Rumor: Jorge Perlaza is "Claimed" by Independiente of Argentina
by Geoff Gibson on Jan 11, 2012 8:35 AM PST
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So I saw this happening yesterday, but can't, for the life of me, find a credible source aside from an errant tweet from somebody named Guillermo Arango, an apparent radio host or writer for RCN Radio. How trustworthy is he? Entirely unknown. Still it got Twitter all in a flurry of activity yesterday so I guess we should report on it.
For those that don't know, Guillermo tweeted yesterday:
El delantero Jorge Perlaza de Portland Timbers es pretendido por Independiente de Argentina junto a Dayro Moreno.
Essentially it says that Jorge Perlaza has been "claimed" by the Argentine club Independiente, the same guys who the Timbers played in an exhibition last year, although Perlaza did not play in said match. They've also claimed an independent player (not on contract) by the name of Dayro Moreno. Why mention that last part? Because if true then it would, at the very least, lend a bit of credibility to Guillermo and this rumor. It's also much more likely to be announced sooner.
Unfortunately, we can't just hop on over to Independiente's site because it appears to be down for the moment. So even checking to see if this rumor has any legs or if Independiente has indeed confirmed either rumors is impossible for the moment.
But let's stop talking about rumor and hearsay for a moment and speculate. What would you think if Jorge Perlaza were traded away?
The Timbers' current roster is quite full of strikers at the moment, especially with young Jose Adolfo Valencia coming on board over the holiday break. Perhaps dropping Perlaza and thinning out the forward positions would be beneficial for the team overall. Also, at 27, Perlaza is getting a bit older and won't have too many years left where he would even be desirable as a transfer product.
What do you think? Speculate away!
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MP already shot this down
I can’t see it happening this year. Maybe next unless he breaks out, but I’d be willing to bet he stays on this year to help Valencia make the transition that much easier at the very least. We have alot of theoretical depth, but starting the season without Perlaza would be a gamble to say the least. Even when he isn’t scoring goals, his speed really toys with the opposing teams defenses.
I agree with zaggy
This is like the time GCA got everyone riled up over “Colorado Rapids might try to lure Timbers’ John Spencer away,” except there’s even less to go on in this case.
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Jan 11, 2012 9:21 AM PST up reply actions
To be fair
GCA was right that Colorado was going to try but he should have led with a different headline.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
I would be happy if he was gone, Perlaza did nothing for me last year
He has great speed, but what was his percentage of actually finishing breakaways. He missed a laughable about of breakaways last year. The guy had no composure in front of goal what so ever. Personally I would rather see Darlington up front if you want a speedy talented player. At least he helps connect the team, and hes not to much slower than Perlaza.
I’m excited to see our new player valencia up there sooner rather than later. Lets see what the young guy can do.
I am reserving judgment
Perlaza, just like Captain Jack, played hurt for much of the year. I want to see him 100% healthy before the Timbers kick him to the curb.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
His injury didn't affect his ability to finish breakaways
Once you get open on a breakaway the type of injuries he was fighting wasn’t going to make the difference on whether he finihsed them or not. And even pre injury he never showed the ability to be creative with the ball, or keep possession of the ball. Hes 27 years old, there are better younger talents out there then him. We are a professional team now, we can’t waste our time on a 27 year old project when we could get 20/21 year olds that can do just as much as perlaza, and still have plenty of years in front of them.
If we can get a solid return
then I’m with Kazper. I wouldn’t be ‘happy’ if he was gone but if we got a ton of money from a transfer and opened up more time for Nagbe/Valencia up top then I’m for it. His main asset is speed and not much else. In two years that speed will be gone so if we can capitalize on his current form and in turn spend that money on a younger solid player in a transfer then I’d like that. Would suck for Chara to lose his buddy but having other Colombians now should help ease that loss
Yeah
I agree with Perlaza’s speed, but I still don’t think that Perlaza & Cooper’s skills work together on the pitch. I never saw much chemistry. I thought Cooper looked best when he was working up front with Nagbe. That doesn’t mean that Perlaza can not be an asset, but his best work came with Zizzo. Unless we go to 3 up front, I think Nagbe and Cooper is our best line up currently. So, I again, if Perlaza goes, I still think we have a good team.
He had six more goals than Kalif and Zizzo, not counting the own goals he forced
Four more goals than Nagbe. Five more goals than Johnson and Dike. Cooper did nothing until near the end of the season, when it was really too late to make a difference in the playoff picture.
I would be surprised if he left, unless it really has to be done to clear up an international slot for a defender or winger. This team needs experience wherever they can get it now, not just unproven youth. Also, his breakaway speed was an asset last year regardless of his goal total on those breakaways. Without his speed, this team was slow and even easier to defend against.
Something else to remember was the mediocre service and the fact that Perlaza and Cooper just didn’t combo well at all. I put this on Cooper’s tendency to drift out wide and fall down all the time.
Stop SOPA
by yepyou'reright on Jan 11, 2012 11:25 AM PST up reply actions
This
Perlaza was never brought in to be a clinical finisher, it was to stretch defenses. He did that pretty well last year, even hurt, and 6 goals is just a plus. Him being here also helps a 20 year old settle into town, and gives us 2 strikers with more than 5 games of MLS experience upfront. I don’t love him, nor do I think he’ll be here in two years, but I guarantee Independiente isn’t breaking the bank buying him, so I don’t see how this would be a good move for us.
Teams don't pay forwards money just to stretch defenses
No coach out there would say 6 goals is just a plus, they would expect both strikers to get at least double digit goals. And to the comment above about him having more goals then the rest of the players (im not saying im happy with their output either) but he also had more blown chances then all of them put together. HIs speed is great, but Nagbe isn’t much slower then perlaza, and gives you a ton more up front. He is also using one of our international slots if im not mistaken? couldn’t we put that slot to better use with a defender. We were at our best offensively with perlaza out and cooper and nagbe in, that should tell you plenty right there.
Ask yourself when we struggled in games what areas were we really bad in? One of the biggest was our transition from defense to offense. Our forwards really struggled to hold onto the ball long enough to allow our defense and midfielders to push up. Perlaza does nothing to help with that, hes a poor dribbler and can’t hold onto a ball cuz of his size. thats why we saw more success with nagbe up there.
Yes, they totally do
If that’s what a team needs. Our team was always about getting the odd goal out of Perlaza, but having him open up space for a guy we expected to score the majority of goals (Cooper). One guy has scored 20 goals in MLS (Cooper). The other starting forward has never had more than 10 goals in a year (Perlaza). Obviously, unless Gavin and John are insane, Perlaza was never a guy they expected to get the majority of goals. In reality, I think Spencer saw Perlaza as an Oduro clone, a guy that’s speed all day and usually no finishing (last year was the first year he ever really got going), and was a guy he coached at Houston. Oduro/Ching, Perlaza/Cooper looks pretty similar on paper (if we forget that Cooper just didn’t play well in that hold-up role, even though he is the protypical build for it).
I won’t fault your argument that Perlaza isn’t a hold-up guy. Our team did indeed need more of that last year than I think Spencer predicted (based on the early season, I think he expected to be able to hold the ball with the midfield far more successfully than we were capable of, looking at the starting day line-up), and I do like Nagbe up there more, but to patently dismiss Perlaza’s contributions because he didn’t score double digit goals (or because Cooper severely underperformed) is wrong.
Perlaza does take a international spot, but so does Nagbe. So does alot of players that have done less for this team. His salary really isn’t that high either, especially for what he provides. Combo that with helping him get Valencia settled in, I see no reason we shouldn’t keep him for another year until we can really determine what kind of depth we have on the bench. Nagbe looked ok in spurts up front, but who knows if he can handle that position each game with defenses keying on him. Dike is strong and big, but is he really a starter or even a player at this level? Can Johnson return to pre-concussion form, make it through the year healthy, and does he fit within the offense? Whats Valencia like? Can he be a starter? (he came off the bench for the majority of Santa Fe’s games). We know that Perlaza can get us 6 goals and can make defenses (particularly LA’s and Chicago’s) sweat. I’m not sure you can say the same for any of the other guys definitively (though I’ll certainly agree there is a strong chance). That’s why he’s back for this year, shopped/released next imo, unless he really breaks out.
You make some good points
But to be honest his lack of scoring isn’t why I’m not a fan of his. Yes I bring up how many goals he missed, but my real issues have to do with his actual skills. He showed no dribbling and passing skills, which is something i expect from my players especially my forwards. I would have been happy if he just showed decent overall skills, but when he couldn’t hold onto a ball or even make solid passes is when i stopped liking him. If you watch him dribble ig uess hes going so far that his head is always down. thats another reason why he isn’t a good finisher on breakaways, he doesn’t pick his head up.
And Nagbe doesn’t take a international spot. If the player is a citizen or even has a green card they don’t count agianst those spots.
Right on about intl spots but......
Nagbe has neither. Honestly. He has a p-1 visa. He’ll have his green card after he gets married though, whenever that is scheduled (likely after this next season I would guess).
I get the complaints, and your welcome to harp on them, but even without those skills, he still serves a valuable role on the team. Maybe not one you’d like to see filled, but apparently its one that Spencer (who frankly, played alot like Perlaza with a better scoring touch in his days) does value. I think if we had another legitimate MLS starter with zero question marks on the bench right now, I’d have alot less concerns about not bringing him back. At the moment though, he have alot to be excited about, but almost all of it is potential with all the question marks that go along with that. And if its salary, if you take a peek at the salaries of MLS players, I guarantee you’ll find much more egregious examples, even on our team, of impact-per-dollars.
Nagbe is a refugee
2011 MLS roster rules:
In 2011, a total of 144 international slots are divided among the 18 clubs. Each club began with eight international slots, which are tradable. There is no limit on the number of international slots on each club’s roster.
The remaining roster slots must belong to domestic players. For clubs based in the United States, a domestic player is either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder) or the holder of other special status (e.g., refugee or asylum status).
Another Q about int'l spots
I thought I heard something about “multiple” timbers players who we had to use an international spot for in 2011 becoming domestic players in 2012. There was some speculation on these boards about that then as to who and/or how many…..anyone know yet? Anyone even know how many int’l spots we have? I thought it was more than 8 after past trades but I forgot.
No one ever knows for sure
For some reason its a very closely guarded secret, which I’ve never really understood. Best I can tell, Danso, Marcelin, and Johnson have been here in the states the longest, and would be the closest to likely achieving it. Gleeson, Palmer and Kalif could all also be trying.
Freddy Montero got his green card after being here after 2 years, but I think that was absolutely on the quick side. We should have at least 2, and maybe as many of 5 or 6 that could be gettting close.
Mao has a pretty decent writeup about who we expected was counting last year. http://maofootball.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/trying-to-explain-the-timbers-international-slots/
the good thing
Our Owner probably has more pull in the state department areas then others :)
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
No he's not
Why do people keep talking about things decided a LONG time ago that 10 minutes of googling could answer your question.
Darlington did come to the US when he was 11. He never came via refugee status however, and I’d be shocked if he somehow was able to, given he dad was a high playing European football player at the time, and the family had lived in Europe up to that point. Additionally, Nagbe is on a P-1 Visa (for Athletes)
http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2011/01/nagbe-ready-prove-himself-portland
If he had refugee status, he’d have a green card and have no need for a p-1 visa. Therefore, he INDEED is an international and qualifies as such. He is engaged to be married to his college sweetheart, probably with the marriage likely taking place after the season. Therefore NEXT year, he should probably have his green card then (he was also going through the process himself prior to getting engaged), but this year is very likely counting as an international, and at the very least, ABSOLUTELY did last year.
by zaggy on Jan 12, 2012 8:35 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Although, MP & GW have suggested he'd be getting his green card this offseason
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Jan 12, 2012 1:41 PM PST up reply actions
Certainly a possibility
He among several others. But he WAS an international last year.
Substitute
I think that if we continue to develope our front line…Perlaza could be a great sub in the late minutes… also the work of Eric Alexander at the end of the season proved that we can actually hold possesion in the final third.. therefore providing Perlaza and cooper/ nagbe with that love that they so badely needed in that area.
If Perlaza is gone…. well then so be it…But at least we get The Little Train and Brent Richards to help us out. If he is to go…then lets hope its for a great Center back…that we need so badly.
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