Can someone who understands the game better than I start a good discussion about Rusnak? I don't understand what has happened the last two years. He looked so good for the 1st 1-2 years. What was different about how the team was playing then vs now? Was Luis Silva that good of a fit? Is this all psychological at this point? Is it tactics? Just about everyone is saying he needs to go, but he's shown he can play in this league, I just don't understand where that player has gone. He may not be worth his salary, but that doesn't matter at this point. What should his role be? Everyone with the team is saying he's doing all the right things. Similar tangent: How is the Ramirez situation any different from Ruiz under Petke? Yes Ramirez is getting paid more, but they were both young guys new to the country that just need minutes. I would expect that Ramirez gets re-classified as a "Young Money" (U-22 initiative) player. Would that change expectations for him? Seems like the roster designations these two have is having an outsized effect on fans' feelings about these two players. I'm just not sure it's all deserved.
Ramirez and Ruiz are different in two ways: first, Ruiz wasn't brought in to replace anyone specific whereas we expected Ramirez to step in for Savarino (fairly or not, that's how it was pitched). And second, Ramirez's salary is twice what Ruiz's was when they entered the league - 180k for Ruiz, 360k for Ramirez. So expectations are higher. I know you acknowledged the salary disparity in your post, but it's relevant in a league like ours to have that higher expectation. And in that sense, it's deserved IMO.
My question would be how much does coaching play in this scenario? Especially with Rusnak. He obviously plays a role in this and maybe it's just all him getting too comfortable cashing large checks. But if his goal is to get to Europe he has to know that isn't how it gets done. Jeizon the same. Maybe he's just not that good? Maybe he's just fine riding the bench? Doubt it. I do believe that Freddy may be as much to blame as anyone. Brody only gets in because of an injury and now is almost a guaranteed starter. Why did it take an injury? Schmitt goes off and scores when given some playing time. Could be a fluke for sure but I certainly lean on the assumption that Freddy for all his 'tactical genius' can't spot talent or figure out how to best use talent.
I enjoyed Zarkos on Bleeding Claret & Cobalt today. He said that they’ve changed the goal of The Monarchs from winning championships to getting the kids ready for professional soccer. That, added to actively bringing in players to the Senior team who aren’t the cheapest on the market, is giving me some feels. Also, it looks like they are considering dropping involvement in USL and switching to MLS Next or MLS 2 or whatever it will be called. I guess it’s designed to be a development league. Zarkos said it will probably depend on the level of competition in the new league. If it isn’t a higher enough level they will remain in USL.
We've all watched Schmitt play, both offense as forward and defense as outside back. He's several steps below Douglas IMO. Brody sat this season for all of 1.5 games - he wasn't even on the roster last season. And as soon as he showed what he could do, the coaching staff dropped Toia and kept him in the lineup. I've read a couple of times about Brody being proof they couldn't identify talent, but the coaches seem to have done right by him IMO.
this is fair, though the question of whether Brody would have ever been given a chance without the injury remains. Freddy's body of work in his (lack of) rotations suggests Brody wouldn't have been given the shot. Nobody knows for certain. What is interesting, though, is how people will talk of how little talent the bench has yet don't acknowledge that Brody was part of that assessment.
I enjoyed the podcast, as well. Zarkos has long been considered a Hansen crony, and his background doesn't do much to dispel that theory. However, he did talk a decent game in that podcast. I found his suggestion that Freddy will have to change his formation/tactics now that the team has Wood and Mendez to be really interesting. Freddy hasn't shown a willingness to bend yet, so not sure why he would now. I sure hope there is truth to it, though, as the team's current playing style just doesn't align with the players much. As for the Monarchs changing, it was an awesome thing to hear. Though I think - at least from my understanding of the incoming league - that MLS Next shouldn't be viewed as a replacement to USL. MLS Next, from how I've interpreted it, is to replace the DA league that RSL's academy teams took part in. There is still a need for a lower level professional team within the organization.
Facts schmacks. Never let the truth get in the way of a good argument. Being aware of Brody being on the Monarchs for years and watching both teams it just seemed he was part of RSL and available to play for RSL. my bad. Still, I have little faith in Freddy. Very little but dead horse and such.
Having teams in both is still an option. Zarkos seemed to be indicating it would be one or the other but not both. It might be that the FO doesn’t think it can handle the management of 3 Men’s teams (this assumes RSL wants to again have a NWSL team as soon as possible).
Rusnak's stats: Cassar fired in March of 2017. Petke on. Rusnak gets huge deal between 2018-2019 seasons. Plata out Movsisyan out Savarino out Kreilach in Petke fired August of 2019. Covid 2020. Del Loy out August 2020. Honestly, I think he's depressed and is just ducking his head and trying to work through it. I don't see joy or passion. He's gotta find that again somehow, and maybe that requires a change of scenery? Or maybe he needs some better sports psych help, kinda like Glad.
He signed his big deal in 2019, and it runs through this year. I'd expect more in a contract year, but - who knows. At the time, he looked very much worth it.
Nobody in 2018/19 thought this deal was bad. 2mil felt a bit more than probably warranted, but his connections to European clubs already made it feel like a risk worth taking on. Its remarkably sad how bad he's been since then. There was an analysis on the production from Rusnak by Jake Simons earlier this year. The 2019 numbers were the big focus as a good portion of those 10 goals were penalty kicks. Which are goals, don't get me wrong, but they can be a bit misleading. The drop in assists is the most telling of stats. Whether by design, by drop in form, or (more likely) a combination of both, Rusnak just isn't an impactful part of this team in the moments that matter. Paying a role player $2mil is bad business in pretty much every league except maybe the top 3
Rusnak's best games were in 17 and 18. Those were the two years where he had the ball at his feet in the middle of the park, Beckerman actually had surprisingly good seasons distributing from deep, and Savarino and Plata were filling in on the wings. I've never seen positive reasons to have him on the wing. I know he filled that role with his nat'l team, but that doesn't mean much at the club level, does it? His best role with this club is having the ball in space, but this team has proven ineffective at providing that buildup no matter who is in that #10 role. He's not a dig deep, grind it out type of player. He needs to be able to get the ball in spaces where he can create. He's pretty nifty with the ball at his feet, has great field vision, and when he gets the chance he was a really good finisher until the last 12-18 months. Some of the onus of finding his space on the field is on him, but it's mostly about the team setting him up to be successful. I think this is a combination of poor tactical organization, lack of an identity or cohesive approach, and limited personnel. Problem is, he's paid too much to NOT be effective for this team.
This seems to be the fan consensus. Wish we could hear an honest retort from club/Freddy about this. Interview with Zarkos mentioned a possible need for formation change. We'll see.
The context was changing because of the 2 new strikers joining the team. This is Freddy and change doesn’t seem to come swiftly. Also, Rusnak will still be a starter (Freddy isn’t going to sit him). His position is going to be a weak link unless he turns it around.
Hey! Rusnaks does all the other things - how dare we question freddy about the team's most expensive player, who is sold as a playmaker/goal scorer, but hasn't done either of those things this season
RSL signs homegrown Zack Farnsworth - kid is from Cedar Hills I very much approve of this signing. My question, though, is how he will fit in the roster, if that is truly the plan.
Per the press release by RSL on signing Farnsworth, this is the current roster: GK(4): MacMath, Ochoa, Putna, and Dewsnup DF(11): Brody, Datkovic, Farnsworth, Glad, Halsey, Herrera, Holt, Morgan, Powder, Silva, and Toia MF(7): Besler, Davis, Kreilach, Luiz, Portillo, Ruiz, and Rusnak FW(11): Chang, Garcia, Iloski, Julio, Martinez, Mendez, Meram, Ramirez, Rubin, and Wood Loan(1): Schmitt Uh.... I work in finance and counting can be hard, but I'm pretty sure that's more than 30 guys
There has been a loan to the Monarchs every single year since they existed. I'm sure there is one this year as well. My assumption is that it's Dewsnup, as I can't imagine RSL carrying 4 keepers. I assume there is another loan or other roster move associated with this signing. I'm guessing RSL just not ready to disclose it yet.
Having dangerous wingers opened up the middle a lot for Rusnak. Anyone think Meram or Julio demand the same respect from defenders as Savarino or Plata? We basically asked Baird to be that guy after Savarino left, and it just wasn’t the same.
Aaron Herrera and Rubio Rubin were included in the US's preliminary roster (59 players total) for the Gold Cup. https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/2021-concacaf-gold-cup-preliminary-rosters-announced/