Couple of thoughts, based on numerous above posts: 1. Of course there should have been multiple late game substitutions. That's not even debatable. The players, of course, gave their best effort, and I don't fault some of them for being fatigued, but this is soccer, and it is a virtually unquestioned managerial tactic to inject fresh legs into a game when you need a goal late. Vermes has gotten away with ignoring this on occasion during the regular season, but did not last night, in the most important game of the season (excepting the US Open Cup final). And I am not a photographic memory or an anal stats guy, but someone can remind us of a regular season late game draw or 2, or even a loss, that potentially could have been avoided given a substitution, when we all walked away dumbfounded from Livestrong Park. I have vague memories over the last few years of leaving games with the same questions I had last night. In the midst of a season, a draw in soccer has become acceptable, but the Community shield was doable this year, so they add up in the "why no fresh legs by Vermes" debate. If you don't have this image burned in your memory from live action, rewatch the video clip of the last 2 minutes found in this thread. Oriol is walking, Roger and Besler are wogging, Nielsen is actually higher up the field than all 3, and both Nielsen and Vermes are furiously waving their arms for the 3 to push forward. Obviously, that is an indication of fatigue. Granted it was the 92nd minute, but it could have been done prior, and we have seen miracles before on later substitutions, so why not have someone on your hip as a manager for this reason? Furthermore, Roger was noticeably sluggish for much of the latter stages of the second half, and has been subbed out before, so why not tonight, especially given above scenario that ensued. We all know he was coming off an injury too. Also, follow the clip further, when he finally does push up, he gets off 2 weak crosses, one of which fortunately lands at Chance's feet, and results in the no-call penalty. It was obvious Roger was spent, and should have been subbed prior. 2. Who could have come on? I can't believe people are asking this question. After all, v. Philly in the last game we all saw at home, Jacob Peterson scored within 7 minutes of entering the pitch after subbing on for the injured Nagamura! I don't get it, are you all following the same team I am? Peterson scores goals. Peterson has a goal scorer's mentality. Peterson shoots unexpectedly from distance and/or tight marking (something lacking in this game, as we settled for passing the ball out wide after being too deliberate within the 30 yards line, center of the pitch, resulting in yet another cross into a packed box). And a packed box for the ensuing cross from wings does not mean the box looked the same to a shooting-type guy like Peterson at top of box, as all a goal scorer needs is a sliver of space and an angle, both of which were evident and passed up too many times. Finally, on that video clip, we get the ball forward, Sapong cuts it back to . . . no one able to keep up with the play. You're telling me it is not in realm of possibility that a fresh-legged Peterson would not have had a go? Check out his goal again v. Philly. Low cross, half-sliding one time shot, done. If only we could rewind the circumstances and see if the same could have come to fruition last night. 3. I also believe Convey, who also saw time against New York on Oct. 20 as an 88th minute sub, could have added to the inevitable late game crossing festival. After all, he can serve a ball, and he appears to have been in a position to run for a measly 5 minutes. Should he have started, no. But that situation was right up his alley. 4. As far as the no-call PK. Ironic that Chance was given a yellow in the 56th for a similar tactical body-block type foul at midfield. It was an understandable no-call under the circumstances at that critical point in the game, but given Ricardo Clark's wide-eyed look, and Boswell's tap on the head, they both knew they got away with a gift. It could have been given, and there would have been no questions upon later MLS review that it was within the referee's right to have given it. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the great season, enjoyed a great game, and fully credit the guys on the field for giving their best effort and making for an exciting second leg, but my responses are meant to provide an alternative to the Vermes' decisions were spot on, and which player could have done anything anyway comments above.
I didn't say anyone was exhausted. But I didn't seen anyone out there with an extra gear. Take Besler and/or Collin off. The results speak for themselves. How many saves did Tally Hall make? Not enough.
Well now, as a practical matter you've got me there. The 2013 calendar, we are lined up for more fixtures, yet I'd actually like to see less of Cesar. (For starters, I wanted Cesar rotated more earlier in the 2012 season). I agree re the specific defensive lapses you reference -- throw in age + salary and Cesar does look more "expendable" as last nights call-in host stated. I just think in smaller doses, Cesar's more effective. He brings experience to a young roster (minus Espinoza) that's going to face a different animal next year in CCL. Perhaps this is a discussion better suited for the 2013 thread.... Joseph and Rosell were encouraging in light of all this, though.
I also agree the PVC can be heavily criticized for not using any subs. Our group discussed this at the 75 minute mark and the consensus was to lift Chance, go to 3 man back line and bring in Peterson. If we go to overtime you can always sub in Harrington for Joseph and re-establish the basic scheme.
The boxscore from last night is pretty crazy. 610 passes. 85% accuracy. 31 crosses. 20 shots. Shots is probably the most depressing one. Fun fact! SKC lead the league in total shots with 542. We were last in the league in shots on goal, with just 29% of shots finding the target. We were 18th in the league in goals per shot, at just 7.7%. The only team worse than us was Chivas. If we were just an average team, turning 10% of our shots into goals, we would have ended with 54 goals scored instead of 42, for 10 additional goals. Can you think of 10 games where you'd want an extra goal this year? Or even five?
I agree that the last 10 minutes called for a Peterson and/or Convey substitution for one of the midfield 3 and pushing Zusi into the middle. Peterson could run at the tired defenders as well as have the energy to win second balls. The real shame about Convey is that he is exactly the player you need against a team that is defending deep and narrow. And Clark knew that he fouled Myers. He may have been ready to protest that it shouldn't warrant a penalty in stoppage time, but he knew that he got Myers.
My god, this PK no-call... I can understand that Chapman didn't have the conviction or guts to make the call in the 93rd minute and I can appreciate that, for whatever reason, the burden of a foul seems to become so much higher the closer the game gets to completion (however wrong that may be)... But I simply cannot believe these people who are telling me that they honestly cannot see the foul. Clark lunges for the ball and completely misses but makes obvious contact with Myers in the process, bringing Myers down. WEIOTUHIETUWEUHTOWIEUTH Anyway... sorry, I just had to vent. Too many people either simply wanting to believe or too stupid to realize that a PK was the correct call there. Drives me freaking crazy.
When the penalty occurs shouldnt matter. I hate that refs take that into consideration. The rules apply no matter what the clock reads.
Difficult to explain this without concluding that it's a systemic/philosophical problem of some kind, or a gaping hole in personnel. It can only be finishing good chances poorly or taking chances that aren't there (or both). So is it a finisher or a creator we lack? Should we tweak the philosophy to allow more offensive opportunism? Is it entirely attributable to the absence of Bravo?
It's a combination of factors. Having a finisher wouldn't change the fact that the head coach used zero subs in the highest pressure applied MLS game I have ever seen. Shots not on goal are almost always turnovers. Even bad shots on goal can lead to rebounds or deflections that end up in goals. Our leading in shots and worst in shots on goal stat is way beyond random chance. Whether it's the players or the system, I'm not sure. But the same "system" limited Herculez Gomez to one goal in 40+ games. Omar Bravo had 9 (if I recall correctly).