Pre-match: DC United vs Supah Revs

Well, we will see if we get lucky goals again or if the attack can come from this high press.

 

"Lucky" isn't the word I would use. Hines-Ike was thinking shot all the way, and on a corner kick Gressel deliberately passed the ball to Canouse because he was unmarked and able to volley it into the net.

 

A good number of goals are lucky to begin with and give it a rest, Rome wasn't built in a day. Getting the attack in sync will take some tinkering.

And Sorga directly contributed to the first goal with some excellent play.

 

This is a tough test: Buksa, Bou, Buchanon, Gil, they're problems. I like Mora v. Buchanon, not to have an advantage but to be able to keep him under control. But the other guys, I don't think we have an answer for. I hope Pines can play.

So they have to score multiple goals, probably 3, to win this game. The Fire sliced through them the first 20 minutes last weekend, it looked so easy. But then the Revs settled. DC has to be on them and get something in that first 20 to have a chance to win this game, I think.

Mostly, I'm just hoping to see incremental improvement game to game, and the big ticket players show up. That's you, Eddy! Come on, Yamil! The time is now, Nigel!

 

I am not saying they were not good plays but the keepers position on Ike's goal was luck as it was on Canouse's goal. There was a large element of luck to go with the excellent plays. You cannot count on goals like those every week, this team is not consistent enough, that is a fact.

 

It seems to me the goals were consistent in that one game.

I think its fair to judge consistency after 3 or 4 games.

 

The team is not consistent enough? The season is one week old!!!

 

“Luck” is the residue of hard work. Yeah the ‘keeper wasn’t optimally positioned for BHI’s strike, because he didn’t expect a shot from that point because after Sorga and Moreno had won the ball and regained possession, I would guess Johnson thought DCU would recycle for a higher percentage shot. Instead BHI took a flyer because he was unmarked and the ‘keeper was out of position. The shot was inch perfect — now the “luck” part of that was that the ball could have moved several more inches right and missed or hit the post. The play, however, wasn’t lucky - it was part of the system. Losada’s system scores goals and gives up goals in relatively high numbers. His Belgian team didn’t have the skill to walk the ball into the net 3 or 4 times a match, they were scoring those numbers because they were very direct and players are encouraged to go for goal if they have a half chance. These matches will look very different from what we’ve seen in over a decade. They may not be pretty in results, but they will be different.

 

I don't have a great feeling about this one, Bou has haunted us the last few times we played him. But we did beat them down the stretch at the end of last year right? With our new style maybe we can overwhelm them. Hoping to see more of Andy this game if possible. He looked really good in his few touches.

 

The "expected goals" statistic which is pretty accurate at predicting winners and scores showed it should have been about 1.2-.5 NYC over DCU. We didn't have the ball in dangerous parts of the field for very long and we also didn't create many good chances. I'm hoping for improvement tomorrow. We have to pass better. Lots bad touches last week that looked like guys weren't familiar with each other.

NE played very narrow against Chicago so there should be plenty of room on the flanks if they continue that. Should be a good matchup for us.

 

What I liked was his confidence to take that shot, especially after he had just missed two easier chances with his head.
I like playing against Johnson, he's not that good. How he gets US call-ups is beyond my tiny brain's comprehension.

 

Mine too.

 

Bou is a bit of a knucklehead who likes to shoot anytime he's past midfield. If someone from DCU is in his grill all match, he probably will get more and more frustrated, take more ill-advised shots and eventually lose his shit and get carded.

 

Grill... frustrated... shots... carded... sounds like a night out in college. Will he throw up in the dumpster behind Denny's and ultimately cry himself to sleep in his underwear on the front lawn of a sorority house? We can only hope.

 

The goals we got weren't luck, they were purposeful shots off passes that other teams regularly get (and we rarely used to get). Yea, our ability to keep possession and make good passes needs a lot of work, but if the team keeps winning by developing opportunities to cover for lack of ability elsewhere, so be it. Winning begets winning. Winning tonight will give a lot of momentum to the club going forward.

 

Goff reports that DCU will be short eleven players for tonight's match. Last week it was ten. I know several of these are the result of surgeries, but it sure seems excessive for so soon into the season.

 

many absences for teams are from covid protocols that are not reported to the public.

 

Looks like a pretty normal pre COVID crowd for the Revs

 

With the blue shorts it feels like watching NE vs NE. Will def have to get used to the away kit.

 

I thought that was my TV. Those shorts are really blue?!?!

While I’m here I’ll say th is game is as a bad as any Olsen era game.

 

Ugly game but it seems like we're starting to break through. New England is ready for us and is stifling our first pass into the attack so we just keep losing it over and over.