I like AB, but he's pretty clearly third choice CB in our current lineup and probably fourth if Arreaga is healthy. While he's played well, I don't know that he is a starter on this team, even if we move Arreaga. Theoretically, if we could stay in a competition like Leagues Cup or USOC for more than two matches, perhaps he could get some playing time then to show his stuff. Or maybe time as a third CB if we were able to score any goals, to close out games. But if he wants to see if he can be a starter, maybe a move is best.
I see him as different from Big Sam. We had a clear need for another striker who would get actual playing time, given that our other options after Raul were going to be out for big stretches on international duty (JMo) or are better suited to sub roles at this stage in their careers (Fredy). We splashed a lot of money on Heber, when the upgrade was not clear. Sam also is a big physical presence, giving us a very different dimension for a change of look compared to Raul. Would really have liked the team to keep him on. But AB has had good amounts of playing time - I think we know more or less what he's capable of at the moment, and I don't see him getting ahead of Jackson or Yeimar. Maybe with a salary bump and moving Xavi we could convince him to stick around as a 3rd CB?
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