My point is: DeRo is only good against tired legs.....Russell is starting because we have nothing better, he is one dimensional(speed) and cannot go to his left at all, this makes him predictable......Barclay's only benefit is that he is P-40, he is another Russell without the heart......and Ibsen, whoa boy, don't get me going on him, I like what he brings as far as attitude on and off the field but he really is a liability in the back. Just because we are in first doesn't mean sit back and ride this out. Quakes have to get better and to get better you HAVE to win on the road cuz the last time I checked they weren't winning on the road and MLS Cup is not at Spartan. Anything less than another MLS Cup is failure in 2002 for the Quakes.
I wouldn't cry too much if we traded any of the players mentioned (with the possible exception of DeRo - given his game-winner in Columbus last year). However, it would have to be for someone who could step in immediately and help. I agree Ralston would be nice, but unless you're smoking some of Humbolt County's finest, you can't believe that's ever going to happen! Now, Kelly Gray is a possiblity, but I have only seen him play two or three times, so I'm not sure that would be an upgrade. Frankly, unless another team out there is dying for Ibby, Russell or Barclay I don't see us getting much. DeRo may be the only real trade bait among the players mentioned.
Russell stays. He has not been 100% for most of the season but should be fit by playoff time. With his speed he is a good counterbalance to the style of Lagos on the other side. As for guys like Barclay, who cares? It is only the first 14-15 who will impact the results anyway, especially with Yallop at the helm. If it ain't broken......... Worry about next season later.
You couldn't really trade for anyone who would improve the club immediately and in the long-run. You'd be trading away depth, 1st team challengers and long-term projects. You could get players of equal value, talent and capacity, but they would be unfamiliar with the Quakes system and it would hurt the morale of the team.
Are you watching the same team as I am??? I haven't missed one game this year(probably can't remember them all though). The stuff that you are saying just sounds ludicrous*can't spell*. I can't belive that you think DeRo is only good against tired legs. I hope your not trying to say that the players you are mentioning are the cause for our loses on the road. Cuz you would be dead wrong I think you need to blame the whole tean not just a few players. Football is a team sport you know!!!! Its funny you haven't mentioned all the disruptions our team has had this year. A lot of our players have been on and off the field ....starting not starting. When you deal with a team you need continuity!!! How do you expect us to play to our potential when them same people aren't on the field all the time.
This is untrue. Russell has been injured and is still recovering. When he is healthy, he's as good as any midfielder in the MLS...totally solid player.... DeRo might be a good trade at this point on paper, but I'm afraid it may mess up the team chemistry if we get another "I am a forward. I am better than anyone. I must play and start at all times..." guy up front. (That said, I was afraid of that with Graziani, and that worked out great.....)
Let me re-phrase my DeRo critique.......DeRo excels as a 70th minute sub.....his unorthodox relentless style. He is a nightmare to defend if you are a defender that already has 70 minutes under your belt. See: MLS Cup 2001. My comments about road losses was a reply to your "we have a winning record" comment. I never blamed anyone player for that. My point was that we need to upgrade our right mid. Russell and Barclay aren't gonna get that job done. DeRo, Ibsen, Barclay and Russell should be the first to go in a trade situation.
An unhealthy Russell might not get it done, but a healthy Russell is a big key for our offense (see last season, for example).... Give him time, he'll be back in time to rocket us through the playoffs....
Does Ian have compromising pics of you??? Russell isn't "as good" as Ekelund, Lagos or Mulrooney, what makes you think he is "as good" as any midfielder in MLS. Retract your statement, preserve your image as a semi-knowledgable Quake fan before people start to refer to you as spejic jr.
No, you're confusing me with Pablo Mastroeni I think, in his position, that is to say right mid, that Russell is just as good as Lagos, Mulrooney, Ekelund, or anyone else in the MLS in their respective position. So there.
Okay let me try to figure this out!!! Are you just giveing a situation? Like if the quakes decided that they need new people, that they think the current team isn't working out...that kind of situation. Or are you sugesting that they just need to get rid of these players no matter what because they are hurting us more then doing us any good??
Im saying that these guys should be dangled as trade bait to see what they can get for them. Only Ibsen actually hurts the team on the field.....DeRo is an asset if used correctly.....Barclay doesn't hurt the team when he plays but he doesn't really help much. Russell doesn't hurt the team either and actually is much more aggressive than Barclay. I'm saying if you can package any or all of these guys and get a really good creative right mid it would help the Quakes tremendously. It would take some pressure off of Ekelund and Donovan. The league has figured out Russell's "Touch n Chase" move which by the way always goes to his right. They figured this out 1/2 way through last season....he won't turn it inside unless he's forced to, if that happens then he will dish it off. He won't challenge or cross unless he has the ball on his right foot. If he didn't have speed he'd be in the A-League.
Hey you got some real good points nice talking with ya. I can't really talk to much since I have only been watching since this year. But I do love the sport of football...or soccer whatever you want to call it. It did seem like you thought we should just get rid of them now I understand that isn't so. The chance that anyone else would take those players are pretty low though...besides DeRo(he is out of the question in my opion)