So the team with 1 Dmid and 2 Box to Box mids beat the team with 3 attacking mid's ... interesting and fun to watch.
The question I had last night was with Bradley’s choice of starting forward. Diomande was ineffective all night long. I would have thought that Bradley would have brought on Christian Ramirez at least midpoint through the second half. Ramirez has had success against SKC in the past. I know that Bradley relies on Vela and Rossi to score most of the goals, but Diomande was not a lot of help to either of those guys. I felt Bradley got out coached in his prep and his in game decisions.
Right, and the closest thing they had to a DM got a yellow card early in the game. Bradley took this team in a different direction than I thought he would, tactically. I don't see their style of play having success in the playoffs where games are called a little differently.
We're not appealing the red card according to Sam, and Lindsey left this morning to join the U20s, which would seem to point to Croizet at LB for leg 1 in the playoffs.
If you haven’t read it, excellent analysis of the Sinovic red card https://www.thebluetestament.com/20...red-card-sporting-kc-lafc-mls-var-pro-referee
I'd think we'd see a three man back line before we'd see Besler at left back at this point. While Sinovic isn't much faster than Besler, he is much more mobile than Besler is. It'd be a huge mismatch on the wing, especially if we were to some how end up against RSL with their wing play.
Anyone remember that time when we played the LAG at home when the Gals had all sorts of attacking power, and Aurellien Collin started at right back. (Though, I can't remember if that was a three man line?).
Russell's YC in about the 13th min was fantastic. I'm biased because i like Russell's field personality, but throwing a rigid arm like that at a petulant player delaying a restart (that wasn't going to go quickly anyways) just sort of took me as somewhat proper. As mentioned a few times in here, there is some grit to this team. Polish too, but grit to go with it. It's a crazy outside back situation. Oh how we miss Jimmy Medranda. Also, who'd play RB if Zusi goes down?
thanks for this, haven't seen it, but pretty much just confirms what i wrote above. Just regarding the last point they make, I wonder whether there is a precedent for rescinding a red card without clear evidence that the decision was wrong, just because the decision to change the decision using VAR might have been wrong as, again, there is no clear evidence either way.
SKC would be totally screwed if that happened. No Medranda, no Lobato, and Storm isn’t ready for playoff level ball. Not sure what their plan would be.
Storm isn’t just not ready for playoff level, he’s barely been adequate at USL level ball. He’s one of a couple ‘end of the roster’ players who likely won’t be back.
I clipped the photo below from SoccerPhotogrammerty twitter. This is the best view I have found so far. As you said before, deliberate has nothing to do with the call and it's clear that this is both a PK and a deserved red car.
Busio was preparing to come on for Zusi, if he had been unable to finish the game on Sunday. No idea whether he was going to play right back himself, or if someone in the midfield was going to move over there.
As a neutral watching, I thought the red card was bullshit. I slowed it way down, and it isn’t a hand ball. It was well up his shoulder. Also, very close range where it can’t really be deliberate even if you thought it was lower on his arm.
While we appreciate the support, the photo above is pretty conclusive in the other direction. Basically, I think it's great that Seth mans the post on corner kicks. It's an excellent strategy and he has saved a bunch of goals from that position. But he needs to keep his body on the post and not scoot away with an arm extended. It was a mistake, but the team will get through it. Thankfully we don't play a knockout game!
My biggest concern all season was our (perceived) lack of depth in the midfield. Turns out I was wrong. Croizet has worked his way into not being awful in the midfield and Busio is surprisingly skilled and calm for his age. I guess depth at outside back, with the two injuries, is our biggest concern. Croizet at left back is worrisome, at least from the few minutes I saw on Sunday. I twice saw him try to dribble players just outside of our 18, giving the ball away once. Right back....I don't have a clue who steps in for Zeus if he goes down.
I hadn't seen that photo before. I still think it is worth an appeal as a still photo that is a bit fuzzy is still not conclusive to me. We are making the assumption that that photo shows the ball striking the arm, but it is certainly still possible that there is not contact at that point and that the ball is still moving to where it strikes the shoulder (as it appears in the video when you really slow it down frame by frame but also fuzzy). Because the call on the field was no handball and no penalty, I'm not sure any of this is conclusive to overturn it? Oh well. It's your deal, not mine.
Here is the most relevant part of the picture with the vector of the ball shown along with the model of the arm. Also, here is a link to a tweet with the video: https://t.co/YaYOPnBVaq
That's a hand ball. I can see why Seth thought it hit his chest. It did. It also happened to roll off his arm first. His brain probably didn't even perceive the arm contact it happened so fast.