Pre-match: The artists formerly known as TFC v. D.C. United

In my prematch post I indicated that Olsen's tactics were generally suited for TFC (Atlanta is another team too). Problem was that Olsen continued to deploy the high press intermittently during the game. It directly lead to the first two TFC goals as we opened up space behind the pressing players that allowed TFC to get on the move. We got 1 goal from the high press, but the other three were counters with Arriola's directly as I described because of the TFC wingbacks pushing up to the forward line.

If we pressure between the circles in the defensive half we control that part of the field and conserve energey at much greater levels. TFC was not going to beat us with a long pass over the top because our back line was so deep.

I was also really disappointed with Harke's decision making after he came on. Too many high risk passes when he has easy alternatives available to him and he was constantly pressuring the ball instead of sitting back. When he moves into the TFC defensive half he opens up space behind him. Either a TFC player takes that space or a DCU player has to cover it which then opens up space behind him -- typically in the corner where the TFC wingbacks were hanging out all night.

These lost 2 points are 100% on Olsen and his scatterbrained tactics. I don't know why you shift from a low block to a high block intermittently all game long. Our team has below average fitness levels and we just ran ourselves out of the game. Olsen does not have the fitness or quality on the back line to deploy a high press very often.

Conversely, I was really impressed with Acosta's decision making during his time in the game. In the defensive half he used one smart touch and acceleration with the ball to open himself up to make a counter attacking pass when TFC counter pressed us. Arriola did this beautifully all match long.

 

One final point, I think Ousted proved he is the first ‘keeper. Made some Hamid-like saves tonight. None of the goals were remotely his fault, indeed, the second goal by Vasquez was a fluke because of the carom from Giovinco’s shot. How many times does a ball off the post fall right to another player like that?

 

That was an exciting game, but with even a mediocre coach, they should have come away with all 3 points.

Asad had a wide open chance to win it at the death, but couldn't pull the trigger. This draw doesn't feel like a loss to me, but it is a disappointment.

 

Olsen's incessant use of the high press (mind-mindbogglingly with a 3 goal lead) wore his low fitness players out. This leads to poor decision making and reduced capacity to get into position when they do make the right decisions.

 

When will someone fire Olsen and put him and us out of our misery? Others can better anlysyze the specifics but he clearly was out-coached. other misc. points -

- Mattocks is the stereotypical early MLS player - good talent but big downsides. He missed easy opportunites and easy passes to set up easy opportunities, and played unenthusiastic defense.

- I knew we were sunk when after scoring the late go ahead goal Asad elected to preen and taunt rather than getting back to talk with his teammates about setting up the defense. He had his 2 goals and didn't give a f*** about the outcome. Next season he'll be scoring goals in USL.

- Brilliant sucks in that understated way so common to over-aged defenders who used to be good. He makes major errors only 3 -4 times a game but that's usually enough to give up a goal or two.

This is a team built to average less than a point a game.

 

I'd have paid to watch that one.

 

Asad played 120 in Open Cup, 90 in Seattle and 90 tonight, scores two goals, was integral to the press (did Mattocks work and chased down Auro repeatedly), and he's getting shit on here? Ridiculous.
Fisher thinks he's a center back, Durkin doesn't sense danger and Brillant is washed. Point some fingers where it's warranted.

 

I'm not down on Mattocks' touch or his shooting. I'm down on his runs and his decision making. But darn it, he scored again, and on a night where we scored in bunches. He works hard. The runs are distracting, I'll give him that.

Props to the team for putting 4 on the board. I'm just spit-balling here, but it's entirely possible we don't defend very well. That our lack of points in the league at this time is primarily due to our defense. Our defense might be poor, is what I'm saying and maybe we should address that concern. Which, to recap, is our inability to stop the other team from scoring at will.

Wayne Rooney, a fanbase turns its lonely eyes to you.

 

One of the strangest games ive ever seen. Did Asad miss a sitter that would have won it? Props to Arriola.. what a motor... and Ousted, not his fault. Some good saves when we were getting shelled. Toronto maybe turned the corner of a bad season tonight... very good attacking soccer second half. Disappointing but remember all those years we could not score goals.

 

Arriola is proving to be worth every penny. He's done very well as a box to box midfielder. I would have never guessed. Asad was totally gassed on that sitter. Olsen clearly doesn't know when to/not-to high press and consider fitness and game situation. We're out there pressing well past the midfield stripe and even pressing the GK for long kicks (with the wind at his back) with a 3 goal lead. Who exactly outside of Brilliant and Birnbaum can consistently win in the air?!?! Maybe Durkin? Against teams like Atlanta and TFC you have to defend space more so than the man.

 

The other three goals had United players watching a Toronto player run past them and score. You are correct about the third goal.

 

What do your three points have to do with Olsen and his coaching?

 

Funny when I play and I get tired I defend more, not less. And really your telling me that they were tired in the 56th and 64th minutes?? Really?? If the high press tired them out to the point of missing their marks then I blame the fitness coach not Olsen. 87 and 90+2 sure I'll buy that but not right after a half time break.

 

That's why you had such a sparkling pro career Shawn, you can't hold these guys to the lofty standards you set for yourself.
But since it's really about this team not your athletic introspection, you are right, the trainer is at fault. Never in the annals of humanity have those at the top been held responsible for the mistakes of their subordinates. Ben is home free again

 

There is no way you really mean this.

 

Who do you think hired the fitness coach?

 

Let me try this for the 102,393 time..........Ben Olsen is not telling Asad "Great goal but don't worry about marking anyone on defense. We have nine other guys to do that." Asad stood there and let his man run right past him to easily score the first goal. That is on Asad not Ben. Goal three second verse same as the first. as well as goal four. The one header goal the Toronto player simply out muscled the defender, it happens.


Many of you want Ben out, that's fine your welcome to that opinion. However you need to stop making up excuses to get rid of him and come with real proof. You don't like his sub patterns. You don't like his lineup. You don't let his assistant coaches. Fine but this lack of marking falls on professional players failing to do there jobs. Should he bench them all? Fine then you will be playing a C- or worse lineup.

 

Curses

While I think much of the Olsen-bashing above is instinctual and not grounded in the reality of the game, I will say his subs may have been the worst set of subs I've seen n a while. I thought the game was lost when Acosta was subbed out. I'd really love to hear the logic of that one. We needed to be able to keep the ball now and then, maybe slow the pace, be ready to drop a pass over the top during a counter - things Acosta is better at than anyone else on the team. and he'd been playing great, even defending well (which I don;t think he gets enough credit for, but beside the point).
Asad was gassed (as well he should have been) at the 60th minute if not before. I thought the first sub would have been for him, it was not. It was an all-around dumb sub instead. I was screaming at the TV for him to be taken out
There is no reason at all Asad should have been on that field to score our 4th (and I don't even blame him for missing what could have been the 5th).
It didn't help that one of the subs was Harkes and he blew chunks in his given time; played no useful soccer at all. First two subs were for players who can keep and pass the ball - for defensive midfielders, neither known for their possession.

But bless their hearts for getting the 4th, I thought that was a loss when it was 3-1.

 

Well after 102,393 tries some others may question their skills of persuasion or resign from the debate team altogether, but you keep on plugging along. The team needs fitness training at a higher level than they have had heretofore. I don't contend that they should be dropped/cut/traded just 4 weeks of BUDS training at Coronado should get them fit. The hard shit is coming soon they need to get ready.
And some could contend that a C- team is what we have but since we've broken the impenetrable 10 point barrier I'll let them slide with a C

 

How long do you think that will last? There are 6 playoff spots up for grabs ... when you look at teams that will out spend us, most years ... you've got

1. Atlanta
2. NYC
3. TFC are on some kind of post title slump combined with focusing on CCL slump thing, they will revert to form at some point, if not this year than next
4. Orlando just got a new investor
5. Borussia Cincy Gladbach
6. Prolly Nashville too with Columbus headed west soon.

We're not out spending those teams. Our MLS2.0 stadium and mentality aren't built to keep up in MLS3.0 and are certainly unprepared for what the next phase MLS will be.

We are going to be at a talent deficit until we get new ownership. They promised spending with the new stadium. They haven't spent a dime at RFK this year, all of us are getting short changed on this team this year with the compressed schedule full of bad game times (1PM), midweek games (5) Sunday games sometimes at night, all the games shifted later because they went cheap on the site & design. And still, we're the 2nd lowest payroll in the league. Wayne Rooney ain't fixing this and he's only gonna bring out the EPL bros a couple times before they get tired of mediocre access, high priced beer & food and shit product on the field.

 

If Toronto had the same chances we had, they might have had 6-8. While Ousted hasn't kept a clean sheet this year, I can't put much of it on him.

When I look at Mattocks and his career high goal tally in 11 games, his 4 game goal scoring streak, I wonder why he doesn't have 5-6 more. He's only finishing wide open opportunities in front of the goal. He couldn't make a ham sandwich without dropping it in a pile of dog shit and he's sure not making an opportunity for himself. He couldn't beat an egg, let alone beat a defender. The safest thing an opposing defense could do is force us to pass him the ball early. His ball skills are worse than some of the U9 kids I coach.

 

8 years, and we're still lacking proof?

You yourself said many times that Olsen is not the one running practice. That's all the proof I need. If the head coach is not alpha enough to take control of practice and teach these bonehead players to win games, then that person shouldn't be a head coach.

 

He totally sucks. That play last night where he stole the ball from a defender and wound up scoring? Pure dog shit. Cut him now.

 

Do you think Wenger or Ferguson or Klopp or Jose run practice????