Very good from Price, Moor, and Abubakr; solid performance and one wonderful save from Irwin; flashes from Namli, especially on the goal--smooth, calm on the ball. Way too much space, especially on our left side; disjointed attack at times, but I'm still trying to adjust to watching a Rapids team with the majority of possession; Acosta seemed a non-factor--could this be where Bassett gets some time? Great start to the season. While they may not deserve quite yet the title of "Invincibles," perhaps they have risen to the level of the "Convincibles." Maybe all the national pundits who had paid no attention to what the team had accomplished in the last third of last season and what was being built here will now be moved to change their minds.
Great to get the win, but it was far less comfortable than it should have been. Orlando is not a good team. I'm thinking that our current midfield setup is a bit worrisome because they really didn't do much to break up the opponent's attacks. That left the responsibility to the back line who got exposed far too many times. If we play like that against a team that actually has an offense, like a Minnesota or LAFC, we would have been down a couple of goals by halftime. We also really didn't have an answer to Orlando's high press, or their compact defense. We were rarely able to get good looks at goal and it required an unusual piece of individual brilliance and a last ditch corner kick to get through. Happy we're sitting at the top with 6 points, but play does need to get sharper and adjustments need to be considered if we want that to continue.
Fun game and worth the wait for Drew’s winner at the end. I too feel like our attack was lacking last night. Both Shinyashiki and Nicholson were lackluster. Nicholson showed up a lot on offense but failed more than not. Kamara seemed “unimportant “ most of the night, Acosta helped a great deal when acting as a d-mid but didn’t offer much for offense. Price, Namli and even Vines seemed to keep things initiated and alive. To be fair Orlando defense was organized and effective. It was a good win and enjoyable, but that offensive performance won’t win us games consistently going forward. Here’s to hoping those kinks will be worked out. It seems Fraser values speed on the wings and that’s why Nicholson and Shinyashiki are starting. Benezet in one of those spots may help, but I’m not sure Lewis has the one on one attacking skill that both Nicholson and Shinyashiki have.
Kamara's quiet game may have more to do with 'scouting' and being covered by 2 and at times 3 defenders than a significant decline in his game -- and that is when others should be open and make good things happen. A goal every other match will still get Kei to double digit goals.
Totally agree. I think the positive is Orlando used a tactic that's worked well the last couple of years in Colorado. Press hard and fast early to get a quick goal and then play smart defense and counter knowing the Rapids would not be able to respond. That strategy isn't going to hold up if the Rapids do adjust and get the mid clicking the way it should - teams are just going to burn themselves out and get turned in the second half.
Random thoughts and observations on the match last night: • Namli looked done literally a minute or so before he scored. He was holding his side and moving slowly. But Mezquida wasn't prepped yet. Good thing. • Namli is very smooth on the ball and has a wicked turn that takes defenders by surprise. He does need to get used to the physicality of MLS. • Do the officials not no the rules? Orlando City was hosed in the second half when the RA on the for side raised his flag for an offside when a forward received a throw-in behind the defense. Once the center official realized the mistake he called for a dropped ball. Wow. Too late to make help OC. • Vines is really confident on the ball is is just itching to get into the attack. He consistently works to the inside with or without the ball. If he had just been a tad patient on the rebound of Shinyashiki's shot he would have had his first of the season. • Looks like Fraser changed to a 4-4-2 when Rubio came in for Shinyashiki. I like his flexibility. • Orlando City's #15 Rodrigo Schlegel really did a job on Nicholson and Lewis. They struggled to take him 1 v 1. He also had to fight through a leg injury late in the match when OC had already made 3 substitutions. • The food selections aren't an improvement over previous seasons. • There are no Nine Six jerseys in the story with names as the situation in China has messed up the supply chain. They tell me it will take at least a month before the name plates arrive.
Forgot to mention how it was really nice to explain to the Orlando fans sitting next to us how it was par for the course when the Rapids scored off a Price corner . These sane fans also commented on how quiet the stadium was compared to what they;re used to at home. That wasn't so pleasant to hear.
Orlando’s high press wore them out for the second half at altitude. I was happy it was tied at half because no team can attack in Denver for 90 minutes. Price has been great on free kicks. I thought he was decent last year, but this year has been at a different level. Nicholson struggled getting a cross past the defender in front of him. Liked Vines play. Namli’s goal was a beauty. Soccer is that type of sport where a few players can finish; others just kick and hope. Namli can finish.
It did seem quieter than normal home opener. Not sure why. Maybe we are all confused with the team able to win.... (117 did a decent job, but the rest wasn't as loud as usual. )
Assistant Referees (ARs) are human and he is watching the offside line not where the ball is coming from -- still a mistake but understandable every great once in a while. The Center Referee has the job of knowing the flag is incorrect and waving it down, and he didn't, but he did catch it in time to make the correct restart (drop ball for inadvertent whistle) at the correct location. Rapids played the 'spirit of the game' card and let Orlando have the ball uncontested despite the fact that it was in the final third, although they were now facing a back and ready defense having lost the advantage of the break on the throw. Unfortunate disadvantage due to ARs mistaken flag (?) yes. "(H)osed" out of a sure goal (?) not really.
This is actually one of the changes this year (changed in the LOTG changes in June, but competitions don't change rules mid-competition, so new for MLS this year). Drop balls are now uncontested and go to the team who had touched it last at the time play stopped. The only exception is in the box, where it always goes to the keeper. The CR even bent the rules slightly as when he blew the whistle the ball was in the box, he took the drop ball outside the box so it could go to Orlando. This is fungable though as technically its when the ref makes the decision to blow the whistle, not when the whistle is blown, so he could claim he made the decision before the ball entered the box.
It's the same service. When you select the game it gives you the option for the English or Spanish stream.
Thanks, got crossed up with my HS "rules" instead of 'real soccer' laws. Sadly this is one of the many areas they can't seem to standardize -- starting with what to call it: NCAA & NFHS "Drop Ball" FIFA & IFAB "Dropped Ball" (can't make this stuff up). Also NCAA "2 opponents not required", NFHS "Any number can contest" (referee can't determine #) FIFA & IFAB (as you stated) dropped to a single player -- all other players must be 4 meters away which seems to be a random distance not used for anything else -- not to mention that all other distances are in yards so don't forget that's +/- 4 yards + 1 foot. And all of those if I'm not mistaken have had recent changes (not sure re. NCAA) but no convergence.
Forgot to mention with the change in MLS on a dropped ball (looking a lot like a free kick now) -- watch for the confusion in the stands when a dropped ball just outside the penalty area is kicked directly into the goal and the result is a goal kick. W/o VAR or anything. ;>) If the players are all up to speed on the law it shouldn't happen but ...