http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/oped0219connolly.html I suggest we all give Marc some big, heavy stick for stating that DCU will have "a better offense" than the Revs this season. If he stays healthy, I bet JMM has more goals and assists than Hristo.
Staying Healthy? If who stays healthy? Hristo will play exactly 4 games, due to nagging groin strains. Which will put him, oh, about 2 games ahead of the past 2 years' pace. No, you needn't worry about JMM outscoring Hristo. Won't even be close.
The question was more of a matter of Stewart vs Moore, which at least seems like a reasonable comparison. Still, I can't see how anyone can expect much from Stoitchkov. Hell, if Nowak played for us (or Chicago for that matter) I bet he would have better numbers and more minutes played than Hristo. So United now has a "better offense" than the team that scored more goals than anyone last year and added an international-calibre striker? Meanwhile, United adds Stewart and a rookie and an old man to the least-potent offense in the league and that vaults them to the top? You can make a case that they will be better, but I think he's been drinking too many pints of Newkie Broon with Hudson. DCU was the team that literally couldn't score in an Amsterdam brothel last year, and although Stewart will help, it will take a lot more than that to right the ship. Tom
Stew v Joe-M The only edge Stew enjoys right now is that he's been playing first team ball for the last year, while JMM has not. That might have given Earnie the vote, but word from camp is JMM is looking great. I'll stick with what we've got. I think JMM will mesh better than Earnie would with TT, Wolde, et al. I say we'll have no one to fear in comparable offense this season except for LA, which looks (again) like the team to beat.
Check out the practice notes at http://unitedmania.mlsfansites.com Even understanding that the coverage may be geared to pump folks up rather than provide hard facts, the authors and Ray wouldn't be so bright on Hristo unless his form has been great so far. I understand that it's preseason and that he'll only play maybe 30 minutes max per game, but it's clear to me why DCU fans are expecting a lot from him. The guy is a legend, and should be considered a force until his play shows otherwise.
Hristo isn't the test Earnie is. How would you react to a straight-up Earnie for JMM trade? I'd probably smack somebody. JMM's home is New England. Earnie's a newcomer. JMM will, guaranteed, excel now that he's home. Earnie? Not sure. Too early. Prof
That nail is hurting. JMM is home. He's comfortable, and that makes a BIG difference. The jury's sitll out on how Stewart will perform. As for Hristo... he's dangerous, for sure... but you can't compare his play with a 90 minute man, so consider him for what he is... a VERY dangerous sub.
Ray Hudson's put together a good crop of soccer mercenaries, but whether the motley crue can put forth a good effort remains to be seen... ... Revolution fans know first-hand the difficulties inherent to restructuring a team. United will have their work cut out for them. The Magpie
The real question is the offense, not a player by player. While on pure skills I might pick Earnie ahead of JMM, I would pick Taylor and JMM ahead of Earnie and today's Hristo.
Funny you should mention this. I was struggling to make that point on their board, which brims with confidence, without trolling. If memory serves, they had Revs finishing fourth with DCU second.
one thing to think about is that Moore has proven himself in the MLS on a team that has done crap. Now he has guys who can contribute and it will only bring the best out of all. The only way Moore wont have as many goals or points then Stewart will be because he's too busy feeding balls to Harris, Twellman, and Ralston.
I believe the comparison was JMM and Stewart, which would be far more apt as both are incoming USMNT performers. -Tron
In my mind, there's a big question mark with Stewart. I haven't seen his club games, but he hasn't looked good for the USNT since the WC02 qualifiers. He really made his reputation as THE clutch performer during those qualifiers, as we probably wouldn't have even qualified w/o him raising his level. That said, in the warmups leading up to the cup, as well as in the cup itself, he did nothing to show that he belonged in the starting XI. The question for D.C. is: are they getting the Earnie Stewart of 2001 or the one of 2002?