It took about 60-65 minutes for RSL to get a handle on the KC pressure nut even then KC wasnt doing much more than falling down and complaining. RSL's defense is pretty solid. Offense, not so much. In fact, I don't know what the offense is trying to accomplish half the time. It's like they can't make up their minds. Are they going to posses the ball and build an attack or panic everytime they touch the ball and pass it to the other team. Once Allen came in RSL seemed to find its footing and pretty much controlled the game and earned a very valuable point on the road. I think the Luis Adu experiment is running on fumes and Jeff Cassar needs to get the offense figured out pronto. If the idea is just wait for the little guy to get back this will be a saeson full of games like last night.
So despite my hating his outing last night, I'm going to come to Gil's defense. His skill is such that he does well at the U-21, U-23 level, but in MLS he's a boy among men in terms of speed/physicality out there and I think that often gets to him. This is a wall for him right now, a wall that time/training can help him break if he puts the work in. Production: Sabo has 1 goal on a PK earned by a midfielder. Allen has 1 goal. That's it for Forwards in 5 matches. We know Sabo is a proven scorer. So is that disastrously low rate an indictment of Gil or Jaime or Olmes alone? I don't think so. The forwards don't shoot at anywhere near the rate they did last year. Watching SKC's 4-3-3 and ours (a 4-2-3-1 if you ask me)...theirs is a noticeably more compact. Why? IMO we were so committed to D that we didn't push our lines up much at all. Why did this matter? When we got the ball our guys were pretty isolated and surrounded - it was 3/4 v 6/7 all night. SKC was willing and able to press like maniacs and risk us making a long ball over the top..because they had numbers at or past mid field and were confident that DeJong or Opare could snuff it out on the few occasions when it did happen. My theory: With the Diamond we'd spread out vertically along one side and kind of use vertical space in place of horizontal space. We're still unlearning that, and our defense (backs and mids) have to get upfield much faster and be part of the pressure/possession that make it all go.
There were still numerous times we'd have time to control it, and just wildly hit it. Credit to their pressure, but there were plenty of times we didn't help matters. Still a good result overall.
We have also yet to have Phillips play much. I suspect he is an important part of the plan for the 4-3-3.
We've seen the opposite too. Remember the Philly game? Everyone pushed up like mad and we let a crap team put the ball behind us and proceeded to put on clown shoes. The balance between those outings needs to be found.
He will always be out of his game in this 433 with Garcia and gill on the sides and saborio up top!! They are a waste doing absolutely nothing in the offense!!
True, but that's what the constant pressure does - it gets in your head and you rush the pass even though you have plenty of time to settle, look up and make the sure, simple pass. RSL didn't deal well with it in the 1st half. Composure is the key, and they didn't have it.
So what you're saying is that we're watching a team that has all of 5 games under it's belt developing a new formation, while missing it's best outside back (at least offensively), it's second best forward, and it's new DP forward. Don't forget that Sabo missed significant time with the Costa Rican National team. We should expect this, especially against a good team on the road. There's going to be very polarizing games this year, with players in and out of the lineup with injuries and callups while we're trying to push forward with this 4-3-3. It's not always going to sunshine and daisies, that's for sure. On the nights where it's not working, I'm just glad we seem to be getting a lot of favorable calls and no-calls and escaping those games with draws. I'm just hoping we pull and LA and put it all together at the end of the season.
One difference I noticed between our 4-3-3 and KC's is the speed at which they transitioned to offense. They countered quickly and made it to our end of the field in like 4 passes. RSL is just slow, and with a midfield of Morales, Mulholland, and Beckerman how can you expect to be quick? RSL has had this problem for years, but I think in the diamond it was easier to get away with it because of the focus on possession. I think the lack of speed in the midfield is killing us just as much as the lack of Plata, though with Plata we should be a bit quicker.
For one match?...yes. For one season?...perhaps. For future market value to RSL?...no way. Ned=31, Gil=21.
It also has to do with the fact that SKC has been using the formation and working on it for years and we're 5 games into using it. All these things people are talking about take time to develop. Expect lots of frustration and wild swings in the types of games RSL plays this year, it's just the nature of installing a new formation with personnel going in and out of the lineup.
Folks, in my humble opinion, many are over-thinking the problem the tactical adjustment is causing for RSL. At the end of the day, a 4-3-3 is a mano v mano system, especially offensively. It is reliant on one player being faster, and /or more skilled, than the defender to break them down and create a numbers up situation. The narrow 4 man diamond midfield was a system designed to get additional numbers close to the ball, both offensively and defensively, and then take advantage of the numbers. That made for beautiful possession soccer...but problems scoring because it allowed the d to get organized. It also, unfortunately, left RSL wide open for the switch on the counter. Currently, the key technical player around whom this system was designed, Plata, has been injured for the whole season. The 2nd most important player for the system, Phillips, has also been injured. Further, Jaime hasn't shown either the technical or physical ability to beat his player on the outside. Thus, other than the one player in the offense who CAN beat a single player at any time (Jave), as set up, the system can't and won't work offensively. DEFENSIVELY, however, the system is operating perfectly. Olmes, despite his offensive issues, is working his socks off on the outside and making life much easier for his outside back. RSL is giving up a LOT less crosses, and the back center 2 have enough speed now to handle teams simply playing over the top. Beckerman is getting better and better in his role without Grabs covering, and Mulholland is a willing defensive worker. Finally, why does Beltran look better? Because he always has an outside winger coming back to help him out. In the narrow diamond, the outside backs were often hung out to dry against 2v1s on the counter. No fun for a defender. So, long story short. I think we will see the same types of results from RSL for the near future. At home, because we want to score so badly, the outside backs and the mids will take risks going forward which will leave RSL susceptible to the counter. On the road, RSL will lock up every channel and force the other team to try and play over the top, which RSL can now defend well. On a positive note please mentally picture Plata, 1v1 on the outside with space...that changes the whole offense, for the better.
15's 15 This game was brutal. I mean just god awful on the eyes. It wasn't just RSL's ineptitude in the attack. SKC was shit with the ball. I've never seen a team dominate another, like they did to us, and only walk away with that little possession and threat. If I was an SKC fan, I'd be scratching my head right now in confusion. Elias Vasquez is a slightly more talented version of Carlos Salcedo. His style of play, what he was good at, what he seemed to struggle with, it was so Salcedo-like. I was a fan of Carlos. I think he has the potential to be the starting CB for Mexico internationally. Thus, it's a huge compliment to Vasquez to be where he is. I'd even wager that Vasquez is essentially the Borchers replacement. He is the organizer. The plus? He has better technical skills. By the end of this season, if Cassar is honest with player selection, Vasquez will be a starter and Schuler/Olave will be fighting to be next to him. Olave, for a nice transition, was my MOTM. Dude was very 2010-like with a more mature sense of play. He still had a few nervy moments (who didnt?) but overall he was a rock. That is the Jamison we all wanted back in an RSL kit. He had a slide tackle in the second half that was a sure breakaway on goal. He not only won the ball, but distributed very well. I love when Jamison is on. The two outside backs in this game earned their paycheck. Beltran did well to cover for the shit show that was going on in front of him and Mansally did just enough. By no means was it a clean performance from either, but it got the job done. At the end of the day, you don't get style points. This was one of the worst games from KB in terms of passing and decision making. I can't remember a time he was so sloppy with the ball. He made up for a lot of it with energy, but sometimes even that was to his detriment. When KB is out of sorts the rest of the team tends to follow so it really shouldn't be too surprising that we couldn't transition well in this game. Mulholland was one of the few non-cb players that looked like he actually could play in this game. He still had a few really bad moments, but overall he was the best of our midfield trio. You wouldn't get that performance from Gil in the middle. Gil doesn't do the work on the defensive side of the ball nearly as well as Luke. Speaking of Gil, he played in this game? Is that who the cone on the right side of the field was? He did well to occupy a few feet of space that SKC had to run around, I guess. Seriously, this was a bad game to give a lot of judgement for how he could play on the wing, but he did himself no favors. I posed the question on twitter: How can a guy with so much supposed/potential talent look so inept in multiple offensive positions. At a certain point it shouldn't matter what your position is, you have to show some talent. Gil seems to be doing the same thing he did last year - getting worse with more minutes. On the other side of the pitch, Luis Gil could take some notes from Olmes Garcia. If you aren't going to have a good game technically, at least bust your ass. There is no reason that the side of Mansally and Garcia should have a better game tactically than Beltran and Gil. It just shouldn't happen. But in this game, it did. I chalk a lot of that down to very basic effort put forth. Gil just doesn't bust his ass and it's frustrating as shit. Did Javi play in this game? No, really, I can't remember him touching the ball past midfield more than a handful of times. That's pathetic. In the iteration of the 4-3-3 we play (at least from what I can gather) Javi has a pretty free roaming position. He isn't locked into covering like he was in the diamond. That he couldn't/didn't move forward more was super confusing. Because he was so deep Sabo essentially became another midfielder. Which makes you wonder, what exactly are the tactics of this 4-3-3 and how fluid are they? I get that we're just a handful of games into the season, but I don't feel like we've seen the same tactics in two games. One game were playing to bomb forward. The next we're playing to clog the middle. The next we're looking to switch the ball as much as possible. It's bizarre. I know we shouldn't even be close to a style of play like we were with the diamond, but right now it feels super chaotic. Almost like a pickup game where the players went "well we have 3 guys that want to play midfield and 3 that want to play forward, lets just go do that" Dom Dwyer is possibly a bigger ******** than Lenhart. Let me explain why. Dwyer, like the rest of SKC, plays a physical style of soccer. I have no problem with this. I play the same way. What I do have a problem with, and what I could never stand as a player (especially CB and DM) is a player that goes down so easily. Look, if you're going to dive, don't come and body me off the ball when I have it. Don't clip my ankles after I make a pass. That Dwyer gets away with this every game is a disgrace to soccer. Respect the game. I'm honestly shocked that this game was as clean as it was. granted, it wasn't a smooth game in which each side respected the other and played clean soccer. Far from. But that there weren't many scuffles in the middle of the pitch and such was amazing. I think a lot of that had to do with the way it was officiated. We tend to call out officials the second they get something wrong so here is me giving them credit when they do it right. Overall in this game, the officiating crew did great. Jordan Allen showed in just 5 minutes of play why he is the better pick. I was livid with Gil's desire to push more centrally (when I actually could tell that he was on the field) because it killed us an benefited SKC. By moving in, Gil killed the width this 4-3-3 is supposed to have. Our midfield was under constant pressure that we pretty much applied to ourselves. Allen wants to get wide - he needs to start. If Jaime can't go next week then Allen is a must start. Nick Rimando is still God. Didn't have to make too many saves (what was it, one?) But he was huge when he needed. Also, that cruyff he did on Dwyer? Just filthy. Was anyone else super confused with Daryl Shore doing the halftime chat with Bill and Dunny. What are we, Duke? Ge the head coach or some players. I'm not too excited to hear what the assistant coach has to say at halftime, to put it bluntly. I know he is a huge part of the team, but that was just weird and felt like a "oh crap we forgot to ask someone, hey look that guy just came out of the shiter" moment
RSL was not playing forward nearly as fast this week as they had in prior weeks. Pressure hurt and I think Gil's unfamiliarity didn't help.
Gil played the role exactly like Jaime did when he was in. Both wanted to play more centrally and both killed RSL's width. Last week Allan played much wider and the entire RSL attack looked better.
It makes you wonder, given the tendencies of Plata to tuck in, if this formation is actually going to work with him...
Thank you. I just took a beat down at work for criticizing Saint Kyle. So many bad passes, and so much time spent kicking/hacking/shoving. It was like Dwyer et al get under his skin and he turns into Atiba Harris. Some really good points on this thread. Stuck'n's points about wingers losing their width (Gil, Jaime) and that the left side of death hasn't played together yet (Plata/Philips) or the fact that we've never played the 4-3-3 the same way yet (15). Reading post-game I wonder if the mission wasn't to shut-out and draw and that's why we were so shelled up until the final 10-15 minutes when SKC were visibly gassed. Olmes keeps standing out to me as "could be great." Right now I want him to learn directions other than forward. He's fast/skilled enough that lateral and reverse movement could really free him up to shoot/pass more than he does now.
Plata does seem to go out wide then move in with the ball. I think that will work since he does seem to get the ball from wide positions. At the very least, he's dangerous enough to make something happen. Gil was just a glorified cone this last game.
Gil simply doesn't have the physical skill set necessary to play the wing in a 4-3-3. For better or for worse, he's an inside, mostly offensive, midfielder. Unfortunately, in the modern game, most teams only have room for one of those players on the field at a time. RSL has Jave. With that being said, I also wonder why Gil seems to be incapable of adjusting his game tactically to be at least moderately effective when he is played outside of his position. I think this raises the issue of his soccer IQ.
That's why I don't see Gil making it. Most players have their preferred spot, but can do an adequate job in 2-3 others. Gil seems to be good in one spot, and not good anywhere else. He was with the diamond for years, and never did seem to grasp playing on the outside of it. That seems troubling.
Soccer IQ is accrued over time. At 21 I'd just run by everyone and try to use my big right foot to blast something. Gil's still a 21 year old young man who's been featured in about 4 different spots on the field against men who are bigger and faster than he is. I was as critical of his play as anyone (particular not coming to the ball and not defending) but with time I've chilled. Javi's having an MVP type year but he can't play every minute. We need to put Gil in the CAM spot he's done best at - whether it's as a spot starter, a sub, whatever. That's where he needs to get time.
I'd feel more inclined to agree more if we were constantly shifting formations, but we weren't It was the same diamond for years, and he's never looked like he fit in. For every moment he did something good, there was another 70 mins where he was mostly a bystander. It may very well come together a little later for him, but we're paying the type of salary that normally goes towards an upgrade as a starter. I'd be far less critical if he was 75-100k a year. He's taking up 300k. That's a huge chunk of cash going towards someone that has rarely looked the part.
All of this, plus the fact that he's been here "developing" for 5+ years now. He's been under the tutelage of some of the best midfielders in the league, he's had the chance to develop his soccer IQ like few other teenagers have had in MLS, and he's had the chance to start A LOT of games and get A LOT of minutes. He makes a truckload of cash, at a salary that could easily get us another high caliber starting player (his salary last year was guaranteed more money than everyone else on the club except Sabo and Beckerman). Put up or get out, Gil. You're at the end of the rope, buddy, if you can't produce now then it's time to find someone else for $300k+ who can.