To call Rodriguez "second rate" is ludicrous. The guy is starting for Estudiantes. When DCU acquired Acosta, he was on loan from his parent club and was about the third recruitment choice that winter after the first two "prospects" said "por favor, no." Get Rodriguez, keep Asad, move Stieber and the team gets better and younger. I don't like Arriola at RB, but maybe Olsen is considering some form of 3-5-2 or another 3 man backline set up. If that's the case, then Arriola is a wingback and can move up and down the field like Josh Gros did so many years ago. They both have leather lungs, just that Arriola has a metric shit ton more skill and ability than Gros had. (And I really liked Gros in the day, he gave everything he had when he was on the pitch. I still remember the "dental exam" he and Preki gave each other in a tussle over the end line at RFK.)
If this Rodriguez thing happens I hope it encourages his former teammate Lucho Acosta to stay here. If we secure Asad, we suddenly have a glut of midfielders (even if Arriola moves to the back line), so it begins to look bad for Stieber, a fine player I quite like. If it came down to Asad vs. Steiber, I think I would take the latter even with his pricey contract, because I have seen Asad mail it in late in games when he gets fatigued.
I surrend, I will never understand this country. The way you put it makes sense - in a way that I will never understand. Still, I do not see any pluses in here, only minus. The only advantage I see for me personally is that I will be able to go to Europe around Thanksgiving / december without having to worry how to watch the MLS Cup.
I just wish DG had the decency of stop talking about becoming a top league au pair with the major ones in the world.
https://www.charlestonbattery.com/ccc In the meantime, CCC is still missing the 4th team... hopefully...
I don't see any reason whatsoever MLS can't become a top league. Not now, next year, perhaps not in my lifetime, but never? That's crazy. Especially with a summer schedule. People could have their favorite team and their favorite MLS team.
Funny before the first article I had never heard of him before. Did we just discover gold? Or is he just another run of the mill SA.
But you *just* heard of him. Everything I read indicates he's already much better than Niell ever got.
The problem is that you are reading "becoming a top league" in the wrong way. What this really means is on a ROI basis.
I want to believe but my gut tells me that Acosta means that we have already overdrawn on DCU's allocation of successful foreign imports. (Rooney is in his own special category).
Copied as reference to my comments below. Possibly, serviceable? Llamaso (sp?) ball skills were never stellar, either. But he was a serviceable defender and Pines is almost a ready defender. Still needs to develop more on the defensive tactical side. Get a bit stronger against mountain forwards. With a USL team available, Pines should come to camp to observe the level (or standard). Then, he is going to need to work - harder than he has in the past. Being in a full-time professional environment should propel him to potentially be ready by the end of the year. If he just does the minimum, showing up on-time and attending all practices. You may never see him except for open cup. 2 things: On the positive side with the 1:1 ratio, it sure does simplify the math! Assuming Edwards is the #2, it makes the US Open Cup run exceptionally short reducing game congestion. See I'm filled with positivity of the season!
I'm excited for rodriquez. The guy will be an above average MLS starter. He wont take the league by storm, but he will provide good service for our forwards.
I have "high Hopes" tattooed on me for a reason, my dude. And it isn't because of my love for the reefer. Playing pessimist on a guy you admitted to knowing nothing about just seems boring.