05/22: Salt Bae: FCD vs RSL [R]

Tonight was a great example of why I call soccer the most cruel of games. Y’all deserved all 3 points from this one.

 

no, they really most certainly did not. RSL at least knows what they do well, and execute as best it can. I can't tell you one thing Dallas is good at. Can anyone else?

 

What a mess this team is. A coach learning on the job trying to implement a tactical style that seems to ask a lot out of individuals who really aren't good at those specific tasks.

Take the front line for example: Jara, who seems to have read the room and begun to at least "try", is just not effective as a single striker. He's more of a junk scorer, and if you need evidence - go look at the few chances he's taken when he's got to shoot from any distance - seriously, has he put more than 2 or 3 on frame? Then there are the two wingers - Vargas and Obrian - who appear to be mostly good at, uh... ummmm. Yeah, right. Not much.

In the midfield, there's a trio of guys - Ricuarte, Tessman and Acosta - who all appear to be unwilling to carry possession, just want to pass off the ball ASAP and between the three of them have a creativity level of, "meh". Acosta is having a good season, for him, but that's more indicative of just how shitty he has been vs how good is now. With every match my level of suspicion on Ricuarte just increases as I watch him wither into more and more of that guy that does a lot of business but ends the day with no profits. I do think that has more to do w/ the three in front, but back in the day MDiaz used to make a LOT more lemonade from a similar set of lemons. Tessman? Not sure what anyone expected, but at least there's learning and game experience happening.

In the back, well, there's two problems. 1) Eddie - a guy who made his name zooming up and down the right side of an NCAA field, looks to have developed a fear of the final third despite the fact he's clearly faster than anyone that is going to attempt to defend him and the acres of space just begging for him to get into. and 2) the worrisome fall off of Matt Hedges, who has whipped out more costly mistakes in four games this season than I think his entire career combined.

Then there is Paxton. The one little sprout of hopeful green-life from the crack of a mass of concrete. That kid, even at 100%, puts down the drive and attacking intent on the field that, frankly, is what is missing from literally everyone else (maybe except Ryan)

I get asked, a LOT, about how much rope Luchi has. I tend to think the Hunts will almost give him far more than any fan would want - but I do have this weird sense that Zonatta might just be chirping in Dan's ear. That would be a quiet, "Vayrs-like" something that goes, "My Lord, I understand your devotion to Prince Luchi, and I will bend the knee to whatever decision you make. If, though, My Lord wishes to find a new General for his troops, I know a long list of swarthy South Americans, with impressive battle victories for you to consider". If Luchi was to get the hook, I'm torn between Dan giving to to Luccin (because that would be the most obvious Hunt choice) or name some guy from Brazil repped by someone who used to work for Traffic.

Luchi is on his 3rd season and this team is essentially the same, but TBF to him, he also in this 3rd season is working with a large rebuild. Six of his starting 11 spots are with guys that got here in the Summer of 2020 or later. That would be tough for even the most experienced manager, so what Dallas fans get is a guy who spends 90 minutes on the side, not "kicking every ball", but loudly narrating what his brain is telling him they need to do - not in a very different way than the fans do from the stands, or on the sofa - but with basically the same effect.