To the Western Conference opponent that already has Zussi, Feilhaber and Nemeth creating attack... AND is the workhorse, high-pressure outfit that keeps Dominic awake at night. We didn't need any great scouting team to find Justin Mapp. We didn't have to wonder if he could be successful in MLS. (Two points dropped at home because Justin Mapp.) Do you think Doyle and Wolff are just cursing MLS when new roster spending (e.g. TAM) is allowed and encouraged? Flame e-mails to Don Garber? Flaming bags bags of poo left on the Stub Hub Center steps?
HdB is correct in so far as we have to make some moves. I would hope that we would score a couple of really good younger players, dudes who can start. But yeah, getting Mapp would have been good. We've whiffed on other opportunities in the past too, and see where that ... oh yeah. We suck. Missed the playoffs for a third season in a row. We need to make some moves this off season, otherwise we're going to suck hard next season. Go Quakes!! - Mark
...you guys. Doyle is on Christmas vacation. Don't bother him with suggestions for next season, or ideas about how to make us better. When he returns to the office at the beginning of January, i'm sure he will get right to it.
You all should know better, the Quakes don't start making signings until like 2/3 of the way through the preseason, expect an announcement a week before opening day, and for that player to be ready to play by week 5.
Come on now, I heard from a very reliable source that Doyle is in Switzerland right now hitting the slopes...er, looking for Innocent's strike partner, Guilty. He's the guy sitting next to Innocent in his red sports car. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Looks like Mapp is cashing in big time on his 0-goal, 0-assist year with Montreal. No, I get it. Could have been a decent veteran pickup for the right price.
Vermes on Mapp: “The thing about Justin is that he can play on the left or the right. He's left-footed. He can come inside, being on the right, and be even more concentrated on his play as a playmaker in the central channel," said the Sporting boss. "If he's playing more on the left, he has the ability to serve a ball unlike many guys in this league. I think he's got one of the best services in the league, one of the best touches. “The other is he has the ability to take people on 1-v-1, eliminate them to the dribble. And in other situations he can play behind the forward as a true playmaker.” Gosh, wonder if we could have used him?
IOW, based on Peter Vermin's description he is the American Lionel Messi. Yeah, could have used him. :--)
Have to say I'd happily have traded my (ahem) rugged good looks for Justin Mapp's touch and soccer brilliance.
Eh, he looked good in Champions League and whatnot, before his injury... But now I can't help myself: "Hey Justin, how was your 2015 season?" (Pete Campbell from Mad Men)
He was a free agent. Why would he want to come to San Jose? If he a choice between KC who plays more to his style and is a playoff team and San Jose who didn't make the playoffs, who would you select? We would have had to overpay him to get him to San Jose. It wouldn't have been worth it. He would have been pulled an Innocent. (I.e got injuried).
The same reason anyone wants to come to San Jose. Very few places on earth are more desirable to live. If it were otherwise, housing would be inexpensive.
Because I'm bored as hell and have about 95% of my stats compiled, I thought I would point out some interesting number for him. He only started 3 games in MLS last season and only 2 of those did he last more than a half. But of those two games, he was rather remarkable. 3/07 @ DCU 86 minutes, 70 touches, 41 completions on 48 attempts for 85% passing rate. 0 turnovers, 3 dispossessions, 2 box entries, 3 shots, 2 SOG, 1 SOG assist. 9/05 vs CHI 87 minutes, 50 touches, 28 completions on 30 attempts for 93% passing rate, 2 turnovers, 0 dispossessions, 7 box entries, 4 shots, 1 SOG, 3 SOG assists. The rest of the games he played for 21, 32, and 38 minutes.
People here know about his injury, right? And the saw Montreal's awesome Chamions Cup run? It was all the more remarkable because they continued to win after Mapp hurt his arm.