Why does Landon get so few touches?

[FlashMan]

He seems to get fewer touches than anyone on the team, which shouldn't be the way it should go down. I could be wrong but it seems that way. Whether at midfield or at striker, the ball doesn't go through him enough.

Of course, the Quakes have been winning (generally) so it ain't all bad, but it's a bit of a puzzle to me.

Can anyone illuminate?

[TerremotoFan]

Originally posted by FlashMan
He seems to get fewer touches than anyone on the team, which shouldn't be the way it should go down. I could be wrong but it seems that way. Whether at midfield or at striker, the ball doesn't go through him enough.

Of course, the Quakes have been winning (generally) so it ain't all bad, but it's a bit of a puzzle to me.

Can anyone illuminate?
I've thought about this but I don't have any answers. It would make sense whenever he's heavily marked (and that's no problem for us because the other team is tying up its resorces).
During the last game against Dallas I thought this was glaring true, the rest of the mid field would pass in congestion while an open Donovan would go wanting.

[sonofapitch]

I don't think anyone can truly offer an answer...just theories. Mine is partly obvious--that he is being double-teamed and denied by the opponent. The other part of my theory suggests that they have been winning by building offense and running it toward/through Graziani. Why stray from a plan when it has been working.

IMO, the trick is to involve LD in the latter. That requires some really fine one-touch, give-and-go sort of midfield play. Of course, if every team keeps throwing this 3-5-2 configuration at us to clog the middle, there won't be a whole lot of possession at midfield. The Quakes will be reduced to lobbing balls over the top and that ain't good! Sort of like a basketball team that can only throw up 3-pointers and can't rebound. Again IMO, the Quakes need to figure a way to open up that midfield again in spite of the other team throwing 5 guys in there.

[lplaksina]

i just came home from the game and the reason donovan didn't get too many touches was because kc didn't give him ( or any other quake) any space. 95% of the players in this league cannot operate in tight spaces, thus, bad passes, no passes, or dispossessions. welcome to mls guys

[FlashMan]

Originally posted by lplaksina
i just came home from the game and the reason donovan didn't get too many touches was because kc didn't give him ( or any other quake) any space. 95% of the players in this league cannot operate in tight spaces, thus, bad passes, no passes, or dispossessions. welcome to mls guys

Well, this only partially explains it. KC may have been denying open spaces to the Quakes but OTHER Quakes were still getting more touches than Golden Boy. Many more it seemed to me. Maybe the other Quakes were having bad touches for the most part, but at least they were touches. Landon had a lot fewer. If KC was specially marking him, that might explain it. I just don't know.

But I'm not just basing it on this game either. I saw the Fire game last Wed. and the same thing seemed to be happening. And I've seen other games where a similar lack of touches in comparison to his teammates seemed to happen. I'm not saying they even should try to get him more touches, I'm just wondering why it happens.

[IBleedTeal]

Landon sucks..
Get over it..



Can you say overrated?

[elainemichelle]

Who, besides maybe himself, cares how often he has the ball? It doesn't really matter who has the ball as long as we score and win. They're a team for God's sakes, there shouldn't be any "stars."

[FlashMan]

I didn't say that because he was a "star" he should have more touches.

I'm just wondering why one key cog of the Quakes gets less touches than anyone else.

Obviously none of you have any answers either...

[elainemichelle]

FlashMan- I know you didn't say he was a "star," it's just been bothering me for a while. All these girls (I am not one them) come in here and just constantly talk about him. It's really irritating.

AND JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW: I don't hate him.

[Albany58]

Originally posted by IBleedTeal
Landon sucks..
Get over it..
Can you say overrated? Ah, there he is. Showing his esteemed brilliance again.

[Jefe De Menlo]

I think the reason Landon has been getting so many fewer touches is that he has been playing out wide a lot more (for the first half against KC, for most of the second half against Chicago). Playing Landon out wide plays right into the hands of the opposition IMO. His greatest strengths are his touch and his speed. It's a lot easier to deny him space when he is out wide since a defender has the help of the sideline. Plus when he is out wide he is typically going against players that have more speed than someone playing in the back line or even as a D-mid.

Now in the second half when Landon moved up front we relied way to much on the long ball out of the back instead of a much more methodical build up. A lot of people are crediting KC's use of a 3-5-2 for causing this. There is probably some truth to this, but this is not the first time we've been faced with a 3-5-2. Sounds like not enough movement in midfield to me. In any event, playing long hopeful balls up front is certainly not playing to Landon's strengths.

Someone asked why the ball has to be played to Landon. Of course it doesn't *have* to be played to him, but he is the most creative offensive force on the team. To not utilize him is just silly. We've not looked dangerous at all with him playing out wide. It ain't working.

Frank seems determined not to break up the midfield partnership of Ekelund/Mulrooney. Fine. That really ought to leave him with one alternative as to where Landon should play. Up front partnering Graz. I say this with the full knowledge that we've got significant injury/suspension problems in the back and that is forcing Frank to shuffle the lineup in ways that he probably doesn't like.

Regards,

Jefe

[msknutson]

at times during the game, especially when he's in midfield. Few touches, little impact. Mostly "away" games. Sometimes. IMHO, the coaches are trying to not disturb the ("winning") chemistry on the pitch that they've developed this season. Ariel G and DeRo up front seems to work at times, other times not. But, where does LD fit in here? Who sits? Inserting Landon at midfield is not the best choice, as he often drifts out of the game (bacause he doesn't see the ball enough), AND, the play correctly goes through Ekelund and Mulrooney. So he loses touch with the ebb and flow. But, you've gotta play him somewhere. Where can he be best used, remembering that Ariel G and DeRo are a huge part of where the Quakes are today?

My opinion, he needs the ball at his feet, taking on defenders. Not out wide.

[sockerfan]

Originally posted by lplaksina
i just came home from the game and the reason donovan didn't get too many touches was because kc didn't give him ( or any other quake) any space. 95% of the players in this league cannot operate in tight spaces, thus, bad passes, no passes, or dispossessions. welcome to mls guys

How funny,
Now that the pretty boy don't have that many touches, excuses come from everywhere, but when Cerritos was in the same situation, every body called him a waste/bad player..... How soon we forget. Hipos


Go Quakes, 15/30

[IBleedTeal]

Originally posted by sockerfan


How funny,
Now that the pretty boy don't have that many touches, excuses come from everywhere, but when Cerritos was in the same situation, every body called him a waste/bad player..... How soon we forget. Hipos


Go Quakes, 15/30

:D:D

[Lurko]

[i]95% of the players in this league cannot operate in tight spaces, thus, bad passes, no passes, or dispossessions. welcome to mls guys [/B]

Whatever. That statement is such bullsh!t....

[Lurko]

I think the reason Donovan gets far fewer touches is because he's being misplayed in Ian Russell's position. LD is a forward, through and through, and I fail to see why Arena and now, unbelievably, Yallop, insist on forcing him back into a midfield role. He is so deadly up front, why bury him in the midfield?

Anybody have his stats on goals when he's playing in midfield versus up front?

[masoo]

If the problem is that Donovan isn't as useful on the wing, then you've got to either fit him in central midfield or up front. So you've got five guys to fill four slots:

Mulrooney and Ekelund: both candidates for team MVP, even league MVP, and they have a terrific understanding. They stay.

Graziani: one of the best forwards in the league. He stays.

Donovan: best player on the team. He stays.

DeRosario: the fifth-best player on this list.

It's pretty clear who needs to come off the bench. And the only people who don't see it are the ones who think a discussion of Landon's abs on BigSoccer is proof that Landon can't play soccer. I'm not sure, but I think all that teal blood running through the system is damaging some people's brains.

[Lurko]

I agree with masoo's post on all points except the vicious, vindictive, personal attack on our beloved IBT.....

:)

[Albany58]

"I'm not sure, but I think all that teal blood running through the system is damaging some people's brains."

"I agree with masoo's post on all points except the vicious, vindictive, personal attack on our beloved IBT....."

I nominate the two of you as co-posters of the day. :D I have also displaced my sacroiliac due to raucous laughter.

[porkrind]

Yes, Landon plays better at forward - now. I think what Frankie and The Bruce are trying to do is gently suggest to Landon that the best place for him in the future is as a creative midfielder. Goal poachers seem to come a dime a dozen, and someone with LD's skills can be far more useful in a playmaking role - someone whose job is to pass, dribble, or shoot. I'm thinking Ronaldhino here.

Someone who has creative midfielder skills will, IMHO, be worth more to future clubs. Of course, the process of easing him into this role will take some time, and at the moment, his future spot is occupied by Ekelund. In the meantime, however, Frank wants him to play a spot where his field vision will come into play.

The only question is how much patience Frank has for this experiment before shelving it for next year.