I've long been a Faria supporter and I think that Diallo has more 'team player' talent than his maturity allows... it was really great to see them combine so well at the Cotton Bowl... I really hope the Metros prosper in the playoffs via a Diallo/Faria connection. Faria is really a great guy and has been thru some really tough streaks 'scoring-wise'... maybe a little 'combination magic' with diallo can give him the 'extra confidence' he needs to become one of the premier players in MLS. From a sincere Dallas Burn fan, GOOD LUCK METROS!!!
I wanted to respond but really don't know what to say. Just got tired of looking at the blank reply screen.
When Faria & Diallo were on the pitch together against KC at Arrowhead, they have great chemistry together. Who knows if CLint does go to play for Europe that Diallo & Faria can be the new scoring tandum.
Agreed. But the goals scored is reflective of how many games Clint has played. If anything, Clint is the new addition to this scoring tandem. Between World Cup, injuries, and trading half of our team, how many games has Clint really played with our new guys? It's too bad because I think Mathis could combine well with either Diallo or Faria (don't like all three on the field at once) given the time, but will it ever happen?
I don't think any of those combinations spend enough time playing together in practice. They play like individuals. ------------ This is what all strikers want to do. Dribble forward and score or run on to a forward pass and score, and that's all they really want to do. ------------------------------------ The problem is sometimes they need to do other things that they would rather not do to help the team score. Sometimes they have to help the dribbler by leaving the top space to give the dribbler more passing options to relieve the dribblers defensive pressure, and increase the teams speed of play. Also if the striker is marked, and cannot beat the defender into open space, he should leave to try and draw his defender out of the up top space so a team mate can run on to a ball into space and score. Either a wing mid or an inside mid takes up the space. Our strikers hang around up there, and jam up that space. Also he might leave his area to clear space. To help a midfield dribbler further back who just beat his man. So the dribbler has space to move up and dribble and score. Our strikers never would do that for their team mates those selfish bastards. They just don't want to do that. They understand one thing they don't want to leave that up top space because the goal is up there. An interesting thing about those runs is they help team mates, but they are terrible for the striker even if they get the ball it is not in a position to do much. They are not even great plays for the dribbler if they pass it to the strikers. ---------------------------------- Passing to the check back player is one of the worse passing options, but it is better then losing the ball under pressure. Best passing option is when this happens is put the ball into the up top space with a teamate beating his defender to the ball in that space. ------------------------ The diagonal run to ball side in front of the dribbler who is being pressured. Dribblers pass to that player is a bad pass option, and it is the one most dribblers make, but it's better then losing the ball. One of the best options is if the dribbler back passes instead of making that pass, and that support player hits the second or third diagonal run towards the middle of the field. That the first diagonal run trigggered. ------------------ But these are the runs that strikers have to make at times to help the team. ------------------------ The two forwards have to work together as a team. Not as individuals if they do work as a team they will both have good chances to score, but maybe not at the same time. If they do that you won't see two strikers moving into the same space which Mathis and Diallo do. Before Diallo, Serna and Mathis always ran into the same space. Use dummy plays they work. First striker lets the ball run to the second striker and he scores or he then passes to that first striker and he scores. They need to be practiced because they work. Have we ever seen any of these guys do that? I don't remember seeing it. --------------------------------------- In your attacking half of the field I think they should work in tandem kind of side by side with the dribbler if the ball is on the flank. Where ever the dribbler may be on the field they should set up as a short and longer pass option. --------------------- In your defensive half they work as a recessed forward and the other an up top player. They are interchangeable ( do they ever interchange positions? Outside of once or twice a game.) if players are marked up top they might exchange positions trying to clear space. If the other striker is not available to exchange positions then they exchange with an inside mid it is a faster exchange then with a wing mid. These guys don't want to work together. ------------- Also when they lose the ball. Dribbler loses the ball he goes like hell to regain the ball. If your support player is their to get the dribbler, then the near ball striker should take away the dribblers close back pass option. That should be the strikers job defensively once the ball passes them take away the back pass option. Near ball striker takes a way the close back pass option, and the far side striker takes away the middle of the field pass option. Makes it really hard for the opponent who is pressured to reverse their field. When you take away the center of the field option come from the players blind side. So if they pass to them you have a chance of intercepting the pass then go into an immediate counter attack. Do our strikers do that? Richie