Particularly, as the last three games have amply demonstrated, teams getting their asses kicked often start getting dirty. The announcers always toss out that they're "showing their frustration". Well good for them, but losing your composure and trying to hurt someone is not just an "Oh well, boys will be boys" situation. Up 3 goals I don't care if they have 2 more games or whether they have the next month off; get your best guys out.of there before the opponents "frustration" puts one of them in a cast.
Yeah Nagbe & Camacho are 2 guys when we are up big should get rest. Especially Nagbe who gets fouled constantly. Also for you avoid any possibility of getting a yellow card accumulation suspension.
The guy with the Rossi Raptor was from the Bay Area and made a weekend getaway to Hell Is Real in May.
It ... Was ... One ... Game. Let's not anoint them as the second coming until there is hardware in the cabinet. The Crew are very good, and playing lights our recently. But just last year LA lost out on 4 finals after winning MLS. Crew have also missed out on a trophy already. They can be beaten (upset) let's see how this Leagues Cup plays out. I also disagree on your Hinestroza assessment. He played for the foul last night, took a hard foul and punch and retaliated. No a good look, but a growing opportunity for a young player.
Nagbe & Zawadzki were on knife's edge a couple times in possession as well. Amundsen over it. That is kinda how we want to play. As for subbing, I think we wanted this game badly. So Nancy rode his horses a bit longer. I am fine with that. We should have some rotation in there the next two games, but not necessarily a ton. 5 in a row by 20-2 score screams keep doing what you are doing to me. JRR back Wednesday. Chambost & Jackson should be available for Atlanta, and Hinestroza will be back. Charlotte is a stronger team than Atlanta in my view, and beat us earlier in the Jones red card game. I'd start close to my full strength XI there (maybe Cheberko or Matan or JRR or Yeboah) and rotate vs Atlanta. A good period of rest afterwards, though. All-star + Leagues Cup
Per Sirk, this is the highest GD at any point in any season in Columbus Crew history. And we still have 13 games remaining to add to it.
Charlotte is very good defensively. They've allowed 24 goals in 23 games with the most clean sheets in the league (Crew is tied for second and one behind) and the third-highest save percentage (Crew is first). They tend to frustrate teams because they are entirely unremarkable offensively. They use a boot and chase philosophy reminiscent of MLS 1.0 and don't bother with possession or trying to play out of the back. Some stats: 8th most completed long balls, but 28th in percentage of long balls completed (Crew is 23rd most, but 1st in percentage completed) 26th in possession (Crew is 1st) 24th in overall passing percentage (Crew is 1st) 26th in total shots, 26th in shots on target, and 15th in percentage of shots on target (Crew is 19th in shots, 11th in shots on target, and 4th in percentage on target with two fewer games played) It's a purely opportunistic gameplan of trying to win games 1-0 and they're very good at it, with a goalkeeper in Kahlina that is among the best in MLS. He probably should be in the ASG. I hope they stay around 4th or 5th because I don't want to play them in the playoffs, especially in round 1 with a game on that awful turf. They will drag someone into the mud in round 1 and have a good chance to beat them. All that said, I'll go with 2-0 Crew.
Great performances by Camacho and Moreira on the defensive end, very happy for Matan whenever he scores a goal, you could see how much it meant to him. Arfsten has LWB locked down, great problem to have
Yea, Camacho and Moreira were very good. Definitely performances deserving of an all star selection. Malte was really good as well. We really saw his passing on range full display, just like we did in MLS Cup. I love that we have both him and Cheberko fighting so evenly for that position.
I would like to point out that Christian Ramirez continued his streak of scoring or assisting in every game he's started and played at least until half time this season.
You gotta feel a bit compassionate for anyone who comes up through the system, thinking they can make it...but that's the way the cookie crumbles. It isn't all peachy. Such is life.
You have to wonder how San Jose didn't offer Max a first team contract after he scored a bunch for their MLSNP team. Bez just stole him in the draft.
Yeah, it's not as though he didn't show promise: 9 goals, 8 assists. Maybe they looked at him only as a forward - since that's what he was in college and, presumably, MLSNP - and were just unconvinced he could make the jump. Very, very few players can. I mean, he's listed as a forward on our roster, but that's not where he's played. Nancy was smart enough to try and align his skills with other positions. Arfsten was smart and open-minded enough to listen, learn and commit himself to the challenge.
6:56 I stand by my assessment that Hinestroza didn't throw a punch, he was swatting away the opponent's arm. Not red card worthy.
That doesn't look like swatting an arm away to me. That looks like swinging an arm near the head of an opponent. You're right to say it wasn't a punch. I also don't see any contact with the guy he was swinging "at." But if it's violent conduct, the act is enough. There doesn't need to be contact. Honestly, looking closer, I think matching cautions probably would have been more appropriate. But reds are in no way out of line.
Wilfried Nancy said he talked to Marino Hinestroza already following his red card at the end of the match and that “the best way to learn is when you make a mistake, and he made a mistake” #Crew96— Brianna Mac Kay (@brimackay15) July 14, 2024
Murillo pushed both Hinestroza's shoulders when he was on the ground. Hinestroza took offense, Murillo pushed Hinestroza away with his outstretched arm on Hinestroza's chest and withdrew it while Hinestroza was reaching out to push/swat Murillo's arm away/down with his forearm. I don't see that as violent conduct at all, I think the pair getting yellows was sufficient.
I've re-watched the match summary over a dozen times now and I'm just enjoying this team. The apparent ease where the offense appears to just cut apart defenses and score goals. Players in the mid and back stepping up when given the chance. The defensive core doing a commendable job keeping strong teams off the scoreboard, and Schulte being strong in goal. The frustration of opponents as they run out of strategic options and just try to survive the match. While definitely concerned about the hacking of players and other issues, I have simply been trusting the organization, Wilfred's coaching, and the match play. Enjoy now. Times are good.