Si no me quieres, librame
by playtherapy on Aug 29, 2011 1:23 PM CDT
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PrintBIG THANKS TO ZACH FOR HELPING ME GET THIS TO POST
Sometimes being bored has its advantages.
After an hour of being undercaffeinated while listening to a lecture about the philosophy of coaching Under 8's waaaaay too early on a Saturday morning, my thoughts drifted to the Orangemen (apologies to anyone Irish for that reference). These musings soon found their way to paper.
As playoff races tighten up, each result seems exponentially magnified, increasing the closer a team is to the cut-off line. For a team in Year 1 of a partial rebuild, a subtext underlies the playoff hunt- whatever happens on the field will help determine next year's roster. Hopefully, this will be a parallel process as we will be playing for the now, and also evaluating and planning for the later.
Several questions come to mind:
1. Where does Cameron play- now and/or next year?
This decision should affect many other decisions.
2. Is Boswell a starter or a sub?
As above.
3. Who will start next year- Sarkodie or Freeman?
4. Who pairs with Ching?
5. Will we ever have a deep enough roster to rest Ching effectively and not suffer the results (discounting April's record)?
6. Who plays at Central Attacking Midfield (spin off question- do we keep the diamond midfield)?
7. Are Costly and Camargo players we want for next year?
If no, then we need to already be planning when, how, and where to look for next season.
8. In the next expansion draft, what 11 do we protect? Given our roster, there's gonna be
some really tough decisions.
Last yrs rules: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/official-mls-expansion-draft-rules
9. Looking outside the 11 protected, we probably want some value for players likely to get selected in the expansion draft. Who do we need to trade before we lose them (if unprotected)? Who is dead weight?
10. Who are the cornerstones of our rebuild?
Views and opinions expressed in FanPosts are representative of the user alone. They do not represent the opinions of Dynamo Theory or its editor and writers.
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play, I needed something sweet after lunch and I think this fits the bill.
/aw yeah, pops collar
I know the season is still warm and may be heating up (to say nothing of our recent weather or form, until Saturday) but its never too early to think ahead. Good teams must always have one eye on the present and another to the future. On to the questions!
1. Cameron as CB. I will beat that gong until my arm falls off. I feel a bit like Saul/Paul on this one as I originally had said try Cam as as our footballing version of WD-40 but its clear now that the problem he would address the best is defense. We can make due with what we have and quite possibly do far better than what we’ve seen, which isn’t a knock on him because, well, he’s not a midfielder but he performed admirably well there. But defense wins championships (or at least helps get you near there) and our defense, while not bad, is shaky at best. As you astutely note, putting him back there helps put other pieces into place.
2. With Cameron’s move back to CB, Boz becomes a sub…a super-sub, if you will. Again, we need to be eye-balling next year and he’ll be a relatively slow, relatively ageing and expensive defender. Look at it this way: Cameron is 26 and makes less than $40K, Hainault is 26 and makes $100K. Boswell is 28 and is making almost $200K. One Boswell costs more than Hainault and Cameron. I really, really like Boz and his play but look, we’ve got to be smart. If Hainault is an equal defender in terms of play but is younger and cheaper, do the math as to which should stay and which should go. Think of what we could do with an additional $200K (and before you say, “well with this FO, nothing”, well, I can’t really say anything. Let’s just say its better to have money than not.) We either find someone who really needs a good defender or we don’t protect him.
3. Sarkodie starts. See #2.
4. Get someone with pace. Either Carr or maybe get someone like Nyassi from NER. I know I know, still young and all but fast as the wind…and not in an Oduro type of way. We have no one with pace and it contributes to our one-dimensional attack.
5. Yes, but see #4. If we can sign two forwards (one who is quick, one is not not as quick but bigger but still relatively pacey) then we can pair them up with Ching and Bruin. But we can’t break the bank on those two additional forwards, though getting rid of some other players (mentioned above) plus Garey and perhaps Weaver would help.
6. Keep the diamond for now because quite honestly, its been a while since we’ve had a dangerous diamond. I don’t think bringing someone in who would force us to change formation would necessarily help right now. That would take a bit more time and some tweaks to the roster. That being said, do you really want to get me started on the myriad options we have to sign at CAM, either on loan or as a DP?
7. Incomplete. I really wish we had a better advanced midfielder to properly evaluate Costly, because he’s been putting in the effort but I think part of that also depends on someone who can feed him the ball, and he hasn’t really had that. Keep him if his terms aren’t too burdensome. We have what, 9 games left to see what Camargo can do (7-8 in realistic terms)?
8. Kept XI:
Bruin
Ching
Cameron
Davis
Clark
Moffat
Ashe
Hainault
Sarkodie
Hall
Dixon
9. Look to trade Cruz, unless we can get a quality 2-for-1 deal for Ashe (highly unlikely but one never knows…decent LB’s don’t grow on trees. On second thought, keep him). I’d also like to see what we could get for Garey and/or Weaver (probably not as a package but rather individually). Doubtful we find trade partners for Boz or Freeman simply because of salary issues, but you never know…the end of the season might expose needs of other teams, so we have to be diligent about that. Also potential trade bait: Tyler Deric. Dead weight: Robinson.
10. Yutes (mostly): Hall, Sarkodie, Cameron, Dixon, Davis and Moffat. Davis is getting up there at 29 but his play and service are unquestionable. Still has a good 2-3 years left of prime play. Cam and Hall are next at 26, but given their form Hall has at least a good 6-8 in him and Cameron probably has another 3-4 years of prime play. Moffat, likewise, at 25. Dixon and Sarkodie are just outside of 20, so need I say more?
Thanks for posting such an elaborate response!
BTW- Does Costly have to produce the goods before season’s end to keep him (and we all know what forwards are paid to do…) ???
Ah
the Torres/Dzenko conundrum. I think it more or less applies here; where someone with quality should be scoring more but for one reason or another isn’t, and you’re terrified of letting him go as he may find the right place elsewhere…for those who may not follow English Football, a quick breakdown (likely unnecessary but I’ve got a bit of time to kill before dinner in the oven is ready):
Fernando Torres was one of the premier strikers in the EPL and previously played for Liverpool; late in the transfer window last season, Chelsea (Roman Abramovitch, basically) wanted Torres and signed him for an EPL record €56 million. Well, he didn’t exactly work out as I believe he scored a grand total of 1 goal for them last season. But then again, he was thrown into a squad that already had two quality, established strikers (Drogba & Anelka). So effectively inserting him without someone who could really give him service proved to be part of the issue (there were of course other issues but that’s a whole ’nuther story). Edin Dzeko was in a similar position, as Man City last year paid about €30 million for him and in all league and cup competitions last year only managed to score 6 goals. He also found himself in similar straits with high expectations (deservedly) but a squad in turmoil and inconsistent service.
This year with the addition of key players and a settled rotation, both look to change those results with Torres coming dangerously close in the 3 games so far (and with the valuable addition of Juan Mata to provide creativity and service) and Dzeko tagging 4 goals on Tottenham this past weekend.
I guess the point of this “conundrum” is that its tricky to evaluate someone who you’re paying quite a bit for but isn’t quite producing. I tend to give Costly the Torres/Dzeko treatment: he looks promising but I really believe that the right addition can really unlock him and give him the chances he needs to convert, as right now he is having to force the issue and do it himself (which he isn’t typically used to). With that in mind, I think if he doesn’t score but is tantalizingly close and circumstances would be reasonable that if he had someone to help create for him and he finish then yes, I’d say keep him. The proviso being that he isn’t asking for DP-level pay. If he is, then God bless and take care in your travels.
/elaborate response
See them a bit differently
I don’t see Torres/Dzeko as “birds of a feather”. Dzenko has already shown up this season, whereas El Niño is no longer El Niño- never truly making it back from injury.
Perhaps he is a victim of the pod people, and the Blues merely need to send a recovery team of Russian mercs to rescue the ‘real’ El Niño. Unless they can find and bring him back, he’s a waste in the first 11. Besides, Dzenko cost about half of what Torres did, and has produced 6 times as much…
Oh- and
To be truly evil…
If lack of service is the problem for Torres, why can’t he score for Spain?
Must be those crappy Spanish midfielders, LOL
(sorry, Mike, couldn’t help it…)
You cut me to the quick
….I’ve got no response really.
/hangs head
//kicks dirt
PS – But if Mata’s play means Torres starts scoring, I’M TOTALLY RUBBING IT IN YOUR FACE :)
///please vindicate me
Gotta admit
I really like Torres and wanted him to shine for the Blues.
Too bad about Modric- he would have really added something. A forward line with Drogba and Torres doesn’t work.
Thought you were gonna tell me about El Niño’s goal against the US.
Actually want it rubbed in my face, as a world with an in-form Torres is a happier place.
Though
I think the next few weeks will be that window of opportunity for Torres as Drogba should be out of the equation (if they decide to play him with the excuse of a “mild concussion” I’d have my lawyer on stand-by), so therefore he should be starting and be able to link up w/Mata. And yes, having Modric would significantly improve things as well…but we’ll see as the transfer window closes today. In any event, this is his chance to keep the job as the unquestionable starter but he has to start putting it in the back of the net, particularly against Sunderland in a couple of weeks.
I dearly want him to work there, but we’ll see how that works out
Wouldn't Dixon be protected no matter what since he's a homegrown product?
Unless the rules changed a bit
I didn't know
if that was applicable since he is now part of the team…I had just assumed that the rules that applied to DP signings (that they are not protected unless explicitly stated) also applied to Academy-to-senior-roster signings as well.
Though I guess this is the section you’re referencing:
“• Players
on a Club’s Developmental Roster, other than Generation adidas players who have
not been graduated at the end of the 2010 MLS Season or Home Grown Players on a
Club’s developmental roster, will be part of the expansion draft.
• Generation
adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2010 MLS Season
and Home Grown Players on a Club’s developmental roster at the end of the 2010
MLS Season are automatically protected (Clubs do not have to use a protected
slot on them)."
Damn!
This formatted so well in MS word, and even looked good in the preview, but now looks very blech!
Answers
1. CB preferably
2. Both, depending on Hainault’s health and presence.
3. Sarkodie
4. The high-dollar, high-profile DP we have been promised. That is, if Ching is still playing.
5. Yes. (My glasses, they are orange-colored.)
6. See Answer No. 4.
7. If Costly scores or if he can be had for cheap, yes. As for Camargo, once I see him play, I’ll answer it.
8. Sorry, I lack the required Master’s Degrees to figure out MLS rules.
9. Hunter Freeman and JeVaughn Watson
10. Brad Davis, Cameron, Hainault and (surprisingly) Moffat. Also key: Sarkodie, Bruin, Jermaine Taylor, Ashe, Dixon, Colin Clark and the Answer to Nos. 4 and 6.
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
Forgot
about Taylor (response 9)…if someone can be snookered into taking him in a trade, bully for us. If not, definite dead weight at the end of the season.
Oh and about MLS rules, I believe you require: a Master’s Degree, knowledge of bone reading and experience in alchemy. Other than that, pretty straightforward
One Jamaican or the other. :>
Watson is defeinitely one of the bigger disappointments of the season. He’s got a lot of talent. He’s just not very disciplined in how he uses it.
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
Perfectly said
Though sadly, its applicable to both Jamaicans…but I agree that of the two, Watson is the greater disappointment because he does have greater talent, he just can’t put it together or doesn’t care to. Either way, I don’t think that switch will flip and I’d rather not waste any more time or money on him once the season is over. Cut him and make room for another signing…as ever, we can only speculate about how much money that would free up (I’d imagine at least $150-200K) but you never know. In any event, we can get younger, cheaper talent that has the desire and discipline
Completely unsolicited
So I’m waiting to present something and in the meantime cobble this together for the benefit of daydreaming and our FO. A helpful list of players from around the world that could help fill the AM/FW/RW/RM gaps we have:
ATTACKING/ADVANCED MIDFIELDERS
BRAZIL
Willian Leandro
26 y/o
5’9"
Coritiba FC (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $215K
Rodriguinho
23 y/o
5’9"
América FC (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $288K
Caique
24 y/o
6’0"
Avai FC (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $288K
ARGENTINA
Nilo Carretero
23 y/o
5’9"
Atletico Banfield (Argentine First Division)
Cost: $288K
Pablo Hernández
24 y/o
6’0"
Argentinos Juniors (Argentine First Division)
Cost: $575K
Ronald Quinteros
26 y/o
5’9"
Santa Fe (Argentina First Division)
Cost: $430K
URUGUAY
Facundo Guichon
20 y/o
5’11"
CA Peñarol (Uruguay First Division)
Cost: $172K
Maximiliano Calzada
21 y/o
5’7"
Nacional Montevideo (Uruguay First Division)
Cost: $320K
ANGOLA
Job
23 y/o
5’11"
CA Petroleos Luanda (Angola First Division)
Cost: $144K
GERMANY
Akaki Gogia
19 y/o
5’10"
FC Augsburg (German Bundesliga A)
Cost: $576K
Julian Wießmeier
18 y/o
5’7"
FC Nuremberg (German Bundesliga A)
Cost: $500K
Christian Müller
27 y/o
5’11"
FC Energie Cottbus (German Bundesliga B, on loan from Hertha BSC)
Cost: $430K
SPAIN
Edu Bedia
22 y/o
5’11"
Racing Santander (Spanish First Division)
Cost: $720K
Julián Luque
19 y/o
5’9"
Racing Santander (Spanish First Division)
Cost: $430K
Marc Mateu
21 y/o
5’10"
Levante (Spanish First Division)
Cost: $288K
FRANCE
Karim El Hany
23 y/o
5’7"
AC Ajaccio (French First Division)
Cost: $430K
Thomas Guerbert
22 y/o
5’11"
FCO Dijon (French First Division)
Cost: $216K
Faycal Fajr
23 y/o
5’10"
SM Caen (French First Division)
Cost: $216K
US
Jonathan Steele
25 y/o
5’11"
Carolina Railhawks (US Second Division)
Cost: $108K
Junior Sandoval
20 y/o
5’10"
Puerto Rico Islanders (US Second Division)
Cost: ?
Neil Hlavaty
24 y/o
5’11"
NSC Minnesota Stars (US Second Division)
Cost: $144K
WINGERS/FORWARDS
BRAZIL
Léo
21 y/o
5’11"
Striker
América FC (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $216K
Wesley
21 y/o
6’0"
Striker/Centre Forward
Grêmio (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $216K
Fernandão
24 y/o
6’3"
Striker/Centre Forward
Palmeiras (Brazilian First Division)
Cost: $360K
ARGENTINA
Cristian Hernan Diaz
22 y/o
5’7"
LM/RM/Winger
Newell’s Old Boys (Argentina First Division)
Cost: $72K
Fernando Aníbal Alarcón
21 y/o
5’9"
RM
Argentinos Juniors (Argentina First Division)
Cost: $36K
URUGUAY
Martín Icart
26 y/o
5’8"
RM/Winger
Atletico River Plate Montevideo (Uruguay First Division)
Cost: $325K
Santiago Lamanna
19 y/o
5’9"
Attacking Mid/Right Winger
Montevideo Wanderers (Uruguay First Division)
Cost: $250K
ANGOLA
Mabiná
23 y/o
RM/Winger
CA Petrleos Luanda (Angolan First Division)
Cost: $144K
GERMANY
Markus Mendler
18 y/o
5’8"
RM/Winger
FC Nuremberg (German Bundesliga A)
Cost: $720K
SPAIN
Alberto Perea
21 y/o
5’9"
RM
Rayo Vallecano (Spanish First Division)
Cost: $430K
Julián Luque
19 y/o
5’9"
Right Winger
Racing Santander (Spanish First Division)
Cost: $430K
FRANCE
Florin Bérenguer
22 y/o
5’10"
Right Winger
FCO Dijon (French First Division)
Cost: $576K
As you can see, these were culled from all first division teams for the respective countries, so not exactly a list of scrubs here: all quality. Clearly you can see the Europeans cost more, but you’re likely paying a mixture of better overall training and of course, a European premium (’cause they can). Anyway, that is all. Carry on, citizens
A little undercomplete, ain't ya?
I think you missed one or two guys. :>
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
Here's my go at this...
1) Geoff is a CB unless we need him at CAM because of injury to someone better (that part is important otherwise he stays at CAM)
2) Boswell in my ideal Dynamo defense is a starter. Ashe – Cameron – Boswell – Hainault
3) See #2…Give Sarkodie minutes off the bench and allow Freeman to fill in for injuries on the left/right side (remember he can play either side so he has some value..plus remember that 5 game unbeaten run lately…)
4) Right now…hard to say who is best with Ching. Best forward pairing all season was Bruin/Weaver, but Ching just got hot and Costly hasn’t been immersed in MLS too long so I give him more time. Ching/Costly for now, but I think we see how Weaver/Bruin produce off the bench and during reserve matches and evaluate our options that way.
5) You can’t not count April..I reference it too much! We have deep options at the forward spot I think..they just need to contribute at an even rate. Assuming we keep Costly (cheap?), Weaver, and Bruin we have good options. Carr in my mind is expendable, but he still has time to show his value.
6) Keep the diamond. We really haven’t had a true diamond formation in awhile as Cameron comes back too deep often on defense to stay true to it. So I have two opinions on this…opinion a) Camargo could be a great CAM..but nobody has seen him really so we’ll see and hope he is all that’s cracked up to be. Opinion b) Assuming our roster is the same or close to it, have Cameron at CAM but allow him to fall back and Moffat to attack (very similar to Colorado’s style in the midfield).
7) Haven’t seen Camargo so I have no idea. We’ll see. We’ve seen glimpses of what Costly can do. Right now I think he needs to acclimate himself to this league, stop getting offsides, and be a little less selfish with the ball outside the 18 yard box. Basically he needs time with the team. If he can improve keep him..he has the rest of the season to prove that which doesn’t have to manifest itself in goals in my opinion. Assists are just as valuable..just as long as we win! So if he contributes very positively the rest of the season, let’s keep him. But we should consider other options as well.
8) My 11 to keep
Hall
Ashe
Boswell
Cameron
Hainault
Davis
Moffat
Clark
Ching
Bruin
and Weaver* (sorry he’s contributed much more than Sarkodie and Dixon this year and will probably do so next year, but I would be okay with either of them as well).
I’m also not sure which players are automatically protected. I think Deric was last year since he was a homegrown player so Dixon, Soto, and Cobo could be protected. Which reminds me, we might want to protect Deric just because I don’t want other teams (Seattle) to grab a quality keeper. If Cruz is still a Gen. Adidas player he’s protected.
9) We could probably get something for Sarkodie, Dixon, possibly in E. Rob, J. Taylor, and Watson could be seen as our most valuable assets. Dead weight..well E. Rob comes to mind, but some teams might value his experience and he’s been healthy for awhile so..you never know.
10) Cornerstones = Hall, Davis, and Cameron. Other players have a lot of value, but just don’t hold up to these three in terms of the future of the team. Davis being 29 means nothing to me. He’s playing better than he ever has and is only getting better (see each season before this one and see the trend for him). Also consider that players like Dempsey is 28, Landon Donovan is 29 and they are at the top of their respective games – like Davis. I’m not worried about his age. Hell even Diego Forlan is 32 and he won the golden ball at the World Cup. Age means little and, in this league where older players come to die, players can be in their late 30s or even early 40s (thank you very much Onstad).
Woo that was fun!
Thoughts
I should probably brush up on my MLS knowledge more but do you know if there are any backs out there that would be comparable to Ashe or Freeman? I’m not particularly impressed with either one…don’t get me wrong, they’re both good but I wonder if there is better out there that we could possibly swing in a deal. It’s just I’ve noticed our play from the LB/RB position is shaky defensively (offensively, I rather they’re overall play), and it usually requires intervention from Hainault/Boz which puts them in precarious spots. They play like a very poor man’s version of Dani Alves
Some guy named Lovell Palmer
Is doing a fine job for Portland on the right side :).
If Sarkodie starts, why do you need someone other than backup on the right?
Ashe is hit or miss defensively and I think he’ll only get better. The trade off between offense and defense is worth it for me- he gives us a dimension we desperately need in attack.
by playtherapy on Aug 31, 2011 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions
That's the word on the street
I think Sarkodie becomes full-time starter before mid-season of next year and Freeman finds himself on the trade block. He’ll play now and beginning of next year while they incorporate Sarkodie more but I think his days are numbered.
I should probably put a giant disclaimer for all my trade/release talk: I have nothing against anyone of these players I talk about releasing/trading. They play hard and contribute to the community and I’d have a beer with the lot of them. But this is a team and a bid’ness, so we have to treat it as such
I do agree that I really, really like when Ashe gets forward more because his time as midfielder shows in the way he gets forward and his penetration…but his defense is shaky and at times, woeful. I’m not sure what his ceiling is defensively but I do agree his offensive contributions can and should get better. If its a case of learning to live with his defensive shortcomings (which, for a person playing a defensive position, if we’re willing to deal with your defensive shortcomings your offensive contribution damn sure better be consistently good), then its imperative that Cam moves back to CB. Same applies to Freeman/Boz at RB
Sorry for the late response. My go:
1. Gotta say Geoff is at CB, which makes Boz @ 210k expendable. I think Brian is a great guy, a leader, and a good locker room personality- aside from the great community presence. But, let’s face it, there are better CB’s at a third of the price, though you lose a bit of offense and goals.
Cameron would provide passing from the back and Boz like goals. If the salary cap was not a concern, I’d prefer Cameron and Boz over any other combination, simply for what it does to our ability to get the ball out of the back, quickly and efficiently. I know I’ve written a lot about this, so I’ll just add that great markers and tacklers are invaluable, but so are guys that allow you to keep possession and greatly increase the odds of you transitioning rapidly form your back to your opponent’s final third.
Close those gaping mouths gentlemen (and please chime in if there’s a lady here- you can keep your mouth open).
It is possible to be able to transition quickly into attack- even for the Dynamo- and no, we don’t need Donovan to do this.
2. If Boz stays, @ 210k per annum, he MUST start. This is the bellwether of whether he stays or goes. He’s much too expensive to be an accessory.
Either Boz or Hainault should go.
3. The Sarkodie/Freeman situation is similar though my mind is already made up on this one. The gap between them isn’t great, but the salary difference is (Freeman makes 150k). If we can find a taker, trade him, if not, Montreal might take his salary off our hands.
4. The more I see of Costly, the less impressive he looks. Yes, he’s not being catered to as per a five star restaurant. The service is akin to Mel’s Diner. Yet his job is to make things happen up top, either by scoring or creating opportunities for others.
I haven’t seen that yet- in the games I’ve seen, Carlos looks like a guy who’s already planning where he wants to play next season. And it ain’t here. If the energy spent on that could translate into results on the field, I’d say make him a good offer.
I don’t see him as the type of player who will work for peanuts, but I’m unsure of his market value south of the border.
I would like to see us find a young Columbian or Argentinean forward with wheels to platoon with Bruin up top.
Weaver is a good enough sub for Ching at holding forward and won’t break the bank. Martek told me Carr is hesitant going after headers, probably a natural body reaction after his concussion. However, seeing as we are often Dynamo Direct, he can’t be the speed guy with this liability. I see him as questionable. Garey is a roster filler and dead weight.
5. Let there be light!
As Micheal_D quotes,
“Please, please, please let me get what I want. Lord knows, it will be the first time.”
6. I don’t see the advantages of the diamond if Cameron is up top, though as many have written, we don’t play a true diamond. If we had “true wingers”, we could go with two DM’s or if we withdrew a forward, that might work to.
We don’t do fancy well, nor do we have the staff, so my vote is keep it simple.
If Camargo works out @ CAM or in a box to box role, this cements the answer to #1, with Moffat holding.
7. Haven’t seen Camargo, knowing Dom, we probably won’t see much of him before season’s end. Costly is starting out of necessity more than merit and I expect Bruin to replace him in the starting 11 once fit. For Camargo to see significant time, someone’s gonna have to sit. Who???
Costly- see #4.
8. Humpf.
Protected
Hall
Ashe
Sarkodie
Cameron
Boz (look for offers before draft)
Hainault (need to decide between Boz and Hainault)
Moffat
Bruin
Ching
Davis
Clark
(since either Boz or Hainault are going- adding a twelfth man)
Cruz
Unprotected
Freeman (look to trade, getting something back is better than nothing)
Taylor (on the cusp- was contract only for 1 yr with option?)
Robinson (persuade to retire)
Watson
Garey
Weaver
Deric (on the cusp)
Given the slew of 1 yr foreign player contracts, I’m unsure how many players we’ll have contracted into 2012.
9. Watson, Freeman need to go. Crucial decision regarding where Cameron plays- this will help top determine what to do with Boz. If Cameron is a CB, either Hainault or Boz need to go. If I have my druthers, for the price, I’d keep Taylor though I wouldn’t protect him. If only he learned to backpass without trying to feed the other team!
10. Davis, Bruin, possibly Cameron if we are brave enough to place him at his best position. Cruz has a lot of upside as he is very young and needs to learn some savvy.
I think its critical
we identify who are core players are because as you’ve illustrated, we’ve got a team of people ready to retire, on short contract or nearing the end of their value to us (age, cost, production v output) so we could potentially lose 5+ people at the end of the season. That will require a very smart and well-planned offseason strategy that I’m not sure exists. Perhaps the FO has this giant, underground answer to Langley underneath HASP where they plot this all out but the evidence thus far doesn’t seem to suggest that. I think we could agree the following could easily be gone by the end of the season:
Garey
Robinson
Watson
Boz (they were putting feelers around the league for him) or Freeman (I think he survives and plays more next season only to get traded)
Costly
Camargo (even though we did only have him for like 6 games)
Carr
And we have no idea what Ching will be like at the end of the season, particularly if we make the playoffs and against the odds make a deep push there. I pray he holds up fine but he gets knocked around all the time (thanks MLS Officiating!) and he’s no spring chicken either.
That’s quite a gaping hole in the roster, unless of course I’m overthinking this (possibly) or the FO thinks everything will be fine with just a tweak or two (also possible)
Hmm
Jury’s out for me on Costly and Camargo though if we see more of the same from Carlos, then he can hit the rails.
I’m very disappointed it has taken so long to get Camargo on the field.
by playtherapy on Aug 31, 2011 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Fair point
I’ve been generous in giving Costly the benefit of the doubt but the next 2 games will test that magnanimity. If he either can’t put it in the back of the net or come damn near close (as in an amazing save prevented it or rubbish officiating, two likely scenarios) then its probably best to prepare his bags and look up flights for him.
Oh and don’t even get me started there. I’m assuming we’re rookies either in dealing with Brazilians since it does take an age to make things happen with them. I know thee well, so I speak from experience. But the payoff can be, well, glorious. It’s just I hate that we may see him with what, 7 games to go? And he’s supposed to impress us enough to keep him on for next season…its just a bit of an ask, but I hope he’s the goods for his sake and ours.
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