Though I've got to be the last guy to comment on this trade, the essential weirdness of it compels me to comment on it.
As all y'all already know, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Toronto FC completed a trade today that sent defender Tyrone Marshall to the latter in exchange for sending forward Edson Buddle to the former. By now, I've read views that like this from LA's point of view or that like it from Toronto's (albeit with heavy dissent in the comments). As for me, I'm elsewhere on this...as in, why did this trade happen at all?
Toronto does pick up some defensive depth, but, as everyone points out, they're getting a player who seems past it - if not well past it (at least Marshall is not suspended...at least not yet anyway). I've been pretty impressed with Toronto coach Mo Johnston's more recent moves (e.g. Cunningham for Eskandarian, as well as bringing in Wynne and Kevin Goldthwaite), but does Marshall constitute a genuine improvement on their current crop of defenders? If so, not by much.
Going the other way, LA - a team that can't score reliably - picked up a forward....who can't score reliably?
I don't get it...
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3 comments:
If you want some insight into the trade from Toronto's POV, it isn't about improving on our defense, it's about improving our midfield. Getting an experienced central defender allows us to free up Brennan to play his natural position, left mid, and allows Welsh to play his natural position, water boy. Though it may be a marginal drop, or sidegrade, in defense, it is a huge improvement in our midfield.
Aha! Thanks, anonymous. I'll look for it...though I seem to think more of Andy Welsh than you do.
To be honest, Andy Welsh is not terrible, but Jim Brennan, being one of the few Canadians ever to play in the premiership, is an upgrade, and many TFC fans have been anxiously awaiting a CB to replace him so we could see him in his natural position.
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