Hooray! The Metros won. A few more like these, and we can book a reservation for the playoffs, games that on average attract even fewer fans. Yippee. Seriously, I'm glad they won. But after week one, I was admonished for saying that Columbus is mediocre. Well, I don't care if they win MLS cup this year. They are not a team with a clue to build up and create a goal. And by the way, even though they won, neither are the Metros. In fact, the Metros are even more anemic. 3 games, two goals, none from the run of play. I'm not suggesting this will have a huge effect, but I say bring in Addo for central defense, and let Jolley make some runs up the flank. I ahve said for a long time that Steve Jolley is one of the most underrated players in this league. He can defend for sure. But he can do more. He IS useful making overlapping runs. We are desperate for a little creativity, a little mayhem, in the offensive third of the pitch. I think a back line of Ziadie, Addo, Pope and Jolley would be just as good defensively and might add another little option offensively. In addition to Guevara, we desperately need another decent, not necessarily great, but decent middie. Do that, move Mathis up front WHERE HE BELONGS, and maybe, just maybe, we'll look like a team worthy of a little respect out there. __________ Fire Bradley!!!!
I totally disagree with the Jolley move. He and Pope are doing outstanding in the middle, so why change it?? Things will get better when Guevara is back and is used to his teamates, as well as when Clint, Digi, and Moreno are all 100%. And Magee, though not great, is slowly improving.
after giving up 2 goals in 3 games, i think we have a good formula for defense here... he has combined with pope real well in the middle and theres no need for a change i don't think jolley has the creativity or ball skill to significantly add to the offense by giving him the freedom to make outside runs but he is so solid in the central defense right now that they shouldn't even think of switching it up
Our defense has been watertight, and I don't think Jolley can really add anything offensively. It would be stupid to make any changes.
OK. I think Bob Bradley knows a few things about a secure defense. He may have us playing 0-0 ties, or 1-0 wins. Whatever, but the defense will be fine. It's the attacking third we have to worry about. And i think if clint comes into form at FORWARD...and guevara plays up to our expectations....we'll be just swell.
Our defense has SEEMED good because our opposition has been poor offensively. I'm not cutting them down, but I think our "tight defense" has more to do with our opponent's offensive mediocrity than great marking. And by the way, the game of soccer is a little more organic than rigid notions of "defense" and "offense". That's why I say let Jolley run. ____________ Run Jolley run! Fire Bradley!
Damn straight, Metrogo...just wait until we play against some of the good forwards in MLS. I think Jolley and Pope should be the strikers.
I agree we have played bad offensive teams. LA sucks, Ruiz only lead the league in goals, and Cobi is over the hill. Forget McBride, that thing in England was over blown.
I like Jolley where he is, but he could make overlapping runs, he came into this league as either a forward or a midfielder. But as evidenced by yesterday, he's found his home.
Do you guys even watch the games? I know whose on those teams. The fact is, they were having trouble stringing passes in the midfield together and getting balls to their forwards in dangerous situations. I don't care who is playing forward, if your midfielders (and overlapping backs) can't get the ball to them, well, you have a bad offense. And if you think they weren't stringing passes well together becausee of our smothering defense, well you can thank our midfielders for that, not the centre backs. And while I am proud that McBride did so well at Everton, it was what, 8 games? I'm happy for him, and commend him. but to say that establishes him as some sort of world class striker is a little ridiculous.
Re: Re: Jolley to the outside Their offense wasn't clicking BECAUSE of how we played. Did you see Columbus against NE or LA? They ran right through those team's defenses. Nobody said McBride was world class, but he is in the top three of the strikers of MLS, IMO. He might even be the best. And LA won the championship last year and Carlos Ruiz makes goals out of nothing. If he's on the field, it's dangerous for the defense. And Cobi Jones has always been dangerous in the MLS too. We shut all the strikers we played down. I know you saw the metros's games, but have you ever seen any other games? Do you think everyone's offense stops at the midfield? NO! There must have been a hundered times they had it in our box and one of our defenders denied the forwards.
Re: Re: Jolley to the outside So whats your point here? The fact that we have possibly 2 of the best D-mids in the league, playing well TOGETHER. The middle of our defense is fantastic. Defense isn't 4 people, it's 11 men playing together. Bradley will have this team(and is well on his way) playing tough hard nose defense.,...Through the midfield, and through the back.
Re: Re: Re: Jolley to the outside Correct! If you saw the highlights from the LA - SJ game, you would have seen Ruiz make give and goes, through balls, and even 1v1 moves to beat someone...that turned into true scoring oppurtunities. Ya didn't see that to often against metro, because... well, Ricardo Clark + Ankle biter stopped it before it could happen. and if it did get past those 2, Jolley + pope were there. Same thing with Martino. He walked through NE last week. He was practically silent this week.
Re: Re: Jolley to the outside Well, let's see: In the two games Columbus played against teams that aren't called "MetroStars", they had no problems stringing passes together. In the two games they've played against teams called "MetroStars", they've had big problems stringing passes together. You clearly know nothing about soccer. That's fine. But here's a hint: next time, watch how well Pope, Jolley and Ziadie do at closing down passing lanes and removing options from the attack. You might learn something. Seriously. I mean, he'd have to score big goals in international play first or something.
Couple counter points: 1- As everyone else said, defense is a team concept. Youve already lost your argument that the teams weve played are poor offensively. Theyre not, by any stretch of the imagination, but we'e made them LOOK poor. 2- Your fear over our offense/ceativity comes from the stuff you see from the 1st 3 league games most of these guys have played together (the other guys have played together LESS than that), that have had us missing our o-mid for all but one, and that game was his 1st playing with everyone else, Clint Mathis coming off an injury, and two strikers, an 18-yr old and a journeyman, getting significant starting minutes when normally theyd be coming off the bench. I dont get it. You really believe that the Metros as they are above have nothing to look forward to? When any one of those things improves, the Metros will be a much better offensive team. I cant wait for when they all those things improve. (But Im willing to. Gladly.)
Re: Re: Jolley to the outside Gotta agree with ya. I dont wanna say anything, but if a couple things go the right way...this could really be a good team. It's gonna be a fun season. ya can just tell
Wow, now I have seen read everything. You find fault with what Williams, Clark, Jolley and Pope are doing? My God, by the end of the season I have no doubt that we will be looking at the best defensive foursome in the league. Actually, considering the teams we have played so far, I think we are already seeing the best. and that is being accomplished without a midfielder that is holding well in front onf them. Do you think they are going to perform worse with less pressure? There is a reason that there have been that many articles written about the offensive talent that Columbus has. There is reason to be damn impressed that we held them to one goal in two outings.
I disagree. I think the strength of the team so far has been the defense in the center of the midfield. Pope, Jolley, Williams, and Clark have become very strong, and have shown a great understanding with each other. The only possible change that could help the team is to switch to 3 in the back, with a 5 man midfield. I think that would help our team with ball possession. However, I would resort to that if we fall on hard times. Right now, the team is playing very well together on the defensive side of the ball. Once Gueverra comes back, we can move Mathis up top with Moreno, and that threesome will hopefully be as good as our defensive foursome.
Re: Re: Jolley to the outside No, not everyone else said defense is a team concept. Soccerfan, soccrdhn and decent guy all seem to think that we owe it all to our two centre backs. I AGREE with you. And I haven't seen Columbus or LA play other teams, so if some of you are daying they looked terriffic against other sides, then fine. Though, being a pro soccer spectator for many years now, I think I can tell when a team isn't able to create because of poor play and a team not creating becasue of tough defense. But we can agree to disagree about that. I don't think that means "I obviously know nothing about soccer", as Matrim pointed out. As for your second paragraph, I have put forth the quite unrevolutionary idea of moving Jolley to an outside back position, to allow him to get a bit more involved in creating some offense, and putting Addo in the center, who in my view is quite competent. Also, to me, the addition of Addo and subtraction of Leitch is also a net plus of talent on the pitch. Did I say anything here about nothing to look forward to with the MEtros, etc.? I thought this was a discussion board. I had an idea that I thought might bolster our offense a little. However, given the vitriol of some of the responses, I can already see we have a flock of sheep bleating the Bob Bradley is a genius mantra to such an extent that someone can't even suggest what really amounts to a bit of tinkering with the starting 11 without being attacked. Next time I start a thread, I'll remember to name it "Why I love Bob" or "Bob's a genius, to discuss the team is a sin."
I don't think Steve making overlapping runs is going to create some offense. I may be mistaken, but I remember him being more involved in the offense in the 2000 season and the problem was when he lost the ball, he'd need to hail a cab to get back on defense. I thought DiGi made some nice overlapping runs the past two games....the problem was that there was no open in the box. Leitch improved against the Crew and gave Wolyniec a nice lead ball that could have led to a breakaway. Addo is slow and got burned a few times last season. The only time I'd prefer to see Jolley get involved in the offense is on corner kicks or with his trademark long throw-ins.
Re: Re: Re: Jolley to the outside No, they didnt, they said that our centre backs have played great, so why mess with whats been working for our defense. I believe YOU said our defense has looked great because the teams weve played have sucked offensively. Whos not giving credit where credit is due there? The level of vitriol you've gotten in response to your posts stems from the fact that alot of us don't believe theres any possible way Bradley, or anyone else in his position, could have done a much better job thus far with player acquisition/preparation and tactics, both for the short term, and much more importantly for the long term. Youve stated numerous times how you feel cheated by the fact that we dont have what you feel is a side worthy of your respect, and that youre not willing to wait half a season to watch this team come together. Youve stated that you want a great team NOW. Guess what? Thats not possible with the limitations that Bradley and the Metros have been saddled with since the end of last season. More importantly, you havent stated any way the Metros could've done better, either. Hell, none but 2 teams in the whole league seem to have squads capable of living up to your standards, and take a look at their records! So I guess it just comes down to me having absolutey no idea where your coming from. Despite ALL your posts on the subject. And thats what my responses have been. Not "Bradley worship", but in my mind, a plain reality check. As to suggesting ideas to tinker with the starting 11, how about we wait til we have our actual starting 11 all on the field at one time, then we dissect it?