I was just over at the "MLS Analysis" section and virtually everyone has our Quakes finishing below mid-table or dead last. Now, I still think that we have a good team and can still do alot of damage, but people see that we have only lost players and don't realize that we still have quality players. I was wondering what everyone else out there thinks. Where will we finish in the tables?
Roster as is.......we won't make the playoffs, if we add a Graziani type impact player up front(just for clarification, not Ching)....we could finish 4th-5th, if Lagos and Russell get back to 2001 form, we contend once again. That's alot of "if's".....and we need all three to happen just to contend.
With no proven goal scorer, a question mark at GK, and a revamped defense, we will be at best mid-table and worst dead last. Also, we have not upgraded the team with any significant new talent that can help us today. However, if several players return to form (I.e. Manny and Ian), plus some surprises with either Ching or Mullen, we can compete for the MLS Cup. The league is that even. Also, we would need get through the season without too many injuries. My hope is that we will start slowly and gel close to the end of the season. There is a good chance that Cannon could return in mid-season and we still have another month to sign a GK and an impact player at the forward position. My opinion: Mid-Table
No Graziani up front is going to hurt us, we need some one who can step in right away and score goals. Brian Ching is not answer, we won't get 12 goals out of him all year. That leaves DeRo up front coming back from a broken ankle, how soon before he's 100% and even then he won't match Graz's scoring total, he's best as a sub anyway. Mullan? Sorry, he isn't the answer either. We need Frank to bring in a high power goal scorer to round out the attack with Donovan. Goalkeeper position is suspect at best. I have no faith in "wrong way" Conway, I just don't think he's starting material. If we can fill the two obvious voids in our squad we might make the playoffs, if not, bottom of the table for us, lower middle at best.
Re: Re: Where will the Quakes finish in the standings? I disagree about DC United, I think they are the best team on paper, they drafted well and were coming on at the end of the season. I predict that they will be hard squad to beat this year.
If he got 12 goals that would be 8 more than i'd have guessed, and that would be if he was a starter. Remember, shots off the woodwork don't count as goals.
The Revs looked pretty good on paper last year too, but not until the Diallo trade and then the Serna injury and also relegating the 2001 MVP to sub duty, did they actually come together and make a run of it.
Nobody saw the Quakes doing it in 2001 either. And with a lot of injuries and missing players, was nearly won the Supporters Shield last year. They'll make the playoffs, maybe even win the division. If the playoffs are 1v4-2v3 within the division, it would be nice to stay away from LA in the first round. Tony
What he said. However, there was a sense of optimism - adding a proven Nat in Agoos, a great talent in Donovan, an up and comer in DeRo, and with nost of our starters returning, confidence was pretty high. Not so this year. This is wishful thinking. LA, Colorado, Dallas, and even KC have all improved their squads, whereas we have taken a step backwards. I just hope we aren't last in the division.
I saw it....I bought my first season tickets in 2001, even though I attended all games, I never had season tickets before. I just felt like things were moving in the right direction for once. Granted, I wasn't thinking MLS Cup, but I was thinking playoffs. After about 15 games, I knew if we stayed healthy that we would win MLS Cup 2001, the chemistry was amazing. Not until Lagos was injured before MLS Cup, did I ever doubt our chances again. Last year, I had doubts until we picked up Graziani, after that I felt we could contend with a much more talented MLS. I felt we were top 3 material. The lackluster play of Russell, Lagos, Ibsen and Conrad sealed our fate, not to mention Agoos, Mulrooney and Dayak being injured. This team has taken a few steps backwards, Cannon, Barrett, Graziani.....made a few neutral moves: Conrad, Bower, Lucci, Ibsen, Barclay(bye-bye), Mullan, Waibel, Dunivant, Alvarez(hello), Donovan, Ekelund, Robinson, Russell(re-sign)......and so far NO moves forward from last season. Please make a forward move.....sooon!!!
I'll bite, and I'll be optimistic. I've said it before, but this game is won in the midfield, and we still have the best midfield in MLS. Colorado, if Grimandi and Mastreo can work it out, may actually be better, b/c of Hendersen and Cheung getting the nod over Russell and Lagos. I think offensively, last year, we got away from the goals that got us to the final, that is, attacking from the flanks. We had to go down the channel because of the lack of aerial threat. I d/k much about Ching but what I read of the Rosenberg game he was pretty good in the air. If he and DeRo can get open and put some Russell crosses in, I think that solves our offensive problems. Also, I anticipate seeing Landon break out this year with a full year and only the Confed Cup getting in the way. Defensively: Robinson, Agoos in the center? with Dayak and Corrales on the outside, if Rosenberg match is any indication. That's not a bad line-up, although somewhat lacking in speed. GK: suspect. This is the hole we need to fill, and now. I've been wrong before but Conway is not Cannon. If we win our home games like we did last year and improve our road record, we should win our division and compete for MLS Cup.
LDB's got a lot of good points, but as I wrote in another thread, what appears to be "forward" movement isn't always that way. I would also argue that getting healthy and complete seasons from Agoos, Dayak, and Lagos would be considered an improvement from last year. But every team gets injuries and there's no guarantee this year is any different. Colorado subtracted Valderrama and added Grimandi, I don't necessarily consider this improvement. For KC, Preki is another year older and Josh Wolff is injury prone. Hopefully for Conrad's sake, they make the playoffs. I really don't think its too difficult to put together a scenario where the Quakes win the division. Tony
The only teams really the Quakes should look at as perhaps better on paper is LA and Dallas...I don't know what Jeffries puts in their Gatorade but it's working.
> Colorado subtracted Valderrama and added > Grimandi, I don't necessarily consider this > improvement. It isn't Grimandi that is replacing Valderrama, it is Chung. Colorado will up there with LA at the top of the heap. I don't think we look good, but you can't count out a team with Donovan as long as he decides to give an effort.
If we can get Conway to improve his skills, and possibly another good defender I think we will be cool. DeRo, Art, and Lando all in front should make a huge impact. I think we will do well. A lot of you have lost hope, and if you don't start thinking positivily, like I said before, the season is just going to end up being a self-fulfilling prophesy. TRANSFORM MARI
Ok, so we lost Ariel, but he was a poacher. When did you ever see him go back and help out a little like Landon or DeRo. I like DeRo as a starter, he will create alot of options, even open up more space so that there can be an attacking midfielder. Barrett will be missed, but Remember even in 2001 he still wasn't that good, he lost the ball all the time, and also, we have a healthy and young Robinson, imagine what a full season of starts can do for him (nats?). Cannon is going to hurt us the most, Conway is not the answer, but if things go the way that they are for Joe in France, we will see him back in mid season. And hey, don't forget Saunders, in a few years he will be awesome, saw him play at Cal, but that is for the future. And at goal by the way, what ever happened to Tom Prethues (Crew)?
You are wrong about Ariel. Since he wasn't getting a lot of support from the midfield, he had to create a lot his goals. Often picking up the ball about 25-30 yards from goal and taking on a defender. As far as his defense, he did a lot tracking back. A lot of people commented on this during the season because it hadn't happened before in Dallas and NE. Towards the end of the season, he got frusted from the lack of support and started going back to his old ways... DeRo has had enough starts to provide some scoring and it hasn't happened in the past. This year could be his final opportunity. He has just not shown consist finishing... No Prethues. He sucks...
Spejic: I should have been more clear in my post, you're right, its not Grimandi directly replacing Valderrama. Obviously, they will have to adjust their possession/attack accordingly. Does this make the Rapids a better team, I don't think so, but I could be wrong. As I've been saying, sometimes subtraction is actually the way to move forward. And maybe this will make the Rapids more dynamic. Tony
Don't forget they also added Zizi Roberts, a beast of a target forward, rectifying Colorado's biggest weakness from last year (that, and Valderama's defense). Indeed, with two center midfielders playing defense now, you probably will see addition by "subtraction".
Bingo! 2001 we attacked from every point of the field, particularly the flanks. Our central midfield is terrific, but it's the flanks that really threaten. Our flanks would penetrate or stretch the defense, opening up space and allowing our backs (Barrett) to trail behind as a threat. Just off the top of my head, I'd say that the Quakes will be upper mid table, 4th place. LA is incredibly strong and the Revs have retained their core that got them to the MLS Cup final. Dynasty for LA.
As much as it pains me to say it, I think that the Western Conference favorites are the Galaxy, followed somewhat closely by the Quakes, Burn and perhaps the Rapids, in no particular order and probably separated by no more than 7 or 8 points. The Wizards could make the playoffs, but if they do they are unlikely to go far. I think that we'll be over .500 this year (well over .500 at home again) and we have a realistic shot at winning it all (MLS Cup, Open Cup, even Champion's League), so life is still good. No way will we come in DFL. Simply not gonna happen...
Unfortunately, I think the whole thing hinges on our goal keeping, If Conway can get it together, or we can find somebody else, we will be mid table, or better.
I picked the Quakes to finish a close 3rd in the west just behind the Burn and Galaxy. While I'm not a Galaxy fan, they added a phenomenal defender in Hong that allows Elliott to play a more attacking role in central midfield (even if he is nominally called a left winger). They should be very tough to score on this year. They added the 2001 MVP (Chacon) who can both create and finish to augment Ruiz. Then they have some young developing forwards (Glinton, Albright) that may contribute as well. They get Cobi for the whole season. I just see them being the best team this year. I agree with Beerking that DC United is much improved, but being a DC fan, I'm obviously biased. DC should have a much improved offense and midfield with healthy Olsen, Santino, Convey and the additions of Kovalenko, Eskandarian, Stoichkov and Stewart. They're a lot deeper too. Metros had the talent last season, but lacked the coaching. Bradley plus Moreno, Pope, Williams and Magee should make them quite competitive. Look for a midseason surge from them. The Revolution and Crew should also be competitive, but Chicago lacks a midfield. In the west, KC should miss the playoffs. People are talking about Colorado, and it's never good to underestimate Hankinson, but their defensive line sucks. They'll need both Grimandi and Mastroeni in there to protect that shaky back line. Spencer should be back, but the jury is still very much out on Zizi at this time. I see the Quakes finishing well above Colorado, and KC being the worst in the entire league. -Tron
Colorado are looking to add a Mexican left-back, Bautista, who has apparently agreed to terms with the Rapids. MLS HQ is completing the paperwork. www.planetfootball.com Go to USA. Apparently they have agreed to terms with Matt Jordan as well, but is going on some trials in Denmark.