This thread is way overdue. There's some discussion at the end of this thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/2022-chicago-fire-roster-speculation.2117578/ Unless there are some major departures, the best players we can add will be TAM, or decent career MLS guys. We won't know much about those until the first of the year. Justin Reynolds will be a first teamer next year, but probably will stay with Fire II. One guy who should get a first team deal is Omari Glasgow, who is already a senior international for Guyana. Harold Osorio may get afirst team deal, but not right away in 2023. The only other Fire II guy who has a chance to get a deal is LB Charlie Ostrem. More to say, but I've got to run now.
Torres is one of the 3, but because he is a Young Designated Player, the club will have all three U22 Initiative Slots. So, the salary impact of guys like Fede is minimized (150k or $200k depending). https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations
When I consider a team's structure, I like to think of having enough to have two separate teams in the same formation, so that's how I'm gonna be visualizing this. Anyway, here's what I think our silly season should be focusing on, using the 4-2-3-1 that we've been using this whole time (even though it should really be more tailored to the way Ezra wants to play rather than just signing players and hoping it works): First XI: -Sekulic isn't worth it anymore. -Dump Gaston. Buy out his contract. I don't care. I just don't want to see him in a Fire kit anymore. -If you can send on Torres or even better, buy out his contract, I think this team would be better for that extra slot. -I love Duran, but I do want more goalscoring and I want someone who can be world class in that area (to maybe help Shaqiri look more world class) -I personally think Miggy is fine, but that's pretty optional. It's more so that I can make space in the second team. -I'm starting Omsberg over Teran because Omsberg's proven he can be the guy. Although, I'd still make that spot split between the two of them. -Same with Pineda and Fede. I do still consider Pineda a centerback, but it seems like he can have some movement going forward. But that's good versatility for a "sixth man" first guy off the bench. -I want our third DP to be a roaming playmaker type. Maybe Torres can develop as this. More likely, we'll probably have to drop the idea of getting a YDP (which saves money) and eat the fee for the official third DP slot. I want a guy who's experienced and a capable playmaker. Maybe this could also be a TAM player instead. But right now, in this fantasy where suddenly Torres is gone, I'll say make it a DP so you have the freedom to spend here. -Brady should start. Just saying. Second XI: -I want a better backup than Richey, but that might be hard to find. -I really like Ostrem, but I also really like Bornstein just never retiring. I just want that added experience and knowledge to mentor the kids, especially when we have kids who can be really talented some day. -Dre may have been leftback for a long time with this club, but he's been playing on the right side at Ember Island and he's not that bad there. We saw in the game on Tuesday that it's not like he's bad. I'd take him as a backup on a winning team. -Wyatt Omsberg is the perfect MLS backup centerback and the Fire just gotta find another one. Or, just get a better centerback to pair up with Czichos on the starting XI (probably a TAM player) and move Omsberg back down to being the third CB. Especially with the expanded benches. -I want Oregel in as backup to that RPM role, but I also know that he probably doesn't quite have it yet. Maybe he'll get "it" soon, but earliest would be mid-season. I just want someone to trust around there. Get me a Beckerman or McCarty type that can just be a leader of men, but they'd also have to be okay with competing for a starting job that, in this projection, they won't get. -Herbers is a good choice as a backup, someone to come in off the bench, but maybe it's time to move on from him. As I always say, he's room temperature. He plays as good as the rest of the team and I think the Fire broke him. Glasgow seems like a really cool prospect, although if we get rid of Herbers, we should look into just bringing in another guy who just runs a lot. It shouldn't be that hard to find, tbh. Especially in the draft (right?... RIGHT?!) -Bezerra can play that classic Fire 9.5 role that we had De Leeuw absolutely dominate in despite not actually being that good (he was good, but he played over his head a lot). It's not like he's some sort of 18 year old prospect we don't know much about, this guy is gonna be about 23 at the start of next season I think and he dominated Big Ten from this position there. Same style, same everything. This isn't a crapshoot draft pick, this is a Shipp-like homegrown player that I think can really help the team right away. That's why I was so annoyed when he wasn't getting any first team chances. -Duran could be a starter, but I want a DP up there. So now he's here. But I also want Missael in the mix as well. I personally hate having a lone striker because it causes a log-jam like this. We will likely see Missael (if we see him at all) in a winger role instead of striker. But whatever. We'll keep both (hopefully on Duran's part).
Technically, every team only has 2 DP slots. They have to pay a luxury tax to get the third. But, they can waive the luxury tax if that third player is a YDP (U-23).
If Dre Reynolds is re-signed then Ostrem probably will not be signed. Josh Penn is a local Fire II guy who is a longshot.
My interpretation is we have a handful of "senior roster spots" open, but the total is also limited by the salary cap....and we recently picked up more GAM from Djordje sell on and Offor. tl/dr we have room for 1 (or maybe 2) TAM additions, otherwise we fairly well locked in...unless there are trades, buyouts, etc. The only clear decision to make is on Sekulic. He's not cheap, but he's better than the average RB in the MLS...it would be a downgrade to play one of the kids.
IMO, AJ has earned another shot. He's still improving, and solid depth (can play multiple positions).
Disagree. Sekulic has been better the last 4-6 weeks, but he's playing for his next contract somewhere else. He's a TAM player and he should be a top 6 RB. He's not. After 3 years if he didn't get a green card he doesn't care enough to be here. Agree. Until lately it didn't look like 3 different coaching staffs rated him. They must have sat him down and told him he needed to learn another position, or two. He's not spectacular depth, but he won't hurt you either,.
There don't appear to be any obvious Homegrown candidates like last season. The following Academy players saw time with Fire II:: Noeh Hernandez - RW Carlos Nevarez - CM Grant Kelner - CB Michael Nesci - LW MF Dylan Borso was tabbed by Big Soccer's ussoccer97531 as a rising prospect. Youth national team players Tino Vasquez (Mex-CM), Aaron Deppe (US-LB), and Patryk Stechnij (US-another GK) are remote possibilities. All of the above are likely Fire II candidates.
Boris is a good fit for the 4-2-3-1 (an overlapping attacking wing back that plays solid D). Our lack of decent/consistent RW play combined with Shaqiri using his runs as decoys (instead of feeding him) has reduced Boris's impact. 1) Season rating is 6.6 (doesn't suck) 2) He's not TAM, he makes $596k (above $612k is TAM) 3) He's played an ironman's 2563 min, only Gaga has played more and the next closest are Rafa and Fede in the 2100s. 4) Best MLS comparison is probably Yedlin (6.56), who *is* TAM ($800k)...but Boris has slightly better performance stats. So yea, we can move on from him, but it's more likely we'd end up with a "development player" like Justin Reynolds. I would resign Boris, as long as it remains under TAM.
Resign Sekulic! If you do not please go get a stud. I mean proven stud. I have no faith in that happening.
Gaston is tricky...starting with he has a reputation problem, but as it stands Gaston is actually our highest performing player (6.97) and provides a physicality/dominance in the middle that forces teams to play outside. Based on the situation Heitz was in (new coach, new staff, 17 new players, shortened off season) he was a smart signing. He doesn't really have any "weaknesses" per se, but (unfortunately) he has had a couple of "checked out moments" and not contributed as much on offense as he's capable of (much like Shaqiri ) which leaves you feeling like we could do better. Who would better...a Nagbe type player? Who? So I see it 3 ways: Best option: Finding a way with the GAM/TAM games to buy him down enough to free up the DP slot for a striker...like a Cucho Hernández type player. Decent option: Stay the course, he's far from sucking. Risky option: Finding a way to offload him and "being ok" with the drop off in play to Pineda, to free up the DP slot for? Another 8? or?
Adding 2 90s the last 2 games when it would look real bad not to helped get him well past his preseason over/under of 1500. But...with all the walking, pouting, and jawing a the ref there should be an asterisk on 500 or so of those minutes
Where are you getting your ratings? I was looking at some earlier and I can’t remember the site offhand, but Shaqiri was #1 and Kacper #2. I have no idea what the methodology is for the numbers so I don’t vest a whole lot of faith in them. Overall I agree with your assessment of Gimenez. I would just try and move him because we have two other players that could play that role. Pineda and Navarro could use the exposure to prove themselves one way or the other. Do that and get a striker to play alongside Kacper. Do that and we’re a different team.
I use multiple sites, but for the performance rating I like whoscored. I like Pineda and Fede, but they are a step down from Gaston...so the step up elsewhere would need to be worth it. Kacper is a the other "tricky one", in that he had a very "off year" and we should not expect Ezra to move away from the 4-2-3-1. That said, he should be able to return to form in a role like Nikolic...a target that is not expected to create, just finish. But that means the wingers, outside backs, and the CAM have to provided persistent service. M.Navarro is still improving, but isn't a reliable contributor on the attack. Mueller is going to attack, but is more of a freeform player than a pattern player. Torres hasn't shown enough to know. Sekulic can do it. Shaqiri, well, it seems like he needs the pattern of play around him to fit into it..or he will freeform as well. I'm not a big fan of "target strikers", they work, but all the rest has to work for it to work. Much rather have a creator (i.e.Vela), a speedster(i.e.Ruidiaz), or a even a yeoman (i.e.K.Kamara)
https://www.infogol.net/en/team/chicago-fire/1464 I have no idea if their numbers are any good. I stumbled across the site looking for heat maps. I remember when the MLS site had Optastats heat maps every game. Anyway, Mueller was actually rated #1. I hadn’t hit “View All” yesterday. But at least another stat aggregator for the books. Mueller, Shaqiri, Duran, Przybylko and Czichos round out the top five there and there’s a gap between them and the rest. That makes enough sense to me. Pineda and Fede are a step down, but are the potential future. I just don’t see a need for Gimenez. If we want to be three deep in the position, go get a new DP there. Otherwise let’s let the other two prove their worth. Plus, we need a new DP. I’d prefer two but if I have to choose between Torres and Gimenez, I’m going to see what Torres can do. Like every Christmas, I want a striker and I want a center back.
Pineda turns 25 next month and will start his 5th season in 2023. Like it or not he is very much the present and almost all of what he's going to be.
That’s fine. He’s had inconsistent minutes at an inconsistent position. Stick him where he’s best (D-Mid in my opinion) and run him out there. We’ll know in a couple months if it’s adequate or a black hole on the field.