Photo by ISIphotos.com
The first transfer window of the 2012 MLS season closes on Sunday, and some teams could use the next couple of days to fine tune their rosters for the next couple of months before they are able to hit the international market again at the end of June.
The New York Red Bulls, for one, have continued to talk about adding another forward prior to the closing of the window, even though Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper currently form the most lethal partnership in the league. The Red Bulls are also a bit thin at center back, with Wilman Conde's injury situation hampering the club's depth at the position.
With Cory Gibbs going down for the Chicago Fire, and the Los Angeles Galaxy and Toronto FC still searching for a consistent answer in the back, those clubs could also be in the mix for centerback help.
Even though Chicago will welcome German international Arne Friedrich to the lineup, he hasn't played first-team minutes in months and might need some time to get acclimated. Los Angeles got Chivas castaway David Junior Lopes, and Toronto FC will welcome back Torsten Frings and Adrian Cann from injury soon to provide cover, but that does not necessarily mean those holes are filled.
A few teams are also thin at goalkeeper, with Toronto and Columbus each having their projected No. 1 keepers go down with long-term injuries and untested Homegrown Players currently occupying the respective backup roles for both clubs. Portland is another team with a minor goalkeeping crisis, as both of the club's backups are currently injured, and league pool goalkeeper Brian Rowe is slated to be the backup this weekend.
Those are just some of the personnel issues plaguing some teams around MLS a little more than a month into the new season. Although teams will likely use the summer window to make a big splash to address those needs after the European club seasons come to a close, there remains time to take action for the immediate, pressing needs.
What do you think your team needs to do to shore up the roster prior to Sunday's deadline?
Share your thoughts below.
With a DP CAM, Keel will be just fine as the 3rd CB
Nice to see Colbert lending his expertise to New York
What he said. Not sure we have a best player right now, but whoever it is it is certainly not Jack. He has been next to invisible this season, and isn’t even taking free kicks anymore.
“EJ no one has faith in,”
Rightly so, he hadn’t played or scored for nearly a year until pre-season. GM Hanauer should be held to the fire if he doesn’t contribute.
FC Dallas need:
*David Ferreira to get healthy. We’re a different team when the MVP is on the pitch.
8 goals allowed, 3rd worst in MLS = panning out?
trade Montreal for Bobby Burling’s rights
Pretty much.
Oh, just a little bit of everything!
+1
+1
+1
Earthquakes need:
* To break ground on stadium. Stop talking, start shoveling!
* More permanent strike partner with Wondo. May be Lenhart when he recovers. I’m worried that Lenny is all about mind games and hold up without goals. I think we can do better.
* Continued Attacking Mid growth. Someone to create and link. Baca’s been OK. Moreno was supposed to be answer – why can’t he break into the 11?
* To keep riding our hot streak, so we can build some points for those lean days.
Sounders: Maybe more depth on the wings since Rosales will have injury issues now and then, Sivebaek is so far underwhelming and Roger is .. Roger. Anybody know any young MLS wingers who can play both sides, score a little bit, track back well who might fit in in Seattle?
(Yes – I’m still bitter.)
Not even close, he’s been consistently one of the worst performers in the starting 11 this year. Jack hasn’t looked the same since the all star break last year.
We need our current players healthy… Rosales and zak together… That’s gonna be great
No one, Just an injury free season. Go RSL.
That’s not really a stat, that’s just something that’s never happened before that probably will someday. Kind of like how no team with a DP ever won the Cup… until LA did. Not that I think RB is likely to win it all, just saying…
A true target striker who people have faith in would be nice too. EJ no one has faith in, Ochoa was a failed experiment.
DC United needs a DP who can score!
DCU needs depth/pace at Right back (Russell is ok, but he gets exposed by faster players too often). Other than that, it’s less about new players than it is people on the roster getting healthy and playing to their potential (Salihi, Bosco, Pontius, Najar).
Revs:
SSS
Rapids depth looks good. Conor Casey is coming back, and the team just needs to settle in to its new style and win.
Forget needs. We need rumors….
Except that Payne was asked about that by Goff and he denied the team was in talks with Crisanto. Does that mean they talked to him at one time and he’s overstating that, or is Crisanto just BSing?
Huh? Isn’t Jewsbury the best player on the team?
A new coach
My Goats need a striker, maybe we can trade a couple of our many mids.
Yup. A fullback or two, a striker with decent and pace (to give some diversity), a new owner and a SSS plan for metro-Boston.
Yes, and in order to win we need at least one good fullback, preferably two. Palmer needs to get out of town and Wallace needs to figure out how to track back or he needs to be shifted to the midfield. Also wouldn’t mind seeing Jewsbury traded.
Houston: we need a striker with pace, some width in mid for sure. Will we get anybody? Nope.
SKC could use a little more depth at CB and a nice comfy chair for Jimmy Nielsen to sit in during games.
is that John Stewart and Steven Colbert working for the Red Bulls? … i kidd…
Colorado: Depth and Health. Its difficult to ask for more when we have it, just need everyone to play as they can.
Revs could use a couple defenders, maybe some forwards. As mentioned above, new owners.
Meara has been great, but no rookie keeper has ever won MLS Cup. That’s a pretty telling stat.
Yeah the Fire don’t really need defense, I think we’ll be fine if Friedirch goes down then yeah it could be bad and yes I know he’s had injury concerns to. The Fire need an offensive player, I’d love Drogba, a big physical striker to play and dish it off to the fast Oduro.
As a Union fan: We need wins! And we need Le Toux back! Oh, and we need a new Manager!
If Ryan Mera continues to pan out, they could build around him for years. I wouldn’t think that should be a priority..otherwise agree.
My only wish for Seattle is recovery from injuries.
Haha. Or…based on the picture above, the 2 guys on the left in the picture above.
hes washed up
NYRB: In a perfect world we would sign a starting quality CB, veteran GK, and CAM.
Possibly another CM and ST for depth. Our roster is only at 25 players right now.
We could certainly use a fullback and (if possible) a centerback in DC. There was a rumor going around recently that we had identified Wilmer Crisanto as a potential target at CB but I haven’t heard much more on that front lately.
Vancouvers offence isnt doing too well. we need more attackers :p
Revolution:
I’d like to Transfer in OnGoal LLC for a new ownership group
Based on the picture above it looks like NYRB have already made the best acquisition in the league… Stephen Colbert. I think he is the man to turn this team into champions.
Fire, Diego Forlan. Cue ‘must focus on youth/don’t need washed up euros’ comments. He’s South American btw.
Got it. Just looked it up. Good on you! Gotta live civic pride.
What is RCTID?
NYRB need 1 forward, 2 middies and 2 center backs. $10 says they get no one.
As a Portland fan all we need are wins. RCTID!
New York Red Bulls. I don’t think they need another forward. Henry and Cooper are doing just fine, Agudelo is back soon, and there’s also Angulo, Arteaga, and Herzog on the roster. What we need is a new CB and an attacking midfielder. Our CB depth is a problem right now, with Conde perpetually injured and Holgerson looking shaky (plus he has the flu). Aside from Keel, we don’t have many CB options. As for an attacking mid, McCarty has played better this season, but we could still use a playmaker who keeps the ball on the ground and feeds Henry and Cooper.