So this season is We have looming on the horizon a Dispersal Draft, an Expansion Draft for two new teams, a Re-Entry (that's what she..never mind)Draft, probably something else like a Draft for Allocating Allocated Players and any other mystical crap The MLS can think up. Mix in the January transfer window and the MLS Super Draft and this roster may be completely turned over by March. Best guesses on what's the lineup? Who stays? Who will be protected? Will they stockpile more assets? Does it matter? All the really hot girls will still go out with the guys from LA cause they've got all the money. We need a plan. We need to prepare. Winter is coming.
If the plan last year was to revamp the midfield (and it needed revamping), then this year's plan ought to be to revamp the attacking personnel. Not only do they need at least one new striker who can actually finish with regularity, but they need a bit more quality in attacking players of supporting roles (wingers and a hold-up guys), because right now that quality final pass seems so elusive for this team. While I do expect to see the club address the issue at striker somehow, I'm less confident about them improving the other facets of the attack. We also need a permanent manager.
I'm fine with basically: 1) Keeping the starting spine of the team more or less how it is. You MUST keep Chaco and Noggy. Let them marinate together for an offseason. Please. Please, please, please. The spine of this team is one we can win with. 2) Sign one of Okugo or Edu to a long term deal. I'd go with Amobi and let Mo walk. I love Mo, especially in the last month or so, but the salary to performance ratio isn't there and Amobi can develop into a national team DM. Make him the captain and nucleus of the team. 3) Get a striker with DP-level skill. I'm looking at you, Erick Torres. Casey is all we got, and he's on borrowed time as is. Let Brown stick around and see if he develops. But we need a guy that can bury it in the net now. 4) Get rid of a goalkeeper. ------------ Now a lot of this depends on the new labor contract. If the players' union hits a grand slam on compensation, we might be able to sign a very exciting foreign DP at striker. Also might want to keep an eye on Seba. He and Wenger have turned into decent options on the wings. But he's getting up there, too. I think he has a few years left, but when old age hits you, it can be sudden and devastating. I'm hoping Wenger continues to develop at LW. He's shown flashes of brilliance this year. That performance against SJ was just amazing. He also made DeAndre Yedlin look very ordinary. I'm excited about what a good offseason might do for him, too. Signing another prospect here and letting Danny Cruz walk might be an option. We should also let Carroll, Fred, Bone, and Fabinho walk if we can find decent, cheap replacements. An orange cone should be a good replacement for Bone, so that one will be easy.
How does Jurgen rate him, though? He's looking outside MLS now, calling up players from NASL, so I wonder why Okugo's not getting a sniff.
I agree. Clubber Lang hasn't knocked Rocky out yet, the ' 14 playoffs are still possible. Still a worthy discussion.
We have Williams signed through 2015, I believe. And unless you think someone is willing to trade for him, we are stuck with the two-RB look. Its not that bad though...Gaddis is still one of the better LBs in the league. I'd rather have him at RB, too, but I'm fine with how it is.
Listen, the *&^%$(*&^ing team made me believe. The gaping net Ribeiro missed in the 85th minute may haunt my dreams longer than his. But they are out of gas. It's now pretty much a win out stretch and the horses just ain't there up front. Even if one of the other teams collapses and we sneak in, we're a 5th seed mercy killing. I'll be there on the 11th and 18th though, but it's more on player eval for the MLS Playannukah, 12 Crazy Nights of Player Movement. Draftle draftle draftl, I made up the rules Oh screw it, I don't have the energy for this theme.
Players I'd Keep: Blake Valdes Nogueira Casey Carroll Wenger Chaco Seba Wheeler Lahoud Okugo White Marquez Brown McLaughlin Edu Hernandez Williams Pfeffer Ray-Ray Pedro D-Cruz MBolhi Cut: Bone Leo Hoppenot Fabinho Trade: Berry MacMath Retire/Albright Role: Fred Assuming the roster size stays the same, this gives us 7 spots to fill. Target a DP striker, a young striker, a winger, a LB, and maybe a backup CB, and we are fine. This would be a great step towards finally building depth and consistency with this team. If the number of international spots increases, I wouldn't mind keeping Fabinho for depth. Regarding some unpopular players: Carroll is a good bench option to come on the field to close out a game we are winning. Likewise, D-Cruz can be an effective spark off the bench to run at tired defenders. Wheeler was pretty decent at striker. People just forget that after the backline experiment.
I don't see it happening. I think MacMath's been on borrowed time for a while. But then again... I didn't see them trading up to draft Blake, then signing Mbolhi.
keep Macmath, loan Blake. we don't need Brian Holt in goal when Blake and WHAR MBOHLI are out on international duty
Kind of comprehensive, but this is what I want from the offseason. - Finish training grounds - (hopefully) more control in H'burg! We should be sending more than 3 down there and should have more say in who's playing where and how much. - Trade Zac before the expansion draft (maybe to the team that gets the first pick in the contraction draft = CUBO??) - Figure out the Okugo/Edu "issue" before they both leave on the free (most likely outcome). - - - On a side note: I really enjoy Edu's involvement and marketability in league events. He is the face of our team around the league and a damn good ambassador (Fifa15 launch/social media/etc.) - Expansion Draft: Stromboli RayRay Candyman Valdez Chaco Nogs Ribiero Wenger Seba White?? Okugo/Edu?? - Woebegone: Carroll ($$) Bone Casey (probably not a popular opinion) Cruz ( 125K??) - Acquire DP forward & depth, wing depth/speed (Darius Madison HG?) - White and Gold secondary kits. White top and shorts with gold accents and gold center strip with the barca fade style, and gold socks. ......idk
Well if you would have remembered Mr. Berry instead of a trade our CB depth could happen. We're so overloaded on midfielders in general I would say just go for 3 strikers (one DP) and a LB if one shows itself.
I think we benefit more from trading Berry than we would from riding him on the bench. We're overloaded with central midfielders, not so much wingers. We have Seba, Wenger, Danny, and Jimmy there. We need one more guy.