Had I known folks were still interested in Zips Soccer, and College Soccer in general, I would have started this 2022 thread sooner.
Akron Men’s Soccer Welcomes Eight Newcomers for 2022 Spring Campaign - University of Akron Athletics (gozips.com) Some impressive talent coming in. Especial affection for Akron home-boy Levi Stephens.
Thank you for posting. It does look like a talented group. It's interesting that two JUCOs from Iowa Western Community College are in the group. I had never heard of that school but I really don't follow JUCO soccer either. I looked up the team page and they had an impressive season. Embick seems high on both players. It's also interesting that one of them is from Japan. The Japanese and other Asian players, particularly the South Koreans, are generally very technical in nature and possession-oriented. That is something that seemed to be missing from the Zips last year - a possession-oriented game. When I think of Akron soccer I think of possession and a lot of one-touch passing. I would like to see them get back to that. The loss of Colin Biros out of the midfield when he went to Syracuse last year hurt more than I thought it would. He had a decent season this past year and I was glad to see that. It also looks like there were a few transfers out of Akron. Damon Williams went to the College of Charleston and Nate Metsack went to Stetson. Neither of them got a lot of time last season.
This is an interesting thing: http://akronpremierleague.com/player/stefan-dobrijevic/ The kid is from Uniontown (I grew up in the same school district EDIT: ah, he went to Green...the weirdness of that particular part of Summit and Stark Counties is too boring to recount here), but is associated with Gavrilo Princip, which is an umbrella "organization" under which many Serbs - and other ex-Yugoslavs and their kids - play in the various local rec leagues. I'm guessing the team at the link is the equivalent of an Open team. But he was at Internationals too, I guess?
Zip Richie Laryea played well in a full match for Canada in their win vs the USMNT in a WC qualifier this past Sunday. Laryea played a good defensive match by repeatedly pressuring the US men into poor positioning. I don't want to make this a USMNT post but they've got to find themselves. I know that they're young, and there is a ton of potential there, but they can be so much better. Pulisic has been a big disappointment. I like McKennie and Pepi a lot but Pepi is underutilized. At this point, Zip DeAndre Yedlin is more than likely going to continue not to get minutes over Dest or Robinson, unfortunately.
Pepi's confidence is rock-bottom right now. He's not the same player he was earlier in the cycle. Yedlin has no chance at starting with either of those guys mentioned healthy, and there's good reason for that. However, if Dest keeps trying to beat three guys every time and then put in a cross that doesn't beat the near-post defender, maybe Yedlin gets another shot - Yedlin, God love him, almost always beats the first defender with crosses, but also the far post attacker.
Not the first option at RB, but Yedlin should remain in the mix for playing time. Do not be surprised when Yedlin gets the start Wednesday night. Dest looks tired.
I'm sure Istanbul was a tough place to adjust to. It's a truly colossal city, and there ain't a ton of English being spoken. Big culture shift.
I'm not a fan of the MLS but hopefully this is a good move for Yedlin. Inter Miami is pretty bad and could use the help. Maybe I'll take in a game if they come up here and play the Fire. They are playing on February 26 but that game is in Ft. Lauderdale. I was hoping that Yedlin would get in the game last night. It's really insane that the game even took place given the temperature. WIth Berthalter's youth movement I'm wondering how much more time DeAndre will have with the team.
At this point DeAndre Yedlin is a young veteran in his prime (28 yrs.). With his innate athleticism, he is as strong and as fast as most of USMNT. He has tremendous experience for one not even 30. He has rectified some weaknesses in his game without acquiring new weaknesses, ones usually brought on by age. Whatever deficiencies there are in his game have been there all along. No surprises. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he has not lost a step. Roll tape of WCQ vs. MEX in Cincinnati. I think DeA will be with USMNT for a good while longer. Reference Cobi Jones.
Akron Men’s Soccer Unveils Challenging Spring Exhibition Schedule - University of Akron Athletics (gozips.com)
CSU 2-4 AKR FT Some regulars disappointed, but I choose to focus on the players who excelled. Jonas Buechte continues where he left off at Holding MF. He is quietly among the best players on the team, winning balls, cutting out passes, disrupting opposition offence, starting Zips offence. CB is probably his best position, but he is our best option at HMF. Those who do not recognize his contribution are not paying attention. Newcomer Joel Sangwa is the real deal at Centre Back. He organizes the Defense well. He anticipates the attack well. He is a judicious and effective tackler. Good speed. Good in the air. Good size. His passing could improve. Dyson Clapier continues to improve right before our eyes. Though not yet our best player, he is arguably the most talented. In this victory he took another developmental step toward becoming a dominant offensive force. Dice just does things most players cannot do, things most do not even try. Consistency throughout the match is his struggle. Oh yeah, he scored 3 goals. ACFC 0-7 AKR FT Full disclosure: I left midway through 2nd half. Props to Akron City for providing cannon fodder for Zips' bench - after existing for 2 whole weeks. Levi Stephens is speedy, light on his feet and decisive. He has been coached very well. His passing shows real purpose and precision. Levi scored on a corner kick header and nearly scored on another just like it. But his well-timed overlapping runs and accurate crosses are what impressed most. I am not sure who will lose playing time, but Levi will see significant first team PT soon. Stefan Dobrijevic is a definite Forward through and through. He plays well with back to the goal, receiving all manner of balls efficiently. He also displayed a variety of shooting skills. Not at all afraid to shoot. Oh yeah, I understand that he scored 3 goals, though I did not see them all. Stefan will also get minutes with first team very soon. I would be remiss in not mentioning Josh Hallenberger. He showed flashes of brilliance in both matches. I need to see more of him.
Was it really UA's second team playing ACFC? Was this one of those "let's play two full matches because it's the spring season so why not" situations?
GK Cameron Victor played all of both matches. At least two other players saw time in both matches, Josh Hallenberger being one of those.
A very good team victory, in which everyone who played contributed. Jonas Buechte was again outstanding, this time from Center Back position. He organized the Defense, intercepted passes, and made several key tackles that halted counter attacks. He even scored off a restart. Malik Henry was a monster up and down the right flank. His defending was uncharacteristically solid, breaking up opposing offence down the Zips' right. But his half dozen over-lapping runs into the final third were lethal. And unlike last week, his crossing was money. Ryan Kingsford's score was a direct result of Henry's excellent cross. Dyson Clapier again terrorized the opposition defense with well-timed runs and scoring attempts down the left. He was a bit unlucky to have not scored a few times, having beaten his man to goal. He should have finished on at least one of those. Better shooting from Clapier would have ended the match as a contest in the first half.
I should add that the match was moved to Krenzler Field @ Cleveland State due to prior days weather in Akron.
RMU 2-3 AKR FT Presumably due to sloppy conditions, match moved to Joe Walton Field where Robert Morris plays FB, LAX, FH, but not Soccer. There are lines all over the place, none applicable to soccer. And the width is less than 60 yards. It was weird.
RMU 2-3 AKR FT Presumably due to sloppy conditions, match moved to Joe Walton Field where Robert Morris plays FB, LAX, FH, but not Soccer. There are lines all over the place, none applicable to soccer. And the width is less than 60 yards. It was weird playing with what I think is a LAX Penalty Area. Is the GK out? Who knows!? Like everything else in Pittsburgh, the field is built into the side of a mountain. Easily a dozen balls were sent over the fence during play, possibly gone forever. Malik Henry continues to shine along the right flank with speedy overlapping runs out of defense. What is improving rapidly is his service into the box. The first score of the match was just such a run capped by a (no exaggeration) world class cross onto the head of Jason Shokalook for the score. Sublime! Ryan Kingsford is the Zips' best option at several positions, but his most natural place is in the middle of the 3 in a 4-2-3-1, or in "the hole" as some say. His work rate is off the charts and he sprays the ball all over the pitch with a variety of passing techniques. Kingsford probably passed the ball to every single Zip who saw time. Freshman Stefan Dobrijevic again impressed off the bench, slotting in the winning goal with a right footer to the far post from the left side of goal. Extra drama mid way through the second half when Head Coach Jared Embick was tossed from the match for (justifiably) berating the near side linesman. Not sure, but I think Will Jackson may have been tossed as well. At any rate, WilJax did not return after exiting. It was fairly intense for spring soccer.