According to this article over at SBI, Cuauhtemoc Blanco is still weighing the offer from Irapuato and no deal has been finalized. This jibes with what I've been able to gather from inside Toyota Park.
There have also been rumblings of additional player acquisitions although no names have surfaced yet.
Filed under: 2010 Regular Season, Cuauhtemoc Blanco
Tags: Chicago Fire, Cuauhtemoc Blanco
IMO there is no way Blanco can help this team. he'd only be useful if teh Fire could play a possession game, and from what we've seen this year, they clearly cannot for more than a 5 minute stretch
Blanco would be a good acquisition IF HE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE. Blanco could be the second player alongside a stronger player.
Last week, Klopas summarized after practice that he is pursing Blanco and the other leagues end until November/December. Why is not the Fire pursuing Juan Roman Riquelme from Argentina. The need a midfielder to have him accompany with Blanco, now we are talking.
This is basically the same team from last year. We were fine last season. Nyarko is playing better than Rolfe did on the wing. Pappa is playing the same if not better. Mapp is playing really well and controlling to game in the middle. Pause is doing what Pause does. Krol is playing well and Robinson/Ward/Kinney are better than Prideux last year. If Blanco comes into this team we will get worse. Its that simple. We will play slower, counter attack less than we do now, and have to watch an old man putz around a field making a lot of money. We need Blanco like we need Caitlin Carr healthy. If we need anything, we need a flat out striker that can beat defenders and be dangerous.
Joe --while I agree that Blanco is not a good choice right now the statement that this is the same team as last year seems to omit a few facts -- we lost two all-star defenders, Soumare and Segares; Blanco was here last year and he was contributing, and finally, whether Nyarko is doing better than Rolfe was is besides the point -- last year we had BOTH. IMO the Fire needs to look at this year as a rebuilding year -- I know that sounds defeatist but we need too much and in too short of a time!! Let's not make decisions based on making this year's playoffs and mortgage the future.
Soumare was not good for us last year but still a good player and Segares was hurt for most of the season. Nyarko wasnt playing even close to the level he is now and Rolfe was used out of position so he didnt contribute to his full potential. I agree that we can use this as a rebuilding year but that doesn't mean that we shouldnt make the playoffs. If a team doesn't make the playoffs, then heads need to roll. We have a very good lineup, on paper, and should be winning more games than we lose. Blanco will not help this team. I think its that simple.
thor being hurt all year doesn't help either
Soooo based on your player analysis, last year sucked and this year we're doing just great !! LOL
So you don't think we have a good lineup on paper? Thats what I said. We SHOULD be winning more games than we lose. We SHOULD make the playoffs. I dont think Blanco will help this team at all. The only thing that he will help is attendance. I would rather have Mapp in that role than Blanco.
Looks like a done deal now:
http://www.freseros.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=319&catid=38&Itemid=86
Seems like it is.
Joe will be happy ;)
Yessir.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2010/july/16/danny_spiller.aspx
Almost as good as Thierry Henry..............
LOL!!!! More guys that played 10, 20, or 30 games with 2 goals. WOW!!! Get ready to buy Danny Spiller jersey coming to a store near you. How do you explain your fans if you throw players like Danny Spiller's of the world to be competitive?
whats demoralizing to me is, NY can find & sign 3 DPs, and chicago cannot even get one :(
Wait we're allowed 3 DPs now? I'm confused. OK, Riquelme and someone Argentine this year, Seedorf next, and meanwhile build a defense. We'd have a pretty nice supporting cast of players for Seedorf, Riquelme and Caneo(?) with Pappa, Nyarko, McBride, and Mapp, with Conde in back. We'd actually be one of the best teams in MLS. Shoot for those transfers.
Teams can sign a third DP but they have to pay out a $250,000.00 fee that will spread out as allocation money among the other teams in the league.
Fire only have one roster spot open at the moment, right?
Yes. Only one roster spot is open at the moment. Adding two players will necessitate cutting someone.
supposing they add a 2nd player and its a striker, do you figure they cut Carr (never plays always injured?) or Dimitrov (do we really need 3 slow 'target' strikers?)
Joe would have to change the name on his #3 Fire kit if they cut Calen Carr.
Heard a rumor the Fire remain interested in Ludovic Giuly after having him here for the Sister Cities Cup in May. Giuly has been the backup DP option if Blanco indeed falls through.
Shhhhhhhh
Giuly apparently has a contract with PSG for one more year calling for payment of nearly $4mil. Given that PSG would be willing to absorb some of that it still seems that Giuly comes with a hefty price and legs older than Henry's.
Yep.
Looks like Giuly is not impressed with our atmosphere (I wouldnt have been either if all I saw was the Sister Cities Tourny)
http://www.asmfc.com/actualite-7927.html
http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/blogs/index?entryID=1060473&name=John_Sutcliffe
An article from ESPN (spanish) although the publish date is Wednesday.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/red-bulls-look-set-make-another-big-splash
Red Bulls are still after that third DP
You underestimate how important Rolfe was. His touch and control, his threat to shoot, helped last season's fire in countless ways. He was a very good MLS player. It's no accident he is in Europe. The Fire really needed to keep him. We look hapless now.
I am not underestimating him. I understand all that stuff, but you can't tell me he was more dangerous than Nyarko is this season on the wing. Nyarko has been our best player and looks dangerous at all times to beat defenders 1v1 and get in behind them. Rolfe isnt that type of player on the wing. He cut and tried to go through the middle and make things happen that way. We needed to keep Rolfe more than we needed to keep Segares or Soumare. Rolfe would be the ideal player to play where Mapp is playing right now. The "Blanco" role.
Sure Nyarko is dangerous with his speed beating defenders one on one but Rolfe has the advantage based on finishing the ball in the net. That has been Nyarko's Achilles heel not able to finish plus Rolfe is more of a guy that should had played on top.
As Fire fans, we collectively demand more than this from a team that is playing badly and doing nothing to get out of the rut. We demand the attractive soccer that we were promised. We demand a star player to keep up with the likes of Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan. We demand to stay up there with Seattle, LA Galaxy, and the other powerhouses. The only way to do this is to change the current squad. We need somebody fresh, somebody quick, somebody who plays with skill. That's not Blanco. Miguel Caneo might fit the spot. Clarence Seedorf might fit the spot. Now go out there and GET THEM! We will not accept anything less.
DLC needs to either build his own team on his terms, or they need to find a manager who can build on what is given to them. It makes no sense for DLC to proclaim a certain new attacking style when the players he has to work with cannot do this.
ANYTHING would help right now. Blanco would be the offense considering we have none! Last nights game should be clear evidence of that.
We need to add 3 or 4 players. Primarily offensive.
If Riquelme comes plus a forward, I will party as well!
problem with Blanco is how do you get the ball to him? they already have enough problems getting McBride any touches in scoring position
If you have 2 threats in the offensive part of the field. That leaves more room for connecting the midfield to the forwards. Right now it's very easy to defend McBride because he's the lone forward.
When you add blanco, he will open up play a little more because of his presence on the field. Which would give McBride and the midfield more space. defences would have no choice but to pay attention to him.
With how bad were playing right now. blanco can only help our team right now. i hope that we will and can get him cheaper than last time.
Riquelme would be great. He apparently had a deal with West Ham that has either been put on hold or fallen through.
Is there any real pressure on Klopas or DLC to improve the team? Raul, Seedorf, Riquelme, Pires, blanco, just bring SOMEBODY. At this point the team at least needs a morale boost and something to get the fans excited.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/114/mexico/2010/07/15/2026753/cuauhtemoc-blanco-claims-his-future-is-still-uncertain
Here's my predictions -- (1) Blanco is using the Fire to get a better deal from Irapuato (2) Fire will pick up Riquelme at a bargain basement price, allowing them (3) to pick up a striker also from Argentina !!!
If they got Riquelme at some bargain price along with a striker I'd have a party.
Agreed.
i keep thinking a winning streak is gonna happen....will it or can it? come on,,,we want it so bad its gotta happen....maybe right before the playoffs (if its not to late)
sure it can happen, look at RSL last year
but they need to fix their midfield problem & get some possession so they can a)score and b)relieve some pressure off the defense
either that or find a quick-strike scorer (a nyarko that can shoot)
ive only been a fan for 3 yrs,,,,,maybe being a lifelong cubbie is not helping.
Don't we have enough players over 30 at present? If we they do go that route, how about someone with a reputation of helping to mentor the young talent like Nowak did? (at least Nowak was a strong 2 way player) Surely we can do Better than Blanco, thanks for your service but time to seek alternate options.