RSL vs. DC Aug 31 Pre/PBP/Post [R]

[SokkerNut]

Originally Posted by prk166

I still say the first improvement for the back line will come with a good CM. I don't think Mathis can pull it off and Cutler, well, he's a kid and I'll cut him some slack.

After watching this game, I agree with you. Not sure where the mid-field was tonight.

[devNull]

Originally Posted by prk166

I still say the first improvement for the back line will come with a good CM. I don't think Mathis can pull it off and Cutler, well, he's a kid and I'll cut him some slack.

Yeah, I think that we really need a good defensive midfielder who has some bite and can distribute the ball well. For me Cutler plays alright, but he just doesn't seem to quite have the confidence with the ball or the experience to be starting at defensive midfield. I don't think it is really a position for a rookie. I wonder what the chances are of use filling that hole with a trade before next season...

[Rover]

This was a tough one to watch and it's a struggle to find positives right now. It's one of those games where you knew it would be difficult to win, but that if we played how we're capable of playing that we could beat DC. But our margin for error is so small that if we don't play with tactical discipline and high work rate we will be punished. And DC had no problem punishing us.

I was disappointed in how we played overall, and I know our backline was repeatedly exposed, but the big downer for me was our midfield play. If we managed to win the ball on a 50-50, our follow-on passes were usually inaccurate and easily intercepted by DC players. That lack of tactical discipline has been a problem all year, but this was our 24th league game and it shouldn't still be happening.

I don't envy Ellinger. How do you motivate a team that knew they had to earn points tonight but instead were given the woodshed treatment? Oh, and the Revs come to town this weekend. Forget this one and prep for the next opponent.

A game at a time.

[montgjules]

Are they Chivas in disguise, in disguise, in disguise...?

[Deuce]

That was a positively dreadful match!

The only positive I saw was that Tarley is for real!

[Peter Hein]

Originally Posted by devNull

Yeah, I think that we really need a good defensive midfielder who has some bite and can distribute the ball well. For me Cutler plays alright, but he just doesn't seem to quite have the confidence with the ball or the experience to be starting at defensive midfield. I don't think it is really a position for a rookie. I wonder what the chances are of use filling that hole with a trade before next season...

You have the guy you are looking for. His name is Cabrera. Unfortunately, he was not available for this DC game defensive disaster. Notice the offside line at 3/4 of the field and then getting outrun by Walker (fresh player in second half against a tired defense) with an easy one on one with Nolly. DC coach knew what he was doing when he saw the slow defense. The midfield was the problem, no control or interception of the ball, thus constant defense. The players wait for the ball to be kicked before they position themselves. Then it is too late. A player needs to look at the player and calculate what the offensive player's options are and then position at the moment the kicker strikes the ball. A well I played too long ago. I guess today they are not taught what we were taught!?!?!

[RSL1]

OK, so here's my take on the game tonight:

Dunseth made an atrocious decision right before the second goal when hedchallenged young Freddy where he did. Rather than contain, he dove in at his ankles. The ensuing free kick was a pretty one. Not a surprise that DC scored there. It was a dangerous spot.

The goal that Adu scored was also a sad statment of affairs. There were THREE white jerseys in his area. NONE attempted to slow him down or pressure the point of attack. Nolly was also poorly positioned on the shot, though Freddy should not have had a chance to get such a clean shot off anyway. Dunny, Pope, SCARLETT (our supposed savior), I'm looking at you.

The goal that was scored in the second half after Nolly made the save on the line (the fourth maybe?) was the most inexcusable of them all. While Nolly didn't do a very good job to cover his rebound, Eddie Pope let the DC player run right by him and tuck the ball in the net. Watch the replays and you'll see the DC goal scorer pursue the ball from behind Eddie Pope. Not acceptable. When the goal keeper makes a save and the ball is on the turf on the goal line, the defensive players better damn well be collapsing on that ball rather than allowing the opponent to hack away at their vulnerable keeper.

The last goal was just sad. Clearly gave up. Broome made a poor decision to bring the ball down inside the box with a defender on his back. He gave up after that.

Other observations:

- Mathis is just ridiculously slow these days. Not just slow of foot but more importantly he's slow in decision making and is showing very little ideas in the attacking 1/3. It pained me to see him resort to the longball so early in the game. The fact that he's not dictating the flow of the game through teh midfield and is just getting stupid fouls renders him a complete liability out there since it is distracting to the team. For the record, I have always been a Cleetus apologist. Sadly, no more....
- Broome was uncharacteristically poor tonight. He's not usually this bad, but he's also proving why he's not considered a first line starter in MLS.
- Akwari is S-LLLLL-OOOOOOO-WWWWWW. He also has no clue how to distribute the ball. This kid does not have what it takes, unless having what it takes means getting beat to the ball and getting beat BY the ball.
- Scarlett looks so promising that it's painful to make the following statement. There's one thing that I've seen from him before, as I have reported when they announced his signing: he has very poor decision making going forward. His pace and pretty touches are positives, but he doesn't understand his position because the league that he played in prior to this rewarded individual skill over tactics. He looks so very pretty on the ball and he looks fast (though not as untouchably fast as Ellinger keeps talking about). The thing is, there's a difference between actually being dangerous and merely appearing to be dangerous. He dribbles into some very odd positions and doesn't get behind the defense enough to use his "speed" to his advantage. I think that the comparison to DMB was apt - that is, a comparison to an early DMB who couldn't cross the ball to an open jersey, didn't know the right time to slow the attack or to go full speed ahead and the DMB that actually dribbled himself into bad spots. Scarlett complained last game about not having people in the box to cross to -- well, part of that problem is that a good cross isn't just a well struck ball that you blindly serve into the box!?!
- Tarley looks like a good pickup. Loved to see his work rate out there. But he isn't the creative attacker that people are calling him. He's a box forward.
- Trembly is a out of his league.

Now, what's the antidote here?
My answer is three fold:
(1) The backline has to learn how to mark, and I mean how to truly mark, not just stand in the general vicinity of the player. Cabrera is one such upgrade. Eddie Pope has to relearn how to play the game as an MLS professional and then he's fine. Broome, Akwari, Dunseth need to be the "depth" that we keep talking about. That means bringing in two more class defenders.
(2) The midfield needs complete overhauling. I don't care how much speed and skills Andy Williams and Scarlett bring to the flanks, when a team doesn't have two dedicated central players to dictate the flow of an attack and to add variety to the point of attack, then the forwards receive no service and the back line is under fire on counter attacks all night long. The answer is to drop Cleetus at the end of the season and bring in a truly creative #10 and another horse to do the dirty work inside but who also has the speed to cover for blown marks on the defensive back line.
(3) As much as we all like Kreis, the dude does not create any sense of havoc for the opponent's defense. He doesn't do much off the ball to create space for the midfield. All he really does is make diagonal runs. After 90 minues this is predictable. Yes he scores goals, but with a team that is lacking for ideas in the final 1/3, I say you need to bring in a more creative and fear-inducing forward.

These are a lot of moves to make. I think that our allegiance to certain players has to be dismissed, however, and we have to cut some fat and add some other horses to the stable as suggested above.

I am open for scrutiny, but please keep it above the belt.

[prk166]

Originally Posted by Peter Hein

The midfield was the problem, no control or interception of the ball, thus constant defense.

Amen, brotha!

[prk166]

Originally Posted by devNull

Yeah, I think that we really need a good defensive midfielder who has some bite and can distribute the ball well. For me Cutler plays alright, but he just doesn't seem to quite have the confidence with the ball or the experience to be starting at defensive midfield. I don't think it is really a position for a rookie. I wonder what the chances are of use filling that hole with a trade before next season...

I still come back to the Willaims - Mathis question. Can those 2 really be in the midfield at the same time? I'm not sure Scarlett helps that situation either.

[Jose Luis Luviano]

-We're winning the Carlos Bocanegra Derby.

-1999 Metrostars' fans will buy us drinks.