I understand your point..but isn't that the major problem that the real Soccer loving public has with MLS. Don't you think the coaching suffers because of that..?
I don't care about the individual effects of single games. When 55% of a league makes the playoffs, it renders the regular season less meaningful than a league where 53% of the teams make the playoffs. The fact that they spend an entire season, to whittle out only 45% of the teams is a waste of time. The regular seasons in all 3 leagues are a complete waste of time and money. -Home games in MLS mean close to nothing. Especially for a team that plays in a stadium as empty as Gillette -First round bye might actually be a bad thing, because it means being two weeks removed from competitive play and rythm -Playing the lowest seed in MLS is next to meaningless, since almost all the teams are relatively equal -Supporters Shield? hahahaha At least in the NBA, home court is actually an advantage.
Yeah, MLS sucks. Unfortunately, the Revs exist within MLS. The league has homogenized the sport to the point where a majority of it's season is a waste of time.
I just find it funny that people are calling for Nicol's head. Like he is the problem. The problem is the league and the piece of shit owner here. I hate Nicol's style of play, but he is far from the issue here. The Revs are rotting from their core.
if we were a potential Championship caliber team with a history as a championship team, this half a loaf attitude might work. But we have a squad in which younger players are not developing and teaching them that each game is not critical sends a message of mediocrity that no successful professional organization can live with and survive. It is the fact that this organization's survival is unrelated to its performance because ownership doesn't care and also does not get hurt in the pocketbook by mediocrity. How can you honestly bring a young player to Stadium? Because they do not know any better. You bring a youth player to inspire them, to see an occasional spectacular play, skill, touch, attacking creativity. Not a punting and whose got the longest throw-in or highest jump contest. WE need change in coaching and real aggressive management
The Supporters Shield winner gets a automatic group stage Champions League berth. I realize that some MLS fans still don't care about the CONCA-champions league. I could say that I respect your opinion on this issue, but I'd be lying. CONCA-champions is the North American Championship. That makes it bigger, better, and more prestigious than any of our domestic titles. Any domestic competition (including the MLS regular season) that awards a CCL slot should be taken 100% seriously.
I think you are being a bit harsh, considering they both beat out Sinovic for roster spots, and Sinovic has since been picked up by KC. The problem is not with Boggs and Tierney, who make minimum wage* in MLS, it is that the Revs don't have anyone better for ZB and CT to back up. When your team strength is up the middle (Joseph, Feilhaber, Lekic) but your offense is designed to go wide, through the two cheapest players in your starting 11, there is a serious disconnect somewhere. (* - OK, so Tierney makes slightly above min at $65K, it's still 10th among the 11 starters)
This is our true lineup now, mix the middle three however you like. Problem [LINEUP-4-5-1]Lekic, Tierney, Boggs, Joseph, Mccarthy, Feilhaber, Domi/Barnes, Soares, Cochrane/Coria, Alston, Reis[/LINEUP-4-5-1] Sometimes they go into a shade of 4-3-3 but it's only when they are on the offensive with a disregard for D. (When they are losing) Tierney can put in great crosses, early ones too, but with Kung-Fu Lekic in there he can't seem to go towards goal for a header. Tierney/Lekic will never be Ralston/Twellman or even remotely close. Lekic needs another man in there and Schiwalski needs to be it. IMHO they need to find a partner for him and they haven't even been trying. Hopefully it means they have that DP lined up and they are trying out other things in the meantime. Schiwalski has looked great in pairs this year. He almost tied the game against LA, and he gave a great knocked down to Stoli for his only goal this year. I think he and Lekic should work. The problem I think Nicol ends up with is who plays RM that is competent enough defensively? Not Nyassi, Boggs (few strengths) and Mccarthy (slow) aren't good enough to play in a 4 man-mid. I think the Revs need to form an off balanced midfield that forces play to the left for crosses, or up the middle to the second striker. Let the RM be an after thought on offense.Solutions[LINEUP-4-4-2]Lekic, Schiwalksi, Tierney/Perovic, Jospeh/Perovic, Feilh/Dabo/Josep, Phelan/Dabo, Domi/Barnes, Soares, Cochrane/Coria, Alston, Reis[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Slashes / are because of injuries, but we have 3 players who can cross the ball with the left foot, Tierney, Perovic and Domi while the RCM and RM drop to defend. Again it's not a symmetrically lineup but it's better than the current strategy of failed triangles. From what I gather Feilhaber and Perovic are out this weekend, assuming Phelan, Dabo, and Domi are better I do This. This weekend[LINEUP-4-4-2]Lekic, Schiwalksi, Tierney, Joseph, Dabo/Phelan, Phelan/Dabo, Domi, Soares, Cochrane, Alston, Reis[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Again push the ball to the left, Tierney, Joseph, Domi push up field. Joseph to the middle attack when necessary, Dabo providing ball support, Phelan Dropping back as D-Mid. 2 forwards can keep 3 to 4 D or M occupied, and make runs to open things up if the left attack gets heavily guarded.
Good or Lucky? Evaulating MLSs Top Managers (Schmid, Arena, Yallop, Kinnear, Nicol): http://onfooty.com/2011/06/good-or-lucky-evaluating-mlss-top-managers.html
I'm not following the line of reasoning that appears to argue that Nicol's job performance (or job security) is somehow related to problems with MLS' playoff structure.
Kraft Out was saying...why all the fuss about Nicol when its too early in the season...Regular Season is meaningless and making the playoffs means you can be a mediocre team for most of the year. So Nicol bashing now isn't warranted..sort of! LOL I kinda agree...if all it takes is being 10th to make playoffs, why are we harping on Nicol now? However, with the Revs it has to be way more than just making the playoffs, no? As we've seen...we certainly don't draw very well for playoffs...oh well. On with the discussion..!!!
I just want to point out, for the record, that in the entire 16 year history of MLS only two truly mediocre regular season teams won the cup, granted it was the last two. Although I think it's clear by now that Real Salt Lake really was the best team in '09, it just took them a while to build it up. I don't think any responsible management team is thinking "half ass it in the regular season & get lucky in the playoffs" is a recipe for success. Good teams tend to come through in big situations. If we're thinking exclusively about the playoffs, what we can do is pick apart the way managers approach knockout games. Nicol's record is obviously mixed - we've won some knockout games we should not have, but we've also had a pretty spectacular failure rate in finals. I think thinking about playoffs is kind of beside the point now, though. We don't look like a playoff team & the horrendous quality of play is almost undoubtedly impacting the gate.
I would sadly make the argument that #8 seed LA (13-13-6) beating the Revs in '05 fits this category.
I don't care about the playoffs. I watch 34 regular season REV games, 17 in person. Even if they stumble into the playoffs I get 2 games, 1 in person most likely. I reject all arguments that I should accept shit for 34 out of 36 or even 34 out of 39 games.
at this point if the season every team is basically still in contention since 10 teams make it but Chitown and Couver already canned their coaches
Because they suck? Because I don't like paying 30 bucks a ticket to watch bunker ball. I pay to watch soccer. Unfortunately, the revs don't play soccer.
No? is it possible that KC wins their next 5 or 6 games? would that not put them in contention to make the playoffs? Not likely but with this many games left and the east being what it is, anything is possible
I think KC is a bad example to use to prove your point to be honest. They haven't yet played a home game, and will play 17 of their last 25 games at home.
Some Common Sense, Thank you! This is the key, the one forward deal is a none issue really, Nicol's system has always been about having quality flank play and if it's not happening then it does not matter if you have 1,2 or 3 forwards it's just not going to work well. That's why a guy like MP is such an important player it's not that he is THAT good, but he makes the system work or work much better. I think Boggs and Teinary are good players, but they don't have the skill sets to make the attack click.
We have a bunch of guys who could be serviceable backups... the problem is, most of them are starters...
If Nicol can keep us out of the cellar with this depleted squad, I wonder if fans will still want his head on a platter...? =)