This was worse than the 4-1 loss to NYRB. The NY loss was mistakes. This was just 90 minutes of being flat out outplayed.
When I saw the starting lineup walking onto the field, I couldn't remember if this was a preseason game, trying out some weird things. I realized this was the middle of the season, and we were more than likely to not get any points.
We really need a good striker. Renteria is useless....big and strong but with very little skill to control the ball and finish. And playing long balls to the front to see if Renteria can catch one and score is a losing proposition. We need more skill up front....somebody than can dribble, go through, and pass to a good finisher.
I posted this in the PBP thread. It's probably more appropriate here: What we learned: -Renteria still sucks -Williams is a boss. I don't think we really missed Miranda's service because we don't have anyone to get on the end anyway. -Arrieta can actually receive a pass without it bouncing 10 yards in front of him. This is a revelation. I have hope for this guy. Unfortunately, Falling Bull/Glass Bull/Event Horizon was on top of him the entire game. -Tchani needs to be sent to the bench. He reads the game well, but he's a horrible technical player. -I don't like Meram on the wing. His touch isn't good enough and he doesn't see the field well enough to be there. Also, his crossing is pretty bad (*EDIT* he actually played some good balls in today) -Birchall's actually a decent player when he's in his natural position. Imagine that! Playing someone in their natural position!
That starting XI killed me. Our strongest asset all season has been our defense, yet Bobby changes it up because... uh... well... our outside backs aren't responsible... or... we aren't scoring enough goals... maybe? So we trot out Gehrig and Anor, we move Williams, and we suck more. Great!
Miranda, Mirosevic, and Vukovich on the bench for this one? Williams looked really shakey in the first half out wide. He sent the ball to the middle that set up KC's first goal. Many bad passes and missed marks. He looked more composed in the second half. In the first half our passing from the back was terrible with so many intercepted balls into the middle our defensive zone. Tchani is really struggling. Birchall had a good match. Arrieta has some real promise. What happened to Gaven the last few matches? Duka came on as a sub and almost turned the match around. Great crowd goes home dissapointed!
I can kind-of understand (but don't agree with) benching Vuko - he had a poor game last week and I suppose Anor could get a shot at LB with all the talk of him moving back there - but I don't get sitting Miranda. I would have expected Williams in the middle instead of Gehrig with Seba still out there. Jardy tweeted that this was the first game Miranda did not start since joining the Crew - 40 games IIRC. The D was a hot mess tonight.
Anor to me doesn't seem to have a mentality or makeup or whatever to play in the back. Williams was better after the first 20 or so minutes, but I noticed Arrieta got free enough and expected to get a pass from Williams that never came. Williams always put it back. I think Miranda links that pass up to Arrieta. And then maybe we could get to see Arrieta with the ball at his feet going to goal. Oh well, hope Bobby is happy with his starting XI choices, because me ain't.
You have to score goals, and keep the other team from scoring goals. We didn't do that. Meram shouldn't have hit the crossbar. Viva Warzycha!!!!
Arrieta was barely noticeable. Did not notice him doing squat. Probably because Renteria's mistakes overshadowed him the entire time. I love Williams. Dudes gonna be a stud. Plus his luck has to turn around soon, right? Vukovic makes me sick. He sucks. Duka and ORouke need to get and stay healthy. We do suck and heads need to roll for not preventing this decline in performance and fixing it sooner. In order: RW then McCullers.
Anor out of position - he is an attacking mid and looked like it tonight. Meram out of position - he is a striker and looked like it tonight. Josh Williams out of position he is a center back and looked like it tonight. I sit in section 126 - Crew Soccer Nation Gold ... I saw people leave early tonight that have never left early. That's big money giving up. We had healthy defenders on the bench (the strength of our team) yet we (meaning RW) decides to experiment against an really potent offense. Meram did look promising (just not out wide); Renteria needs to go; Arrieta looked good - he needs service. Just disgusting. MASSIVE disappointment.
1. The swap of BOTH outside backs was ridiculous. I can't think of a single cross into the box by either of them ... Which is allegedly what our backs are supposed to be doing. Williams is a beast, but looked short on ideas out there. 2. If we're going to play without a target forward, then we need to stop lobbing forty yard passes out of the back. That is setting or forwards up for battles they will not win. 3. A winger Meram ain't. His lack of successful link play also hints at why he was stuck out there in the first place once Dilly came on. 4. May Dilly's hamstrings be blessed health evermore. 5. The movement off the ball was nonexistent. But the most tragic part was the fact that the organization couldn't deliver a result for an incredible crowd.
I really don't understand the decision to bench Vuko and Miranda. To be clear: Vukovich has not been great lately. I blame a lot of the loss at Montreal on him. And if Bob wants to send a message that there are no sacred cows on this club (which is understandable, considering where we are in the table) and bench someone who didn't play well, that's fine with me. IF you have a capable replacement, or at least someone you want to try out. But Miranda has been one of our most solid performers, and I think benching him after one rough outing was a little harsh. And even if Miranda did deserve to sit (which I don't think he did), I don't agree with the decision to bench BOTH your outside backs in the same match AND shift one of your center backs outside. That's changing three of the four defensive positions all at once. And doing it while your best midfield destroyer, DO'R, isn't on the field. It's just too much adjustment all at once, and it pretty much cost us the match. Williams turned the ball over in his own half on the first goal, right before Peterson slipped between him and Gehrig. And Anor just gave the ball away to lead to the second goal. I figured we were doomed when Meram's header hit the crossbar. It was a great cross from Gaven, and deserved a better fate, but that pretty much sealed it. Nielsen did make a couple good close-range saves. Renteria is a clown. His attitude is going to get us in trouble at some point. There was no reason for his act tonight. He got taken down from behind, but the referee called the foul, and gave the yellow card. There was absolutely no reason for him to get in that guy's face and do the headbutting motion. The only reason he DIDN'T get sent off was because the AR was in perfect position to see that there was absolutely no contact. Eight times out of ten, Renteria walks right then and there. And with the way the Disciplinary Committee has been dishing stuff out, if they decided to suspend him, I'd disagree but I wouldn't be shocked. I just don't see anything positive happening here without a major shake-up. That doesn't mean a coaching change per se, but we need something. Although if a coaching change can help those clowns from Toronto actually look like soccer players, imagine what it could do here.
This has been status quo for the Crew for the past 3 seasons. They choke in front of big crowds. A major reason why we suck is there is too much standing around waiting for someone to do something...take their guy 1v1 off the dribble and break a defense down instead of playing motion basketb...er soccer. God these two sports sometimes are so similar.
I'll take it ... You realize he didn't see the pitch tonight? Were you watching some other game? Perhaps a replay of the Montreal match.
The real comedy with Emilio was after he headbutted Nagamura, he actually showed him an imaginary yellow card. What planet is he on? It isn't this one.
I am going to go with Uranus. That's the planet. He is laughable. Meram's header was a bit unlucky. Renteria's miss on what was a great bit of service was inexcusable.
Great hospitality from your supporters tonight. No drama, easy going, great times and plenty of beer before and after the game. Only one weird incident after the game, really thought I was about to get hit, but guy was more upset with someone else. Great time, come out to KC and we'll treat ya nice, BBQ and beer all around.