Ugly Signing Inevitable?

By: Michael | April 5th, 2007

Is Carlos Marinelli, UglyFootballers.com Star, the Next Wizard?

According to MLS Underground: yes. This begs one to ask the questions: How is this going to help our team?

To this I have three answers:
1) It will give us a boost in the midfield. Anyone who watched a Kansas City game last year will know what I mean when I say that “Fullback->Forward” was the all-too-common flow of possession last year. The midfield was about as inspiring as Al Gore… While I’m not sure that Marinelli is the long-coveted answer to our midfield woes, let’s give him this: he’s at least some sort of answer.

2) It will (hopefully) give us more goals. He scored in only about 1 in every 10 games in the EPL, but to put it in perspective, he would have still outscored Eddie Johnson at that rate last year. Assuming he adjusts to life in the MLS, I can say with confidence that the ways of a young South American attacking midfielder in the States fit more than the same player in the rough-and-tumble Brittish league. Plus, let’s face it: the level of talent amongst MLS defenses has yet to reach that of the world’s bigger stages. Yet (signing Conrad for the extension put the MLS on the right track). If he can manage to hook up EJo and Sealy, all the better.

3) It’s good from a PR sense, both to the staunch Cauldronite and the Average Joe of MLSville. For the ardent Wizards fan, an attacking midfielder from abroad has been the Holy Grail signing. For the new or not-yet-a- fan, signing a South American with ties to some second-tier superclubs (I.E. the best of Argentina and the second-rate of Europe) says “Oh look, the Wizards may actually be a real live football club,” or to the less enlightened, “Hey, that soccer player is ugly enough to buy a ticket just to see!”

My prediction is that – assuming his signature is inked as quickly as MLSU or even ESPN say – he will be in the starting lineup before our home opener against Toronto FC. It will look something like this:

—————-Hartman————-
Jewsbury–Conrad–Garcia–Burciaga, Jr.
—————-Zavagnin———–
Arnaud/Victorine—————Harrington
—————-Marinelli—————-
——–Johnson———–Sealy——-

The question this raises, however, is this: Will it be Arnaud, Victorine, Harrington, or Zavagnin that sits to give Marinelli his start? The easy answer comes if one of them gives Onalfo a reason not to start them: Harrington doesn’t adjust well to MLS play, Arnaud’s injury keeps him less than 100%, Zavagnin starts to show his age, Victorine doesn’t fit any roles in Onalfo’s plans. If none of these are true, we may see a rotation, with Marinelli also sat out occassionally. It could be not so bad for any of them, as they all have arguments against being an everyday starter. Perhaps if Harrington does add the spark he’s expected to add along the left, a three-way rotation of Arnaud/Zavagnin, Victorine/Zavagnin, Arnaud/Victorine would be possible, as Sasha V can play both out wide and in the middle.

But I digress. Assuming the Marinelli signing is as in the bag as MSLU and ESPN would have you think, it can do nothing but good for the Wizards. ANY help at A-mid is appreciated, and obviously Onalfo did not rush this decision (what with the season less than a week away and all). While we all doubted trading Shavar Thomas for a draft pick, many would have welcomed Shavar Thomas and money for Carlos Marinelli (read: Any A-mid with a pulse) and a draft pick!