You don't need to be old to be experienced in this league, I would argue Caan, deguzman, dero and even frei have the experience to lead this younger group on the pitch and in understanding the mls in general.Originally Posted by JimmyBaldX
WOW.
Just looking at the ages, De Rosario is the ONLY player born in the 70s.
We must have the youngest team in the league.
Where's the experience?
Young is good, but we need some veterans too
Jacob Peterson, but you're asking about a *good* left foot. He just has a shitty one. This past season I was at every match in which he played, and seriously, the guy's godawful. No accuracy, super nervous on the ball and gets frustrated, which just leads to more mistakes.
^ I was hoping for another Peterson thread, we haven't had one for a while, good distraction from all the Dero threads. I doubt I will get this response in before JimmyBaldX anyway...
I'm hoping that in the end, the new guys will possibly sign/trade for one or two more experienced players to add to this bunch. The type that won't come for a trial anyway. Winter hinted at DP hopes already. Plus, there might be someone older among the South & North American trialists expected at the camp in Florida. We shall see. But yes overall there's definitely a youth movement afoot.
He's the next Lionel Messi.
I thought that was Dan Gargan.
Video is up now on TFC site...
I have to say, I have a better feeling this year then I did last year. Good amount of contracted players, mixed with draft picks, academy players and trailists. Didn't we have 12 guys in camp last year when we started???
Dude, what's with your mancrush on Peterson? I understand admiring players with quality, but he's simply not good. I mean, every stat, appearance, move he makes proves that point. Why do you like him, just out of curiosity?
LOL
It was originally in response to Roogsy's mancrush on De Rosario, but now it's just a shtick I find amusing to maintain.
That being said, I do actually like him as a player, and I think this year he will shine. This board has a way of making players sound like the worst thing on the planet when in reality they're just getting their groove.
No one here can say they've seen a player settle in, because we get rid of um too quickly. Once Peterson settles in, I'm sure he'll be an element in the lineup, whether starting or otherwise.
I'd say Chad Barrett had a time to settle in and was around for quite a bit of time before he was shipped out. I bet he'll have a breakout year in LA (yes, I'm a huge Barrett fan, I guess he's my Jacob Peterson) but I don't think it has to do with settling in. I think it's more a factor of inherent skill limitation with guys like Jacob.
We don't even really know what Peterson has to offer...it seemed as though the entire last season was a rehabilitation for him, so it wasn't so much fitting in as it was getting healthy and back into game form. He started to show some flair near the end of the season, but I distinctly remember a pretty big miss from him in a very important game that (I believe) officially ended their slim playoff chances.
As for Barrett, I don't know if he has a breakout season in him...he's been in the league since '05 and hasn't scored more than 7 goals, some of his statistics are quite poor for a starting striker in this league. 2009: 29 games played 5 goals. He has the drive and a lot of skill but he cant find the back of the net...if he hasn't found it yet in the mls I have my doubts for him in LA.
He was on pace for 12-15 before he got hurt and the revolution took place after the philly match.
People said similar things about Cunningham and Connor Casey..
well, both Casey and Cuntingham didn't take this long to breakout. I think that's more his point.
Casey scored in Europe and took just a season to break out in MLS (first 15 games were shitty). Cunningham went above 10 goals in his second MLS season.
I defended Barrett but it was always hard to do in the face of what people were saying.
I think he's a good hardworking guy and I hope for his sake he has a breakout season this year with LA. He has it in him I think. But he's struggled as a striker much longer than most who eventually succeeded.
Last edited by rocker; 01-29-2011 at 07:12 PM.
It is odd that despite all the strife, we look to be bringing back more players year/year in similar roles than ever before.
Not saying that's a bad thing, actually makes me kinda comfortable.
Yep, it's interesting to look at Colorado or Real Salt Lake as examples of team management. Generally, I may be wrong, but I've been given the impression that these two teams haven't had high turnover despite poor seasons in the past. Now they're the last two teams to have won the MLS Cup.
Barrett improved greatly last season and with the service he'll be getting in LA I'm sure he'll be good for at least a dozen goals this year.
As for our trialists I can already see that Winters name has attracted us higher quality players than in the past.
I'm certainly hoping for and expecting the best from these players, but I don't see how they're heads and shoulders above past trialists in terms of pedigree (on paper). None of them seem to have any history of being regular first team players at a high level. I think the difference is now that the team has better people picking players out of the scrap heap, so to put it.
with donovan and beckham sending him perfect passes all season, he could score 10+. Depends on how healthy JPA is this season.
Depends on how healthy Barrett is too.
And also, Donovan and JPA may end up taking goals away from Barrett, and Barrett may pass more than shoot (he liked to pass a lot too at TFC).
Barrett was on the end of some good Blanco passes in Chicago and flubbed them time and again, so it's no guarantee that good passes will lead to goals.
I never said they were head and shoulders above, just better.
The largest part of Barrett's game thats missing has to be his finishing...he gets the chances he creates room for himself he works hard....he just can't finish...I think the '09 season was his most frustrating to watch...he took 55 shots and scored only 5 goals De Rosario had 15 goals on 72 shots this season...17 less shots from Barrett, 10 less goals. His strike rate just isn't there...And you can't compare him to Casey...because he didn't even complete a full season with us-in fact had only 2 appearances for us (which was the first of his in the mls) and the year after he scored 11 with Colorado.
I'm not trying to bash barrett I loved the guy's heart but statistically he doesn't take enough shots and most importantly doesn't find the back of the net. He has been a starting striker on a team that has been counting on him for production for the past 3 years...I fail to see how hes going to up his production by taking more chances at net when you have Angel, Beckham and Donovan on the pitch...if anything his role will be reduced compared to what it was here. I can't fathom a 10+ goal season.
Last edited by TFC14; 01-29-2011 at 10:32 PM.
Lots of good points dude. I guess what I'm saying is that with Landy, JPA and possibly Becks, he'll have service unlike anything he's seen before. Guys also gain tons of confidence from being on consistently winning teams, which is something Barrett hasn't seen in quite a while. I think he could be in for a really good year. I don't think 10 goals is outside the realm of possibility.
Peterson and Labrocca should be shipped out.....garbage. Both Peterson and Labrocca DO NOT have the soccer IQ to play with Julian Deguzman.
You, good sir, are incorrect on all counts.
Interesting tid bit from the equivalent thread at Usector board. From Sean Keay:
There could be more trialists on the way, as I have found out today that there was a player with the team in Turkey who's name has not been released.
Lesley St-Fleur from Milltown is in fact with the team.
Hmm! I wonder if he has his paperwork done with Milltown FC. We should ask VPJr!
sorry guys....this is not an accurate report.
As I'm sure you can appreciate, we can't discuss this but we do not have any players on trial with TFC
Thanks for the quick clarification.
I thought I was unto something. Lesley St-Fleur's facebook page says he's in Antalya for training. Other teams are in the area. Terek Grozny maybe?
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