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Post 31 Jan 2012, 5:33 pm

Update: Here is the story the Union put out, fewer than 10 minutes ago.
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Post 01 Feb 2012, 4:43 pm

Crap, they got rid of Mondragon? I also just saw on the Union's facebook page they traded Kyle Nakazawa to the Galaxy for an international roster spot. I am really beginning to think they are going to suck this year.
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Post 02 Feb 2012, 8:43 am

Well I'm not worried about losing Nakazawa and Mondragon. MacMath did quite a fine job replacing him last year, and we have enough midfielders. I wouldn't be so quick to jump off. Our pickups in Costa Rica are going to help, and there might be a move in the making. We needed to clear space. The MLS is a very difficult league to run a club in, and there's going to be a lot of turnover. I'm worried the Philly fans are going to push a good thing away by being Philly fans.
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Post 02 Feb 2012, 9:01 am

Don't worry, I'm not jumping off. I will still follow my team. Because honestly, for all the negative image Philadelphia fans may have, we are loyal.

I was a big fan of Nakazawa because I always felt he was an aggressive offensive minded midfielder while many of the others on the Team are either defensive oriented or not good.

Though getting another international roster spot and the need for allocation money...still hoping for a really good DP.
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Post 02 Feb 2012, 9:10 am

Nowak is putting a lot of faith in Torres, Marfan and Adu. I'm with you on a DP, but only someone with a big name. I'd hope the Union would be smart enough to get an Italian international. Since Keane is off the books, I don't know of any other suitable Irishmen. But the point is to get someone to draw some attention. I think our team is talented enough to compete in our conference. They may not be cup winning material yet, but I don't think they'll tank.

The good news for the Union is that they are in the East. With the new schedule, we don't play every team equally. 3 games against RBNY and the like should only help the U.
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Post 02 Feb 2012, 9:11 am

Oh, and I never had you pegged as a typical Philly fan.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 11:31 am

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-di ... ml#more-id

On an unrelated note, I was glad Klinsmann finally played Dempsey up front as a striker and not as a winger, he got rewarded with a goal.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 2:27 pm

Dempsey has for several years now been one of the best bargain buys in fantasy football, because he's always cheap but you can count on him to weigh in with about 10 goals a season. I'm not sure about playing him as a striker, but Fulham often use him as an advanced attacking midfield player just off a lone striker and it seems to work. I haven't really seen the USA team very much/at all but it's surprising that you'd waste your most potent attacking player by sticking him out wide.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 5:02 pm

RUFFHAUS 8 wrote:Jeff, has there been anything interesting floating around on the Union front with the season approaching? So dfar there's been a fair amount of purging players, but I have not seen a whole lot rolling in. Now Freddy Adu looked awesome against the Mexican U23s, but our entire team appeared to dominate them the other day. Still the Union lost some considerable talent in Mondragon and LeToux.

The have picked up a couple of players such as; Gabriel Gomez from Panama, Chris Albright and Chris Konopka from the Redbulls, Lionard Pajoy from Columbia, and Porforio Lopez from Costa Rica.

I don't know how good any of them are but both Pajoy and Lopez apparently came from the top teams in their respective leagues.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 8:14 pm

RUFFHAUS 8 wrote:Jeff, has there been anything interesting floating around on the Union front with the season approaching? So dfar there's been a fair amount of purging players, but I have not seen a whole lot rolling in. Now Freddy Adu looked awesome against the Mexican U23s, but our entire team appeared to dominate them the other day. Still the Union lost some considerable talent in Mondragon and LeToux.
th

Our Olympic team may have the most experienced players ever. Freddy has been a pro for 10 years now. I think you saw that in that game. Great game.

I really like Joe Gayau. Dude has some great footwork.

As for the Union, I think they're banking on Freddy/Mwanga/Torres, with the new guys up top. They definitely have been purging players, but I think that's mostly about giving the young stars a chance to be the team. With the new schedules, the Eastern teams have an easier schedule, so it may be a good time for such a strategy.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 8:28 pm

RUFFHAUS 8 wrote:Steve, I've been arguing for this for years with respect to Demsey's role on the national team. It optimizises his scoring opportunities and minimizes his defensive liabilities. Dempsey is just one of those rare players with a nose for goal. He's wasted in the midfield. It's great to see Klinsman embracing this, among several other concepts.


I think another key is playing Jozy as a CF, rather than a pure striker. I got annoyed at Lalas during halftime when he was criticizing Jozy. I thought Jozy was doing what he was supposed to do.

I think we need more players attacking. Like you said, Dempsey does better as a striker. Heck, I'd almost like to see us do a 4-2-2-2 or 4-1-4-1.
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Post 02 Mar 2012, 8:30 pm

Archduke Russell John wrote:The have picked up a couple of players such as; Gabriel Gomez from Panama, Chris Albright and Chris Konopka from the Redbulls, Lionard Pajoy from Columbia, and Porforio Lopez from Costa Rica.

I don't know how good any of them are but both Pajoy and Lopez apparently came from the top teams in their respective leagues.


These types of players typically either fit in and do well, right away, or the opposite. I think that the Union front office have done a fine job finding quality CONCACAF and CONMEBOL players, with Ruiz being the worst of the bunch. But think of Torres, Daniel, Valdes.
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Post 07 Mar 2012, 2:25 pm

I disagree with you guys about Donovan versus Dempsey. While Landon is our best overall player and the most creative midfield player we have, I believe it is more important to have Dempsey in a central role than Landon. The reasoning is this: Dempsey is by far the best player we have at finishing goals. Therefore he must be far up the pitch in some sort of central role so he can get the ball.

Landon Donovan is actually a natural fit for the wing position. He has the speed, crossing ability, and defensive skills to excel there. However, the call to put him in a more central role makes sense as he's our best midfielder and he should be in a position to get the ball more often. I agree with that, but I think it largely depends on what formation Klinsman wants to play. I think there are two good options. The first is a 4-4-2 with Dempsey as a withdrawn striker similar to the way Alex Fergeson plays Wayne Rooney at Man U. This would push Donovan to the wing as I think Adu and Michael Bradley would be the center midfielders. The other idea I had is that the US should play a 4-3-2-1 with Altidore/Agudelo up top, Dempsey and Donovan as the Attacking midfielders, Michael Bradley as the CDM, and Adu //??? as the Right and left midfielders.
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Post 08 Mar 2012, 8:21 am

48,000 at rogers centre for the Galaxy versus TFC . Was this broadcast in the US?
great fun....
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Post 08 Mar 2012, 11:33 am

They played on a not great articificial turf but the crowd was rowdy, raucus and electric. That was the part that you would have liked...watching beckham struggle to take a corner as hundreds of streamers flew down from the fifth deck. (and paper airplanes...) . Beckham still is the best dead ball striker in football. He noticed the keeper off the line on one corner and damn near scored directly from the corner forcing a very good save.
The best sports atmosphere in TO since the hey day of the Blue Jays in the early 90s. The team actually looks like they can compete this year.