Ugh what a clunker. Highlight for me was the dude in a Thierry Henry barca jersey turning and asking "so like, who's supposed to be your like best player" I just laughed
Yeah, it reads like we aren't good enough. Which may be the most accurate analysis of the U I've read in a while
The final conclusion that I have drawn from this team is that while we do have players with some talent, they all have glaring weaknesses. Even our best players. We are not 'unlucky'. And we don't have one 'special' player. We played well for the first 20-25 minutes, and by halftime we're out of the game. Edu has to put that header away. He's our captain and he blew it. We need to blow this ship up, but I have zero confidence that the front office could do any better starting from scratch.
What's with Curtin's 'Well you learn a lot about character of certain players' press conference after every big loss and then not adjusting the roster only to bring it up after the next loss? Andrew Wenger must be a golden child in the locker room because he certainly isn't when on the field.
The continued smack-down of Wenger is getting old. He is far from the worst starter on this team. At least he and CJ did something positive yesterday. Edu quit. Carroll sucked. Marquez made lots "rookie" mistakes. The continued focus on Wenger is the worst kind of misplaced group-think.
Wenger is this years scapegoat. 2010 we had Seitz, 2011 was Ruiz, Adu in 2012, 2013-14 was Cruz. Wenger is just the next to take the mantle because people need a player to blame.
Those two assists by Wenger in 16 starts and 1 sub appearance sure are impressive . . . Wenger represents everything wrong with Curtin. Despite being dog shit all year (an assist last night does not excuse a season of poor play), Curtin has started him 16 times instead of trying other guys. The only thing Wenger's defenders can point to are his "defensive work rate" and the fact that he is local. Wenger is the symbol for Curtin's cluelessness and inability to adapt to shit form.
Edu is a problem. Not worth his pay, lazy and makes plenty of mistakes. Richie makes mistakes (its annoying) but he's not a DP... shouldn't make mistakes, not an excuse, but he's not being paid big money
I hesitated to say anything about Richie's mistakes because they were exploited by Zardes who is absolutely on fire. He could take apart any CB right now. Most other strikers in MLS would not have taken advantage. I am a big fan or Richie and think he has a bright future. I'm a little concerned those mistakes will give Curtin the excuse to go back to his slow.....favorite White.
I don't care about his mistakes. The season is over and has been over. I would rather him make them now and HOPEFULLY learn. Edu, Carroll, Wenger, etc (the veterans).... that is my issue. If you are a DP or a starter, get your stuff together or get out.
I think it's time to move on from most of those guys. Caroll, Casey, Fred - those guys are at the end of their careers, so thank them for the years they put in with this club and politely ask them to retire at the end of this season. There are plenty of guys that would be OK as backups (Marquez, Cruz, Le Toux, White, etc.) Most of the rest of the roster should be blown up and the technical staff should be canned.
As long as we keep bargain basement shopping, nothing will ever really change. Also, the technical staff is like 4 people.
I'm not scapegoating Wenger, I've made my feelings clear this season on a majority of the players/coaches/management etc. I bring him up because he constantly plays, unlike all the guys you mentioned other than Cap Edu. "Fire"
I'm surprised that Edu draws so much criticism, when our other two DP's have been much more underwhelming. I like Nogueira and Maidana, and I don't think any one or two players is the problem with this team. They have an infrastructure problem much more than a player problem. But it's hard to argue that Edu hasn't been at least in the top 2 of our most consistent high-salary player ever
The biggest difference between LA and the Union? Speed of play. They showed how to beat a defense when they are outnumbered while attacking, run hard and make threatening passes upfield. They have attackers who think much more quickly, their counters have pace and they make quick passes that get them into dangerous positions within the final third. On top of that, they seem to get numbers in the attack quickly as well. The Union don't attack this way because they are usually one or more of the following: slow to think, slow to react to their teammates, jogging instead of busting up field, lack consistent ability to hit an accurate pass, not confident with the ball at feet. I'd go farther with that statement, he represents what's completely wrong with the entire organization. Faint glimmers of hope here and there, but in the end spends the bulk of the time showing he lacks the kind of talent necessary to be successful in the league. Despite such realizations, we keep seeing the same guy week after week because the club either have no ambition to upgrade or have no ability in the front office to make the upgrade.
Go watch some boreball if you just want to focus on stats. Watch games if you want to rate soccer players. Zardes has been a beast in LA games since just before his recent USMNT call-ups. LA has played a lot better since mid-May and it is almost entirely Zardes carrying them.
What if I told you Nogueira wasn't a DP? Guys, hold the toast. I think it's wonderful we all have our favorite players to hate (mine was banished to the Arctic). Let's try hard here for a second- what 5(FIVE) players do you want (currently on team)? Save your "he's good depth and we need that" crap. Who is the core of this team? Sapong Nogs Maidana Edu Williams (I'm guessing here)
Marquez Nogs Edu Sapong Maidana That's actually not a terrible spine for a team. Unfortunately all of the rest of the parts don't necessarily fit well. * Nando hasn't been healthy so at this point his sample size is too small. The Union need to look at how SKC and RSL are set up. They are strong through the middle (spine) of the team. That's where the money needs to be shrewdly spent. RSL (Rimando, Beckerman, Morales, Saborio) SKC (Besler, Espinoza, Zusi, Dwyer)
Unless they start stealing the organs of players on the youth team I don't think either of them are gonna make it that long.
Mrs Curtain? Look, unless the passing stats, which are not in that list, are off the charts from an efficiency standpoint, that set of numbers does not suggest that Zardes is tearing it up. Three goals and 19 shots in 14 matches played for a forward with a small number of fouls suffered to boot is not on fire. They suggest a player who is struggling to get involved. The Union have a way of helping teams and players end long slumps however... This is a poor team. The players should be better than they have played, but that is on the coach and front office. This team plays like it has no clue what to do in possession, and its not very organized without the ball either.