Photo: Paul Rudderow
Editors’ Note: PSP’s season review series will look at various aspects of Philadelphia Union’s 2014 season with the new perspective of having had a little bit of time to reflect. One post will run per weekday till Christmas.
Ready to yell expletives at me?*
Vincent Nogueira is overrated. At least by Union fans.
GO!!!!**
Entering the 2014 MLS season, I stated both on PSP and the KYW Philly Soccer Show that I expected Nogueira to become the Luka Modric of Major League Soccer. One of my favorite Tottenham players of all time (I’m a Spurs fan, even more reason to scream curses), Modric never ceases to amaze in the manner with which he can throw his tiny body around crowded, aggressive, and even downright violent midfields. As if the game is chess to him, he is always a move ahead, diving headlong into the thick of the brutality, only to reveal his pre-planned exit strategy at the final moment, extricating both the ball and his undersized limbs from danger before either is forced to endure the full impact of a defensive midfielder’s boot.
After spending more time than I’d care to admit during the preseason reviewing YouTube clips of the Philadelphia Union’s prized new midfield acquisition, Nogueira really did seem to fit that part. Standing 5-7 at a weight I haven’t seen since high school, the Frenchman’s quality immediately shone brightly for the Union, even through all of the general blur associated with poorly produced streaming preseason matches.
Struggling to live up to the hype
Fast forwarding to December, however, the question remains:
Did Nogueira live up the seemingly boundless promise he showed in the early days of the campaign?
If the comparison to Modric is to be revisited at the MLS level, then the answer unfortunately has to be no.
True, Nogueira has few peers in MLS when it comes to the metronomic quality of his passing and the ceaseless effort he puts in to make himself available to teammates.
But the end result of all that labor proved to be very little final product. Because while the diminutive Croatian is well regarded for being not the guy who plays the final ball, but the maestro who reads the play and executes the penultimate pass that sparks the entire move into motion, Nogueira simply cannot lay claim to a similar skill set as Modric. At least, not on the evidence of his first MLS season.
After all, it is important to remember that MLS has taken a page out of the National Hockey League’s book, choosing to reward those who delivered both of the final TWO passes in a scoring move. Even with this extra opportunity to find his name on the scorer’s sheet, Nogueira came up small. The grand total of his offensive contribution in 2014 played out to 2 goals and only 3 assists. That works out to approximately 500 minutes of playing time between each of his meaningful involvements in a Union tally. Those are not good numbers.
Ineffective deployment
Yet, Nogueira is clearly a brilliant soccer player. He has passed the eye test so many times that it is hard to think of him as anything other than elite.
His deployment under two Union’s managers sheds more light on his inability to affect matches in the manner expected by fans, coaches, and the front office staff that brought him here.
John Hackworth’s conservative, negative tactics must have proved a rude awakening for Nogueira in the opening matches of his MLS career. Despite racking up a total of only 5 goals and 3 assists in his final 3 European seasons, Hackworth made the erroneous assumption that any skilled European playing arriving in MLS can quickly become an offensive juggernaut. His decision to play Nogueira with both Brian Carroll and Maurice Edu forced the Frenchman to abandon so many of the things that make him special, whether it was his ability to take the ball comfortably from his defenders or his savvy at navigating the congested, ugly morass that often describes an MLS midfield. The possession-based attack Hackworth desired quickly devolved into a situation of too many cooks in the kitchen, with none having the freedom or space to play to their potential.
Once Hackworth was dismissed, the tactical situation, at least for Nogueira, did not improve all that much. Despite reiterating his desire to deploy the Frenchman in his preferred deep-lying role, Jim Curtin’s need to fix a leaky defense took precedence. Between the Union’s defensive needs, and lingering injury concerns for Chaco Maidana, Nogueira had to prove himself to a second manager, again out of position.
While Hackworth was unable to field a team that could actually achieve his goals, he valued the type of possession Nogueira can provide. Curtin, by contrast, does not. Keeping the ball matters little to the new Union manager. In fact, using it efficiently has been the name of his game, which was backed up by the Union’s best run of results during the summer. Keen to weather the storm and allow opponents to become stretched and exposed, Curtin’s Union turned the counterattack into their No. 1 tool in July and August.
Coachability?
I was involved in a lot of interesting debates surrounding Vincent Nogueira in 2014, but the majority of the discussion can be broken into two viewpoints.
Viewpoint No. 1 focuses on the fact that Nogueira is an excellent deep-lying, box-to-box, possession-oriented midfielder. If only he was allowed to remain in this role, he could dictate the tempo of a game and make all of his teammates better by quickly and precisely providing them the service they need. Think Will Johnson for Portland in 2013.
Opponents of this viewpoint generally adopt the opinion that good players are good players and modern soccer requires a ton of flexibility. In an era where every young player when asked about his favored position will regurgitate the phrases, “I just want to be on the field; I will play wherever coach wants,” players need to be ready to step up when called upon. While there are limits to this rule — i.e. Aaron Wheeler’s ill-fated forward to defender swap — Nogueira failed to answer the call for both of his managers in 2015. Too often, he simply did not make the adjustments to his own game that his team needed to be successful.
That is not easy to say as someone who spent the majority of the season espousing the virtues of viewpoint No. 1.
But facts are facts. When deployed in a more advanced role, Nogueira struggled to change his game. His positional instincts led him to sag back toward the midfield stripe, opening up a vast distance between the forward and midfield line, and there was a clear hesitancy to take chances and pick out the final ball.
That hesitation to take chances and seek out the killer ball was not limited to his time in an advanced role either. Even when partnering Amobi Okugo behind Maidana, Nogueira remained reticent to drive into the box.
Where to from here?
Nogueira’s motor and skill level are unquestioned. He may indeed be the best player ever to don the Union shirt.
But for the Union to improve on a disappointing 2014 season, Nogueira has plenty of things on which to work in the offseason. Whether it is crashing the box as an additional runner, taking more chances with his passing, putting more than 24 percent of his shots on frame, or filling offensive space without the ball in the same manner that he chases into it defensively, he must get on the same page with his coach. He can’t be the guy who plays his own game in a foreign system. If he can do that and work diligently to become the conduit for Curtin’s message on the pitch, Nogueira will then be truly worthy of many of the plaudits he has already received.
* – Author’s note: To yell expletives at me, see the comments section below or Twitter (@PSP_Eli).
** – Editor’s note: Please take the expletives to Twitter and keep it expletive-free on PSP. Do it for the kids!
All your flaws about him are based on the fact he was playing in a position that isn’t his.
Maybe we are used to our crap team with crap coaches playing players out of position and expecting them to not be crap for some reason, but thats not how it works. When you have someone as good as Nogueira you play him in his best position.
If we had a pro quality coach who asked him to play in his best position and do the things he is best at, he would be one of the best at his position in the MLS.
But it’s ok, lets just waste and ruin another good player by forcing him out of position like we’ve done countless times before.
+ 1
+ Nuff said!
One day Orlandini will pronounce his name correctly.
No he won’t. I will see to it.
meh.
Great article. My Dad would agree with you whole heartedly. We have very different opinions of Nogueria’s worth. One would have hoped that a player with his overall quality could have made a transition to the #10 role, however his play as a #8 was spectacular. He is definitely a player whose performance can not fully be qualified by statistics. And, for the record he was extremely unlucky to have not scored a few more. Also you have to look at the lack of a true striker for runs of games. Andrew Wenger was hitting his stride while Nogueria was playing through injury. This is a man you build a team around.
some Nogueira-friendly stats:
http://t.co/k0FRibadQm
Great find. Had missed that. By that metric, Nogueira was the second most influential player in the league at the time the stats were published. That probably overstates the reality a bit, but it definitely illustrates his influence quite well.
I appreciate that page clicks are important, and I like your focus on the Union and the work you do…but you’ve opened yourself up for a lot of ridicule here.
To be a ‘soccer purist/expert’, which I believe you think you are, you need to have an ability to recognize talent and the best players on the pitch. This should never be influenced by ‘stat sheets’ or league leader tally’s. Nogueira is hands down the best player on the Union, and I would be very surprised if the Union haven’t been approached by all the big clubs in the MLS enquiring about trading for him (NYCFC especially).
When deployed in his best position (#6, CDM):
– He covers more ground than any other player on the pitch (this is very important when you have out of shape and slow players in key positions – see Maidana, Williams, Valdes, Carroll and Casey)
– His movement is world class, presenting passing outlets from Box to Box – think Xavi and Wilshire for their teams)
– His ability to make players better around him is undeniable. *How an earth do you think that Carroll (“Lead foot”), Fabinho (“Lead soccer brain”, Cruz (“Lead touch”) and Maidana (“Lead weight in his legs”) could compete at the levels they did this season. Granted they were at the extremes of competing levels, with Maidana putting in a good overall performance by seasons end, and hopefully will improve with better fitness next season; but the rest of the aforementioned players would have been playing at USL levels if it wasn’t for Nogueria bailing them out.
– He has the best long range shot on the team, and one of the best in the league. He also would have been able to use it more had we had a decent striker who could have drawn the opposing CB’s away from the goal and opened up space for him to actually shoot!
– His passing…I don’t need to say anymore here.
To put it in terms we can all relate to, if this was gym class and two captains (let’s say Edu and Le Toux for example purposes) were picking teams… Nogueira would be picked first every time. And by writing this article, you’ve become the “fat kid” and picked last!
You were doing so well there until you went and called Eli the “fat kid” in gym class.
Sorry, I felt mean writing it but I get really nervous at the thought of a Union without Nogueria. It brings out my Mean Girls side. Eli, apologies mate. Keep up the good work at PSP!
Good comment! Just a couple things:
You: “Nogueira is hands down the best player on the Union, and I would be very surprised if the Union haven’t been approached by all the big clubs in the MLS enquiring about trading for him (NYCFC especially).”
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Eli’s article: “He may indeed be the best player ever to don the Union shirt.” And I won’t disagree with you: Teams with money probably call teams with less money trying to get good players.
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You: “When deployed in his best position (#6, CDM):
– He covers more ground than any other player on the pitch (this is very important when you have out of shape and slow players in key positions – see Maidana, Williams, Valdes, Carroll and Casey).”
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Me: Yes, but often at the cost of positioning. Nogueira is hardly faultless for the team’s out-of-shapeness. Covering too much ground may actually be the biggest issue Nogueira has had with the Union. Trying to do too much is laudable from a fan’s perspective, but can be very problematic tactically.
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You: “His movement is world class, presenting passing outlets from Box to Box – think Xavi and Wilshire for their teams)
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Eli’s article: “Nogueira has few peers in MLS when it comes to the metronomic quality of his passing and the ceaseless effort he puts in to make himself available to teammates.”
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Me: A lot of the same criticisms Eli made of Nogueira have long been made of Wilshere too.
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You: “His ability to make players better around him is undeniable. *How an earth do you think that Carroll (“Lead foot”), Fabinho (“Lead soccer brain”, Cruz (“Lead touch”) and Maidana (“Lead weight in his legs”) could compete at the levels they did this season. Granted they were at the extremes of competing levels, with Maidana putting in a good overall performance by seasons end, and hopefully will improve with better fitness next season; but the rest of the aforementioned players would have been playing at USL levels if it wasn’t for Nogueria bailing them out.”
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Eli’s article: “Viewpoint No. 1 focuses on the fact that Nogueira is an excellent deep-lying, box-to-box, possession-oriented midfielder. If only he was allowed to remain in this role, he could dictate the tempo of a game and make all of his teammates better by quickly and precisely providing them the service they need. Think Will Johnson for Portland in 2013.”
~
You: He has the best long range shot on the team, and one of the best in the league. He also would have been able to use it more had we had a decent striker who could have drawn the opposing CB’s away from the goal and opened up space for him to actually shoot!
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Me: Good points. Of the 2.1 shots/90mins Nog attempted, 1.5 were from outside the box. So he was looking to shoot from there. And you’re right – he needs space, since he had 0.7 shots/90 blocked. But… that also points to some poor shot selection. When you take the majority of your shots from outside the box and a third of them are blocked? You are pressing. We can blame that on the team around him being poor, yada yada yada, but a player has to take responsibility for that decision making on some level, no?
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You: His passing…I don’t need to say anymore here.
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Because it was already said in the article? “Nogueira is clearly a brilliant soccer player. He has passed the eye test so many times that it is hard to think of him as anything other than elite.”
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Me: I think you are, again, agreeing with Eli here. Nogueira is a great passer. The percentage of long passes he completes is muy bueno. The point made in the article is: He needs to do that long passing/chance taking even more than he already is. Translated: He’s really good. He should take the bull by the horns more often.
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Me: The point of the article is that Nogueira is a fantastic player, but he’s not a savior. Nor is he overrated. He’s somewhere in between: A facilitator. He makes other players better (a point you and Eli both make) and he reads the game and moves extremely well. So Nogueira is well-rated as a fantastic player who cannot save a mediocre team. What to do, then? Two things: 1) The Union adjust to get the most out of their best player, and 2) The Union’s best player adjusts so he can better contribute to the team he is on. This is the subject of Eli’s final section.
All great points Adam, and to be fair I saw the title of the article and then just exploded into a cyber rage instead of giving the content and points Eli was making a chance to resonate and interpret them (which you did well). I think the biggest take away, is this..
“So Nogueira is well-rated as a fantastic player who cannot save a mediocre team. What to do, then? Two things: 1) The Union adjust to get the most out of their best player, and 2) The Union’s best player adjusts so he can better contribute to the team he is on.”
I think ultimately we need to get 2-3 more additional players who have the technical ability to play with a player like Nogueira, and raise the standards of those around them. I look at a player like Péguy Luyindula. He has lost his pace and is on the wrong side of his prime, but his technical ability enables him to be dangerous and create ‘value’ for his team. When I look at our equivalent, Fred, I simply shake my head! The Union management need to acknowledge that with a few smart additions (a young, speedy proven striker; a new LB (I like Ashe) via trade or off season signing; a new winger to create depth(and to play on the other flank to Wenger, allowing Le Toux to play upfront); and a new CM to replace Okugo), we could be significantly better. My fear is with the expansion of the league (NYCFC, Orlando) and the expanded Salary Cap rules (which will only help the big clubs to get even better), that the Union will be left behind.
I think we have the core there in front of us:
GK Rais Mbolhi
RB Ray Gaddis
CB Edu
CB Valdes
LB *New Signing
RW New Signing
CDM Nogueira
CAM Maidana
LW *New Signing
ST: Le Toux
ST *New Signing
^^ I know this isn’t the planned formation, but you have to have Le Toux on the pitch, and he’s most dangerous playing striker where he can poach goals in the 6 yard box ^^
Bench (depth order)
* New Signing (Striker)
* New Signing (Midfield)
Zach Pfeffer
E. White
S. Williams
Ribeiro
Blake
Correction – Wenger starts on the wing. Still need a new signing on the other wing, moving Le Toux to striker (his best position)
Yes, Wenger earned more time at Left Wing. Surprised so many fans disagree.
Yeah, I just liked how you and Eli both made really passionate arguments and ended up at the same place: Nogueira is really, really good, but he’s not a magician. He needs the tools around him to show his full potential.
hahaha….he’s the fat kid. Great post. They need to start getting former ballers to get the scoop. There is nothing more annoying than someone who writes about the game but really doesn’t know what they are talking about……..especially the “stat boys”! or…..”stat fat kids”!
I can only speak for myself, and not the other stat kids, but…
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I’m not fat, I’m big-boned!
cheers mate…..funny stuff.
Westmontunion,
Perfectly said. I agree 100%. Some People don’t realize
Nogs did more for this team then what stats show. He possesses abilities that every player should have. He’s truly the most important piece for this Union squad.
As stated by Adam I would have to agree with most of Eli’s points as well.
Best long range shot? Are you kidding me? I love Nogs, a lot but this year he couldn’t kick the ball in the ocean. He missed BADLY so many times from ‘long range’ it was perplexing. Hopefully he was just cold but to say he has the best long range shot is…ahem…inaccurate!
I think the idea that “good players can play anywhere” is ridiculous. Soccer requires a lot of skills, and one person does not possess all of them. Would you put Ronaldo at defensive midfield??? I’m sure he’d not embarrass himself there, but you might not be terribly impressed. Yeah, add the caveat about “of course there are limits”, but that doesn’t get you out of the fact that players have natural inclinations on the pitch, based upon 1) what they enjoy doing; and 2) what uses their skills to best advantage.
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It’s fine to try something new, especially for a guy who hasn’t quite found his spot yet (Andrew Wenger being the perfect example), but when a guy is great, you let him be great at the position in which he is great. And Vincent Nogueira is great. If he can’t be great in the position into which you shoehorn him, that doesn’t make him less great — it means you have a great player who doesn’t fit your system. Which happens all the time. But it’s not something for which a great player should be blamed. Anyway, Nogueira fits the Union system just fine, and I devoutly hope he’ll be back next season. We’ll be a step backward without him.
+ 1
+
I’m going to say he is an overrated savior. It seems like many here (myself included) seem to think he can win MLS Cup by himself. Clearly, that is overrating him. But he also came about 2 inches from scoring the goal to win the US Open Cup and become the savior. The problem was the team left too many points on the table by blowing late leads and I don’t recall too many of those being laid at the feet of Nogueira. In fact, his ability to hold the ball, if used right, could have prevented some of those leads from being blown.
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But the real question is whether Tottenham can get anything out of their visit to Stamford Bridge tomorrow?
I think if you can remember back to January, the title for “overhyped savior” lies solely with Mo Edu.
Nogs isn’t even a DP, which perhaps makes him the most underrated and best value in MLS.
You were smart enough to recant and admit he’s the best player to ever wear the shirt, but Will Johnson couldn’t carry Nog’s kit bag in from the bus.
I fully respect this article, but while Modric is playing with high quality european players and the likes of Real Madrid stars and superstars, Noguiera is often standing on the field with his hands in the air as if to say, “WTF” with guys who went to Duke and Cal Poly.
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It is impossible to compare these players. Modric himself would be running around PPL with his hands in the air too if required to to play with similar players.
+1
Bingo!
+Again well enough said!
+1
+10
One thing about Nogueira that I think maybe gets underplayed a bit is that the guy clearly seemed tired by the end of the year. And, to me, that makes sense. He went from last July or so when Ligue 1 started until the Union bowed out of the playoff picture in October without much of a break. And I think that showed on the field, unfortunately.
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I’m very curious to see what he can do in 2015, after having a meaningful break, having played a year in MLS to learn the league, and Curtin having an opportunity to adjust and reload during the off-season.
don’t think so….he’s a professional European footballer. They have maybe three weeks off all year……thats it. He’s used to starting in July and finishing up the following May……June if he’s still cup-tied. The MLS should be easier for him……Nogs just seemed that way because he was sick to his stomach……saying “WTF did I get myself into?”
Though, to John’s point, the travel in MLS is probably quite a bit more taxing than the French league. And though I know little about Ligue 1, I am a-hopin’ and a-prayin’ that the level of officiating is such that a player like Nogueira doesn’t get the same level of physical abuse he gets in MLS.
To be fair, Ligue 1 is known to have possibly the worst referees in Europe; they did not have referees represented in WC Brazil and that red card in the PSG-OM match a few weeks ago was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen.
Also Ligue 1 is quite a bit more physical than people realize with a ton of big, lumbering defenders. Vincent also pointed this out:
http://t.co/5F2qG3kBoN
Not worried about him in MLS; he seems to be very, very careful about going into a physical challenge for as small as he is.
it’s a team game. only ronaldos and messis are saviors and I don’t see them doing it by themselves. good teams put good players in good positions to help the team. of course, some sacrifice should be made but a team player sacrifices and moves when a better player takes the team player’s place and the performance of both help the team overall. when a better player moves for an equal or “different type of” player and it does not help the team, it is (in my playing experience) disastrous because the rest of the team generally knows where each should be playing. nogueira is a good player who can help the Union immensely as a deep lying, possession keeping MF – and he is great value for money. he never was or likely wanted to be a savior. to call him one or expect him to be one is unfair, unrealistic, and calls into question the acumen of those making the claim. many arguments and opinions can be made or offered; not all of them should be. the article would have been better titled “what position should vinny have played this year and what position should he play next year?” and it could have been one sentence.
Not sure if Modric is an apt comparison, but you half to admit that Luka has much more forward talent at his disposal. I was surprised that Vincent struggled so much as a CAM, but I think having better attacking talent would make him more successful in either the 10 or the 6. He has unique ball skills, but the Union wasn’t setup last year to get the best out of him.
Overrated by Union fans… yeah maybe. But I mean, think of the quality we HAVEN’T had on this team, ever (save a few guys here and there). So yeah, maybe we got a little excited. That said, he is the best player we have had, so far, and him staying on this team is vitally important to our development as a club.
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The way Nogs plays is different than the way our American players play. I’m not saying the “American” way – force, speed, etc. – as opposed to “European” way – more skill, technique, etc. is right or wrong, I’m just saying it’s different. His play can influence the way we play as a team, and make us better. I remember when he signed here, someone commented that we should back up the Brinks truck to his house, and give him the keys to the Academy (something I agree with, by the way). We as a fan base may have overrated him a bit, but his quality and skill are the best we’ve had, so the excitement is warranted.
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The only thing I see being a problem, is if Nogs decides that MLS is too much of a step down for him, and he doesn’t want to spend the prime of his career with his hands in the air yelling at people to make a run (that guys in Ligue 1 would make on their own), and teaching college kids how to play. That is something that for some people, no amount of money can make up for.
Nogueira is the player you build around, not move around. If we stick with the 4-2-3-1 (which I think we should), play Nogs as part of the “2” with a stay-at-home DM and allow him to shift and float around the midfield at-will. You do not move your best player from his best position just to fill a hole in another spot (ie. playing in Chaco’s #10 role). If Chaco is hurt or misses a game next year do NOT move Nogs instead play Pedro, or (gasp) Pfeffer, or whoever we have as the back-up CAM. I’m assuming we’ll sell Valdes and won’t bring back Okugo this off-season and if so I see our starting 11 next year as: Rais; LB, Edu, White, Gaddis; DM, Nogueira; Wenger, Maidana, Le Toux, ST.
So my off-season needs for this team would be to find starters at LB, DM and ST.
Agree completely. Also need better depth on the bench. Pfeffer, Pedro, New Striker, New Winger, New CB (if they sell Valdes)
I guess my bench right now would be: Gk (I won’t even try to guess), Williams, Berry, Lahoud, Cruz, Casey, and Pedro. Obviously room to improve.
You could ditch Berry from that bench and use Williams as your backup across the d-line, given his ability to play CB as well as FB. That would make room on your bench for either Pfeffer or McLaughlin.
+1
Modric: $50 Million
Nogueira: $300 K
-unfair comparison
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Nogueira has very few speedy, crafty forwards with the ability to find space and control a long-range pass.
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Ask any other team in the league which player they were most concerned about and had to create a gameplan to manage, and Nogueira will be the most common answer.
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Nogueira played for more than an entire calendar year without any time off. As a result he struggled with a groin strain and lack of gas/(motivation?) down the stretch – as expected.
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Most international players take a year to adjust to the league.
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Has he met his potential in the league yet…no, but to call him “overrated” Eli?… I love ya, but you’re smoking your socks. He’s the best $300k player in the league in my book, and yes, perhaps the best to wear the kit.
+1
+
Click-bait. That’s what this article was. “He’s the best player ever in a Union jersey, but overrated.”
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You just wanted to be the hot-take.
This may be true, but i love the discussion on this guy.
Seems more like a Pirlo than a Modric to me though.
1. He’s inarguably the best player on the U.
2. They(Now Curtin) have a responsibility to build around him, as you would with any great player in any sport.
3. The argument that you would have to “adjust” to MLS is ridiculous. I don’t want to waste the words, but use your mind to picture any apt analogy. If you go from a better league to a lesser league, what’s the adjustment?
I think that it’s really about the team around him stepping up and playing the game smarter. It’s not a one man show and when you have a team like the Union that has not come close to achieving success like the most successful clubs in the mls it has to be extremely tough to show your best. Having said that, I think that Nogs is not be overrated. First off, it’s quite remarkable that he was able to come out every game and have an impact when immediately coming out of the French 1 ligue without a break. I think 2015 could be an exciting time for him to really progress with his fitness and his play. As for coaching I think there needs to be an implementation of the possession game and not just only the counter attack. The game is played well with both styles. Using both separates the best teams from the mediocre. These players and coaches need to adapt to Nogs and again build this team around him. Not him around the team. He has shown how the game needs to be played to have success in this league and others.
My overall point is that he is underrated.
Hate to say it…………but if your going to build a squad around Nogs, a few things need to happen. You need to either play in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1. Nogs needs a physical presence in the middle of the pitch to cover for him……..like Edu. Edu and Nogs are both CDM’s with different skill sets……and you need them both. Rarely do teams play with one CDM these days….unless you have a guy like YaYa….your going to get exposed. Remember a few weeks ago when Jurgen tried just one CDM (Beckerman) against Ireland…….what happened? I know there is a push to put Edu back into a center back role……….I understand why….but still think it wont work. Why not go with Berry and White and see if the sink or swim at centerback? You brought them in…both are CB’s…why not? That way Nogs and Edu can do what they do best……..sit back and dictate the match, one be the destroyer and one be the fulcrum to switch the points of attack. LeToux and Wenger on the wings can be dangerous. We need a target forward and a left back. We don’t have the ducketts to get everything we need……..those would appear to be the priorities. The higher up you go………the more hamstrung you get from not having a left-dominant, left back. At this level….having a back have to switch things to his right side takes too much time and is laughable at the pro level. Gaddis just signed a new contract…….Williams might be expendable. People will want him….he could start for most other MLS sides and his long throw makes him marketable.
Valdes staying would be a bonus………….and there is one of your CB’s
Yes we need another defensive midfielder since edu will prob. Be in the back. That still doesn’t change the fact of building the team around Nogs meaning getting players that will gel with him. Yes it would be difficult to establish but it has to be attempted by the FO.