I thought Manotas looked good, probably the best forward of the night on our team. Was giving Parker fits. If you're talking every week, to me it's a manifestation of the frustration with the budget and the team. People want some expensive goal machine, this is what we're dealt instead. My response from a triage perspective would be that forward is not our problem, it's every other line, plus the fact the tactical magic has worn off. I think if we were playing some balanced and working formation and he was playing like midweek, and we weren't soaked in frustration, it would be, he holds his own against their homegrowns, the issue lies elsewhere. That being said, with them bringing in Pena, one does wonder where they are headed and what Manotas' role will be.
Backline defense, goalie and center mid needs the biggest upgrade. There were stretches when our guys looked the better more direct side, to then gift that goal via Machado's donkey clearance. On to securing El Capitan boys!
Triage is a good word here. Manotas could be improved upon, but he’s not the starting point to fixing this mess. He’s a later stage fix after you get that midfield and CB situation dealt with.
The defense is a pure personnel problem. We simply don't have 4 solid backs to line up. The midfield is different. I think we have a few people who could play midfield, if you lined them up right. The problem is we perseverate with the 433 even if it doesn't work and the coach feels compelled to staff it with journeyman DMs rather than technical or wing players, who are predominantly used as forwards or forward subs. Any sane coach looking at our roster and our recent 433 effectiveness would shift to 451 or 442, to shore up the defense, push numbers back, get Elis and Quioto more room to run at backs again, and get different mids on the field than just a line of destroyers behind the forwards. The sheer number of mids in a 451 or 442 would begin to offset that some are not 6s by trade. You choke up the midfield just with the numbers. Something like: Pena Elis Lundkvist Boniek Quioto Martinez Beasley Garcia Fuenmayor Wenger Deric or Pena Manotas Quioto Boniek Elis Martinez Beasley Garcia Fuenmayor Wenger Deric or Pena Quioto Memo Boniek Elis Martinez Beasley Garcia Fuenmayor Wenger Deric I mean, like, shore up the obvious areas and rather than rotely send out weak players to fill a line hit by attrition, shift around the formation and cubbyholes where you max out on good players on the field. And I have Martinez and Lundkvist and Elis in different spots because I think they are miscast/typecast.
Geez, Louise... was just quoting Rockhound from Armaggedon! Come to think of it... take ur pick of his quotes concerning this team: ...it's all wrong, man. ...Dr. Seuss' worst nightmare. ...staying or going, staying or going. ...built by the lowest bidder. ...it's time to embrace the horror.