We know we're courting a forward to be EJ's strike partner. I don't think the acquisition of Glen has changed that. We keep hearing Ecuadorian forward this, EPL experienced English forward that. I'm sure that this will happen before the beginning of the season and our forward ranks will be looking pretty good. What I have not heard a peep about is a left mid - in my opinion, a gaping hole on this team. Perhaps we just didn't have the cap room necessary to bring in a top forward and a midfielder. But with Gibbs looking more and more likely to be leaving, is this anywhere on the radar screen now? Buzz, help! I know a lot of people will be thinking that Alvarez will come in a be competing with Quill for the left mid spot. But the scouting report from SJ fans is that Alvarez received very limited playing time last season, and was regarded as something of a project, albeit a very talented one. This doesn't really sound to me like the kind of player CC is likely to give lots of playing time to. I'm thinking that right now, it's all Quill out left, and this concerns me. People will say that the acquisition of Mulrooney will mask many of Quills weaknesses, but I'm skeptical. What is the coaching staff's thinking on the status of our midfield as it currently stands? Do they think that we are ready to stand pat, or are we pursuing a replacement for Quill on the left?
I heard rumblings (I think on www.ussocceruk.com) that Jaime Ivan Kaviedes Llorente was interested in MLS. Ecuadorian forward just released from EPL Norwich City. Fits both of the above - may be your man!
Both those players are being looked into. Sometimes is takes multiple discoveries to get one, there were two last year that didn't happen. But Cornell Glen was not brought in to be the answer next to EJ. I am hopeful to have move info this week. Gibbs I will not worry about yet. FCD does not want to lose him, and while they do not have all the say, then can tell MLS where they value him and have a price set that is the Beasley range. Which I think would prevent his loss. Plus MLS knows as well as anyone that if Gibbs plays in WC06 his value could be much higher. So until FCD and MLS tells us there is a bid I am not worried. Cap room is not a problem right now. They were working something at draft, but it didn't happen. From the move the were after I think FCD staff thinks like you that LM is right now not good enough yet. Alvarez is just now 19, as he is still on the U20 team. He will be given a chance to win the job and brings loads of attacking flare, which might work opposite ROB. CC will give him a run if he earns it (see EJ). I believe they will try and trade for a LM or sign a lower level discovery.. someone like Medina. (I am not saying Medina, just someone like that.) I am planning a offreason recap/summary this week. Stay tuned.
it's not him. 3rd Degree's crack research staff believes it's Roberto Mina, 20 year old Ecuadorian Olympic team member. Played in Argentina for Huracan.
Thanks for all the info. Is Mulrooney going to be our answer to the #10/attacking mid we thought we needed. Or are we planning on using him a holding or defensive mid. If we are planning on using him as more of a defensive mid does that mean we are still looking for more of an attacking mid?
The formation will be similar to last year, or so it sounds. Mulrooney will be next to Simo as Oscar was, but he has the freedom to get foward a little more. Mulrooney is much more a two way player than Simo is. Not quite as flashy on the ball as Oscar, but very similar in many other ways. There will not be a #10 attacking mid. Part of which is why the left side needs some more balance like ROB on the right. and FYI the "experienced English forward" is not English. Not even Brittish. He has experience in England (and the EPL specifically) which is of course different.
Alvarez has done very well against Dallas in the past. Any chance CC might think he's ready to start?
Sure I suppose. They were excited to get him, as am I. But like Eddie did... when he shows it in training he will get the playing time. So sure there is a chance, reserve are going to be a big step forward. But are you/me/they willing to risk it? why not upgrade there and let Arturo win the spot against someone. Certainly each of us can think of some guys on this roster we would be willing to move/dump to make room.
Lots of Good News WAS: Is FCD actively pursuing a left mid? Makes sense. Awesome awesome awesome. I agree 100% with this assessment. Between the guy from England and the Ecuadorian, that ought to resolve the forward situation (although, if I read my tea leaves right, isn't Mina going to be a TI?) and this theory would solve left mid. Sort out the d and gk, and we're set. Put me in the cautiously optimistic camp for now. these are doable moves.
Can anyone post anything on Mina? I did a google search on him but didn't find much. I did enjoy reading the automatic translations though. Never would I have associated "Portero" with "Doorman". With the little I can find on him, I'm not sure I'm that excited about him. Is an U-20 from Ecuador really better than a U-20 from the US that doesn't count against the cap? Does anyone know anything about him? Theo? Chamo?
Well at least he won't be an SI, just a YI and he will retain that status for 4 years. Which gives the team plenty of time to see what he's made of. If they can get him for a discovery, then, not knowing much about him, I'd be okay with that. At least it shows we are looking for talent in South and Central America.
Good work! I must have been so focused with the draft chat that I missed it. Feeling a bit better about him now.
Possibly, possibly not. It depends on whether he has been playing professionaly or not. In this case, it sounds like he has shown something. I doubt he make the move unless he thinks he can use it to transition over to Europe better than he could from Ecuador. If that is the case, then he probably is pretty darn good (or has the potential to be.)
I have seen Alvarez play a few times for San Jose and has always looked a good player. I think he just needs the time on the pitch to truly develope and spend less time with the junior Nat's. I have a feeling that with Simo and RM in the center, this will give more freedom to the wingers to get forward. I think this system could really allow Alvarez and ROB to shine. I think this year is really shaping up to be something great.
I agree - playing a box (or something close to it) would definitely allow both AA, the Ecuadorian (if he can play LM) and Quill to be more offensive minded. (Too bad we don't still have Chivas and/or Vaca if they could have continued to develop - this system might be pretty good for them.)
So my question is, what happened to the strategy as was outline for us at the end of the season? You know, the one where the top priority was a central attacking midfielder general? Did this strategy collapse when the Mulrooney trade presented itself? Now we are all sure, and is being confirmed by Buzz and TLo, that we will be playing a box. I have no problem with this, but I find it odd that our braintrust would just up and change strategies that quickly. I'll say it now, I'm not happy with the box midfield idea. I don't like how it leaves us with an undeveloped Ramon Nunez and no place to play him. I don't like how we will, again, be reliant on the outside mids to provide service to our forwards. And most importantly, I don't like how it becomes all too easy to rely on the long ball from one of our two defensively minded central midfielders. This didn't really work all that well last season, and I don't see it being succesful this season. I was excited when I saw the team was looking for a solid #10 to run the show, now I'm back to being pessimistic about the future.
a couple comments... 1. No one every said "an attacking central midfield general" They said a central midifelder to play next to Simo. Someone like a 26 year old Oscar. No one from FCD ever said an attacking #10, that was only fans saying that. Now you may think Oscar is a #10 attacking midfielder but he is not and never has been. Oscar and Mulrooney are very similar two way players. 2. I never said anything about a box midfield. In fact I have said several times the midfield shape will be as last year: Four across with Mulrooney playing Oscar's role with more freedom to drift forward and Simo staying in the holding role. The two outside mids attacking down the line or cutting in like ROB does, and we hoped Quill or Davis would do. In this formation Nunez can come in for either central player when more offense or a spark is needed, Oscar is a player to hold the ball is needeed, and Talley is another defender is needed.
Hey, I thought you weren't coming here anymore!! Okay, my mistake...you never said box midfield, it was just what I assumed with two defensively minded central mids. But I still don't like it and I still think we are going to have the same problems we did last year not being able to build plays through possesion and not being able to move the ball through the middle.
I am trying to come here less unless someone asks me a direct question or if I need to correct something referenced to me. and of course you can not like anything you want to. I don't like the box midfield either, it puts way to much pressure on your outside backs. 95% of them in MLS are not up to that formation.
Did they say "creative attacking midfielder" or was that what we wanted the central midfielder to be? And if they did, yes, I think the surprising interest of Richard Mulrooney probably altered that to something that CC was comfortable with. Let's not knock the box system because it didn't work last season with that personnel. Brad Davis wasn't ready and Oscar was too old (unfortunately). Richard is much younger and more athletic. And as for the system - remember that San Jose and Chicago both used that system over the past four years to make various Final appearances - so it isn't a gimmic that one coach wants to try (which is what I am afraid Chivas is going to try - afraid for their own sake.) The 2003 final between Chicago and San Jose had the same midfield: DMB and Williams on the outside with Armas and Marsch in the middle for Chicago and Ekelund and Mulrooney in the middle and Mullan and I can't remember who for San Jose. But that Armas-Marsch midfield was good enough to win the USOC and make the MLS Cup Final - and I don't think you can argue that Armas is a "true creative midfielder." And sure as hell Marsch isn't.
OKay - maybe it wasn't exactly a "box" midfield, but it was a set of central mids as opposed to a diamond.
The "Diamond" midfield formation has been made famous by Sven Goran Eriksson and it is the reason why Paul Scholes' England career went to shite. The way the team is setting up is a very Arsesenal attacking formation. This is the way Clarke has wanted to play but didn't have the personnel last year. Expect the team to have attack minded fullbacks that overlap our free wingers down the wings. This will allow EJ to match up 1 on 1 against a center half which he will then abuse like a red headed step child.