Our average squad age is right around the league median. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/27/check-out-average-ages-every-mls-team-heading-2017
The problem isn't age, it's the quality. We just don't have enough of it. In particular our offseason preparation for the striker position really doesn't flatter Kasper. Way too many eggs in one basket with Mullins. Ortiz is drastically out of position as the lone striker in a 4-1-4-1. And why exactly did we sign Kamara if he can't even make the 18 when we're hurting for strikers? It's hard to win in soccer when you don't have that guy in the box who can consistently score goals. Central/defensive midfield is also a failure. Lots of bodies, but not one of them can be considered above average by MLS standards for their position. Harkes you can forgive because he's young. Maybe with a little patience he can be that guy. But for now it's another pretty damning failure of team building.
This team can't pass, and therefore sucks. Is it the coach or players? Don't know, don't care, still sucks. Try Buescher at DM. He played there in college, and he can pass. At least then I can check another crap idea off my list.
I hope we don't come to rue all of those close chances that hit the frame or Cropper managed to save.
Be happy, in previous outings so many of the team's shots were only playable by the fans 12 rows up. Tonight they are on the mark
All things considered, that was a fine result. I was ready to ship Opare to USL-2 after that first goal, but he got better as the game went on. Jeffrey and Le Toux played like they gave a shit. Harkes was fine, he's getting better each game. Big save by Hamid on Kamara, although Opare had him covered so that was the only shot he had -- allowed Bill to "guess" to the corner. Thank goodness Bunbury is all hype and no game, how do you shank a shot at the top of the box with an open net? Jeebus, that guy is just awful. Nice to see Heap o' Shit jawing at the referee at the end of game. Jay -- maybe if you had a competent defense, you could win games against teams staring their third string. Whose fault is that? Off topic -- Curtin should be putting his house up for sale -- 15 winless games, coughed up a 3-0 lead and the team booed off the field.
Yeah, probably fair enough. Both teams made plenty of chances. Was Heaps really complaining to the referee? About what? I thought he did OK. I was surprised LeToux didn't get a caution when he kicked that dude in the face. But otherwise I don't recall any major issues.
I enjoyed this one, United were on their level. Neagle really added something, I think it was his ability to win some long balls. I think United is getting closer to something that works in the middle. Three men tight and interchanging, with the wings being much more involved. I can see Harkes inching back to that DM spot, hopefully he can win that. Replace Sarvas with Acosta and run with it. Good showing from LeToux and Tissot, also.
Thought Tissot was decent -- good in tight spaces, though any pass over 15 yards I thought was dicey (and crossing --- nah). LeToux is our second string striker, without question: Incredibly active, interacted well with the mids, etc. Harkes is getting better -- saw a lot of good stuff. That's not a great NER team, but this is still a good point. And two well-taken goals in the first half (though LeToux was helped by a terrible decision by the Rev keeper to come off his line).
I'm guessing he must have been one of the players affected by the flu. At least I hope because he was a turnover machine in the last 15 minutes. I think it was a fair result in the end. Not bad for a makeshift backline. I've always liked Opare, so I'm happy to see him get time. Tissot definitely looks like an upgrade over Mishu. And I thought Franklin did great up until Tierney came on. He was struggling the last 20 minutes but that could be because he hasn't really had a 90 minute shift at fullback this year. In the midfield I agree with everyone that Harkes looked great. Not bad from Sarvas and Jeffrey. Sam was also influential. If there was one shortcoming it was maybe Neagle not contributing enough. As for striker, I agree that Le Toux is hands down ahead of Ortiz in the depth chart. Ortiz looked horrible at the end. Really wish Le Toux could have gone 90 minutes, but I understand the sub since he was playing with a yellow card.
Someone forgot to say "fire for effect". And now, on to the Classico and the Champions League Semis. Madrid must be a grand place to be this week. But on the whole I'd rather be in Turin
I too thought this was a good result. I'm really getting sick and tired of Olsen's pregame mantra of "let's get to 0-0 and we are in good shape". why does he treat road games in this league like they are playing at the San Siro or Old Trafford? it's an outdated and defeatist attitude. I realize this roster isn't optimal to play balls to the wall (we'll get a heavy dose of that next Sunday when Atlanta United wipes us off the map) from the jump but i don't think this is the same type of team we were watching in 2014 and 2015 when BennyBall was in full effect. Last season/s end-of-the-season run of goals (10 games straight with 2 or more) was more of an anomaly and this coaching staff/FO came into the season thinking "no problem, we've got this now". well, 4 shutouts in 7 games tells me you don't have it. Just please stop coming out in games scared to open up and play. It's embarrassing..
I fully agree with @Boloni86 regarding Le Toux. He just pushed Ortiz back to Costa Rica. Le Toux at 33 is faster than Ortiz at 24. A striker with a half step more pace than Ortiz would have had an open shot in extra time against Cropper. He just can't get separation because of no wheels. Hopefully Mullins regains fitness and form. If so, the forward depth should be Mullins, Le Toux and Kamara with Ortiz's salary being used to get a young outside mid in the transfer window.
Yes - but Ortiz is not a lone striker. So comparing him to Mullins or LeToux is not helpful. He is the second striker in a two striker setup or a withdrawn "9" coming into the box when the ball s on the wing and filling the space between the retreating defense and the midfield.
You can rant and rave (and have been) with complete justification on the head coaching deficiencies. Like a metrorail inspector, or a supreme court judge, Bennie has a job for life no matter how things turn out
I've been calling for Le Toux for some time, and now it's obvious why. He's clearly more of a threat than Ortiz, But even when Mullins returns I hope Benny can find a way to have them both on the pitch together.