Fine, fine, you Nguyen. (edit: omg I get it now, Angry-Lee how did I not... this is why I don't post often! )
Skipping a few words changes the whole meaning. Two main things I notice defensively: - we seem to be more aggressive in trying to win the ball back quickly when losing possession (a very good thing IMO) - we defend well most of the time, but have way too many moments of chaos. Maybe the scrambling moments are just the growing pains of needing more time as a unit and developing more cohesion, but ... at the moment it's pretty scary (and against better teams/strikers, we'd be punished more). And, another thing - Friedel has got to teach Cropper to defend a breakaway without giving up a pk (and likely a red card during the regular season). Saturday's foul was particularly frustrating as it looked like he'd forced the play wide and was still in decent position. Stretching out for the ball in that situation makes it too easy for the forward to run across the outstretched arm and go down.
I'm of two minds on the opening game in Philly next week. While if there ever was an away game we would have a decent chance of winning, this would be it. A weaker team who is in their own sense of disarray. On the other hand, we are a notoriously slow starter, and usually end up losing a few games before things get in gear. You know, the games don't count until May, and certainly not in March. So why waste an early season game on a fixture we would have a decent chance with if it was in July? If we're gonna get whupped, might as well get whupped by a team who's going to whup is no matter what time of year! But is this year the time it's all going to be different? Lucy get out that football!
Call me a fool but I think at least Friedel has this team in a much tougher mental state. All this means is -I guess- that a victory, a loss, or a tie would not surprize me but at lease I'm sensing that defeating the Rev's won't be as easy as before.
One of the things that came out of the MLS podcast season preview was: Fagundez got hurt in that Houston game. Anyone else hear that or any news?
If its true, and he can't go on Saturday....... good think Friedel can dress Vang. In a small way I hope Diego can't go and the blunder of not getting Lee ready to play bites Friedel in the butt.
I wonder whose butt really needs the bitemarks. Who really drove/is still driving the decision to keep Lee out of the mix - only Friedel (showing he is in charge)? or Burns (more pennywise pound foolish contract/personnel mgmt hardball)? Bilello?; Jon Kraft (no one holds out on me, dammit!)? Or some combination/permutation of them? Who the hell knows...
I think there are only 2 realistic possibilities: - It's in Friedel's court - Revs management has agreed to move him and they've mutually agreed to have him sit out because of potential injury concerns. If anyone on the Revs made him sit for punitive reasons, they'd be opening themselves wide open to a grievance and potential lawsuit. I also don't think there's any reason to suspect that level of vindictiveness (Nguyen could have caused far more problems if he'd gone to the media - he and his agent have clearly not been willing to go to that level). He decided to hold out, they felt he shouldn't and, given the pressure of his contract, he relented. It's not that big a deal.
I hope for all the fans sake that it's "B"; they plan on trading him. If it's "A" we are all in trouble. If the new coach comes in and pulls the "hard-ass" approach to the team, we will never have a quality team in NE. The Revs already have a poor reputation amongst the players. Adding a coach to the list as a hard-ass, who wants to make sure you know who's in charge is not good for attracting players. IMHO there is a big difference between being a demanding coach, I expect your best; and being a hard-ass, I'm going to jerk you around because I can. What worries me from Friedel's comments is that it's "A".
I think players like results - if his approach works, most of them will like it (exhibit A, Bill Belichick). A few players have made comments in interviews that imply that there hasn't been enough discipline and accountability, so I think they may be more open to it than we think. They can't be happy with the way things have been heading downhill the last two seasons, so they should be ready to buy into a new approach. And, I think Steve Nicol ever left any doubt as to who was in charge (I don't know for sure, but I've always suspected that Sinovic was one who questioned it). If, as many suspect, that JJ was in effect, a co-coach, that would have worked to undermine Heaps' authority once Jones was gone. I also think that most MLS players dream about going to Europe at some point, whether it's realistic or not for them. That being the case, they would probably appreciate the intro to a Euro-style coach. Friedel's got an impressive pedigree and he's got first-hand knowledge of European and American players.
Luckily this is the area of the field where we're deepest. Rowe as #10 behind Penilla, Agudelo and Nemeth can still get plenty of goals.
We may be deep in some ways but I've watched the preseason streams and none of them is much on creating. Our offense was weak. Of course Agudelo and Nemeth have just started to play again. I was beginning to wonder about this but if that's true, why bother flying him to Az? I did see him milling around after the game, in uniform, so he was on the bench. If he was going, I dont see either of these things happening. I would think they'd keep him away from the team.
I am 95% behind the player on this but what if Lee has reported but isn't giving good effort? I hope that isn't the case but that would also explain why he isn't playing
I read somewhere today that he was putting in a good effort at practice but now I can't find it again to give the source.
According to MLS.com the Fire are still interested. Seems like it would be in everyone's best interest to trade him
Some comments from Tierney: “We need to concede far fewer goals this season, that’s something that Brad has impressed on us since he started and I’m happy we’re going in knowing that it’s just not acceptable to be giving up so many,” added Tierney, whose team opens the season at Philadelphia on Saturday. “There’s been a focus on fitness since day one. I think you’ll see a different team this year, one that’s very difficult to play against.”
Umm ... what now? You didn't know it last year? Please tell me this is just a lost in translation quote, because that's f'in dumb.