Everyone else is unavailable. Pete (would have at least considered Mueller as a makeshift forward, but doubts it would have made much difference)
Herbers killed the game last night. Gutman and Acosta were having their best outings of the season, subbing them out hurt. Subbing Gutman made sense since he's coming back from injury but Herbers for Acosta was a huge downgrade.
All of you who were expecting the Fire to make a run for a playoff spot (not me) should note Fire is 6 points back, has 6 teams ahead of them and has only 6 matches left. 666.
What happened to Pineda? I get the sense that guys like Souquet and Omsberg are getting playing time to put them in the shop window so to speak to get them off the books. Pineda is going to be here next year, but I cannot remember the last time he started a game.
Couple observations from last night... -The team, and very specifically the defense, is clearly worse when Rafa is not on the pitch. -The team didn't look like a team, maybe half were 'working for each other'. -The team didn't any noticeable attacking tactics to move the ball through the midfield to the box. -Acosta frequently flat footed and frequently chooses to hack foul. -Cuypers and Gimenez worked noticeably harder than everyone else. -Gaston needs someone to work with, it ain't Acosta...who regularly leaves him no options. -Despite not having good options, felt Frank waited way too long to sub...missed some time saving opportunities to have subbed when they did or on bookings...and why bother with Dean at 87'. -Overall the team looked like a wooden spoon -It was nice watching a game in a SSS
He didn’t help any last weekend against Miami. Odd that for as many times as you’ve used this vague phrase, I don’t think you’ve ever once used it to describe how Shaqiri’s teammates didn’t work for him.
Disagree. Can't attribute Salquist's gifts, Gutman's rust and Suarez's skill to "Rafa didn't help"... An example...did you watch Acosta stand still when Gaston had the ball? Shaq had plenty of players 'working for him' and half the time he'd look them off...he was given options.
Did not like the lineup or the tactics used for most of the game. That is on the coach. Many players played poorly, no excuses allowed, but given the current circumstances this probably should not be a total surprise.
What? I Shaqiri was invisible out there. I didn't even see him "half the time"! Just can't let go, huh? As for Acosta standing still, he probably was standing still to avoid be smacked with one of Gaston's patented long range shots to nowhere.
Did we watch the same game? Some completely different takes for me. I thought our defense didn't lack Chichos. We were slow to everything in the first half, but it was a redirected shot that beat us and we couldn't pick up the pieces before we were down 2-0. Acosta had his best game in a Fire uniform, more of this Acosta please. He won tackles, made forward progressive passes, made some dribbles and got involved in the attack. He was not missing for Gimenez, I don't know what you're seeing there. This is the best the two have played together all year. Acosta was upset about being subbed, and I could see why. Guti was completely absent until minute 60. Some people sitting behind me noted that he must have just gotten subbed on after he finally appeared on the pitch doing something, which made me chuckle. Frank should not have made any subs after Barlow unless it was to sub Souquet (this was one of Souquet's best efforts in a while). We were on DCs throat until Herbers and Reynolds came in, Reynolds brought something, while Herbers committed fouls, lost possession, and generally killed a game that was flowing for the Fire until he came on.
First half defense could have used Czichos in the middle organizing instead of Teràn (more on Carlos later). They were better in the second half than the first, but otherwise agree. They both seemed to play with some GAF. It's about effing time. For him to succeed in that AM/enganche/fantasista role he needs the freedom and awareness to find space & favorable matchups wherever they are. Is he given the freedom and does he have the awareness to do so? Herbers spent a lot of time hollering at Reynolds. Frank was also yelling at Reynolds like he was coaching a U-8. I really wonder if they do any coaching in practice. Teran was the closest man to both goal scorers. On the first goal Gaston probably had a better chance to defend the cross but maybe give credit to the service. Teràn dove in to win the ball and was megged on the second goal.
He consistently shows an inability to take control and direct the game. I do not blame the freedom he has or has not been given since he could take it if he wanted it. I do believe his awareness, as you call it, holds him back. From this point forward Guti really has no one to blame but himself. He’s gotten the starts, he gets the touches, he is in control of his destiny. If he can’t produce, then we know what he is. I fear he doesn’t have the chuptza to take it to the next level. I hope that he does.
Some of his stagnation may be to dysfunction elsewhere, but Guti is old enough to legally drink alcohol. He needs to do more.
I agree he did not play well. It does not help dealing with the rotation from middle to left side to middle ,to right side and back to middle again with different formations and different starters. This is tough for older, more experienced players but even more so for any younger player. However, if he wants to be a star, he has to play like a star.