Just looking over the list, I will only comment on Crew players--since I watched them 20 or so times this year: 1) Nelson Akwari -- solid, hard-working defenseman who could easily start next year for Salt Lake. I think he would be a great pick up. 2) David Testo -- never really given a shot at Columbus this year, as they only played 1 forward/striker; but the kid was the class of the A-league 2 years ago. Has good presence on the ball and would be solid as a 3rd striker. Alright boys and girls, let's play GM
do you really have to start with a good one--out of the 10 teams, how many would you say are good. I think you can always plug in a gk because there is more a pool of them than, say, quality strikers (or creative attacking mid fielders) in this league. I'm just saying a gk will be there, it shouldn't be top priority.
Agreed. We'll find a good keeper. We may even be able to lure Keller. But what we need is some solid midfielders, first and foremost.
Agreed. we must go after Williams, and possibly even Cobi (though the asking price will be high). I'm looking for Quaranta as well in a trade. Mathis as an attacking mid? It's possible, and it worked in the last World Cup with USMNT. We need speed on the flanks, and experience in the middle. Defensively, I'd go for Agoos. Goosie can still play, and I wouldn't be surprised if Llamosa was picked. Add to that Behncke and Trembly, because of the background w/ Coach Ellinger. I anticipate that Ellinger is looking for a strong back four, similar to the USMNT alignments, if history is any indication. At keeper, you have Meola or hopefully, Keller. Either is capable of doing the job. I will not be happy if either Ring or Walker heads this way, but it could happen, especially in Walker's case. That's my two cents.
From conversations overheard after the press conference... (no specific names can be atributed to these statements because quite frankly... I don't have a clue what the guys name was... only that he works for RSL) Williams is definitely a prospect. Even overheard mention of Mathis. I am just relating what I heard for what it is worth...
Coach Ellinger told me that he saw the biggest weakness (as far as getting solid players from Expansion and Superdraft) was getting good attacking midfileders. He also said that he expects 4-5 guys from the super draft to start for Real next year... Just some food for thought.
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_...content_id=19264&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp#list I know they will not get all of these players (and they can only get 10 anyways), but here is my view on a relatively decent/inexpensive team from the players available. Mix in a couple allocations, discoveries, internationals, superdraft picks, and you have yourself a decent young team... GK: Ring, Perkins, but many available D: Akwari, Benhcke, Herdsman Salyer, Pierce, Broome, Chris Ronér is a Mormon. M: Williams, Kamler, Brenes/Saragosa (-Chivas picks?), Trembly, Simutenkov? F: Taylor, Walker, Quintanilla or Testo? I'm also sure I'm missing a couple players I don't know much about, and there are always some veterans that could be picked off if needed. All in all, the central midfield should obviously be the priority, both because of the importance and lack of availability.
So the deals are to made through trades for attacking CM's. Ah. Quaranta and Mathis are logical choices, then.
i decided to pick the team for you guys, and its an experienced squad some players would need to play for less $ to fit in. I did not pick any hispanics or senior internationals. To this list you will get 4 SI and 5 youth internationals + mathis is all true, i am really begining to be jelouse of you guys. GK - Tony Meola DF - Evan Whitfield DF - Jeff Agoos DF - Rusty Pierce DF - Craig Ziadie MF - Brian Kemler MF - Andy Williams MF - Seth Thrembly MF - Many Lagos FW - David Testo FW - Jamil Walker FW - Jason Kries (traded) FW/MF - Clint Mathis ( if it works out ) get 4 Senior Internationals get 5 Youth Internationals I belive its 10 rounds, a team has 11 players, in that case scrap Jamil Walker
No question this is the weakest part of the expansion draft. I'm mixed on Williams...there appears to be a reason he keeps getting moved. It's not like the Fire has someone waiting in the wings to take over the AM position. I love Saragosa. If we can meet his financial demands he can be a Armas type destroyer with better touch. People also seem to be forgetting about the salary cap. Yes, it would be nice to get one of the top keepers, but, for 1/4 of the price, we can get one who is at least adequate. I'm really not sure you want to spend your cap on that position. I'd prefer getting as many young, fast players as possible to play the forward, outside mid and outside back positions, and then use the rest of the cap to fill in the spine with the best talent we can affort. Reviewing the list, I do think Saragosa would fit well and that we should be able to get young, fast outside backs and forwards. Mids, especially ones with wheels, are few and far between. I don't consider Powell, Simutinko, or Llamso to be strong enough to spend the money they would cost for our spine. As I said, I'm not sure that Williams fits the bill either. BTW, for those of you who want Trembly, the Crapids are just begging us to take him...hint hint. Just my take...
Actually Craig Capano's late season emergence might be behind the offloading of Williams. Looks like Capano is going to be a good player in the middle of the field for the Fire if he continues developing like he has.
I like the idea of Saragosa and Williams in the midfield. That would be a good start for any team. Saragosa didn't impress me at first but once he got the hang of the league he did quite well. Williams is very very talented. Just because he has moved a ton doesn't mean anything in and of itself. Look at basketball and Jim Jackson. He's a heck of a player but has moved around because things have just never worked out, not because of personality conflicts or anything like that.
What??? Nobody wants Orlando Perez? The guy is guaranteed to make it into the highlight reels.....weekly.....ok, maybe for the other team......but it's still exposure!
Williams is just one of those players that doesn't play well with everybody. Interestingly enough, it seems he doesn't work well w/ Damani Ralph for both club and country. I think the reason he has been on so many teams is that his coaches don't think he fits in, and other teams coaches are scared to death when they play him so they take a chance and work out deals. I think he's a big risk for an expansion team because he seems to play better when he's with better players. But we've already got Kreis, who I think would go well with him. Kreis is similar to Mathis in style, and Mathis/Williams was an outstanding duo. And since we may end up with Mathis, even better. But you have to take him because he's the best player in the draft. Even if JE doesn't think he'll fit in, somebody will trade for him. The salary cap is a big issue. RSL potentially wants Williams, Kreis, Mathis and Keller. All I'm sure would make the max. 250K. I don't see the point in taking a keeper with any kind of salary at all, even if they aren't planning on Keller. There's just not that big of a difference in MLS between keepers to warrant their salary. The exception would be a guy like Keller, Tim Howard or Joe Cannon. They need to spend money on experienced goalscorers like Kreis or Mathis and build a young cheap team around them. Those players mature as the others retire. Ellinger is the perfect guy to do this because of hs background. And they've got to find that one foreign guy. That seems to be the key to success in this league. Ruiz, Guevara, Gomez are a few examples. You get a few guys to carry the load while the young players learn. They retire, you re-sign the young guys that have performed and the whole time you're scouting the world furiously. And then you fill up the roster with new young guys. There are lots of players in this draft teams are just praying we take. We probaby won't have the choice NOT to take someone like that. IIRC Trembly is p-40, or was, and probably played for Ellinger. If JE wants him he'll know what he's getting. And he's likely got a small salary. What is Simutenko's salary like? I've been impressed by him and if he isn't making the max or close to it, he's worth the SI spot.
I have been amazed by the lack of interest in Vaca. I have watched him a number of times and think that his ability is among the best in the league. His numbers haven't shown it yet, but mark my words, this kid will explode eventually. Williams is quality but does need a good connection with the forwards to be really effective. As a Wizards fan I was frequently subjected to the play of Simu. He can be amazing..passing mostly, but striking as well. He is pretty fast but not blazing. The three big hangups with him have nothing to do with his play really. He's foreign, He's expensive (I think he was like the third highest paid on the Wizards last year), and he's not all that young anymore for a striker(32 during next year's season). I was not all that impressed with his midfield play this year.
That might be the single oldest team in the history of the MLS, how bout Preki and Valderama coming off the bench. I hope this team, like many of you say, builds around some core scorers with young cheap players you can develop. You can compete with anybody still in this league and in this sport. But to take on bunch of players to compete year one at the expense of the years after that. BAD, BAD Move I don't like Williams, on the ball he is decent; but the teams he is on never compete well; and, as mentioned he may not be liked by coaches and fellow teammates. Please do not make this team the Jamaican boys.
I think the reason there's little talk about Vaca is because Chivas will probably take him with their first pick. If they don't, I think RSL should take him, even ahead of Williams. But the only two players I can see Chivas possibly taking ahead of Vaca are Brenes and Walker. And they'd be crazy to take Walker with their number 1, and Brenes is good but not quite as good as Vaca.
i am not going thru the player age now, but i don't think they are that old. This is the first stage, you need to pick the best and start with experience Here are just 12 players of a 28 men squad, you have a chnace to pick 5 youth international players , plus other 4 SI, then you get the college draft The expansion draft is your chance to start with experience then you add to it and fill in the gaps bring in younger players.