we really need a creative mid .Holden is one type of player and De Ro is another type. We have to ha ve someone who can distribute and creatively pass the ball. We cannot rely on bombs away over the top long balls all game long. Lets hope Geoff Cameron makes another great showing at a new postiion.And we acquire a solid attacking mid.
I guarantee you that the people who are ragging on Landin don't watch the Dynamo on a week in and week out basis. I'm not going to sit here and say that he's been a stellar signing but if you watch him, it's quite clear he has massive amounts of skill. I still say he has more technique and skill on the ball than any other Dynamo player. His problem isn't that he doesn't have the skill...it's that he needs to mesh with the team and get fit. That's a problem that can be fixed. I don't know that it will but it can be. In any case, I can't predict the future so I don't know how he'll turn out in 2010. But I can tell you this...if he fails in 2010, it won't be for any of the reasons that the soccer media reports. Because frankly, they don't know what the hell they are talking about when it comes to Landin. Now for a completely different subject. Raise your hand if you think Stuart Holden was a creative midfielder (not raising my hand). There's a lot of things that Stuart Holden was but vision and workrate are the first things that come to mind, not creativity. In my opinion, Holden proves that we don't need a creative midfielder in that role. If he has vision, timing, anticipation and a modicum of technique, our new a-mid will succeed.
I watch the dynamo every week and agree that he is skilled. His problem is that he needs to stay away from the drive thru. I wasn't at the press conference when he signed, but from the pictures he looked pretty slim. After that, every week without fail he looked like he had gained 10 pounds since the last time I saw him. Maybe he is just a guy who will always struggle with weight..
Why do you guys still talk about his weight. I was watching some old clips of him Mexico and he was scoring goals and was the exact same size. It's not like he went Marcelo Vega post WC or anything. Even for his size, he still pretty damn fast when he wants to be. Watch him ride off the ball. He can cover a lot of space pretty quickly when he wants to-in fact I would put him at the same speed level as Ching.
I only talk about his weight because Dom mentioned it (albeit rather discreetly) on a few occasions. He specifically said that he and the trainer had come up with an off-season regimen to improve his fitness and that they needed him to make an effort to improve his fitness during the off-season to come into camp in better shape come February 1st.
honestly, the fact that the problem has been identified and is being addressed is the best news I've heard all offseason.
on the orange slice show, Dom said Landin had to report to the trainer the 2nd week of January. a pre pre-training camp, if you will.
I think this may turn out to be the MLS signing of the year. I've been able to watch Guadalupe play the last two Gold Cups. This guy is a small in statute but pacey, hard working, and a cool player. One of the best players in CONCACAF. He will make the Wizards a better team. He will quickly become the second best holding MF in the league behind only Shalrie Joseph. He is a better Stuart Holden type player with dreds. If this guy was available to MLS, and we are losing MFs (which we are), and we didn't know about it and go for him -- it speaks poorly of our efforts. This is the best holding MF to play in Houston during the last four years not wearing a Barcalona uniform.
yup i know exactly who you are talking about, causes a lot of havoc. i saw him in person and then dude can play. i liked him and David Fleurival from that 2007 Gold Cup team.
OK, something's not right here. He's the best holding MF to play in Houston during the last 4 years, he's the second best holding MF behind Joseph, and Shalrie Joseph has played in Houston during the last 4 years. And I'm unsure why you are comparing him to Holden as he's a holding mid. I was impressed with a number of Guadalupe's players. I'm not sure I'm going to elevate him above Ricardo Clark and Shalrie Joseph status just yet though.
You got me on the Shalrie Joseph part. Mistake on me. I don't elevate him above Shalrie Joseph -- and I overlooked that of course Joseph has played here in Houston. I do think he is a more complete player than Rico has been. I think he covers ground like Rico, tackles like Rico, and handles the ball better than Rico. He also reads the game a bit better than Rico. He passes the ball better than Rico. I LOVE Rico -- but this guy is better. I compare him to Holden in that they are similar type players. Similar attributes. You could interchange them easily. I understand that they have historically been used differently. But they have very similar attributes. At this point in their careers -- Auvray is better. Better decision making and reading of the game. Better defensively.
The FO was too busy trying to ask Stuart Holden to the prom to look for other midfielders. You seem very effusive in praise for a guy who was in the French second division.
This is a pretty good take on our current situation: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=730738&sec=mls&root=mls&cc=5901 Best observation:
This looks to be good news: http://www.khou.com/sports/Stuart-Holden-unlikely-to-return-to-Dynamo-in-2010-82466987.html Canetti also informed 11 Sports that they have reach an agreement with both defender Eddie Robinson and defender/midfielder Richard Mulrooney. So does anyone have any idea or thoughts on what salary they might have signed at? Also, since Chocrane and Barrett are probably not starting this year, are they re-negotiating there contracts too. 138K and 155K just seem really high for the amount of PT and output. If there was any money freed up here, plus the money that was offered to Holden, this should leave a decent size chunk of cash for a midfielder or 3.
Cochrane signed his current contract after he was picked by SJ in the 2007 expansion draft. As such, this year and next are club options so I would think that the Dynamo are perfectly in their rights to say that they aren't going to pick up the option but they are willing to renegotiate a new contract at a lower price. Something tells me that they won't do that though. As for Barrett, he only signed his new contract at the beginning of the 2009 season. He has at least one more season guaranteed at that rate so his salary ain't changing for 2010.
OK. its done we have lost Clark and Holden.Now we will see what the front office does. There has to at least be one significant signing or trade or a couple of lower budgeted moves. I read Carlisle's piece on the Dynamo sans Clark and Stuie.He really seems to think we will be ok and still compete for a title. I just dont see it and although I hope he is right,I dont think he is. For an MLS side this is two very significant losses at critical positions. I really think Cameron will do well,and I agree with Carlisle that Brad Davis is accurate and has good touch on crosses etc...the question I have is speed.We are going to be a very slow team IMO. IF we are going to play a multitouch possession game and slowly get the ball into Landin and Ching via Mullan Davis and have Mulrooney and Hainault at the outside backs with Cameron as the Def.Mid then the fastest player in midfield will be Cameron. Mullan just doesnt skin people like he used to and Davis never has.If hes in the middle and Ashe is our speed outside then Ashe is going to have to become much much better with the ball at his feet.I just dont see Ashe as equipped enough to warrant the left mid starting position. If Landin doesnt improve his footspeed considerably then we are slow up top.Slow up the middle of mid field (save Cameron) slow at the center of the back line(Boz and ERob) somewhat slow on right mid and quick at left mid.We will have two players with decent speed in Cameron and Ashe only.I just cant see us winning an MLS Cup with that lineup. But.. if we could add one dangerous player in the midfield or at striker.One player who can really terrorize a defense when he has the ball one v.one.Then I think we will be ok. I dont think another slow left sided player a la VanDenBerg is the answer ,although he is a nice player.We have got to have some speed,quickness and control on the ball somewhere in our starting 11. Im not saying we are a last place team,fire everyone and revamp the entire roster.Im just saying one really dangerous player that will cost all the left over money we have or two moderately priced players that can bring some speed to the team in midfield . Oh and if Oduro can really improve on his finishing,which he could do,that would really help us out. I think our FO is in a real dogfight and are going to be severely challenged this year to make something happen.If they pull it off I will be stoked.If we can duplicate last yrs results with this current roster I will be amazed.
Actually I think MLS should give more shots to some of these Caribbean and Central American guys only because they come relatively cheap compared to others.
Robinson and Mulrooney sign extensions: http://blogs.chron.com/soccer/archi...ed:+houstonchronicle/soccer+(Soccer+y+Futbol)
we need a Midfielder.....how about Thomas Hitzlsperger from the Bundesliga club Stuttgart and German National Team! for you schwabe!!! LINK
how about this if ERob comes in fit (he's only 31) and mulrooney can still stand. GK Onstad LB Chuey CB ERob CB Boz RB Hainault DM Mulrooney LM Davis RM MUllen AM Cameron CF Ching Hole Landin CF Ching bench Weaver Donkey Captain my Captain Headless Chicken Cruz Deric two of the draft picks
I think I vomited a little......of course I might do worse if indeed we have Cameron/Davis in the spine at the start. Davis hasn't exactly done great when given the reigns before...swapping during the run of play is one thing, running the midfield for 90 is quite another and I don't think he can do it. And as much as I love Geoff...he needs to stay in the back where he's been a beast. If not in defense than in Rico's spot.
Who's headless chicken again? Is it Ashe? I thought you named him One-Foot-???? Hall over Deric. And I think Waibel and/or Cochran will make the bench.