Much like a phoenix rising from the ashes D.C. United has taken the first part of 2016 by storm. With a flurry of trades, signings, near signings, and a brand new schedule the club enters the 2016 season with a bit of a retooled lineup. That lineup will be tinkered with even more on Thursday when the club plays host (well, it is within an hours drive) to the Major League Soccer SuperDraft in Baltimore. You can watch on MLSSoccer.com or you can follow Prost’s Twitter page for live updates.
While everyone is certainly excited about the SuperDraft (a chance to talk about MLS, D.C. United, and wear a scarf that clashes with your winter gear? Cool!) for United this is a chance to add a quality piece. Although the value of the SuperDraft is a bit overstated, for clubs like D.C. that have a limited youth academy program and a lack of resources it is a chance to pick up a quality piece.
Looking back at D.C. United’s recent history the club has done pretty well with their selections. Each of their last five first round picks were starters at some point last season (Miguel Aguilar, Steve Birnbaum, Nick De Leon, Taylor Kemp, and Perry Kitchen) in 2015. If you include Chris Korb (second round pick in 2011) and Chris Pontius (first round pick in 2009) it shows that the club generally likes to retain their first round picks for extended periods.
However the club did make some changes this offseason. Pontius was traded away to the Philadelphia Union and Perry Kitchen and the club are reportedly going separate ways. They also picked up midfielders Lamar Neagle and Patrick Nyarko and re-signed goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra. So with that in mind just what will D.C. United be looking for with the number thirteen pick in the first round and their four fourth round picks?
Center Midfielder
With Kitchen gone, Markus Halsti (could return to Europe) and Davy Arnaud (concussion)’s futures uncertain D.C. United will likely use their first pick to strengthen their midfield. Although it would hurt to lose Arnaud and Halsti, the Kitchen loss changes this team. The former number two pick made over 155 starts for the Red and the Black over the past five years and averaged at least 31.6 starts a season.
To replace him United has a couple of options. The club has reportedly been looking to France for help in the midfield and has been thinking about using De Leon more as a center midfielder. While one is pure speculation, moving De Leon to center midfield might be a good option for the time being. With the additions of Neagle and Nyarko the club can move De Leon inside without losing their speed or pace on the outside. If the club can also keep onto Halsti that should be enough. The question is if De Leon can handle the pressure of orchestrating an attack.
If D.C. does opt to go for a midfielder Julian Buescher appears to be the most solid choice given the club’s position. The former German U-16 and U-18 national team player had a standout season with the Orangemen helping. He was part of a side that allowed just .88 goals per game and just 8.2 shots per game. In a difficult ACC Conference he showed an excellent ability to mark top forwards and limit teams on the counter-attack. If United were to be looking for a direct replacement for Kitchen perhaps that they should go to the college ranks.
Other Options: James Moberg (Washington); Michael Gamble (Wake Forest)
Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Aside from midfielder the club has relatively few needs going into this draft. If there was another spot that they might look at early on (the fourth round is pretty much a crapshoot) it would be at the forward position. With Pontius, Jairo Arrieta, and Eddie Johnson gone there may be a spot or two open up top. The club scored just 43 goals last season (second lowest among all playoff teams) and given that the club had to come from behind to earn points on eight different occasions last season it may need some retooling at the top.
In an ideal world Creighton forward Fabian Herbers would slide right down to number thirteen for D.C. Herbers, who was nominated for the Hermann trophy this season, scored 15 goals and tallied 17 assists for the Blue Jays. At 6’0″ 170 pounds the Big East Offensive Player of the Year would be a dynamic addition for United. Although the learning curve for forwards and attacking midfielders is often higher than it is at other positions in the league there are enough pieces in D.C.’s lineup where there would not be an expectation to produce early on.
The question is: will he fall that far? This year’s draft is very light on prospects at forward and given that the Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake, and New England Revolution may all be in need of attacking options, United may not get the chance to take Herbers. Such is the problem when a team does well in the previous season and has to pick late.
MLS SuperDraft is far from super but still serves a purpose
The drafting of players is not unique to sport in the United States and Canada, but it is an idea that has not traveled very well throughout the rest of the sporting world. When Major League Soccer came into being, there was never a doubt that a draft process would be put in place, just like the other North American leagues such as NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. The problem right from the start was that while these other leagues were regarded as the best in their field, MLS was a latecomer to the party. The National Hockey League could draft youngsters from Russia, Sweden, Finland and any other country in the world secure in the knowledge that the best of each generation knew that a successful future was tied to joining and excelling in the NHL. MLS had no such cache. For the new league, the idea that their draft could stretch across the Atlantic or down into South America and “attach” a highly talented 18-year-old to the Chicago Fire or DC United was laughable. Instead, MLS was forced to deal with what it could control – or at least heavily influence – and that was US college soccer.
In the early years, it was not unusual to hear and read of how a MLS side was going to use the draft to help build their club. After all, that was the narrative used by football, baseball, hockey and basketball so why would it be different for soccer? Over the years, such excessive expectations have been tempered by a heavy dose of reality. No MLS club has ever or ever will build a successful team through the draft. Turning up a player or two who turn into dedicated and reliable professionals is a more legitimate target, and perhaps once in a blue moon a player might emerge as one of a team’s top four or five starters. A few years ago, MLS expanded the draft net in an attempt to make the process more relevant, with players from other countries being added to the available pool. But one thing has remained constant, whether in the “pure” draft or the “tweaked” version – there is nothing that warrants the thousands upon thousands of words written and spoken about the draft. SEE MORE: 2016’s 10 most intriguing names in US soccer. Each year we are inundated with speculation of who may go where (thankfully there seem to a lot fewer mock drafts than a few years ago) and critiques of how some youngsters may have done enough at the player combine. We read reports on why a player may be drafted two places higher, or how another’s fortunes may have waned because of poor practice match. Put that aside and what are the successes – or otherwise – of the MLS SuperDraft? With the 17th edition of the draft set to be held on Thursday in Baltimore, Mar., we looked back on the success recent draftees have had in Major League Soccer.
MLS SuperDrafts 2007 to 2012 The focus here is on the first round draft picks made by clubs between 2007 and 2012. Five basic questions were explored in an attempt to quantify how many MLS-quality players have been unearthed through the 95 first round picks made over these six editions. How many first round picks have played in MLS every season for the team that drafted them? How many players have played in MLS every season, regardless of team, since being drafted? How many players completed their four seasons in MLS with the club that drafted them? How many players completed their first four seasons in MLS, regardless of club? How many players were playing in MLS at the end of the 2015 season? Charting the MLS draft Draft Year Appeared in all seasons for drafting team Appeared in all MLS seasons (any team) Appeared in first four seasons for drafting team Appeared in first four season, any team In MLS at end of 2015 season 2007 0 1 1 4 4 2008 3 4 6 8 7 2009 4 10 9 12 10 2010 1 9 7 13 10 2011 6 8 8 11 9 2012 6 9 6 9 9 Total 20 41 37 57 49 Stats Facts Of 95 first round draft picks chosen between 2007 and 2012 … 41 (just over two players per team) have played in every MLS season since being drafted; Over 50% (49) were playing in MLS at the end of the 2015 season (eight returned after testing foreign or NASL/USL waters); 20 stuck with the team that drafted them, although that number will dwindle come 2016, as some have already moved on to fresh pastures; 37 stuck with their drafted club for the first four seasons or more; Sporting KC: 6; FC Dallas: 4; LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, DC United and Philadelphia Union: 3; Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps, Columbus Crew: 2; Portland Timbers, Toronto FC and Chivas USA: 1; 57 played for one or more MLS teams in their first four seasons. SEE MORE: 10 predictions for the MLS season. Conclusions Some clubs are either better at identifying and drafting players (Sporting KC and FC Dallas, as examples) or are more patient and willing to stick with their choices. With 20 of 95 drafted players playing for more than one MLS team in their first four seasons, there was no shortage of teams willing to give other clubs’ castoffs a shot. Players of note Michael Harrington, drafted by Sporting KC in 2007, and has also played for the Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids over nine MLS seasons. Chance Myers, Tony Beltran and Patrick Nyarko, drafted in 2008 by Sporting KC, Real Salt Lake and Chicago Fire, have stuck with the same teams ever since. In 2009, Omar Gonzalez, Chris Pontius, Matt Besler and Kevin Alston were drafted by LA Galaxy, DC United, Sporting KC and New England Revolution. All four completed seven seasons with the same team but only Besler has a chance of making it eight in a row, as the other three have moved on this offseason. Gonzalez was transferred to Pachuca in Mexico while Pontius has moved to the Philadelphia Union, with Kevin Alston going to Orlando City. Zach Lloyd was drafted by FC Dallas in 2010 and looks to be well placed to take his run into 2016.
MLS SuperDraft is far from super but still serves a purpose
The drafting of players is not unique to sport in the United States and Canada, but it is an idea that has not traveled very well throughout the rest of the sporting world. When Major League Soccer came into being, there was never a doubt that a draft process would be put in place, just like the other North American leagues such as NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. The problem right from the start was that while these other leagues were regarded as the best in their field, MLS was a latecomer to the party. The National Hockey League could draft youngsters from Russia, Sweden, Finland and any other country in the world secure in the knowledge that the best of each generation knew that a successful future was tied to joining and excelling in the NHL. MLS had no such cache. For the new league, the idea that their draft could stretch across the Atlantic or down into South America and “attach” a highly talented 18-year-old to the Chicago Fire or DC United was laughable. Instead, MLS was forced to deal with what it could control – or at least heavily influence – and that was US college soccer.
In the early years, it was not unusual to hear and read of how a MLS side was going to use the draft to help build their club. After all, that was the narrative used by football, baseball, hockey and basketball so why would it be different for soccer? Over the years, such excessive expectations have been tempered by a heavy dose of reality. No MLS club has ever or ever will build a successful team through the draft. Turning up a player or two who turn into dedicated and reliable professionals is a more legitimate target, and perhaps once in a blue moon a player might emerge as one of a team’s top four or five starters. A few years ago, MLS expanded the draft net in an attempt to make the process more relevant, with players from other countries being added to the available pool. But one thing has remained constant, whether in the “pure” draft or the “tweaked” version – there is nothing that warrants the thousands upon thousands of words written and spoken about the draft. SEE MORE: 2016’s 10 most intriguing names in US soccer. Each year we are inundated with speculation of who may go where (thankfully there seem to a lot fewer mock drafts than a few years ago) and critiques of how some youngsters may have done enough at the player combine. We read reports on why a player may be drafted two places higher, or how another’s fortunes may have waned because of poor practice match. Put that aside and what are the successes – or otherwise – of the MLS SuperDraft? With the 17th edition of the draft set to be held on Thursday in Baltimore, Mar., we looked back on the success recent draftees have had in Major League Soccer.
MLS SuperDrafts 2007 to 2012 The focus here is on the first round draft picks made by clubs between 2007 and 2012. Five basic questions were explored in an attempt to quantify how many MLS-quality players have been unearthed through the 95 first round picks made over these six editions. How many first round picks have played in MLS every season for the team that drafted them? How many players have played in MLS every season, regardless of team, since being drafted? How many players completed their four seasons in MLS with the club that drafted them? How many players completed their first four seasons in MLS, regardless of club? How many players were playing in MLS at the end of the 2015 season? Charting the MLS draft Draft Year Appeared in all seasons for drafting team Appeared in all MLS seasons (any team) Appeared in first four seasons for drafting team Appeared in first four season, any team In MLS at end of 2015 season 2007 0 1 1 4 4 2008 3 4 6 8 7 2009 4 10 9 12 10 2010 1 9 7 13 10 2011 6 8 8 11 9 2012 6 9 6 9 9 Total 20 41 37 57 49 Stats Facts Of 95 first round draft picks chosen between 2007 and 2012 … 41 (just over two players per team) have played in every MLS season since being drafted; Over 50% (49) were playing in MLS at the end of the 2015 season (eight returned after testing foreign or NASL/USL waters); 20 stuck with the team that drafted them, although that number will dwindle come 2016, as some have already moved on to fresh pastures; 37 stuck with their drafted club for the first four seasons or more; Sporting KC: 6; FC Dallas: 4; LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, DC United and Philadelphia Union: 3; Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps, Columbus Crew: 2; Portland Timbers, Toronto FC and Chivas USA: 1; 57 played for one or more MLS teams in their first four seasons. SEE MORE: 10 predictions for the MLS season. Conclusions Some clubs are either better at identifying and drafting players (Sporting KC and FC Dallas, as examples) or are more patient and willing to stick with their choices. With 20 of 95 drafted players playing for more than one MLS team in their first four seasons, there was no shortage of teams willing to give other clubs’ castoffs a shot. Players of note Michael Harrington, drafted by Sporting KC in 2007, and has also played for the Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids over nine MLS seasons. Chance Myers, Tony Beltran and Patrick Nyarko, drafted in 2008 by Sporting KC, Real Salt Lake and Chicago Fire, have stuck with the same teams ever since. In 2009, Omar Gonzalez, Chris Pontius, Matt Besler and Kevin Alston were drafted by LA Galaxy, DC United, Sporting KC and New England Revolution. All four completed seven seasons with the same team but only Besler has a chance of making it eight in a row, as the other three have moved on this offseason. Gonzalez was transferred to Pachuca in Mexico while Pontius has moved to the Philadelphia Union, with Kevin Alston going to Orlando City. Zach Lloyd was drafted by FC Dallas in 2010 and looks to be well placed to take his run into 2016.
MLS Mock Draft 2016: Sporting Kansas City select #11 Tony Alfaro
The 6'2" defender out of Cal State Dominguez Hills is a bit of a risk, but his combine was impressive.
Sporting Kansas City is in an interesting spot this season. They're coming into the draft with a full roster, which means that if a draft pick is going to make the roster then one of the current guys has to go. There's also the option that the draft picks could be signed by Swope Park Rangers and earn some solid playing time there. With that in mind, and considering where Sporting KC could use some further depth, that guided our decision when selecting our player.
1. Chicago Fire - Josh Yaro
2. Colorado Rapids - Jack Harrison
3. Philadelphia Union - Brandon Vincent
4. NYCFC - Jonathan Campbell
5. Real Salt Lake - Julian Buescher
6. Philadelphia Union - Omar Holness
7. Orlando City - Richie Laryea
8. San Jose Earthquakes - Jordan McCrary
9. Toronto FC - Keegan Rosenberry
10. New England Revolution - Kyle Fisher
3. Philadelphia Union - Brandon Vincent
4. NYCFC - Jonathan Campbell
5. Real Salt Lake - Julian Buescher
6. Philadelphia Union - Omar Holness
7. Orlando City - Richie Laryea
8. San Jose Earthquakes - Jordan McCrary
9. Toronto FC - Keegan Rosenberry
10. New England Revolution - Kyle Fisher
11. Sporting Kansas City select Tony Alfaro - Defender - Cal State Dominguez Hills
Alfaro is a bit of a risk as he's a lower division player who doesn't necessarily have the experience playing against the best collegiate competition but here is what he does have.
Size
Sporting KC has been sorely missing out on some size in the center after Ike Opara. Kevin Ellis, while decent with his head, doesn't have the height to defend set pieces well. Sporting KC needs another guy that can be a tall presence in the box, and the 6'2" frame of Alfaro can be that.
Accuracy
Alfaro's left foot has been good enough that the Toros gave him the responsibility of taking penalty kicks in his senior season, where he was five for five. Having another left-footed defender can be good if he can step in for Matt Besler when necessary.
History
Sporting KC have apparently been scouting Alfaro and watched him at the MLS Combine, according to the MLS Mock Draft. If they see potential in him, then every question of him not having the necessary experience against tougher collegiate teams gets thrown out.
12. LA Galaxy - Michael Salazar
13. D.C. United - Fabian Herbers
14. Montreal Impact - Zach Carroll
15. Seattle Sounders - James Moberg
16. Vancouver Whitecaps - Ben Polk
17. FC Dallas - Andrew Tarbell
18. New York Red Bulls - Cole Seiler
19. Columbus Crew SC - Dennis Castillo
20. Portland Timbers - Michael Gamble
15. Seattle Sounders - James Moberg
16. Vancouver Whitecaps - Ben Polk
17. FC Dallas - Andrew Tarbell
18. New York Red Bulls - Cole Seiler
19. Columbus Crew SC - Dennis Castillo
20. Portland Timbers - Michael Gamble
21 (1). Columbus Crew SC - Timo Pitter
22 (2). Colorado Rapids - Vincent Keller
23 (3). Philadelphia Union - Liam Doyle
24 (4). Montreal Impact - Hadji Berry
25 (5). Real Salt Lake - Eric DeJulio
26 (6). Houston Dynamo - Josh Turnley
27 (7). Seattle Sounders - Todd Wharton
28 (8). San Jose Earthquakes - Chase Minter
29 (9). Vancouver Whitecaps - Tim Kubel
30 (10). New England Revolution - Patrick Hodan
31 (11). Columbus Crew SC - Duncan Backus
32 (12). Orlando City - Tsubasa Endoh
33 (13). Chicago Fire - Ivan Magalhaes
34 (14). Montreal Impact - Eric Verso
35 (15). Seattle Sounders - Chris Hellman
36 (16). Vancouver Whitecaps - Max Lachoweki
37 (17). FC Dallas - Zach Mathers
38 (18). New York Red Bulls - Thomas Libiih
39 (19). Montreal Impact - Emmanuel Appiah
40 (20). Portland Timbers - Callum Irving
41 (21). Columbus Crew SC - Elias Gomez
22 (2). Colorado Rapids - Vincent Keller
23 (3). Philadelphia Union - Liam Doyle
24 (4). Montreal Impact - Hadji Berry
25 (5). Real Salt Lake - Eric DeJulio
26 (6). Houston Dynamo - Josh Turnley
27 (7). Seattle Sounders - Todd Wharton
28 (8). San Jose Earthquakes - Chase Minter
29 (9). Vancouver Whitecaps - Tim Kubel
30 (10). New England Revolution - Patrick Hodan
31 (11). Columbus Crew SC - Duncan Backus
32 (12). Orlando City - Tsubasa Endoh
33 (13). Chicago Fire - Ivan Magalhaes
34 (14). Montreal Impact - Eric Verso
35 (15). Seattle Sounders - Chris Hellman
36 (16). Vancouver Whitecaps - Max Lachoweki
37 (17). FC Dallas - Zach Mathers
38 (18). New York Red Bulls - Thomas Libiih
39 (19). Montreal Impact - Emmanuel Appiah
40 (20). Portland Timbers - Callum Irving
41 (21). Columbus Crew SC - Elias Gomez
Sporting KC did not have a pick in the second round, as it belonged to the Columbus Crew in exchange for Andy Gruenebaum. The MLS SuperDraft will take place at noon central time on Thursday.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário