Top 5 Incoming Players

I'm not sure about your "top 5" but where the hell is Shevchenko? I thought MLS was supposed to come in hard for him this season....I haven't heard a thing about him this transfer window... I guess this is another example of MLS bullshittin'... Also MLS, keep Altidore, bring in Feilhaber, end the Zidane rumors and quit awarding teams to the suburbs!!!


Oh YA, MLS doesn't stand for Mexican League's Senior Citizens

 

I'll play:

1. Gallardo
2. Gonzalo Martinex
3. Babayero
4. Cordoba (RSL)
5. Davino (FCD)

This is to date. I think there will be more coming in (especially in the summer with IMO McBride and Lewis coming back).

None of them will have the Blanco or Beckham attendance effect, but they will improve the overall quality of play.

 

Really? A non world-class 35 year old striker and a 33 year old midfielder prone to injuries will make a difference in quality? MLS is worse off than I had imagined....

 

Gallardo >>> Gomez (though I hope he stays in MLS)
Martinez >>> Vanney
Babayero >>> Randolph, Jazic
Cordoba >>> whoever RSL had
Davino >>> Goodson

McBride led an EPL team in goals scored last year (albiet a bad one... but still not an easy feat). Currently, neither Chicago or Columbus - where McBride would go - have a forward that could produce like that, unless they bring in someone.

Lewis, maybe not so much, but he can cross the ball better than most.

 

I think at the end of the European season, and a few games into our season, we should see a pretty big signing.

so far I dont think we've had any "stand out " signing so far....

Juan Sebastian Veron was the closest it got to a big signing.

Maybe Duilio Davino to FC Dallas? But personally I think that's only a big signing to the Mexican fans. I'm sure he'll be a great performer though.
Also Celestine Babayaro to LA isnt a done deal yet.

Meanwhile we've lost a few of our league's big names. For Example: Eddie Johnson, Joseph Ngwenya, Pat Noonan, Troy Perkins, Clint Mathis...

 

I would certainly add Franco Niell to this list.

Davino is not good in the air, he'll have to play sweeper. A liability on set pieces (see Copa Sudamericana). I'd say he's a wash with Goodson, who wasn't as good in possession or starting attacks as Davino is.

It's actually a depressingly short list....so far.

Edited to add: Raphael Wicky of Chivas USA (if indeed the report is true)

 

If we were Dutch, we'd be just as interested in the new young unknown prospects coming into the league.

 

I didnt see Ngwenya as a big name in MLS

 

Beckham and Blanco did not come until the mid point of the season. At this point last year the incoming players were Emillio. Fred didn't even come until later. True, most of these guys were signed, but I think MLS usually has a better chance of bringing in star players later in the season than during the MLS offseason. One reason for this is probably the inability to pay transfer fees, and if a player is out of contract in 6 months they can then shop themselves around without transfer fees attached to them. Of course most players contract reaches that six months right about now.

 

I think it's way to soon to answer this.

Case in point: DC United is probably the ONLY team in MLS who can honestly say that they have the 11 players who are likely to start their opening game in camp at present. Everyone else (including Houston I think) is still trolling for talent and likely to add at least one starter. And given the change in the SI rules, that most teams still have plenty of cap room and empty roster spots, most of those new starters are likely to be incoming or foreign (or at least "new to MLS") players.

There are some teams (NYRB is a good example) that I wouldn't be surprised to see them add between 2-4 new starters between their current roster and who starts their first game. Even LAG which doesn't have much cap room, I think Gullit will see the team in preseason, get a better feel for the league, and then make changes (via cuts, trades to clear cap space and then sign players). JCO talked about how by joining NYRB in the off-season, he could do what he couldn't do in Chicago: make the roster in his own plan rather than play with what he inherited. So to think that NYRB will only add a central defender and left outside mid seems silly. I see that team cutting a bunch of players (that frees up cap space) and adding as many as 4 starters through various means. Columbus keeps making sounds that they're going to add a DP. NE has cap space, plenty of money, lots of roster space and some holes to fill. KC has just moved Garcia and EJ. We could go down the list: every team in MLS probably has at least one starting spot they need to fill from the outside.

So whatever people post on this thread will probably look very different one month later. Because we could have somewhere between 15-25 SI players who've joined the league with the plan that they will start for their respective clubs.

 

If Magic winds up in Columbus, that would be a big signing...

I do like the older former MLS players coming back to the league... although they may not bring as much to the field as many of the Latin American signings (which is where the real excitement should be for those that really appreciate the beautiful game) they bring experience and can help bring along the young American talent... almost like a coach on the field (and a coach that the kids will listen to because they have succeeded in big leagues)... these "name" American players will probably bring more than a few casual fans to the stadiums, as well (if for no other reason than people have heard their names from the national team, etc)... everyone wins (as long as they don't expect "the big bucks" - see: Reyna, Claudio)

 

Based on what? Have you actually seen him play? I watch most of America's games. Last season Davino was the weak link on the back line and most Americanistas are happy to see him go. I think he can do a job in MLS, but there isn't any evidence that he's an upgrade from Goodson. He will be a solid MLS defender, but he's not very old and hasn't been called into his national team in over 6 years.

 

This is a really good point, we might have to wait until we're half way through the season until we see that BIG name. Whats the status of Sheva's contract....and what about Ronaldo? I haven't heard much about him finding his way over here lately.....no one's trying to swing a deal with him?

 

Indicators point to some Majic in Columbus, along with the return of Schelotto. Plus, look for big deals to be made of us playing Dc this year, bringing the River Plate / Boca rivalry to MLS!

 

With the playoffs like they are most coaches know that thye don't NEED to get their final squad together for opening day - let alone by the all-star game.

But DC has some games to play before everyone else does, so it's more urgent.

 

Far be it from me to take the piss, but one player from River and Boca will constitute the institution of an age old rival? If I had to guess, it's more likely that these guys will probably take long walks together, drink some coffee, and share a long embrace good bye, than go two footed into challenges at eachother.

 

i was, and still am, hoping for a few more impact DP signings for 08.

 

It's like one, big, mis-informed Bigsoccer orgasm.

 

Let me see here, I was "mis-informed" when MLS said the DP slots were to bring in "top" "big name" talent, (Schevchenko).... Or was I "mis-informed" when I said MLS should keep Altidore? Maybe I was "mis-informed" when I said that they should bring in Feilhaber? Wait, it's gotta be when I said they should stop putting teams in suburbs, (Carson, Bridgeview, Harrison, Sandy, Commerce City... Etc..) plus, they have Chester and Collinsville F.C. in the works... I'm soooooo "mis-informed."

 

Mostly I was just calling you stupid because you somehow think that MLS can control the internet rumor mill as well as rehashing every stale bigsoccer idea on in the short span of 2 paragraphs.

 

Perhaps not but IMO he scored the nicest goal of all last season.

 

You're an idiot.