Welcome one and all to my newest blog, "MLS Matters". In the debut we will recap and rate the 2013 MLS Super Draft, and cover a few other topics regarding the upcoming MLS season. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you return once the season gets under way to keep up on all the latest happenings in Major League Soccer.
New England Revolution: Andrew Farrell -D, Donnie Smith - F, Luke Spencer - F.
It's safe to say the Revs needed their fare share of help, with gaping holes all over the team, so no one was too shocked when the Revs traded up to get the #1 pick in the draft Andrew Farrell. Farell is an "MLS ready" CB or RB which New England surely needed. The best thing I can say about him is that he has good ball skills and will create a lot of opportunities for the Revs dribbling out of the back. The worst I can say about him is that he will turn the ball over some and leave his fellow defenders exposed by trying to play out of the back at times when he shouldn't. Jay Heaps suggests Farrell will start camp at RB but be given every opportunity to play CB as well. My gut says he can do more good and less damage at RB in his rookie season. Smith and Spencer are decent picks, but will either young man carry the team this season with their goals? No chance. The Revs still have holes. Overall Draft Grade: B-
Chivas USA: Carlos Alvarez - M
As Soccer Jesus Alexi Lalas says, a bad plan is better than no plan at all. In the case of Chivas, I'm not so sure. With the hiring of the "Mexican Rex Ryan" Boom Boom Chelis, and the Mexican or Mexican-American only policy, things don't look to be ready for improvement any time soon at Chivas. The draft was an opportunity to lay a marker down, and Chivas didn't take it the way they could or should have. Carlos Alvarez is Mexican-American. He is a potential playmaker with plenty of potential and skill. But the fact is, he wasn't a Generation Adidas player. He will take up a roster spot. He will count against the salary cap. Mikey Lopez fit the mold for what Chivas was looking for, he wanted to play for Chivas, and he had all the benefits of a GA player. When people look back at what may be the failed final attempt Chivas experiment, they will remember this opportunity missed.
Overall Draft Grade: C-
Toronto FC: Kyle Bekker - M, Emery Welshman - F
Toronto picked up the best mid in the draft, and best of all, he's Canadian. Combining this addition with Emery Welshman, who Toronto wanted and was able to drop down the draft twice to still get, and this was a good draft for the club. They still have issues, but as far as draft alone, the day was very successful for Toronto.
Overall Draft Grade: A-
Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Kekuta Menneh - F, Erik Hurtado - F
With all the problems in Vancouver, from DP's they need to unload any way they can, to the need for a young defender to learn under the wing of Jay Demeritt, Vancouver added another burst of speed up front in the project Menneh, and a quality young target man in Hurtado. Will Menneh play on the wing? Will he be pace off the bench? The DP situation will tell the tale of Vancouver's season, but as a draft this was mildly confusing.
Overall Draft Grade: C
Colorado Rapids: Deshorn Brown - F, Dillon Powers - M, Kory Kindle - D
Looking back 3-5 years from now we may see this as the greatest draft Colorado has ever had. We could also see it as the worst. Deshorn Brown has plenty of potential, but he is project who has taken too early for my tastes. He has a chip on his shoulder thinking he was the best forward in the draft, but we need time to see if that chip turns him into a Clint Dempsey or a dud. Dillon Powers is perhaps the most under rated mid in the draft, or perhaps the most over rated. He isn't the most skillful, he doesn't have pace, but he does dirty work and seems to get the job done. He and Brown seem to be 4-3-3 picks, instead of picking the best talent available. Kindle has the highest ceiling of any left back in a draft loaded with them, but he is nothing but potential. The question is, will these players out last their manager, and if they do, drafting for a 4-3-3 system was not a smart move.
Overall Draft Grade: Potential A/D, for now a luke warm C+
FC Dallas: Walker Zimmerman - D, Ryan Hollingshead - M
With the team reliant on an old injury prone midfielder, this was a chance for Dallas to build toward their future. Instead Hyndman went for a quality CB with his first pick, not exactly his teams biggest need. He then selected a midfielder who is taking several months off the help build his brothers church, and has stated that he may not even be interested in playing as a pro. He is a quality player, but a risk to take. As players, Dallas drafted two potential gems, but not for their current needs.
Overall Draft Grade: A puzzling D
Montreal Impact: Blake Smith - M, Fernando Monge - M, Paolo DelPiccolo - M, Brad Stuver - GK
When a team has 4 picks in a draft, it's nearly impossible not to get it right in one form or another, but as montreal has proven, they have no idea what they are doing. The nicest thing I can say about this mind boggling draft is that Stuver could be a starter in the next few years and remain so for another decade or more.
Overall Draft Grade: D
Columbus Crew: Ryan Finley - F, Drew Beckie - D
With 2 quality forwards already on the books the pick of Finley was a little strange, but it does add depth and injury cover for the Crew. Beckie is a more reasonable pick, but not a quick fix starter by any means. The big news of draft day may have been the potential availability of Robbie Rogers.
Overall Draft Grade: C
Seattle Sounders FC: Eriq Zavaleta - F, Dylan Remick - D
Zavaleta is a good player for the future who should fit Seattle and Eddie Johnson well, but he is not Freddy Montero. Without a DP to replace Montero and his goals, this could be the last draft Sigi makes for the Sounders. Remick is quality depth for defense, but also not a ready made MLS starter.
Overall Draft Grade: C
Real Salt Lake: John Stertzer - M, Devon Sandoval - F
With the losses down their spine this off season in Olave, Johnson, and Espindola, RSL needed some help in key areas, and they surely did just that. Here the players need to be taken into account, but also the manager and system. Will Johnson did a lot of dirty work off Beckerman's shoulder. While Stertzer can't be expected to do that much right away, he has skill and talent Johnson doesn't. If Kries can convince Beckerman to do less while allowing Stertzer to do his natural more when it comes to creation, Stertzer could be the best mid in the draft. Sandoval should be a fan favorite. For RSL and how they play, this draft could not have gone much better.
Overall Draft Grade: B+
Houston Dynamo: Jason Johnson - F, Jimmy Nealis - D
On the positive side Houston got depth for LB behind Corey Ashe, something they desperately needed with CCL and league matches piling up early and late in the Houston season, but the Jason Johnson pick was a bit perplexing. A forward project whose game doesn't seem to fit the Dynamo style at all seems like an odd pick, but Dom knows best.
Overall Draft Grade: C+
Sporting Kansas City: Mikey Lopez - M
KC added one of the best mids in the draft to their already stellar line up which also saw the addition of Benny Feilhaber in the off season. Adding a talented and quality GA player for the future and right now sees the draft go well for KC.
Overall Draft Grade: B
San Jose Earthquakes: Tommy Muller - D, Dan Delgado - M
Last seasons supporters shield winner didn't have many holes to fill, so they did what they needed to do, adding depth. Neither player should be expected to be a starter any time soon, but the qaukes added what they needed to.
Overall Draft Grade: C
DC United: Taylor Kemp - D
There are many questions about DC this off season, including the future of a DP and of Andy Najar. Given the chance to add depth or a replacement for Najar, DC instead chose to go defensive in the quality Kemp. In years to come Kemp could be a rock in the DC defense and he seems to be a "Ben Olsen king of guy", so DC still had a decent day despite missing the opportunity to fill a real need.
Overall Draft Grade: C+
LA Galaxy: Charlie Rugg - F, Kofi Opare - D, Greg Cochrane - D
Bruce Arena knows what he is doing. While he still needs to replace 2 DP's, he brought in a replacement for Edson Buddle in Rugg, and defensive depth for the long season and CCL matches. While Arena isn't known for his faith in and playing of youth, all 3 picks will get time to settle. With Omar Gonzalez in the final year of his LA deal, Opare could be given a season to bed in before replacing the US International. Cochrane should get at least a season under the veteran fullbacks in LA to learn his MLS craft.
Overall Draft Grade: Potential B+ but for now a solid C
New York Red Bulls: Ian Christianson - M
Still without a manager, NY decided upon a small project in Christianson. With Cahill, Juninho, and McCarty surely ahead of him, one has to wonder why NY didn't draft a pure winger. Confusing, but that's NY.
Overall Draft Grade: C-
Philadelphia Union: Don Anding - F, Stephan Okai - M
With the change in philosophy that came with a managerial change last season, and the return of one cast off in Le Toux while they try to find any taker under the sun for Adu, Philly did themselves a favor by adding quality depth in two key positions. Neither is a superstar in the making, but Philly didn't blow it like some other clubs did in the draft.
Overall Draft Grade: C
Chicago Fire: Yazid Atouba Emare - F
With trades leading to a large amount of midfield help, the Fire desperately need someone to help Rolfe in the scoring of goals. Drafting a pace filled project may or may not be helpful for the current season, but the thought of the pace driven forwards Chicago can now throw on late in games will create a lot of chances against tiring defenses. The question still remains though in who will finish those chances.
Overall Draft Grade: C+
Portland Timbers: Dylan Tucker-Gangnes - D
With much work still to be done in Portland via trades and replacing a failed DP, what Portland needed most were more bodies in defense. They had to trade away Mike Fucito to get a draft pick, and get defensive help they did in DTG. The look of the new Timbers under Caleb Porter is already an intriguing prospect.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
Overall, the draft is becoming less and less important in the age of homegrown players and expensive designated players, but for now its still an easy way for MLS clubs to add depth. It tells us a lot about the way the General Manager and Manager are thinking, and often tells us which direction the club want to find themselves heading in, or where they think they already are. While I'm sure the draft wasn't seen by millions of viewers like the NBA or NFL drafts, I for one enjoyed the entire event immensely, and watched the draft twice. It really gives MLS fans the first signal that training camp and the season is right around the corner.
Before I sign off on the first MLS Matters blog, I just wanted to give you a little something to look forward to in the upcoming season...
Kyle Beckerman, Shalrie Joseph, and a half dozen others are all within shouting distance of an MLS record which will be broken this season, and may see the top spot change hands multiple times throughout the season. The record? Jesse Marsch's record of 477 career MLS fouls.
Kevin Hartman already holds the MLS records for games played and games started, and every time he takes the field this season he extends his records.
The potential loss of Landon Donovan from the league may secure a few records for their current holders. Steve Rolston's record for outfield times played and starts seems safe for now, as well as the MLS all time scoring record. Donovan had become only the second player ever to have more than 100 goals and 100 assists in MLS last season, and his chance to become the overall leader in the combo category looks to have fallen just short.
And finally for the number nuts out there, we saw 854 goals in 323 MLS matches last season, 57 coming from the penalty spot out of 72 chances. There were 2,865 shots on goal, and 7,943 fouls committed. Let's hope for more of the same in 2013, some from the players drafted in this Super Draft.
Until next time, get stuck in and remember, MLS matters.
