) - Patterson, Omekanda, Krizanovic F (power/bigger) - Gonsalves, Smith, O'Neill RM - DiRaimondo LM - Wileman DM - LaBrocca Utility Player - Sambursky, Ustruck LB - Helton, DOuglass CB - Hohlbein, Meier G - Noble, Konopka
Especially when you consider this pick was 1/2 of the compensation for Brandon Prideaux. Most reviews say that Needham is capable of contributing somewhat now in some capacity. Both are mainly there for defensive cover, not to be starters. Yet Needham is 8 year younger and will likely be paid less than Prideaux. And we still get Colorado's 3rd rounder next year.
Needham in the 2nd and North in the 3rd would have made more sense. Other than Boyens (who missed the combine due to NZ/Auusie team talks), North is only non-combine player to be drafted until CHI's Banner pick, IIRC.
Some perspective: We got the #3 and #13 picks of Buzz's top 25 so far. Could still get a few of the others on his list as well.