Only downer for me right now is thinking about how long we keep Pec. Does he make it to the end of 2025?
Agree. I just wrote in another thread that the Puig injury may impact this. But the money might be too good to pass up.
It's a complication for sure. I was just thinking that we've been fairly injury-free, which surely has helped our MLS Cup run. But now we lose our biggest player for the biggest game. Hope Vanney has a good plan, and a good week of practice. Positive is that NY will have a harder time planning their defensive strategy now.
On the flip side this injury may prevent Puig from returning to Europe on his terms in the next year or two. Seemed like he was going to test himself again in Europe sooner than later but he may be with us longer than if he hadn’t got so seriously injured.
I hope his career isn't impacted too much by the injury. His explosive acceleration is a big part of his game. Just get good surgeons and rehab. My daughter had this surgery in Colorado, in a facility frequented by athletes. Not comparable, but she has taken over a year to get back to full function.
Not the time to think about this, but just thought I would post this as a placeholder. Expansion draft is Dec. 11 and MLS will release of eligible players Dec. 10, which presumably means we have to submit a list of our 12 protected players by then. Because of our depth, we will probably have to leave some contributing players unprotected. There are some easy unprotected players who are unlikely to be selected because of age, injury, salary, int'l status, or a combination, but who might not be staying anyway, such as Caceres (unless he has a no trade clause) and Brugman. I wouldn't be shocked if Zavaleta retires and joins the coaching staff, but he would be another. There are also younger players who won't get protected, like Lepley, Vivi, Bibout, and Brady Scott and maybe Micovic (San Diego already has a young GK signed, so I suspect if they take a GK with one of their 5 selections, it will be one with more MLS experience). Cuevas, Neal, Ramos (Galaxy HG), and I think Parente and Cerrillo (HG elsewhere, but I think that status carries over) are protected without using a protected slot on them I think that leaves 14-15 who need to be protected. Puig's injury makes it harder to leave Fagundez unprotected, but they might do it anyway since his salary and age would make him less attractive, although his domestic status would cut the other way. Berry likely would be unprotected. If Yoshida says he is retiring, that would be a third unless he has a no-trade clause. That would leave us protecting Aude Delgado Garces Jovelic McCarthy Nelson Paintsil Pec Puig Reus Yamane (12th spot could be Fagundez or Yoshida) If I have it wrong on Parente and Cerrillo being protected because they were HGs in MLS for another team, then Cerrillo definitely jumps to the protected list. There's also a possibility Nelson is automatically protected as a former Generation Adidas player, but I don't think he is in Roster Slots 21-24. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2024-mls-expansion-draft-rules-procedures
On Cerrillo, I'm not sure a HG deal in another team means you're protected in the Expansion Draft. And I'm not sure Cuevas is considered as a HG too, since he left for Belgium before coming back. He wasn't announced as a HG when we signed him. Both being automatically protected would help us a lot.
Part of the reason I initially list both Cerrillo and Cuevas (along with Parente) in the Homegrown category is that they are listed as Homegrowns in the Galaxy's roster on the MLS site. Parente, for instance, is one of the two players in the Supplemental Roster slots #29-30, which is reserved for Homegrown Players (or at least that was the case last season). Perez, for instance, is listed as a Homegrown on Nashville's roster and is identified as occupying slots 29-30 reserved for Homegrowns. That could be wrong though or left over from prior seasons/different clubs (they list Brugman with a season-ending injury, for instance, which is leftover from last season). https://www.mlssoccer.com/clubs/la-galaxy/roster/ As I said, Cerrillo would definitely claim that 12th spot over Fagundez and Yoshida if he isn't excluded as a HG. Young, cheap, domestic players with high upsides are going to be more attractive to San Diego than two vets who are older and expensive (as well as an Int'l in Yoshida's case). I think it would be a tougher case for protecting Cuevas.
Yeah the MLS website looks a little bit shady. We'll know more when expansion lists will be released. I'm protecting Fagundez over Yoshida every day, Maya has a very low risk to be taken due to his age and his international slot. Diego would be an excellent pickup for an expansion team. I agree on Cuevas, fingers crossed. Fortunately only 5 players will be taken and there are 29 teams now so a very low risk to lose someone.
I think decisions on whether or not players like Yoshida and Reus even play another season may depend a lot on this weekends game. I can see both considering retirement.
Aude might be one to leave unprotected. He has dropped to backup, and Fagundez is still relatively young and an important attacker at multiple positions.
Yoshida decides to retire, but doesn't tell anyone. We leave him unprotected, SD picks him, then he retires. Galaxy legend, confirmed.
Reus has said he loves playing soccer and he is “stuck” (lol) in LA for his wife. Unless she has tired of Southern CA why would he retire?
Yoshida and Caceres might retire, but yes, I think Reus will see out his contract, unless the injuries just keep piling up.
I actually think Aude took a step forward this season as the starter before his injury. I think many of us did as well. I think we've all forgotten about him because Nelson stepped in and did a great job and played the role more defensively (which the overall team desperately needed).
I do like Aude - he and Cerillo were my picks at the beginning of the year as sleepers to see great progress on the team. But when I look at the list of protectees - not sure he makes it. Maybe we'll make some deal with San Diego and the issue will be moot.
I am not impressed by Reus' contributions - he so far is out of step with the team, too slow and not in great form. I hope that if he does stay, which seems likely, that he can get in better shape and in better sync with the team. Not to diss someone who I'm sure is a great player, but he doesn't mesh with an offense of high flying younger players, and he's certainly not contributing on defense.
Perhaps as further evidence that we have the homegrown rights for Cerrillo and Cuevas is that Nashville's beat reporter is listing Perez as homegrown for them. I think when you acquire a player who was a homegrown elsewhere, you acquire their homegrown rights, which is the way the Nashville reporter phrases it https://broadwaysportsmedia.com/who-nashville-sc-should-protect-in-the-mls-expansion-draft/
While he hasn't contributed much on defense lately, I thought I saw him playing pretty good position defense (and hustling back) before his latest knock (a month or two ago). I am more concerned about his seeming reluctance to shoot and then not shooting effectively.