Photo by Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports
By FRANCO PANIZO
One of the key figures in the LA Galaxy’s last two championship teams is packing his bags and heading to another Western Conference team.
The Galaxy announced on Thursday afternoon that they have shipped midfielder Marcelo Sarvas and an international roster spot to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the third spot in the allocation rankings and allocation money.
Sarvas, 33, has been a member of the Galaxy since 2012, helping the club lift both the 2012 and 2014 MLS Cups. He started 80 of the 88 regular season matches he played in during his three years in LA, scoring nine goals and assisting on 19 others. He may have been deemed expendable after the recent signing of midfielder Steven Gerrard.
“We thank Marcelo for all of his contributions to our team over the past three seasons,” head coach and general manager Bruce Arena said. “We wish Marcelo the best of luck in Colorado.”
Sarvas will provide some much-needed experience to a young Rapids midfield that includes 2013 Rookie of the Year Dillon Powers, Homegrown Player Dillon Serna, and 2014 Generation adidas member Marlon Hairston.
What do you think of the Galaxy shipping Sarvas to the Rapids? How do you see the Brazilian faring in Colorado? What do you think LA is moving up the allocation order?
Share your thoughts below.
Wait! What is going on with this allocation order? Weren’t the Galaxy already No. 3 in the allocation order when they traded away Kofi Opare last season? Did they trade it away somehow and then just now get it back? So frigging confusing….
Allocation order is decided by the previous season, spots don’t carry over.
Has LA ever not gotten what they’ve wanted in terms of player acquisitions? I’ll admit I haven’t followed the issue closely over the years, but as a casual observer, it seems to me that either 1. LA front office is light years ahead of the rest of the league 2. Having Anshutz at the center of LA ownership and MLS founding as a single entity has provided some kind of advantage 3. MLS leadership has a vested interest in getting at least one club looking more like a ” top” Euro/Mexican side that can bring home a CCL title. Either way, it’s good to be an LA fan these days. They always seem to get the best toys come Christmas. Seriously though, this is an exciting prospect if LA wind up with both Kljestan and Stevie G. I can’t wait to see more clubs have the kind of talent and depth this club is able to acquire year after year.
When there is a long list of other good reasons, no need to immediately jump to conspiracy.
Location/major metro media center/weather
Great ownership
Great management
Tradition of winning
Treat players right
Some international notoriety
All go along ways.
The league actively blocked Sacha’s move to LA this past season. Other teams have signed a player at a low price with the promise of a raise the next season, but LA wasn’t allowed to.
I loved Marcelo. It’s a bummer he’s gone. Breaking up a Championship CM partnership is scary. But, it’s a new season. Go Galaxy!
I feel similarly. I guess it had to happen sometime and LAG are getting Gerrard , but still it’s sad to see Marcelo go.
only in the MLS.
Damn right.
And they are lining up to come where ?
Only The MLS
I don’t buy into the comments that Juninho regressed or needed to be traded, statistically he was a league leader in passing efficiency as well as ball wining and possession. The fact that Arena had him play closer to the defensive backs and more of a defensive mid did not put him play for scoring chances.Teamed with Sarvas they were the cream of the crop in the MLS
With the arrival of Gerrard and Bruce Arena’s declared intention to use him as and attacking mid, the position previously held by Sarvas, the option would be to move Sarvas out wide, a position he sometimes played, bu would be in more competition with more experience (and better) wingers. Gerrard is definitely and upgrade from Sarvas with Gerrard with superior credential and giving up only a year or two in age.
With the Galaxy near the top on the Leagues allocation table (3rd)again, they might make a play for Klejstan, his brother works in the Galaxy front office, so they do have a great back channel. The other parts of the puzzle are the Galaxy receiving allocation money AND an additional foreign player slot. This might mean the player could be a foreign national. With the addition of enough allocation money and a (future) 4th hinted at DP the Galaxy could line up a non-dp slot until the CBA is settled and morph into a DP.
Bruce Arena and the Galaxy were lined up to acquire Klejstan on non-dp deal when they were 3rd on the allocation table last season, only to be rebuffed by the MLS and giving Arena a big fine for his comments of the failed deal. Will Bruce get another bite of the apple or will he go after another low-hanging Euro fruit, like a Samuel Eto, Essien or Abedeyor all looking to come to America.
Adds more fuel to an already hot transfer season
Rapids get the foreign player slot.
The k
klejsten deal was only no DP because it was for less than half a season. Then he was to take Donovan DP spot. Without a 4th DP spot Kljsten’s not coming.
Wow, how many times did I say that old man Sarvas and 1 goal Juninho regressed ???
But I guess all the SBI commenters earning their frequent flyer miles knew more!
Told you so
Its a small person who has to tell the world “I told you so”. Just enjoy the moment.
“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own lips.”
Obviously you didn’t watch him play, he was outstanding.
Yup. Sarvas and Juninho were both very hardworking, selfless players that played a very large role in what LA has done. Juni will be asked to do more of the same selfless work with goalscoring not being a priority, so Gerrard can do his.
You will be missed Marcelo! Thank you for three outstanding years in LA. Stay classy, you’ll always be an LA G. Those young kids in Colorado are lucky to have you for an example.
is galaxy making room for ronaldinho, eto, sacha 🙂
*Said in PeeWee Herman’s voice* If you love Ronaldinho so much, why don’t you marry him? Ha Ha!
Ronaldinho isn’t even making the bench these days….
Ronaldinho will play for El Paso Patriots before LAG
Cosmos….
Best wishes Marcelo and thank you you played a big, big role in the Gals recent success.
All you conspiracy theorists, relax.
Sarvas was dealt so that Stevie G could have his number 8. That’s all.
LOL, good one!
As of right now this move sucks, but that can quickly change. Galaxy might have something in the works seeing they moved up in the allocation order. If those 4th DP rumors are true, then you know the Galaxy will take on a 4th DP. Gotta wait and see, but Sarvas will be missed if not properly replaced.
In my wildest dreams, somehow the Galaxy get Kljestan as a non-DP and then still sign a 4th DP (if its in the new CBA). Maybe we finally get an MLS Concacaf Champion.
—————-Keane———(4th DP)——————–
Zardes——–Kljestan/Juninho—-Gerrard—–Ishizaki
Rogers——-DelaGarza—–Gonzalez——–Gargan/Sorto/Dunivant
—————————–Penedo—————————-
Dunivant will never play on the right. We are more likely to see AJ alternating between RB with Gargan and CB with Leonardo. Dunivant will be used to rest Rogers, or in the event we want to try Rogers at left wing again.
It seems Zardes is pretty set up top though, can’t see them trying to ruin a good thing and move him back to the wing at this point. And isn’t Kljestan more of a winger than central player? I think something like this is more accurate without a 4th DP. Lots of flexibility there too if 4th DP happens. If a 4th DP is brought in, Juni/Ishi seem the most likely to get DP-replaced. Either way, exciting lineup even without a 4th DP.
—————-Keane———Zardes——————–
Kljestan——–Juninho—-Gerrard—–Ishizaki
Rogers——-DelaGarza—–Gonzalez——–Gargan/Sorto/Dunivant
—————————–Penedo—————————-
No, Kljestan is definitely more of a central-player, similar to Diskerud.
In Jurgen Klinsmann’s bizzaro world then yes he saw Kljestan as a wide player. But he also saw Danny Williams as a wide-player; Francisco Torres as a wide-defender/wide-midfielder; Michael Bradley as a #10; Brad Evans as a right-back; etc.
Its subjective and open to interpretation. All I can tell you is that he played European Champions League as a center-mid.
You forgot Jermaine Jones as a center back. He should have one friendly where he gets to play out his fantasy of players all playing in the wrong position. Tim Howard – lone striker
Howard used to be a ST early on. Thats what he wanted to be and because early he was bigger than every other kid he succeeded at ST. Once his OCD/Tourette become an issue his coach put him in GK and he did really well etc, etc. But I support your idea, haha. Timmy with the hat trick… Jozy with the shutout at GK…………..
Well Jozy has been amazing lately at not letting the ball hit the back of the net, so GK could end up being his best position….
Does this change anything?
———————Keane——–Zardes——————-
—————————-Gerrard—————————
————–Klejestan—————–Ishizaki————–
—————————-Juninho—————————
-Rogers/Dunivant—————————Gargan/Sorto-
——————–DelaGarza—-Gonzalez—————–
——————————Pinedo————————–
There’s got to be a 4th DP or American DP slot in the works.
There are too many players now interested in coming to MLS. Michael Essen just said he wanted to come to MLS
Also with a 4th DP slot, Klinsmann really can’t complain about the level of MLS anymore.
Half the teams in the league will be able to load up on quality DP’s
gargan traded to colorado
nvm
I wonder if this means LA is setting up a move for Kljestan.
That would be my guess.
Would have rather shipped out Juninho, but I understand Sarvas is much older. Those two players were always kinda duplicitious and on the low-end of creativity. Gerrard will be an improvement.
are you sure you don’t mean “duplicate each other” or “redundant”? Duplicitous means dishonestly sneaky, a liar. Unless you know them and both of them are actually liars. Which would be kind of unfortunate, but a good reason to trade at least one of them somewhere else.
Haha this made me lol