Tough headline to write.
I confess. I wasn't hugely excited about this game. Which is probably why it slipped my attention that the game had been played until early this morning. Fortunately, the wonderful folks over at Hunt Park Insider came through in the clutch and enabled me to nip in after the fact for a full match viewing, which in turn allows me to present...
... the Talking Points!
* Lazarus Kljestan. Down to his fingernails clinging to the edge of the depth chart, stoppage time was good to Kljestan. Let's face it: were it not for being one of "Bob's guys" there's no way he would have been starting this game, much less going ninety. And yes, he did have flashes during the game of what makes him such an interesting player. That said, he did barf on the best chance of the first half and directed a fair few passes to the opposition. Still, you can't question the fact that, despite not being in season for Chivas, he was alert, determined, and composed enough to both rob the Salvadoran defender and then to cooly tuck home the winner. As opposed to say...
* Rogered! Ouch. Handful of decent free kicks, but I fail to see how he lasted 85 minutes. Brad Evans may have committed the ultimate facepalm to give up the goal, but for my money, Rogers probably did enough to edge the "goat of the game" award. After about the first five minutes, where he was roaming all over the attacking third, his game got more and more putrid. More passes to the opposition than Kljestan. Holding the ball for about 800 touches when two would have sufficed. Running at defenders in bad numbers situations but perversely stalling... stalling... stalling... and failing to attack them when he should have had the advantage. Breaking off promising runs just as passes were delivered. And worst of all: a terrible lack of composure in scoring positions. Any other coach leaves him home next week, because that looks to me an awful lot like a player being handed a chance and choking badly. Not ready for primetime. Does Bob make that same call? Well... he did leave him on for 85 minutes, so...
* Too many white guys on the dance floor. Do you remember that period in the first half where El Salvador were playing it around the back? Soft, slow, lulling you to sleeeeep... BAM! Then they were all over us for a couple of minutes. There's something there: a stronger understanding. Maybe it's just my imagination, but there's just a feel for the game that seems to be missing with the US. Like the game is talking to them, providing a solid rhythm that the players can feel. And when the moment is right? BAM! goes the energy, at least for the opposition. The US can have moments of slow, patient probing (minds out of gutters please), and they can have sustained periods of aggressive, attacking play. It's the transitions and the timing that never seem to quite be right. Too mechanical. Too studied. Not natural. Is it just me?
* Can we send Casey home yet? I'm not exactly enamored with the idea of Ching being on the World Cup roster, but he and Altidore are bangers-a-plenty. Do we really need another in Casey? My notes only go ALL CAPS in two places, and one is in response to Casey getting caught offside twice in quick succession. Lazy, lazy runs. Big shock that when Ching came on in the second half we actually had an outlet up top who could hold the ball, draw fouls, and get into dangerous positions when the crosses came whipping in.
* Quelle surprise! In games like these, you look for little surpises, like...
(1) Eddie Gaven was fantastic. Running at defenders with confidence. Cutting inside, head up, looking for the chance or a teammate. My favorite moment? Rogers lays another fetid brain-fart, going for goal when Gaven is steaming in unmarked at the far stick. A minute later, Gaven has the same scenario and tries to chip it to Rogers. True, he overhit the pass, but it was still a better decision than anything Rogers was in any danger of making.
(2) Bornstein didn't look terrible at center back. No, I don't want him there when it matters, but against lesser opposition only playing one up top? Passable. He won a fair few balls in the air and cut out bunches of others. That says to me that his reading of the game is improving. It had better, because...
(3) Heath Pearce can play. His cross to Ching for the equalizer was a beauty. But more than that, he looked confident and comfortable on the ball (something I've railed on about seemingly forever with regards to our fullbacks in the international game and how important they are in possession). Neither did El Salvador carry much threat down his wing. If he's playing regularly (something he's struggled to do throughout his professional career, but should be afforded the chance with Dallas) and with confidence, he might be coming good at precisely the right time for the national team. Now, whether Bob will recognize that and actually let him supplant Bornstein at left back...
(4) Findley can out and out fly. I mean, sure, that's a given, but he made the Salvadoran defenders look like they were stuck in a vastly lower gear on occasion, though we couldn't seem to exploit the advantage. It didn't amount to much, but you can see the difference speed can make. Too bad I don't think the rest of his game is quite there yet. Maybe for 2014.
(5) How the hell didn't we carry more danger on set pieces? We had chances, a couple of which were turned away by the Salvadoran keeper. But man for man we were bigger, stronger, and faster. Technique can largely negate those physical advantages pretty much anywhere. But on set plays? We should have been much more dangerous.
So where to from here? Next week the big boys get to roll out against the Dutch (a game I'm much more excited for given both the quality of the players on offer and my penchant for things Oranje). Did any of the MLS crew make a case for inclusion at that more trying dance? We're still carrying some significant injuries, but I think you can pencil in Altidore up top, Donovan on one wing, Junior in the middle, Timmy in net, and Boca, Spector, DeMerit as likely starters at the back. But who fills the gaps?
Given the injuries hitting the central midfield (Clark and Feilhaber out), I wonder if Kljestan gets another chance. Or does Mo Edu finally get back in the frame? Could EJ's Greek playing time see him get another call if Bob decides Findley is too injured or just not ready? With Rogers looking scared and Dempsey sidelined, might we see either Torres or Castillo get a chance on the left wing? Dare I mention Freddy? Bornstein and Pearce will scrap for left back minutes, and Spector goes on the right, but who's the depth in the middle behind Boca and DeMerit? Another look for Goodson to win that #4 spot?
It'll certainly be a much more interesting (and revealing) set of choices than the last two CONCACAF scrub-wars have provided.
What Crisis?
Given this blog's heavy MLS focus, you'd be forgiven for thinking I'd be covering the current CBA squabble with a bit more (or hell...any!) vigor. And if I were an HR guy who found this sort of thing right up his alley or felt any sense of journalistic duty to do so, perhaps I'd be all over it. But FBF, for better or worse, follows my personal attentions as a soccer fan.
I think you can see where this is going.
I know I should care more, that the fate and future of the top-flight domestic league and perhaps the sport in general in this country are facing a delicate, dangerous moment here. I know that for there to be a continued product on the field for me to enjoy, I really should be paying greater heed to what might turn into an awful situation. I know this is the single biggest story currently running in American soccer circles and that FBF is ostensibly an "American soccer blog." I know, I know.
Sorry.
I don't mind minute, nit-picked-to-death discussions of tactics, team selection, the history of the game, the relative merits of players and managers, et cetera, et cetera, because those are things I'm passionate about. But doing the same for labor negotiations? Not so much. So rather than making some half-assed attempt at it, I'll take a pass and let others who find this stuff fascinating (or merely necessary) do the dirty work.
Like here, here, and here.
So you'll pardon me if I just follow at a distance, filing my thoughts on the pre-season (can we have some goals already?) and roster pruning, whiling away the hours until First Kick tinkering with my FM version of DC United, and holding out hope that we have matches to get fired up about next month.
Ugh.
I think you can see where this is going.
I know I should care more, that the fate and future of the top-flight domestic league and perhaps the sport in general in this country are facing a delicate, dangerous moment here. I know that for there to be a continued product on the field for me to enjoy, I really should be paying greater heed to what might turn into an awful situation. I know this is the single biggest story currently running in American soccer circles and that FBF is ostensibly an "American soccer blog." I know, I know.
Sorry.
I don't mind minute, nit-picked-to-death discussions of tactics, team selection, the history of the game, the relative merits of players and managers, et cetera, et cetera, because those are things I'm passionate about. But doing the same for labor negotiations? Not so much. So rather than making some half-assed attempt at it, I'll take a pass and let others who find this stuff fascinating (or merely necessary) do the dirty work.
Like here, here, and here.
So you'll pardon me if I just follow at a distance, filing my thoughts on the pre-season (can we have some goals already?) and roster pruning, whiling away the hours until First Kick tinkering with my FM version of DC United, and holding out hope that we have matches to get fired up about next month.
Ugh.
Roster Reset | Bring Out Your Dead!
The preseason roster-casualties begin to pile up! Kocic...gone! (duh, how long till Soehn signs him in Vancouver?) Honduran mystery man, Arnolyn Guity...gone! (who?) But the goalkeeper void was quickly filled as Ray Burse, lately of FC Dallas, arrived on the scene. Technically, his age makes him eligible for Dev Dollars, but do you really think that's likely to happen? Me neither. Wicks v. Burse death match for the #2 slot anybody?
Update the list!
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK2. Troy Perkins, GK3. (I) Julius James, D4. Lawson Vaughn, D5. Marc Burch, D6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D7. Bryan Namoff, D8. Devon McTavish, D/M9. (I) Floribert N'Galula, D/M10. Rodney Wallace, D/M11. (I) Cristian Castillo, M12. Danny Szetela, M13. Clyde Simms, M14. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F15. Chris Pontius, M/F16. Santino Quaranta, M/F17. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F18. Adam Cristman, F19. Jaime Moreno, F20. (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK2. John DiRaimondo, M3. Brandon Barklage, M4. Jordan Graye, D
Trialists
1. Ray Burse, GK - can he unseat the injured, idle, insane Wicks as the #2?
2. Andrew Quinn, GK
3. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - I'm assuming he'll want a senior spot, given last year. Also, he grew up in Florida, but does he have citizenship/green card?4. (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - Honduran youth national teamer, center or right back5. (I) Jermaine Taylor, D - Jamaican international center back6. Daniel Wasson, M - washed out abroad, has MLS experience, eligible for Dev Dollars (25 or younger at start of season)7. (I?) Two-Boys Gumede, M/F - what fills first, our Boyzzz quotient or our South African one?8. Andy Najar, M/F - DCU academy product, probably not really on trial
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals on final roster [Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
According to the numbers, we're full up with our current signings. That means we need to make way for any trialists that impress. So who on the current roster might be in danger? I'd say the Dev spots are all up for grabs save for the one that Hamid ties up. Najar seems to be getting more of a look in game situations against MLS opposition than you'd expect of a guy just going along to make up the numbers and get a taste of senior-level action. Right now it looks like 6-9 guys gunning for 3 spots, depending upon who is willing to sign for Dev Dollars.
On the senior roster front things are equally messy. McTavish, Vaughn, Shipalane, and Boyzzz are probably on the outer-most edge of the bubble (as much as I wish Wicks and Burch were there too, I think they may take significantly more displacing). We're also currently at our international limit (unless either Boyzz or Shipalane have green cards?), meaning that the South Africans are in the most danger of getting let go should either Arzu or Taylor (or both!) make a significant case in camp.
An additional point to consider would be the status of Namoff's noggin. Doubts about his return would give a boost to the chances of whoever manages to impress among Adams, Graye, McTavish, and Vaughn. It'll be interesting to see who gets the look tomorrow against the Red Bulls.
Also of interest in that match? Whether we can manage to score a goal under Onalfo. True, we've been missing three likely starting attackers (Pontius, Quaranta, Castillo), and it's not like we've been shipping them in bunches, but how long (if ever) until we get a hint of "stylish, attacking soccer"? I know, I know, get the defense sorted first, and then you can work on coherent attacking play. But still...
On the senior roster front things are equally messy. McTavish, Vaughn, Shipalane, and Boyzzz are probably on the outer-most edge of the bubble (as much as I wish Wicks and Burch were there too, I think they may take significantly more displacing). We're also currently at our international limit (unless either Boyzz or Shipalane have green cards?), meaning that the South Africans are in the most danger of getting let go should either Arzu or Taylor (or both!) make a significant case in camp.
An additional point to consider would be the status of Namoff's noggin. Doubts about his return would give a boost to the chances of whoever manages to impress among Adams, Graye, McTavish, and Vaughn. It'll be interesting to see who gets the look tomorrow against the Red Bulls.
Also of interest in that match? Whether we can manage to score a goal under Onalfo. True, we've been missing three likely starting attackers (Pontius, Quaranta, Castillo), and it's not like we've been shipping them in bunches, but how long (if ever) until we get a hint of "stylish, attacking soccer"? I know, I know, get the defense sorted first, and then you can work on coherent attacking play. But still...
Roster Reset | Forward Thinking
The last round of trialist-additions saw United bring in some competition on defensive end. This time around, we're padding the attack, though the nature of the additions says that we're pretty happy with what we've got up top as neither would seem to have a serious chance. Academy product Andy Najar probably shouldn't even be included with the trialists, as I don't think he's actually in consideration for making the leap quite yet, but might this be a test to see if we're ready to offer him a Hamid-style jump later in the year?
As for Honduran forward Arnolyn Guity? Your guess is as good as mine. Unless he has dual citizenship or a green card somehow, I don't see us filling one of our precious international spots with an 18-year old who would be fifth or sixth at best on the forward depth chart alone. Still, it's a different tack--young guys from CONCACAF, and it can't hurt to take a look at what he's bringing to the party.
Update the list!
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK2. Troy Perkins, GK3. (I) Julius James, D4. Lawson Vaughn, D5. Marc Burch, D6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D7. Bryan Namoff, D8. Devon McTavish, D/M9. (I) Floribert N'Galula, D/M10. Rodney Wallace, D/M11. (I) Cristian Castillo, M12. Danny Szetela, M13. Clyde Simms, M14. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F15. Chris Pontius, M/F16. Santino Quaranta, M/F17. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F18. Adam Cristman, F19. Jaime Moreno, F20. (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK2. (I) Milos Kocic, GK3. John DiRaimondo, M4. Brandon Barklage, M5. Jordan Graye, D
Trialists
1. Andrew Quinn, GK - danger signals for Kocic?2. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - I'm assuming he'll want a senior spot, given last year. Also, he grew up in Florida, but does he have citizenship/green card?3. (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - Honduran youth national teamer, center or right back4. (I) Jermaine Taylor, D - Jamaican international center back5. Daniel Wasson, M - washed out abroad, has MLS experience, eligible for Dev Dollars (25 or younger at start of season)7. Andy Najar (F) - DCU academy product, probably not really on trial6. (I?) Two-Boys Gumede, M/F - what fills first, our Boyzzz quotient or our South African one?
8. (I) Arnolyn Guity (F) - 18-year old mystery Honduran
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals on final roster [UPDATE: Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
We'll certainly know more about the direction United is headed when we get the pre-season matches rolling and we start to see how Onalfo plans to line up the weapons at his disposal. The Good? There certainly seems to be plenty of competition for roster spots in pretty much every position. The Bad? A lot of that competition will require an international spot on the roster, meaning that it's not really a straight fight as we can only accomodate seven such players. If we check off Jakovic, James, Allsopp, and Castillo as locks, that leaves three spots that potentially as many as nine guys are vying for.
And that potentially pesky ugly? Well, I won't start pointing fingers in earnest until we see the product on the field, but, outside of the Castillo addition (and that happened prior to Onalfo being on board, right?), our signings thus far speak to me more of muscular directness than technique and skill.
Are you ready for some Brit-ball?
And that potentially pesky ugly? Well, I won't start pointing fingers in earnest until we see the product on the field, but, outside of the Castillo addition (and that happened prior to Onalfo being on board, right?), our signings thus far speak to me more of muscular directness than technique and skill.
Are you ready for some Brit-ball?
Roster Reset | He's Never a Mivdun!
The hunt for defensive help goes on. After issuing the "we're happy with what we've got" message last week, the FO brings in two international center back trialists to beef up the back line, Honduran Quiarol Arzu and Jamaican Jermaine Taylor. At 24 and 25 respectively, they're not exactly in the Mivdun wheelhouse, but as Chest says, plucking up-and-coming CONCACAF talent is a bold new, and hopefully fruitful, tack for the FO to take.
Former trialists Nigel White and Otto Loewy make way for more seasoned options Arzu and Taylor, but there's another tidbit in play here. Keeper Andrew Quinn has been brought in supposedly to make up the numbers with Perkins away on Nats duty and Wicks still on the shelf. I wonder.
Consider. We're already one over on the international count and entertaining foreign defenders. That says we need to make cuts. I'd assume our South African speedsters would be first on the chopping block, but we really need to keep at least one of them to provide a change of pace up top that none of our current forwards can provide. Likewise, we'd need to free up a senior roster spot for the new defender. But we'd still need to cut another international to make room.
At this point, your third-string keeper taking up an international spot starts to look pretty damn frivolous. Even if Quinn isn't being brought in to challenge for a roster spot, you've got to think that Kocic's chances of sticking with the club are fading. Which begs a further question. If he wasn't in the club's plans, why not let him audition elsewhere given the previous interest abroad? Or might he be trade bait?
But there is a question here: if the FO was still planning to look abroad for defensive help, why the hell did they trade away an international spot for Cristman? By my count (and I'd appreciate a correction if either Boyzzz or Shipalane has their green card) we've already got eight internationals and only seven spots to shoehorn them into. And that's not including the possible acquisition of Arzu or Taylor.
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK - trade bait?2. Troy Perkins, GK3. (I) Julius James, D4. Lawson Vaughn, D5. Marc Burch, D6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D7. Bryan Namoff, D - nursing the noggin8. Devon McTavish, D/M9. (I) Floribert N'Galula, D/M10. Rodney Wallace, D/M11. (I) Cristian Castillo, M12. Danny Szetela, M13. Clyde Simms, M14. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F - can't see both he and Boyzzz making the cut15. Chris Pontius, M/F16. Santino Quaranta, M/F17. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F - see Shipalane, Tiyiselani18. Adam Cristman, F - acquired from KC for an international spot19. Jaime Moreno, F20. (I) Danny Allsopp, F
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK2. (I) Milos Kocic, GK - under contract, but for Dev Dollars again?3. John DiRaimondo, M4. Brandon Barklage, M - fully recovered?5. Jordan Graye, D - we took a local kid so he could live at home on Dev Dollars, right?
Trialists
1. Andrew Quinn, GK - danger signals for Kocic?2. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - I'm assuming he'll want a senior spot, given last year. Also, he grew up in Florida, but does he have citizenship/green card?3. (I) Quiarol Arzu, D - Honduran youth national teamer, center or right back4. (I) Jermaine Taylor, D - Jamaican international center back5. Daniel Wasson, M - washed out abroad, has MLS experience, eligible for Dev Dollars (25 or younger at start of season)6. (I?) Two-Boys Gumede, M/F - an international if he won't settle for Dev Dollars; what fills first, our Boyzzz quotient or our South African one?
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals roster [UPDATE: Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
Former trialists Nigel White and Otto Loewy make way for more seasoned options Arzu and Taylor, but there's another tidbit in play here. Keeper Andrew Quinn has been brought in supposedly to make up the numbers with Perkins away on Nats duty and Wicks still on the shelf. I wonder.
Consider. We're already one over on the international count and entertaining foreign defenders. That says we need to make cuts. I'd assume our South African speedsters would be first on the chopping block, but we really need to keep at least one of them to provide a change of pace up top that none of our current forwards can provide. Likewise, we'd need to free up a senior roster spot for the new defender. But we'd still need to cut another international to make room.
At this point, your third-string keeper taking up an international spot starts to look pretty damn frivolous. Even if Quinn isn't being brought in to challenge for a roster spot, you've got to think that Kocic's chances of sticking with the club are fading. Which begs a further question. If he wasn't in the club's plans, why not let him audition elsewhere given the previous interest abroad? Or might he be trade bait?
SoccerPro Jersey Contest
The folks over at SoccerPro.com asked me to pass along word about their new "Jerseys for Life" Sweepstakes. Hit the banner on that link and you'll be taken to their Facebook page to register to win up to $800 in replica jerseys over the next ten years. Not really "for life" unless you don't plan on making it through the next decade, but a decent prize nonetheless (though I wish they had MLS shirts).
Bonus? They'll give you a $10 coupon for entering.
And while you're poking around on Facebook, don't forget that FBF is stumbling out of the blocks there as well and your support is much appreciated...
Bonus? They'll give you a $10 coupon for entering.
And while you're poking around on Facebook, don't forget that FBF is stumbling out of the blocks there as well and your support is much appreciated...
Sean's DCU|FM Challenge, Part II
Continuing on from Part I, we present the second installment of Sean's DCU|FM Challenge...
***
So I come in there, Simpson's gone on a rampage - imagine the offices with the fax machines not torn out of place but humming, deals in the hopper: Sebastian Pena from Argentina? He's on your team. Marco Antonio Vidal, a Mexican-American kid who plays for Indios? Yeah, you just loaned him for the season. Dig it! This fax here says that you just signed Jose Burciaga Jr.! And Bobby Boswell just faxed Mark Simpson - that guy you just fired? - his ass. So I don't think he's coming back.
In general, the start of the Spence regime was deeply chaotic and highly opaque. From the outside, it doubtless looked like we were bunkered up, overwhelmed. My efforts to lure Cory Gibbs from Colorado came to nothing; so, too, my pursuit of every unattached striker in the known universe. Oh Lord, oh Lord, I am going into an MLS season with Grandfather Moreno and Ange N'Silu as my top strikers. I conjured a great wall of nothing, except for one final rochambeaux-style failure, detailed below.
The final roster looked like this:
You'll notice the lack of Lawson Vaughn. Yeah. The guy who'd made me feel free to trade away Mr. Reliable Namoff to Kc, my big preseason find? I accidentally left him unnumbered on roster cutdown day.
Yeeeeaaaaaaaaah. Imagine that word lasting about 45 seconds, and you'll have how I felt after that 'continue.' Imagine that 'yeeeaaahhh' going as long as one could possibly hold it, breath wavering, nothing but a sibilant rasp. What kind of game this must be, to simulate despair so well!
Filled with that despair, weeping, red-eyed and disheveled, I phoned up KC castoff Chance Myers, who thinks it'd be just totally awesome to play right back for DC, and is young enough to think ramen is still good after 12 straight days.
So, if you've read Fullback's version, you'll see this is a bit of a different approach here. ScyldSceafing's world: Now with 100% more failure. And I'm just getting started, unfortunately.
***
Sean Spence blogs at footballfanalytical.
***
So I come in there, Simpson's gone on a rampage - imagine the offices with the fax machines not torn out of place but humming, deals in the hopper: Sebastian Pena from Argentina? He's on your team. Marco Antonio Vidal, a Mexican-American kid who plays for Indios? Yeah, you just loaned him for the season. Dig it! This fax here says that you just signed Jose Burciaga Jr.! And Bobby Boswell just faxed Mark Simpson - that guy you just fired? - his ass. So I don't think he's coming back.
In general, the start of the Spence regime was deeply chaotic and highly opaque. From the outside, it doubtless looked like we were bunkered up, overwhelmed. My efforts to lure Cory Gibbs from Colorado came to nothing; so, too, my pursuit of every unattached striker in the known universe. Oh Lord, oh Lord, I am going into an MLS season with Grandfather Moreno and Ange N'Silu as my top strikers. I conjured a great wall of nothing, except for one final rochambeaux-style failure, detailed below.
The final roster looked like this:
You'll notice the lack of Lawson Vaughn. Yeah. The guy who'd made me feel free to trade away Mr. Reliable Namoff to Kc, my big preseason find? I accidentally left him unnumbered on roster cutdown day.
Yeeeeaaaaaaaaah. Imagine that word lasting about 45 seconds, and you'll have how I felt after that 'continue.' Imagine that 'yeeeaaahhh' going as long as one could possibly hold it, breath wavering, nothing but a sibilant rasp. What kind of game this must be, to simulate despair so well!
Filled with that despair, weeping, red-eyed and disheveled, I phoned up KC castoff Chance Myers, who thinks it'd be just totally awesome to play right back for DC, and is young enough to think ramen is still good after 12 straight days.
So, if you've read Fullback's version, you'll see this is a bit of a different approach here. ScyldSceafing's world: Now with 100% more failure. And I'm just getting started, unfortunately.
***
Sean Spence blogs at footballfanalytical.
Roster Reset | Thud!
Not the Pratchett novel
, but well worth reading...
No, I'm talking about the acquisition of Adam Cristman. Not that I'm anti-Cristman or anything (well, outside of that time his virtual self hit a bomb that beat my FM2010 DC United side), but it's more what we gave up to get him.
"But it's just an international spot!" I hear you say. True. That's pretty damn cheap for a guy who, although he's coming off a major injury, had a decent rate of goal return for a young player just getting started in the league. Evidence of the rub ("Aye, there it is!") comes when you look at the number of internationals currently on the roster. There's precious little room left to squeeze in that experienced foreign centerback and wily attacking option without doing some pruning, is there?
To the list!
Senior Roster
Developmental Roster
Trialists
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals roster [UPDATE: Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
I can't help feeling that dismissing Gomez and trading away an international spot is tantamount to trading Gomez for Cristman, and that's not sitting so well in my tummy. Clearly, Onalfo likes the kid. He brought him to KC when he was the boss there. He's certainly a trier, and, if healthy, provides some of the forward depth that we're so sorely lacking. But he doesn't bring the magic, does he? I'm not saying that Gomez is/was the answer, but we seem to be bleeding flair into the chum-filled waters of MLS.
Memories...
That southpeg volley against the Galaxy still gives me chills.
, but well worth reading...No, I'm talking about the acquisition of Adam Cristman. Not that I'm anti-Cristman or anything (well, outside of that time his virtual self hit a bomb that beat my FM2010 DC United side), but it's more what we gave up to get him.
"But it's just an international spot!" I hear you say. True. That's pretty damn cheap for a guy who, although he's coming off a major injury, had a decent rate of goal return for a young player just getting started in the league. Evidence of the rub ("Aye, there it is!") comes when you look at the number of internationals currently on the roster. There's precious little room left to squeeze in that experienced foreign centerback and wily attacking option without doing some pruning, is there?
To the list!
Senior Roster
1. Josh Wicks, GK - trade bait?
2. Troy Perkins, GK
3. (I) Julius James, D
4. Lawson Vaughn, D
5. Marc Burch, D
6. (I) Dejan Jakovic, D
7. Bryan Namoff, D - nursing the noggin
8. Devon McTavish, D/M
9. (I) Floribert N'Galula, D/M - how much are we paying him? this year's African washout?
10. Rodney Wallace, D/M
11. (I) Cristian Castillo, M
12. Danny Szetela, M
13. Clyde Simms, M
14. (I) Tiyiselani Shipalane, M/F - can't see both he and Boyzzz making the cut
15. Chris Pontius, M/F
16. Santino Quaranta, M/F
17. (I) Thabiso Khumalo, M/F - see Shipalane, Tiyiselani
18. Adam Cristman, F - acquired from KC for an international spot
19. Jaime Moreno, F
20. (I) Danny Allsopp, F - Oi! Oi! Oi! or oy vey?
Developmental Roster
1. (GA) Bill Hamid, GK
2. (I) Milos Kocic, GK - under contract, but for Dev Dollars again?
3. John DiRaimondo, M
4. Brandon Barklage, M - fully recovered?
5. Jordan Graye, D - we took a local kid so he could live at home on Dev Dollars, right?
Trialists
1. (I?) Lyle Adams, D - I'm assuming he'll want a senior spot, given last year. Also, he grew up in Florida, but does he have citizenship/green card?
2. Nigel White, D - left back candidate
3. Otto Loewy, D/M - don't know much save that he's really athletic, but has been on the shelf with injury; international status?
4. Daniel Wasson, M - washed out abroad, has MLS experience, eligible for Dev Dollars (25 or younger at start of season)
5. (I?) Two-Boys Gumede, M/F - an international if he won't settle for Dev Dollars; what fills first, our Boyzzz quotient or our South African one?
GA = Generation Adidas
I = requires international roster spot, maximum of 8 internationals roster [UPDATE: Cristman trade leaves us with 7 spots]
I can't help feeling that dismissing Gomez and trading away an international spot is tantamount to trading Gomez for Cristman, and that's not sitting so well in my tummy. Clearly, Onalfo likes the kid. He brought him to KC when he was the boss there. He's certainly a trier, and, if healthy, provides some of the forward depth that we're so sorely lacking. But he doesn't bring the magic, does he? I'm not saying that Gomez is/was the answer, but we seem to be bleeding flair into the chum-filled waters of MLS.
Memories...
That southpeg volley against the Galaxy still gives me chills.
The Joys of Pre-Season
Via Goff:
Perhaps Pontius will put it all together. Perhaps Allsopp will make a more impressive splash than I anticipate. Perhaps there's a super-secret mystery international attacker waiting in the wings.
Isn't pre-season fun?
"We're going to look at this group," General Manager Dave Kasper said, referring to players in camp, including Santino Quaranta, Danny Szetela and Floribert N'Galula.Which the "we need a #10!" crowd will read as: Counterattacks 'R Us; let's get physical! I have some sympathy, but I've also long been in favor of doing away with the lynchpin and spreading the playmaking love. A 4-2-2-2 with two holders playing behind two nominally wide players cutting inside to feed a pair of mobile forwards would have me very intrigued, though I fear Onalfo's implementation and the current lack of quality finishing on the roster to carry it out.
Coach Curt Onalfo added: "First and foremost, we feel very comfortable with the players we have in this squad. ... We will continue to evaluate players, whether they are in the league or outside, to continue to help our team. We have had some significant signings and we feel very good about our team as we go into the season."
Perhaps Pontius will put it all together. Perhaps Allsopp will make a more impressive splash than I anticipate. Perhaps there's a super-secret mystery international attacker waiting in the wings.
Isn't pre-season fun?
Love, Hate and Numbers
Let's take a few laps around the interwebs, shall we?
For the love?
Steve Ralston is going home...to play in this...
For the love?
Steve Ralston is going home...to play in this...
(I had a hand-held, electronic gridiron football game in the 80's that looked like that, blinking red LED's and everything!)...and serve as an assistant coach. Ralston could probably still be doing his business in MLS, so you've got to figure he's taking a wee bit of a pay cut to play for a team whose site (beware the auto-playing movie file) was created in iWeb (free with your Mac!) and doesn't yet feature news of his signing (hey, at least they spent the $10 for the domain name, right?). Still, there are things more important than money. Good luck to a class individual.
You Call that Passion?
Head on over to du Nord for a tasty (or rotten, your choice) slice of Manchester Derby. Worth a few moments of your time to read and think about...as opposed to say...
Math is Hard
So Perkins gets the #23 shirt. Why the delay? Were we shopping Kocic, hoping to free up that #1 shirt? Does Kocic even deserve to keep the #1 shirt? Does this mean that Kocic has locked up his spot on the team? I suppose if Freddy didn't have to give up #9 to the returning Moreno...
How long? How long must we sing this song? Given that I'm up here in my remote Keystone mountain hideaway, I obviously don't have as much skin in the game as many of you (or Will Chang, obviously), but honestly, it's like a slow, almost subliminal torture. You can go a while without thinking about it, but there's a subconscious cloud of despair that occasionally parts to let in bits of light that only make the cloud seem darker by contrast.
Ugh.
Sean's DCU|FM Challenge, Part I
If you've been following my adventures in charge of DC United in FM2010, you've seen that I issued a challenge to follow in my virtual footsteps. Well, to date, only one of you has stepped up to that plate. Allow me to present Part I of Sean Spence's DCU|FM Challenge series...
***
I've always had a soft spot for DC. MLS launched without a team anywhere near where I grew up, so I watched the dominant team most avidly. Young Jaime Moreno was something to behold - now I'm going to have to decide whether to keep Old Jaime Moreno. This could be interesting. Thing is, this is Fullback's show, and he's putting one on there in his main thread, y'know? FB has DC ready to lift trophies, or something similarly hiphopish. So I went another direction.
I began by letting Mark Simpson go, as y'do. The guy just doesn't have the chops - I like to have an AM with good man management, so I can trust his insight into the engine, if y'see what I'm sayin'. In comes Martin Vasquez, not yet hired by Chivas, haha frickin' ha. He's a fantastic AM for MLS - good stats in motivation, man management, and lots of coaching categories. He'll organize and stabilize the staff, no matter what whack-ass bullshit I decide is necessary during the season. There's a couple of other guys, but damn, this thing could get long, couldn't it? Suffice to say I tried to lace together a staff.
And yet, and yet ... see, it's confession time. I undertook this challenge during the holidays, full of (one could say) high spirits. Very, very full of spirits, indeed. And the fact is, there's some transfer deals in the hopper I don't remember initiating. So, in game terms, I'm viewing it this way: Someone (possibly Mark Simpson, since I've already axed him) made some promises in DC United letterhead. And, since DC United is the Bestest, Most Successful Team in the history of MLS, they (we) honor () their (our) word. And what could be more like coaching in MLS than having an unaccountable front office hand you a dysfunctional roster?
Anyway. My New Year's self (freed entirely of inhibition, and now identified in the game world as Mark Simpson) started strong, sending Emilio packing to Salt Lake straight-up for Fabian Espindola, who makes about $600 a week, saving us about 14 grand each week. I picked up Lawson Vaughn off waivers, then packaged Simms and Namoff to KC for Claudio Lopez ... err, yeeeeah. I was feeling swashbuckling. Did I say I was? I meant Mark Simpson. That guy's crazy. I had to fire him!
Somehow, Gomez remained on the roster; ahhhh, Gomez. I remember those happy days, three weeks ago, when I could look at his numbers (16 creativity, passing) and imagine something other than a man who wilts under challenges that wouldn't bother stout U12 girls. Christian may owe his continuing employment to the fact that 'Mark Simpson' grew discouraged by overpaying for El Piojo.
***
Sean Spence blogs at footballfanalytical.
***
I've always had a soft spot for DC. MLS launched without a team anywhere near where I grew up, so I watched the dominant team most avidly. Young Jaime Moreno was something to behold - now I'm going to have to decide whether to keep Old Jaime Moreno. This could be interesting. Thing is, this is Fullback's show, and he's putting one on there in his main thread, y'know? FB has DC ready to lift trophies, or something similarly hiphopish. So I went another direction.
I began by letting Mark Simpson go, as y'do. The guy just doesn't have the chops - I like to have an AM with good man management, so I can trust his insight into the engine, if y'see what I'm sayin'. In comes Martin Vasquez, not yet hired by Chivas, haha frickin' ha. He's a fantastic AM for MLS - good stats in motivation, man management, and lots of coaching categories. He'll organize and stabilize the staff, no matter what whack-ass bullshit I decide is necessary during the season. There's a couple of other guys, but damn, this thing could get long, couldn't it? Suffice to say I tried to lace together a staff.
And yet, and yet ... see, it's confession time. I undertook this challenge during the holidays, full of (one could say) high spirits. Very, very full of spirits, indeed. And the fact is, there's some transfer deals in the hopper I don't remember initiating. So, in game terms, I'm viewing it this way: Someone (possibly Mark Simpson, since I've already axed him) made some promises in DC United letterhead. And, since DC United is the Bestest, Most Successful Team in the history of MLS, they (we) honor (
Anyway. My New Year's self (freed entirely of inhibition, and now identified in the game world as Mark Simpson) started strong, sending Emilio packing to Salt Lake straight-up for Fabian Espindola, who makes about $600 a week, saving us about 14 grand each week. I picked up Lawson Vaughn off waivers, then packaged Simms and Namoff to KC for Claudio Lopez ... err, yeeeeah. I was feeling swashbuckling. Did I say I was? I meant Mark Simpson. That guy's crazy. I had to fire him!
Somehow, Gomez remained on the roster; ahhhh, Gomez. I remember those happy days, three weeks ago, when I could look at his numbers (16 creativity, passing) and imagine something other than a man who wilts under challenges that wouldn't bother stout U12 girls. Christian may owe his continuing employment to the fact that 'Mark Simpson' grew discouraged by overpaying for El Piojo.
***
Sean Spence blogs at footballfanalytical.
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