7 teams from each conference make the playoffs this year. The top team gets a bye and other six play to get into the conference semifinals.
Manotas continues to be the class of the team. Quioto and Elis just don't seem very effortful or interested. We'll see if that changes when the schedule tempo eases. Hairston keeps getting stuffed going forward. I thought Lundkvist looked fine but I also thought that was a matchup thing. Just like the basic fact their strategy played into our hands. I did think Boniek had a decent help on one of their rare forays to the endline. I think they could give Lundkvist a double team sometimes, but I think he's just a weak defender and your task is either can him or find a way you can use him without handing away goals to do it. Same as Antonee Robinson. That kid can get down the line and hit a cross, and gets tangible assists. He is also one of the worst wing defenders they've had in a while. I will give Memo credit for the hammer shot. But the general pattern of that game until the subs was a team unable to break down a defense content to sit back. Of repeated crude efforts to create, stymied. That was basically an ad for why we need a real 10. I think we could use Memo out there as a sub tasked with whacking those long shots. But the subs who changed things were the forwards and McNamara. Until then it was a telling contrast of Montreal making little effort to get forward but hitting clinical balls on their chances -- and thus up a goal -- versus us parked on their end but unable to set things up with any precision, and clumsy giveaways. I don't know how that doesn't also reflect on Memo. And BTW, the kid, while quick of foot, is slow. He looks like a HS kid out there athletically. And we seem to chase the type over and over. The first game we tied because Adam can't mark, the second game we had to work for because AJ isn't in the same zip code as his man. Wing back is a problem. I think Figueroa is good every day. I think Struna suffices for lesser opposition.
I'd swear that at 9 this morning MLS' official standings had the line after 8. But the webpage was updated this morning at 946 and now it indeed says 7. https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings
Maybe so. Seven is correct. Also, the entire playoffs are now single-elimination. Only the top 4 teams in each conference are guaranteed home games. It is a fixed bracket with the higher seed hosting each game: Round 1 (single game knockout) #2 v. #7 #3 v. #6 #4 v. #5 Round 2(single game knockout) #1 v. winner of #4 v. #5 winner of #2 v. #7 v. winner #3 v. #6 Conference final(single game knockout) Two remaining teams at higher seed
Yeah, I remember the single elimination part, which I feel like favors higher seeded home teams. And arguably in this climate the payroll teams. Before you could work some 2 game strategy upsets like we did in 2017. But now a low seed will have to go away over and over and win on one game strategies. I think I also argued it favored defense as the strategy of choice for a low seed. Controlled Kinnear type teams that are always in the game and play for that one backbreaker. Play an open game with a flawed squad in a series of away games and odds are you blow up some round before you can lift a trophy. Maybe that's why we went back to the drawing board with this 442 defense Glenn and Eddie finally caught onto. Either that or they finally figured out how many road and late game points we tossed away for lack of a defense or the ability to control a game and run out a clock. Two games to me is the sweet spot for upsets, not trying to win a one-off away, and not some longer MLB type series where the more consistent regular season winner over time can fight back in.
What I've seen out of 3 MLS and 3 CL Games. Willis: Playing like a man that doesn't want to lose his job and has been really good. Not great, but has made some big saves. ADG: Speed lacks and is getting beat. His positioning when on the man has been decent... see this as a problem as the season continues. Struna: Tough as ********ing nails and has been really solid for us. Can push the ball to the middle of the field and deliver a clean pass, Ariel has been pretty solid too. I like what I am seeing from him. Figueroa: Next to Struna... this looks like the pairing that will keep us alive. He has been solid too. Dominate in the air Lundi/DMB: Both suck defending. One is slow and old the other doesn't keep his position well and I'm concerned he might not know how to tackle at a professional level Midfield sucks.... I would break them down because they have all been equally horrible. Quioto: Solid running at defenders, but when he shoots its like his button is stuck on full power. Elis: Looks uninterested Manotas: Clearly the best player on the team and it shows.
Solid breakdown. Struna and Figueroa have gelled nicely as well. Like they are long lost brothers or something. Boni has been a refreshing surprise however, playing like we witnessed from him seasons ago. Cabezas gets a DNQ. Hope he will return in good order soon. Like tomorrow night!
I thought the Montreal goal was well placed but kind of soft. That was a side foot with touch, not a hammer instep shot. I think a good keeper gets that. I am now watching Willis to see if he's back to normal.
It was well taken their goal. He passed it past our man in the only place on frame he could. Deft touch really Juve.
https://www.impactmontreal.com/en/post/2019/03/09/voir-le-de-saphir-taïder-contre-houston?autoplay=true It's a tidy finish, well executed. I would juxtapose our efforts with their goal. Plentiful chances, clumsily handled, no real playmaking sharpness, overcome by sheer bulk of effort. Versus a perfect cross placed neatly in the corner. Our strategy played out better after the subs but still speaks to the two teams. But the camera angle is actually perfect to see it's basically a moderate pace straightline shot from an angled setup. The keeper got caught leaning near post. But I'd swear Willis stopped a shot like this earlier this year, and what separates the great ones from the journeymen is getting to this kind of ball more often. I'd blame dlG for this much more than him, but over the course of a season a combination of gaffes and not doing the exceptional adds up. I thought he'd woken up a little but this is headed back to the keeper who ships goals every game. And all I was saying was this merits watching.
Just poking fun here ... but .... say what? Western Conference? Cellers dwellers? Montreal finished 7th out of 11. 46 points. (8 points better than Houston.) 4 points out of playoffs, while the cellar was on 28 points (Orlando). Montreal is in the Eastern Conference.