Joseph IMHO Shalrie Joseph has been the Revs best player all season. He is, in my mind, the Patrick Vieira of the MLS.
Re: Joseph yeah, I think he is a very very good player. And bound to get better too. It kills me that he is capped to Grenada- he will never get to play on the international stage.
If Shalrie is our Vieira then Cancela is surely our Robert Pires. From where I sit, neither of these comparisons seems far-fetched but, more importantly, they have to be the best central duo in this league and boy, it would be fun to watch them in Mexico as well. JIM DOW
I think he is fine, but I am not over-impressed.I rate him above average at his position but that is about it.Joseph I think is now the best in MLS at his position.
Joseph is close, but is still a work in progress. I was interested to read in the Metro and DCU boards over the past two weeks a dawning realization of what Joseph is getting done in the midfield. He is a huge talent, but hasn't caught up to Chris Armas in tactical awareness, and doesn't shoot as well as say, Ricardo Clark. Even so, what he means to the team cannot be overstated, and giving him his chance will go down as one of Nicol's greatest insights. If he can develop his shooting touch and soak up some of the Cancela passing touch, watch out. Cancela is the most accomplished player on the team. I'm not sure what Jim had in mind, but I would love to see the Revs barnstorm in Mexico in the winter.
In seasons past, we've been able to easily pinpoint the most effective player on this team. This year is different and its different in a good way: I cannot decide who is the best player. Most of the players on this team has contributed significantly to this team's success over the past 2 years. There's Cancela, Noonan, Twellman, Ralston, Brown, Joseph.... I'd have to give it to Cancela, and this was a hard decision for me to make as I am a keeper and Brown is amazing, simply purely a true role model and someone who keeps his head up even in troubled times. But ever since Cancela has really been put to use, the dynamic of this team has truly changed and the goals and wins have been coming our way. He was the cog this machine needed.
I can clearly see the comparison of styles between Joseph and Vieira, but I see no comparison between Cancela and Pires. Pires is a winger with speed and power that scores goals. Cancela is a central midfielder with technical skill that is good at holding up the ball, controlling the tempo and setting up teammates. Completely different players. The key for the Revolution is that the Joseph/Cancela partnership clicks and is the most effective the Revos have ever had.
Joseph is our most valuable player, but Cancela is our best player. My kid's been telling me since his 3rd game or so that Jose's the best player in the league. He may be right. Not to jinx things, but with a central mid pairing of Joseph and Cancela, wouldn't you like another crack at the CCC? The only thing that would slow us down would be not being in mid-season form. Brown is, I believe, the best goalie in the league and does deserve mention.
I agree. Cancela is more a Claudio Reyna type.He holds the ball, passes intelligently, but is not a weapon like Robert Pires.Pires is very dynamic, a rocket.
I'd go with Joseph and Cancela, as well as Joe-Max when he's healthy. Big Adin is our MVP, though, in my opinion.
Joe-Max? I might almost agree with you if we were discussing this before he left for england, but now its not worth mentioning his name. When he was healthy, not much has produced. Our best player is only as good when a certain number of individuals are around him. Twellman, Noonan, Cancela, Joeseph, Brown, Ralston; are all at their best when the other men listed are playing as well.
Don't forget Pierce. The defense is a goal a game better when he plays. I posted, back when we were in last place, that as long as Brown, Pierce, Joseph, Cancela, and Twellman were healthy that we'd make the playoffs whether any other player was healthy or not. Thanks to Noonan, TnT was less vital than I thought. Which isn't to say that I want him anywhere but the starting lineup when he returns.
As far as the Cancela/Pires comparison, of course they are somewhat different however both put their long-locked heads down and go at defenders to draw fouls in where it hurts. That is the common thread. There was a time when few, if any Revs dared to get stuck in where the boots fly in terms of drawing fouls. Now, with this team, a lot of players give up the body to gain a free kick. Again, that is where the comparison holds. As for Mexico, the MFL is the best league in this part of the world. It would be interesting to see our midfield in that league. I, for one, think they would do well. My mention of Mexico was simply as a standard to measure against. JIM DOW