Major Link Soccer - Dealing With Disappointment Edition
by Dizzo on Aug 15, 2011 10:01 AM PDT
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
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PrintIt's one of those mornings where you hold on to your morning cup of coffee and try to transition your mind to the work ahead. Not the easiest task after the latest weekend in Seattle Sounder-land. Two big let-downs this weekend. The first was a disappointing 0-0 tie against Chivas USA at the C-Link. It was a game that the Sounders dominated in most statistical categories you'd care to count. However, the defensive organization of the goats was good and the finishing of the Sounders once again fell short. On the positive side, the defense has looked much better the last two games.
For those of you who missed the game you can see highlights and photos.
No News Is the Big News: Of course the big news this weekend ended up being no news at all. After months of speculation and rumor the Seattle Sounders failed to secure a much needed target forward in the international transfer market. However, it wasn't for a lack of effort. The team had two candidates they actively pursued. One was almost signed until some injuries at the player's current club caused him to rethink the deal. Best guesses for the two targets are Djibril Cisse and Prince Tagoe. I'm personally happy to see the Sounders raise the bar on the types of players they want to bring for the team's third designated player. The team has until September 15th to make an in-league trade or pick up a player currently out of contract.
No One Wants Angel: The other expected transfer news that never materialized involved Robbie Keane joining the LA Galaxy on an estimated two-year ($8 million dollar) contract. Of course, to make the deal happen, the Galaxy needed to off-load Juan Pablo Angel to free up a designated player spot. Rumors had the former New York Red Bulls stand-out going to either Chivas USA or the Philadelphia Union. Now, according to SBI, the deal is back on with Angel going to crosstown rivals Chivas USA. Most likely, the LA Galaxy are paying a very large chunk of Angel's salary to make the deal happen. An announcement needs to happen soon since the international transfer deadline has already passed.
Montano to Montreal: The Sounders have loaned out young midfielder Miguel Montano to the Montreal Impact. The 20-year midfielder has struggled to get playing time since arriving in Seattle last year. The loan deal should provide the young midfielder a chance to improve his on-field decision making. It will also provide Montreal a good look at a player they might want to take in next season's expansion draft.
Auvray to NYRB: Sporting Kansas City has traded midfielder Stephane Auvray in exchange for a draft pick. Auvray had clearly fallen out of favor in K.C. However, the veteran midfielder provides some much needed depth to the New York Red Bulls midfield. The interesting bit is how this affects the cap space for both teams. This year Auvray picks up a salary of $170,000. The trade creates significant flexibility for the Sporks and further jams up the Red Bulls roster with aging, high-priced talent.
NYRB Continue to Drift: At the start of the season the New York Red Bulls were the favorites to top the Eastern conference and perhaps even win the MLS Cup. This weekend they were lucky to claw back a point in a 2-2 draw against the cellar dwelling Chicago Fire. They are now 12th in the league on a PPM basis and their last win was on July 6th. So, the NYRB could miss the playoffs despite the huge payroll, league-leading talent and the current leader for the golden boot. That's certainly enough to put coach Hans Backe on the coaching hot-seat. What the hell is wrong with the Red Bulls?
Cyrus Out for The Season: Improving the Spork's defense has been a priority for the team this off-season. The team brought in Trinidad & Tobago defender Daniel Cyrus in on a loan to help with the problems in the back. Unfortunately for the team, Cyrus fractured his leg less than one month into his loan spell and will miss the rest of the season.
WPS Attendance is Up: Attendance is up 89% in the Women's Professional Soccer League since the Women's World Cup. Playoffs begin this Wednesday. Women's collegiate soccer also starts up in the fall and the University of Washington is currently ranked 19th in the Soccer America preseason polling.
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LOL @Red Bulls
How’s that John Rooney signing working out?
Moral of the story: It pays to have a bench in MLS.
lets just give them the shield already
by Aasenb on Aug 15, 2011 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Maybe OBW will animorph into Eric Cantona
and we won’t have to worry about it. Seems unlikely, though
by Kyle Ritter on Aug 15, 2011 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
No doubt
Still, no official announcement for JPA. The latest is that he’s going to Chivas USA. I don’t know why we haven’t seen an announcement. Clearly, LA are having a hard time unloading him. I’m half-waiting for another Calvin-ball type rule change from the league to get AEG what they want.
by Dizzo on Aug 15, 2011 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Good for Montano getting loaned
hopefully he gets some minutes over there.
On Angel, I’m shocked at how his stock has fallen so quickly. I wonder if it was Arena’s system he didn’t click with? I can only wonder what he’d have been able to do for us.
by chrisperry1983 on Aug 15, 2011 10:58 AM PDT reply actions
JPA's goals dating back to 2008 (excluding PKs):
- 46 in first 89 MLS matches
- 3 in last 35 MLS matches
I don’t think it’s the system as much as he’s just succumbing to age and ineffectiveness. His effectiveness is limited at this point; still useful but not to make big runs off the ball all the time
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 15, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Despite those #s
I’d take Angel off the Galaxy’s hands for the rest of the season if LA was paying a big chunk of his salary for us. Not at full price though. We’ll never find out most likely, but it’d be interesting to know what kind of deal LA is getting.
I might be persuaded
It would really depend on how much of JPA’s salary LAG is compensating/reimbursing. I think JPA could actually be effective for us (moreso than at Chivas), where we have enough good players in the midfield to give him the service he needs, and Montero to draw defenders off him (or vice versa). Wouldn’t want JPA beyond this year, however, as I’d hope for a better option come the next transfer window.
The fact that JPA dislikes turf and has no reason to come here probably didn’t help our chances. I do remember reading we did inquire about JPA, but it didn’t go far. Guessing the numbers weren’t attractive.
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 15, 2011 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Pretty much my thoughts exactly
I’d want at least half his salary paid (let’s say paid down to $500K-ish)and only for the rest of this season. Other teams more desperate for a forward would probably take less than that.
I heard one of the sticking points
was that JPA’s family had just settled into LA, making the Chivas deal much more palatable to him.
Salary Caps
Salary caps trades always take someone smarter than me to figure out.
So how does it work in MLS …..
LA can pay JPA’s salary, but only have 3 DP when they sign another ( Keane ) ?
Do they have to pay it in a lump sum before they sign the other DP ?
We don't know when the actual wheelings & dealings were done
JPA could very well already be off LA’s books, but it just hasn’t been reported yet. His destination has already been reported – Chivas. I’d have to hope if his destination was already spilled this morning, the details of the move were worked out prior – maybe even last night.
At the end of the day Keane coming to MLS is HUGE for MLS, so obviously the MLS would help LAG do what they must to make it happen. I’m sure the MLS would do the same for us if we were in the same boat, so I’m not crying foul here. Adrian dropped hints as much to new rules coming down the road that will help us…. what’s good for the goose, as they say
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 15, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
The LAG Exception
I was wondering how they could have space for Keane under the cap if they are paying a significant portion of JPA’s remaining 2011 salary. It seems very likely that the league is once again breaking bending the rules to suit AEG.
They did do the same
Remember they took Nkufo off our books, when it became apparent he didn’t want to play. So I don’t really have much to complain about the league putting JPA in limbo for awhile.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. Our yachts are all around you, there is no escape.
That was before the season though
If Nkufo had remained on the roster for one more day, he would have hit our salary cap. So the question remains as to how LA is avoiding the cap/DP issues.
Okay, not exactly the same
While Nkufo didn’t hit the cap, he was still under contract and the league just let us sweep him out of the way for a week or so until his situation was resolved. So they did us a favor, which was my, albeit poorly worded, gist.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. Our yachts are all around you, there is no escape.
It's one of those things where the goal of the move doesn't negate the spirit of the rule
Even if LA had four DPs on their books for 24 hours, it’s not a big deal as it wasn’t a competitive advantage. I’m ok with looking the other way; in the future if we’re in the same pickle I’d be surprised if the league wouldn’t help us out too.
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 16, 2011 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Great Tweet From @Pain_Machine
LA Galaxy not worried about needing another DP spot for Robbie Keane, citing that Beckham’s is only “lightly used”.
I heard they are contemplating a rule change...
Designated Set Piece Kicker – (only availble to players over 35 years of age). Basically you sit on the bench till there is a free kick (or corner). Then you run on the field and take it, then return to the bench.
It would not be the first time we changed to rules for Becks.
We give you 36,000 every single match
You give us nothing.
Unfair? Yeah, sure, but that’s what it feels like to go transferless.
No other team in the league comes anywhere CLOSE to us in revenue.
I'm not sure this is true
I don’t know the numbers, but I do know other teams with SSS make a good chunk of change off those stadiums for non-soccer events. We don’t have that income coming in.
Yeah, that's probably true
But. I look at the 36,000 every time and think we should be getting more.
I freely admit that if we were getting more I’d be complaining then too.
We give them 36k.
They give us a competitive team, from day one, for three consecutive years. This season isn’t over.
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