Top Dribblers of the Week: Feilhaber: 3/3 dribbles Arriola: 3/3 dribbles Hollingshead: 3/3 dribbles Agudelo: 3/4 DeLeon: 3/5 dribbles
Top Defensive incidents + Recoveries* (for example, Jacori Hayes had a combination of recoveries, tackles**, int, clearances--all adding up to '10'.) 10: Bye Hayes Marshall 11: Anibaba Besler Lennon Nagbe Ulloa Villafana 12: Arriola Long McCarty Serna Valentin Zimmerman 13: Bunbury Opara Hagglund Birnbaum 14: D.Acosta Castillo O'Neill Sinovic Trapp Trusty 15: Duncan Feilhaber Herrera 16: Cannon Nerwinski Sands 17: Canouse Parkhurst Zusi 18: Morrow 20: Hollingshead Robinson * source = mlssoccer boxscore ** i didn't include 'lost tackles'
A lot of this appears to 'games effects' related. For example, teammates Robinson and Parkhurst are there. So are FCD's fullbacks, Hollingshead and Cannon. And DC's Birnbaum and Canouse. Judging from the CCL matches and the first league match, Nagbe's numbers appear to have picked up significantly when compared to last year's. Game effects or contract year? Hope he brings it to the NT. The Bald Eagle didn't make the list. He usually among the league leaders in recoveries, which make up the bulk of the numbers. Perhaps, this heralds a new role him with both, TFC and the US. I'm not advocating he be a starter or even be in the 23. It's good to see so many younger players on the list. Consistently getting on the ball is typically one of the hardest aspects of the game to master.
Mihailovic and Sapong start for Chicago. However, coming off a MOTM performance for Orlando, Chris Mueller doesn't because they acquired a DP in Nani and are married to a 2 fw line that they don't play with a diamond or 2 wings (Mueller can play a lot of positions).
Mihailovic deserved an assist there already in the first couple of minutes. Got in behind the d and rolled it across for the tap-in but Nikolic stepped over the ball amid a little pressure from behind. The pass was perfectly placed. Really astonishing miss. Last week he played a sweet thru ball and just a slow reaction prevented a would-be assist also.
Nikolic missed another one too lol. Like what I have seen of Djorde, but with that being said there hasn't been too much to see.
Yeah, it was another bad one. Slide it across the keeper, give yourself a chance. Should be 2-0. He also skies a volley. Their finishing this year has been poor. In addition to the should-be assist, very nifty passing and footwork to retain possession for Chicago up high so far.
Man, Orlando with their late game collapses. Extend their road winless streak to 15, after a lofted ball into the box at the death finds Sapong who snap heads it home to draw level in spite of being down a man. Sapong was already having a solid match. I think he should at least still be in the conversation for Gold Cup and early qualifiers. Serves Orlando right for not playing to put the game away earlier and leaving Mueller on the bench from the start. In a short period he created a couple chances on a peel off and lead pass to Dwyer who was in behind but got it caught in his feet and then didn't play it back to Mueller. Also beat his man down the field and shoulder charged him off the ball but Acosta got in his way. After the should have been early assist, and nifty play by Mihailovic, he was quiet the rest of the match before being subbed out when the Fire went down a man in the 2nd half.
Very experimental lineup for Galaxy's match today on Univision. Features a return from Lletget, as well as the debut of Joe Beer. Also as options off the bench for the visitors are Alvarez, Zubak, Cuello, and Araujo. No surprises for the home side, as they'll be employing Cannon, Hollingshead, Pomykal, Gonzalez, and Hedges. Pretty interest match from a USNT fan perspective.
Very Latin flavor for Galaxy, I like it. A lot of USMNT players/prospect to see. Will be fun to watch
Zardes finishes off the Revs with a cool finish on the breakaway. That's a brace for him. He's going to be starting in a couple weeks, whether you like it or not (I still don't).
GOOD LORD that finishing from Badji. How long until Ferreira starts? Pomykal has looked solid he has made some sharp passes.
Hot damn Efra ¡¡ERA UN GOLAZOOO DEL CHAMACO!! Efrain Alvarez con un riflazo y Jesse Gonzalez le niega la anotación.@FCDallas 2-0 @LAGalaxy Disfruta el partido EN VIVO 👉 https://t.co/jMVGUQ8FZB pic.twitter.com/MUvxgxhh3L— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) March 9, 2019
Pomykal had an excellent assist. Alvarez almost scared a golazo but Gonzalez made just as impressive save.
Nothing I've seen so far dissuades me from the proposition that deeBoar should trade Nagbe to Columbus for Trapp. Porter has to be waiting in Columbus for Nagbe with open arms.
Morris seems to have spent his year re-habbing while completing a "great courses" study in soccer. Kellyn Acosta doing his best to make use of those 23 caps with the USMNT but it seems that Roldan is bossing him in the midfield. Aaaannnnnndddd as I write that, Acosta is subbed out for Shinyasaki. the good news is that Roldan now has a couple of starts with USMNT. Hallelujah.
Watching the replay of NE v. Crew - yipes, what a header from El Burro. That is some sweet stuff and vindicates Excellency's rating of El Burro as top shelf USSoccer choice.
Trapp looks better playing for Porter than Berhalter. I always felt Berhalter was retarding his progress and have said so on these boards. Excellency tip for Trapp: When you go up 1-0, don't let your foot drift wide, bring it in and put the hammer down.
Aaron Herrera was motm for Real Salt Lake tonite in their victory over Vancouver. He played for our u20's but was pulled by Tab at right back in favor of Justen Glad which meant that EPB had to move back to lcb instead of continuing at dmid where he had shined for the team. That meant we lost to Venezuela and were eliminated. Glad is now on the bench for Salt Lake. I didn't see the game toinite but are we missing something here?
Agree, watched RSL and enjoyed their play. Herrera really impressed me playing LB. I will continue to watch Dallas and RSL for the young MNT prospects
Thanks, I will keep that in mind while following RSL. Perhaps, he is a late bloomer? If I look to the next few years here is a short list of LB's I hope will keep improving: Dest, Gloster, Glad, Bello, Acosta, Herrerra, de la Fuente, Robinson, and more
Paxton is playing as a #8. Kind of a free #8 role. He was EVERYWHERE. Named Man of the Match by multiple outlets. People are still looking for him to be a little bit more adventurous in the attacking 3rd as he has a lot of ability there. If people are looking for a 2019 breakout teenager in MLS it very well might be Paxton Pomykal. Could be at the January USMNT camp like Mihailovic was last season. Will certainly be with the US U20 World Cup team. [Worth noting that this game featured 5 US-eligible players 20 years old or younger. Pomykal, Cannon, and Edwin Cerrillo for FCD. Efrain Alvarez and Ethan Zubak for the Galaxy. Efra had a wonderful play in the 2nd half that required a great save by Jesse Gonzalez.] 1104515505652666368 is not a valid tweet id Paxton Pomykal Man of the Match for me. pic.twitter.com/cak5dZ37U6— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) March 9, 2019