He had an absolute stinker. All four starting backs were poor. But where it was really apparent how substandard he was on the evening was when we went to three at the back. He looked like he had no clue what was going on. I'd expect more from him.
I am not sure if you were referring to Leonardo or Omar, both were terrible tonight. I thought Leonardo was the worse of the two and should have been given a red card for his foul (I believe) on Adi.
Omar made me look like an idiot tonight. And I thought Leonardo, other than one lunging stupid tackle, was better than Omar.
I obviously can't say I'm surprised. People can cherry-pick and post incidental stats about interceptions and tackles, but the problem with that is poor play even for a couple seconds as a defender can kill a team. People can also say that Omar's still a decent to good defender, which I agree with, but I think it's obvious that mental-mistake-wise he's been getting worse since around the middle of 2014, and it costs us goals and points, as in all the video clips I posted. Thus while he may still be good and probably still better than Leo, he's no longer the player we gave DP money to, and even at his higher level of play back then it was debatable whether it was worth it. My contention in my OP is that it's reached a point where it could be really hard to say it's worth it to find ways to pay this guy 1.5 mil a year. I truly hope he gets in form for the playoffs and doesn't make a horrible error that costs us huge, but honestly I'll be shocked if he plays well. It's depressing.
Let's see Omar Michael Bradley Jose Altidore Alvarado Seems like Klinsman's magic touch does wonders for their games.
Leonardo is what he's always been: a technically proficient defender who is mostly solid but it's let down by lapses in concentration and costly mistakes. We have conceded 44 goals this season. That is the 3rd worst in the Western Conference. Our defense this season had not been "good" so being the best in that part of the field is nothing to write home about. Leonardo looks better this year because the players around him (well Omar mainly) have dipped to his level. As for what to do with Omar next season, if we want to keep him at this salary, we could always just give him Stevie G's DP slot.
Thanks, exactly my point! Omar has become a defender that's only better by LEONARDO by a small margin. I don't think this is a short dip in form either, as I believe he's been declining for 18 months for us. Don't forget he was also horrible for us in the biggest game of the year last year, the Cup final. If all the clips I posted were of Leonardo this year, people would be dying to cut him loose, even at only 155,000/yr salary. Yet Omar is worth keeping at 1.5 mil, with his costly mistakes and seeming regression/lack of progression as a defender? Who's more worth trying to keep next year-- Omar or Lletget? And why doesn't AJ deserve Omar's spot (salary-wise)?
Omar should have left after last season while still riding high on a decent World Cup outing and covered in MLS Cup glory. I'm afraid his market price has probably tumbled between now and then. Not to mention the USMNT has such a bad stink on it now thanks to colonel klink, call-ups in the future will probably do more harm than good to players' market value now (not helped by the tendency of klink to bad mouth players to deflect criticism of his failures as a coach).
We have a team defense problem. Our offense was running so high and so dominantly that our opponents couldn't get their feet on the ball to cause us problems (at our home). Now that we are back to earth a bit, we don't help back enough and our backline is vulnerable. AND we haven't at all figured out how to chase a game, and we just leave more egregious gaps. Maybe that's what Bruce was trying to do by bunkering over the last couple of games, shoring up the defense. It didn't work very well if so.
Of the 5 goals scored only 2 of them were on Omar for getting beat by the wingers that he wouldn't have even had to deal with had we not gone 3 in the back. This game needed AJ. Omar is not a fullback. Center backs will almost always get beat for pace. Dude you talk like the reason we lose games is totally because of Omar. He has not slipped to the point where he is on par with Leo. The idea that Leo, who has been complete trash for 5 years and just standard in year 6 is even considered comparable with Omar, who has been an All-Star/MVP caliber player for all but 1 season, is dang near a joke. The dude has had to deal with a midfield that doesn't defend and allows its backline to get overwhelmed, a keeper who can barely stop a shot and a partner that leaves him in no man's land constantly. And,...he has had to deal with this crap All Year Long both here, and to a lesser extent, on the national team as well. Even a young Rio Ferdinand would struggle in that situation. Would you begrudge Rio his check in the face of those circumstances but give the likes of Leo a raise for his one decent season? A season that Omar who if equal to Leo could claim also as decent. Would you keep a poor defending Gerrard as a DP, when you can likely still go get my first choice for a Landon Donovan replacement in a 31 year old Wesley "I am still fast and will defend" Sneijder and make him a DP who takes less than Stevie and part of his check can be used to retain Omar? (Which is what Bruce Arena should do. Send Gerrard into retirement Bruce. You can do it.) How can you sit here and say that Omar is one of your favorite players and then in the same breath not give respect to the stats that point out that the teams defensive struggles are not primarily his fault? Fair enough the guy has not been playing at all star DP level but he has played well enough to be the best thing we got on defense making the money he did get not poorly spent all things considered. We got other DP's who can't say nearly the same thing but not nobody has questioned their pay rate versus what they bring to the team. Clearly Omar is not going to be able to keep his current pay and stay on this roster next season, so unless the league creates flexibility so that we can retain him without major sacrifices then sad choices are going to need to be made. You are almost certain to see him gone and his check used on other guys. And sadly that includes someone like Leo, who despite this season, doesn't deserve it.
I think the tipping point for me is this year, watching us concede goals that absolutely did change games and cost us points (see op) and being able to watch his role in them almost predictably. Yeah we're worse defensively this year but I contend he's been bad since mid 2014. Can anyone really say he's gotten better since 2013, even with all the experience and call ups? The fact that he hasn't progressed significantly, and that that fact hurts us, is a big deal when he's on a contract that was hard to justify even when he was better. Obviously he's not the only reason we lost to Portland. Of course other players have been bad, including Ricketts, Leo and even AJ at times, but they haven't been on contracts that have hamstrung us in signing other top players. And his job as a DP defender is to help raise the play of those around him. Ultimately this is Bruce arena's and Chris klein's faults for signing him to a DP contract in the first place, I understand that. He is one of my favorites but unlike many, it seems, I attach no emotion to judging his play. As such, if he were to play well, I'd be happy to acknowledge it, and wouldn't find ways to credit other players and minimize his contribution. I feel like the opposite is in play here when he does badly though, as so many vague defenses of his value come out when his mistakes are looking at you right in the face. Admit he's been worse this year than last. If so, then that's a problem, because, let's face it, despite your comparison, Omar is not even close to Rio Ferdinand. A player with that kind of world class potential is worth being patient for. Omar, sadly, once given the big time contract and chance to play in big international games, has shown he is not. Liking or respecting a player doesn't mean he can't play poorly. Respect to Geneva for admitting the guy he previously defended actually played poorly last night. At this rate, like I said, unless he performs in the playoffs, we're better off with him gone next year and I won't be sad about it. Our other DPs even if they don't perform, offer the attraction of star power (which Omar does not) and thus they can be justified on a business level. Signing Gerrard is not a sure fire home run move on the pitch (jury is still out) but it brings recognition and money to the club, which helps for the future.
You're a hard man, LAA. Omar's looked worse this season because our midfield is tangibly worse. Not saying Omar's been great, but I think it's too cut-and-dry to just say he's declined without looking at other factors or performing a more rigorous analysis. Over the same period I think he's made strides with his long passes out of the back and his forays forward. He looks bad dealing with guys like Nagbe when the FBs are pushed up, but that's a problem with the system -- you never want Omar trying to hold off Nagbe 1-v-1. So I don't discount that Omar's form has declined, but I think it's at least partially due to the system. He looked really dominant gobbling up crosses when we played 4-4-2. He has to flex different muscles in this system.
The salary cap does not work that way. A DP making less DP money does not free up money to accommodate Omar.
He's had all this year to adapt though. It's not a drastically different 442 over the first half and the second half of this year. Compared to last year with sarvas and Juninho, Gerrard and Juninho as a unit offer less strength defensively but then again as a unit now sit deeper, closer to the back four. And if the problem truly is that he can't do what he's being asked and paid 1.5 mil to do, then that also means he probably needs to go.
I'm not saying get rid of him, just saying that entering the final year of his current contract, he's done himself no favors culminating in last night's performance. He will need an MVP performance in the post-season or a Defender of the Year performance over the first half of 2016 to warrant a second DP contract.
And I think he can do it. I'm sad that people think we should sell him after what he's done for the club and the success he's had. He's not playing to his $1.5M potential right now (literally right now), and I think that should be the debate - his salary. We have a bigger albatross at a bigger salary that's a problem. I'm hoping that one can turn it around too.
1. I think you're nuts by saying we're better off with him gone next year and you won't be sad about it. Who the hell is going to replace him? And don't say Leonardo. Good defenders don't grow on trees. 2. Star power is 100% the WRONG reason to have someone starting on the pitch. I don't care how many butts in seats Gerrard gives us if he can't play the game. Guess what doesn't put butts in seats? Losing. Form is temporary, class is permanent. I sure hope Omar fits in the 2nd bucket. And based on the amount of years he's played in LA I think he should get our benefit of the doubt. Argue all you want about his salary - I'm fine with that. But to say you're not sad about him leaving? Hogwash. Based on our games so far if you asked me who I'd rather keep - Gerrard or Omar? Right about now, I'd say Omar. He played well literally last week.
Ok you got me, I'll be kinda sad about it actually. Also, he did play well last week, I can acknowledge that. I just dread that he'll be awful when it matters most.
IMO Leo has been our best defender this year. He had a few brain farts but has been good overall. AJ and Omar come just behind him : Omar was the best MLS defender before the Gold Cup but has just been OK since returning. AJ had a rough year. Although he was often injured and played mostly at right back, he was solid. But honestly don't you think it was his worst year since his rookie season? Our defense this year has been like Leo : good, but not exceptional, and had a few mental glimpses. But again, why do Bruce always break the Omar/AJ combo? I know there have been some games when AJ's lack of height cost us some goals and some games (obviously I'm refering to Gordon stoppage time goal in 2013 when he outjumped AJ at the back post), but it doesn't offset all the times he saved us. Maybe I'm harsh on Leo but it might be a sign that since he came back from his two injuries in 2013 and Bruce started him, Omar has not found the form he had during his best years ('10,'11,'12)? Leo has been good individually this year, but I definitely think the defense as a whole will be better with a Omar - AJ pairing.