my biggest surprise was the amount of people who still support Hackworth. there was a guy yelling post game that "its not the coach's fault". I was stunned
Sheanon has been garbage. Our crossing has been awful. We need to start Fabinho at LB and Gaddis at RB. Fabihno arguably provided the best crossing on the team last year. Carroll played well, but Edu should be in that role. I don't like Wenger on the right defensive mid position or whatever the hell he was playing. I think Casey can play the target role, but just doesn't have the motor to play the lone striker role. Second half was much better, could have easily ended up 2-0. I do like how we are playing wing backs essentially with Carroll dropping back as a center back between Wheeler and Okugo. I think Wheeler has done well at CB, he cleans up all of the headers, just needs more polish.
Ugh.....it's not his fault the players don't shoot the damn ball. It is, however, his fault for selecting the players, and making the substitutions he makes. Was it really any shock that the offensive momentum the team was building in the first 10 minutes of the second half went to shit once Maidana was taken off? Or that no one outside of Wenger was making any sort of runs into the box?
@DaveZeitlin: Me to Conor Casey: "How do you think you and Wenger can work off each other in the future?" Casey: "Well." #EndOfSentence
a striker and midfielder playing CB. nuff said williams got paid and had a kid - could care less about being fit and playing well be nice to see the back line pass to the midfield who I still believe is an upgrade from years past instead of seeing how far they can kick it down the field.
... so you agree with me. great! look I know hackworth isnt responsible for physically putting the ball in the net. however, he is the man who built this team. its his starting 11 and gameday 18. its his formations. its his tactics (or lack of). its his substitutions (or lack of). its his game management (or lack of). this team has 1 win in 8 games. someone has to be held accountible. this is pro sports and in pro sports, its the coach that pays the price (right or wrong). wheeler looks like an NHL defenseman on a penalty kill. just blast it away as soon as you get it
I saw Blake put one in the upper-90 past MacMath in the pregame warm-ups. In pure Hackworth versatility fashion, expect to see the Blake conversion from GK to Fwd in the coming weeks. -EDIT- Looking back on this game, I think there's a direct correlation between my perception of what was happening and the beer I was consuming. Beautiful day at Seaport Drive, I think I'll have myself a Magic Hat No. 9, thankyouverymuch. Nearing the end of the first half, not looking great, but I'm staying optimistic. Go hit the head, grab myself a Stella Artois on the way back to my seat. Nearing the 70th minute, and last call for alcohol, I'm getting really frustrated and don't give a fcuk what I drink ... Bud Light, take me away.
I went cider for pregame to keep it light and fresh. But with the Goose Island booth directly behind me at 115 had me dial dos 312s for the half. Switched to soda at the half, only because I thought I would end up down the frustrated drunk yelly guy path. And no one wants that.
i went modelo in the parking lot, and boddingtons for the first half. Grabbed another bodds at HT, and rounded out the 90 with a millers lite.
He's the one training them, isn't he? Here's a simple drill. Run a 5-on-5 game, with Wenger as lone forward. Tell Wenger, every time the ball comes his way, his first or second touch has to be a shot. No passing back, no crossing to a second runner, just shoot the damn ball. It's a common drill for one-touch passing; why not apply it to shooting as well? The American sports ethic is all about unselfishness. Good goal-scoring forwards, in my experience, are mostly selfish, self-centered assholes. I haven't been in training, and I don't know what Hack is telling the team...but if he's telling the team to look for open teammates and play unselfishly--and it sure as hell looks like someone is telling them that--then yes, he is contributing to the lack of shooting. The coach's job doesn't start with writing up the lineup sheet and end with the third substitution.
I'm not thrilled with how Hackworth does his substitutions, many times they seem to leave me asking why or why that guy again. However, I am also not excited about the vast majority of substitution options on the bench. For all the lip service Hackworth pays to having depth this year, I really think he's a bit limited on subs who will make tangible impacts on the game--particularly when the Union needs a goal. When you don't have impact options on the bench, no matter who you sub in it will get questioned.
But Hack is not some innocent bystander to the roster composition, and exacerbates the situation by meddling. Primary evidence - Aaron Wheeler. I'd say he was an impact sub last year when he came on. Goal vs. Dallas shortly after coming on and sweet assist to Hopp for the winner in Vancouver. Now Wheeler is just one of our ranks of CBs and our only striker sub is Hoppenot.
Hackworth is especially culpable in regards to player acquisitions (both he and Nick). Hack-n-Sak should have done a better job at acquiring depth, especially up front. Trading a No. 9 for a No. 9 does nothing to add depth.
I'd say that' he had too small of a sample size to charactize him as an impact sub (10 appearances, 129 mins). I mean, the guy wasn't exactly Freddy Adu out there! That said, Wheeler's progress as a CB is pretty substantial, and pleasantly surprising. Should he be a starter? I'm not convinced. Berry showed well in his first two starts before picking up an injury. His last start, was pretty bad though.
Not going to debate again his merits as a CB, I just think Wheeler has more value on the roster as a striker, compared to as a defender. No-one else brings the same aerial threat in attack: while there are 2 other experienced MLS CBs sitting on the roster, not to mention the others Hack has used there. He did move up at the end of this game, when we were a man up, but as someone said earlier I'd prefer a fresh Wheeler off the bench at that point to a tired guy that's spent 80 minutes wrestling with Will Bruin.
A Stella per half didn't cut it. I guess if Houston had a beer that didn't taste terrible at PPL I could have pulled the Chivas miracle again.
Glass 1% full: we did better against NYRB than Houston. Glass 99% empty: we couldn't score against a Houston team that lost 4-0 to NYRB.
I think their win over us gave RBNY a bit of a breakthrough in confidence they needed, especially in front of goal. Roster-wise, they are set up to score more goals than the Union.
Gaddis makes another Best XI list for his work last week. The national media is showing him a lot of love so far this season.