I think the reason he seems to comment/criticize Torres so often is because it seems to be the one name that gets brought up to him the most. The fans aren't chanting for Don Anding the way they do for Torres, so it makes sense that the questions/comments revolved around Torres more than any other bench player. I don't know if would be a "vast majority," but I think most people are in the camp of "He hasn't screwed up completely, so let's sit tight and see what happens." I'm not terribly convinced that he's universally liked, however.
Not yet. However, I could see it being the case by the end of August. Let's look at the schedule. Keep in mind, we tend to slump anyway in July-August. The lack of squad rotation should help that. Chivas Portland Vancouver Chicago D.C. N.J. N.E. Montreal Now, Portland, Vancouver, N.J., and Montreal are definite losses. Portland is a better team than us, and Vancouver benefits from playing on the West Coast. The time zone difference tends to take a toll on teams traveling from the East coast. Out of the games remaining, I wouldn't be surprised if Chivas or Chicago steal points. I think New England is a better team than us which will hurt. D.C. is the only sure win, but rivalry games are rivalry games. The easy part of our season is over.
He might not be universally liked but he sure as hell is not anywhere close to being universally despised like Nowak was last season (booed resoundingly at all home matches when his name was announced on the PA system).
We also have two more games against Sporting, and an additional game against Houston and Montreal after August. We also will be playing San Jose on the West Coast which will probably be a loss due to time zone reasons. I think the road ahead is very bumpy.
Which further supports what i was trying to get across here: The simple fact is: Just because you want something to be one way, does not necessarily make it so. For some folks, it's kinda like this:
See my explanation. Look at our schedule. How many games do people expect to win? http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/schedule
5 of the next 8 matches are also being played at home. Jack mac will be back after the Vancouver game. MacMath will either step up or he will lose his spot to Oka............. I'll admit the two matches against the Cascadia teams will be very difficult. The rest are very winable games. And all of the matches will be winable when Roger Torres proves to Hack that he should play more, and he gets time in all of the remaining matches.
Another thought. Houston is one point behind us with a game in hand and N.E. is 3 points behind us with two games in hand. If both teams win, we are suddenly out of the playoffs.
The Union currently have a 64.4% chance to make the playoffs. See http://www.sportsclubstats.com/USA/MLS.html. What is the very first goal written above every locker in the Union locker room?
Roger could score a hattrick in 2 minutes and still not see a start. Hack plays his guys, not the best players. I just posted this about the same time you posted this. Another thought. Houston is one point behind us with a game in hand and N.E. is 3 points behind us with two games in hand. If both teams win, we are suddenly out of the playoffs.
By N.J., I assume you mean New York Red Bulls? Because RSL and FCD were definite losses in your book that went down as ties, and RBNY and C-Bus were better teams than us that were both 3-0 wins. Hmmm.. I am curious... do you rank the Union as #17 in MLS? There is no easy part of the season, it's why they play the games.
This would be quite a feat, given that he has scored a total of three goals in his entire MLS career!
I do refer to the Cows as N.J. RSL and FCD might as well have been losses since we can't play a man down. I'm certainly not proud of those games. At the moment, the only team in playoff position we have beat was injured and down a man. We are 1-4-2 against playoff teams. That's not exactly an encouraging stat. I'd put us as the 6th best team in the East. No easy part? So playing Chicago is the same as playing Montreal? There are clearly parts of the season where you play worse teams than other parts of the season. Though let's be honest, we have been giving away points when we shouldn't this season. Also, PPL is no longer a fortress anymore. I expect us to drop at least one home game against a worse team. I count N.J. as a loss because they will be adding reinforcements, and we won't. Plus, Cahill playing for them will help.
Have you seen Montreal's form lately? Scrap to get a late goal at home versus Chivas, draw. Draw at Toronto, yielded 3 goals. 4-3 loss at home against Colorado. Yep, they're scary right now. This is a parity driven league. Spin it however you want. Injuries, man up, man down. Luck. Whatever. As I said before, it is why the games get played. You act as if the team blows and there is no way they can win against good teams. The fact is that they win some that they should not, they lose some they should win, and they throw in an occassional draw. They are good, not great. But then again so are most of the teams in MLS.
We don't play Montreal until August 31st. I doubt they will still be in bad form by them. When exactly did I say this team blows? I placed them just outside of the playoffs. That doesn't mean I think they suck. I'd rather you didn't misrepresent my view. The difference is I am basing my opinion on reality. This season has shown the only way we can even compete with top teams is if they go down a man. Whether you like it or not, that's fact. Are they not 1-4-2 against playoff teams? Did the win and ties not come from teams down a man? Have we not lost to playoff teams not down a man? Spin it however you want, but we have not played up to par against top-level competition. Also, parity doesn't make Chicago an equal opponent to Montreal. Look at the MLS standings, and look at who we played at the beginning of the season and who we will be playing. Some teams are better than others. It's a simple fact and the reason results and stats are kept in sports. We happened to already play most of our games against the bad Eastern Conference teams, and now we will end up playing the good teams. It's how sports schedule work. One portion of the season is always easier than another portion.
And if we didn't concede points against FCD and RSL, we'd be sitting prettier. Everybody IFs ... WOOHOO!
does it even matter if the U makes it? can anyone honestly say they expect the team to win a game in the playoffs the way they have played this season.
The difference is RSL and Dallas are retrospective if's that we can't change since they are in the past. Houston and N.E. represent if's in the future. Houston has a 2/3 chance of tieing or surpassing us in points. New England just needs one win.
why start to play well? play to potential? down to potential? I don't know. This team is bipolar. As long as we start 5 in the back in the playoffs I think we have a chance.
Nope. Too defensive. The key is starting ever forward on this roster. More forwards = more goals, right?
One more nugget....... Montral has not only played two less league matches then us, they will also be playing in the CCL which starts in August............ Their schedule is about to get cramped. They rely on older players............. it's not a given certainty who will be avaiable in our game against them or who will play. Houston and SKC have CCL matches to contend with as well. Those extra matches will affect them, probably SKC moreso as Vermes is even more married to his starters then Hack is and utilizes his subs infrequently as well.