Goodbye Esky
Now I'm starting to worry. Eskandarian to Toronto FC for a partial allocation. Finding out definitively what we're going to do with all this cap space, other than roll around in the coinage like Scrooge McDuck, would go a long way to soothing those worries.
Esky, we loved you man. You are already missed.
Labels: Alecko Eskandarian, Roster Moves
posted by D @ 5:07 PM
12 Comments:
My plan is working...soon our squad will be so depleted that they'll have no choice but to recruit and play me.
What the hell is going on?
Wow..they better have some great players coming in..and they better produce.
Esky is much critized for his flaws. Focusing on his strenghts though...I don't know a single US player that is a better finisher than Esky (when he's healthy).
The dude can rip..and I'll never forget his goal vs. Real Madrid.
Adu...OK..he was leaving anyway...Esky...
Maybe Payne knows something that we don't.
Unfortunately if he does that would be that Esky isn't ever going to be healthy....so we all lose...DC, US Soccer, the fans, Toronto...and worse Esky himself.
DC is gambling huge on this offseason....we all know how gambling big turns out...big success or big failure...nothing in the middle.
Esky, Nowak, Adu...with NOTHING in return....
Too much turnover...I really hope to the DC soccer gods that Carroll doesn't sign in Europe...
Big Soccer is rumoring Palermo for DC.
Now..it's big soccer so most of it isn't true.
This one better not be. Palermo is a total ass...and he stands around all game.
Without service...he is USELESS. I've watched him play at least 10 times over the last two years. Even the Spanish speaking announcers talk crap about him.
Please tell me that it's all Big Soccer bullcrap.
I'm going to vomit.
Esky is a total liability, and it was a great move to get rid of him. Why? Because he can't control the ball and gives it away 90 plus percent of the time. Ask any professional coach what the most important function a player must perform on the field no matter what? The answer: keep the ball. Esky simply can't do it. Remember we had this same debate about Roy Lassiter, but we justified "stone foot" because he scored 26 GOALS! But even then, it was an issue. Esky hasn't scored 26 goals in his whole career! So that is the real meat of it. United is a skill and possesion team, and Eskandarian can't cut it there.
As for Palermo, he was one of the leading scorers in Argentina this year and did not play in many games due to injury. I saw him play in person 6 times this year at the bombonera, as well as every other game with boca in the argentinean tournament and the recopa and the sudamericana. Bottom line: he is slow, but he is a lethal finisher. Matt wrote he was lazy. That is far from true. On the contrary, he is recognized by the press and the Boca fans as one of the hardest workers in the league, and that's why the fans tend to forgive him for his like of athleticism and grace at times. However, a lot of his lack of speed is made up for with his great strength, which is definitely an asset in our league. I think he and moreno and gomez will be an ideal combo for big games this year, but we will need some young talent to carry the load throughout the long course of the season, because that is too much age to carry a season's burdens of production. But i do think we look poised to win our important games this year, including concacaf, which will be essentially 4 games...
the real question now is:
can Boswell shoulder the entire load of amusing anecdotes for the DC Sports Bog by himself? somebody's gonna have to step up.
Good point about Esky, can't say how many times I've watched him try to take on numerous defenders and give the ball away. Became about as predictable every game as an Erpen moment of madness. Though it's still a drag to see him go.
The thing that really worries me is the amount of attacking players we lost over the last year and we've only added one, Donnet.
Even if DC does get Palermo, we still need a couple more stikers as well as attacking players. The semi-final against New England made it painfully clear how limited are attacking options really are.
I understand trading players to improve the team but unless Payne has a few more big names to add to the roster it could be a long and painful season if Gomez or Moreno get hurt.
Nick, great comments....after I calmed down and put aside my feelings for Esky...yeah he was less of a player and more of a fan favorite.
We all love guys that give it all for the shirt....and Esky does.
I do think that the Argentine press gives him a bit of a pass because he's so well liked.
You are right though...he's a proven goal scorer....it's not like those guys grow on trees.
My concern with DC getting a striker like Palermo is that we'd have no speed up top. I'd really like to pair Moreno and Gomez up top with a burner.
DC was never a threat to get in behind defenses and so teams could play pretty compact and shut down our short passing game.
If we have a constant speed threat then I think it will open up more space.
A josh wolf type forward would be great...skill and speed with passing ability.
I hope I'm wrong, but I get the sinking feeling that DC is about to make a huge blunder with whoever they bring in.
I liked Esky, but he couldn't stay healthy. Even when healthy he wasn't consistent enough.
Matt,
Good point. Speed would be ideal right now, and it would be amazing to have a fast guy that could finish like palermo. Of course, Moreno used to give us that speed. Maybe we could get him on a special diet in the offseason to bring back some of the youth in those aging legs. I'm excited to see who we bring in though....
All I know is, it has gotten a lot less fun to be a DC United fan.
I was fine with losing Adu, and I knew Nowaks time to move on was coming, but losing Esky totaly shocked me. I can understand the logic of it, although he will still be missed. Hopefully DC puts their funds and draft picks to good use, and acquires some speed up top and maybe a couple of good attacking wingers in midfield
Post a Comment
<< Return to The DCenters Main Page (HOME)