Tbf tho medina did have that period under Dome where we all thought he was about to explode... And it never happened
2025 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread
- Thread starter LionNYC
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Medina also brought a lot of really good qualities off the ball. Good defender, etc.
I guess when you help win the cup, it's reasonable to be remembered by your final season, but Medina was a terrible low effort defender until his final year. He turned it on for one season and decided to put in some effort, likely because it was a contract year for him. If we are comparing players for all his struggles, Ojeda has consistently given more effort tracking back than Medina did in his first 2 seasons.
Revfugee
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Medina was also a DP, which means the expectation was higher on him.
That's a really good point. Can you imagine how we would be howling if Ojeda was a DP?
OTOH, I wonder how we will come to view U22s. Will they always be projects that look quite so poor for the first 1-2 years? Is it fair to compare Shore who is 18 years old and has looked really good IMO this year? Though tbf he is not expected to put up G+A. So maybe it is easier for him to impress. Questions, questions.
I'm coming close to reneging on my promise not to respond but this point is IMO ancillary to the questions of contribution, quality and potential. It's also off base.
The league considers U22s and DP to be of equivalent value because you get 2 of each and a third slot of your choice between the two.
The revealed preferences of the MLS roster management collective is that it values them equally because teams are roughly split between those who choose the extra DP (14) and those who choose the extra U22 (16), and some teams have already flipped since this system started very recently.
If DP slots are inherently worth more than U22 then 16 clubs have made an obvious and structural roster mistake.
If Ojeda arrived under the rules in effect when Medina arrived, Ojeda would be a Young Designated Player due to his $7M fee.
It would be valid to say that special roster slots are somewhat less precious and rare now because there are 5 instead of 3.
You could also argue that a player with a $7M fee should bear the weight of much higher expectations than one who cost under $500k.
How about we just compare a pair of 20 year olds on the basis of on field performance?
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Brooklyn Blue
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I always apprecaite statistical analysis that supplements or disproves assessments of players. The objective aids the subjective.
That noted, with Ojeda, the recent surge of optimism in his play - in my opinion - is directly related to his willingness to take on opponents in a style that has been lacking with the team, not only this year but the past few years. There are have been consistent complaints on this forum (and elsewhere) that wing play has been lacking and that the team cannot break down a low block. Ojeda over the recent run of games has shown a williningness to attack, pushing defenders and crossing into the box after a quick move.
Are underlying goal and assist numbers lacking? Perhaps. Is it a blip rather than a permanent change? Also, perhaps. Regardless, it has energized an often dormant attack and he deserves significant credit for the team's uptick on production on this recent streak (though not as much as Nico or Pascal).
It reminds of the meme:
Ojeda, thankfully, does something.
That noted, with Ojeda, the recent surge of optimism in his play - in my opinion - is directly related to his willingness to take on opponents in a style that has been lacking with the team, not only this year but the past few years. There are have been consistent complaints on this forum (and elsewhere) that wing play has been lacking and that the team cannot break down a low block. Ojeda over the recent run of games has shown a williningness to attack, pushing defenders and crossing into the box after a quick move.
Are underlying goal and assist numbers lacking? Perhaps. Is it a blip rather than a permanent change? Also, perhaps. Regardless, it has energized an often dormant attack and he deserves significant credit for the team's uptick on production on this recent streak (though not as much as Nico or Pascal).
It reminds of the meme:
Ojeda, thankfully, does something.
This, all day. We've been dying for someone on the wing to pull defenses out of shape, and suddenly we have that guy. Ojeda is a thing of beauty right now, bombing to the by-line for the cutback pass or cutting inside to wreak havoc. A nightmare for defenders.
He is Retreato no more.
Yeah, retaining Haak should be priority #1. Unfortunately, his deal is a pure expiring contract with no club options to provide leverage, so if they pissed him off and he wants to walk, there is nothing the club can do about it. Speaking of which, this is the portfolio of expiring deals heading into the off-season:
Expiring Deals (No club option)
Haak
Maxi
Expiring deals with a club option (# Club Option Years)
Martins (1)
Perea (1)
Gray (1)
KOT (1)
Romero (1)
Tana (2)
Rando (2)
Cavallo (3)
Amponsah (3)
Murray (3)
The 2024 deadline for picking up player options was November 27th. Sims said the target is to have the Lee replacement by December. That's a lot of big decisions before the new person will even be here.
Not alot of big decisions except Haak. Martins through Tana probably easy option pick ups. Everyone else is a end of the roster superdraft pick or homegrown so it doesn't really matter too much.
Does Martins continue to be a DP as long as the team keeps picking up his options and he stays on this contract? That seems like a big one. It would be nice if they could sort that out so we don't have to keep burning a DP spot on an above-average CB. Martins has some elite skills, like his pace, but the holes in his game, like consistently getting bodied by big strikers like Benteke, and his near-zero aerial abilities on corners on both ends, put him far below DP level.
ZYanksRule
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I don't think we see a lot of roster changes this offseason. Maxi if he wants to do one more year, otherwise he's probably done. Aside from that and the likelihood that Haak leaves in free agency, I think (hope) we mostly run it back next year with maybe 1 or 2 additions.
Revfugee
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I don’t see maxi hanging it up on his own. He’s still playing 90’ at a. serviceable level and even if they make him a sub I would assume he wants to keep earning as long as he doesn’t break down.
Whether the club wants him and can come to terms is the question.
I agree I do think there are some wild cards though. Illenic and Julian to me are both possible candidates that could push for a transfer because they want a bigger role.
Maxi can't be the planned starter for another whole season. Either they sign someone or plan to start some combination of Ojeda and/or Carrizo to cut down on Maxis minutes and keep him fresh.
Even with Martins remaining a DP we still should have a DP/U22 flex spot. It would be nice to see them be ambitious and splurge on another true difference maker. We really are only 1-2 big moves away from being in that upper tier on teams.
Nope max tam
ZYanksRule
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I assume we will send him somewhere else or sell him. But his original contract was through 2026, so he would come back as a DP for one more year, then should transfer to TAM since his salary is around $1 million.
Yeah, I can't see Magno coming back. He gave an interview shortly after returning to Brazil where he said the speed and physicality of MLS surprised him and he felt like it wasn't well suited to his game.
It's a shame because I think he could be a very good MLS winger if he wanted to. I actually think Magno is one of the most physically strong wingers we have ever had, he just doesn't like contact so he avoids it. His finishing is a bit shaky but other than that he has all the tools to succeed if he's motivated.
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