Music: {allcanada} Adding some experience

Monday, November 28, 2011

{allcanada} Adding some experience

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MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact acquired a pair of veterans Monday in goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and midfelder Davy Arnaud.

The expansion MLS team acquired Ricketts from the Los Angeles Galaxy for allocation money. Arnaud came from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for defender Seth Sinovic and allocation money.

Allocation money can be used to sign players or allocate against their contracts to get under the salary cap.

Ricketts, 34, was MLS goalkeeper of the year in 2010 and was a finalist for the award in 2009. But injuries and the play of Josh Saunders made him available.

Saunders was in goal for the Galaxy winning playoff run and played 19 games this season, compared to 15 for the six-foot-four Jamaican international.

Montreal head coach Jesse Marsch called Ricketts "one of the best goalkeepers in the league."

"He will be an important piece to our team in 2012," Marsch said in a statement. "We value him greatly and know that he will give us experience and quality in front of the net."

Arnaud, 31, spent 10 seasons with Kansas City, playing in a team record 240 regular-season games.

"I'm very excited about coming to Montreal," said Arnaud. "I heard a lot of great things about this city. The 2012 season will be a very special one for soccer in Montreal and it's great to be part of this."

Arnaud, who has 43 career goals, was limited to two assists in 16 games last season in a campaign interrupted by sports hernia surgery in July.

"Davy is a fierce competitor, an incredible leader and a hard-working player," Marsch said. "He is a proven winner in MLS. He will help us establish a winning environment with our team.

"His acquisition makes us a better team."

Sinovic played 20 games for Kansas City this year, arriving in Montreal via last week's expansion draft.

Prior to joining the Galaxy for the 2009 season, Ricketts played in England, signing a contract with Bolton Wanderers in 2004, before moving to second division side Bradford City.

The Impact also have goalkeeper Evan Bush on the books. The 25-year-old American was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year and won the 2011 NASL Golden Glove award, after leading the league with a 0.76 goal-against average.