Rapids Land Gomez?

The streets in Denver are full of chatter these days. Most of it is folks talking about when they're going to go skiing because they have barely used their Colorado Pass this winter. But a few folks have been saying that the Rapids have signed Christian Gomez from DC United. It's a done deal and just a matter of making the announcement. I'm sure most Colorado Rapids fans will welcome Gomez with open arms. The question is what did Colorado have to give up to get him? He was out of contract with DC United and the league. At this point technically Colorado would be trading DC United for his rights.

Q & A With Stephen Keel

If you haven't already caught it, Colorado native Stephen Keel answers some questions over on NoFanAlone.com. My favorite was his answer to starting his first game last year at Salt Lake. That's right Stephen, give 'em hell! http://www.nofanalone.com/blog/archives/001050.html

Oh and I do remember having a shoe lace football tackle on Beckerman for my first yellow card. That was fun.

Michel Gets Friendly With El Pibe

Things are getting a little steamy between Michel and El Pibe, eh?
Props to John for sending this one my way.

Evaluating Team Defense

I just want to take a moment to point out yet another soccer blog, this one focused on the Colorado Rapids. It's View From The Couch. One bone I have to pick is with the idea that the Rapids had the 3rd best defense. I didn't walk away from 2007 thinking Colorado had the 3rd best defense in the league. I didn't think GA in itself was a good indicator. I think one needs to look at shots allowed and shots on goal allowed. When you look at that, you can see why I walked away with that gut feeling. Colorado more or less allowed other teams to take just as many shots as many other teams in the league. The key is that they only Houston allowed less shots on goal. Now SOG is not an exact measurement of the number of quality scoring chances given. I would argue that allowing the shot in the first place indicates some level of chance. But the Rapids allowed only 320 SOG by opposing teams. Other than Chivas USA, that is a lot better than most teams in the league. Bouna Condoul was a big part of that but the defense at a whole helped, too.

What other things can we see from these numbers? I think they show DC United relied on Troy Perkins to save their butts more than their GA indicates. It also shows that Real Salt Lake by far had the worst defense in the league.
Note: SOG (below) really is Shots On Goal Allowed. My apologies for any confusion.

By GA
Team	GA	Shots	Shots / 90	SOG	SOG / 90	Saves	Saves / 90	Saves / SOG	GA / 90	GA / SOG
Houston	23	280	3.111	118	1.311	93	1.033	0.788	0.256	0.195
Chivas USA	28	324	3.600	125	1.389	100	1.111	0.800	0.311	0.224
Colorado	34	320	3.556	161	1.789	121	1.344	0.752	0.378	0.211
DC United	34	349	3.878	164	1.822	124	1.378	0.756	0.378	0.207
Chicago	36	351	3.900	157	1.744	123	1.367	0.783	0.400	0.229
New England	43	359	3.989	169	1.878	120	1.333	0.710	0.478	0.254
Columbus	44	354	3.933	152	1.689	131	1.456	0.862	0.489	0.289
FC Dallas	44	381	4.233	158	1.756	112	1.244	0.709	0.489	0.278
Kansas City	45	342	3.800	159	1.767	110	1.222	0.692	0.500	0.283
NYRB	45	366	4.067	168	1.867	116	1.289	0.690	0.500	0.268
RSL	45	403	4.478	205	2.278	152	1.689	0.741	0.500	0.220
Los Angeles	48	388	4.311	179	1.989	125	1.389	0.698	0.533	0.268
Toronto FC	49	352	3.911	169	1.878	115	1.278	0.680	0.544	0.290
By SOG
Team	SOG	SOG / 90	Shots	Shots / 90	Saves	Saves / 90	Saves / SOG	GA	GA / 90	GA / SOG
Houston	118	1.311	280	3.111	93	1.033	0.788	23	0.256	0.195
Chivas USA	125	1.389	324	3.600	100	1.111	0.800	28	0.311	0.224
Columbus	152	1.689	354	3.933	131	1.456	0.862	44	0.489	0.289
Chicago	157	1.744	351	3.900	123	1.367	0.783	36	0.400	0.229
FC Dallas	158	1.756	381	4.233	112	1.244	0.709	44	0.489	0.278
Kansas City	159	1.767	342	3.800	110	1.222	0.692	45	0.500	0.283
Colorado	161	1.789	320	3.556	121	1.344	0.752	34	0.378	0.211
DC United	164	1.822	349	3.878	124	1.378	0.756	34	0.378	0.207
NYRB	168	1.867	366	4.067	116	1.289	0.690	45	0.500	0.268
New England	169	1.878	359	3.989	120	1.333	0.710	43	0.478	0.254
Toronto FC	169	1.878	352	3.911	115	1.278	0.680	49	0.544	0.290
Los Angeles	179	1.989	388	4.311	125	1.389	0.698	48	0.533	0.268
RSL	205	2.278	403	4.478	152	1.689	0.741	45	0.500	0.220
By Shots Allowed
Team	SOG	SOG / 90	Shots	Shots/ 90	Saves	Saves / 90	Saves / SOG	GA	GA / 90	GA / SOG
Houston	280	3.111	118	1.311	93	1.033	0.788	23	0.256	0.195
Colorado	320	3.556	161	1.789	121	1.344	0.752	34	0.378	0.211
Chivas USA	324	3.600	125	1.389	100	1.111	0.800	28	0.311	0.224
Kansas City	342	3.800	159	1.767	110	1.222	0.692	45	0.500	0.283
DC United	349	3.878	164	1.822	124	1.378	0.756	34	0.378	0.207
Chicago	351	3.900	157	1.744	123	1.367	0.783	36	0.400	0.229
Toronto FC	352	3.911	169	1.878	115	1.278	0.680	49	0.544	0.290
Columbus	354	3.933	152	1.689	131	1.456	0.862	44	0.489	0.289
New England	359	3.989	169	1.878	120	1.333	0.710	43	0.478	0.254
NYRB	366	4.067	168	1.867	116	1.289	0.690	45	0.500	0.268
FC Dallas	381	4.233	158	1.756	112	1.244	0.709	44	0.489	0.278
Los Angeles	388	4.311	179	1.989	125	1.389	0.698	48	0.533	0.268
RSL	403	4.478	205	2.278	152	1.689	0.741	45	0.500	0.220

Catching Up With Player Moves

Seeing Celtic's manager Gordon Strachan saying that he's not planning on making any new player signings reminded me of skepticism I had over Brad Guzan making a move to a British team before the winter transfer window closes. He doesn't meet the requirements. And I didn't think it was likely that a move to a team like Fulham would pass muster even on appeal as they already have 2 excellent goal keepers in Anti Niemi and Kasey Keller. The move for Celtic didnt' seem likely with it initially appearing that it was dependent on their Polish goalkeeper Boruc being sold to another team. It's looking like I'll have to eat a bit of crow now with many sources including Sporting Life reporting that Celtic is willing to sign Guzan even without selling Boruc and that, in fact, Guzan is in Glasgow to sign with the team. If that is the case, who is Chivas USA likely to turn to take over for Guzan? Their previous fill-in for Guzan, Preston "Stone" Burpo, is now in San Jose. My first impulse was to say "well, maybe they're trade Colorado for an old vet like Thorton". But Zach Thornton recently signed with New York.

And that lead me to see the need to start tracking who is in and out at different teams in the MLS. This is not a complete list right now. I know there are players missing off of it. It's a start and I'll keep adding to it. Please feel free to make note of any players in or out and what was behind the move (released, traded for a player, sold, et al.). That includes guys like Clint Mathis who went from NYRB to LA and before LA could sign him on for 2008, moved on a free to Greece. And I'm including San Jose despite all the players coming in from the expansion draft because, as we've seen with players like Goodson and Carroll, those picks can move on to another team before ever setting foot on the pitch for San Jose. For now I'm not going to note draft picks. Those will be tracked in summarizing the drafts and by who is on the roster come opening day in the end of March. Chicago Fire Out: Chris Armas (retired) Jim Curtin (traded to Chivas USA for a conditional pick in 2010 MLS Super Draft) Juan Carlos Osorio (coach; NYRB gave 1st round pick in 2008 Super Draft) Ivan Guerrero (expansion draft) Andy Herron (out of contract) Paulo Wanchope (retired)

In: Andy Herron (just his MLS rights; send 4th round pick in 2010 MLS Super Draft to Columbus)

Chivas USA Out : Preston Burpo (traded to San Jose for 4th round pick in 2008 Super Draft) Jason Hernandez (expansion draft)

In: Jim Curtin (traded a conditional pick in 2010 MLS Super Draft to Chicago Fire) Alecko Eskandarian (traded to Real Salt Lake for allocation money) Attiba Harris (traded 3rd round pick in 2008 MLS Super Draft to Real Salt Lake)

Colorado Rapids Out : Jose Cancela (out of contract) Daniel Osorno (retired) Tony Sanneh (out of contract) Zach Thornton (waived)

In: Jose Burciaga (traded KC a 2nd round pick in 2009 MLS Super Draft) Chase Hilgenbrinck (free transfer; previously played with FC Pauli in Germany)

Columbus Crew Out: Marcos Gonzalez (sold to Chilean club Universidad Catolica for an undisclosed sum) Andy Herron (out of contract; traded MLS rights to Chicago Fire) Kei Kamara (traded to San Jose Earthquakes for Brian Carroll)

In: Brian Carroll (traded to Columbus Crew for Kei Kamara)

DC United Out: Bobby Boswell (traded to Houston Dynamo in exchange for Bobby Boswell) Brian Carroll (picked by San Jose in expansion draft) Troy Perkins (transfer; sold to Norwegian club Valerenga) Greg Vanney (out of contract)

In: Gonzalo Martinez (transfer from Columbian club Millonarios) Franco Neil (one year loan from Argentine club Argentinos Junior) Zach Wells (from Houston Dynamo in exchange for Bobby Boswell)

FC Dallas Out: Denilson (out of contract) Clarence Goodson (expansion draft; out of contract) Carlos Ruiz (traded to Los Angeles Galaxy for allocation money & 2nd round pick in 2009 MLS Super Draft)

In: Duilio Davino (free transfer; previously with Mexican club Club America)

Kansas City Wizards Out : Jose Burciaga (traded to CO for a 2nd round pick in 2009 MLS Super Draft) Nick Garcia (traded to San Jose for 1st round pick in 2008 MLS Super Draft) Eddie Johnson (sold to Fulham in English Premiership for $6 million)

In:

Houston Dynamo Out : Ryan Cochrane (top draft in expansion draft) Joseph Ngwenya (out of contract; signed by Austrian club SK Austria Karnten) Zach Wells (traded to DC United in exchange for Bobby Boswell)

In: Bobby Boswell (from DC United in exchange for Zach Wells)

Los Angeles Galaxy Out : Chris Albright (traded to New England for allocation money) Joe Cannon (traded to San Jose for allocation money) Gavin Glinton (expansion draft) Cobi Jones (retired) Clint Mathis (out of contract and signed with Greek club Ergotelis) In: Clint Mathis (traded NY 3rd round pick in 2008 MLS Super Draft for rights) Carlos Ruiz (traded allocation money & 2nd round pick in 2009 MLS Super Draft to FC Dallas)

New England Revolution Out: Pat Noonan (out of contract; signed with Norwegian club Aalesund) James Riley (expansion draft) In: Chris Albright (traded allocation money to Los Angeles)

New York Red Bulls Out : Sal Caccavale (waived) Clint Mathis (out of contract) Joseph Vide (expansion draft)

In : Juan Carlos Osorio (coach; gave Chicago 1st round pick in 2008 Super Draft) Zach Thornton (free transfer) San Jose Earthquakes Out : Brian Carroll (traded to Columbus Crew for Kei Kamara) Clarence Goodson (out of contract; signed with Norwegian club IK Start)

In : Preston Burpo (traded to San Jose for 4th round pick in 2008 Super Draft) Joe Cannon (traded allocation money to Los Angeles for Cannon) Brian Carroll (expansion draft; previously with DC United) Ryan Cochrane (top draft in expansion draft) Nick Garcia (traded 1st round pick in 2008 MLS Super Draft to Kansas City) Clarence Goodson (expansion draft; previously with FC Dallas) Ned Grabavoy (expansion draft; previously with Columbus Crew) Ivan Guerrero (expansion draft; previously with Chicago Fire) Jason Hernandez (expansion draft; previously with Chivas USA) Kei Kamara (traded Brian Carroll to Columbus Crew) Chris Pozniak (expansion draft; previously with Toronto FC) James Riley (expansion draft; previously with New England Revolution) Joseph Vide (expansion draft; previously with New York Red Bulls)

Real Salt Lake Out: Alecko Eskandarian (traded to Chivas USA for allocation money) Attiba Harris (traded for 3rd round pick in 2008 MLS Super Draft) Jamie Watson (waived)

In: Ian Joy (signed on a free; previously with FC Pauli in Germany)

Toronto FC Out: Chris Pozniak (expansion draft)

In: