All things considered, it was a good performance on the road against the hottest team in MLS. There were long stretches where the Dynamo were the better team. Goal looked offside on the replay. If you want to blame someone, try Horst. The guy was between Gerrard and the goal and completely stopped playing. Gerrard never stopped, blew past Horst who finally woke up (too late) so Stevie G was all alone for the rebound. Only one game, but didn't like Barnes as lone forward but did like him more than Bruin.
I watch Olympic soccer. I've watched plenty of players be world class stars in that tournament yet not be good enough to start on their club team -- including MLS. (A Colombus Crew Nigerian in 2008 comes to mind: Emanuel Ekpo. Nigeria were finalist.) Cubo may or may not should start -- I'm not trying to argue that point. I am arguing the point that being named to an U-23 squad means much.
I hated watching that game. I was constantly reminded how much worse that LAG the Dynamo are. Disheartening. Those that want a roster overhaul there was plenty of evidence for the need of one right there. If you were to name a best 11 from that game it would be 9 or 10 LAG players. Agree on Horst not taking responsibility and staying goalside of Gerrard. Alex had a great game. I thought he was better than GDS. LAG dictated the game and kept the game, for the most part, in the Dynamo half of the field. That is an ass-kicking. Dynamo missed Beasley. About 85' minute or so Wenger gets clear on the wing, Barnes makes near-post run. Wenger, rather than serve the ball in cuts back and lays a backpass to Williams. Barnes run is spent .... no one else in the box. So Williams plays first time cross in. Of course -- no one, no one is in the box. Wenger needs to give Barnes a cross or Williams needs to hold onto theball and recycle the attack. The reason I mention that is because you NEVER NEVER see LAG make that sort of mistake. It was boys against men. Disheartening.
But doesn't this argument ignore what the Mexican Fed has done with their Us in the last 10-15 years?
He actually should have caught it then thrown it 70 yards in the air to spring Barnes for a 1v1. How Juve can see this but Joe Willis never gets it is beyond me!!
Sorry dude but as a defender I want the keeper to let me clean that up, not to go all-in on whether he can stop it 15 yards from the net. He didn't need to come out because Williams was there with the guy. If the keeper cannot literally win the ball or get on top of the play and knock it out, coming out like that puts him in no man's land, when he already had help and didn't need to take the risk. You come out and cut off line early when it is a breakaway and you have no help. Then you don't want to wait for the guy to get to the net and have all that space to shoot at. But with a defender you sit back and play the team game.
How much of "HE LEFT THE NET WIDE OPEN WHEN HE DIDN'T HAVE TO" do you not understand. Compare that to Deric last week. Deric is not just out there he wins the f*cking ball. If you are going out there you get the heck out there and smash into the guy, you don't get halfway out and play shot stopper. Or you stay put in the net and let Williams do his job. I am convinced many of you played zero defense because you do not think like a defender or understand how it works. If I am stride for stride with someone I either want (a) keeper comes out and wins/clears it or (b) keeper lets me resolve it. I do not want the keeper to come out and stand there in front of me because I then have to worry in making my tackles about where the keeper is and if we are about to collide. I want to be able to clean the attacker out if I have to. I can't do it if Willis runs out, stops in front of me, and jockeys. It's not absolutely dumb but he played it like a breakaway when he had help. He cannot anticipate the shot block per se but he can wait until he's needed. Once he makes the run out he's in no man's land. Just like, if a keeper comes out to grab a high cross, he better get it, because he just left the net. Same concept. This is not radical soccer discussion. There is a reason Willis gives up a pile of goals Deric doesn't. He is slower, makes fewer spectacular saves, and gets caught off his line. It may not be Caig but statistically it shows up and over time it's a pile of goals he doesn't stop.
I don't care if he's U23 he looked slow and was ineffective. Compare to Manotas. Manotas holds, passes, and creates chances. Torres a couple times got the ball late in a game when we needed a goal, and did something utterly selfish that didn't work. He was not blowing by people with speed. He was not setting up people with unselfish technique. He is not tall. He took a shot he hit with his purse. Cash our chips. He's not effective or currently even a team player. He's expensive as all get out for hope and dining on credentials.
So the game I watched, Willis was barely 10yd out if that, and Williams was having a hard time keeping up with Keane. Unless Williams made an awkward attempt to tackle, he was in no position to block a shot as Keane running past Williams. Here is a video of the play
If memory serves, and admittedly it might not off only a few hours sleep, JC has played every position semi-pro up to the college level. Hes an expert on all things, including trade deals and a high level tactical wiz kid. How did we get so lucky?
FWIW a lot of this Willis/Torres/etc. discussion is a diversion, we deliberately played some to save others for USOC. Personally I think 20-30 minutes today is harmless for midweek but some of these people screwing up were played to rest others. This game was going to be a tough ask, and though I think it could have worked out somewhat better, the payoff if any will be midweek.
He can't take the same line to the ball if the keeper is coming out. The run is taking the attacker wide of net. And if you watch, Willis hesitates. Subtle but there is cutting the angle and there is on top of the guy cleaning him out.
Anyhow, it's not just Willis, it's the CBs taking a Coke break while a 36 y/o man reacts to the rebound. I never said it was one thing but from a defender's perspective I still think what Willis did was overreact but then not get to the ball fast enough. That's a long ball over the top and the keeper is stuck a few yards short. I think Deric gets there.
Like I said before - this FCD game may be one of the toughest tests for the candidacy for Barrett. The Dynamo can't count on FCD to wilt in the heat and the will play all their best because their founder's name is on that trophy. By holding out Bruin at LA then Wade has probably planned on starting him against FCD in the cup game. I don't think that will work out well.
Hope you're wrong. I'd think that Manotas has earned the USOC starting spot. Mourinho is not going to get any more out of this team than WB. The Dynamo are not a great team, and are lacking quality in several positions.
Despite letting one goal in that benefitted from a non call on the offsides - the Dynamo should have counted on Scoring at least one goal to at least ensure the possibility of a tie or a chance at a win. The game plan was hoping we get lucky to score a goal. After the score Barrett went all out with the subs but it is too late by then Only sub I didn't agree with was Boniek we shouldn't be playing a 451 unless we trade for Drogba or sign Suarez or Balotelli. 442 if we want to win games with Chaco or Alex as AM and at the two forward spots Menotas and Barnes (Cubo or Bruin as a sub for Barnes). Move Rico back to DM or back line. When have we ever held LA scoreless in their home?
Thanks for the video clip. I think it shows Keane was in fact marginally onside. I did think he was off last night, but MLS hadn't yet posted the clip. Also wanted to see who it was who was dogging it on anticipating the rebound, it was indeed Horst. Man, if Stevie G and his walker blow past you, WTF are you doing?
No. It recognizes that U-23 are still kids. FMF's rules requiring playing young players (kinda a cool rule and good for Mexi development) doesn't mean those players are equal to the journeymen they replace.
Why anyone doesn't have him on ignore befuddles me. This is the guy who said Geoff Cameron can't play Central MF because his legs are too long. (Dom was to blame for him getting hurt becaues he played him there.) And he argued the point for page after page as we all ridiculed him.