Thursday, January 3, 2008

Yr. 2008 Galaxy Team Squad that I would form...

Well, it's officially 2008. In Europe, January brings transfer window openings for the new year... and, this January in Europe the transfer rumors are whirling and starting to pick up tremendous speed and force. Back here in the US, we have the MLS Combine, MLS SuperDraft, and MLS Team Trading taking place from 2nd week of January 'til the MLS Season opens. Officially, for 2008, MLS season opens on March 29th.


As I have been saying in all of my previous posts... our LA Galaxy must make good, solid, reliable acquisitions and trades this coming January 2008. Our LA Galaxy team really needs Depth, Fast-Pace, Strength, Tactics, Posession & Dribble Control. We cannot be "sacrificial lambs" laying at the bottom of the MLS Conference Table anymore. Check out my post on Thursday, Dec. 27th on which group of guys I like and want that are eligible for the MLS Draft. But, being eligible doesn't mean that these guys will want to enter into MLS League plays/contracts... If they are serious about soccer and their skill-building... they may opt for playing soccer in the European arena (England, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden, or Scotland). So, because of this uncertainty both with players' options and choices - plus, since there are also at least nine other MLS teams competing for Draft Picks besides LA...

So, I'm going to construct a Galaxy Team Squad with tested and proven MLS players I've come to watch and study within MLS League Games since 2006. I know that in order to make up this "fantasy" team of mine... I'm going to assume that practically most of the 2008 LA Galaxy MLS Draft picks, plus player trades included would have to be carried out in order to form this team. So be it... Here are my picks :


Power/Center Forward : Jovan Kirovski (6'-1"; 175lbs; 32 yrs old; 4 yrs in MLS)
Right-Field Forward : Carlos Ruiz (5'-9"; 180lbs; 29 yrs old; 6 yrs in MLS)
Left-Field Forward : Clint Mathis (5'10"; 175lbs; 32 yrs old; 8 yrs in MLS)
Power/Center Forward : Landon Donovan (5'-8"; 155lbs; 26 yrs old; 7 yrs in MLS)
Right-Field Forward : Dave Vandenbergh (6'-3"; 180lbs; 32 yrs old; 2 yrs MLS + 11 yrs INT'L)
Left-Field Forward : Dema Kovalenko (5'-8"; 162 lbs; 31 yrs old; 7 yrs in MLS)


Power/Center Mid : Stefani Miglioranzi (6'-1"; 165 lbs; 31 yrs old; 1 yr MLS + 5 yrs INT'L)
Right-Field Mid : David Beckham (6'-0"; 165lbs; 33 yrs old; 12 yrs INT'L [EPL & La Liga])
Left-Field Mid : Carlos Marinelli ; (5'-8"; 160 lbs; 26 yrs old; 1 yr MLS + 6 yrs INT'L)
Power/Center Mid : Ned Grabavoy (5'-7"; 155lbs; 25 yrs old; 4 yrs MLS)
Right-Field Mid : Chris Klein (6'-1"; 180lbs; 32 yrs old; 9 yrs MLS)
Left-Field Mid : Eloy Colombano (5'-8"; 160lbs; 25 yrs old; 1 yr MLS + 5 yrs INT'L)
Right-Field Mid : Ronnie O'Brien (5'-10"; 165 lbs; 29 yrs old; 5 yrs MLS + 3 yrs INT'L)
Left-Field Mid : Carl Robinson (5'10"; 165 lbs; 32 yrs old; 1 yr MLS + 9 Yrs INT'L)


Center-FB Def : Facundo Erpen (6'-0"; 180lbs; 25 yrs old; 2 yrs MLS + 3 yrs INT'L)
Center-FB Def : Ugo Ihemelu (6'-0"; 180lbs; 25 yrs old; 3 yrs MLS)
Right-SB Def : Troy Roberts (5'-11"; 180lbs; 25 yrs old; 3 yrs MLS)
Left-SB Def : Mike Randolph (5'-7"; 155lbs; 23 yrs old; 1 yr MLS)
Center-FB Def : Jean-Martial Kipre (5'-7"; 155lbs; 23 yrs old; 1 yr MLS + 4 yrs INT'L)
Center-FB Def : Kevin Goldwaithe (6'-1"; 170lbs; 26 yrs old; 3 yrs MLS)
Right-SB Def : Ty Harden (6'-1"; 190lbs; 24 yrs old; 2 yrs MLS)
Left-SB Def : Josh Tudela (5'-9"; 160lbs; 24 yrs old; 1 yr MLS)

Goal-Keeper : Steve Cronin (6'-2"; 195lbs; 25 yrs old; 1 yr MLS)
Goal-Keeper : Justin Myers (6'-2"; 205lbs; 23 yrs old; 0-1 yr MLS)
Goal-Keeper : Chris Konopka (6'-5"; 215lbs; 23 yrs old; 0-1 yr MLS)

Midfield-Fwd : Israel Sesay (5'-7"; 145lbs; 17 yrs old; 0-1 MLS)

This would then be a 26-man roster. I know in my previous post(s), I had tried to come up with a more acheivable 24-man roster. Keep in mind that this above is my "fantasy-team squad". As you can immediately notice, I have placed the guys who have the most soccer experience as forwards and midfielders (the 'play-makers)... while the younger guys as the stoppers/passers/interference-runners. Remember, folks... soccer games are won many at times beacuse of a smart, quick, expert play put out on the pitch that took altogether a matter of several many seconds. That's all you have out on the soccer pitch to turn the tide of a game!

So, using the numbers from one of my previous posts... twelve (12) non-waived 2007 Galaxy Players had to be traded and exchanged out to free up $1,275,000 that can now go towards the 2008 "fantasy-team squad's" MLS Salary caps. In my opinion - I've constructed a 2008 Galaxy team above that with pre-season practice, drills, fitness-training, and team-work can give the 2007 MLS Conference Champion, finalist, and semi-finalists a tough, worrisome challenge in 2008!

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