Don't forget a new keeper.
Will Johnson is a fantastic MLS player, and I would love to see him come home to play for our club. I'm just not sure how Vanney would be able to fit him into the team. He'd probably end up playing RB.
home? i thought Will Johnson was only Canadian due to birth
Does he called Canada home?
Johnson and Cheyrou pairing in a 4-2-3-1 system could be interesting.
Leaving seba - bradley - oso as the 3 and jozy up top alone as a CF
Imagining we do go for Johnson, I don't think he's the answer at DM. But he would work considering this year we didn't play with true wingers. Our wide players always looked to attack centrally, playing short passes and combinations towards the middle rather than push the ball down the lines. I think we'd look something like this:
Giovinco provides width on the left when necessary, Jackson pushes up on the right to provide the same (and we actually have a DM to cover our ass when he does this). This is our best formation for now I think. Cheyrou would come in for the DM and operate as a deep-lying playmaker when we need to score. He stays on the bench when we don't need a goal.
If we decide to target true wingers I still like this look. Replace Johnson with Mapp on the right and either push Osorio wider on the left or give more minutes to Boakai, Lovitz or a new signing.
I don't like the 4-2-3-1 because Giovinco should be operating with some freedom, and with a partner to take some pressure off him up top.
Last edited by notthesun; 11-17-2015 at 02:44 PM.
I like that formation. Having Johnson in that kind of set up makes sense, not as a converted DM.
From my armchair GM POV, possible moves are:
Kantari or Perquis bought out: +300-323k
Luke Moore not renewed (I'm assuming that he isn't locked in for next season): +215k
Findley not renewed: +225k
Will Johnson in: -314k
TAM used to pay the transfer fee for a young AM/winger from SA: -200/300k
We either break even or gain space with the above moves. I'll assume that we don't have as much allocation next season as this one, so we just break even. Still greatly improves the squad.
Gomez could also be dropped to save another 240k, but then we start to look thin up front after Gio and Altidore.
Alternatively, Altidore could be flipped to an American team for assets, and the DP spot used on a midfielder. The TAM could then be used on a winger, and a striker picked up through one of the many means of acquiring players.
The lineup could potentially be:Konopka
Jackson - Perquis - Simonin - Morgan
Cheyrou
Bradley - Johnson
TAM - Altidore - Giovinco
Last edited by Ajax TFC; 11-17-2015 at 11:01 PM.
I initially had Morrow in there. Really doesn't matter which one you list since the two should both be there. Just a matter of preference. If you want more offense from the LB, Morgan. If you want more defense, Morrow. I put Morgan there because that midfield should be able to provide more defensive cover and because Morgan would be able to provide more wide support. And if you want a new RB, feel free to make a suggestion of a reasonable signing that would be an improvement.
Although you have some good suggestions, like using the TAM to cover a transfer fee, it leaves us in the same position defense wise. Cheyrou is not a good enough DM, unless you want to give up 58 goals again next season. (And I've been a big fan of Cheyrou from the beginning). A new DM and possibly a new centre back and right back are our biggest issues.
I think one of the things that will need to be addressed this offseason is the flaming pile of excrement we have stacked up at a few positions:
Forward: We have 6 forwards and only 1 of them is any good on the wing (maybe 2 in gomez but i don't think he has the legs anymore for that)
Giovinco -> Keep obviously
Altidore -> Looks like we are keeping
Gomez -> Would be my choice as 3rd striker
Moore -> Fired out of a cannon into the sun
Findley -> The sun is too good for him
Hamilton -> Toonies with the occasional spot appearance
Would leave us with 4 strikers and likely in need of 1 more. This is where you look around the league for a vet who can give you some experience and leadership qualities while not needed to play every week.
CB: So many of them, so few who can get the job done as a starter
Perquis -> Kept for some stability, showed glimpeses of being a solid defender
Kantari -> The cannon used to send people into the sun will have another client
Williams -> Depth CB and RB
Siminon -> Time with the 2's and likely best option to fill a hole when needed
Zavaleta -> Don't really like the player and would rather trade him for that depth forward if possible
Hagglund -> Don't know what happened to him this year but his rookie season was promising. He is likely our best player in the air but has fallen down the depth chart.
Thomas -> Another year with the 2's. Hope to get him into a game or two if possible
My depth chart: New CB, Perquis, siminon, williams/hagglund, thomas
would consistency at RB with Jackson help?
and with a good DM, would Jackson be good enough at RB?
His energy is too valuable to be on the bench 50% of the time
Bloom will be back next year as well so he and Jackson could push each other for a starting role.
I'm not against acquiring a new RB but I think we have more pressing needs, three of which (GK, CB, DM) would directly contribute to strengthening our defense already. Fullback is typically the weakest position in MLS and most teams regularly manage to do well while giving significant minutes to at least one average fullback. If Dallas can succeed with freaking Atiba Harris as a converted RB then Jackson shouldn't be a problem, obviously provided the rest of our defensive corps is sorted out.
Last edited by notthesun; 11-18-2015 at 11:53 AM.
A very good and true DM will go a long way to solving most of our issues at CB and FB.
With a great defensive midfielder, Jackson wide is no problem.
It's certainly not a complete solution but it would be nice to see some of the young guys from the academy get a chance next year. Doesn't Chris Mannella play DM? The extra hustle certainly wouldn't hurt. It sucks to see a team like Dallas play a lot of youth and do well, while ours sit on the bench.
I agree with your post.
Full backs are for the most part not properly used in MLS. In other leages they play an integral part of many teams attack, they are an extension of it. They are a lot of the times the natural width that wingers used to provide esp in teams who play a narrow mid.
In salary cap league, they are at times probably viewed nearly as an afterthought.
We need a BEAST DM. That has to be our number one priority. I agree that this would most certainly improve the team a lot.
with a proper DM cheyrou can back up MB with so many away games next year
then call it a carreer the year after
Any word on what's happening with Collen Warner? It would be a shame if we lost him.
I dunno man, you have to seriously question that guy's judgement. The number of times he gambles defensively is dangerous. We could argue it can be coached out but he's always done this shit since he's been in the league. FCD gave up on the guy for a reason. It's one less dumpster fire our DM would have to put out with Jackson out of the starting 11.
Fullback play (and talent level) has traditionally been awful in this league but it's made large improvements in the past 2 seasons or so.
Last edited by ag futbol; 11-18-2015 at 07:32 PM.