Well I am completely satisfied with a tie! Seeing how the first goal wasn't at all Burpos' fault, and the goal by Casey was sweet! Nice feed from Pablo, I think we see some potential with the club. We just need our mid-field not to look like a black hole and suck the energy of the team and make it seem non-existent!
Kudos as well to the Crew Supporters groups, who were apparently the only corner of the stadium full and active. I don't think this point would have happened last year. Not a pretty game, but who here (excepting the beautiful dreamers) really expected one? The Rapids often LOOKED tired and a step behind, with little midfield possession. Still, I never got the feeling that a collapse was in the cards. The Rapids were steadfast and stayed mostly organized, the one obvious exception hinging mostly on a guy who realized, 2 seconds too late, that there is no one like Schelotto in the USL. As for philw's player ratings, they feel about right, but how he got them with that feed, I don't know. I'm still waiting for my blood pressure to go down . If I did do ratings they would look like this: "Mastroeni 27.5: Sometimes hung in mid air for long periods using his telekinetic powers to freeze the ball 20 feet above his head. Then teleported himself into the opponent's box. Should earn a call-up soon to Earth's Intergalactic Cup squad..."
Yes, much credit deserved with an announced attendance of just over 7k! Excellent job Nordecke!! (SP?)
Interesting comment...although I am not sold on Cummings... I would say that this is probably the best forward combo we have had since John Spencer and Chris Carrieri... That said...both players go through their streaks of scoring and not scoring....Casey (at least last year) was streaky and scored goals in groupings (at least, that is the recollection I have...could be wrong). The difference is, I get the feeling Conor Casey contributes when he is not scoring as well. I do not always have that sense with Cummings. Casey is a bona fide starter up top. I think we can improve on Cummings (although since I doubt we will, I am content with the combo for now).
with that nice thru ball that pablo served up for conor, i can see gary putting mastroeni in the attacking midfield position next week.
But now you are making a completely different argument... Because hell, we didn't even send coverage to away games last year. Just a visitor feed with sh!tty ass announcers pasted in front of a blue screen. So even when they covered away games themselves in the last few years, did they really COVER away games? It is what it is... They only care about money makers, not money spenders. So, unless we are gone sign a glamor whore like Beckham, or actually win a Cup, continue to look for more of the same...
I like the way Pablo can possess the ball ... and I like what I see when he has the occasional attacking thought ... I haven't followed the Rapids until the last couple years though so I'm wondering ... has there already been a 'Pablo as Attacking Mid' experiment that failed miserably or ... ?
BTW, Pablo's assist was only his second since 2003 (to go along with 1 goal and 6 shots on goal in that time). He had 5 assists and 2 shots on goal in his first 2 years with the Rapids and 10 assists, 2 goals, and 10 shots on goal in his 4 years in Miami (where he spent most of his time at right back IIRC).
Good note on a key intangible. Some of this may be due to roster improvements (addition by subtraction), with a few of the erratic freelancers like N. Hernandez, F. Erpen, and The Cone gone.
Schellotto's whiny ass is unbearable to watch. Does anyone remember the game last season when he wouldn't stop falling down?
Totally agree, LaBrocca is not a wide player. For the next several matches ...... I would like to see Ballouchy continue to team with Pablo in the central midfield and start Cooke or Peterson at right mid.
The one time Saturday he was writhing on the ground from a minor bump was pretty anoying but I can't help but feel he is the most entertaining player in MLS when on his feet. He was giving our defense fits.
I don't think our personnel currently can put its best foot forward on a 4-4-2 without Cooke and with Ballouchy in the middle. If Smith continues with this personnel, we should go 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 like Barca has. I am not sure if that is what they are doing now since DISH dropped GolTV to my eternal dismay. I think this could be worth a shot for the front six: LaBrocca-----Mastroeni-----Clark Cummings-----Casey-----Ballouchy Mastroeni is not the perfect center midfielder in this formation as Barca plays it. As someone pointed out in another post, this is a Xavi role. But Mastroeni is the acknowledged leader of the team and can at least control the midfield. I think Chelsea plays it more defensively. Mastroeni could chase down counters better as well. Clark and Labrocca would do most of the running so they fit there. LaBrocca can send long balls into the box and his defense will be emphasized in the amount of ground he will cover. Clark can do that and cross well. Ballouchy and Cummings can send in balls to Casey or shoot. An even better idea (to a nut like me) may be the Christmas Tree LaBrocca-----Matroeni-----Clark --- Cummings-----Ballouchy ----------Casey It is a narrow formation but our team right now is not strong on wide players. Both can use LaBrocca's engine and desire without having him need to be the only wide player. Both give Ballouchy a more refined role to take advantage of his strengths without making him the QB. Both take advantage of Pablo's defensive midfield presence. No formation is a perfect fit and I will never see these, but I think Smith has to be creative and not put out the traditional 4-4-2 diamond without a good solution on the right and what I believe is a weak center with Ballouchy. I am obviously not a tactical mastermind but going away from the current formation may play to our player's strengths better. PS. When good teams have bad days on the road, they salvage a point. This is how I view Saturday for now. That and I think Casey can be a monster if he keeps this up.
Should be noted that there was some damn good build up in the run of play between the 30-45 minute mark.
Not really. Barca play a 4-3-3 with Toure, Busquets or Keita in the place that you have Pablo now. Iniesta and Xavi flank him to the left and right respectively. And Barca's 4-3-3 would never work here just for shear lack of talent across the midfield. They essentially play 4 attacking mids as wingers at the same time, and we barely have a single talented attacking mid. If we were to do any tinkering with our formation (and I don't think we should), it should be a 4-5-1 with Cooke and Clark at the wings and Dalby/Ballouchy, Pablo and Labrocca across the middle. With the talent that we have, the formation works, but we would be better off going with the Bob Bradley empty bucket version, Cooke and Clark outside, Pablo and Labrocca in the middle. It can't kill our attack through the middle any more than our current version does.
As much as I hate the empty bucket, I agree. Until we can get a decent central/attacking mid this is the best 4 we can out on the field. The other option, if Richardson is up for it, is the Christmas tree formation somebody suggested. Standard back 4 Cooke - Pablo - Clark Cummings - Richardson Casey
Remember, I haven't seen Barca play this year. Did Xavi have the middle spot last year flanked by Deco and Iniesta? Can't remember. Not to get into it too much but he can play defensive mid and more of a two way role. My assumption in the formation tinkering was that Smith seemed set on not starting Cooke and keeping Ballouchy. That leaves us with only one skilled wide player to choose from, Clark. Combining that weakness with the central midfield weakness and we have a very problematic midfield. Narrowing the formation could alleviate that. I don't think it will happen and I don't even know if Smith has ever coached either the 4-3-3 or Christmas Tree. If he does have Arsenal pedigree he has to know the 4-5-1 at least. Maybe he can roll that out to clog the midfield.