2023 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Shwafta
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I'm not sure he's coming back. It's possible, of course. Lots of rumors. But if he's looking for DP money, I highly doubt he's going to get it. I'd be shocked if we're not holding that slot open for a striker.
It kills me to say this, but I think a Maxi replacement is more important right now than a Taty replacement.
A Maxi replacement allows us to hold possession and counter. It allows us to not shoot our selves in the foot in vulnerable spots on the field.
Right now, we’re a fringe playoff team. A Maxi replacement puts us in the playoffs. I don’t think a Taty replacement guarantees that. There’s no one to maintain possession or create chances. It would be like buying a Ferrari and putting 87 gas in it.
This might be a dumb question, but is it possible they are waiting to announce Santi until his work permit is approved? Does he need to go through the whole process again? I don't have a clue how that works or impacts his potential signing.
I agree, I remember the early Villa days where we had the best striker in the league but couldn’t do anything because our only game plan was to have Saunders boot the ball to him to hopefully have Villa do some magic. It’s important to have a calm distributor of the ball.
I'm not so sure we can make this judgment yet. Before yesterday, Pellegrini hadn't played a full 90 minutes in a competitive match in something like two years. Or more. Cufré just joined the team three weeks ago and started in a new league in a new country. Mitja Ilenič is likewise in a new gig (although he seems to have adjusted very quickly).
Let's give it a couple games and see how things gel.
Two lessons I think were clear yesterday. One is, as much as I love the guy, Tayvon Gray is just not a right back. He can sub there as a defensive replacement late when we have the lead and back up Chanot and Martins until Maxime retires, and then he can slot into the center back role where he belongs.
The other is, as much as I love the guy, Talles Magno is not a striker. It's just not his game. We're much better off at the moment keeping him on the wing and letting Thiago play center-forward and use his pace and quickness to speed into the spaces Talles Magno creates. Even if Thiago's shot isn't exactly the best at the moment, he can still be a threat.
So, let's say we run a deep dish 4-3-3 in Chicago. Here's my XI: Cufré, Chanot, Martins, Ilenič; O'Toole, Parks, Pellegrini; Talles Magno, Thiago, Pereira; GK Barraza.
That's not too bad. We shouldn't lose possession in the central third so much, and we should be able to create chances across the entire pitch instead of just half of it.
i'm not sure what has you so hyped on pellegrini. i'm sure he's a good player, but he's not a ball retention/creative player. that is clear as day in his play yesterday. the way he receives the ball, dribbles, and looks for passes, the #10 role is not for him. can he eventually grow into the position? sure. but in my opinion, only about as much as talles could grow into the #9.
he's still young and can get better but he's not a gamechanger yet and with added pieces coming, i'm not sure he's a starter. right now, sure. otherwise throw talles at the #10, thiago at the #9 and otoole on the wing. or thiago wing, otoole false 9. i think our attack would be better. i just think parks needs more help in the midfield with ball retention and for the love of god, an actual destroyer. haak aint it.
from what cushing has said in interviews, it seems like we may get 1 or 2 more players before this transfer window closes. and then probably 1-2 more pieces in the summer based on how we're doing and what the needs are.
Maybe there’s a reason Pelligrini hasn’t started in 2 years.
That may be a bit too firm an assessment after just one start. But since you asked why I like him, here are three reasons.
Hire for attitude, train for aptitude. Yesterday, while Godoy was writhing on the ground and getting attention from the physios, Pellegrini (who had taken him out) quietly walked up to where Godoy could see him from a couple feet away and calmly rolled the ball up next to him, right in the middle of the medics' toolboxes. That was some gladiator stuff, man.
Pedigree matters. Everyone has a backstory. In Pellegrini's case, he has all the earmarks of one of those standout youth prospects who gets derailed before he can really get going -- big money contract on a team where he was a bad fit, etc. -- and gets shuffled aside. But the talent is still there. I think Matias just needs a chance to play. And he looks ready.
The curve is vertical. As bad as he was in the first half (partly because Gray was so bad, and there was nothing coming out of the back on the right side), Pellegrini was a different dude in the second. He got off two really good shots, both of which would likely have been more on target had he not been so rusty. He also skied a third one from probably the most dangerous position anyone got into all day. He was seriously on the attack. It was about 4-6 weeks of improvement -- in a half.
I've been saying all along, I think we got a hidden gem for almost nothing. The organization seems to think so too; they went out of their way to bring him back. Let's give him a few games and see what he can do.
This comment is being said with some naitivity with the transfer market. It seems like they’re a limited leagues that still have transfer markets still open, do you think we will have the reinforcement announced now but they won’t come until the summer. I was looking at transfer market but it was still showing Uruguay’s transfer market closed since April 1 2022.
if Santi is re-sign as a DP then we would need to sign a U-22 DP number 9 then correct?
if Santi is re-sign as a DP then we would need to sign a U-22 DP number 9 then correct?
If Santi signs as a DP we are out of DP spots as our 3 spots would be taken by: Magno, Martins, and Santi.
I saw someone say Santi will not be a DP. Think it was on Twitter.
The big frustration is that with all the departures, we have to have ample cap space. There is a ton of dry powder going unused at this club
Whatever you think of loaning Sands and Taty ahead of a planned sale, it has NO impact on our current roster construction. We aren’t using the money we have, so getting more won’t have changed anything.
Whatever you think of loaning Sands and Taty ahead of a planned sale, it has NO impact on our current roster construction. We aren’t using the money we have, so getting more won’t have changed anything.
I like some of your assessment on Pellegrini improving half to half, but this is just wrong. Plenty of shite players show "attitude" by letting their testosterone run on the field. When you "hire for attitude" the attitude you want is to never give up - in game or in practice. Be the first one in and last one out. Be positive with teammates. Never stop running. Lift people up. That's what you are looking for when you hire for attitude.
Just remember that windows being open only matters for the team bringing in a player.
So in essence, NYCFC, because the MLS window is still open, could sign players from leagues whose windows are currently closed.
Agree with this. If you have a great 10, you can work around not having a pure striker with quality winger play and a ball progressing 8 like Keaton.
If we have a great striker, I'm not sure we do a great job at getting the ball there with the current void at the 10.
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