Brandt has a lot of awards from his high school and college days. I'm glad he has a college degree cause I'm feeling like he's going to need to start using his in the next year. I feel bad the guy...
Official 2016 Nycfc Roster Discussion Thread
- Thread starter sbrylski
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He's a guy I'd like the team to offer a front office job to - whether it's as a youth coach or something more geared towards his college major, whatever that may be. He may not want it, but would love for an offer to be made.
Poku's exclusion from the 18 confirmed to me that there will have to be an exceptional circumstance for him to start, and likely for him to even make the 18. His goal last week did not do much to sway most of us on here, and PV was clearly not convinced that the positive outweighs the negative. Especially with Jack and FF (ugh) now taking up spots, I think that he's gone this summer whether it's Israel or elsewhere, and I don't see him playing much before then.
I do agree with you, but tbh his salary really isn't that much. $67,500. Maybe we can get a nice chunk of change for selling him. But if he's only worth that much why not see if we can do more with him in another year. Just a thought to throw out there.
I agree, we are not going to get anything in return for selling him, Let him stay here and learn from Vieira, Lamps and Pirlo, and hopefully turn into a better player.
The irony is that Poku may have been the only player on the team capable of shrugging off the RB's physical play.... it's not like he was needed to help defend - nobody seemed to be doing that.
He may be the one forcing the move. His salary is part of the reason he will be sold this summer.
Anyone want to summarize what this said before it was deleted?
Or should we just conclude that it was BS?
It's just the same old problem that we have too many CMs. We have 3 spots to allocate to Pirlo, Bravo, Mix, Poku, Lopez, Ballouchy and now Lampard. We moved TMac up to wing, and presumably that's where he stays, even with Harrison's arrival. I'd love to see Poku play some up there as well, but so far he hasn't.
It might make some sense to sell him or trade for a good defender, but after this season, there will be fewer players in the mix.
If memory serves it had Poku on a summer transfer an Israeli club (Tel Aviv?).
Gotham Gator said:
He needs to be moved out of the midfield. He's not a 19 year old developmental project, he's 24. He should be entering his prime, not sitting for developmental reasons when he looks two years away from contributing fully at his position, if he's making strides at all (doesn't seem like it according to Kries and now Vieira).
I really, really want to see a Villa - Poku - Shelton/Mendoza front line at home. Don't build from the back. Huck it up to Poku and let Villa and someone on the right make runs off him. Have guys like McNamara, Mix, Harrison, and Lampard underneath him making secondary runs. Let Poku bring it down, turn and pass or turn and dribble. Let Mataritta and Allen cross it in to him. These are all things Poku does naturally, very little coaching required.
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Ans its something we have been missing, someone to take long balls, and threaten CBs
I'm presuming that you know Maccabi and Hapoel are two different clubs? Not that it makes much difference to the story.
I agree with this in theory. In practice, Poku has actually shown that he is awful in the air and doesn't like to get in the box. I think he's strictly a CAM in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-2 with defensive cover. He's very limited defensively and he's very limited in terms of the formation you can play.
That being said, I would like to see Shelton line up in this formation with Villa and someone else flanking him. Maybe it is Mendoza. Just once let's see if we can play it up the M-1.
Going into this weekend, it felt like Shelton was doing better in the air and becoming more of a presence in the last few matches in terms of winning balls. They tried a number of times to get it to him on Saturday since the RB had Connor Lade matched up against him and Lade is about 5'4". Didn't really come off, but I am actually more optimistic about Shelton becoming something in the air than I am about him developing better touch. Which isn't to say I'm hugely optimistic, but I think he could be useful in time.
My concern with him in the center is that I can't imagine getting much in the way of hold-up play, flicks to running CMs or wingers cutting in, etc.
Agree with you on Poku generally. It really seems he needs to be structured around the same way a guy like Pirlo does. Different structures, but again you need to build to maximize his strengths (which are extreme) and account for his weaknesses (which are similarly extreme).
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That's a great post on so many levels.
Shelton can hold up play. He does it every time he gets the ball on the wing unfortunately. A winger needs to attack or distribute. He could absolutely hold up play. His touch isn't any worse than Romelu Lukaku's so I think he can play CF for us.
Poku is a specialty player it seems. Put him on Philly and build a team around him. He would do wonders.
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