Getty Images Maybe someone smarter than me knows the deal with Justin Braun.
I’ve poked around a little here and there, but I’ve never gotten a satisfactory answer.
Sorry, I got ahead of myself. The question is this: What’s wrong with the guy? What does he do that irks or infuriates coaches?
Braun is on the move again, this time to Utah.
He’s not a great striker, but he’s a good one. Braun seems to work hard. When he’s on-task and set loose, the can be a goal-scoring force. I once called him a Brian Ching starter kit (or maybe it was a “young Brian Ching.”)
One way or the other, MLS defenders have told me they see Braun as a younger, faster and more athletic Brian Ching.
So why does he keep changing MLS addresses? Why didn’t the man get more minutes previously with Chivas USA?
By the way, Braun’s career numbers (24 goals, 108 games) are better than those for Chicago Fire starters Patrick Nyarko and Dominic Oduro and a little better than Chivas USA’s Juan Agudelo, just to name a few. That rate of scoring is just a little behind new teammate Fabian Espindola’s and roughly equal to more heralded Omar Cummings.
So, think about that as you consider today’s trade that sent Braun, 25, to Real Salt Lake for a conditional 2014 SuperDraft pick.
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- wesbadia - Jul 12, 2012 at 1:15 PM
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Easy: No coach that has ever had Braun at his disposal has known how to use him. Nor has he ever fit into any one system very well. I don’t think anyone will argue that Kreis has a knack for finding talent and getting hold of it. Seeing how he has already used up his annual talent oversight on Tanaka this year, I think Braun will (read: should) find his new home to be a solid fit. He’ll be a great sub for Saborio on most accounts; great aerial presence, great with his back to goal, and great vision to make the runs necessary to get in dangerous positions. With Braun as Saborio’s backup, Kreis has effectively made an identical (albeit a bit less talented) second strike unit to mirror his starters. I say kudos to Kreis. Now just to see how it works out in practice…
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- wesbadia - Jul 12, 2012 at 1:15 PM
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Should read “I don’t think anyone will argue AGAINST Kreis having a knack…”. My bad.
