It occurs to me, as I watch Portland and Colorado fight it out, that the Columbus Crew were the only team that were supposed to lose this week (FCC, Revs, Rapids, Crew) that actually did. Every other team that is having a less than good season is still fighting, whereas ours is...
I fell asleep watching this match in the second half . Maybe fitting the Crew have been sleepwalking this season since around April 13th
I have little to add. Watched the game at Endeavor, but left in the 70-something minute. I waited to see if Accam's entry might cause a spark, but because he came in for one of only three offensive players in the lineup, I didn't expect much change and, indeed, those expectations were met. I figured it was best to leave before we gave up our customary goal in the match's dying minutes. As frustrating as leaking late goals each game is, it's our offensive futility that's truly maddening to me. When I left, we were up to 8 or so corners, none of which were remotely threatening. What an understatement! May seem like a small thing, but we are so freakishly bad at hitting dangerous balls on corners, it's like a BB team that isn't just shitty at free throws, most of the time it's an airball. It confounds me that a so-called professional soccer team can be this incompetent at one of the game's most fundamental and translatable skills. It's ********ing inexcusable. Why should I spend precious hours of my life watching this horseshit? A few other random thoughts: Sauro and (presumably) Mensah injured for some unknown period - but I'm gonna guess weeks - sucks. Christ, but I'm tired of seeing Josh Williams in the lineup. Liked seeing Kieta, though, and see no reason why the kid should get tossed in the deep end for experience with our two first choice centerbacks out. For all the excitement (probably too strong a word) about recent trades and acquisitions, unless the club is interested in making at least one more substantive offensive signing this window, nothing's going to change. R. Williams and Hamilton are bench players, unless a miracle happens and Porter decides to play with two strikers (ha!). Diaz is a 20 year old kid, who's going to take time to fit in. Maybe Porter again moves Santos to the middle, and we see Accam and Diaz out wide...or something. Seriously, anything to get us beyond having three d-mids on the field at the same time. But it's all is a sad effort to paper over the undeniable truth that we don't have a competitive roster right now, and our coach seems clueless at trying to use the parts we do have to get even the tiniest and most occasional of results. We ********ing suck.
Frustrating isn't it? We've been in this spot before. Cannot remember which season(s) off the top of my head but adequate goalkeeping (Bender is adequate, can make some great saves, etc.) adequate defense giving up only one or two goals per game but fairly stable otherwise adequate midfield (can possess, complete passes, first line of defense) questionable finishers up top and little or no service to them (how many poorly take corners? 10?) With all of the above all it takes to defeat us consistently is to congest the back and middle, counter quickly, get that one chance - the one defensive lapse, and finish.
For what it is worth, for MLS matches this year, player, Minutes, Goals, Assists: 1. Zardes: 1,407, 6 G, 1 A 2. Santos: 1,693, 5 G, 2 A 3. Higuain: 1,133, 1 G, 5 A (out) 4. Sauro: 1,285, 2 G, 0 A (injured) 5. Jimenez: 1,391, 1 G, 2 A 6. Williams: 905, 1 G, 0 A ------------------------ 7. Robinho: 1,115, 0 G, 2 A (traded) 8. Trapp: 1,440, 0 G, 1 A 9. Accam: 314, 0 G, 1 A ------------------ 10. Maloney: 15, nada 10. Abubakar: 90, nada (loaned) 11. Keita: 155, nada 12. Mullins: 197, nada (traded) 13. Sosa, 213, nada 14. Hansen: 246, nada 15. Clark: 282, nada 16. Crognale: 297, nada 17. JJ: 325, nada 18. Meram: 379, nada (traded) 19. Argudo: 408, nada 20. Afful: 735, nada 21. Guzman: 799, nada 22. Francis: 1,338, nada 23. Mensah: 1,350, nada 24. Artur: 1,372, nada ============== Some fun stats. 1) 1-1-13 (WDL) in last 15. 3rd team in league history (2018 Orl, 2001 TB) to lose 13/15. 2) After 21 games, only one player on the roster has more than one goal and more than one assist (Santos, 5&2). 3) Only 3 players have more than one goal (Zardes, Santos, Sauro). 4) Only four players have more than one assist (Higuain, Santos, Jimenez, Robinho). One is out for the year, one is a bench player, and one has been traded. 5) The last game featured 5 starting field players who have not registered a goal or an assist this year (Artur, Guzman, Francis, Afful, Argudo). And two subs (Keita, Sosa). 6) One field starter (Trapp), and one sub (Accam) have no goals and only 1 assist. 7) We finished the game with only 3 players on the pitch who have scored this year (Zardes 6, Santos 5, Williams 1). 8) Our 3 CMs have combined for 0 G & 1 A this year. 9) We have scored the fewest goals in the league. 10) We finished the game with one striker.
I watched this game! I am a good supporter! My Fanscore™ is going up according to Watson and other people who think it matters. Here is your West Ham Sandwich Good/Bad/Ugly Presented by BigStern for Match 21: Good: Nothing. I'm not giving a good until this team scores a goal. You hear that Caleb?!?!?! No good until Stern gets to watch a goal! You can give Keita props but I'm not until Gyasi finds the target, until Pedro makes the right call between cross and shot, until there are legit targets on crosses that can put the ball into the net. Real shame too because Keita is looking fun. Bad: A lineup change was welcome but going with three defensive minded mids in a 4-3-3 does not do much for the attack. I'm tired of hearing about how the opponent is scoring with only 1 or whatever shots on goal while the Crew just can't find the goal. The Crew can not build a dangerous attack. They had 11 shots but only 1 on goal (a Afful banger that wasn't from build-up but more from the ball bouncing to his feet at distance). Crossing wasn't working in the early parts of the season, its discouraging that we're already back on the all cross everything attack after claiming to try something new. Defensive marking on the goal allowed was very bad but not quite ugly. Ugly: All aspects of the attack. Gyasi headers. Pedro crosses. Midfielders who make each other worse. Parallel runs by outnumbered attackers on mishit crosses. The 2019 Columbus Crew are absolutely ugly. Also Dwight is comical on the call. Sounds like a god damn rube just amazed these sub par players with a god awful plan can't find a result. Table Finish Prediction based on Match 21 Performance: 12th. Son of a bitch. The Crew are now in a tie for 11th with only FCC's ugly ass GD keeping the Crew from being listed at 12th on the table. So f it, we're playing like it so let's just head to 12th. FCC just got a W in Bridgeview, go get 3 points and change my mind Crew.
YMMV on what a new coach deserves, but even if Porter may have deserved a chance to build his team, I think he has forfeited that chance based on his gross incompetence this season.