I disagree. Watch the replay. Anor clearly made contact with the player. I'm not convinced it was a red, but it looked like a clear red situation because of the position Anor put himself in and I'm fine with the straight red call. As for the bottle, disgusting. That's the kind of shit that TFC, RSL, or Seattle fans pull. The dumb******** that did that should never be allowed to see the inside of CCS again.
But even with height, the team shouldn't be too dependent to the point of myopia with the crossing tactics. I would hope they could keep the ball on the ground more (that Brian Clough quote). If they are going to be a crossing team, at least serve the hell out of the ball and stop lollipoping it into the box.
For years with Warzycha, there was always talk that the Crew changed their game to match their opponent. And on this board everyone was saying the Crew need their own system and dictate the game. And now we have it. The Crew are playing a wide game and depending on Clark, Trapp and Tchani to stop what is coming up the middle. Everyone else on the field only comes into the middle for defense when needed. And yes everyone has figured the Crew out. Go back and watch, TFC and DCU, it is like a pyramid in front of the goals. We can not break through. The Crew tactics need to change (and maybe personnel) if we are going to play the sides of the field. 1) Our fullbacks need to drive to goal at least once in the first 10 minutes and put a shot on frame. There were at least 3 instances when our fullbacks cut outside instead of a clearer inside route where they could have at least shot. Maybe switch side for Francis and Williams just so they are more likely to cut inside with their dominate foot. 2) The corner of the 18 box is lonely. When our full back is driving to the end line, the same side midfielder should not be the one driving to the net. Sit on the corner of the 18 when the opposition is playing relatively flat. This will either A draw a defender and open space or B put that midfielder is a spot that is perfect for an outlet pass for a quick shot or a pass. Either way that area is not being used enough. 3) They need to switch field faster and then not always switch fields. How many times did we see a pass come from say Francis to Tchani who just keeps the ball going in that same direction even if he was not under pressure? Every time? Trapp does step on the ball and got back the other direction sometimes but he needs to wait until their defense shift and then drop it the back where it came from. But that assumes that the Crew have not already shifted too.
I don't think it matters if we've been "found out". If the system works and the players are good enough it doesn't matter that opponents know our formation and tactics because we'll still be creating chances. Many of the best teams in the world play a largely unchanged formation for most of their season if injuries permit. Overall I think the system is fine; at the moment the problem is execution.
I think our guys are going to get a lot better and smarter in this system as the year progresses. Obviously talent helps, and if we bring in some high quality signing, that wouldn't hurt. But as we play it week after week, our players will figure out more and more which runs and passes work, and which have a tendency to fail.
The three tallest players within the Crew system are: Bedell 6'7"- Columbus Crew Schoenfeld 6'4"- Crew/Dayton Dutch Lions Broekhuizen 6'4"- Dayton Dutch Lions Just put all three up front and have Williams or Francis on one side to punch the ball down and get corners. Higuain on the wing to lob crosses in all game and take corners. Tactics? We don't need no stinking tactics.
Just realized. We are playing the same way as Liverpool. Liverpool do not have a big striker and they do rely on pace and bringing the opposition on to them and breaking. What we need to figure out is how to break a team down when they sit back. Our goal in the 90th min is the blueprint.
Slight problem with that... Liverpool has Luis freaking Suarez. So we need to sign someone that would be a Luis Suarez style step above literally every other player in MLS. So... we need to spend more than $6 million a year in wages on this player. Seems easy enough. Not to burst your bubble but Oduro, Arrieta, and whatever other strikers we have don't equal 1/4 the talent of Suarez.
After six matches last year, we had only lost one....and? I think someone probably made the exact same claim..probably you.
So liverpool are top because of one player? wow never realised that could happen. No, you misunderstand. They play through teams with pace. I trust Oduro and Arrieta can score goals it is the build up that is lacking something.
The sky is not yet falling for me even though our two home games were certainly very disappointing. My two cents: - I continue to scratch my head when I see our most talented player make disastrous, unforced turnovers. Once in a while, because you are trying to do a bit too much, I get. But, wow, I haven't kept count but it is a very surprisingly high number. I continue to love the guy, but sure I do expect more from a quality player. - I'm not sure that Gonzalez is the answer for us at CB given that Parkhurst is the other. MP is certainly a keeper, but I think he needs to be paired with a partner who has the physical tools and nature to play the enforcer role when necessary. I suspect he is strong and fast enough for Costa Rico, but I'm not so sure here. I will continue to hope I am wrong here. BTW, should have been a red card in my book. - In general, we are a small team. This also manifests futility on offense as well - as many others have mentioned. I'll take touch and skill over size any day, but sometimes you need strength and size - like when most of your offense is expected to come from crosses..... Is this a situation where GB's system needs a couple of different types of players? - I'm still looking for a wide/trailing man on the opposite side of our crosses - vs. piling everyone into the spot. Especially considering my last bullet. - As mentioned before, several times where our front line was either standing or running straight away from our man with the ball. I would like to see more lateral runs and switching. - Maybe time to put Dom out on the wing...... - Is Tony going to develop? Still waiting on the turnovers to diminish. Also, disappointing that his switches don't have more pace/weight. Many times, he correctly sees the opportunity to switch, but delivers such a high lofting ball, the defense has time to recover. I suppose that is enough of my rambling...
I understand what you're saying about Liverpool, but there's more to it than just 'they play with pace'. So do tottenham, hows that working for them? How long has Brendan Rodgers been a coach for? Either as the main guy or an assistant? He's been a head coach for 7 years, a reserve coach at Chelsea for 4, and even more years at reading as an assistant as well. GB has only been a coach for a couple years. Big gap right there. Also, Liverpool has Suarez, and lots of other players that are having excellent seasons this year: suarez, sturridge, sterling, coutinho, gerard. Does columbus have any players that can be that good when compared to the rest of the teams in the league this year? Other than that pipa and maybe trapp, I doubt it. Compare those liverpool players i mentioned to jimenez, anor, tchani. None of them are national team level, while all of liverpools are. Not to mention they have arguably the best player in the world right now. It's one thing to play like Liverpool or Barcelona, but if you don't have the players that can play that way, it's not going to work. And even the big coaches, like the ones at Liverpool, Barcelona Chelsea, etcetera whoever they all need a plan b. If GB can't figure out a plan B, other than cross the ball into midgets, there's going to be problems. If coaches in the Swedish second division can figure out his tactics, I'm sure people here can as well.
Let's be clear here. Greggggg is setting the team to play a certain way. It appears that the way he wants to play is similar to the way Liverpool play. It is up to Greggg to figure out how to score goals playing this way, and as some people noted after the win at Seattle, putting crosses into the box for nobody to get on the end of is not going to score many goals. I am simply pointing out that if you look at the way Liverpool play, they do not put endless crosses into the box as the do not have a big striker to get on the end of them, same as us. So Greggg either needs to put a striker into the box that can head the ball, or change what he is doing the final third.
Yes, we play similar in theory to Liverpool, I'll give you that. That being said, having the (arguably) best player in the world in Luis Suarez helps a lot. Liverpool also has much more dynamic players. Anor is ok, but would you call him dynamic? Ditto with Jimenez. Oduro and Arrieta both have good qualities, but neither can beat two or three defenders singlehandedly like Suarez. When needed, Suarez can be the tip of the attack, or can drop back and be a #10. Oduro, Arrieta, Bedell, Schoenfeld, Ryan f'ing Finley, not one of them can play that way. Oduro runs fast, period. Arrieta is physical, period. All those other guys are big, period. Suarez can do it all and then some. Rodgers also plays multiple formations: 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2 flat, 4-4-2 diamond, 3-5-2. GB plays 4-2-3-1.
This might sound weird but the goals we have given up are self-inflicted. I think over time we can minimize those. If we are going to cross the ball as much as we do (2nd in the league) then put Bedell up top. Heck even so we can play long to him and he can hold the ball up and let the rest of the attack get involved. I would like to see Dom also tried in this system on the outside. I actually don't think he fits it well but I would like to see it. Now with Anor's red card is a perfect time.
Actually, I'd rather see either Jimenez or Meram on the left. Meram, Anor, and Jimenez have all scored goals when playing as inverted wingers. Problem is we got no left footed players for next week to play, but maybe put Oduro out there and help stretch the field.
I thought we played wing backs and not wingers. our three behind oduro play more central allowing our full backs to get forward. That is where we have our left footed player.
Well maybe instead of having all 6 of our attackers right in the middle of the field blocking each other, and having our two wide players be defenders, maybe we could try an actual midfielder out wide and see what happens. surely jimenez or oduro is more creative than Josh Williams. If GB keeps playing the exact same formation and the exact same tactics every single game the team has no chance. Other coaches already figure out how to defend us he must change. Not trying to be doom and gloom but you can't do the same thing every single game.
Agreed, worrying thing for me was that we kind of switched it up a little bit with the subs, but really it was essentially the same. Something that RW exceled at.