Crew @ NY/NJ Harrisonbulls :: ECS :: Leg 2 :: 11 Nov 18

Yeah, this one is screamingly obvious. So many attacks were strangled in the crib by a complete lack of pace.

 

Physically slow and mentally slow. It's a rough combination. The kind of combination that leads players to "look for contact" and hope the referee will bail them out.

 

And yet remain unwilling to play the game as it's being called and not how they wish it to be called!

 

Tough night guys. Teamwork, heart and hustle was big for you but I think depth was the difference in the this RBNY fans eyes. Great run, good season and glad you get to keep the team in Columbus.

 

No score goals? No win games.

When did Justin forget how to soccer?

 

Tricycle is busted and rusted.

 

That was a crap performance but with everything weve endured off the field and now mostly overcome....I'm not as phased by the loss and end of our season as I normally would be. The better team won. I've already moved on.

Bring on the offseason. Time to fix this team.

 

The better team won. ATL vs. the Redbulls is going to be a helleva eastern conference final series.

Disappointed, but this is nothing, nothing like last year when we lost to TFC and had no sense of whether we had any chance of keeping the club. I remember walking out of Mapfre that night - like many of you - wondering if I'd ever be in that stadium again.

Off season in MLS is usually so boring. But I can't wait to see what happens with us. Ran into a friend at Studio 35 last night, and talked about a group of us (predominantly season ticket holders who didn't go to a regular season game this year) getting a block of season tickets for next season. It's a bit unnerving to have no real sense of what kind of team we'll field, who'll be walking the sidelines, etc. But after this past year, that kind of vagueness seems almost comforting.

So, onto:

- the official ownership announcement and a few details re: the agreement.
- the inevitable coaching drama.
- the just as vital, but probably less visible, issue of the team's new FO.
- other unanticipatable intangibles, such as season ticket package options and pricing, sponsorship, how and whether new ownership leverages #STC and all the hard work done by that organization, any hints re: a new stadium or Mapfre maintenance/upgrades for next season, the Obetz lease and news about a longer term solution to needing a better training facility.

Finally, to Bill's point about some of us lobbying for roster continuity. Well, I do see in this roster a core of good to excellent players: the spine of Steffen, solid center backs, Trapp, Artur, Higuain and Zardes; and very much above average wide defenders in Valenzuela and Afful; I also really like Mullins as a player who'd have a hard time getting minutes in Gregg's system, but going forward, might play a more meaningful role. The younger guys who've not played that much? Sure, there's value for money in that group.

The problem with us all season (longer than that) has been our "attacking" midfielders. Replace Meram and Santos with better players, and you'd transform this team overnight. Of course, the other major issue is whether we can retain Steffen. Because we sure as hell can't replace him, and we're screwed without him.

Anyway, when Sigi and Gregg came in, we were a club that hadn't made the playoffs in recent years. Sigi, especially, completely rebuilt the roster (probably three times over) before getting the right combination of players. But whoever our next coach is, he won't be inheriting that kind of talentless mess. So, yeah, I'd love to see some continuity in the roster next season. I'd love to cheer on Steffen, Trapp, Valenzuela, Higuain, Zardes, Artur, even Sauro, Mensah and Afful. Focus on retaining a playoff worthy/tested core, commit to finding two dramatic upgrades for Meram and Santos, and I'd be pretty satisfied. At some point, soon, we need to replace Higuain, but I don't think that's job one right now.

 

It's gonna be an interesting off season to say the least. But I fear that next year is gonna be a transition year for many reasons.

First, if Berhalter is gone (which by all accounts he is) it's very rare that a new manager is able to turn over a roster completely in one year. The new manager will wish to see what he has and we'll likely be in the same boat, in that 4th - 8th range of the East, good enough to make the playoffs and provide a scare, but not good enough to win.

Second, sentimentality is gonna unfortunately win out. Several of these players who stuck out the trying year will be rewarded and allowed to stick around for a new beginning if they wish. This goes for guys like Trapp, Pipa, MerammSteffen, and guys who are a level below even them like Josh Williams and Harrison Afful.

But to answer your question, we probably just don't have any cup winners in our side except maybe Steffen. Zardes can lead the line and be that guy in the right system, but his best work is still miles off a 2015 Kei Kamara. Trapp is good player who will be 26 next season who has failed to lead US youth teams to the Olympics and will always be a complimentary piece (look at how Tyler Adams bossed that game last night at age 19 if you want to see a TRUE difference maker). Pipa, Meram, Mensah, these guys can win a game on their day, but the days are far to few anymore to really build around them going forward.

So we have a team next year in transition that is miles away from being a true MLS Cup contender. It not ideal, but given where we were in January, April, or even August I'll take it.

 

I do a double take every time I see someone list Harrison Afful as a key member of this team going forward.

 

Well, sure, replace him with someone better at some point. But as you said, a new coach can't simply waive his magic wand and conjure up an entirely new roster. Is Afful the reason why we're out of the playoffs? Put another way, I don't see how a dramatically better right back would solve our Meram/Santos problem.

Anyway, what are the odds our next coach employs a similar system to Berhalter's? Will Valenzuela and Afful be playing the same role under a new coach as they've played under Gregg? Who knows?

 

I get what you are saying. I just think that the fans attachment to Afful far exceeds what is deserved from his performance.

He's an outside back who is poor to average defensively, poor in possession, and every once in a while winds up with an assist on the scoresheet since our entire system is get it wide and huff in 25 crosses a game.

I get that the wingers have been bad. Harrison Afful is also bad.

 

Yep. The better team won. Hard to argue about that.

We just need more difference makers & we have only 1. And he is 34.

Still, the fact we are talking about what to do with the roster next year is a huge victory.

Fix the damn wingers should be the refrain. From the MLS PU salary page: Santos at $795k, Meram at $579k, Grella at $198k. That is $1.5 mil or so to find an impactful winger.

We could also use an Artur/Afful upgrade.

 

And I hate the way "letting them decide the game on the field" slides into rewarding dirty, dangerous play. And I hope nobody thinks this observation only applies to soccer.

 

I changed one word -- Changing some of the people around Afful would get us more bang for the buck.

 

And yet, there's that magical goal vs NYCFC last year, which is one reason he is loved....

I get your analysis, but he's not the main issue here.

 

My collection -

We lost to a good team, who played well, on their pitch.

Speaking of pitch, the hard, fast ground hurt the game - but I felt it cost us more significantly and on a number of key occasions.

NYRB is a very physical team and used it last night. With the loosening of calls during the playoffs, which I agree with BTW, our little, slight guys get snuffed out. I think this happens in basketball - a very small point guard can excel during the season, but suffocate under post season intensity.

On the officiating - as mentioned, I think the playoffs should be allowed to flow and with increased intensity. But the blatant, two arm hanging on Gyasi, over and over and over. What crap. There is no attempt to even disguise it. How are you supposed to be able to play like that? Also, overall refs not good to us last night.

In the end, we simply do not have the quality. Gregg gets absolutely the most he can out of this payroll. I've always wanted to see what he could do with elite talent. I had hoped it would be here, under an owner with deeper pockets. But I will enjoy seeing what happens with the Men.

Like the Crew, the USMNT has a comparative quality challenge. Gregg's system is an angle that helps offset that. He has competed for titles with sub-par quality. I think the system works, with one major concern. Will the national players have enough time together to learn this system and each other? This system takes time and familiarity. It is hard for a player to step into and be a working cog. It will be very interesting to see.

So as too keeping the Crew's roster - We won't want to watch this group under another coach - unless it is a protege - if that even exists. If so, I'd love to see this system under ownership that has enough money to buy a couple of wingers.

Oh, wingers, dam. Justin appeared to get his wish last night. He doesn't have to play soccer anymore this year. How he hates the game. He lounges around in utter despair, hoping he won't have to run after a ball or maybe get hurt. He plays like a broken man. I hope he finds his heart again. I seriously worry about him. A prayer out for him.

For the rest of the guys - what they lacked in physical ability, they more than made up for in heart and character. I will never forget this team. The gutty wins, the comebacks, playing with such heart. All while carrying the burden we all shared. But their burden was real. They carried it with grace, professionalism and love.

Love. Right back at ya guys! You were great! Thanks for a remarkable year of memories.

 

I disagree with every word that came out of your mouth.

 

I have to take exception to the meme about 'Berhalter's System' which gets tossed around in these parts.

Berhalter didn't invent that style of play. It's a style that you can see on your TV set every day of the week. Very common. Stay solid up the spine, play the game in the channels, force your backs up, drop your D Mid, serve to a target, rinse, lather, repeat.

Certainly every coach that plays this way has his quirks or tweaks, but those are dependent mostly on the personnel, not so much on personal preference.

And every player he gets into the national team will be more than familiar with it.

The difference is that he can get execution.

Point being, it's not the Berhalter System, a patented invention by Himself.

 

Oh, I said even more than I typed.

The Harrison Afful Experience is exhausting, unrewarding, and should end (along with several other unrewarding and exhausting experiences).

 

RSL might disagree as SKC's winning goal was on a bad PK call.

 

I, for one, am still really looking forward to MLS Cup this year.
In the expectation that we'll get some really good news on or around that date.