if felipe is ever healthy for more than a couple games in a row again. i've lost faith in that happening.
Busio’s growth from game to game as a 6 reminds me of Zusi at right back. He always had issues at that spot but was better as a rb than anywhere else and he was a difference maker for us in mls
Couple new rumors since we missed out on Sanchez Mino. Calvin Miller, 22 year old outside back previously with Celtic, free agent coming off an ACL injury last September. Juanpi 26 year old attacking midfielder, Venezuelan international released by Malaga due to financial issues at the club.
I'll go one up. I thought he was atrocious playing in an attacking MF role just a couple weeks ago. His form in the 6 has been wonderful. I like everything about what he's doing right now.
Who weirdly coincidentally has left his club in Venezuela and there were reports there that he could be looking to move back to the US.
This team started the year with six (yes six) "first team quality" CBs. Barath, Besler, Fontas, Puncec, Reid, and Smith. That pool includes players that have "national team, Premier league, or first team Barcellona" experience. For F's sake, how can a single postion group, coached by a guy that played that position, be so F'ing terrible? It is incomprehensible.
It really is stunning the types of mistakes that we keep making, isn't it? Every game ... and it's really sapping any enthusiasm I have to watch the next game. That and the same hopeless tactics in the final third.
At this point I want Dia, Reid, Smith and Lindsey to be the regular starters and let that back line attempt to get some consistency and see if they can be a solid group next year, otherwise go to the transfer market.
Smith has shown me nothing to disprove my belief that he's the next Kevin Ellis, a fine spot starter but exposed when he becomes a regular. As for Reid he's not shown me anything to justify any sort of transfer fee to West Ham, and at 32 we're going to be in the same situation we're in now within a year with him starting. Puncec has looked fine but needs a stronger presence next to him and none of the other 4 CBs on the roster fit that role.
Puncec seems still very workable to me. But he should be our second or third best CB, not our best. Keep Smith because he's cheap, got many years on his legs, and may yet develop into a longer-term solution. Got no problems with him but I don't love him being any higher than third or fourth on the depth chart. Keep Besler in a very reduced role. Yeah, the improvement the league has seen since his days of dominance really is marked some outings. But he still has a good veteran presence and I like him being somewhere deep on the subs chart. Plus I just really selfishly want to see him retire here. Reid was a nice experiment to see if he'd be gangbusters enough to bring in for a few years. He does not seem to be. He's good but I don't think he's good enough to warrant spending money on what is likely a very short shelf-life. I feel bad for Fontas after reading the Athletic article on Demidov. But I still want him to find a new career path, because I really struggle to see how he can succeed here. Man, if this were FM, I'd be signing two CBs and a RB this offseason. Minimum. I'm not as upset about LB as some on here. We need to upgrade from Ilie too, and I'm afraid the sparkling promise of Busio might complicate that move too. And we really, really badly need Gutierrez to get and stay healthy...
If the Juanpi rumors turn out to be true you have your Ilie upgrade/replacement in Gutierrez, you drop him to the 6 where I thought he looked good last year with Kinda and Juanpi in front of him. As for Busio, if you're wanting top dollar for him, it's now or this winter. He's got 2 option years left on his contract, next summer he's down to a year and a half on his contract, next winter it's just 6 months before he can sign a pre-contract you either sell him now or this winter or else I think you're getting very close to just making a bonified offer to keep his MLS rights. Like you I selfishly want him and Zusi to join the mythical one club player club but it's obvious his best days are behind him and he works best with a CB with pace and that's not really any of the other CBs on the roster.
Neither Besler nor really Zusi, at this point, can play a high press. I mean, jeebus, they are slow these days. Never were blazing fast, but were faster than you'd think etc.They can't be effective at any system that requires them to cover back at speed. Vermes demands this of his defenders. The ability to play in Vermes system is what made Besler and Zusi the legends they are. But today, if their soccer choices are diminish with one club or leave for someplace playing a low block and break system. Such a place could get great use of them for another several years. Would anyone really want to keep them here? Stam in Cinci would love Besler. Nashville or Miami or St Louis or Austin, someone needs a veteran presence in their locker room, and someone is willing to pay them what we are and continue that. Heck, change the system, and Besler might have three years left, and Zusi might as well., I'd think we'd owe it to them to let them leave for free.They're SKC legends but now, sadly, incapable of playing SKC soccer. the one club for life thing is overrated.
The problem we're going to have with a new CB is that we haven't had a ton of success developing them, other than EPB in whom I have confidence, and good ones, in their prime, are out of our price range. Reid for a reasonable fee is about what the market will demand for player of his caliber. Also in that price category, Fontas *back then. At our price point, we can afford aging or injury prone CBs, or unproven kids. That said, i'd really like to bring EPB back in January. Would cost a bit, but not a lot, and I could see him as an anchor for a decade. I love Vienna, great place, but but after you've seen the Hunnertwasser Haus a couple dozen times, and soaked in as much Klimnt as you can, thoughts turn to football, and Austria isn't much of a league. MLS, imo, is better.
What makes us different from all the other teams defending better than us in this league? Last I checked, there are no DP CBs and not really that many TAM ones. Especially with how contracts might shake out next offseason (I think we have a fair few expensive ones coming due), what lessons can SKC learn from Columbus, Philly, somehow Seattle, Orlando, Toronto, Dallas, New England, or the New Yorks? Tons of teams looking much more stable and efficient at CB, and few of them relying on unproven youth or late-career signings. Same with fullbacks, in my opinion. The FO has shown willingness to spend at CB at MLS-competitive levels, maybe higher. I just can't figure out how even teams like Dallas, the Revs, or RBNY--all of whom are cheaper than us--can still put together coherent defenses...
We've barely tried to integrate/develop a CB. Ever since 2011 we've basically been bringing in an injury prone/never lived up to expectations guy in his 20s (Collin, Opara) or a veteran in his early 30s (Coelho) to partner Besler
Smith has gotten a good run.Ellis, uhm... Epb. Seriously, right now, why not bring EPB back. In January, Miazga can also be had on a free (pre contract for June).
I don't have a problem with either of those guys, except that as returning Americans, they're gonna cost more than they're worth. See: Deandre Yedlin, who they expect to come back to max TAM wages.
I'm just thinking that they are known qualities in MLS. Takiong a flyer on a proven quality elsewhere, yet still within out budget, means risk. But the point that others do this is a solid one. Folks are mining South and Central America, and finding solid defenders. The risk free ones will be heading to ManCity, of course, but young players are available. (others being you in an earlier post)
1. Does he want to come back? EPB wanted to go to Europe, that was clear and obvious. 2. What does City want for him? They're going to want to make something money wise, is that worth it? 3. What salary does EPB want? As was pointed out with Yedlin (though EPB hasn't reached near as high as him) he'd cost a premium, has he shown to be that competent of a CB at this point in his career (I don't watch the Austrian league so I can't speak to how he's doing there or their talent level outside Salzburg).
I see the Austrian league quite a bit. It isn't horrible, but it is cash poor (outside of RBS, which has almost 10x the market value of Austria Wien). I know salaries in MLS are skewed by DPs, but in Austria they're skewed by RBS, and only really RBS, and MLS is still substantially higher on the pay rate than the Austrian bund. There is no indication that anyone in the richer echelon's of the game is tracking EPB. There does not appear to be a path to the Man City roster for him (they were desparate this offseason to rework their back line and he wasn't considered, even as depth, which says something).When loans end, he is reassigned to the U23 team at city. Next Spring he's 24. In January, he will have 18 months left on his contract, at which point he's into the bargain buy category. I know EPB wanted to give Europe a try. He's done that and it hasn't turned out to be the movie version of reality that I certainly hoped he'd find. Does he want to come back? I dunno, but he's not a kid, he's a professional and professionals look out for their careers. We'd have more emotionally invested in him than most, and we're going to pay more than Vienna, which seems to the be the euro club most impressed by him. He'd raise his nats profile starting with SKC as well. Idon't know that he'd come back, but he would be worth taking a run at. He's now ready to start for us, and there is a spot for a starter. That said, Miazga is out of contract in June, and has burned some bridges in the UK.