Umm, Tom, check your math. 22 field players on the roster -- you need 20 plus two keepers for 11 a side. Your general point is still valid, of course.
OK, I'm more of a "words guy" than a "numbers guy," but there's always going to be a player or 2 who isn't available. Anyway, you'd think that with Burns, Heaps and Llamosa on board, between the 3 of them, they might know a few things about organizing a defense. So why is our D so much of a fire drill?
I'm too lazy to find that article I read that addresses that, but if I recall, two reasons are the language barrier between Angoua and everyone else, and the fact we don't have an actual left back.
Well, Kouassi speaks French (so does Remy Roy--is he still with the team). Not to sound like one of those people, but any player coming here needs to learn at least the soccer terminology in English. (He needs to learn more just to get along in life). If Cropper is yelling instructions in Elglish, Angoua needs to understand them. They are professional players and he certainly should know what he might be saying. Also, the other defenders need to use the same terms every single time to give instructions. You can't say the same thing in a different way without the risk of confusion. The other thing the article mentioned was that with Angoua and Delamea, one needs to be a stopper and the other a sweeper. That's something I would expect Llamosa to be able to sort out with them like, maybe the first time a mixup occourred in March...
Well, he was a good player in his day and prolly knows a few things about positioning. Of course, whenever you have a player who was good at doing things, it's not always clear how well they can explain things. More often than not, some of the best coaches are guys who were marginal-at-best players, students of the game. But my point was that he should be able to step in in training and say to the 2 CDs. "look, this is the way you position yourselves in this situation..."
Yes Remi Roy is still with the team - he translated for us when Angoua swapped seats with my wife on the flight out to Portland in April. Remi is a good guy. As for Angoua, I'm pretty sure he doesn't speak more than a few words of English. I can vouch for that because Roy had to translate pretty much everything for him. Who knows, maybe it's improved since then, though I doubt it. As for Llamosa, I agree, you'd think a former USMNT caliber defender would be able to sort out the defense. However, I believe he's in more of a scouting capacity than purely an assistant coach (but could be wrong). That's up to Mr. Soehn and Heaps. Makes me wish Stevie Nicol would come back just to sort the defending.
Playoff probabilities: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/14/playoff-probabilities-every-mls-team-after-week-23 Revs at 23%. Sounds about right. Problem is 2 closest teams ( Atlanta and Columbus) are at 90 and 50 respectively.
Montreal wins last night. Climb getting harder for the Revs who stay in 10th place. On SiriusXM Counterattack show, in interview with Hercules Gomez, both Brian Dunseth and Tony Meola said their biggest disappointment team this year in MLS was.....our Revs.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Your 2017 US Open Cup QUARRRTERRR FIINALLLISSTS , the Newwww Engglaaannnnndd REVOLUUUUUTIONNNNNNN!!!!" Step right up, the Season Membership line is right this way....
Honestly nobody should buy season tickets until April. Voice your opinions and tell them you are taking a Wait and see approach like their team does
FYP. I've not been to a game this year (including turning down free tix) and won't until I see real change.
Playoff probabilities after week 24: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/21/playoff-probabilities-every-mls-team-after-week-24 Revs down to 16%. Columbus (44%) and Montreal (53%) "battling" for the 6th spot. *sigh*
Remaining schedule: 2 times remaining of a Sat-Wed-Sat cadence. With no depth, this does not offer much hope. Sat 9/2 Home against Orlando - Orlando in freefall too, and both teams will be missing players. Sat 9/9 Home against Montreal Wed 9/13 Away to Atlanta - who will be in their new kick ass stadium that will be loaded with people even on a Wednesday. I predict Revs players to play well for Tata in hopes he will request a trade for them away from the Revs Sat 9/16 Away to Kansas City - anyone want to guess Nemeth's debut game? Sat 9/23 Home to Toronto Wed 9/27 Away to Orlando Sat 9/30 Home to Atlanta Sun 10/15 Home against NYCFC Sun 10/22 Away to Montreal
If the teams in front of them maintain their avg points per game, the Revs are pretty much going to have to achieve >2ppg to make the playoffs (check my math I eyeballed it). So equal to or better to what Toronto has achieved so far? Against the above schedule?
I think Heaps keeps his job until the end of the season, mainly because Burns is as effective as hiring a competent coach as he is with filling the roster. You know, I was very unhappy, seeing the lack of signings in the off-season. Then, we got two signings when they predicted five. It was the first time they really revealed their incompetence. It was always suspected, but this really sealed the deal. In their interviews (particularly with Burns) they always say the words "we try." They never commit, because they don't want to be held accountable. Being held accountable, means there are consequences for failure. There are are no consequences when this team fails. There is ZERO AMBITION here. It's no wonder, in spite of players like Nguyen, Rowe, Fagundez, Agudelo, Kamara, etc. are playing less then the sum of their parts. I've been a die hard Revs fan since 2006. Not even 2 months into this season I stopped watching games. I check the scorelines and this forum on occasion, but man, I ain't missing much, am I? I want this team to lose. I'm upset if they win, because that's the excuse for Burns and Heaps to stay. And this team loves excuses.