Nowak, Eskandarian, Namoff Reflect On Season To Date :: Dyson, MASR

[Knave]

Dyson's Question: Six games into the season, what do you think the biggest weakness on the team is at the moment?

Nowak's Answer: "Coaching."
http://unitedmania.matchnight.com/umindex.cfm?page=ARTICLE&show=18919

[Colonial717]

You and Jaime were caught on camera in the last game arguing in the second half. What was said?

"We were just exchanging recipes. ... No, it was nothing. It happens."


Thats a good one from Eski.

[ursula]

Six games into the season, what do you think the biggest weakness on the team is at the moment?

"Coaching."

Thank you Peter.

[GoDC]

Thank you Peter.


He didn't give either of us credit.

:D

[fatbastard]

He didn't give either of us credit.lol, I was just going to add to his comment, the part Diceson edited out of coach's full response:

.... I thought I was doing pretty good until I read bigsoccer. Those guys know so much more about coaching a pro sports team than I do, and I've realized how much I've left to learn...
.....I can't wait to read the pre-game thread so I can make my roster decisions for Saturday

[sch2383]

I don't remember Esky being this much of a character. I think that is a good thing, even more so with Benny gone, it will help keep the locker room relaxed.

[MattMathai]

Thank you Peter.

I don't think this has anything to do with an admission of sub-par coaching. It has to do with deflecting criticism away from his players.

I honestly don't know why everyone is in such a tizzy about this match. We lost on a breakaway. Away from home. At altitude.

Big deal. We played decently in stretches, and had our chances to win. I'll take that for a road match any day.

Contrary to the apparent beliefs of many people here, we're not going to win every match. We're not going to play well every match. We're even going to get blown out a couple of times. I'd prefer that things like that happen on the road .

There's just so much angst I can take.

[Pints]

I don't think this has anything to do with an admission of sub-par coaching. It has to do with deflecting criticism away from his players.

I honestly don't know why everyone is in such a tizzy about this match. We lost on a breakaway. Away from home. At altitude.

Big deal. We played decently in stretches, and had our chances to win. I'll take that for a road match any day.

Contrary to the apparent beliefs of many people here, we're not going to win every match. We're not going to play well every match. We're even going to get blown out a couple of times. I'd prefer that things like that happen on the road .

There's just so much angst I can take.

Thank you.

[BBBulldog]

noooooooooooooooooooo
\
http://squarehe.com/images/0505/daniel-crybaby.jpg

[GoDC]

I don't think this has anything to do with an admission of sub-par coaching. It has to do with deflecting criticism away from his players.

I honestly don't know why everyone is in such a tizzy about this match. We lost on a breakaway. Away from home. At altitude.

Big deal. We played decently in stretches, and had our chances to win. I'll take that for a road match any day.

Contrary to the apparent beliefs of many people here, we're not going to win every match. We're not going to play well every match. We're even going to get blown out a couple of times. I'd prefer that things like that happen on the road .

There's just so much angst I can take.

Yes we did. But some of us disagree with how it happened. We already had one major change with ben not being available. Why make the other moves?

[bigredfutbol]

I don't think this has anything to do with an admission of sub-par coaching. It has to do with deflecting criticism away from his players.


Can't it be both? I don't think Nowak is a terrible coach, but he has made quite a few questionable decisions already this season.

I read it as "I expect my players to constantly strive to do better; I expect the same from myself."

[MattMathai]

Yes we did. But some of us disagree with how it happened. We already had one major change with ben not being available. Why make the other moves?

Why not? It's a long season. Why not use a road match to do a little experimentation w/ positioning, etc.

[MattMathai]

Can't it be both? I don't think Nowak is a terrible coach, but he has made quite a few questionable decisions already this season.

I read it as "I expect my players to constantly strive to do better; I expect the same from myself."

Sure, it can be both. I just didn't think you could fairly read his comments as saying "You're right, I suck" If Nowak is getting comfortable enough to say "I screwed up" that's a good sign in my book.

So far as questionable decisions go, I think it's a coach's job to experiment with things that might improve the team. Some things work, others don't.

Saint Arena's tactics in Mexico City were a dismal failure. He tried something that just didn't pan out. Surely we can give Nowak some leeway to experiment too.

[bigredfutbol]

Sure, it can be both. I just didn't think you could fairly read his comments as saying "You're right, I suck" If Nowak is getting comfortable enough to say "I screwed up" that's a good sign in my book.

So far as questionable decisions go, I think it's a coach's job to experiment with things that might improve the team. Some things work, others don't.

Saint Arena's tactics in Mexico City were a dismal failure. He tried something that just didn't pan out. Surely we can give Nowak some leeway to experiment too.

I completely agree.

[Pints]

Funny how some have had a problem with Nowak for not being "flexible", he gets flexible and simply tries out some new positioning for players (that who knows? maybe performed well during a practice situation) during the early part of a long season, and now people are askign him NOT to change or be flexible? Nowak didn't lose that game, DC United did. The mistakes which were made that led to Colorado scoring two goals, subsequently making us lose that game, had little to nothing to do with new or different positioning.

[bigredfutbol]

Funny how some have had a problem with Nowak for not being "flexible", he gets flexible and simply tries out some new positioning for players (that who knows? maybe performed well during a practice situation) during the early part of a long season, and now people are askign him NOT to change or be flexible? Nowak didn't lose that game, DC United did. The mistakes which were made that led to Colorado scoring two goals, subsequently making us lose that game, had little to nothing to do with new or different positioning.

I'm thrilled to see Nowak showing some flexibility, and I don't think Erpen's idiotic tackle in the box had anything to do with 3-5-2 Vs. 4-3-3. I do question Nowak's judgement on substitutions, which IMHO have not been effective or realistic. But that's just me.

[ursula]

Why not? It's a long season. Why not use a road match to do a little experimentation w/ positioning, etc.

Because it takes away the momentum that was happening as several of the players were just getting comfortable in their positions. Erpen, Adu, Eskandarian, Carroll, Namoff, Gros, Walker, Boswell: these guys aren't buttons you push to perform. They all have a comfort zone and you can't just move them in and out of it from game to game. Their play is guaranteed to suffer in the long run. In Colorado the team was already coping with the more sudden then expected loss of their early season MVP (Olsen) and his sub (Simms). Why screw with the team more then necessary? It hasn't yet hit it's stride but it was improving. Nowak overcoached that game and it showed.

You are right- it's just an early season game on the road in a hard place to play. But I'm not calling for Peter's head or freaking out or anything. In fact I agree with bigredfutbol in that Peter's partially deflecting criticism from the players. Still it's good that Peter publicly takes responsibility as we all know he intensely critiques each and every game including how he performs. That he can answer a tough question with a straight answer is great IMO.

[GoDC]

Why not? It's a long season. Why not use a road match to do a little experimentation w/ positioning, etc.

OK but when they fail then I can complain.

Just like people can complain about Erpen when he goes into a bad tackle, or Gros when he puts a cross into the seats behind the goal, or Jaime when he does something wrong or ... My opinion of that game was we never looked good. We almost got a break when a ball deflected to Walker and he put a good shot on goal. We did get a break when Gomez scored a goal from an offside position. Gomez put in one good free kick. Other than that we were well below our play of other games this year.

[MattMathai]

Because it takes away the momentum that was happening as several of the players were just getting comfortable in their positions. Erpen, Adu, Eskandarian, Carroll, Namoff, Gros, Walker, Boswell: these guys aren't buttons you push to perform. They all have a comfort zone and you can't just move them in and out of it from game to game. Their play is guaranteed to suffer in the long run.

I disagree. I think that discomfort could be a short-term result of the turmoil. In the long run they could become comfortable with playing in multiple positions, and that would make us nearly invincible. I look at road games as the ideal place to experiment. And it isn't as though we're scrambling for points yet. We're off to a good start and players' confidence is high.

In Colorado the team was already coping with the more sudden then expected loss of their early season MVP (Olsen) and his sub (Simms). Why screw with the team more then necessary? It hasn't yet hit it's stride but it was improving. Nowak overcoached that game and it showed.

On the other hand, Nowak was lambasted last year for not experimenting enough. It has to be done some time.

[MattMathai]

OK but when they fail then I can complain.

That's in your fan contract, isn't it? It's definitely on mine.

My opinion of that game was we never looked good. We almost got a break when a ball deflected to Walker and he put a good shot on goal. We did get a break when Gomez scored a goal from an offside position. Gomez put in one good free kick. Other than that we were well below our play of other games this year.

Fair enough. That doesn't suddenly make us a bad team, or give us cause to panic.