Seitz *might* have had a little chance without the deflection, but there was no chance once it hit off Brillant.
The best game for Asad in 2020, he actually looked lively and engaged. Fisher also showed very well, maybe his knee is coming back fully. Pines was lucky to get the chance to score, if this had been ice hockey after the cluster******** in box, he would have skated to the bench and remained there for the remainder of the game. Really poor. I thought the PK was soft, but McKenzie's shot was GOTW material. Probably a draw was the "just" result. I'm done with Kamara, he just doesn't fit, doesn't have it or whatever, but Rivas is much better. Sorga was fine, in fact, given that this was DCU, that was about as good as it probably can get in 2020. I do have to say that since Ashton took over, this team actually plays attacking soccer and can look dangerous at times.
I feel so conflicted knowing that if the team does well, Ashton gets the job...which would be catastrophic for long term success Yet these players are FIGHTING for the first time in years and I can't lie: they actually look like an MLS quality team Not great, but like they belong I took great pleasure watching how many different ways they stole the ball off PHI players feat or forced them (intelligently) into a poor pass which we easily gobbled up Philly guys were having legit problems with us all over the field! Don't get me wrong I wanna see them do more & there are gaping holes in the squad that need patching but, some of these guys can really play. They just looked lost under Olsen.
Granted, this is only after two games -- two games in which we've had some important pieces back for the first time in a while. But it looks like Ashton is bringing a simplicity to the game meets are players where they are rather than where they "should" be. There's no 3-5-2-which-plays-like-a-5-3-2-except-when-the-9-drops-to-the midfield looking formations. It's a 4-4-2. Players do what they do in a 4-4-2. We don't have the talent to be successful playing this simply, but we don't look lost. Am I high? I may be high.
I think the notion around here has been that the players don't look like they are coached or have a plan but CLEARLY that WAS the plan before. I'm sure most what is happening right now is the players being told to go out and play soccer and it is so much better. Players were covering for each other picking up loose balls, making runs, making crosses. All these little things made the game so much more entertaining. We still kind of suck because the players are incredibly rusty! If they had more time to play this way all of those passes and runs would be much more in sync. They are starting over.
It’s odd in some sports what a change in coaches can do. In hockey a pretty good coach has a bad stretch and get canned; the the team turns around and wins five in a row. Also, there’s a message that’s been sent, even if unintentionally. If they can fire the coach, they can fire anybody.
well, it seemed to me they are playing better, and with more energy, and bite, but once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Yes, a glolazo, no doubt. I was referencing more that bad luck is just par for the course for our merry band of ne'er do wells. And we know that teams that just aren't very good rarely get a break. Even though he wasn't ready for it, it would have smashed Seitz in the chest but for the deflection off Brillant that put it out of reach. In a more rational view - I think that ball should never have gotten to him. I think Mora could have done better on Bedoya, Asad on Ilsinho (I suspect Asad didnt think Ilsinho would to get to the ball so he was not more aggressive). And then Canouse misplays the cross (to be fair, I think this was just unlucky - if it had been Pines I might not be so forgiving), directing it to the top of the box and into the path of Mack. so, yeah, with just 3 minutes left in regulation, we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Its just the way of this season....
I missed the game last night (literally forgot about it until it was over) so I didn't get to see how the team would do in posession, transition, and attack. I was really curious about the behavior of our centerbacks and if they continued to try and posess the ball instead of go over the top. Did they distribute through the middle? or via fullbacks? Did Ashton try to create overloads on the wings again? High or medium block on defense?
But Ashton was the real issue and not Olsen, right? Don't get me wrong - we still need to fire everyone.
The centerbacks tried to play on the ground, in fact it's what led to the first goal for Philly when Pines tried to play out of his own 18 and was intercepted. Personally, I'm fine with that, though he can't keep turning it over every game, there is a breaking point. They played a mid block, and looked to press high a few times a game (once leading to a turnover that created their second goal). The press gave Philly problems at times.