ESPN

CARSON -- Danny Califf wants to be clear: He did not ask the Philadelphia Union for a trade, did not want one. He and his family were happy in Philly, and he had no desire to come home.

That runs counter to Union manager Peter Nowak's comments as the deal that sent the veteran defender to Chivas USA proceeded this week, but there's more: Califf is ecstatic to be wearing the red and white stripes and happy to be back home.

He's not bipolar, by any means, and he saw no need to explain his sentiments to his new teammates when he joined them for his first training session Friday morning at Home Depot Center.

“I was unhappy with the way it was handled and the way it was said I had asked for a trade. That's what I was unhappy with,” said Califf, 32, who still has a home in Orange, his hometown, although he'll have to pay off his renter to move back in. “I understand trades happen. We were happy in Philly, but by no means does that mean I'm not happy to be here. That's ridiculous.

“It's a new chapter for me and it's going to be a transition, but I'm not worried about what these guys are going to think. After they know me and have been around me for a little bit, they'll know what I'm all about, so I don't have any worries about that.”

Neither does Chivas coach Robin Fraser, whose final year as a player with the Galaxy was Califf's rookie season.

“He's the kind of guy,” Fraser said, “that once he puts the shirt on, he's completely dedicated to where he is.”

Assistant coach Greg Vanney, technical director/head scout Simon Elliott and midfielder Peter Vagenas also played with Califf during his 2000-04 stint with L.A.. Director of Soccer Operations Kevin Esparza was his coach at Orange High School.

“I feel like I'm coming home,” Califf said.

He's done so to provide experience, leadership and bite to a pretty good defensive unit, and his presence, at least on paper, improves Chivas' backline, even with Heath Pearce leaving for New York. Califf's acquisition was to replace Pearce, who was traded Thursday for forward Juan Agudelo.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- The Danny Califf trade we've been hearing about the last few days finally came down Thursday, but the big news was that it wasn't the big news.

Chivas USA made two deals, and by far the sexier is rising U.S. national team star Juan Agudelo's acquisition from the New York Red Bulls, a move the Goats have pursued for some time and for which they had to give up plenty.

Off to New York is defender Heath Pearce, a natural left back converted to center back by Chivas, along with allocation money, “future considerations” (almost certainly a percentage of Agudelo's future transfer fee) and, according to the New York Post, an agreement to pay part of Pearce's salary this season.

To replace Pearce, Chivas sent fourth-year winger Michael Lahoud, among the Goats' fastest, smartest and most versatile players, to Philadelphia for Califf, a deal that's been tracked since Union manager Peter Nowak mentioned it Sunday, to Chivas' consternation.

Agudelo and Califf are expected to arrive in Los Angeles on Thursday night, train with their teammates for the first time Friday morning, and be available for Saturday night's SuperClasico against the Galaxy at Home Depot Center.

The Colombian-born Agudelo, just 19, has superstar potential. He's big, strong, skilled, with savvy and insight well beyond his years, and his initial success with the U.S. national team -- he scored in his debut a week before his 18th birthday and has looked quite at home against older, more experienced competition -- has him facing heavy expectations from soccer fans across the country and around the world.

Chivas head coach Robin Fraser, looking for something different after his team scored just six goals in a 3-6-1 start to the season, looked to deflect those expectations after signing off on the trade Thursday morning.

“For us to improve our place in the standings, it's about everybody continuing to improve,” he said, “and certainly [Agudelo and Califf] come in and we incorporate everyone and we figure out what's best for the team to go forward. I don't feel it's the type of situation where Juan is being brought in here to save the day. Juan is a good player, and we look forward to seeing him grow and develop, but the onus is still on the team. We have a lot to do as a team.”

Chivas loses one of its most important players in Pearce, an MLS All-Star last year with national team experience, and a player seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough in Lahoud, who was set to start on the right flank before a hamstring injury two days before the Major League Soccer opener sidelined him for nearly two months.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- The trade Chivas USA appeared to be making turned out to be two trades. Put together, they're a real blockbuster.

The Goats acquired teenage forward Juan Agudelo, a U.S. national teamer considered the country's brightest young star, from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for defender Heath Pearce and allocation money.

Pearce's spot will be taken by veteran center back Danny Califf, whose arrival from the Philadelphia Union has been trumpeted since Philly manager Peter Nowak began talking about it Sunday. To get Califf, the Goats gave up fourth-year winger Michael Lahoud and allocation money.

Here's a quick look at what Chivas picked up and gave up in Thursday's deals:

• CHIVAS GETS ...

JUAN AGUDELO: The 19-year-old, Colombian-born striker carries huge expectations, not just in Major League Soccer, but among soccer followers all over the country. He's made 15 international appearances, scoring the winning goal against South Africa in his U.S. debut in November 2010, a week before his 18th birthday -- and he's been in all but three camps with the national team since then, missing January's HDC gathering because of injury and the February game in Italy while preparing for Olympic qualifying.

Agudelo signed with the Red Bulls in March 2010 out of the club's academy following a trial in Colombia with Millonarios. He made two league appearances for just 16 minutes as a rookie but played in 27 games last year, with 12 starts, six goals and two assists. He's seen action twice this year after recovering from knee surgery after he was injured during the Olympic qualifier.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- The deal to bring Danny Califf to Chivas USA either is done, or just about, or still somewhere in the talking stages. That's something the Goats and the Philadelphia Union can't agree upon.

Union manager Peter Nowak announced at his weekly news conference Wednesday that Califf, a 32-year-old center back from Orange, would be exchanged to Chivas “for a player and something else” and that the trade was in “the league process of confirming some stuff.”

Nowak said a lot more, and the reverberations were felt all the way to Field 6 at Home Depot Center, where Goats general manager Jose Domene bustled onto the turf as the morning training session was breaking up, saying he needed to talk to head coach Robin Fraser.

Moments later, Fraser was rushing off to his office, with Domene, right behind, noting that they “have to put out a fire.”

Chivas' official stance on the Califf deal is that there's not a deal, not yet. Talks are going on, they begrudgingly acknowledge, and Fraser said, when asked if he expected something to be finalized before the weekend: “Yes. Something being finalized, yes.”

That something also could be that Califf (Orange HS) isn't coming, although when pressed to whether it could be finalized “either way,” Fraser made it sound as if it's going to happen.

“At this point I would say ...,” he said, before pausing in thought for several seconds, “I guess until any deal is done, you can't say for sure.”

Nowak seems to be saying for sure. He provided plenty of detail at his news conference in Chester, Pa., although even he hedged a little, admitting “we are are still in the process of concluding this trade.”

(Read full post)

Chivas USA has made two offers to the Philadelphia Union to acquire veteran center back Danny Califf, according to Philly's manager, but Goats head coach Robin Fraser has nothing to say about it.

Peter Nowak told the Philadelphia Daily News on Sunday that the Union had declined an initial offer from Chivas but are considering a counteroffer for the club's captain's services.

“Danny Califf's status is that we received an offer for him this last week and we informed the player right after it happened,” Nowak told media following the Union's 3-2 loss Sunday against the New York Red Bulls. “I talked to Danny ... but we did not conclude anything, so as of right now he is still with us.”

Nowak would not identify the team making the offers after the game, but reports from multiple outlets said it was Chivas -- later confirmed -- and the name bandied about most of all was Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel's. One report also had Chivas picking up teenage striker Jack McInerney.

Fraser told ESPN Los Angeles he was “shocked to hear” Nowak's comments after part of the Philadelphia Daily News story was read to him.

“We listen to inquiries every day, we make inquiries every day,” Fraser said. “It's part of the job. It happens all the time. ... Not a day goes by when we don't inquiries or make inquiries.”

Asked whether Nowak's comments were accurate, Fraser said: “Let's just say we've made enquiries. ... It's all speculation at this point.”

The Brotherly Game blog, which covers the Union, said several unidentified sources reported the trade has been completed.

The 32-year-old Califf (Orange/Orange HS), a 2000 Olympian who has made 23 appearances for the U.S. national team, began his pro career with the Galaxy in 2000, making 137 first-team appearances in five seasons with the club and playing a key role on the 2002 MLS Cup-winning side.

(Read full post)

Major League Soccer, it turns out, wasn't done handing down discipline when Thursday it fined Chivas USA, Goats head coach Robin Fraser and the Philadelphia Union and fined and suspended Philly coach Peter Nowak.

The league's disciplinary committee Friday suspended Union defender Gabriel Farfan an additional two games and assessed an undisclosed fine for a “reckless” challenge and for “failing to leave the field in an orderly manner” for his actions in the 85th minute.

Farfan was red-carded for a violent, cleats-first tackle on Chivas USA defender James Riley, leading to a skirmish that resulted in Nowak's expusion, $5,000 fine and two-game ban, a $5,000 fine to the Union, and $500 fines to Fraser and Chivas.

In all, Farfan -- a former Cal State Fullerton standout from Wildomar -- will miss three games: this weekend against San Jose, May 5 at Seattle and May 13 against New York.

Major League Soccer on Thursday handed down fines and suspensions out of last weekend's Chivas USA-Philadelphia Union clash, and Robin Fraser got dinged.

Chivas' head coach was fined $500 and the organization penalized $2,500 following an 85th-minute incident in Saturday's game at Home Depot Center, but the Union were hit much harder.

It centered on former Cal State Fullerton star Gabriel Farfan's two-footed lunge at Chivas left back James Riley in front of Philadelphia's bench during the Union's 1-0 victory. Farfan was red-carded for the play, leaving Philly down to nine men for the final five minutes plus stoppage.

Fraser left the coaches box and crossed the midfield line, while still on the sideline, the moment Farfan slid into Riley. He was penalized for doing so, and Chivas was fined “for the behavior of its players and team staff,” MLS said in a release.

Philadelphia head coach Peter Nowak was suspended two games in all and fined $5,000 for his role in the incident. The former U.S. under-23 coach stepped onto the field almost immediately after the foul, doing so as referee Juan Guzman trotted toward the sideline while reaching into his back pocket for the red card to show Farfan. Nowak entered the scrum of players that gathered around Farfan and appeared to shove Chivas defender Rauwshan McKenzie.

Nowak was ejected from the game at that point, which was accompanied by a one-game suspension. MLS added the second game Thursday and fined the Union an additional $5,000 for its players' and staff's behavior.

CARSON -- It happened again for Chivas USA -- another 1-0 loss at home, and in a match that turned really ugly at the end -- but forget the score and how Philadelphia got its goal, and it felt a lot like a victory.

The Goats dominated the Union on Saturday night at Home Depot Center, racking up 21 shots (to just four for the visitors), sending 40 crosses in from the run for play (to just five for Philly) and holding onto the ball for two-thirds of the game. Impressive numbers, but the only one that mattered -- how many of the chances generated were finished -- was nil.

“Obviously, we're gutted,” said right back James Riley, whose misplay in the box led to the goal, by Freddy Adu just before halftime. “Obviously we don't ever want to lose four straight at home, especially 1-0.”

The good news for the Goats: Next week's game is on the road, at Colorado. Chivas (3-4-0, 9 points) has won all three away games.

They should have had this one, too, but Philadelphia sat back, was difficult to break down, scored on its only real chance, then hung on as Chivas sent a barrage of balls into the box in the second half but forcing Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath to make just one tough save, diving to parry a 28-yard free kick from Blair Gavin.

Miller Bolaños was the primary instigator, repeatedly taking on defenders along the right flank -- Wildomar's Gabriel Farfan, largely -- and spraying balls into the middle, but the Goats struggled to get on the end of crosses, and when they did, the touches weren't quite right.

Philly's goal came from an odd play. Michael Farfan -- Gabriel's twin brother -- danced into the box from the right flank and was able to get a low cross into the goalmouth past defender Heath Pearce. It hit Riley, who should have cleared the ball but instead fell over. Adu backheeled it into the net.

“I take full responsibility,” Riley said. “For sure, it's a play I make 99 times out of 100, for sure. I feel bad for the team, letting them down that way. ... Just leaned back too much. It got caught under me. I was just going to try to swipe it out. I was in a good position, just didn't execute it.”

Juan Pablo Angel, back in action after missing five games following a concussion, came on in the second half and had Chivas' best opportunity. Bolaños delivered a perfect cross just beyond the 6-yard box, but the big striker's header bounced wide and high.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- Chivas USA has quickly revealed itself as a most effective road team, winning all three encounters away from Home Depot Center after staving off extended pressure and scoring goals both beautiful and timely.

Victories at Real Salt Lake, Portland and last week in Toronto have produced within the team a standard of confidence absent since the glory days of Preki's reign, and suddenly the Goats are starting to look like a genuine contender for a postseason berth, perhaps more.

Their next step? Prove they can win at home.

Chivas (3-3-0, 9 points) is zero for Home Depot Center, with three losses in three home games -- all by 1-0 scorelines -- heading into Saturday night's match against the Philadelphia Union at Home Depot Center. Road wins are terrific, but a team can't succeed unless they claim points at home.

“We need it,” midfielder Nick LaBrocca said. “We definitely need to win at home. Dropping three [points] at home is definitely something to be forgotten.”

Since they were last home, three weeks ago in a defeat to still-perfect Sporting Kansas City, Chivas has overcome a deficit with two second-half goals, both off astoundingly good service from Ryan Smith, to win in Portland, then tallied from a corner kick and held on against a heavy win to pick up all the points in Toronto.

A better focused, more aggressive attacking mindset is turning possession into chances, and the Goats' defense has been among the best in the league -- in great part because of Ecuadoran midfielder Oswaldo Minda, who has been dominant in the middle. Miller Bolaños, Minda's Ecuadoran countryman, is starting to assert himself.

“Everyone's personalities are starting to come out,” LaBrocca said. “You can't just throw it all out there right away without knowing where to really be effective. ... We're starting to see more relationships being built. The chemistry on the field, on the ball is growing, and also learning the quality of you teammates and ... what position you need to be there to help them in.”

The Goats could have Juan Pablo Angel back against Philadelphia. The Colombian striker, who has missed the past five games, cleared MLS's post-concussion protocol Friday morning and will be available for selection. Maybe he starts, maybe he comes off the bench, maybe he doesn't play until Monday's MLS Reserve League match against Seattle.

(Read full post)

Juan Pablo Angel will be ready to take the field when Chivas USA opens its season Sunday against Houston at Home Depot Center. The Colombian striker signed his contract Thursday, general manager Jose Domene confirmed in a text message to ESPN Los Angeles.

Domene said Angel would not occupy a Designated Player slot, for those whose salary exceeds the $350,000 budget maximum, but did not say whether the club used allocation money to pay down his salary-cap hit or that he signed a contract under the DP figure.

Angel, 36, made $1 million in base salary last season, according to figures released by the MLS Players Union. He scored seven goals in nine games for Chivas after arriving in an August trade from the Galaxy, which needed to clear a DP slot to sign Irish forward Robbie Keane.

Angel, 36, is one of Major League Soccer's deadliest forwards, with 71 goals in five seasons, the first four with the New York Red Bulls. A former star at Colombian powerhouse Atletico Nacional, Argentine giant River Plate and Aston Villa in England, he spent the entire preseason with Chivas while finalizing his contract for this year. He and Domene had reported there was one sticking point that delayed completion of the deal, but neither would identify it.

The club has provided no details on his contract. His salary won't be public until the Players Union, as is its custom, releases all of the league's figures in mid-spring.

Domene also said Chivas “will likely” sign former Cal Poly star Patrick McLain as its third goalkeeper on Friday. McLain has been battling UCLA All-American Brian Rowe for the job behind returning starter Dan Kennedy and newcomer Tim Melia.

That likely will finalize the Goats roster for the start of the MLS season. They would have 25 players on their active roster -- including forward Tristan Bowen, who is on loan to KSV Roeselare in Belgium -- with five slots available. Six remaining players have been on trial with Chivas, and head coach Robin Fraser has repeatedly introduced trialists to camp since taking over as head coach 14 months ago. More could be coming.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- Chivas USA is heading to Portland a little lighter. The club Saturday released forward Chris Cortez and left two trialists at home when it departed Sunday for the final phase of preseason.

Cortez, 23, lost his battle for a roster spot, dropping further down the depth chart with the additions of first-round draft choice Casey Townsend and just-signed Cesar Romero. The 6-foot-4 striker from Mission Viejo joined the Goats during preseason last year and made nine Major League Soccer appearances, with one start.

“We had a lot of high hopes for Chris when he came in,” Chivas coach Robin Fraser told ESPN Los Angeles on Sunday morning. “He's a big, strong man who hits the ball extremely hard. We certainly expected him to develop quite a bit, and while he's come along, probably not as quickly as we would have needed him to.

“He definitely has qualities that will make him a big pro, for sure. It's a matter of time -- we have to make decisions as we get close to the season here, and some of the other forwards have proven to be more dangerous on a daily basis.”

Cortez made appearances in six of eight preseason games, all off the bench, and he scored in the victory over Thousand Oaks-based minor-leaguers FC Hasental. The former Cal star played in all 10 MLS Reserve League games last year, scoring five goals.

Fraser must submit by Thursday a roster of as many as 30 players, with the first 18 to 20 counting against the league $2.81 million salary cap. Some decisions likely won't be made until after that date, with trialists fighting for open spots or the club making further roster moves to accommodate additional signings.

The season begins March 11 against Houston at Home Depot Center; the roster freeze date and trade deadline don't arrive until Sept. 15.

Fraser left at home defender Mario Ledesma, from Woodland Hills, and Mexican midfielder Pablo Sandoval, who have been in camp since preseason began in mid-January. The coach said both had a chance to continue with the club when it returns after a week in Portland.

(Read full post)

Aston Villa's request to extend Robbie Keane's loan deal beyond Feb. 25 has been turned down by the Galaxy, according to reports Thursday in England.

The Birmingham-based club, which acquired Keane in mid-January on a 6 ½-week loan, asked the Galaxy to allow the Irish striker to remain in England through Villa's March 3 game at Blackburn, English wire service The Press Association and West Midlands daily Express & Star reported without sourcing.

Keane will join the Galaxy following Ireland's European Championship prep Feb. 29 in Dublin against the Czech Republic. The Galaxy plays March 7 in a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Toronto FC and March 10 in their Major League Soccer opener at Home Depot Center against Real Salt Lake.

Keane has been superb for Aston Villa, anchoring the English Premier League club's attack and scoring three goals in four starts. The club is spending a reported $775,000 for the fee and Keane's salary during the loan.

His final game with Villa will be Feb. 25 at Wigan Athletic.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- Adam Cristman knows the first half of the first game in preseason is no arbiter of anything particularly important, but he had good reason to be pleased with his start in the battle for playing time up top.

Edson Buddle's arrival has narrowed opportunities for his fellow Galaxy forwards, but there are 41 games to be played -- and Irishman Robbie Keane, who will join Buddle in the first-choice pair, will miss a good chunk of the season leading to and during the European Championship in June.

Cristman, a big forward whose ability to hold the ball and play simply provide value, scored two goals and set up Paolo Cardozo for another while playing the first 45 minutes in Friday's 7-2 rout of the L.A. Blues at Home Depot Center.

“You look at our roster now, we've added Buddle and Pat [Noonan, acquired from Seattle during the re-entry phase],” Cristman said. “We truly have between Robbie, Edson, Chad [Barrett], Pat, myself and [Mike] Magee six really quality guys [at forward]. It's going to be tough [to get onto the field], so getting results and getting on the ends of those chances is important.”

Cristman forgot captain Landon Donovan, a top-level forward who for the past two seasons [and now on loan at Everton] has manned the right side of midfield, where he'll likely be stationed again this year. Magee, too, is primarily a midfielder these days -- he scored 15 goals across all games last year from, mostly, the left side of midfield -- but the point is made: There is an abundance of attacking talent.

Cristman, 27, who arrived a year ago in a trade from D.C. United, was limited by injury and opportunity to 11 league appearances in 2011, but he started five CONCACAF Champions League games and played in three playoff games, starting the final after a dislocated ankle forced Barrett out. He was the only Galaxy player to score in every competition -- Major League Soccer, Champions League, U.S. Open Cup and MLS Reserve League -- and in friendlies, eight in all.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- Kyle Nakazawa couldn't wait to get home. He was on a plane almost the minute his trade to the Galaxy was completed Wednesday and was out at practice, wearing No. 34, Thursday morning at Home Depot Center.

“Happiest couple days of my career so far,” he beamed when the session was over. “You know, I couldn't be happier -- being back home, playing in front of family and friends, and, of course, playing for the defending champs, a great organization. I couldn't be happier.”

The former UCLA All-American from Palos Verdes Estates arrives after two years with the Philadelphia Union, where he started 22 of his 36 Major League Soccer appearances but struggled to find a regular role in Peter Nowak's system. He had heard word of talks between the clubs before, “but nothing materialized, and then the last couple days things kind of came together.”

The deal, with the Galaxy also picking up a 2013 second-round draft pick and surrendering an international slot for this season, was finalized Wednesday afternoon Philly time, “and I was on a plane back here already,” Nakazawa said. “I was happy for what happened in Philadelphia. It was a good two years. But like I say, I couldn't be happier to be back home playing here.”

The 23-year-old midfielder, who played for the Irvine Strikers and at Peninsula High School before joining the U.S. under-17 national team's Florida residency in advance of the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup, adds to L.A.'s deepening midfield. He provides head coach Bruce Arena another option -- to go with former Bruins teammate Michael Stephens and three second-year players, playmaker Paolo Cardozo, organizer Dan Keat and winger Hector Jimenez -- behind the anticipated first-choice quartet: Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Marcelo Sarvas and Mike Magee.

“I think he's a very good two-way player,” Arena said. “He plays simple. He's a very good competitor. In the college level he could score goals; at the professional level we saw that he was a very good player on set pieces, serving balls, hitting free kicks. He's got some qualities that we can use on our team.”

Nakazawa likely won't get the chance in too many dead-ball situations -- David Beckham is the Galaxy's primary set-piece taker, and Landon Donovan is No. 2 -- but his versatility will come in handy as Arena rotates his lineup among at least 41 competitive matches. Nakazawa is a central midfielder by trade but can play on the flanks, too, especially with the Galaxy, which doesn't use its wide midfielders as out-and-out wingers.

“I'm just looking to help this team in any form I'm asked upon,” Nakazawa said. “Any position on the field that Bruce and the coaching staff wants me to step up and play, I'm willing to do, and just work as hard as I can and help the team get another championship.”

He describes himself as a “linking player” who is “trying to grow myself more into a box-to-box midfielder” and realizes adding goals to his résumé is part of his evolution “to become a complete professional.” He scored 20 at UCLA, but has just one (and three assists) in MLS play. He started 14 games last year as the second-year Union qualified for the postseason, but Nowak has turned over his roster during the offseason. Nakazawa was the 13th departure.

“I don't know what's going on, but I know there's a lot of changes, and, you know, I was one of those players going out,” he said. “But I think the situation worked out well for me.”

(Read full post)

CARSON -- The Galaxy made a significant move in defense of its Major League Soccer titles Wednesday, bringing home striker Edson Buddle from Europe and trading for midfielder Kyle Nakazawa, a former UCLA All-American from Palos Verdes.

Buddle's acquisition is huge, giving the Galaxy the tools to present an attack unrivaled in MLS annals while probably defining, no matter what Bruce Arena is willing to acknowledge, first-choice roles in midfield and on the backline.

How big is this? The Galaxy might have just won another championship.

Buddle, who scored 44 goals in 3½ seasons with the Galaxy before departing a year ago to play in Germany, returned to Southern California on a free transfer after second-tier FC Ingolstadt released him Tuesday from his contract. L.A. had retained his MLS rights.

“It's nice to have Edson back,” Arena said following Wednesday's training session at Home Depot Center. “He's going to be a good addition to our team. ... We've been in contact with Edson's representative for a while, and we've always made him aware of the fact that if the opportunity presented itself where he could come back, we'd sure like to get him back.”

Buddle, 30, scored 94 MLS goals in 10 seasons with Columbus, New York, Toronto FC and the Galaxy, and he was a league MVP finalist and Best XI selection in 2010 after scoring 17 goals as the Galaxy won the Supporters' Shield and two more in the first-round playoff series victory over Seattle. He's twice hit double-figures in goals and scored nine on two more occasions -- and netted nine in 33 appearances for Ingolstadt.

Buddle, who played in the 2010 World Cup, is fast, athletic and, at 6-foot-1, has good size. Throwing him up top with Irish star Robbie Keane (who was acquired in August to replace Juan Pablo Angel, the man who replaced Buddle), with Landon Donovan and David Beckham right behind them, gives L.A. the league's most explosive attack -- perhaps ever.

“Hopefully, it's going to be good,” Arena said. “Obviously, he's not going to have much time to work with Robbie. Robbie's getting here kind of late [joining camp in early March after a loan spell at Aston Villa]. I anticipate over time, it'll be a good group.

“We're real pleased with the [forward] contingent we have here, with [Chad] Barrett and [Pat] Noonan and [Adam] Cristman and [Jack] McBean, as well, so we'll have a number of options there. And we'll need it. For the schedule we have, we'll need to be deep in that position.”

(Read full post)