I don't think you can look at our center backs and say "why did we sign Mensah when we already signed Crognale" because if Gregg's answer to our center back woes of last year was to bring in a rookie and expect him to lead our backline, the Fire Berhalter thread would have even more than 49 pages. I don't think anyone expected Crognale to come in as a rookie and be as good as he has been- he has been a bigger surprise than Mensah a disappointment.
I'm going to let you in on a secret. MLS is a low level league. Players at Steffen's age make those mistakes but his ability and upside outweigh his blunders during this learning curve. I won't be surprised if he leaves the league sooner rather than later and I'm damn glad he's here.
I dunno, based on your description that sounds like it really should have been a red and probably added suspension. Deliberately, and premeditatedly, targeting a player off the ball, from behind, should be dealt with harshly. Unless Bradley didn't do anything and Meram took a dive.
The ref was quick with a card. He knew as soon as he saw it that it was Bradley looking for "afters" following the little chat they had
Personally, I really like Artur as well. But I figured out his limitation this past Saturday and why he's in MLS... he's completely one footed. Avoided using his left at all costs. If he works at being more two footed, he could go places. I think we saw from this game why Gregg likes Pipa so much. I understand we all get frustrated with how much Pipa slows the game down at times, but that's how Gregg wants to play. He wants to play possession. Plus, that pass Pipa made on the first goal was superb. It may not have looked like much but it was a difficult angle to get by the defender and meet Nico(?) in stride. I do really like what Meram has done the last 2-3 years. He's my current team MVP. 5 years ago, I never would have expected that. I'm curious if he would have gotten to this point had he not been getting what I feel was undeserved playing time for the prior 5 years. I was only able to watch the first half and a few bits and pieces of the second. Toronto really looked the better team in the first half at least. I'm not sure if the take away is that this team can win even when they don't play that great, or if is that we're still a step behind the top tier of MLS teams.
With regards to attendance, The Crew always start slow in the spring and attendance rises in late Summer. I'd be curious how this season compares to the last few at this point in the season. I wish that weren't the case, but at the same time, I don't go to many games anymore due to family constraints. So I'm part of the problem. Of course, I also don't want it to become so popular that it becomes cost prohibitive either.
Attendance is always poor until school is out. Everyone I talk to with kids say it is just too busy throughout the weekend and the week to haul kids to a game. Also I don't have the data but I suspect that games on the Easter weekend are even lower. Unfortunately the Crew don't have a lot of weekend games this summer which is when they could really sell out. And the summer games don't look that exciting right now. I predict the first sell out to be July 1st, Atlanta game. Over 14k for Toronto, Seattle and Montreal but that is just a guess.
I guess my comeback would be, just what kind of things would you expect to see Crognale do that he's not been doing? The past couple of games he's been up on all set pieces. The 75th minute length of the field sprint to save a goal that Jaybir mentions is due to that. As is his assist on Meram's goal. He's played terrifically as center back; passes well; gets up into the attack on set pieces. Doesn't seem like playing it simple, no risks, to me. More like just doing a really good job playing center back. I did hear him talk about Gregg's advice before his first match, to stay on his feet. I guess that's keeping it simple. But it also seems like a good thing for all defenders to remember (Frankie, I'm looking at you). That said, Crognale had a nice saving slide tackle this Saturday, too.
He hoofs it. None of the other defenders do. I'm not talking elegant long balls to switch the play but full on hoof the ball up the field when under a bit of pressure. Again I would prefer him to do that than try to play out under pressure.
Crognale has a pedigree. I mean this wasn't a guy that came in from Southern Mississippi Culinary Institute. Everybody knew that he had a pedigree and should be able to be a contributor to the team. Beyond that, nobody expected when he was signed to "lead" the back line. Despite last year's abject failure on every front, a silver lining was the acquisition of Naess and how quickly and how well he adapted. Naess was penciled in as a starter in central defense. Afful as an outside back. Gregg brought in Raitala and (admittedly late in the offseason) brought in Josh Williams. You also had Waylon Francis, of course. In front of the back four you had golden boy Wil Trapp and new acquisitions Artur and Abu (and Tchani before his trade). That is a ton of experience and talent to be placed alongside, in front of, and training with a young center back. That's exactly the kind of scenario you want a young center back to be coming into. Did people expect Crognale to be near MOTM quality out there the majority of his time. Probably not. Given his pedigree and the players around him do you need to purchase a DP center back and possibly stunt the development of one of your best young players? Absolutely not. The Mensah signing was a splash signing to say, look at what we did. It was a signing more made out of panic and for publicity than any coherent long term plan. Mensah may yet prove to be a somewhat capable MLS player. Given MLS salary constraints combined with how much we know that Precourt will go above and beyond it was a strange allocation of resources that looks stranger nearly every minute that Crognale is on the field.
Oh, BTW - If Bradley and Altidore are expected to be significant contributors in Russia, we are doomed.
That's what I thought been then there is another view. GB knew how pathetic our back line was last year he didn't want to destroy the young mans confidence by throwing him to the wolves.
C'mon now. NCAA pedigree doesn't really mean a ton. Ryan Finley, Jason Garey, and Andy Iro had an NCAA pedigree. No team should count on a rookie before the season to be a big part of the team. You'd love for them to contribute at some level, but there is almost always a learning curve. Crognale was signed on 12/20. Williams was picked up in the re-entry draft 12/22. If our solution to losing Parkhurst (who is now starting above Miles Robinson, who had a more impressive NCAA resume than Crognale) was simply to play Crognale and Williams, I'd have been disappointed. So we signed Mensah the first week of January so we weren't beginning 2017 with a worse center back pairing than we had in 2016. Luckily, Crognale has worked out better than we could've reasonably hoped thus far and I hope he continues to start for the time being. Also worth noting that the last time we had a high-earning center back sitting on the bench, we made the final.
I thought Bradley played well. And Altidore did score on Saturday. That said, I do not have high hopes for Russia. If we get there.
I thought yellow was fair and that a red would be harsh and had it been someone without a rep like Bradley they may have unfair Hopefully that's not what she said
IMO - Both of them show their age. In his prime, Altidore was spectacular when he turned on. A bull of a man with great skill. He has the strength to use his hands and body nonchalantly, but invisibly delivering force. The slightest hand touch from that man, and you are disrupted. But even then, he turned on selectively. Now though, he will be easily snuffed out now by formidable world class defenders. Bradley is also past his peak and our younger faster players were beating him - especially late. And he has proven that he cannot hold the ball at the highest level.
Question why can't we just send a group of Jahn, Abubukar, Jimenez, Martinez, Duka (know has been injured, but not playing anyway) to Riverhounds for an extended period and just have the 18. Recall if needed as an 18 or because of injury. But, figure playing anywhere is better than nothing. We had one Crew player play for them this weekend for 20 minutes. It's 2 hours away. Better to get minutes, come back when needed I think.
Yeah. Thought he might be better than okay and all as a Brazilian. But, now get Berhalter's obsession with signing one over the last two years. Guy is excellent. Love his funky behind the back, backheel passes all over the field. This guy isn't just alright. At 21, I think he has a bit of a future.