My main takeaways from this game are that Fernandez is a pretty big defensive liability. I'm almost inclined to make him our left winger over Rolfe who is somewhat out of position there. Then go back to the drawing board for the left back spot. In the interim I'd feel more secure defensively with Korb there once Franklin gets healthy. Otherwise I was pleased with the overall team play from the back through midfield and to the front. A lot more fluid and crisp ball movement. Unfortunately we were missing that cutting edge in the final 3rd ... especially NDL I thought was very wasteful. I'll give him a pass since he's coming back from injury. In the end while the game was frustrating, I'm pleased with the come back point. When we were down I was practically praying for a measly point ... and we got it ... so I can't complain. And watching the Red Bull match on DVR right now makes me feel better about the situation in general.
I was there and I think the TV must have flattered DCU. There was a general lack of crispness to their play after about minute 6. At the beginning, the match was entirely in Montreal's end and I thought DCU would grab a goal. EJ skimmed a redirect off the crossbar, but that was it. After that, they looked like a team without ideas. To Ben's credit, he yanked Arnaud for Silva and ball movement got a bit better and quicker. Finally paid off in EJ's goal. Last year's team would not have come back to get the goal. As for Cristian -- I'm done with him. He got schooled my Mapp, just like he got schooled by Nyarko. In both cases the result was a goal. He just can't man mark anyone faster than OTC. When Franklin recovers, I would slide Korb out left and slide Cristian to a well-deserved slot on the bench. I also would watch Kemp's development at Richmond closely because I've seen nothing from Cristian that demonstrates he deserves to start on this team or belong in the 18.
We simply have no one better. So for all the complaints of Christian, why not have the same issues with DeLeon or Arnaud? We're stuck with them.
I understand the frustration with Fernandez ... especially on that play he was really embarrassed. But his crosses are so consistently good that I'm very hesitant in giving up on that weapon. I think it's easier to coach defending than it is to coach a guy to put in crosses like that. I dunno ... personally I don't want to give up on the guy yet ...
I think for those of you that may be frustrated with some of the players ... I think this week is a perfect time to rotate a little bit since we're entering a congested part of the schedule. I wouldn't be opposed to Neal getting a look either for Fernandez or Rolfe ... I thought he looked good in Philly. I also think this next game is a perfect opportunity for playing Silva over Arnaud. It doesn't have to be a permanent switch ... just a little rotation to keep everyone fresh. EJ also walked off with a limp ... maybe an opportunity for Doyle to start and wear them down and EJ coming on as a super sub ...
Kemp can serve in a good cross, defenders are paid to defend -- Cristian can't and he sometimes gets sloppy on the ball (Portland). Tonight he was beaten by Mapp exactly the same way Nyarko beat him. Cristian is pushing 30, I really doubt "coaching" will make him a better defender. We may be seeing why he was let go in Spain. Perhaps he could get away with play like that in the Segunda, but he can't here.
Again ... I get the sentiment ... but frankly I don't think Kemp is really the answer. Kemp is a bit of a defensive liability himself and is nowhere near as comfortable going forward. Like it or not Fernandez really makes this team tick tactically. He's one of the only guys on the roster that can give you that natural width which allows us to spread the field. This is why I said I wouldn't be opposed to Fernandez being converted to our left winger. He pushes up so high I really don't think he'd feel uncomfortable there. He seems to like connecting with Espindola so getting those 2 guys closer together might pay off.
Don't replace Rolfe. Repeat until it sinks in. Korb was excellent and saved Hamid at least once. Hamid, again, had a great game, but I don't want to have to rely on a great game from our keeper to earn a point. And remind me again why we let Mapp go....
I was using Kemp just as a what if -- I agree that last year he was an even bigger defensive liability than Cristian is now. However, I do remember Kemp having a good left foot. I will concede your tactical points about Cristian, but his inability to defend is worrisome. I think Parke and Boswell are good, seasoned CBs, both of whom have no foot speed. If Cristian can be turned so easily, that means either Parke or Boswell now has to challenge a faster player moving towards goal with the ball at his feet and that is not their strength. For Parke and Boswell to be effective, the play has to be kept in front of them which requires the outside defenders to be able to man mark effectively. Franklin and Korb can do that adequately, Cristian can't. Good teams and good coaches will exploit that weakness over and over again.
Cristian did not get beat by Mapp. He served him that ball. I was watching from the club area and instead of controlling the ball, he let it get away and Mapp ran right by him. I do not understand why Johnson continues to flick the ball or play to a teammate when he has the opportunity to attack the goal. I don't think it is tactics. He just is not comfortable with the ball. And if it is not passed directly to him, forget it.
We were lucky, the only things I save are EJ's goal (about f... time) and the fact that we didn't lose. We'd better turn this page immediately and concentrate on Houston, which has always been a great pain in the a*s*s* with us and on New England, that has scored 10 goals in the last two games...
Nope.. he was traded for Dema Kovalenko, who in turn helped United to the MLS Cup title. Until the past two seasons, Mapp has been a constant underachiever but he's really turned it up a few notches now. It would have been nice to see what he could do on a talented squad. the fact that he's playing this well for a terrible team makes his transformation all the more impressive. as for the Cristian debate, he was brought here to get upfield from that spot. I had no illusions that he would be a lock-down defender. Yes, bad goals have followed his so far this season and he'll have to try and adapt on the fly to MLS play. I knew going into this match that this might be the biggest mismatch he'll face all season long in Justin Mapp. Poor touch by Cristian opened the gates to their goal. No denying that, but as other posters have said, his crosses are keeping him in the lineup. He also passes well out of the back (he does have the occasional James Rileyesque pass directly to the opposition from time to time) which is a plus on this back line. We need to stay the course with Fernandez unless his playing reaches a critical mass in which he's literally giving up goals on a week-to-week basis. It may seem that way now, but it actually isn't. By my count, he's given up 3 goals that he is directly responsible for (Chicago-Portland-Montreal) and while that is not ideal, I consider it part of the learning curve for an international back who's reputation is moving forward in attack, not defending. As for other options? Please, stop it with Taylor Kemp. Just stop it.. As for Korb, while he's easily in his best 3-game stretch of his career we all seem to forget what he looks like when given starting minutes consistently. Korb is the perfect 5th defender in this league. Capable of making the spot start or filling in for an injury for a few weeks, but wholly not reliable if you need him to play week-in and week-out (I will refer you to 2013).
Funny that people are so behind Korb all of a sudden ... While he did make some big defensive plays he also got abused by Nyassi a couple of times in situations that easily could of led to goals. Also Korb had all of 2013 to "elevate" our play at left back and as I recall the week to week results were mediocre at best.
I'll chime in on Fernandez. First time this season I got a chance to get a look at him (and the team) up close and personal without other distractions. It was apparent from very early on that Mapp was a bad matchup for him. When he was stranded against him one on one on the wing early in the match, I was begging for a double team. Mapp IS the danger for that team, and they should plan to play him accordingly. Fernandez actually dealt with him okay, though. The goal was another bad giveaway, and that 'critical mass' is arriving soon. If he's one on one against Mapp and gets beat, well, that shouldn't surprise anyone, but to give him the opportunity is no way to play. Can't be making those kinds of mistakes. Also, when Fernandez has the ball, players will make runs. It's like they realize he's one of the few guys that can do something with the ball so they will make the effort.
I thought United was too cute in this game. They didn't play with urgency. I would like to see them play more direct early in the match and really try and put pressure on Montreal. They did get chances and were unlucky not to have grabbed a goal that first half, but I thought that was more of a result of Montreal giving tons of space and not because the team was particularly crisp or dangerous.
Additionally, the balls he sends forward are like something out of a horror movie. He likes to launch hopeful long balls upfield or long diagonal balls and they're always way, way off the mark, going across the endline or to the keeper.
One of the (several) things that really depressed me about this match was how we seemed to have regressed. In recent matches, we've looked a little more inventive on offense; but today, after the early play didn't yield a goal, and especially after we went down, our offense seemed to revert to the naive and ineffective play of 2013, just kicking the ball towards their goal and hoping something good would happen.
The problem Chris is that is 3 out of 11 games. Three for eleven keeps you in the lineup in baseball, but not soccer. I understand Cristian's offensive upside, but his defense is just terrible. Now, as you point out, a Mapp/Cristian matchup is not good. So Olsen/Ashton/Concina should have made adjustments. Either double Rolfe or NDL on Mapp (although in the first half NDL was moving at half speed a great deal of the time) or replace either Rolfe or NDL with Neal and have him maul Mapp for a half to take him out of the game. However, having to always help out a defender whenever he plays against speedy outside midfielders just hamstrings the rest of your team because you've taken a midfielder out of the offense a great deal of the time.
I agree that Christian is a defensive liability, so I think DC united needs to switch to a 4-3-3. Franklin - Boswell - Parke - Korb DeLeon - Kitchen- Christian Rolfe - Johnson - Espindola With Arnaud, Silva, Coyle (and Pontius whenever he gets healthy) being substituted for tired offensive players. The key is to attack and outscore the opposition, because DC's team defense $uck$. One point salvaged...
It does? I see three teams that have given up fewer goals and two of those have only played 8 games to our 10. I'm not saying we'll definitely end the year in the top 5 for goals against, but I also don't think we'll end up in the bottom 5 given how we've started the year. If you throw out the first game of the season during which we did suck and were clearly not ready to play, we're averaging giving up 1 goal per game. That kind of defense can get you to the playoffs.
Yeah, I kind of think team defense is the strongest part of the team. They have trouble when there is a breakdown, like yesterday, but when the game is in front of them, they are better than any defense I can remember here since the Ryan Nelsen days.