If Pablo were to play in the back line or leave, Kirovski has some desirable characteristics of a defensive mid. Could he potentially be a fit there? As for Mathis, I do like his game a little more than others on the board. He plays simple and if there were players who could run off the ball more effectively, his game could be enhanced. That said, I think Mathis will mostly see fill-in duty when others are away.
Kirovski might scuff his princess ballet slippers playing d-mid. No way. Hopefully, they'll see spot duty, though I always have my fingers crossed that Mathis will light the fire again.
You may see something I don't, but my take on Kirovski is that he has a nice touch and is good on dead ball situations. Aside from that he's slow, doesn't play quickly, and most damning for the d-mid, he lacks anything approaching grit in his game. Mathis, on the other hand, is a good finisher. He's not fast, and he's not going dribble by people anymore, but he can finish. I wish they'd play him as a forward. Ultimately, both are being pushed out for various reasons.
I was going to suggest that Jovan could grow out his hair and be assistant Community Ambassador "And you know what" he might be good at it. ;>)
Mathis, on the other hand, is a good finisher ------------------------------------------------------------------------- A good finisher of what??? A jigsaw puzzle, a book? ..... He is past his time as a good finisher of goals. Last year... the year before that.... and beyond.....
Clints pretty good at driving the golf cart. It's a pretty good role for him. Well, unless the other team is playing short-handed. He does well in those situations on the pitch.
How about Mathis? If chose to increase his fitness and work rate, this guy could be a solid contributor, in my opinion.
Everytime I think Rapids fans can't get anymore clueless, they trot out the Mathis crap. He is our most talented player, and a joy in the lockerroom by all accounts. He was plagued by a knee problem almost all last year, and by a completely shite team the year before, how'd he do before that? The skill must have just evaporated overnight, and you guys talk about him like he was some sort of speed merchant before... whatever... As for Kirovski, I don't care, the man has been an underachiever just about everywhere. Maybe had a decent stretch at Birmingham City. Other than that, nada. Possibly one of the best goals ever by anyone in a US Men's National team uniform that absolutely USED Oli Kahn. But that's it... even during that match, a friendly in Florida v. Germany (1999), the announcer said it "So much promise for so long..." but he's never come through, and watching him play last year told me EVERYTHING. If Jovan starts having a good match, and scores, he becomes content, he shuts it down, Jovan has done his job for the evening. Otherwise, he disappears, sulks... Jovan doesn't score a lot of goals.
My issue with Mathis (other than his salary, which may still be being paid by FSL) is his inability to go a full 90 on a regular basis. He's not contributing enough to be worth putting in the starting 11 knowing that we're sacrificing one of our 3 subs by doing it. If he can get back to the point where he can go 90 minutes regularly then I'd feel better about him.
I'd like to think that someone making $450K per year could figure out how to get in shape to play 90 minutes. I mean, he could pay a personal trainer to bring him coffee and doughnuts in bed, dress him in shorts and a t-shirt, and drive him to the gym each morning. I'd like to think that someone in Clint's position would have enough pride to do that. Guess we'll find out.
Well you'll never find a wounded soldier laying around his house. I know he's something of an almost was, but finishing is the one thing I think he can still reliably do if the ball gets to his feet. What I don't want to see now or ever again is Mathis in midfield. He doesn't play enough defense, doesn't move well enough, and has become to enamored of his, admittedly, powerful shooting. If he can consistently be on then he could pull off the midfield thing, but he isn't even consistent in one game. A few moments of glory every few games won't make up for the hole he creates when it's not working. This is in keeping with my overall discouragement in America of constantly trying to move talented forwards away from the goal.
Is This not the same Clint Mathis that went 100+ in Dallas? I must be dreaming... People here parrot sh!t that other people declare with a small degree of certainty and it just takes like wildfire...
Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Nothing like the lemmings on Mathis here. The damn season hasn't even started yet, but the lemmings are in goose-stepping order. He kept your happy arses in it last season and yet you are not content.
That was one game out of the year. In April, May, June, July, August, and September Clint rarely could go 90 and Fernando was more than once quoted saying that Clint was not in game shape. Maybe that is "parrotting sh!t" in your mind, but I watched the whole season, not just one playoff game. Having one good playoff game does not justify the rest of the season. It showed me enough of a glimmer to think that Clint could be useful, but he needs to do more.
Sure...it's also the same Clint Mathis that made 30 appearances last year and only finished 6 of the 20 games he started. The one game you bring up he was very effective. Not so the rest of the year. 32% of his shots came in just two of his 30 games, one of those the Dallas playoff game. I mean I guess I could go into much deeper detail with stats, but I lack the time and desire to prove an obvious point. The man is not effective. People complain and moan about LA bringing in a "washed up, over the hill, has been" and others are awash in the gloriousness of Mathis. Funny world. For one game, anyway. We all were.
The truth is clear through the statistics for average minutes played per game in which the player appeared: Mathis 53 minutes Martins 55 Kirovski 72 Hernandez 84 Cooke 86 Pablo 88 Beckerman 90 Who is parroting sh!t on this board and who is basing opinions on fact?
Funny, I thought it was Gbandi's reckless tackle that kept us in. Mathis shined in one game in which FC Dallas was short handed for most all the game. Mathis is a joy in the locker room? The same Mathis that was suspended by FSL for getting in a fight during practice? The same Mathis that earned himself a silly RC in a game the Rapids needed him? The same Mathis that couldn't or wouldn't have himself in proper shape going into 2006 to be around for the team? The same Mathis that spends more time marking the ref than players on the other team? There was a time when I'd call him a poor man's Cantona. But lately he's been much more like a poor man's Stan Collymore.
Jovan also scored. Clint and Jovan scored 3 of the 4 goals in the intrasquad game. In games against other teams, the Rapids have scored 8 goals, none by Clint and Jovan.