Ezra's formation and tactics

Discussion in 'Chicago Fire' started by milicz, Mar 13, 2023.

  1. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    #151 xtomx, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    We won 10 games last season.
    We have won 1 this season.

    We had the longest winless streak of any MLS team last year.

    Worst ever US Open Cup performance.

    Is our team THAT bad?
     
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  2. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    #152 xtomx, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    You are right.
    That Torres showed us nothing.
    Gimenez was not much better.

    Shaqiri, in the other hand, was top 10 in the league in assists. Not as good as he should have been, but not weak.
     
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  3. overlap_old_coach

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    May 2, 2022
    Strange to me how harsh you can be on Ezra and at the same time nutride Shaqiri...

    I guess what's good for the goose...
    From a 'both suck' perspective, it's time for Ezra to end the "run everything through Shaqiri" campaign, and put him in his natural position.

    I'd prefer the 4-2-3-1, but there here's an interesting 3-5-2 option that takes Souquet off the pitch in exchange for MHS.
    upload_2023-3-29_22-55-53.png upload_2023-3-29_22-56-8.png
     
  4. overlap_old_coach

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    May 2, 2022
    Depends on the lens you look through...he was the most expensive signing in MLS history (at the time) and he was 72nd G+A-PK/90
    upload_2023-3-29_23-10-4.png
    upload_2023-3-29_23-10-14.png

    The only "top 10" Shaqiri was in was Assist of the Assist...which is fine, but not 8mil DP "everything runs through him" fine.

    Here's the 2022 top 10 "rated" players
    upload_2023-3-29_23-13-43.png

    I'm not "blaming it all on Shaqiri", but to use Bunge's terminology....he "sure as shit" was more "publicly inept" than Ezra.
     
  5. bunge

    bunge BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 24, 2000
    That’s because you apparently don’t understand soccer.

    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
     
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  6. overlap_old_coach

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    May 2, 2022
    Bless your heart.
     
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  7. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Where was I harsh on Ezra Hendrickson?
    Also, isn't this the thread about his "tactics"? That would make this the appropriate thread to critique him, no?
     
  8. overlap_old_coach

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    May 2, 2022
    #158 overlap_old_coach, Mar 30, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
    You were not harsh, Bunge was...the thread 'blended' when I responded to Bunge's repeated sophomoric snark directly after your post...and not making it clear who I was responding to.

    For sure this is the best thread to critique Ezra's tactics.

    Someone should post something specific Ezra should do to make things better...or at least contribute constructively with their omniscience like they said they would.
     
  9. goldclover

    goldclover Member+

    Mar 25, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    I would like to see that 3-5-2 (or any 3-5-2 for that matter) but I am not sure Gimenez can play that position. That seems to me like putting Shaq in his natural position but taking Gimenez and putting him in an unnatural position sort of thing. If he can do it great though I think I would prefer Omsberg again even if Czichos is LCB.
     
  10. overlap_old_coach

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    May 2, 2022
    I hear ya.

    Pondered how to not move Czichos out of the middle, as I don't think Wyatt, Teran or anyone else would anchor the back line remotely as well. Gaston is lefty and has played CB multiple times in his career...including for us...so that was the "creative idea". Those 3 on the back line would be bruisers!
    [​IMG]
     
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  11. bunge

    bunge BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 24, 2000
    If anyone disagrees with my previously stated reasons for considering Ezra’s public facing communications inept, please feel free to let me know.

    Thanks.
     
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  12. pena pirata

    pena pirata Member+

    Sep 28, 2013
    Batavia
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Apparently you don't remember 2012 otherwise you wouldn't make this statement.
     
  13. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    #163 xtomx, Mar 30, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
    Tied with 2012.

    Both times the Fire was out in the "third round" and first game for the Fire against teams several tiers below MLS

    Of course, in 2012, they played the game in a shed, so maybe that was slightly worse than last year.

    I do agree that 2012 was way more humiliating.
     
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  14. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    More humiliating since we actually had some hope, ambition, and still remember when we didn't suck at everything.
     
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  15. Jiggly_333

    Jiggly_333 Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Mar 8, 2015
    Corner of Bedlam and Squalor (It's that way ->)
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
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  16. juicecrewallstar

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    Mar 1, 2019
    offense is just much more fluid when not everything is forced shaq's way

    I think it could be fluid with shaq on the field -- feels like guys feel they have to go his way instead of looking for opportunities upfield or out wide in equal measure to going through the middle
     
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  17. bunge

    bunge BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 24, 2000
    I think most of this is actually lack of attacking numbers. It just limits where we can put the ball.
     
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  18. Mac97

    Mac97 Member+

    Jul 15, 2014
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Well, as soon as our DP9 arrives.......





    ...oh, whatever
     
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  19. juicecrewallstar

    Chicago Fire
    United States
    Mar 1, 2019
    yes, this is part of it

    but they've scored three goals in the last two games out of the base formation
     
  20. goldclover

    goldclover Member+

    Mar 25, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    I think XTom needs to start a new thread for the next game. He does the polls/intro very well....hint hint....
     
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  21. Jiggly_333

    Jiggly_333 Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Mar 8, 2015
    Corner of Bedlam and Squalor (It's that way ->)
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I was about to do it, but then decided against it. My only request is that the Koutsias joke needs to be an Odyssey reference.
     
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  22. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    I'll get on in the morning.
     
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  23. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    What was the old MLS joke?
    60-90 days.
     
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  24. Gobernador Blanco

    Chicago Fire
    Mexico
    Jul 30, 2022
    Upper Midwest
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Insert “hold my beer” joke/comment
     
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  25. Mac97

    Mac97 Member+

    Jul 15, 2014
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    "Thank you! We're gonna take a 15 minute break, be back in 45."
     

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