Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Philadelphia Union both made their fair share of headlines this week, so it is only appropriate that they combined for another one.
Los Angeles acquired central midfielder Kyle Nakazawa and a second-round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft from Philadelphia Wednesday in exchange for an international roster spot.
The move loosens up a bit of a logjam that the Union have at central midfield while giving the club a ninth international roster spot. Seven of those spots are currently being used.
As for the Galaxy, who have seven international roster spots for this season following the trade, they get a player who provides another alternative for Bruce Arena as the club searches for a steady replacement for Juninho. Nakazawa, a UCLA product and California native, played in 22 games — and started 14 — last season, his second in MLS.
What do you think of the trade? Do you see Nakazawa being a factor for the Galaxy?
Share your thoughts below.
Hopefully Garfan will progress/develop enough beat out Daniel though I like Daniel’s athleticism so either way is good. I agree with the Carroll/Gomez swap that pd and MC Pharaoh mentioned. Finally I can’t stress enough the need to get rid of Adu.
Hmm. How do you give rep on this site?
While that would be very interesting, I remain skeptical of Nowak, Nick, & company bringing in a “huge international signing” until the day they actually do. Rumors for awhile point to their interest in Colombia’s Pajoy, but while that would certainly be an international signing, I’m not sure that it would qualify as “huge.”
repped
With all of the recent activity, Philly must be ramping up for a huge international signing. I wonder who they are eyeing???
Nakazawa may OK, but I don’t see how Philly got an International Slot for him.
LA should have used that slot for a Center Back. Andrew Boyens cannot be the answer if they are gunning for the CCL. They will score their goals against the Mexican/Canadian teams, but they will need more quickness to keep up with their attacking.
If you look at LA’s midfield, one of their strengths is their versatility. Nakazawa simply provides depth at all midfield spots. I think he is mostly cover at D-Mid and Right Mid. He is still young with potential. I’d rather have a guy like this as an emergency player rather than a washed-up veteran.
If he is going to breakout anywhere, it will be at home in LA.
Welcome home, Kyle!
I felt like he was just a turn of pace away from being a decent starter. His dead ball delivery is still his best asset, but if he could cover a bit more ground he would be less of a liability as a box to box midfielder IMO.
He played attacking mid for UCLA, if i’m not mistaken; but I’m not sure his vision is superior at this level. Having stephens and a new coach might help him blossom as a player, the potential just might be there.
I can see it happen easily. He will be with 2 former teammates in Perk and Stephens.
Nakazawa is not a bad player, and with a more potent attack in Keane AND Buddle with Barrett on the bench as a 3rd option. (GOD I HOPE THEY CUT Christman…he is just aweful)
Those 2 will command more attention thus not cluttering up the middle as much against LA or they will hit you hard if you don’t have enough numbers back…
More important, it’s a back up option to give depth and at much better price if Birchall was the back up last year and might of been so again if Sarvas is to start behind Beckham in midfield
plus while I agree with you that Freddy needs to figure big, I’m not sure where Adu fits.
I want him on the field with Torres and Marfan, but could also see him as the impact sub that comes in in the 60th minute.
Either way I hope we see him at 100 percent from the get go.
we wanted to paint one purple to tell them apart but that didn’t seem fair.
I agree but I could also see Gomez and Carroll switching off every other week or some such thing. It’s a long season.
“Do you see Nakazawa being a factor for the Galaxy?”
NO
Bruce Arena is very keen on finding players who can adapt to the Galaxy system and fill-in for the many “role players” backing the Holy Trinity. It seems several of these players come from UCLA. The Galaxy have “a lot” of games this year and having experienced players step into roles because of injuries and absence for international play is crucial if the galaxy are to repeat the great sucess from last year.
I love how you guys call them Garfan and Marfan.
The market has now been set. A 2nd round pick, plus an MLS-level player.
DC United has four internationals on their roster, with one in camp, and maybe rumors of a striker still to come. There’s no need to hang on to both of the other slots, so the team should deal one.
2 things… Adu & Gomez will be starting and playing major roles for Philly this season. Adu had back injury issues all season last year and should be healthy and ready to go again. As for Gomez, I dont see him necessarily replacing Carroll but he is a better option. Nowak will fit Gomez into the midfield, no doubt in my mind.
I would be very, very happy with that. But one thing we have learned with Nowak over the past two years is that if there is a crazy dumb lineup out there, he will play it. So it remains to be seen what our lineup ends up being.
phellow phillians, is this what is likely projecting for a starting XI right now?
________________Zac Mac______________
Williams_____Valdes__Califf______Lopez
________________Carroll________________
Marfan______Torres______________Daniel
______Mwanga_______Martinez_________
subs/rotation:
GK: Nowak I guess
D: Garfan
DM: Oguko, Gomez
AM: Adu, Khalfan, Pfeffer
F: McInerney
Your description of Nakazawa fits many of the players on the Union depth chart: promising but unable to finish (that was LeToux and Ruiz’s job) and unable to establish himself as a bona fide starter. That said, I wish him lots of luck… perhaps he will do better in a different system
Kyle was a bench player. He had very good free kick ability though, so he could learn a thing or two from Mr. Beckham. Other than that he pretty much was surplus to requirements.
From what I saw of him last year he was nothing special.
Nakazawa isn’t a bad player by any means – we just have so much talent there that he was clearly at the bottom of the depth chart for us.
Watching him play, he was always painfully average (besides his dead all service which is great) and never stood out. When you have players like Torres or Farfan who can provide magic, it was hard to see a place for Nakazawa on this team.