Most of the energy towards turning things around will come in the off season. We'll also be presumably getting Daniel and Wilson for the full season (knock on wood). Things can turn around quickly in MLS from season to season. CO is a good example. Ours went in the opposite direction 2023-2024 but in a strong positive direction 2022-2023. I'm all for any "big" moves we can make in the summer, but only if those moves are also for next year and beyond. This season is not salvageable and making short term moves just for this season is just grinding the gears.
Quakes offseasons have been farcical far too often for me to fall for that one again. Best to keep expectations very low and take an “l’ll believe it when I see it” approach.
Yes, and we do need do significant upgrades but at the some time sometimes you get some stuff for free, such as: - Daniel back for the year (hopefully) - Wilson back for the year (hopefully) - full year of Hernán - full year of a now more or less proven Munie - full year of Benji who's now shown himself to be versatile enough to also play RB - more minutes for upstart Verhoeven - Ricketts should be back - could be a factor next year That's basically a combination of getting some key players back from injury + cashing in on some positive player developments that happened this year.
I'm only renew Verhoeven might not be a long term guy for us. If he doesn't catch a little bit of fire by this time next year, he will probably be an MLS Castoff as so many youngsters end up in the world of soccer. I hope not, but I'm also not getting my hopes up. We have nothing to lose. He's ahead of Tommy Thompson at right back so that says a little something
He just turned 18. Got lotsa time. And he has a position (whereas TT never really had one). He could be a spot starter next year and maybe full-time starter the year after that, at 20 - he'd still be really young.
Yeah, its possible, but in the ever evolving league, he will probably have to wait 3-4 years before he's a regular player. We like a veteran backline. I don't see that changing anytime soon. Munie will play before Verhoeven in the back. When we drop back to regular 9 man bench, Verhoeven will be losing his seat most likely. Jackson, Baldisimo, Verhoeven will be dropped from the squad. At full strength, with Tsakiris, Akapo and Wilson, the bench loses Richmond, Thompson and probably Judd. Judd Yarbrough Morales Marie Thompson Skahan Bouda Richmond Munie Next year though, who knows. I just don't see us using young guys like that in the back.
I think the emergence of Benji as a credible RB + Verhoeven + Marie means we can drop Akapo next year. That's allow us to reclaim $600k off the cap. He's not bad but will be 32 next year and injury prone. Munie already well ahead of Verhoeven but he's also 6 years older. Verhoeven had a lot of caps for U17's, and may also figure into U20's next year - we'll see. He just turned 18 a few months ago, and still growing into his body a bit. 6'0" but pretty light.
I'd be happy to see Akapo dropped. Thats what I think anyways could happen. I think Benji and Munie are going to be deployed at RB with Wilson coming back, Munie is supplamental depth BK, Wilson, Rodriguez, Costa Is a good backline
I'm keeping Inter Miami, LAFC, Revolution and Kansas City Season tickets... if that counts lmao. I've made probably triple this year what i spent to buy them reselling them. I am dropping Houston, FC Dallas, and other teams because well not much return. They all give away the best goodies anyways.
3/4 of that back line let in > 2 goals a game in the beginning of the season. I hope Benji can cover a lot of ground for the CBs, while playing RB.
Isn't Munie projected as a CB as his main position in any case? Not sure if his presence is a factor in whether Verhoeven breaks through.
Do we want Mabiala, even as a hold over until next year? At 36 and a defender... not sure what he could offer, but he's at least some veteran depth. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/portland-timbers-mutually-part-ways-with-larrys-mabiala
I think 36 is just too old. Knowing Leitch hopefully, he goes for a younger tall CB. This point we need more long term players especially with a lot of our current roster hopefully getting cut/traded in the coming 1-2 seasons. Like Parker would have been a solid player to bring in that is a veteran but he went to NE
Here's a contrarian take. We actually don't need a CB. Why? Because this season is a lost cause and there are only 9 games left, and next season we'll have Rodrigues, Wilson, Munie, and Beason. If we sign another veteran CB it would just takes minutes from Munie and we'd stunt his development. He looks like he can be a serviceable to pretty good CB in the league, and he'll have many years in front of him, and he'll be cheap.
I was more thinking of replacing Rodrigues with someone like Parker. I like stability in the back line and there are some CBs in this league that in my opinion just solidify the backline. Parker is one, Miazga is another. I always thought that Rodrigues would be a decent CDM because he is a great ball winner but also really reckless
Rodrigues as CDM, mabye but I'm not sure he has the small distance quickness for it. He's 6'2" and not slow, but not sure if he can make those quick pivot and accelerate moves you need in midfield to deal with speedy, tricky CAM's in midfield. I'd rather let him be our "attacking center back" and have a good CDM who can cover for him.
Edu Gaspar on re-building the Arsenal squad: "The 3 key elements to judge a player is his age, salary & overall performance. When I came to Arsenal, almost everyone was 26+ years old with big salaries & not performing. Which club wants to come & buy one of our players? No one." https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1ekrh3s/edu_gaspar_on_rebuilding_the_arsenal_squad_the_3/ top comment: If you had told me 4-5 years ago that Arsenal would be in the position they're in now, arguably the best set up club for the next 3-4 years in the Premier League, I wouldn't have believed you. Incredible job Edu, Arteta, and co. have done at turning over the squad completely and reshaping into one of the best Arsenal sides we've seen in history.