So how’d he look these last two games? I’m glad he’s getting minutes! He needs some goals or assists soon though.
I didn’t see the US Open Cup match but he looked good in his 20 minutes last night. I’ll write more later.
70' | SECOND SUB:➡️ Freddy Adu⬅️ Daigo Kobayashi0-2 | #LVvSLC— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) May 20, 2018 So Las Vegas lost 2-0 to Real Monarchs who are a much better team, but gave the first goal away with a mistake in possession and the second was a Real counter from their own defensive clearance. And more to the point the Lights out-shot Monarchs 26-8 and had 60% possession, a dramatic departure from the season-long struggle to get the ball at their feet. "Me, as a leader today, that's what I'm looking for. Being a little selfish, I want the group to be honest with their efforts. Today, they were honest." - Lights FC Head Coach @IsidroSanMa Luck just wasn't on our side tonight. That's Vegas.RECAP ⬇️ https://t.co/crudd9hWU2— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) May 20, 2018 I might get a little excited here, prepare for extended hyperbole. There are midfield pieces that are quite good. Carlos Alvarez (USL vet who played for Chivas USA) Daigo Kobayashi (former Vancouver Whitecap and NE Rev) and Juan Jose Calderon, last a player for Venados in Liga de Ascensio, who finally played his first official minutes last night after showing well in pre-season. Carlos Alvarez Weird way to lead in to saying Freddy had his best 20 minutes as a professional soccer player since he played for the Philadelphia Union, but he looked good, as he always has when his team has most of the ball and he can actually run around like a fit professional. It’s been half a decade. He got the ball at his feet about 6-7 times in 20 minutes and was really useful in possession, simple possession, the attacking midfielder with sticky feet in pressure — playing a little further back in midfield (they’ve been playing him up in support-striker wilderness.) Three separate times (this is what I really remember seeing him do in full US international matches that was substantially valuable, the ability to warp the other team’s shape) he got the ball at his toe and kept it, drew three or four opponents to him before finding a teammate in space close to him with a little clever pass — earlier games he would lose the ball here — but now he keeps possession and Boom you look up and the whole Real Monarchs midfield is out of whack (all the players who had surrounded him suddenly looked around in realization) having felt they could have won it off of him. Instantly there’s tons of space. The defenders draw up or pull wide in response and space is everywhere. We still don’t have this in midfield for the US. Maybe we’ve never had it. Maybe only with Tab Ramos. Or John O’Brien. Or Feilhaber on his very best days in South Africa. It’s why there are so many Carleton fan boys. Once Freddy showed a nice pause of play and found a good entry pass into Ochoa (former Sounder) in a way that showed confidence, a lack of hesitancy, thoughtfulness, mind and body on the same page, sound footing based on actual professional game minutes. And let’s be honest, our boy hasn’t had a steady diet of that in 5 years. It’s a long road back to find a rhythm again. And...he had two runs through defenders, ball at his feet, skipping around one then the other, where you held your breath slightly and thought, Oh yea, I remember Freddy running with the ball like that. Once he lost it and once he didn’t, but it didn’t matter because he was aggressive and confident. He was conscious of his own skill again and fit enough to believe in it. Juan Jose Calderon Juan Jose Calderon is the Lights best player. He’s got a sort of Iniesta way about him (USL-level Iniesta.) Great on the ball. He’s had a knock for 8 weeks and Freddy’s never had him alongside in midfield. He came on at 80 minutes and trotted around a little, then in minute 91 he dropped all the way back to Huiqui in central defense and took possession of the ball. The defense had all eyes on Calderon and Freddy snuck into a little pocket 35 yards up the field at the right of the Monarchs D-mid, and in perfect tempo Calderon served it to Freddy’s left foot. Freddy turned with the pass and in two touches found his right winger in space for a cross. That is what I had been waiting to see. So Freddy had no goals, no stats, a home loss. But a world of difference in my eyes from what he’s been able to show so far previously. He wasn’t great, nothing tricky, no stepovers, no backheels. Just an effective attacking midfielder with the basic knowledge that he has the best technique and vision on the field. He can’t do it from the start yet, not close, and he can’t do it consistently. But...he’s on his way back from ground zero.
Las Vegas. It's self-aware kitsch. I mean, they have replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Great Pyramid for crying out loud.
On the bench in the US Open Cup away to Golden State Force. Game 0-0 in the first half. Also, Eric Avila signed by the Lights this week is making his debut.
63' | THIRD AND FINAL SUB:➡️ Juan Jose Calderon⬅️ Daigo Kobayashi0-0 | #USOC2018 | #VivaLights— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) May 24, 2018 No Freddy tonight against the PDL squad. Being saved for the big matches, obvi.
Oof... 7-2! And Adu on at 11? How did he do? Note - is that Ariel Lassiter who plays for LA II Roy Lassiter's son?
Adu came on in the 66’ I’ll watch his minutes a little later today. I spent the whole day yesterday in a glass case of emotion hating Sergio Ramos and trying to find a way to accept the Liverpool loss.
I ended up watching the whole game after seeing this thread courtesy of @zlebmada. LA Galaxy II beat a hapless Las Vegas side 7-2 on Saturday. Uly Llanez had 2-3 great moments but was sloppy. Alex Mendez lined up at the 10 and put on a show for 90 minutes. Got a few GIFs.Here Mendez sprays wide to Llanez, who darts inside and loses it, probably was fouled. pic.twitter.com/F1YWlQK6A1— scuffed (@scuffedpod) May 28, 2018 Alex Mendez, 17 years, is a brilliant player. Clean sharp left foot, passes cleverly with tempo and vision. Kind of Zelalem-ish with 1/3 of the touches. Ulysses Llanez is fun. Efra Alvarez was with Mexico. Alex Mendez is brilliant. Las Vegas lost 7-2 and Freddy was not involved in the goals He came on for 2-goal scorer Kobayashi in the 65th minute with the game 5-2. He did fine, built on last week with one and two-touch passes, good poise. Simple good ball movement to clear open teammates. A hint of tempo. Held a guy off with his body once. It’s good to see a lowering center of gravity as he gets fitter. Took a quick shot from 22 yards out, curving it low and he made pretty good contact forcing a routine save. The only time he lost the ball was with a back heel attempt on a trap with his teammate making a run behind him. Right at the top of the box. Exactly where and how it’s ok to lose the ball, the perfect place to try a trick. So bigger picture...it’s a mess tactically. For those who subscribe to the coach-killer Freddy narrative, Chelis has the players so confused. It’s kind of a 4-5-1 except the 5 in midfield has no shape offensively and no plan, and the 1 is always Sammy Ochoa. The Lights are 10 league games in and have scored 11 goals. Sammy Ochoa has 0. Sammy Ochoa on a donut. I went to a pre-season practice and Chelis came over to smoke a cigarette by me and talked to me for a bit. He was super focused on the physicality of the league, and I feel like he’s realizing he needs to give the USL organizations more credit. Yes it’s physical, but all these teams have come to play with a tactical plan. The Lights midfield is a rotating amorphic jumble. Chelis, who didn’t get his US coaching license because he told me he “Two weeks in Arizona? Come on!” had t be made the technical director while assistant Isidro Sanchez was made “head coach.” Now they’ll both be walking around on the sideline together each week. Chelis looks like he’s making decisions when he’s not suspended for some craziness. Chelis and Sanchez And Freddy, when he’s in, often plays like a false 7/11. So he’ll start way high on either wing (and switch wings all the time) and come back for the ball as the play progresses essentially moving against his teammates’ play. He gets on the ball there in midfield sometimes as he comes back and generates the game as a deep midfielder. Possession/Metronome style. Sometimes they skip over him. Never once has he won a ball up top, but Chelis probably feels like he can hide him there defensively. Although then you have a pretty sad press between Ochoa and Freddy. Opposing centerbacks are usually pretty comfortable. Switchbacks at home on Saturday.
My EPL fantasy league has the imaginary McBride-Demerit trophy. (One player from each side of the Cheddar Border). Its quite an honor.
58! But some mornings it feels like 68. I have been watching Freddy since he was 12, if he is lying about his age(which I don't think) it is at most 2 years.