Review: “When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” - 2020 in-season discussion thread.

Still not correct.

Thx,

Jay!

 

You should correct his Wikipedia entry if you're so certain.

 

2018 season with LA 14 goals.

2019 season with some Chinese team and DC 3 goals.

So he played a little in China in 2019, it wasn’t a full season.

Now if you want to say the last two clubs he played five games each for he scored three goals, you’d be correct.


Thx,

Jay!

 

Pablo Maurer reports the deal for Abu is nearing completion. 1-year free loan (with option years), minimum MLS salary, and he won't count as an international.

 

I have a feeling Audi's not gonna be too happy about this ....

Seems unnecessary, but that does sound like "too good of a deal to pass up".

 

I hope he pans out. If he doesn't it's going to be a looooooooooong summer trudging out to Buzzard Point. I am just not ready to pin our hopes on him to lead the line based on 5 year old scoring prowess and Zlatan aided scoring prowess. I thought it was a bit of a reach before Arriola got hurt. I don't know how he/we are going to get over the hump minus a DP when the big news is some undersized DM we're bringing in on the cheap.

You were right about making the playoffs last year when our form was deep in the shitter, based on whatever stat model you pinned that hope on and hope you're right here. Right now this team, for certain doesn't have enough talent or even enough players to get past Atlanta, NYC, TFC, New England, and probably Miami. That makes for one hell of a dogfight with improved teams in Chicago & Columbus, always tough NJ & Philly teams and likely improved also rans in Orlando and Cincy. And what are you going to have in Montreal with Henry? Hell, may 538 was right and we were a 9th place team w/ Arriola. Wonder where we fall w/o him.

 

Lets pretend for a minute that I care what they think ...

The minute is over, I don't care.

 

The team needs the depth there. Getting someone who has played in MLS before on a minimum salary deal and who won't count as an international seems like a no brainer.

 

I just don't see how folks can write off a 7 month season before it begins. Kamara is a proven goal scorer in MLS. He was a non-factor in China, but who here really knows how that league operates? There are strict restrictions on how many non-Chinese nationals can be on the field at any one time, and who was the coach at Kamara's team? There is no question that Kamara scored at a good rate in MLS prior to going to China and then netted 3 goals here in limited time with a DCU team that had trouble finding the back of the net all year. Saying he will be a bust is based on nothing in factual record. Will he score 20? No, but I think 10-15 is reasonable and Asad, Flores and Gressel very likely will score more than Arriola, Acosta and Rodriguez put in last year.

I think this is a better team than last year, but its biggest issues are depth. DCU has needed a competent reserve LB for over a year, and it still needs one Another MLS quality CB is necessary, although Birnbaum, Brillant and Pines are a reasonable 3 man group, but you need cover due to Birnbaum's concussion history, Brillant's age and Pines' inexperience. RB is another issue. Canouse doesn't want to be there and likely will become more vocal in his displeasure (I see him being shipped out in the summer to Europe), O-A still is raw, and I am dubious that Fisher can make a full recovery from such a devastating knee injury. (Compare his issues with the "clean" injury suffered by Arriola and also note a recent WaPo article where Adam Eaton said it took him all of 2018 and most of 2019 to recover from his knee injury, especially quick starts and stops.) Right now DCU is a competitive first eleven that is at risk of being undermined by injuries and fixture congestion. Kasper still has places to fill, let's see what he does with the time.

 

Latest from Pablo:

Pablo Maurer
@MLSist
·
24m

BREAKING: #DCU are targeting a big #MLS name: former Columbus Crew playmaker Federico Higuaín. Pipa was in camp with them in Florida. Details to come shortly.

 

I just came to post this.

A) What in the actual f***?

B) How do they manage to hide Pipa from prying eyes if he was down there in camp with them?

C) Goff is reporting that it's a player/assistant coach type deal, where he'll likely have a $100,000 salary as a player, and also get paid as an assistant coach. He'd likely be a role player and spot starter when guys are off on national team duty.

 

Good post, but I have a problem with this line.

DCU lost Rooney, Acosta, Rodriguez, and Arriola. They gained Flores, Greßel, and Asad. While we can be hopeful (indeed, I'm guardedly optimistic), I don't know how you could reasonably argue that they're better on paper this year than last.

What DC has going for them is that the other East teams don't really look to have improved much either.

 

If the Abu and Pipa moves play out, this is what United's roster would look like:

Goalkeepers (3) Hamid, Seitz, Edwards Jr.
Defenders (6) Birnbaum, Brillant, Fisher, Mora, Odoi-Atsem, Pines
Midfielders (13) Abu, Arriola (injured), Asad, Boateng, Canouse, Flores, Gressel, Higuain, Martins, Moreno, Nyeman, Paredes, Segura
Forwards (3) Kamara, Sorga, Yow

The team may not be as talented *on paper* as last year's to start the season, but I think they'll be a better team and will have far fewer distractions.

 

Canouse listed as a midfielder made me chuckle.

 

They said they wanted to get Ben help on the coaching staff /s

 

You couldn't help but notice that Rooney was a player-coach while on the pitch; Higuain could be the same, except that I wouldn't expect to see him nearly as often.

 

I feel like that's a sick price for his talent, assuming his legs aren't shot at 35.

And for whatever reason, I feel like we always end up with the wrong Boateng, the wrong Kamara and now the wrong Higuain. Like there's always a better model out there.

 

Heh. That's still where United has him listed on the roster. I'm sure he still thinks of himself as a midfielder, too.

 

My thinking on the midfield/forward line is this: Rooney was a goal scorer and facilitator but not really a target type forward or poacher like Kamara. I think Kamara gets more goals than Rooney, but fewer assists. Last year Acosta was a non-factor. Rodriguez had moments, but just didn't seem to adapt well to MLS. Both Asad and Gressel have good track records in MLS. Flores "should" be better than Acosta (and I mean the "good" Acosta, not last year's model). I love Arriola, but finishing is not his strong suit. A front four of Kamara, Flores, Asad and Gressel should bag more goals in 2020 than a front four of Rooney, Rodgriguez, Acosta and Arriola did in 2019.

 

Goff updates that the Higuain deal is done in principle, and he'll need about 6 weeks to be ready to play competitively.

 

With riding mowers for depth.

 

Oops sorry, missed this thread.

 

Agreed

I'd venture to say that they actually are better on paper. I love Lucho, wish we couldve kept Lucas, and will miss Wayne but the current squad is closer to the competitive standard of our league than before. All we'll really lack in comparison to 2019 are Rooney's world class set pieces.

 

I think the starting 11 are better on paper. Soccer is best played with a swarm who all have scoring potential. Sign me in the Total Futball camp. This will be a much more entertaining team. It's time to put BennyBall behind us.

 

I hope you are correct. Last year we suffered because, even when we advanced beyond the midfield stripe with the ball, we rarely "attacked" with more than four. Our two central midfielders, usually Moreno and Felipe, were very cautious about joining in and, while one fullback might have brought the ball up on the touchline and lingered awhile, it was a sometime thing. If Benny will encourage the team to be a little less cautious at times could work wonders. (Of course, if we get killed on a counterattack BennyBall will return, in spades.)