Hey everyone. Its been a couple of years since i posted as indytrojan. Had to create new account. Me and the kids still lovin our Dynamo. The reason i got back on is that report about the new Argentine mid was on MLSSOCCER.COM this morning but is gone now. So i didnt know if it was an error or not. Couldnt find the report on any other site. You guys have confirmed it is true which is what i was seeking. It hurts that the scouting report isnt so good tho. Remember yrs ago when we all got excited about every forward signed only to be let down? We need a central mid badly. Do you guys expect Wilmer to keep the 4-3-3 or switch to a 4-4-2 with a diamond or what?
Btw its good to see some familiar names on here. Juve and rea et all. We finally got a team here in Indianapolis but im ORANGE FOR LIFE.( Eisenhower class of 1980. ) Our Indy 11 sell out almost every game but the people voted down stadium funding so we are stuck in NASL until it folds or whatever happens. The quality is pretty good. We still go to Chicago and Columbus to see the Dynamo. So happy with Wilmers hiring and the additions of Qioto and Ellis. Glad Cubo is firing in goals. Worried about midfield tho. Thinking a 4-4-2 with Quioto left mid Ellis Right Martinez middle and Cabezas as dmid with Cubo and Manotas as forwards. But that puts Boniek Alex and Clark as subs. What do you guys say?
short response: too much of this team is built around a counter attacking 433 to change now and compete in 17.
I'm willing to give the young Argentinean a chance. Now, knowing the Dynamo, my expectations are low. This is likely the picture of Tomas Martinez:
What makes the team work at home right now is the 433 gimmick with speed wide. But, I think we could in theory start Quioto as a mid if he's the one left out. I do agree with the notion that the midfield is a little weak. I think the team agrees if it's signing Ward and potentially this Argentine. Your formation might be worth trying on the road where I think we need a more nuanced/ defensive approach. The 433 gimmick doesn't seem to work on the road. I am not enthused with Clark as a sub when we need a goal. I think he's a good idea milking a lead. I think we need more creative players chasing games.
Not sure why some people consider 4-3-3 a gimmick. It's just a tactical formation, and another tool for a manager
Maybe it was a premature report, maybe it's still under negotiation. Sometimes Mr. 10% leaks the deal to the press to create pressure to get things signed and finalized. McGinn was going to be coming here in the last few years and that didn't happen. I tend to find interesting the positions that the rumors would address -- ok, we're shopping for mids, backs, whatever -- but not count a transfer chicken until it's hatched, which is usually signified by an official team or league announcement. Second best is the Chronicle reports it since they don't dig much and would thus be fed things. Even then to me it's not done til they get visa'd and international transfer certificate and everything. Torres was supposedly lined up and then had the criminal accusations. Other players have been signed and traveled and be in camp and we're waiting on the certificate. The kid looked interesting but raw and one-footed. It would be a speculative pickup like Manotas. Maybe it pans out maybe not. One thing that had me skeptical was the claimed fee over a million euros (which would then multiply by a 1.something exchange rate for dollars). That doesn't sound like us nor does he look that sure a thing to spend that much on.
High pressure formation that leaves the wings vulnerable, fewer men back than a 442. That's a tool if you use it 20 minutes on a rough night after starting in something more conventional. It's a gimmick if it's most nights and for 90. With speed up top you will score a few, but also allow plenty because we stretch out, have few people back, and are pressing for the ball in a way contrary to conservative defense in depth. Diving in all over the place. Area behind the wings often open. Sound familiar? Playing this way, if you have the personnel, you would scare people sh*tless at home with unrelenting pressure in numbers, but be wide open for counters on the road. This is why I have advocated 442 or 451 on the road, is we're using a gimmick and if you want disciplined defense in numbers this is not the formation to do it. Teams that play this in Holland play to 4-3 type scores. Portland plays a similar way and is similarly schizophrenic between home and road. It's not very balanced and structured to play team defense. It's a way of upping goals at defensive risk. ie, a gimmick. Like playing the run n shoot in football. Those teams could run up points in a hurry but could not milk clock or control game flow. The formation has upsides and downsides and the downsides wouldn't go away even if the talent went up. The talent might cope better but you're always going to have counter and wing defense problems in this.
Portland, who plays much like us, one more GF, one more GA, same GD, 5-1-3 home, 2-6-2 road. Difference right now is they can occasionally win a road game (we have slipped to 5th, though that yoyos). Last season Portland had the third best home record in the league, 12-3-2, missed the playoffs with a worse road record than we had, 0-11-6. We are currently on a pace to allow 50+ goals, which will be a 5+ increase over last season if it's 50. I can't see Anibaba or Garcia handling this better so I think it's formational.
http://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/...-Dynamo-signing-news-in-surprise-11265344.php Taylor Hunter, this is your GM, we're calling because someone is getting their dream shot at the bigs. Could you pass the phone to Charlie? [phone flies out window, skips off 59 pavement, shatters apart] Hello? Hello?
There's a reason we got him - we won't pay more for better players so we have to take a flyer on a guy on who has been loaned out a few times. Tomas Martinez might not have the most exciting background, but we'll see how it goes (Manotas anyone?). There's a reason why we got him— Foxtrot (@DynamicFoxtrot) July 5, 2017
And let's everyone take a look at today's standings before we anoint Matt Jordan the Belichick of MLS. This franchise has fallen so far that we are celebrating a 7-7-4 record as a great achievement
It's moving in the right direction now. The last couple of seasons were not working for me, even when not losing, but I think that the Dynamo when playing good are entertaining in 2017. I prefer Matt Jordan over Dom at this point.
Someone had asked why T. Martinez wasn't officially signed yet. Maybe there is no deal, but the other explanation is if he's under contract the summer window runs July 10 - August 9. I find dubious that we shelled out a bunch of money on a raw, one footed midfield prospect. If we did that should raise questions about Jordan's sharpness. If ever there was an acquisition that should be a loan, this kid would be it. [Speaking of which, I am not throwing a parade for Jordan based on an expensive flurry before Xmas, in the broader context of the backline mess, Cabezas, the previous two years......at least one other thing to bear in mind is the age of this team and the loan status of a few starters makes any strides forward contingent in the next window......]
Jordan was at the helm from Nov. 2014 on. They helped create the mess that they are getting credit for pulling out of. I'll cut Jordan some slack for 2015 because of what he inherited but the 2015-2016 offseason was a disaster.
Other than some of his keeper selection decisions and trotting out V Sanchez when his sell-by date is long passed, I like what Cabrera has brought to this team and think the credit should go more to him than others.
Meh. He found a way to leverage Jordan's Xmas gift into home wins with a gimmick formation that doesn't work on the road. We have become an even worse road team somehow. If we break from the blocks well we win, but we have been come back on a few times, and shown little chops to either come back ourselves or adjust within a game. If we ever lose the home edge this will quickly drop below the line based on road form. The other x factor out there is if he supposedly wanted something besides a 433 and used this based on what he was handed, we can't really judge him "in concept." That can cut one of two ways, optimistic slack, or consideration of the possibility this accident turned out better than his plan. Subbing and tactical adjustment have never been a strong thing here, where we have often been a tactical one-note team even under Dom. But what concerns me on Cabrera is the bench is used ineffectively, and the tactical shifts rarely work. Meanwhile crap sides like MN or COL come out of the locker room at half and tear us to shreds. I think the team right now is more a figment of some interesting players than it is some well coached unit that plays well home and away, closes out its wins, and can adjust within games.
Few thoughts on Jordan/Cabrera triumphalism based on half a season. OK, one game past that half point, we're 3 points above the line in 5th in conference, a schizophrenic mess. In the process of missing players for most of July where it may only get worse. Then you have the analysis some have argued on here where they suggest not just schizo but schedule not in balance yet. I've argued that shouldn't knock us out but it should take us closer to the line. So, depending on the week or game, they're geniuses, or this might be borderline to make the playoffs. Either outcome should be discounted for three years watching (two of which Jordan owns), and in any case, to mix my metaphors, don't throw your parade before the chickens hatch. If Cabrera doesn't show some chops and knack with a weakened roster, we may be wrong side of the line until everyone gets back. He has stubbornly resisted finding an actually effective second team, running out his favorites as subs no matter what happens, so who knows what July is going to be. I'd like to believe we'd get our act back together in August but this is an odd team depending heavily on being unshakeable at home, without dramatic reinforcements coming in stage left. I think what disturbed me was seeing how Portland finished last season, and that the difference between us and Colorado is really a few home results. And all that's setting aside that a team that loses by 2 road goals routinely -- and I mean eerily routinely -- is going to have playoff struggles, particularly if it doesn't secure a high seed.
I'm waiting for the Matt Jordan quote about how we want the right fit so we only take potential signees out to walkup counter establishments Dynamo rolling out the big bucks impressing the new signing with Salata https://t.co/VEB9wNtp9Z— Dwain (@dcapodice) July 6, 2017 Honestly, the Houston Dynamo treating a potential new signing to Salata seems like a very, very Dynamo move.— Dwain (@dcapodice) July 6, 2017