Tzionis made it to KC yesterday so there's a chance he could be on the bench. Otherwise we'll have zero forwards on the bench (not that PV will sub).
Still casually optimistic. Should be a real fun season. Sporting usually start brightly and then wane down the stretch, but lacking so many pieces right at the start of the year might mean we've got a tiny bit more legs come playoff days!
I think there is a chance he can play at the very, very end if healing goes well. And if the team doesn't have a reason to list him as out--if the financials aren't necessary, I guess why not? I wonder if we can list him as out for the year if we decide to bring in more internationals in the summer, hm.
I don't think we get the int spot unless we make the move now. But really, I don't see another addition
No reason to rule him out fully until compliance day (Friday) and needing the international spot. Now if we don't by compliance day, we'll need to acquire another international spot for everyone to be eligible which would mean either another green card or trade (going rate is between $200K-$250K). I expect Pulido to go on SEI Friday.
Okay, so Pulido is on the roster, but is not an international slot, so it was a bet that a month of his at the end of the season would be worth more than the $250,000 in budget relief we'd get for putting him on SEI. BTW, my reading of our roster is that we are sitting on 8 ints, but isn't there a rumor that Fontas is close to a green card? And Kinda can't be far behind. I was messing around searching for an inexpensive, domestic wing who might solve our empty budget slot issue, and couldn't really see anyone. I mean, Freeman came up. We must have really hated his play, and upside, to decide, yeah, nothing is better. Frankly, if we really need someone, we're back to Agudelo being the most MLS ready option for a front line. I am not suggesting we sign him, just saying that with 29 clubs, the cupboard is bare.
Doesn't matter whether they are or aren't now. New rule this year is that the players international/green card status is locked in at the roster compliance date (yesterday). Meaning anyone that gets their green card this year will still be an international until next year. https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations
May I just say that for me, if no one else, this is the perfect start time for a match. 9 pm kickoff beats the normal 1-3 am by some distance. The only drawback is that it's the match of the week here and in the home opener I actually would like to hear the US take on SKC this year. the Germans don't natter so much. Also, while I know this makes no sense at all, I got a bad feeling about how good Atlanta will be this year while watching LAFC yesterday. I know they're in very different circs, but I just sense that if Vela is fully back, so is JM.
Atlanta should be back to flying this year. I think JM will be fully recovered and fully fit from his ACL and should be back to leading the league in goals. Yesterday's game felt like Vela auditioning for a return to La Liga. Also, just how far will the CRapids fall this year? They look terrible so far. Unfortunately, they might drop but the West picked up Nashville, making the West even more competitive.
What age is Uri? He was a key player for SKC back on 2012,2013. It occurs to me that was quite a while ago, especially in soccer player years.
Well, that’s disappointing. Both new additions to the team have not helped so far. Ndenbe and Uri are not having a good game. Zusi has been fine but Fontas was just scalped by a guy who hasn’t scored a goal in two years. defense is still an ugly problem.
Fontas as your starting CB in a game as open as this is a HUGE problem. Slowest player in MLS somehow got slower. Kindergarten tactics by PV. Play to your teams abilities, not your rigid system. This team is so painfully unathletic they have no business trying to press a high school JV team.
At least they didn't make us wait to determine if this season would be worth much personal investment. Looks like the same team that ended last season.
You forgot the part about playing a high defensive line that gets beat in transition over and over. Also Fontas sucks. Like legitimately can't defend 1 v 1 against anyone.
shelton... man i really don't want to be complaining about him all season, but i'm gonna have to, aren't i, peter. there's no excuse for him being on this squad, let alone starting. i'd love to know if i'm the only the one that saw Isi (i think) get pulled down, blatantly, in the box when he'd have been right in line to put the ball in the net after that scramble at around 44-45'. the ball never went out of play for the next 2 min or so, and then atlanta scored. it was never mentioned. and man, we're slow in the back... again.
I get they were chasing the game, but the high line, especially with Ndenbe and Zusi pushing forward made absolutely zero sense. One long diagonal ball and it was a track meet basically every time. Just sit your center forward on Fontas/Isi all game and play the ball through. You'll be offside a lot, but when you're not you can skate in 1v1. I actually liked what I saw out of Ndenbe in the first half, he did well getting down the wing, could actually play in crosses that got by the first man.
I hope PV learned a lesson today (I really know he didn’t) with pushing the defense so far up the field and then getting caught multiple time with the counter attacks. Ndembe was OK today. I think it was a lot of nerves in the first half because his passes were not good. The second half was much better. I think he can grow into an effective fullback with his speed and talent. Lastly, I was shouting at the TV every time Mauri got the ball or didn’t even try to make a play. He was terrible. No wonder PV subbed him out. On the other hand, I was very impressed by Tzionis in just the few minutes he got on the field. Looking forward to seeing more of him.
I am really sick of hearing the accolades that Shelton gets about his hold up play and passes. Wow, he was awful today. PV said the position was Shelton’s to lose. I think when Vujnovic gets his feet on the ground, Shelton will be on the bench the rest of the season.