The Official Mehdi Ballouchy thread

He's got a big salary to justify. he earns more than Baca, Beita, and Morrow combined.

 

That'll only be true if we keep him beyond this season.

 

Not sure what he means by "play and move". I guess he means give and go, moving the ball down the field with lots of quick passes and movement?

Really? Wouldn't opposing players typically know the names of many of the players on the other teams as well as the coaches? Doesn't sound like the sharpest tool in the shed, but doesn't matter if he can play and fit in with the team with a good attitude.

 

My take from the "play and move" comment is not give and go, but more the second part which is off the ball movement and maintaining possession.

He is six years removed from the area and has been playing in New York (different division). My guess is that it was an off handed remark one makes. I'm sure that he knows veteran players like Busch and Wondo. Otherwise, he is not going to know Beta, Morrow, Baca, Cronin, Shea, and even Lenhart./Chavez (even though I had seen them play for the Crew and Dallas).

 

Yeah, though I suppose give and go is a subset of "off the ball movement and maintaining possession".

Yeah, I'm sure it wasn't meant to be taken literally, but even we as fans know most of the names of the players on the teams. I'd be surprised if the players don't know most of the names, and especially given NY has played the Quakes multiple times over the last few years and they should have scouted them / done some tactics / planning against them.

 

Players and coaches are probably the last people he sees before going through the other people who work with new players...

 

Fair point, but this was not a typical onboarding. He flew in at night and played the next evening.

And taken in context, it sounds like he's talking about players and coaches.

The "we" going over tactics seems to connect to the "anyone" who's name he did not know. But maybe he meant something else...

 

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/08/02/will-ballouchy-trade-become-another-steal-quakes

 

I have a feeling he isn't being used because if they play him more, they will owe NY a draft pick. Not sure how the trade worked out or what the contract says but I think they may be saving him for the playoffs and so they won't owe NY much.

 

Canada won't allow him into their country, so he wasn't available for the Montreal game. Try to keep up, Falvo.

 

I have more respect for our management than that. I expect it's because he isn't that good (which is supported by the Swansea game).

 

Why not? He isn't a terrorist! He hasn't played much in San Jose either....

Then if that's the case, it may have been a waste of a trade.....

 

Oh good luck finding logical explainations for why people are not let into countries. I'll bet they didn't even get to his name, stopping a birth country or or some other criteria and decided he couldn't get in.

I remember watching French border guards remove a couple Brazilian, college aged, citizens from a tour bus that was crossing from Switzerland to France.

What did Brazil do to piss off France in 1982?

They joined us again in Brussels.

 

Nothing in 1982, 1986 is a different story, however.

 

questions ..

1. best position i.e., preferred if you ask him?
2. possible positions for us (e.g., A-mid (#10), LM, RM)?
3. can he defend? rank/comparable (e.g., Dawkins vs Khari)

IMO, he will be used sparingly as a Moreno type option.
Comments?

 

Can anyone describe what happened or let us know his status? Sure he didn't look the best, but neither did a LOT of the guys anyways. I think he had been useful while guys are injured. Hope he's ok.

 

That was a freak play. Hope he isn't injured badly...

 

I was kinda far away...what happened?

 

He came down really awkwardly, his foot seemed to plant, and his body twisted around at the knee. No contact from other players. I tivo'd the game, and it looked pretty bad. I hope nothing tore.