Re: Clemson vs Maryland (R) For the Terps its to play like they have been all year. Get the ball to Sumed, Abe, and Nino, and Lancos and the D needs to keep Westfield under control. Go Terps!
A great game about to happen This should be a very entertaining game with two great attacking teams going at it. Both team are scoring around three goals per game and giving up less than one. Each team has played played 4 games in the ACC. Clemson stands in 4th place at 2-1-1 having scored 9 goals while conceding 8. UMD is in 2nd with a 3-1-0 record and 9-4 on GF-GA. Both teams are likely to have chances to score goals but I believe it will be the team that defends best will win the game. To date UMD has been the better team defensively in league play as indicated above. One other note, UMD is 7-0 at home this year beating five nationally rated opponents at the time the games were played. I see a great college soccer game coming up tonight, it may be one of the best so far this year.
A 1-0 win for Maryland... So huge for the Terps. Sounds like the game was a real battle...anyone at the game to tell us the inside scoop.
recap... well the Tigers finally played a game within driving distance so I made the 8 hr drive down to see the game, so here is a recap as unbiased as possible. the tigers controlled the game from the out set, with little resistance from the Terps. The Terrrapins kept at least four players back at all times to try and limit the Tiger attack. Any dangerous attacks were thrarted by the Terrapins with long booming kicks that would be better served on the kickball field then on the soccer field. The Terps had some opportunities late in the game but ultimately scored on a missed call by the referees. Beute was offsides by at least two yards when Sumed whiffed his shot from about 8 yards out. The linesman seemed to be out of position (or from the Metro area) to have not seen the call. I sat next to a couple of Maryland fans who were shocked that it wasn't called and even overheard a couple of fans commenting after the games that the refs must have been from the area. A bad call that ruined a good soccer game. The Tigers played well in posession and tried to play the game. Maryland countered that in the best way they knew by keeping players back and knocking it long. The #4 for Maryland is a throw-in specialist, creating numerous opportunities for the Tigers when the ball was in play (very bad) and was Maryland's most dangerous threat, because he could throw the ball in from the White House to the back post. Overall, the better team didn't come out on top, unfortunately college soccer has become a game where the development of the players has become secondary to winning. Case in point AJ Herrara (former Gatorade Player of the Year) played for 4 minutes. Look forward to trying to make it to the ACC tournament. Clemson should be tough to beat Good night p.s. Sandon I was hoping to meet you at the game?????
I was at the game and it was A) a really nice crowd and B) a closely played game. That it was decided on such a bad non-offisdes call is really a shame. Granted, Clemson should have cleared the ball to prevent the ball from going in but the goal sequence was pretty chaotic and the ball just didn't quite bounce right. But, I swear, Ibrahim was at least 5 yards behind Clemson Gk Doug Warren when the goal was scored. He was SOOO offisides. In the first half, I'd say Clemson had the better of the play but they, as the 1-0 score implies, didn't capitalize on the scoring chances they created. In the second half, I'd say Maryland had the better of play, particularly late in the half. I'm not saying they didn't deserve to win because the Terps certainly played hard and well, but the goal was a joke. As for individual players, the Man of the Match was Doug Warren. Tonight he showed why he is so highly regarded and on all the U-whatever national teams. He made several great saves, owned the high crosses in the box, came off his line quickly to collect thru balls and distributed well. A very good performance and one that will help his case with whatever MLS people happen to be watching. Abe Thompson was Maryland's best player, drifting from side-to-side to find the best place to attack. He tracks back really well to get the ball, combines well with teammates in space, takes guys on 1-v-1 and crosses well with both feet. He's got the pace, work rate and crossing ability that could allow him to play wide MF in MLS as well as forward. He's also a tough SOB and got in some Clemson players' faces when the situation warranted it. Maryland's Clarence Goodson continues to impress me. He's 6-4 and as you'd expect from someone that size, he is totally dominant in the air. I mean, this is like the 4th or 5th time I've seen him play this year and he has yet to lose a 50-50 ball in the air. Despite his size, he moves well and can keeps up with the smaller forwards. Against Clemson he was frequently matched up with 5-9 Dimelon Westfield and save for one time when Westfield got around him, Goodson totally contained Westfield. It's hard to believe Goodson has only played in the back for a few months but with his size he's gonna eventually get a chance to play in MLS. (Speaking of Westfield, this guy had a stinker. He was never dangerous and wasted the few chances he had. Further, he does little to create for his teammates. The same can be said for Maryland's Sumed Ibrahim, even though he was credited for the goal.) Ricky Lewis had another solid, unspectacular match. The few times Thompson tested him, Lewis won and the he got so far inside Nino Marcantonio's head that he stopped trying. By the middle of the second half the Terps didn't even bother going at him. Lewis, who played left back his first 2 years in C-town, is playing right back this year in Oguchi Onyewu's old spot. As strong as he was defensively, he didn't add much to the attack, which was a little disapointing, though there were a couple of times he got forward. Another player who impressed me was Maryland freshman Chris Lancos. The U20 defender started at right back and was solid defensively and good going forward. He started the goal sequence by reading a Clemson clearance and stepping up to interecept the ball then put a nice pass into the box that began the chaos. He's not the fastest but I think he's fast enough and he thinks the game very well, especially for a young player. Not sure why Sasho wasn't starting him earlier this year. As a team, Clemson's biggest weakpoint, IMO, was their flank midfield play, which was basically non-existent. Maryland, meanwhile, is very solid save for the fact that they don't have a true midfield playmaker, which forces them to go wide and if that doesn't work their attack boggs down. Anyway, all in all it was a good match to watch. There were close to 3K fans there, which isn't bad considering DC United had a friendly a few miles away. The ACC is so close this year that there isn't much difference between 1 and 6 on any given day any team from that group can take the other out, play a 4-4 game or a scoreless tie. The ACC tourney is gonna be nasty this year!
College Soccer ! After reading a few posts from UMD and CU's fans its tough to believe who is right, because they both seem bias to me. However, I was fortunate enough to be able to afford a plane ticket to go visit some friends in DC and also go watch the TIGERS play. Since you were not at the game FIXXXER I hope that you will like the recap of the match !!!! It is pretty sad to see a good performance by the TIGERS be ruined by a poor call from the refs... right after the match the linesman who was definetely out of position to be able to make an important call at that time of the game ... In the first half MD did not even see the ball because the TIGERS were string passes together and the Terps would just kick the ball as far as they could ... resulting at times in somewhat dangerous counter-attacks. I find it extremely sad the fact that at home the Terps had to put 3 guys around Westfield to try to stop the scoring machine!!! It was so obvious that MD had no midfield because they were playing with 5 in the back, 2 outside guys that just sat there to stop Chase, and Ricky to come foward and then 3 guys up front that would chase the ball after it was accurately kick, not passed, down the field. Of course, after 85 minutes of attempting to play soccer, and not kick ball, the Tigers were a little fatigue, we must admit that it is quite tiring and difficult to play for 90 min against a team that sits back and kick far for 90 min ... the midfielders and the fowards can barely put pressure on their Defense because the Terps' back barely took one touch on the ball and then booooommmm !!! Anyway, I was extremely proud of the way the TIGERS came out ... like they always do , they are not intimated or afraid to play soccer where ever they go ... it does not matter if they are playing at home or away. I am sad with the result because that will hurt them in the ACC Tournament, but I know for a fact that the TIGERS are big in tournaments and they love to play as the underdogs so just wait and see ... they will come out on the TOP!!!! FIXXXER ... are you going to the ACC Tournament because I would to meet you, or introduce my self again and hopefully you will know who I am!!!
Re: Re: College Soccer ! I think that's the question we all have!! Good reviews by both Sandon and soccerclassic. Sounds like it was an exciting game. It does stink to lose on a bad call, if that was the case, but that seems to be what everyone has to say. You hear coaches talk all the time about overcoming adversity on the road and that's what it is going to take to crown an ACC Champion and a National Champion this season. Sandon - you are right. Just about any of the ACC games in the tourny should be of Final Four caliber. Going to be a great weekend and I've even considered quitting my job to take in the games, but good sense is telling me different. More than anything, I want to see the ACC teams, especially Clemson of course, at full strength come NCAA's. Hopefully the ACC tourny won't have a negative impact this year.
Was at the game as well. Buete's goal was clearly offside. He was definitely behind the keeper. There may have been one defender between him and goal line, but certainly not two. I think perhaps the linesman didn't take into account the fact that he was behind the keeper and needed two other defenders to keep him onside, or maybe he just wanted to go home early. I was impressed with Clemson's play and continue to be disappointed in Maryland's play. I would love to see them work the ball through the midfield more, especially to Sumed, who IMO is a midfield playmaker, but that strategy doesn't seem to be in their plans. However, the Terps are getting results with their long ball/keep people back tactics. They have a hard working group of fast midfielders and forwards that they sub liberally enabling them to pressure the ball after they bang it up the field. They are very dangerous if they win the ball off this pressure and counter quickly. While it isn't pretty, they are winning games, especially at home.
Maryland has a midfield, and there are good players in it. Ian Rodway plays a holding MF in the center with Sumed Ibrahim in front of him. Both of these guys are quality players. Rodway made some nice long passes Sat including one which sprung Nino Marcantonio for a 1 v 1. Scott Buete plays on the outside and they rotate others in on the other flank. Dom Mediate started there v. Clemson. They don't play the ball through the midfield. I could count on one hand (and still have fingers left over) how many times a defender played a ball to a midfielder in their own half of the field Sat. night. The defenders play every ball long. The keeper punts every ball. The midfield comes into play when they win the ball in the attacking end.
This is exactly the reports I've heard on UMD all season. I know Mike Fekula follows them closely and makes an appearance on here from time to time. It'd be interesting to see what he thinks. I hate seeing teams play that direct. I hate it for all the people trying to promote soccer, even college soccer, in the US today b/c it is garbage. I realize at times that the game dictates a more direct approach, but to be #8 or whatever, playing at home, and then play 90 minutes of kickball is bad. I know Maryland has players that could actually play soccer. If I were them I'd be really pissed b/c they aren't developing any skills whatsoever. What's going to happen when a team uses it's forwards and midfielders to keep UMD's defenders from whacking the ball up to their forwards and then has defenders that are able to mark UMD's strikers out of the game? I'll tell you what happens, that other team will advance to play the next weekend while UMD turns in their gear for the season...
Re: Fixxxer- Sorry, you were excluded by mistake. That was a bad mistake considering that you drove the 8hrs to get to the game AND the fact that you posted the first review. My apologies.
FIXXXER, from my observations, most of college soccer can be described as very direct, or "kickball." From the teams that I've seen play this year, very few feature a possession game with a build up from the back. Are all these teams coached this way, or, is it a result of the frantic pace of college soccer?
Imagine you can sub every player something like twice a game. As a coach would you do it? I would. I would run and gun with the less talented players while conserving my better players for set plays and a few good opportunities. Welcome to the college sub rule.
kick ball You are deadon about kickball. Superior attacking midfielder is absent in college soccer. They can still find talented athletes upfront, enough to keep pressure on defense. And they can find talented athletes at the back to defend athletes on offense. So second reason for kick ball. No true "international" type defenders. And they do not learn to play because they spend 4 years running and kicking in college. Also, look into NCAA rules on off season play. The best coach in the world has no time to develope a team, or players. It is a pity because all the neccesary tools are in place for the college system to thrive in developing players. But those that want to keep football and basketball king keep the college game from being what it could be. Just my opinion.
college sub rule Man I agree with blackmarket. In defense of coaches, the neandrathal NCAA rules make them sub to give players playing time. Limited games and season would make a developing player rot on the bench. That being said, I have not talked to one good player that likes the sub rule. Worst I saw was the Creighton coach, Warming I think, many years ago. Looked like hockey, 4 new players every ten minutes. Anyone that has played the game knows going the full 90 is a much a part of the game as any skill or tactic. The frantic pace is a direct result of the sub rule. Plus you must remember many soccer coaches simply can not coach or develope a team. I know of one supposedly bigtime program where the coach never played in college, much less professionally. He was the assistant tennis coach 20 some years ago when his school decided to form a soccer team. Because his school was in a conference where soccer was nonexistant, and his school supported the program, he developed a winning program. Now these coaches are getting weeded out, but this isn't the pros. Coaches that have a clean record with the AD are hard to get rid of. I was spoiled. I really got into college soccer as a Claudio, Virginia, Arena fan. Man has it fallen off. Sigi is gone, thank heavens for Trevor and a few others. I think there are some other good ones out there, they just finally get frustrated trying to develope a program, then just sit back, defend, kick it long and hope their athlete is better than the other guys.
You guys make some great points. I do think however, that there are good attacking midfielders in college...it's just that they're not being utilized.