What’s the appropriate amount to train? It’s a 90 min game before that. From my perspective they didn’t put enough training into executing the gameplan they did have, so I’d argue too much was in penalties multiple players and coaches have said they practiced them. It’s kind of a dumb thing to practice, though. It’s a 12 yard shot at practice. Not a whole lot more. I didn’t play at even a remotely similar level to these guys but I fully echo the sentiments shared by players and staff: replicating a penalty shootout is impossible. The individual setting of it is inherently different than how the game operates otherwise. let’s remember something key here too: if rsl pulls off this shootout the reward is a 3rd game. Not guarantee of advancing. It’s like jazz fans holding up game 6 against Jordan where he may or may not have pushed off. It was game 6
All the above said, hearing Pablo make the statement “you play 34 games and then get eliminated in penalties… it doesn’t feel right” is incredibly naive. this format didn’t get made up the night before The game has to end. It had to have a winner. i really hope the staff looks at the fundamental shift that happened in July and figures out how things got so far away from where they were. And it can’t be a lazy “well we lost Gomez” excuse. I’m so over hearing that from the fanbase. This revisionist nonsense - especially from fans that openly disliked Gomez and his “selfish” play - now saying rsl management killed the team by getting rid of that player. Come the ******** on
Don’t know what the appropriate amount of time is, just pointing out what I saw. Would more practice make a difference? Maybe. Am I blaming anyone? Abso********inglutely not! What practice tends to do is create a comfort level for expected situations in the game whether that’s pks or changing a formation. It doesn’t hurt. It also builds confidence and muscle memory so in times of high stress that are perhaps incredibly hard to replicate in practice players are better able to step up and perform at their highest level. Again, I don’t have the answer, just pointing out what I saw. Plan on attending more practices next season.
That’s fair Again though, I’ll stress this, what makes a penalty kick in a game setting so stressful is the factors that cannot be replicated. Nobody plays at this level and can’t comfortably finish from 12 out. Plenty play at this level, though, that can’t do that same thing with 20k watching just them. The absolute best players in the world aren’t consistent at them, what makes us think rsl players will be any different? every team I’ve watched train does them maybe once a week in regular season and then more so in tournament settings. It’s like training a throw in. Yeah, we get it, there are some “things” that can be done, but it isn’t the game. lastly, In some ways it’s counterproductive to train them too much as you train against the same keeper(s). They get a read on you. Suddenly that bottom corner finish that goes in 95% of the time drops to 70% and you question yourself. I’ve watched that happen with guys I played college ball with. They changed their entire pk take because the keeper we had got a read on them so much. That wasn’t helping anyone. if I’m listing things I wish this team would have trained more on or figured out in the last half of the season, penalties is maybe 10th
Props to Columbus for being a higher seed than us who also got eliminated in two games. Guess it wasn't mean to be for either Cucho or Chicho this year.
Watching the way different players take PKs and their techniques - stutter step, juking the keeper by making your body position go one way while your foot goes the other, KEEPING THE DAMN BALL ON THE GROUND… - makes me think PK practice is more than worth the time. Even if the team doesn’t bother, do it on your own time. You can tell the best PK takers have spent some time, have thought hard about it and have worked to try and perfect a technique. To echo what 15 said, you never miss a chance to score by shooting too low.
No complaints on the rest of the post, but I disagree with this. If the league is going to schedule 3 game series, only the last game has to have a winner. In fact, that's the only way to give advantage to the higher seed. As far as Pablo's decision making is concerned, it doesn't matter, but if I could change something about the playoff format that'd be it.
Agreed. Your preference makes the most sense.. Maybe they think the current format will drive interest and increased viewership?
That would be good. APPLE gets extra content with the way it is, so that factor might kill any reductions.
@goobx1 the conspiracy theories in your recent podcast are a bit much Crooks is off and affecting play. Thats how the law is written. We’ve seen rsl not get that called against them, I think it was Tori penso in the middle even - the infamous “however” game
I listened today and had the same reaction. Miami wouldn’t get that call either IMO, and I don’t think it was wrong. Plus, the league didn’t conspire to ruin Chicho. That’s absolutely ridiculous. Let’s keep the conspiracy that is really true: Columbus wasn’t allowed to buy down Nagbe in order to keep Zelarayan, who wanted to stay, for reasons.
Ok, ok, ok, we’ll never know on the “Miami getting that call to keep that goal” but tell “good” teams don’t tend to get different calls. PLUS, we also point out Minnesota deserved credit for pushing up and putting RSL offside to get the call. Oh yea and it’s just human nature that people call different teams and different players in different ways. Diego Chara. Lovely human and that engaging smile has got him out of many a yellow. lol. As far as Chicho goes we were parroting the comments of others and I thought you could tell it was somewhat tongue in cheek but lesson learned. As always thanks for listening.
I got that it was tongue in cheek, but after it was kinda brought up a few times within other not-so-silly segments, I started to wonder. It seemed like you were talking yourselves into actually believing it. An explicit statement would have been slightly helpful (for me at least).
The ref was letting so much shit go for Miami late too Suarez busquets Messi and Alba deserve nothing less
Miami giving up on Atlanta’s game winning goal was wild. Player lays down in the box due to a muscle injury and the whole team expected Atlanta to stop their attack. Atlanta played to the whistle and got the goal.
Come on, really, really, good teams get preferential treatment. Just look at BYU. Great team’s get the calls whether you throw chairs or not. Lol.
Miami sure wanted preferential treatment when Atlanta scored their third goal while a Heron's defender lay prone in the box.
Reminds me of Messi chipping Brody while he was laying prone near the box. Play until you hear the whistle.