Welcome to another edition of "Discuss," in which MLSsoccer.com editors debate the topics of the moment in MLS.
Today's prompt – in light of Sunday's matchup between Portland and Toronto (3:30 pm ET; ESPN in US; TSN4/RDS2 in Canada) – revolves around the two of the league's stars. If you were a GM, who would you rather build your MLS team around, Sebastian Giovinco or Darlington Nagbe? We got Senior Editors Andrew Wiebe and Ben Couch, New Media Editor Nick Rosano and FutbolMLS.com New Media Editor Diego Pinzon to weigh in.
Note: Unlike last week's Drogba-Giovinco exercise, the group was asked to consider the external factors that may affect these player. E.g., injuries, age, potential for a move outside MLS.
WIEBE: Take the MVP
Nagbe is intriguing because he may have another big jump in him should he force himself into the USMNT lineup, but come on … the answer is Giovinco and you shouldn’t really have to think about it. This is the MVP we’re talking about, the guy who set an MLS record by having a hand in 38 goals last season (22 g, 16 a).
In his first five seasons in MLS, Nagbe accounted for 43 (23 g, 21 a). The Atomic Ant will win you games on his own, and he’s only four years older than his counterpart in Portland.
ROSANO: Nagbe entering his prime
OK, I’ll bite. Giovinco is unquestionably an alluring player, and he's one of my favorite players to watch in the league. BUT. He turns 30 next January, and if he has another campaign to match his 2015 effort, it’s hard to think foreign clubs won’t be lining up to tempt him abroad.
I’ll go with the 25-year-old that’s about to enter his prime and has already showed glimpses of the same kind of talent that made his counterpart in this exercise a must-see. Getting him from “glimpses” to “week in, week out” might be the tricky part, but it’s a risk that could pay off handsomely for my fictitious team for at least the next five years.
COUCH: Go with the top talent
If Darlington Nagbe had built upon the spectacular, MLS Cup springboard of a run he launched after last season’s positional shift, maybe this is a different conversation. But a slow start for him – and the Timbers – and that injury absence has allowed Seba to further cement his standing as the league’s top talent. Nagbe has time on his side (25 years old vs. 29), but I’d venture Giovinco’s prime is more productive.
PINZON: International and undeniable experience
Every time Sebastian Giovinco scores, his team does well. He’s scored in 20 games (not times, like I said on the video above, duh!) so far in MLS regular season and Toronto FC has won 14 times, and tied other four. TFC have only lost twice when Giovinco scores, and he’s arguably the most prolific MVP in Major League Soccer history.
True, Nagbe is an American player with lots of potential, but Giovinco brings a ton of international and undeniable experience that will help the young American and Canadian players down the road. And, by the way, I think I won the debate, not Claren.
