Coffee with the Caps, Monday December 30

Welcome friends to the final Coffee with the Caps of 2019. The Caps may or may not be closer to getting where we all want them to be but I had a lot of fun breaking it all down with y’all this year.

It is the season of New Year’s resolutions aka signing up for gem memberships that go by the wayside before the calendar flips over to February. It appears the Caps have fulfilled one of their resolutions a bit early, with numerous reports corroborating that they are pulling the trigger on the purchase option of Erik Godoy, keeping the Argentinian in Vancouver beyond last season’s loan.

While the $1.5 million needed to keep Godoy around is a bit steep (by comparison, Atlanta United paid $2 million for Leandro Gonzalez Pirez), it was necessary to shore up the depth of the backline following Donneil Henry’s departure. I think we all are pretty optimistic about Jasser Khemiri but his injury issues last season mean that he is still figuring out MLS and the pace of the league. Keeping Godoy around means that he can ease into a potential starting role.

Between the Sticks had a nice breakdown of what keeping Godoy around means. The obvious upshot to Godoy’s signature is he adds potential cover at the right back position, somewhere MDS slotted him in for a couple matches last season and which many fans have clamored to see more of in the year ahead.

Godoy’s passing numbers are pretty impressive—80 percent in all thirds, with even better numbers in the midfield and defensive thirds. His short passing was especially strong which, when combined with his strong defensive production, makes him well-suited to playing on the right when so much of the attack goes through the left and Ali Adnan.

The real win from the Godoy transfer? It will likely be the last signing on the defensive end this offseason, barring any unforeseen depth signing of deal that is just too good to pass up. It underscores the strength that defense has become, relatively speaking.

That means we can all fret about whether or not a midfield signing will ever happen. Seems healthy right?

The Godoy move also highlights the success the Caps have found recently in signings from South America and Asia, versus Europe. The BTS piece makes the astute observation that all of the major signings from European leagues (Ali Adnan notwithstanding) have kind of sucked, whereas In-Beom, Godoy or Chirinos all fared much better. Something to chew on while Axel Schuster goes about his search for a revamped midfield. With any luck, his extensive connections to European leagues will turn this tide around.

In any event, onto the links...

Shameless Self Promotion

As the year wraps up, AtlantisB asks the pertinent question: Are the Caps starting to turn a corner? His answer is well worth a read

Best of the Rest

Inter Miami are close to tapping former Rayados skipper Diego Alonso as manager, ending their prolonged managerial ordeal

Speaking of Rayados, they saw off Club America in penalties to win the Liga MX Apertura

And speaking of LGP, he is on his way to Tijuana to join Xolos

A cool story on the trend of more locally inspired football kit from the BBC. Paging Adidas and MLS...

Have a safe and happy New Years folks and we will see you back here on Friday!