Dunno if I want Bocanegra as my starting LB at 35ish years old. So one option is the error-prone Miller and then the aging Bocanegra. Now at CB, that's a totally different story.
Don't get me wrong, I'm actually hoping we find a better fit than Bocanegra. Someone who can play both defensive positions but is a step up from our current roster. I do see Bocanegra as a step up, but I'm just hoping we can step up further then that.
Meanwhile, in a messed up turn of events, former Red Bull Jose Angulo has 10 goals now in 13 games at the USL Pro level (3rd tier). Shows the difference between USL Pro and MLS. Jose did not even play a game here.
He did not play because he was injured and our coach tried out other center-backs. Without "Seke" (or "Seka" as he is called) the defense was quite unstable and so our coach brought him back in, which really helped. I am sad that his contract was not prolonged anymore because he was with us for six years, which is a long time in this business. Futhermore he establish himself as a first-team regular under five very different coaches and he was one of the most popular players all the time. I hope he does not show his age and he stays fit, then he should be able to proof that he is a reliable defender. His main position is center-back, he can also play defensive-midfield.
Thanks for the info, Lonelycowboy. Right now, we really need defensive help and depth. And my opinion is what better way to get depth than to sign someone better than anyone currently in that position! Edit: Before anyone thinks otherwise, that was a general statement, not an evaluation on Sekagya.
That kinda worries me though about the MLS-USL Pro deal. Kassel was a constant last season in Pittsburg and now he is back in MLS and he barely plays. I can see Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City) rarely playing at MLS level despite leading the USL Pro at 15 goals this season at that level.
Boca is not a very good fullback anymore, he might be an upgrade over Holgersson, but I dont think we should pay what it would cost to get him b/c the Holg-Olave pairing has mostly worked.
Agreed. There is a real void left by not having a true second division in this country. I can remember there was a fairly good stream of players coming from the likes of Rochester and Richmond when they were in the old A-League. But as of right now, no league has the kind of talent it takes to form a second division. OTOH, a talented young player who has fallen through the cracks could still come on strong and make the jump up two divisions. But those kinds of players are fairly rare.
Bocanegra needs to go through the allocation order so we would need to trade something to get him and it's not like we have a lot of tradeable assets right now. Also Boca wants to be on the West coast so the chances of him coming here are pretty much 0.
hopely the MLS reserve system partnership changes that because at the elite players are now fighting to go back to their team and the other players know pro scouts will be over more because they are watching their own players
Every team in the world has players at the back end of their roster who do not get minutes. We currently have 5 outfield players who have not had minutes this year, that's the same exact amount as LA. Sometimes its just that obvious that players aren't good enough. Should my 8 year old cousin get a chance too just on the off chance he surprises everybody?
There is a qualitative argument to be made here, too. Even if you can say that player X is not good enough to be starting for this team, that doesn't necessarily mean there is another player Y who is a credible stand in. If this team were playing a lot of youngsters that would actually be a bad thing, because amongst other things, it would mean the veterans are so bad that youngsters with no experience would start in their place. I don't think that team would be very good and take comfort in the notion that it may be very hard, if not impossible, for our 1st year players to get any PT. But it could also mean that the youngsters aren't really that good, that the Red Bulls have done their best to find young, cheap talent and despite what it should be it still isn't at a sufficient level.
Metz, how long did it take people to realize Tim Ream had something special? Meara? Steele? If someone is going to be able to contribute they show you that right away. You never ever EVER give them 5-10 games simply to "give them a chance".
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/teams/redbulls2.php?article_id=34115 Petke on Lade: "He really wasn't on at the beginning of the season. I had a long talk with him, ironically, three days ago, a real long talk and I was very blunt with him because he knows I care about him. I want to see him succeed. I think it is important for someone like Connor to succeed here. At the end of the day, I'm not going to play him because he is a homegrown player or just because he's a local boy or just because he had a very good year last year. He has to earn it. It's even been a question of his work ethic. It's his decision making and he knows that. He earned the start today over the last couple of days specificially, with how he played in practice." And there you have it. Petke will not simply throw guys out there. They have to impress him in PRACTICE first.
Angulo was out of his depth at the MLS level. Nothing against the guy, but he could not hack it in the top flight. If he was 18 then he would be worth keeping around, but he's 25 years old. There's not a lot of development left and he needed to get a lot better. You give "chances" to guys who are fringe talents, not guys who are clearly not at the MLS level. In all sports there are guys who play up a bit under the lights and surprise people, guys who are questioned a bit because of talent, athleticism, lack of tools, skills, whatever, but they are not guys who are demonstrably inferior. They are guys who are close in terms of talent who have question marks. Angulo is not one of those guys. He is not at the MLS level.
What an idiot. Frankly, a guy like Connor Lade is not so talented that he can afford to try skating buy without putting in the work. For lots of players, who aren't driven to succeed, they'll just do the minimum and make it last as long as possible before giving up the dream. I'm sure the rule of 10,000 hours applies just as much to soccer as it does to anything else.
Wait - Miller and Pearce being out had nothing to do with it? If a guy like Lade isn't busting his ass every damn practice he's seriously deluded about his abilities. Surely that was a typo and meant to say "it's not a question of work ethic". He seems like a hard worker.
I believe it was a typo as well. I think the summary of the article is meant to be: "Connor was not 100% at the start of the season due to being overworked in the offseason in Spain and with the USMNT. He was also injured. However, more importantly his decision making in practice has not been good enough to warrant a start." That's how I read it.