So, are you also saying that each Crew victory is "another step in keeping the status quo next season" and is, therefore, a bad thing?
No offense to you toon, but personally I am sick of this attitude around these boards. If people don't want this team in the playoffs with a chance to get to the cup thats fine. Bottom line is this team can still, as bad as they have been play with any team in the league, any night. Look at the last two games against Chicago as proof. First game Chicago was the hottest team in our conference and we weer the coldest and tied them 2-2. Then this weekend, after Chicago was humiliated they came out looking for blood trying to erase that defeat and we held them to a 1-1 draw in Naperville. This team has as much a chance as any other team in the conference and more talent than most them.
I agree, Hang. The big mystery will be how effectively we utilize our players on a starting and situational sub basis. IMO, Greg's out for next year simply due to ticket sale considerations. Time to see what we can do and get on track. Our best 13-15 can play with anyone; however, we need to get back to an offensive mindset. NOBODy can win with the dismal SOGs we've been firing recently.
Possibly. An excuse used by a few in the organization for the club's poor showing has been the lack of a consistent lineup, due to injuries and call-ups. Should the club make a late-season run similar to New England last year, I don't want any evaluation of this organization to only be judged based on a healthy lineup and the apparent abandonment of a youth movement that seemed to be pushed in the-off season.
So as long as it results in a coaching and/or front office shake-up you're willing to suffer through a seven match losing streak? Outside of the draft, our two biggest offseason acquisitions were MLS veterans Hejduk and Paule. Saturday's lineup differed from the opening day starting eleven by four players - Akwari, Denton, West and Oughton - each of whom are younger than the player he replaced. Granted, some of the lineup differences were forced by injury, namely Paule. I fail to see how Columbus abandoned some youth movement when, excluding developmental guys who aren't ready to play, Columbus is running out three of the four youngest players they have - Akwari, Buddle, Martino.
along with the aquisition of those well-known fuzzy-cheeked youngsters Mark Williams and Alex Piñeda-Chacon while jettisoning Brian Dunseth. (Please note very classy use of html tilde - thank you; it's nothing really)
But, does the acquisition of Chacon - with three league appearances since his arrival - and the pending arrival of Williams change the fact that three of the four youngest rostered players have logged significant minutes lately (Akwari) or throughout the season when healthy (Buddle, Martino)? Or the fact that Saturday's starting lineup was younger than that used on opening day? Honestly, I don't think the Crew abandoned any youth movement because I don't think there ever was a youth movement; the young guys who were expected to play - Buddle and Martino being the main examples - are playing. As I mentioned earlier, the two big off season aquisitions were MLS veterans (although younger than those they replaced) and the main core of players remained relatively the same. The only young guys brought in were draft day products - Walsh was always touted as someone who could fill in when Martino was away while Akwari wasn't expected to start right away.
I agree with Toon on this one. There is something wrong with this team. Sure, we can play with any team on any night --- but I think that is more of the mediocrity a single-entity system entity than our front office's ability to land great players. You look at the game in Chicago and see the glass as half-full. I look at the game in Chicago and see us blow another lead in the second half. Why do we keep allowing teams to stay with us? There is something wrong with this team; until we restructure, even if we make it to the Cup game, there will always be something wrong with this team.
YITBOS, I don't think you'll find anyone here who doesn't agree that this team needs some changes. However, what is getting hang fired up is some posters' desire to see the Crew falter or other teams pass the Crew simply to force a change. I hope the Crew make any necessary changes to improve this team into a championship caliber squad. However, I still want them to win every match possible, make the playoffs and make a run towards MLS Cup. Rooting for your own team to fail just doesn't make sense to me.
FF, I really don't want this team to fail either. But I just fear that a nice run by the club at year-end will result in another year of the SOS in 2004. BTW, do you think that had the club been playing better throughout the season, that Akawari or Walsh would have gotten any playing time?
Amen brother. Look, I have whined about firing Andrulis as much as anyone here. There have been times this season that he has drive me nuts. Kaiser Kraut and 3stripe as well as most anyone I talk to in 137 can attest to that. Fact is I think so many people are caught up in the negativity surounding this team that they have not realized that we have one loss in our last 5 league matches. That was to Colorado, who is probably playing the best soccer in the league right now. Instead of thinking this team is starting to turn the corner a bit people and get behind the team, peoples first reaction is, oh crap Andrulis is gonna be back next year. Thats bunk. I'm not trying to sound like a testosterone enhanced LUD here, but there is enough positives right now that people should be getting behind this team. You don't believe me? Akwari has been excellent. I dislike the trade, but we have an experienced defender coming in who is gonna at least give us more depth, size, and we are told leadership on the back line. Busch has done a fione job since coming back. Buddle is healthy and playingf well. He's scoring even in games where he doesn't play well. When Buddle and McBride start together up top this season the team hasn't lost. Guess which two forwards are in line to start together for the rest of the season? Cunningham and Paule are supposedly only a week away from being healthy. That is the healthiest we will be since the first month. Who here remembers the first month of the season? Let us lok back to last season. Look at New England. Look at how ************ they were for most the summer and look at the run they pulled off. Can someone tell me that team has more talent than 2003's Columbus Crew? This team had an awful summer, but pieces are falling in place for them to make a solid run at the end of the season. Can they get knocked off in the first round? Absolutely. Couldn't they also make a run at MLS Cup with this talent? I don't know why anyone would say no to that question.
I understand, Toon. Trust me, I do. As for Walsh, he really hasn't played that much except when we were so thin because of call-ups and injury. Akwari, I don't know. He really didn't get a shot when things were awful until the backline holes opened up because of suspension, injury, call-ups, etc. It's hard to say.
I see Greg keeping his job for another season as long as we make the playoffs, even if we suck eggs and only make it in because other teams are even suckier than we are. One thing we will never really know is "would Smith pull the trigger on a different coach if the opportunity presented itself?" For example, Coach X is available for a reasonable price, has more experience than Greg, and might be a better fit with the team. a) Is Smith actively seeking that person b) Is Smith not actively seeking but open to insight c) Is Smith not open to anything Personally I think it's betweek b) and c) using the current MLS landscape as a guide. Smith knows Greg's contract is up and will be extended unless the team really blows it, but if someone higher up or one of his lackeys says "hey, have a look at this guy" he would investigate then make a decision. re: youth movement Actually I think the Crew is correcting itself - it lost a lot of age and wisdom (Harkes, Perez, Washington, Warzycha) without anybody really stepping up to fill those roles; so lets get one or two veterans in here. I think Chacon was a roll of the dice, just like Williams will be. Unfortunately, Chacon doesn't seem to be fit enough to keep a starting spot, so that trade ended up making the Galaxy stronger (signed diving Diego, still have our pick) and unless he does something to "wow" us Chacon is gone next season. Jury is still out on Williams. re: team losing to enact change Any player losing or faltering on purpose just to enact change deserves to either be fired immediately or kept on the roster and benched for the remainder of his contract; whichever would inflict the most pain and suffering. As for fans, they in a way do contribute to the success of the team/league by going to games and buying shi-tuff. You would have to hope that if there truly is a problem that management would do something about it. Such loss of faith would be not seeing hope for the team and the league that runs it. I've been on that edge a couple of times, especially since it looks like MLS does not give a **** about things sometimes (1 mail, 3 emails, not one reply from MLS). I can understand the feeling, but have trouble buying into it.
1. For those who want to see the Crew make the playoffs and do well, you're going to have to root for SJ next weekend as well. They'll be playing at RFK and a sound beating of DCU would be in order. 2. Chacon is gone after this season, end of story. Even if he comes out and plays out of this world and scores 2 goals in each of the remaining games, he's gone. His contract is over after this season, he's aging, he hasn't produced in a couple years, he's content to practice, sit on the bench, and pick up a paycheck. We did LA a favor, plain and simple. Whether the favor is ever returned to us, well you can probably guess that answer. 3. I know it sucks to think that maybe players are playing poorly on purpose, but come on, get your head out of the clouds. This stuff happens, and it happens in ALL sports. Well, maybe I should restrict that to any sport where gambling is involved. Certainly that isn't the only reason, and having a crap coach could be another reason. You may not do it on purpose, but if you dislike the coach so much that he gets you out of your groove, then you'll play like sh!t regardless. 4. Coaching situations are truly the enigma here. You'd have figured Dallas would have changed coaches, or maybe even Colorado after their crap start. You also have to wonder what is the deal in LA, since such great expectations where in front of them. However, how much have you heard that Jefferies, Hankinson, Schmidt, or Andrulis have their heads on the block? This league is affraid to take action, because they're trying to be fiscally-smart. You don't fire players/coaches/etc if they're under contract. You know why? Because you'll have to eat that contract and shell out the cash. Gee, sound familiar? Alex, Alex Chacon... you have a call on line 3.
I'll wage a WAG that APC either starts or plays more than Half of the Dallas game @A-mid. Our SOG totals are pitiful and we get no consistent penetration in the final 3rd. It's time to give KMart a rest and see if APC can generate some flow. He may be an old warhorse, but old warhorses get excited when the playoff excitemnet gets going. We have a TOTAL of 5 SOG and 2 goals in the last TWO games. I know, same old song, but the stats are telling a tale and we need to score more. The obvious alternative to APC @A-mid is Paule. Duncan and Frankie could work the right side and leave Westie and Freddy on the left. Either way we need to get more offensive penetration and Shots. Count me in the Greg is gone camp. Unless we win MLS Cup there's been a tremendous loss of faith, here and elsewhere, about his ability to perform in tough situations. The Crew will lose lot's of season ticket holders if they retain him without the Cup. Two lost tickets will be mine.