I don't hate Chicago as a city. I don't care about Chicago as a city, save perhaps to pity the Cubs. We need the points. NO MERCY. Don't know who on DCU is going to play defense, but either way, we need all 3 points.
I just looked. This game pretty much is the season. Orlando plays at home vs. the Crew. We lose this and we're all but toast. POTF! http://www.sportsclubstats.com/USA/MLS.html
Hamid, Kemp, Birnbaum, Boswell, Mishu, Sarvas, Nyarko, Vincent, Acosta, Sam, Mullins Interesting tha Vincent keeps Neagle and De Leon on the bench. I'm also not super thrilled about Mishu at right back. Seems like a perfect opportunity to put De Leon in that position.
Can we all agree that Luke Mishu is not an MLS quality defender. He was pathetically late coming out on Cocis for the first goal -- although that was a great corner, driven ball that only required a deflection -- but Cocis was unmarked. I keep hearing the announcers mention Mishu's name, but I never hear the words "buen jugador" immediately thereafter. The second goal is on Hamid -- so soft it had "Mr. Softee" written on it -- pretty much down the middle and he was pathetically late in reacting. This is what, his third game in a row, where he had surrendered at least 2 goals. Either he's still injured, or he's regressed horribly. DCU still can come back. Chicago is awful, Johnson is a train wreck. There are more goals in this game -- the question is who gets them?
Way to burn a sub for no tactical gain. Could have just started De Leon in the beginning and we'd still have 3 attacking subs we could start using ...
********, if this keeps up, my doctor will have to change my meds. A game they couldn't lose, but they didn't win. Quick takeaways. I took 55 minutes for Ben to figure out what most of us already had, NDL should be at right back and Mishu should be the emergency sub after the last drunken fan in the Barra has been used. Lloyd Sam should not start, he's a sub -- maybe. No defense, no real ideas on offense. Neagle is more direct, faster and quicker of thought, end of story. Nyarko was poor again -- two games in a row. Easily dispossessed and held the ball far too long. Hamid just isn't right -- must be carrying an injury. Igbo will be on milk cartons soon.
We have got to find some better fullbacks this off season. Kemp can't defend, at all! He's always out of position and not fast enough to makeup for all his mistakes. He hasn't gotten any better at reading the game and anticipating, since arriving in MLS either. Korb isn't any better when he's healthy. Franklin can actually defend, but is pretty much useless when going forward. Mishu doesn't look all that promising, but it is too early to write him off. We've strengthened both the midfield and forward line this year, and the FBs are a glaring weakness.
If I made my wife wait that long before sticking it in we'd be divorced. Seriously, the Fire goal was spread wide open the last 20 minutes, just begging for it. Despite two goals, impotence is the only way to describe that offensive performance. Those last 20-25 minutes were some weird professional soccer. It looked like the second half of an over 40 coaches league game. Players spread all over the field, no one could run, and no one on Chicago wanted to play defense. Chicago's first goal was well earned - a well placed and well head near post corner. On the second, someday (was it Boswell?) got completely burned by a guy dribbling to his strong foot. Bad indiviudal defending and no team help. Agree that Sam was poor. And it was the second poor game in a row by Nyarko, although his great play most of the season warrants some patience. Now it's nail biting time, with Orlando playing a weak Columbus team and Montreal and New England squaring off.
Yes, Nicky came in for Mishu, but it wasn't clear to me that he was playing right back. I think we went three in the back most of the time after his entry.
Unless his throw in can lead to a tying goal. But yes, we definitely should have started this game. He should start all games until Franklin in healthy.
Some reflections just back from watching with BB Thought it was Acosta's worst game of the season. Agreed that Sam looked pedestrian and uncreative. Mishu blows. And nobody seems to have any spark. They played like they'd just flown in from Myanmar - exhausted from early on. They are capable of so much more. The FO doesn't care, Olsen is in full Jeremiah Johnson mode. And they just tied a must win. I love my team. Is it so much to expect live in return?