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Heath Pearce is on the move.
The United States international fullback has been sent to Chivas USA from FC Dallas in exchange for allocation money. A 2010 MLS All-Star, Pearce was an integral part of FCD's tremendous season and run to the MLS Cup final in 2010, but he suffered a hamstring injury down the stretch and appeared to have some tension with head coach Schellas Hyndman. Pearce was left off the MLS Cup matchday roster despite being adamant that he was fit in the days leading up to the match.
Pearce played 28 games last year for FC Dallas, earning six assists while putting in time at both fullback positions and even some time in the midfield. A California native, he joins a reloaded Chivas USA defense that includes new additions Jimmy Conrad and Zarek Valentin alongside veteran defender Michael Umana and 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton.
Do you think this move makes Chivas USA a playoff contender? How do you like the move for FCD? Ready for the tweeting tandem of Pearce and Conrad?
Share your thoughts below.
im an FCD fan watched all the games…Pearce was better than Lloyd or Jackson IMO… he plays midfield too so im sad and suprised to see him go… Chivas just got a top MLS LB for allocation money
Ummm.. Alan Gordan.
I like Miller and Borman is serviceable. But left back is one of the few positions where reinforcements wouldn’t be the worst idea. I’m sure Pearce’s 200k salary makes it irrelevant anyway.
You must not have read my comment.
I beleive he is NOT as good DEFENDER as his competition on the roster Loyd or Jackson.
He is not even good enought to start AT his natural position (LB) over Benitez.
Why would you spend over $200k/year on a player like that?
Hes a good player, no doubt, but again hes awful value for FCD. but he should work out great for Chivas
Shaping up to be a pretty good line-up for the Goats, just a few things;
I wouldn’t be so sure about Zemanski starting over Nagamura or Elliott. He’s got a big upside and a bright future, but I’m not sure he’s there yet.
As Chen also pointed out Mendoza should be in the mid-field, and if he could find his form of old could be the starting 11 LM. I’d also start Zizzo at RM and move Padilla up with Braun.
Valentin had said that he and Fraser had talked about him playing RB, so maybe him at RB and Umana in the middle. Certainly an upgrade from last year.
LOL. How can you do a cost/benefit analysis for a defender based on assists?? Granted he played some midfield but we all know his natural position is LB. Any way, as a Galaxy fan it’s nice to see Chivas make some moves to improve to our rivalry can stop being meaningless.
and… Dax Mccarty? Explain that.
You’re talking about Schellas Hyndman. The guy’s 110 lb grandson is part of this preseason.
A box to box midfielder is what we need. I’m not sure our new Brazilian journeyman is going to help Ferriera, and Eric Alexander is still relatively untested (although he is an exciting to watch).
I feel the same. Also, you’ve got to take preseason games against MLS competition seriously, and Dynamo just hammered us. Apparently, they are ahead us in training because of icepocalypse 2011, but it makes the offseason transactions hard to swallow.
Here’s to hoping that Luna and Avi breakout this season.
Didn’t Wallace and Moor lift the cup?
I wonder how much will he make at chivas USA
Replacing Cunningham wont be easy…still underrated after all these years
Pearce was NOT a lock to be a starter with Jackson, Loyd, and Benitez. He also is paid more than John, Jackson, loyd, and Benitez COMBINED!!
His 1v1 defense is the worst out of all the above players. The one thing he does do well is get forward but had 0 goals and 7 assists.
Basically he was paid aprox $30k per assist..He was a walking cost/benefit fail
The only question about this whole thing is if SH can use this money to obtain a world class striker before the transfer window closes.
At least Fraser has rebuilt the defense…but how will this team score???
Very nice move by my Goats. FO finally opening the wallet.
Dont underestimate the Hyndey-Man
No, Miller is superior to this guy.
We got $200k plus in salary room. presumably to spend on a $triker
lol
I dont think Mendoza is a striker…Bowen hardly is also.
SMU does not produce scrubs
Wouldn’t have minded NY picking him up if it worked out.
It will be good for him to play at his natural position again. He was moving around too much at Dallas. He’s plenty talented, and a run of good form could put him back in the nats picture easily. Chivas’ starting defense looks really good, Fraser certainly is putting some good pieces together.
A little suprised that FCD got nothing back but allocation money. Not suprised by the move because Hyndman has done the get rid of a player who is not on the bus before. So what is Dallas doing with all this salary space that they have?
I agree Ben…He is a decent player but he showed that he lacked that “something” with the National Team. Zach Loyd was going to beat him out anyway. That kid is a stud. The allocation money could be used to fill a hole. Hyndeman knows what he is doing…
Statistically he was better than any outside back. Plus he played on the other side at rb. Definantelu had a better season than Franklin and Alston.
haha not sure if “under the nose the nose of Bradley” is right or not but noses are definitely involved.
Bottom line is that if a guy is a top player, he’s not traded for allocation money.
Hmmmm Monix was traded for a washing machine…. allocation money isn’t much better
I was skeptical of Hyndman coming into MLS and his initial performance seemed to confirm that. Then last year, I dumped lots of accolades on FCD (including arguing that Ferrara was a legit MVP choice). But now I’m wondering if last year was a case of catching lightning in a bottle.
This team has given a way a LOT of talent and I don’t see anywhere close to replacing it. I think the team chemistry and leadership is too dependent on D. Hernandez (who is older with bad wheels). And I look at this team and wonder where the goals are going to come by…goal by committee? Plus, depth in MLS is critical if you’re a good team…b/c you play a lot of extra games. I think FCD is setting themselves up for a fall.
I know Pearce wanted to go to LA…so he could be under the nose of Bob Bradley.
LOL.
It helps, but in reality, we stll have to score a ton of goals. When that happens we’ll have to beat out these teams:
Colorado
FC Dallas
LA Galaxy
Real Salt Lake
Seattle
Plus,
Vancouver
Portland
In all honesty, we would have ot have our best season ever just to get the 10th spot. The Western Conference is still the best in the MLS.
As a Dynamo fan I hope your right!
I hate this move as much as anyone, but…
…FCD was one fluky own-goal from being in a shootout for MLS Cup. Schellas didn’t win, but he got doggone close. I’d like to see the influx of talent begin, but bottom of the table in 2011? That’s a bit harsh…
Ummm … wasn’t your team in the MLS Cup Final last year?
Awful move. Remember Hyndman has never won anything and here we are putting all our faith into his decisions. I see the bottom of the table for FCD in 2011 and another rebuild year with a new coach in 2012. hope i am wrong.
Do you think this move makes Chivas USA a playoff contender? LOL
I am sure they will be missed, but Schellas seems to cut players based on whether or not he has broken up with them.
Braun Bowen
(Estupinan Mendoza Gordon Moreno)
Lahoud Zemanski Gavin Padilla
(Mayen Nagamura Elliott Zizzo)
Pearce Conrad Valentin Trujillo
(Umana)
Thornton (Arias)
When healthy, I’d say definitely best American outside back in MLS.
What’s the deal with Dallas giving away talent and not getting much back in return?
Dax McCarthy and now Heath Pearce, I know Dallas has talent but can they have to miss these guys just a bit, no?
best outside back in MLS??? funny.
Best outside back in MLS… so HUGE win for Chivas and Robin Fraser. Didn’t have to offer SH allocation money and old scrub SMU player would have done the trick!
I was watching. But that whole ‘run to the MLS cup’ is more playoff related than it is long season related.
I’ll give you that he helped us during the season. Don’t necessarily agree that his presence helped us in a run to the MLS cup. They’re almost 2 different seasons.
With our coach, you simply have to live with the fact that he has his guys. And this isn’t a shocker to me because Pearce and he never seemed to get along that well. Not saying I agree with the way coach is all the time, but this isn’t exactly shocking to anyone who follows FCD.
This hasn’t been a very positive offseason for Dallas so far. Most of the player decisions have left me scratching my head. We lose Dax for nothing in return, entire defense has been injured, haven’t signed a striker, and now Pearce is traded. I can’t really see improvement. Hopefully Schellas has a plan in mind for all the cap space he’s created.
Good for everyone involved, I think. Dallas didn’t need both Pearce and Benitez, Chivas needed a left back after losing Bornstein, and Pearce gets to play on his preferred side.
Pre-injury, he was the best attacking outside back in MLS. Where were you?
This is embarrassing. He gave away Drew Moor, Dax, Anthony Wallace, now HP4? Not to mention sending Coop on a round trip to Portland. I hope Schellas is possesses some sort of cryptic genius, because he looks like a fool to me. Coach of the year, Bah!
Sad to see him go as FCD fan, but I do think he left something to be desired. More specifically, his talent did not mirror his attitude/competitiveness imo.
Also, I don’t think he was that big of a part in our run to the MLS Cup. Especially if we’re talking about the playoffs since he was injured.
That is a great pick up. Curse you Robin Fraser.
Wow. The Chivas defense is seriously reloading. Pearce should be able to slot right into LB for them, I assume.