Today at 2 pm est. Will be interested to see if they run out mixed squads or the full first team. No trophies on the line. Just egos. TWCSC for locals. YouTube for everyone. ATX Pro Challenge: Austin Aztex vs. Columbus Crew…:
Still a mixed lineup...it seems more interesting to me, though. Lampson Grana, Parkhurst ©, Ryden**, Francis Tchani, Trapp Finlay, Higuaín, Steindorsson Bedell
Is TWC using the same feed as the YouTube channel? Even though it is 720p--it still feels pretty amateur. Its pretty blocky too, hard to believe its actually 720p originally.
Grana doesn't look impressive to me yet. Steindorsson looks good. Bedell just missed a sitter--wide open header in front of the net (maybe 5 yards out) and sent it wide across the frame.
yeah, so far this is validating my concerns that we needed to have acquired another finishing striker ahead of anything and everything else. We're doing everything right but finishing.
We're just familiarizing Austin with their future player is all. I don't see how lev-ari can be worse. Bedell is just badong
If we get those looks this season I am confident that Kamara can finish them. Bedell had what 4 really good looks. Ethan should have had 2-3 himself. Nothing to get worried about.
On the plus side, all of the international signings seem to be better than the Viana types we have seen the last few seasons. The Iceman had a very nice 45.
Agree about the iceman, really liking that left side currently. Someone score a dang goal though, geeezzzz.
3G showing lots of confidence playing Ben Swanson this half. Curious as to why we have yet to see Campbell so far.
But what happens when Kamara gets injured? Accumulates yellows? Is out of form? Shouldn't we have ... i dunno... more than one striker that can perform? Shouldn't someone be putting pressure on Kamara for the lone striker position? Or, this may be crazy, shouldn't we have enough flexibility on our squad to occasionally play two up top when needed? I've been concerned for months now, and these games just provide further evidence that we shouldn't bet all of our chips on Kamara working out all of the time.
I dont think these games prove anything. I have the same concerns. 45 minutes against the Aztecs don't change anything. Worry about the striker depth since last year. Worried about it just the same.
You know we're in for a rough season when the cure for our offensive ailments is the Doctor of Defense.
So, I don't really care about preseason form, it means nothing. Interested to see what you guys thought about Swanson though. Think I might watch the second half just to see him.
The YouTube feed for me was so crappy I couldn't really tell one Crew player from another so I don't know how well or bad he did.
Ive really liked what I've seen from Grana so far. The quality of Francis and Grana's crosses is really steller. I like what Ive seen from Saeid too. Finlay looks ready to start off like he finished last year. Merem looks a little lost. Klute has been horrible so far. I liked what Ive seen from that Ryden guy in the two games. Campbell is a big dude.
I don't put too much stock in pre-season form either. I'm not concerned about any particular player, but what's concerning is the whole conceptual setup of this team looks limited. Berhalter is totally married to having just one guy up top. The roster itself reflected that we're pigeonholing ourselves to that, and now we've seen four sets of eleven-player lineups that's based upon a lone striker. We haven't made the acquisitions to be flexible in the attacking end of our formation, and in these two games Berhalter did not present an alternate shape up front with the guys that we have.
It definitely looks like Grana will start RB and Francis LB. Possibly a Parkhurst/Wahl/Pogatetz platoon with spot starts from Campbell. Finlay has the AMR locked up, Kamara has ST role, Pipa AMC, Trapp/Tchani at DM. Do we get Meram or Steindorsson at AML?
Meram served up two great crosses, one for Barsons goal and the other straight to Karama for a saved header. I do like the Icelander. I dont think Pogo is a lock..Campbell looks pretty good already. Oh by golly we do need another striker..hope Lev shows promise