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Harvey to Vancouver for allocation money

It used to Harvey All the Time.

Now it is Harvey No More.

The Union announced on Thursday afternoon that Jordan Harvey has been traded to Vancouver for allocation money.

Harvey joined the Union in the 2010 Expansion Draft from the Colorado Rapids, where he began his MLS career in 2006.

Harvey started 48 games for the Union, missing only the game against Portland after being shown a red card against San Jose earlier this season. He lead the team in minutes played in 2010 with 3,861. He recorded one goal and two assists with the Union.

Sheanon Williams tweeted soon after the announcement, “Want to say goodbye to a good friend and teammate @JordanCHarvey you will be missed buddy wish you all the best”.

Just where this leaves the Union backline, at this point one of the best in the league, is now the question on everyone’s mind. The Farfan twins, both natural midfielders, have been deputized as defenders at various points in the season, and Keon Daniel, another midfielder, was recently used as cover after Harvey was subbed out against Chivas USA. On the Union bench, Gonzalez is a center back who has yet to see a minute this season and Ryan Richter is a natural midfielder.

The transfer window watch just got a whole lot more interesting.

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

32 Comments

  1. Earl Gardner says:

    Gutted. I think it’s a ploy to get our offense to wake up. Now they really need to score some goals.

  2. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

    You don’t mess with a backline in this kind of form.

    Also what are they going to use the money for? Another left back? Probably not.

    That means Garfan or Keon as a permanent defensive starter. No knock on either but bad call. If it has to be one, I’d say make it Garfan, Keon is too valuable elsewhere.

    I would like to start the rumor that the Union are working on a DP deal to bring Paolo Maldini to Philadelphia. You say, “but he’s 43”, but I reply, “he may be the finest left back ever to play the game and the fact that he hasnt played since 2009 just gives him and the Old Serb more conversation topics while they enjoy their early-bird dinners at Applebees.”

  3. Wow, certainly confused. To willingly mess with probably the best back line in the league is a gamble. So who’s next on the depth chart the Farfans? No knock on them but what will this do to the chemistry.

    Best of luck to Jordan I’m miss seeing him in our line up.

  4. No more “Harvey All the Time”!?!?!

    I just don’t get what the Union are thinking, best defense in the league and……… UGH, to flummoxed to put words to the interweb.

  5. At the moment I am utterly stupefied by this move. Since its for allocation money I’m assuming this is to set up something else, but what? You don’t trade away your first-choice left back who has been part of the best defense in the league unless you have something big planned, right? Right?

    I’ll reserve final judgment for when the dust settles on this but I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be yet another highly questionable personnel decision by this organization.

  6. Nowak’s breaking up the band …

  7. Dan Walsh says:

    And now from the department of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” …

    Bad call. Harvey has limitations on offense, but he also has defensive strengths that none of his prospective replacements on the roster have. Good left backs are hard to find, and I don’t see the Union finding a true left back to bring in. Sorry to see Harvey go. He plays hard.

  8. ugh, I’m so disgusted right now

  9. I’m really starting to think that Nowak has no clue.

  10. Remember when Harvey was subbed out against Chicago and Farfan stepped in … he got completely blown by as if he wasn’t even there.

  11. Nowak has been taking Harvey out for the last few games … I bet he wants a 3 person back line to make room for one more in the middle.

    • Nowak does love the 3-5-2. Not that I buy the arguement necessarily cause your defensive depth on this team right now is still a 193,000 player with no appearances this season, an oft converted athlete who can score goals and play soccer but hasn’t proved he can play defense on this level, and then some combination of a Farfan, Okugo, Daniel, and/or Miglioranzi. That said…

      Mondragon, Williams, Califf, Valdes, Carroll, Daniel,
      Le Toux, Paunovic, Mapp, Ruiz, Mwanga

      That lineup in a 3-5-2 would be a tad slow, but should have good ability to possess and attack. If we didn’t already have one of the stingiest backlines in the league, and weren’t already 2nd in the conference a few points out with 2 games in hand, and weren’t already eyeing up the playoffs while hoping our offense figures out the meaning of the word consistency…it wouldn’t look that bad.

      • Right on with the speed. 3-5-2 requires rapid wingers to get up and down the pitch and cover immense amounts of ground. Le Toux can, but can Mapp?

        Also, I think that the additional midfielder would be a second holding player, aka Okugo to sit with Carroll behind Paunovic.

  12. Matt Kirk says:

    I am so utterly disgusted with this move. I am done with Nowak, he has absolutely crossed the line with this one. There is no reason to have him traded for money. Please give me another left back inside of the MLS that you would rather have there? there might be 1 or 2 but there is really no one else that gets up and back like Harvey and Williams. When can we run Nowak out of town? I thought signing a striker who was did not play in 2 years was a terrible move, this has trumped it. Def gonna miss Harvey

  13. Really y’all are upset?!?! This is a good move, actualy the first management decision I agree with…slow and has been regularly target by opposing teams all year long. Thanks Harvey for all your work both this year and last and best wihes but not sorry your gone…

  14. Ryan Pine says:

    I felt the same way as everyone above (save Los117) earlier in the day when I first heard the announcement via Twitter. However, considering the rumors the first African DP is about to sign with MLS, I can’t help but dream that this means we’re shifting to a 3-5-2 formation with one of those two being Didier Drogba or Samuel Eto’o. Both are the wrong side of 30 and have achieved almost everything they can in Europe. Maybe Inter is in for Tevez and wanting to move Sammy on. We all know Red Rom wants to move Didi on so El Nino can spearhead the Blues’ attack.

    Yes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Harvey has been solid all season. He’s the fourth highest rated on the team in the Castrol rankings. But is he ever dangerous going forward? Does he ever deliver a killer final ball? One goal and two assists and he has the most minutes in franchise history? I think that says it all.

    Bottom line is- I’ll reserve judgment until the summer transfer window is closed. I thought Fat Chooch was a huge mistake and am slowly being proved wrong. It’s not the prettiest soccer I’ve ever seen but if I’m DOOP-ing come October, I’ll be pumped…

    • Ryan. Your credibility flat-lined when you sited the Castrol Rankings. Don’t do that.

      • Ryan Pine says:

        You did your own credibility no favors by spelling cited “sited”. But I digress.

        What’s wrong with video analysis of player movement tracking completed passes in the various zones of the pitch? Sounds just like a watered down version of Prozone which is now used by teams around the world such as Arsenal.

        Last month’s top Castrol player was Titi. He looks to be in fine form to me. Can’t really see how it’s that off.

        But that wasn’t really the point of my comment at all. It was more “Let’s see how this plays out” than “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

      • damn. done in by a spelling mistake.

      • Their methods of analysis are credible, I guess, but you can’t trust their final numbers. Even after their analysis, the only players they can credibly compare against one another are those that play the same position AND style AND role within their team. The final number, which compares players in completely separate roles/styles, is an algorithm designed completely by opinion.

  15. Harvey is the weakest link in that back line. So I can’t say I’m sad to see him go. However, the real question is who will step into his place. They really don’t have anyone on the roster that’s a natural defender in that position. That makes me worried.

  16. Williams, Valdez and Califf made Harvey look better than he really was…looking forward to see who fills in or joins

  17. Harvey was our 11th best player on the field every game. Amazed at the amount of people upset by this. If the transfer window is an active one, we can only upgrade from here. If a Farfan or Daniel can spring the attack better then Harvey or Williams (which they should be able to) at the expense of a few more shots on goal against, then we are better off.

    • Disagree. For their positions, Harvey is better than Mapp and Paunovic. Mapp’s complete disregard for defense leaves Harvey stranded constantly. Further, sacrificing more shots is not acceptable, when your goalkeepers biggest weakness is shotstopping. Mondragon is an excellent organizer, but the old man simply isn’t as quick as he used to be. A team who looks to improve their offense by improving their left back is a confused team.

  18. I actually support the move. I do see Harvey was a popular figure here. But he never had the “WOW” to him, how many (and come on guys, be honest) did you see him make some wacky cross and say “who was that to?” or when there was pressure on him he’d brainfart and pass it back to the Dragon when the other team was all over the place. I see the Harvey love, but see that there’s a reason for every cryptic move Nowak makes. As far as this deal goes, out of the backline fab four? Jordan was Ringo. I appreciate his time and efforts here, but look forward to transfer time. Enjoy the weekend gang,TIM

  19. Jeremy L. says:

    Yeah, this one doesn’t make sense unless we are bringing in someone really good. Even then, Harvey–if you don’t think he should start, which I do–would be a fabtastic defensive sub. What can possibly be the thinking here? I mean, it’s hard to complain with a team that’s spent most of the season at the top of the conference standings, but Nowak has been absolutely baffling, all season long. I don’t get it.

    • The thinking probably cam down to good business. The Union were approached by the Whitecaps with an offer that they couldnt refuse for an expendable player. Are we really gonna cry everytime an original zolo leaves?

  20. PhillyHotSpur says:

    Williams……..Califf……..Valdez
    FarFan…..LeToux…..Carroll….Mapp…Keon.
    ……..Ruiz…….DannyBoy…………….

    Thinking we’ll see this on Saturday………..

  21. I am hearing word (from inside) that the Union received a lot of cash for Harvey which they are thinking will help sure up other positions in the transfer window … If this actually plays out no one knows…

    Even with Harvey on the team they were more 3-5-2 than anything else.

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