DCU vs Barney SC

As I've said after past games, dude has no final product. He's 2018 Robbie Findlay. Fast, but very limited in an offensive context. At one point early in the game he set up shop in Orlando's half and showed no sign of coming back. I wanted to vomit. For the number of crossing opportunities the guy has had you would think he's have more than 0 assists. Zero. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. The other side of the field has been an offensive dead zone from the fullback spot. Mora is as tentative with the ball at his feet across midfield as Deleon. I did think it was interesting (logical too) that when Fisher came off, Arriola shifted back and then Zoltan when Mora came off.

I'd like to see us force the issue with our inside talent with Lucho, Arriola and finding a way to get Durkin on the field with Canouse some how. Canouse is so much stronger defensively than Durkin, but Durkin with the ball at his feet and his ability to pass seems a lot stronger.

 

But again

If they force our hand to use Fischer, why not cross the ball or *gasp* use his speed to run defenders toward their goal?

 

That's exactly why defenses are funneling towards the wing, and particularly on the right. Any cross likely means the attack dies, and in cases where it doesn't, DCU's forwards (minus Mattocks) aren't tall or adept enough in the air to finish things off.

For better or for worse, this is a team that tends to create more dangerous chances when the ball stays closer to the ground.

 

Because Mora is a disaster offensively and both Stieber and Asad drift inside too much leaving Fisher as the sole outside option. There were times last night that Arriola drifted outside to give the attack some width. Add to this that except for Acosta and Rooney, everyone else out there wants to walk the ball into the net instead of shooting. I can't begin to remember the number of times either Asad or Stieber had a look and just kept dribbling or looking around for the "killer" pass. Also, from last season, Canouse has a cannon of a shot, a few long range bombs from him would loosen up the opposition as well.

 

To his credit, Fisher had a blistering shot in the 61st (?) minute from outside the box that didn't miss by much. So if he's going to cross, I'd rather he send the ball low and hard with no real target than in the air to a teammate. Maybe he gets a lucky bounce that goes out for a corner, somehow causes chaos in the box, or even better.

 

Well, it was entertaining. I am still not a big fan of AF, but I saw the goal of the year in person. A couple of negative comments. Birdbrain had a terrible night - own goal, got beat for another goal, yellow card - and he is our best center back. Fisher and Mora had good games, for them, but maybe Orlando didn't have anyone good to challenge them. (Apparently they suck.)

We had our best 11 out there to start, but the drop off is really steep after that. Desperate for a goal, the best option for our second offensive substitution was Segura? Please. And the defense is still terrible (when I said best 11, I didn't mean they are all good). There is a lot of talent out there compared to years past, but they need to figure out how to play together to make it work. And I guess they need to figure it out for themselves, because the coaching staff is not going to figure it out for them.

And I still hate VAR. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised with how the VAR worked out in the WC. But the way MLS is using it is awful. It is used too often and the delays are too long - they are turning this into the NFL, just as I feared. The game is less beautiful.

Not much else to be said that hasn't already been said.

Condolences, Shawn.

 

That would have only been a yellow, and VAR is only for reds. And see? This stuff is going to lead to a call for more plays being reviewed - nobody is going to say get rid of VAR. It will be even more like the NFL.

 

With a sport where the result of a match can hinge dramatically on a handful of PK and offside decisions, I'm all for VAR. It's not like the NFL where the reviews center on much more mundane details like where the player stepped out of bounds or whether the ball was spotted a few inches too long/short, and the outcome rarely moves the needle in changing the odds of who wins or loses.

 

Having a wingback roll into the attack is essential. Remember Andy Najar? Completely changed our game for the better when he came in on the back line. He's not going to improve by not attacking. I have seen progress with him - a very rare sighting.

 

He takes a shot, every 3rd game this year and has 0 shots on goal to with 0 assists.

 

To be clear, I'm not suggesting that Fisher shoot significantly more often than he does now, but varying his repertoire at least slightly would at least make defenders think twice about what he might do with the ball.

 

I think all the outside backs on our roster should be replaced with defenders who are at least as good as well as being more credible offensive threats.

 

Anyone known to have that kind of diversified skill set likely wouldn't be in MLS for long.

 

certainly could have been a red given the force used. This has been Paul Gardner's hobby horse for years (at least since the 2014 WC final)

 

There are plenty of outside backs playing in MLS who are far better than any of our options. We're not talking unicorns, just someone who is better.

 

Everything's already been said, but what a finish. Agreed it shouldn't have come to that, but doesn't mean we can't appreciate what we witnessed. What's crazy about it to me is just the sheer number of unlikely/dumb things that shouldn't have happened that led to the goal.

• Keeper being sent up in a tie game where a draw would not have eliminated us
• Pinho "tripping", thus giving no option for a one-time pass
• Will Johnson sucking
  
• Rooney getting back and executing an inch perfect tackle
• The ball staying in bounds
• Acosta beating someone for a header
• Bendik doing ******** knows what in goal
• If this goal had happened 1 year ago or most other places on the planet today, would've been incorrectly disallowed for offside.

I love in the highlight you can hear the collective groan of the stadium as Johnson breaks out. Reminiscent almost of the Chicago game in 2011.

5 reviews last night...even if they were valid reasons for review just still seems excessive.

@fatbastard mind making the Portland thread to keep the mojo going?

 

GKs do get away with more, as long as they are going for the ball.

 

Will we score 4 goals in one game from corner kicks before Ben is named as coach of the week?

 

Olsen's coaching had very little to do with the result last night.

 

Wait..he's not advocating that Ben should've been coach of the week. I hope

Now I'm confused

 

Dizi summed it up... Why where there so few crosses when there were so many seemingly great opportunities.