Alexis anywhere is a downgrade. He is simply not a good pro footballer. And believe me, remember I was talking about Andres Cabrero before anyone knew who he was. Alexis is a waste of space. He'd rather spend his time at Shannan's getting girls than actually playing. If the defense had no depth like currently then it wasn't set. Arrieta is so much better than Martinez I can't even believe you bring that up.
It D2 we never had depth we never halve had depth in the back line. In 2008-09 we had Kyle Veris, Yomby, Villaroel, and Alexis in the bench, a worst bench in my opinion that we have now, the only differences is that there weren't that many injuries. So we din't have to really suffer with the bench for half the season. Problem is that you have both bench CB playing Emory with Needham wasnt that bad but having both is horrible the is no leader and then you had Villaroel who is more offensives minded LWB not a LB like Jones you have more holes. But most real problems keep stemming back from having two bench cb starting. The best think of this is that we have manege to have a solid offense that has kept use in the running for second place and that our bench is better prepared to handle the schedule when things get hectic.
But even the offense has taken a hit. It continues to take a hit every seasons. Arrieta despite being a defender was also a big part of the offense and a big part why the fans stormed the field after that win and the guards let everyone in.
Great win yesterday. One we really needed before we start CONCACAF plan. Although there were some shakey moments, I thought our new (different) backline looked good. If we can settle on the starting four, I think they can work into a coordinated group. It was good to see Ossie playing well again. He reminded me of the first part of the season. When we go to Metapan, I bet we play Fana and Foley wide with Bouree or someone like him up top as a target player. If we can stay healthy, I like our chances.
Intru, this is not to defend the coach, but with the way we played last night, I'm not sure any tactics would have helped. We looked tired, scared and all on different pages. I understand the stadium was a great atmosphere. But for some reason about half of our team did not show up to play. I want to see that spark which carried us to the Caribbean title. Hopefully Clarke will light it under our attack for next Wednesday. We've got nothing to lose. Start in an attacking mode and don't take your foot off of the pedal until the game is won. I just can't believe this team will not show up to make a good accounting of themselves. I just wish I could be there.
Coach had everything to do with it! Why where they tired? The barely played before and had three days in El Salvador? It his JOB to set tactic and to make sure the players gives 100%, it his job to choose players. He failed at everything last night. What I don't get is why wasn't he fired last year? Sure he brought os a league tittle but that was more luck than anything. He also brought use the second worst season in the clubs history. Toribio was fired for way less.
Milton Rodriguez was released by FC Dallas yesterday. He is used to playing the lone striker in the Dallas' formation. (like most pro teams, the FCD formation doesn't fit a normal 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1 definition) He just couldn't get a lot of playing time in front of Chavez. With Josh Hanson and Nick Addlery out, he might be a good pick up for the remainder of the season. It would be nice to have his experience for the return leg against Metapan.
@Dr. Know I miss marco way more than Alexis so yeah... but I dont think hes totally useless like you make him seem.
Explain to me anything useful Alexis has ever done aside from warming the bench for other players and using the fact that he's in the Islanders to get girls. I'm tired of the Islanders keeping horrible players just because they are Puerto Rican. As someone who played footy all throughout high school there are a ton of better players than him. The scouts are completely lazy and that's that. If they bothered they would look at the private schools for players like Cabrero and there are a lot out there. I can kick a ball in a footy park and in half an hour TONS of people will join me and we'll play a pick up game. Talented people. But for the most part the players say just say ******** it and stop playing footy once they get to college because there is no incentive or reason for it. He's a waste of space and money. But for whatever reason the Islanders have made him a sort of symbol for the club. Give me a break.
Intru, your remarks about Clarke are personal. For whatever reason you do not like the man. So be it. It is fine. It is your opnion and I respect that. Jesus, they lose one game and you think he should be fired. The previous coach was fired because he produced no tangible results. No hardware. No titles. To say that he has done nothing, and deserves to be fired is absolute nonsense, and shows your lack of soccer knowledge. Whether you like Clarke or not, he has put the Islanders on the map. To say the won last year by luck, is both wrong and completely disrespectful to both players and coaching staff. They played twice as many games, and by far the most challenging travel schedule. Was it also luck that Clarke got them to the semifinals the first year? The finals in following year? Two CFU cups? The group stage in every year of CONCACAF? I suppose it has nothing to do with Clarke that the Islanders have a respected name in international circles. Really. I am embarrassed for you. No wonder PR gets a bad rep sometimes.
Clarke's tactics were playing anti-football almost every time a team faced a bigger opponenet. And imo it had more do with players busting themselves out there than it had do with Clarke magic.
I don't know about magic. But to say that what the team has achieved is all about luck and nothing to do with the coach is quite simply out, ignorant. I don't know what anti-football means. Clarke played at the highest level in the EPL. He knows a little about the game. And more times than not, whatever tactics he uses against bigger opponents-they usually work. And you're correct,the players do bust their asses. Which imo says something about the coaching staff as well...but cheers-everyone is entitled to their opinion.
It is personal, because he is slowly killing my team. His being doing it for 3 years now. Just because he played in EPL doesnt mean he will be a good coach if so he would be coaching EPL. He plays anti-football against big oponets which I really don't mind much, but he plays ugly long ball footbal when against NASL team a style that dosnt mesh with his fan base. He also goes for the minimal results possible to achive his goals even in the NASL where he has the team to do way more. It is costing us fan and tons of them. We need a coach that plays to win all games in the NASL and knows when to put a defensive strategy against larger oponents. We need to win games and lots of them in league play to keep the Puerto Rican fan interested. His cycle has ended with need a new coach, don't know about you but I want to see my sialnders play foir a long time not just next year when there will be only 1k fans in the stands.
How do you know what his goals are? What are you talking about? He doesn't play to win NASL games???! Truly, I am confused. You say the PR fans wants to see the team win games? They won it all last year! They are the ONLY team left in NASL that is still undefeated at home. They are the ONLY team that has had to balance three leagues simultaneously: CONCACAF, NASL, CFU...and still manage to get results. Economics and ineffective marketing are the reason for poor attendance. In case you have not noticed, the economic landscape has changed dramatically over the past four years. To blame Clarke for lower attendance is laughable. The average PR soocer fan does not have enough soccer knowledge to be concerned with style of play. How do you account for the poor attendance of the other three PR USL teams that have sinced folded? Long-ball? I don't think so. In the end, you are stuck with him till MLS or Europe takes him. The powers that be want him around. For good reason: he gets results.
Yeah cause clarke 11 L, 10 T and 9 W was a impressive record last year that is worth prasing. WHen people open the paper and read about the islanders on the of chance they read about losses not victories and that is just bad PR, good PR is winning, we need a coach that wins most games. With a winning team marketing is much easier yo cant convince somebody to show up if they have a negative view of a team yo cant convince them to spend the their smaller entertaiment budget on you either. We have a ok record this year. and still have the change to make it better, but it dosnt help that we lose against weaker teams. Lose to atlanta? to montreal? that's embarrising, and now we are about to be eliminated from the CCL the clubs money maker?!!! Clarke put to much trust on Logan and Jamie after Marcos and Needhams injuries and they failed so he failed. Instead of signing a player like Yakiel who is just a giant red card waiting to happen, and just did, he should have found a defender. Burraee has turn out to be a lame duck, he is no sub for Addlery he is to timid a player. But then again Clarke always hires several duds a season.
Tiempo al tiempo Intru... The last year we earn the last spot for the playoffs, so we was a weaker team then and we win the finals, so this is was embarrassing for us??? So I still thinking that CC, by far, it's the best coach in the Islanders history, he is the only one who put PRI on the map and win the Comisioner Cup, the D2 final and 2 Caribbean Cup... There is still 90 mins vs Metapán, so we did it in the past and we can win again... Some times I don't agree with his decisions, but he's the one who knows the reason...
Yes, you are right. Foley is a dud. Fana a complete dud. Richard Martin waste of space...Whatever dude. You want perfection. It is not reality...
FFS did you watch the games? I was there. The players and their heart won those games not the coaching. If you don't know what anti-football means why are you even commentating on a football forum? They are basically a crap shot. It can work and sometimes it doesn't. It's all dependent on the players. Nobody wants perfect because that's impossible with any team. People want the times back when the Islanders used to pack the stands, fans ran on the field, and everyone was excited about them because they played great. Not this dud mundane thing currently going on. The effect in attendance is completely obvious and proves my point.
I think the Islanders have been blessed with two very good coaches, Rojas and Clarke. Clarke took the foundation put in place by Rojas and built a very competitive team. One for which all Puerto Ricans can be proud. I live in Fort Worth near Dallas Texas. When Clarke coached FC Dallas (Dallas Burn), fans didn't like his tatics and style of play. He made the playoffs every year and got fired for not winning the championship. It took them three more coaches before Dallas was back to the playoffs. I think Clarke has a plan and that the owners agree with it. We want to win the Caribbean Cup. We want to advance to group play in the CONCACAF Chmpaions League (and adavnce farther if we can). Then, we make the playoffs in the NASL, and try to win the NASL playoff tournament. To accomplish these goals squad rotation will be important. Injuries have hurt our chances this year. Would it have hurt us to lose Addlery if we had Beattie? If Needham, Marco and Alexi had been healthy all season would our defense have looked different? Injuries are a part of the game. But at this level rosters are not deep. For that reason the injuries have taken away options from Clarke. All that having been said, Clarke may move on or be back. If he does leave, the next coach will owe a debt of gratitude to him and Rojas for putting together a strong tradition of competitive football.
ROJAS?????? You mean Alvial who pretty much hand pick the player who Rojas use before he got a job as a Chelsea scout. Rojas din't do much other than try to match Alvial, and that got him caned.
I was very proud of our effort in Montreal. It was a great experiecne for the reserve players. Martin was fantastic in goal. It is ashame we didn't get some kind of result. I noticed the forecast is for constant showers with intermediate thunderstorms on Wednesday. Do you think that helps us or hurts us?
Intru, thanks for the insight. I did not know that about the Rojas "regime". During that time, the foundation was laid for the Islanders. Whoever did it, did a good job.
There was never a Rojas regime. Alvial was the head coach, Rojas de assistant. Alviel was and is a south American talent scout so he was able to attract better talent. He was such a good scout that Chelsea offered him a job and he left the Islanders 6 games into the season to take it. You can say that Rojas was just a intermediate coach between Alvial and Clarke. Clarke's done wonders but I think his cycle is over we need fresh blood.