Trades: Forward Crisis in Houston? Gallardo Goes…Where? Who Is Ivan Trujillo?

It’s not so much the trades I’m reading about today that interest me, and not all are – how do you say? – consummated, as the fallout they’re producing. Here’s a quick tour, starting with the outgoing and confirmed.

– Joseph Ngwenya to SK Austria. Sounds nice for the player, but what’s it do to the Dynamo? Consider this snippet:

“Ngwenya leaves a deep hole in the Dynamo’s offense as he was Brian Ching’s attacking partner. His departure comes at a time midseason acquisition and fellow forward Nate Jaqua (six goals, two assists) is also seeking employment in Austria.”

“A third forward, Paul Dalglish, was released at year’s end.”

And that leaves…leaves…leaves…who? Bernando Fallas answers on Soccer y Futbol, and fairly credibly from a straight-up personnel point of view. There’s also a hint of reinforcements on the way at the bottom of the piece, as well as Jaqua’s luck with testing foreign waters to consider. But you have to wonder about things like depth, fatigue, and reworking the on-field formula. I get what Fallas is saying, but have my doubts on the mechanics.

Elsewhere, the Columbus Dispatch’s Shawn Mitchell tops off his post on this move with a dollop of Schadenfreude.

MLS Cup Preview: Dynamo’s O versus Revs’ D

Welcome to this, my last MLS Cup preview, where I’ll turn my (divided) attention to how the Houston Dynamo’s offense matches up with the New England Revolution defense.  I’m burning out ever so slightly on this project, less because it doesn’t interest me than it only feels like more blah-blah-blahing as we get closer to the point where all the talk becomes immediately irrelevant – e.g. kick off.  On the upside, this will be my shortest selection…I hope.

Before getting into my copy, I want to flag Allen Hopkins’ (exceedingly lazy) column for ESPN, the one where he turns over his space to an anonymous player and coach and has them breakdown the game (nice work if you can find it).  At any rate, that both seem to favor New England is only the most curious part of an interesting read.

But that’s there stuff.  Here mine…which, not surprisingly low-balls the Revs’ chances:

MLS Week 22 Perspecto-Scope: Statements of Intent

It was a weekend of statements.  From DC United’s “knock this battery off my shoulder…bitches,” through Red Bull New York’s, “don’t call it a come-back,” all the way down to the Los Angeles Galaxy reeling out a quiet “Yeah…it can get worse, actually” while longingly eyeing the last day of the regular season, the league looks to be gradually sorting itself out.

Then again, a couple key games ended in ties, thereby giving ambiguity another day in Major League Soccer (MLS).

I caught a few games this weekend and would have typed them up – specifically, Red Bull v. Chicago, which turned out to be the most educational of this weekend’s games – but, between family and squelching various crises, too much time slipped by to post them.  It’s a shame in a way…they were good notes….but this perspective piece will have to do.  May as well start with the boldest statement…