Game: FC Dallas vs New England Revolution Date: Saturday, March 2nd Time: 3:30 PM [CST] Location: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas, United States of America Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy; H 46, L 31 Competition: Major League Soccer Live TV: KTXA-21 [DFW] | KAMR-4.2 [Amarillo] | KMYL-22.2 [Lubbock] | KFXK-51.2 [Tyler] | KFDX-28.2 (KJBO) [Wichita Falls] | WRDQ-21 [Orlando] | ESPN+ [Out of Market] Radio: FCDallas.com/radio [English] | KFLC 1270 AM La Voz del Pueblo [Spanish]
High of 49. This will be one game where we'll be happy to sit on the sunny side of the stadium. Maybe this will be the start of Robert Kraft's six game suspension, where he has to actually go to six Revs games. (credit to a commenter on Soccer America)
Correction. Forgot the Waco station and, unfortunately for any FCD fans in Orlando, there is no local TV of this game. Copy/paste error.
Quick knee jerk reaction: The Bryan Acosta Experiment is a failure. Thoughts of comfort: The more things change the more they stay the same. I think I can see this team being very consistent in the production of disappointment.
Disagree about Acosta. Thought he was good, especially for only having been with the team for a short time. What I thought has the potential to be a bit of a failure is trying to play the ball out of the back. Some teams and some players can do it, but I'm not sure that FCD can, since I don't think that our backline players are good enough with the ball at their feet. NYCFC tried to play that way under Vieira, and it always got them killed by NYRB and other teams that play a high press. When FCD started playing more directly out of the back after the New England goal, they started having more joy moving the ball forward.
For now I'm ok with them doing that as they need a chance to improve at it. As for Acosta I thought he was bit off on his crosses and shots. If he was a bit tighter on those the game would have been very different. I also wonder how much time they spent on scoring, on movement in the box. A player I'm meh on is Hayes. He's all over the place but as soon as Pomykol came on the team looked more dynamic. So I kind of figure it will take at least a third of the season to gell and hopefully after that they make a Seattle / Portland run. They key now is not to get too far behind while learning the ropes.
Thought Acosta was one of our brightest out there, don't know what ivan was watching. Yes, his shot at the end (instead of the easy lay off) was frustrating but he was a real spark in the middle of the park. As for the match, it was a frustrating one. Like I've said before, my expectations aren't very high with this season because of the circumstance. However, we were bossing the game well in the first half and deserved our lead. Late in the 1st half and through most of the 2nd, we got flat real fast. Probably from NE's high press system (we've gotta be quicker) and our poor passing out of the back. A lot to review on the tapes and a lot for Luchi to digest. Besides that, not too bothered by the result. Many more like this to come this season.
as soon as it get warm, Luchi will have to adjust the system. the amount of running the midfield three did last night was exhausting just to watch. this is a massive rebuild project and the 2019 season is going to test a lot of people's patience. just get used to that right now, if you haven't already. If you get to a point where you're feeling let down remember the following: brand new, attacking minded formation youngest roster in MLS a head coach that has never led pro players If i'd given you that list about an anonymous MLS side and asked you to predict their season, you'd almost have to go with "struggle". So, don't be surprised when this season is just that. Anything different would be a wonderful break from sports normalcy.
Man, NE is the handsiest team I've ever seen. So much clutching and grabbing. I thought Acosta looked pretty good, especially for his first real game with FCD. He was often in good spots. Made some nice passes. Thought it was odd for him to be the mid going forward toward the end of the game. Disappointed in Pomykal late. Seemed like NE's grabbing and bumping knocked him off his game. I liked Luchi's subs - both attack minded instead of just trying to preserve the draw. I thought we should have done more to exploit our speed advantage against NE's back line (as we did on Barrios' goal). Needed more movement by the forwards. When the forwards made runs, they needed to get the ball more instead of having the back line knock it around with Jesse. I thought Hollingshead was an upgrade over Pedroso at left back- more attacking ability in exchange for a little less defending prowess.
Handsy is an MLS thing and an even more CONCACAF thing. Shouldn't be allowed where a player or team gets a significant advantage. It is also one of the negative defensive tactics that brings out the corresponding diving type tactics from those fouled.
Coaches around the league must be salivating. FCD is the flappy little baby sea turtle trying to make it to safety.