If mabiala does get selected (not sure what his cap hit currently is, that might scare charlotte away) I will be sad. He was probably the best player on our team throughout the playoffs and he's just an absolute legend. If we part ways with him one way or another in the offseason I'd get why, but I would be sad.
Other than that there really isn't anybody on the list I'd be mad over losing. Valeri is likely to retire. A bit surprised at bonilla being there actually. Polo is coming off a broken leg. Clark is a free agent and getting up there in age. I think we'll bring him back but if he leaves it would be understandable.
I think a lot of these folks serve as cover for one another, since they can only take one. I would think the FO is expecting them to take either Mabiala or Bonilla. Either way, we will be in the market for both a fullback and a center back
Disagree with this, Mabiala is getting up there in age (34) and has been showing some decline. The smart play is to get Zac McGraw coached up, he's 24, 6'4", and an Army grad which makes him a leader and rather intelligent (Army doesn't take dummies)... he's going to be crazy good on the back line.
This could be a hot take to a number of folks here but I think the biggest loss for us here would be if Charlotte selected Polo. Besides that, nothing would really bother me.
Bonilla would be the biggest loss imo, young player with a good upside at a position we don’t have much depth at. I would not be surprised if they grab him and try to develop him. I would agree that Polo is probably the player with the most use, but at the same time he hasn’t done very much in his time in Portland. I haven’t been a fan, but was just coming around to him when he got assassinated. I would be sadder if they took Bonilla
Not a hot take at all, the MLS.com writer that did an analysis of the expansion draft actually picked Polo as one of the 5 players he would take were he Charlotte's GM.
I think there's a pretty good chance we don't lose anyone. Charlotte can only take 5 players total and only one per team max. There's 22 teams that also have like 12-15 players each unprotected and at least a couple of those on each team are decent pickups for Charlotte.
If I'm Charlotte, there is no way I take Mabiala, Clark, or Valeri. Obviously they have been great for us, but they are too old at this point.
I think our juiciest targets are Polo and Bonilla. Young, talented, on/off national team players, good potential. Van Rankin would be a good pick up too (despite all the shit that he's gotten recently) but as I understand it, they would have to hash out that transfer with Chivas, which might be a little too much of a hassle.
I wouldn’t, he’s old and wasn’t good at the start of this season. He’s been great during our good run but I think that he has one year left in him max MAYBE. I would prefer if he’s not a starter for us next year, and I’m happy protecting Tuiloma over him
I feel like the best an expansion side can do in a draft is add experienced roleplayers who can serve as leaders in the clubhouse. No club is going to leave an interesting prospect available (which shows what our FO thinks of Bonilla), so you're getting (1) an aging talent, (2) an injury recovery, or (3) a younger bench warmer. If I'm building a roster and those are my options, I take five players from Category 1 to put on an 11 with my 3 DPs while I build a youth system.
A solid experienced centerback is pretty attractive for team-building even if they know they’d only get one year. Same goes for goalkeeper.
Edit: on the other hand, Omar Gonzales is unprotected, and I think he’s a shade younger while being similar quality.
I believe the 12 we explicitly protected are: Asprilla, Blanco, Bravo, Diego & Yimmi Chara, Loria, Mora, Moreno, Niezgoda, Paredes, Tuiloma, and Zuparic.
Unprotected players:
Attinella, Jeff
Bonilla, Pablo
Clark, Steven
Fochive, George
Gonzalez, Jorge
Ivacic, Aljaz
Jome, Ismaila
Mabiala, Larrys
McGraw, Zac
Perez, Manny
Polo, Andy
Valeri, Diego
Van Rankin, Josecarlos
Zambrano, Renzo
I don't see how we lose anyone. That list is pretty uninspiring for a team looking to build. Especially considering the other players available.
The only one I see us even remotely possibly losing is Polo, and he's at most 7-8th on the list of all available, and maybe not even that high.
I don't have any major problems with the list.
I'd have protected Bonilla, Mabiala, or Polo over Loria, but it would be close enough that I'm not upset or anything.
Im stressed seeing Polo unprotected. I kinda forgot who he was but after going through some of his highlights, I am now a certified Andy Polo fan. If you need a refresher, hes the guy who got front flipped by that la galaxy dude early this year. I doubt Charlotte will take a guy who didn't have a whole lot of playing time already and someone who is coming off a VERY nasty injury, but he did look pretty damn good when he did play, so they just might.
Yeah, big fan of Polo. He was sort of the utility-player glue holding the battered team together on the field. When he went down we started losing games and Gio said he was one injury too many.
Fochive was a capable replacement fortunately.
Why is Clark scary? he is not under contract and has no obligation to sign there if he is selected...he can just sign back with portland and Charlotte would be left with a wasted pick
Speaking of, in the NWSL expansion draft the Thorns left Nadine Angerer’s playing rights exposed. She’s 43 but still that’s gotta be at least briefly tempting.
My thinking is that they've both had multiple injuries this year and even if one got drafted we keep the other as well as ivacic. So it may not hurt us much. Also I'm really hoping we bring on a great young(ish) keeper like Miller or St. Claire from Minn, somebody who can eventually do for us what NYCFC keeper did to us.
If mabiala does get selected (not sure what his cap hit currently is, that might scare charlotte away) I will be sad. He was probably the best player on our team throughout the playoffs and he's just an absolute legend. If we part ways with him one way or another in the offseason I'd get why, but I would be sad. Other than that there really isn't anybody on the list I'd be mad over losing. Valeri is likely to retire. A bit surprised at bonilla being there actually. Polo is coming off a broken leg. Clark is a free agent and getting up there in age. I think we'll bring him back but if he leaves it would be understandable.
I think a lot of these folks serve as cover for one another, since they can only take one. I would think the FO is expecting them to take either Mabiala or Bonilla. Either way, we will be in the market for both a fullback and a center back
Disagree with this, Mabiala is getting up there in age (34) and has been showing some decline. The smart play is to get Zac McGraw coached up, he's 24, 6'4", and an Army grad which makes him a leader and rather intelligent (Army doesn't take dummies)... he's going to be crazy good on the back line.
Those things don't just automatically come together to create a good player
No but they sure make it easier to make them into a great player.
Minn made Fanendo Adi available.
BRING HIM HOME (IGNORE THAT WE HAVE TWO ALREADY VERY COMPETENT STRIKERS IT WOULD BE COOL OKAY)
Low key adi on a min contract as a third string depth striker wouldn’t be the worse thing if his head is in the right place
Fanendo Adi and Jaroslaw Niezgoda would be 2 pretty amazing targets in the box if we need a late goal that we can just dump crosses into
This could be a hot take to a number of folks here but I think the biggest loss for us here would be if Charlotte selected Polo. Besides that, nothing would really bother me.
Bonilla would be the biggest loss imo, young player with a good upside at a position we don’t have much depth at. I would not be surprised if they grab him and try to develop him. I would agree that Polo is probably the player with the most use, but at the same time he hasn’t done very much in his time in Portland. I haven’t been a fan, but was just coming around to him when he got assassinated. I would be sadder if they took Bonilla
I think he still is taking up an international roster slot so that might dissuade Charlotte.
Fair, and Charlotte are already heavy on internationals
Not a hot take at all, the MLS.com writer that did an analysis of the expansion draft actually picked Polo as one of the 5 players he would take were he Charlotte's GM.
If I were Charlotte, I'd take Mabiala
I think there's a pretty good chance we don't lose anyone. Charlotte can only take 5 players total and only one per team max. There's 22 teams that also have like 12-15 players each unprotected and at least a couple of those on each team are decent pickups for Charlotte. If I'm Charlotte, there is no way I take Mabiala, Clark, or Valeri. Obviously they have been great for us, but they are too old at this point. I think our juiciest targets are Polo and Bonilla. Young, talented, on/off national team players, good potential. Van Rankin would be a good pick up too (despite all the shit that he's gotten recently) but as I understand it, they would have to hash out that transfer with Chivas, which might be a little too much of a hassle.
I wouldn’t, he’s old and wasn’t good at the start of this season. He’s been great during our good run but I think that he has one year left in him max MAYBE. I would prefer if he’s not a starter for us next year, and I’m happy protecting Tuiloma over him
I feel like the best an expansion side can do in a draft is add experienced roleplayers who can serve as leaders in the clubhouse. No club is going to leave an interesting prospect available (which shows what our FO thinks of Bonilla), so you're getting (1) an aging talent, (2) an injury recovery, or (3) a younger bench warmer. If I'm building a roster and those are my options, I take five players from Category 1 to put on an 11 with my 3 DPs while I build a youth system.
A solid experienced centerback is pretty attractive for team-building even if they know they’d only get one year. Same goes for goalkeeper. Edit: on the other hand, Omar Gonzales is unprotected, and I think he’s a shade younger while being similar quality.
Who all did we protect?
I believe the 12 we explicitly protected are: Asprilla, Blanco, Bravo, Diego & Yimmi Chara, Loria, Mora, Moreno, Niezgoda, Paredes, Tuiloma, and Zuparic.
I hate that the list couldn’t be a couple names longer, but it’s a good list for 12.
Ooh, in alphabetical order, no less. Nice.
just like the alphabetical order NYCFC posted their MLS cup line up in. I was all ready to see Sean Johnson at left back too.
What happened to Williamson? Not eligible because of injury?
Protected due to being a homegrown player. I guess the Timbers purchased his home grown player rights from DC when they acquired him.
Unprotected players: Attinella, Jeff Bonilla, Pablo Clark, Steven Fochive, George Gonzalez, Jorge Ivacic, Aljaz Jome, Ismaila Mabiala, Larrys McGraw, Zac Perez, Manny Polo, Andy Valeri, Diego Van Rankin, Josecarlos Zambrano, Renzo
So who are the 12 we protected?
Niezgoda Mora Yimmi D. Chara Moreno Blanco Loria Zuparic Bravo Tuiloma Paredes Asprilla
Everybody else
Captain Obvious strikes again!
I don't see how we lose anyone. That list is pretty uninspiring for a team looking to build. Especially considering the other players available. The only one I see us even remotely possibly losing is Polo, and he's at most 7-8th on the list of all available, and maybe not even that high.
I don't have any major problems with the list. I'd have protected Bonilla, Mabiala, or Polo over Loria, but it would be close enough that I'm not upset or anything.
Im stressed seeing Polo unprotected. I kinda forgot who he was but after going through some of his highlights, I am now a certified Andy Polo fan. If you need a refresher, hes the guy who got front flipped by that la galaxy dude early this year. I doubt Charlotte will take a guy who didn't have a whole lot of playing time already and someone who is coming off a VERY nasty injury, but he did look pretty damn good when he did play, so they just might.
Yeah, big fan of Polo. He was sort of the utility-player glue holding the battered team together on the field. When he went down we started losing games and Gio said he was one injury too many. Fochive was a capable replacement fortunately.
No way he gets picked up. Come off injury & would take up an international spot.
He's close to being able to get a green card, I'm sure an arrangement could/would be made if he was selected.
Clark is the scariest one there to me.
Why is Clark scary? he is not under contract and has no obligation to sign there if he is selected...he can just sign back with portland and Charlotte would be left with a wasted pick
Good point!
Personally I'm concerned if they do leave in general, because I'm beginning to think we have a reputation of ending GK's best years here in Portland.
Speaking of, in the NWSL expansion draft the Thorns left Nadine Angerer’s playing rights exposed. She’s 43 but still that’s gotta be at least briefly tempting.
Clark AND Attinella bothers me.
We should honestly be in the market for a new starting goalkeeper, as unpopular as that opinion seems to be.
Agreed. Even if Clark doesn't get selected, I don't think he's coming back.
Hard agree. Don’t know why it’s such a controversial opinion.
My thinking is that they've both had multiple injuries this year and even if one got drafted we keep the other as well as ivacic. So it may not hurt us much. Also I'm really hoping we bring on a great young(ish) keeper like Miller or St. Claire from Minn, somebody who can eventually do for us what NYCFC keeper did to us.
> Anttinella Are you an MLS announcer, by chance?
Anttinella is Jeff's Finnish cousin
Whoops made a typo. Goddamn dyslexia kicking my ass once again.
Fortunately we can only lose one player
True.