July 15th marks the opening of the international transfer window into MLS and fans of the league are getting excited. Managers are bringing in reinforcements, notably current or former national team players from France, Montenegro, Venezuela, and Spain, and we hope the Union will be right there introducing our own new players. Supporters of the Union are hopeful for new attacking threats, some additional skill on the wing, or a staunch new defender for our backline. Hopefully, all of these needs can and will be answered within the month.
Goalkeeping
Nowak has made it quite clear that Seitz is his starter. With untested options behind in the forms of Knighton and Perk, this isn’t a position of relative strength, but it is one unlikely to see an influx of talent in the near future. Knighton or Perk, however, do present an interesting option as part of a trade package.
Defense
With the recent trade of Shavar Thomas to Kansas City, the backline will be an area that Nowak and Company must find a way to address. While the depth chart does show able-bodied starters at left back (Harvey), center back (Califf, Orozco), and right back (Arrieta), the defensive depth (the Shea Salinas and Toni Stahl experiments, respectively) doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. Playing a player out of position to cover an injury or a day off might be OK—playing half a season without depth in the back is asking for trouble.
The flexibility in positioning of Arrieta (RB, CB) and Orozco (LB, CB) suggests that what the Union need most is simply a talented defender. I would be very surprised to see the Union lay out big money to bring in a defender, but even more surprised if the Union do not make a move to address their lack of defensive depth. Ideally, the Union should pick up two defenders during the summer window—one for depth across the backline, and one which improves the starting line up regardless of position.
Midfield
The aggressive style of the Union makes the composition of the midfield a tricky issue to address. The 4-4-2 Nowak has deployed this season has often looked more like a 4-1-3-2 with a traditional back four, a defensive midfielder (Miglioranzi), an attacking midfielder (Le Toux or Fred), two wing options (Torres, Jacobson, Le Toux, Fred, or Salinas), and two forwards (Moreno, Mwanga).
This style puts heavy demands both on the playmaking midfielder to be conscious of defense, but also on the defensive midfielder to be able to break up the play if the Union overcommit and get caught. Miglioranzi is a skilled veteran but is likely nearing the end of his career and none of the options on the wing are so good that Union can’t afford to improve.
Verdict? Take what’s available. If the Union can improve their quality on either wing or in defensive midfield, it will improve the entire midfield. None of these positions are in glaring need as compared to defense, nor, however, are they positions that can’t be improved.
Forward
Union fans of all ages have been calling for a new spark on the attack and I’m not one to disagree. Categories of need? Speed and/or size. Sadly, not many strikers come ready-made at 6’4″ with the speed to stretch defenses, but the Union would do well to pick up one or the other. If the Union spend big in the midfield on a DP, don’t be surprised to only see a depth or bench player added up front. If the Union go with their DP in the midfield and manage to find a winger, addressing this position might get left until the off-season.
Wrap-Up
The trade of Shavar Thomas creates the need for defensive reinforcements, period. A lackluster summer window would see the Union deal a draft pick or spend some allocation money to add defensive depth from within the league. Fireworks, on the other hand, would be set off if the Union bring in three or more players and potentially break in that first DP slot.
Along with the potential of players coming is the potential of players going out—don’t be surprised to see the Union deal a player to fill a hole at another position. Nowak shed no tears when he cut David Myrie and looks to have set himself up to wheel and deal with the draft picks and allocation acquired for Shavar Thomas. The possiblities are too many to think about, but the month-long window runs from July 15th to August 14th, and I will be certainly be watching with interest.
Hypothetically…
…If I were in Nowak’s seat, I’d go this way:
Deal one of the just acquired second round draft picks and allocation money (Shavar Thomas trade) to San Jose for utility man Chris Leitch. Leitch is a seasoned defender and has played professionally at both right and left back and loves to get forward. His flexibility in positioning would allow the Union to bypass the need for a second defensive signing until the off-season.
Use a discovery signing to pull in Philly native and FC Delco alum Jeremiah White after his six month stint in the Middle East. White has speed to burn and creates problems up and down the right wing. White also has some tread left on the tires at 28 years old and is a veteran of both the Greek and Danish first divisions.
A DP signing. This one is about finding the right player with the right attitude. It doesn’t really matter whether he’s a forward or a central midfielder, this is the signing that sets off the fireworks and this is the player who should make every other player on the field look better. This has to be the right player, for the right money, but now is the opportune time to scoop up a star.
I am not in favor of Union bringing in any significant designated player just yet. They are a team of largely young players still learning to play at this level. And, as a whole, they are still learning to play together. Bringing in a designated player would just take time away from one of the players that Nowak is experimenting with. I think either before next season or at this time next season would be a better time to bring in a DP.
In my opinion, the greatest need is for a defender and/or a wingman. Torres has shown moments of shining creativity on the wing but they have been only occasional and he has not lasted a full 90 minutes on the pitch. Defense has been good but as the article states there is a lack of depth on the back line, even with Salinas demonstrating some positive defensive skills in his few experiments there. Plus the defense has had its share of severe lapses that have costed unnecessary goals and even matches (c.f. that heartbreaking 90th minute by San Jose last Saturday). So I think this is where the most significant changes should be made. Up front, a good argument could be made that the Union need at least one additional attacker to supplement the familiar starting line-up in case of injury or just to give them the capacity to add a fresh striker late in a match. However to add a big name here might stifle the development of what has turned out to be a really strong attacking trio in Le Toux, Moreno and Mwanga. These players have been coordinating their game extremely well and are establishing a strong bond that should be left intact as it will undoubtedly continue to grow and mature. Plus, McInerney is another promising young player who has not had much time on the field yet. If Nowak feels he needs to strengthen his front end, he should try playing McInerney off the bench more often.
I don’t disagree with your analysis, Chris, but what of the Generation Adidas tags Mwanga and McInerney carry? Keeping those players protected through November’s expansion draft and keeping their salaries off of the cap hit are both major factors to constructing a competitive team going into next season. If you can limit their playing time while still providing them opportunities to develop, you give the Union the best chance of succeeding next year and beyond.
If the Union can find a quality winger, I think it pushes Fred into the middle, Le Toux back up top and allows the franchise to preserve the GA tags – if its a striker thats available for the right money, Le Toux stays in the middle, Mwanaga sits down and it does the same thing making Mwanga and McInerney options off the bench or occassional starters. I think I am pushing for an either/or acquisition at wing/striker and putting even more emphasis on addressing the lack of defensive depth.
I definitely think it’ll be a winger. You look at the gaps on this team, and that’s what they lack, particularly if Nowak decides Shea Salinas is best deployed as a fullback. Jeremiah White was on the radar in December and has said he’d like to play for the Union at some point. If not him, then another winger. It need not be a big name, just someone who can play.
I was very impressed with Coudet today despite what many around me thought of him. He seemed a perfect match for that pirlo’esque player that sits in front of the defense and feeds passes/direct the distribution of the game. He is old and doesnt have very good legs, but that position rarely requires speed. He would be a great partner for Migloranzi in a partnership similar to that of pirlo and rino gattuso at AC Milan. It flows with the typical style and attacking play of Union as Mig and Coudet can sit in front of the defense with Fred in a trequarista role behind le toux and mwanga. As there would be no transfer fee this would be a great signing for the union and would allow them to drop some of the less than successful youth projects (Stahl).
One can argue that Shavar Thomas was well past his prime, and that David Myrie was never suited to this level, but I’m in no hurry to go cutting an all-american defensive midfielder. Yes, I know he’s played recklessly during both of his showings but he was good enough at school and the combine for Nowak to use our second round pick on him (#17). Waiving Toni Stahl is an invitation to see him playing in someone else’s kit lining up opposite us.