2019 Roster Discussion

[SoupInNYC]

The question this year is whether we keep up with the improvment of our rivals. I think we are #3-4 in the East (ATL and RBNJ are gonna be tough amd I think Orlando is going to be a lot better this year).

Not saying Atlanta or NJRB won’t be tough, but did either of them really improve?

Atlanta lost Garza, their head coach who had the team clicking, and the cog of their offense that fed everything into the striker who scored the most goals in a season in MLS history.

Yes, they replaced their head coach with one who looks to be high quality, and the top player in South America, but I’m not certain how that results in an improvement from last year, at least until we see them with 10 or so games under their belt.

And I don’t see how NJ has done anything but regressed from last year after the loss of Tyler Adams. I’m sure they’ll still be good, and will find some other young players to step up and play well, but I don’t see how they’ve improved at all.

The middle to back end of the east seems to have improved a bit with Chicago, philly, Orlando, and DC adding some nice pieces. But outside of DC, I don’t see how they compete with us over the full length of a season.

 

[ManhattanValley]

Not saying Atlanta or NJRB won’t be tough, but did either of them really improve?

Atlanta lost Garza, their head coach who had the team clicking, and the cog of their offense that fed everything into the striker who scored the most goals in a season in MLS history.

Yes, they replaced their head coach with one who looks to be high quality, and the top player in South America, but I’m not certain how that results in an improvement from last year, at least until we see them with 10 or so games under their belt.

And I don’t see how NJ has done anything but regressed from last year after the loss of Tyler Adams. I’m sure they’ll still be good, and will find some other young players to step up and play well, but I don’t see how they’ve improved at all.

The middle to back end of the east seems to have improved a bit with Chicago, philly, Orlando, and DC adding some nice pieces. But outside of DC, I don’t see how they compete with us over the full length of a season.

Been waiting all winter for someone to say this!

Both Red Bulls and NYCFC are gambling on largely untested, in-house replacements for their departed stud midfielders, but for some reason Red Bulls are going to be just fine, while we're apparently in crisis.

And I know there was some mild Beatlemania on this forum about him, but I also think Frank de Boer's track record merits some healthy skepticism before we see what ATL are all about this year.

 

[Revfugee]

RBNY lost

Been waiting all winter for someone to say this!

Both Red Bulls and NYCFC are gambling on largely untested, in-house replacements for their departed stud midfielders, but for some reason Red Bulls are going to be just fine, while we're apparently in crisis.

And I know there was some mild Beatlemania on this forum about him, but I also think Frank de Boer's track record merits some healthy skepticism before we see what ATL are all about this year.

Revfugee did we really win this match comfortably? I don’t remember us putting them under any pressure whatsoever. Lewis should have scored. Outside of that, I remember their keeper making one nice save off of a Mitrita free kick.

Maxi scored a penalty. A good defender in MLS doesn’t give away a handball there. Mitrita scored a worldly.

To me, that means our entire offense will come down to Mitrita pulling something out of his ass every night.

We were never under serious pressure. We went up ealry and killed the game. It may not have been top form but the result was hardly in doubt at any point.

Fact is, Mitrita used his talent to score. That’s what he is supposed to do.

Re: other opportunities, see above. Hardly our only chance and in fact the detested Medina actually made it happen.

We definitely need another striker/attacker, though.

 

[Ulrich]

If only NJRB didn’t have a USL team where their youth could earn valuable minutes in the same system they’ll be playing with the first team, playing weekly against other pros, if only they didn’t, then and only then could we say they’re going to be using untested in-house replacements.

Sometimes facts get in the way of a good voice of reason.....

 

[Revfugee]

Not saying Atlanta or NJRB won’t be tough, but did either of them really improve?

Atlanta lost Garza, their head coach who had the team clicking, and the cog of their offense that fed everything into the striker who scored the most goals in a season in MLS history.

Yes, they replaced their head coach with one who looks to be high quality, and the top player in South America, but I’m not certain how that results in an improvement from last year, at least until we see them with 10 or so games under their belt.

And I don’t see how NJ has done anything but regressed from last year after the loss of Tyler Adams. I’m sure they’ll still be good, and will find some other young players to step up and play well, but I don’t see how they’ve improved at all.

The middle to back end of the east seems to have improved a bit with Chicago, philly, Orlando, and DC adding some nice pieces. But outside of DC, I don’t see how they compete with us over the full length of a season.

I didnt say they improved. I think as good as Adams is, his absence will have less effect on RB than the changes we and ATL have gone through since we were last really contending (change of system and departure of best player). Both could regress and still finish above us if we haven't improved. I think Pity is an ample replacement for Almiron. The big question is whether De Boer will stifle the team or solidify it.

We should be top 3 but Orlando looks much improved and their preseason form has been excellent.

 

[Kjbert]

nashville didt do much either, towards the end they had two chances i think that was it. granted vs mls those chances may be put away.

as for handball you never know how mls refs judge balls to arms to call penalties or not.

was not good game still, but nashville didnt do much thtats why some may say it was "comfortable" win

as for your last comment, not much different than villa. many games we depended on him to do something to get us something offensively

Exactly. We stand around and hope our best player wins it. Otherwise, we all go home disappointed.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I didnt say they improved. I think as good as Adams is, his absence will have less effect on RB than the changes we and ATL have gone through since we were last really contending (change of system and departure of best player). Both could regress and still finish above us if we haven't improved. I think Pity is an ample replacement for Almiron. The big question is whether De Boer will stifle the team or solidify it.

We should be top 3 but Orlando looks much improved and their preseason form has been excellent.

Regarding Pity, I agree with you that he should be an ample replacement for Almiron. And I’m sure he’ll do great in Atlanta, but anytime you’re replacing an MVP candidate with a player new to the league, I’m a bit cautious to expect the same production that Almiron provided (though, again, I expect Pity to do quite well)

 

[SoupInNYC]

Exactly. We stand around and hope our best player wins it. Otherwise, we all go home disappointed.

I only watched the second half, but thought we had quite a few chances then. Ofori completely blew a shot unmarked in the box, and I thought Isi blew a few chances trying to score too much himself, where there may have been better options (or where we’ve seen Isi finish similar chances last year)

 

[ZYanksRule]

Not saying Atlanta or NJRB won’t be tough, but did either of them really improve?

Atlanta lost Garza, their head coach who had the team clicking, and the cog of their offense that fed everything into the striker who scored the most goals in a season in MLS history.

Yes, they replaced their head coach with one who looks to be high quality, and the top player in South America, but I’m not certain how that results in an improvement from last year, at least until we see them with 10 or so games under their belt.

And I don’t see how NJ has done anything but regressed from last year after the loss of Tyler Adams. I’m sure they’ll still be good, and will find some other young players to step up and play well, but I don’t see how they’ve improved at all.

The middle to back end of the east seems to have improved a bit with Chicago, philly, Orlando, and DC adding some nice pieces. But outside of DC, I don’t see how they compete with us over the full length of a season.

Was about to post this. Atlanta's an unknown with a new coach and Almiron gone. Red Bulls lost Adams. Columbus lost their coach and didn't really do anything to their roster. DC should be better from last season, and they're obviously hoping a full year with Rooney keeps them near the top. Jury's out on Chicago. Who knows about Philly, they lost Dockal but signed a few guys.

We lost Villa and Herrera, but we also seem to have made some pretty good signings. I'd argue we might have had one of the better offseasons in the East. It's been a very mediocre transfer window in MLS.

 

[Kjbert]

I only watched the second half, but thought we had quite a few chances then. Ofori completely blew a shot unmarked in the box, and I thought Isi blew a few chances trying to score too much himself, where there may have been better options (or where we’ve seen Isi finish similar chances last year)

But are you confident those chances are finished in the regular season? I’m not

 

[Kjbert]

Was about to post this. Atlanta's an unknown with a new coach and Almiron gone. Red Bulls lost Adams. Columbus lost their coach and didn't really do anything to their roster. DC should be better from last season, and they're obviously hoping a full year with Rooney keeps them near the top. Jury's out on Chicago. Who knows about Philly, they lost Dockal but signed a few guys.

We lost Villa and Herrera, but we also seem to have made some pretty good signings. I'd argue we might have had one of the better offseasons in the East. It's been a very mediocre transfer window in MLS.

I’ll be that guy to say Mitrita looks like a wash or maybe an upgrade on Villa.

But where else did we improve?

 

[SoupInNYC]

But are you confident those chances are finished in the regular season? I’m not

I’m definitely not confident that Ofori finishes that chance in the regular season, haha. Perhaps Parks does. Isi, we’ve seen him do it during the season before, and I get the sense that since it was preseason, he really wanted to score and passed up other options, but perhaps that’s naive of me.

All I’m saying is, it’s not like the team was standing around and seeing what Mitrita could do. Solid chances were created, and not capitalized on. Take that FWIW (and I know that means different things for different people)

 

[ZYanksRule]

I’ll be that guy to say Mitrita looks like a wash or maybe an upgrade on Villa.

But where else did we improve?

I think we filled holes (striker notwithstanding). I didn't necessarily say we improved, but I don't think we got worse. Most of the teams in the East got worse.

 

[ManhattanValley]

I’ll be that guy to say Mitrita looks like a wash or maybe an upgrade on Villa.

But where else did we improve?

It's almost addition by subtraction in my book. We're assuming that in letting players like McNamara, Amagat, Awuah and Wallace go and not signing loads of direct replacements, we're going to be seeing more of players like Sands and Lewis instead.

 

[Kjbert]

It's almost addition by subtraction in my book. We're assuming that in letting players like McNamara, Amagat, Awuah and Wallace go and not signing loads of direct replacements, we're going to be seeing more of players like Sands and Lewis instead.

Honest question. How many minutes did
McNamara, Wallace, Awuah and Amagat see last year?

I don’t think they made the impact we think they did.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Honest question. How many minutes did
McNamara, Wallace, Awuah and Amagat see last year?

I don’t think they made the impact we think they did.

Too many

ETA: I got 1,761, though that was with me toggling between tabs on my phone while sitting at a bar

 

[EganSoccerWords]

It's almost addition by subtraction in my book. We're assuming that in letting players like McNamara, Amagat, Awuah and Wallace go and not signing loads of direct replacements, we're going to be seeing more of players like Sands and Lewis instead.

We did sign direct replacements for those guys. We just didn't sign one for Villa (and Berget).

 

[The Toe]

Even if our roster basically stays pat, I don't think other team has bettered itself to the point that they'd jump into the top tier of the East. It's still a 3-horse race, I think, though ATL is a small unknown without Almiron, and RB without Adams. Maybe we'll see even more parity. Orlando, NE, Philly, Chicago are all still very Meh. Columbus has to replace a top coach in the league. DC is the only team that could really push into that group.

 

[NickA]

I’m definitely not confident that Ofori finishes that chance in the regular season, haha. Perhaps Parks does. Isi, we’ve seen him do it during the season before, and I get the sense that since it was preseason, he really wanted to score and passed up other options, but perhaps that’s naive of me.

All I’m saying is, it’s not like the team was standing around and seeing what Mitrita could do. Solid chances were created, and not capitalized on. Take that FWIW (and I know that means different things for different people)

I'm ok with missed chances. Especially from different spots. You'd hope we can finish some though. Last year we had trouble getting decent looks at all, so at least this is an improvement. Then again, the defense was atrocious.

 

[Kjbert]

Too many

ETA: I got 1,761, though that was with me toggling between tabs on my phone while sitting at a bar

Wow. That’s way more than I anticipated. That’s essentially 20 games worth of minutes.