This is a crucial question. Mathis has been nowhere near top shape. If the Metros have a better record with him, then I believe it silences a lot of critics.
It depends. If you're going to play Diallo and Williams (with or without Faria) then I think a case could be made that they would be better off without Mathis on the pitch. Of course Mathis' condition factors in to this. OTOH, without Diallo you may be better off with Clint. Generally, it would be hard to argue that you could EVER be better off without the Clint that played last season. This season is different, however. What confuses the h*ll out of me is OZ. While he may not be a top coach he certainly has shown he is more than competent. I can't help but believe there is more to the team's performance this year than meets the eye. Perhaps he and Nick aren't getting along or he's POd about something else that makes him do strange things on the field. Just the frequent changes in the roster have got to be maddening. So OZ may be pouting a bit as well. Funny thing is, sports is a strange beast. We could just as easily go on a run from here on and take the Cup and ALL would be forgotten (what WERE we thinking ragging on management???). The worm turns many times during a season. Maybe it's time for the Metros. =NLK=
Actually wait. I know they are better with mathis. What I meant to say was statistically this season. Is their w/l record better w or w/o Mathis.
Well, this stat might mean something. When he scores, Metros don't lose. If he's not on the pitch, he can't score. Simple math, not simple soccer.