Is there anyone on this team (coaches & players) that should feel safe with their place on the team next season? There is nothing more "enjoyable" as a fan than watching a team play out the schedule. From what I saw last night that is exactly what the Metros are doing. For the last 2 months a case could be made for Howard, Mathis, Williams, and Davis to be secure in their spots on the team. After last night EVERYONE, particularly the defense, should be put on notice that no spot is guaranteed for next year. Of course the last thing the team needs is another major overhaul but something must be done to bring some life back into the team.
What are the odds Diallo and Clint go at it before the end of the season? (I say odds are 3-1). One guys cares about goals and not wins and the other guy is more concerned about his hair. No need for a major overhaul. The player's are there, but there's no chemistry among them. You've got to wonder what goes on at practice every day. Although I'm one of his biggest "backers", the next time Faria has a breakaway, ESPN/MSG might as well save time by cutting to a commercial break. On his first one in the 2nd half, the shot was so weak it would have made a 5 year old child cringe.
Chung said it best. He said N.Y cannot win a championship unless they find a coach that can manage the many big egos on the team. Everyone has to play for the team rather than for themselves.
The good news is the Akwari is a 1000% improvement over Chronopoulos. How many times can Clint put Faria in alone on goal? I've really defended Rodrigo on here, but his finishing last night was nothing short of abysmal.
I was responding to the previous posters lineup suggestion, where he had Paule at right wing midfield. I know where Paule has been playing, and I think he's been playing very well there. The only time his play dipped was early in the season, when OZ tried him at RWM. JMac
One of many things that botherd me about the game is that Clint's not playing a role. If he is going to be the midfielder that OZ tried to use him as in the beginning of the season, then he's doing the same job as Williams. But really we shouldn't want Clint in that position, where he's dropping back in our half. I still maintain that when healthy Mathis and Diallo should start. They've got the skills to finish, which Faria seems to be lacking. We really need Ramos back on the right side. He and Davis will help us spread the field and create a lot more offense. Both of them must start when healthy; no more keeping Davis on the bench. I disagree with Arisrules that Paule should be the center mid. That is a recipe for disaster. I agree with those who think Paule should be defensive mid. and Moore should be on the bench. What ever happened to Joe Addo? I would stick him in the center with Petke or Jolley. So next game I'd use: -----Mathis--Diallo (if healthy) Davis--Williams--Ramos ------Paule Akwari--Petke-Addo--Jolley ------Howard.
Yes, I've been posting that the basic problem is the midfield and not the defense and you are correct that is also our problem on attack. We can only afford to field one mid that is not a pressuring ball winner. Typically the only mids that fit that role are Williams and Moore. Why not try Faria as a mid he certainly hustles all game and has decent ball skills. That leaves the 4th mid spot to be shared by Paule/Davis or perhaps Zaide if Addo is an adequate right or left defender. That leaves Diallo and Mathis in a solely attacking role With the mids job to get them the ball in dangerous positions. This team would be fine on offense and defense with a decent midfied. The lack of obtaining competent midfield players is Oz's biggest mistake. Other observation. Akwari play was the one bright spot for the future although I thought he was most at fault for the 1st LA goal by grossly failing to close down the initial cross. A typically rookie mistake in trying to back up Jolley who needed no help. Easily correctable.
Actually I think Davis' play is another bright spot. He's tremendously smooth on the ball, but he doesn't get into trouble the way Williams does. And he has a great shot. I think he and Akwari on the left will really work well togther.
K.P., Paule is not a defensive player. He's been playing there are year long. As we've seen though, Paule can make the smart through pass. He did it very effectively early in the year against Columbus in the first half. However, by keeping him back, you really take him away from his best position. Williams has had a good run with us so far. However, as we have seen he can not open up a game. He keeps the ball too much, adn doesn't let go of it at the right time. I'd rather have him out in the wing where he can do lots of damage, when the ball is given to him. We need a player in the center, who will just one touch the ball away. Simply send the ball into space so people can run onto it.
Williams could play on the wing, but I don't think Paule can cut it in the center. I don't think his ability to make a through pass will be enough to make up for his weaker ball possession skills. I just think it will be easy for someone to mark Paule out of the game, and central midfield is too critical for that to happen. If you want Williams wide right, I think Ramos would have to play in the center. The only other player who I think may be able to do it is Davis, although I wouldn't suggest moving him there now. I really think getting Davis and Ramos into the midfield with Williams will make a positive difference. Let's hope Tab is ready to go on Thursday.
How many more games are we going to give up 3 goals to the opposition? How many more games are we going to play a man down? Oh right, only 4 games left unless we make playoffs. Then again, at 3 goals given per game, we need to score 4 in a least one or two of those to get 3 points and have a shot at playoffs. Can we do that with a man down each game y'all think?
Paule was an MLS level attacking mid about 3 years ago. The league has gotten much better since then. Now, he is just the type of player we need as a defensive holding mid. Since when is it a crime for a team's holding mid to have passing ability? Paule connects the defense to the offense, while Moore is more of a "pester the other team's best guy" mid. Basically a younger, cheaper Ritchie Williams with a better touch on the ball. As for Andy Williams and his role, why would anyone want him on the right? He's a central player, and the ONE time OZ played him on the right wing, he disappeared until he moved back inside after the Diallo sub. Williams has been great for us in the center of the pitch, so why would anyone want to move him? Put Mathis and Diallo or Faria up front, with Williams and Davis feeding them the ball. Moore will look after the other teams big threat, while Paule takes the ball upfield to the attacking mids. Until Ramos is back, Ziadie can be an option on the right wing, and I wouldn't mind seeing Sam Forko take a shot at that slot too. If I remember correctly from his early season games, Forko had a number of decent long balls. JMac
Jacen, I agree with your assessment of Paule. I disagree with the need to have both him and Moore on the field at the same time. We've had both of them starting as defensively minded midfielders for most of the season, and we still concede way too much in the midfield. Since this overly defensive approach isn't helping the defense, I think putting in a more attacking player on the right will help us spread the field, sustain some offense, and take the pressure off the defense. I think others have suggested the same approach. Basically, Paule and Moore are doing the same role, and they aren't even doing it well. We need a different approach, or we're going to miss the playoffs.
LA- Metro Postgame (R) The first half was horrible. No one felt like giving the extra push to score a goal. In the second half, it seemed that the team turned around, and wanted to win. Unfortunately, Ziadie got the red card, and everyone was too tired to compete 100%. The ref I think did a pretty bad job even though the many cards. I mean, during the Lalas yellow card, half of the Galaxy team is yelling at him like crazy, and no yellow card?? C'mon. Diallo also has to calm down a bit. This isn't the Mutiny where he was the only scorer on the team. We have Mathis and Faria (well...) who can also score, and need to get some shots as well. Hopefully this team can change their attitude, and at least play with heart versus D.C. and N.E.
I don't think it's due to the Paule/Moore tandem that we have been conceding too much in the midfield though. We aren't spreading the field, because lately, we haven't been playing ANYONE wide right. That leaves a big patch of field open for opposing teams to attack through, and it creates confusion among the other mids/defenders. On top of that, we also haven't been starting anyone wide left either, with OZ choosing to bring Davis off the bench rather than starting him. Essentially, we have been playing a 4-4-2 with a box midfield. Mathis and Williams have been the attacking mids (getting in each others way) and Moore and Paule have been the d-mids. Now, the box midfield CAN work, if the outside defenders are up to the task, but ours aren't and never were. We don't have any outside defenders (until Akwari), and the 2 guys playing there were displaced mids. You always hear about how Chrono was burned for a goal, or Ziadie/Petke were burned for a goal, and that's because there are no outside mids to disrupt the other teams attack. We start out giving the other team the wings (Chivas Martinez doesn't score all season, and then single-handedly beats us in the last Dallas game. Where does he play? Yup, on the wing). Now the other mids try to make up for this during play, but they can't realisticly do much when all 4 mids on the field have played centrally their entire careers. THAT, and not the prescence of both Paule and Moore, has been the problem with our midfield in my opinion. 3-5-2 all the way: Petke Jolley Akwari Moore Paule Ziadie Williams Davis Mathis Diallo JMac
You know if Paule actually linked the defense to the offense, it would be fine. However, he doesn't. Last game, Mathis would come back to make that pass. It wasn't Paule. Why? As for Paule not being talented enough. I disagree. We haven't seen Paule in that position.
"You know if Paule actually linked the defense to the offense, it would be fine. However, he doesn't. Last game, Mathis would come back to make that pass. It wasn't Paule. Why?" I could be wrong, but it seemed to me it was Paule who got the ball to Mathis the majority of the time. So, to answer why....I guess because Mathis came back instead of stying up front.
Jacen, your 3-5-2 would be an improvement in that it gives us wide midfielders. However, I think the 4-4-2 with one defensive type midfielder would work better, because it allows us to have an additional central defender to organize the back. Pesonally, I would put Addo in the middle with Petke and tell him to make sure the defense has some shape. Also the 4-4-2 allows the outside defenders to occasionally venture forward. In spite of all our defensive problems, I think this is something that Akwari and Jolley are capable of, and that we still need to do on occassion. Otherwise our attack is too predictable.
I can see either working (and being a vast improvement over what we have right now). I don't know that our attack would be limited by the 3-5-2 (attacking could come from Davis, Williams, Ramos, Mathis, Faria and sometimes Paule). I guess for me it just comes down to personnel. I think Moore and Paule play better together than separately, and I've never been a big fan of Addo. I also think Petke's biggest problem is his inability to handle his role in a 4-man backline. He seems confused when the wide defender on his side gets caught upfield, and he doesn't seem to know which area to cover defensively at times. In his defense, since the addition of Akwari, he has become a bit better in this area. The last area I worry about with a 4-4-2 is depth. With a backline of Akwari Petke Addo and Jolley, who's on the bench defensively? Moore and Paule are both mids, and I doubt either could do a good job as a defender. Chrono is still there, but I'd rather have a fatigued Akwari over Chrono any day. Ziadie is the same, and he's a natural midfielder anyway. With a 3-5-2, we would have Addo on the bench as a defensive sub. Again, I think either would work and be a vast improvement over what we currently have, but a 4-4-2 would depend on either Moore or Paule being able to handle the responsibility of being the only d-mid and the defense would be very thin after the starters. JMac
Relatively speaking, we have the most depth in defense. In other words, we're screwed if any starter at any position gets hurt or tired no matter what we do. That doesn't persuade me to avoid the 4-4-2. However, the question of whether Paule or Moore can handle being the lone defensive midfielder is a valid one. Personally, I think either of them could. As you said, I guess the formation is more a matter of preference. As long as Davis starts on Thursday I'll consider that some sort of baby step of progress for OZ. If Ramos also starts on the right I don't think I'll be able to contain my excitement.
I just now had the stomach to read the boards, after that disgusting game, and there are a lot of good comments and suggestions for changing the lineup (as always). As I see it, the real problem is that the season is nearly over, and we have yet to see a real TEAM. There is plenty of talent, and a lot of heart individually. But the problem (as I've said before) is one of cohesion and team spirit. Yes, I've seen players try to boost the spirit and effort on the field occasionally. (Most often it's the much-maligned Faria trying to pump people up. Earlier in the season Howard tried to get them going too, but he seems to have given up on it.) Team spirit has to be an ongoing thing, the glue that holds the talent together. And it isn't. Diallo screaming at the team captain on the field is inexcusable behavior. And the temper tantrum he threw when pulled from the last game would have benched him indefinitely if we had a different coach. Try throwing a temper tantrum at your boss and see where it gets you. The starting lineup, the subs, game strategy and tactics -- all part of the coach's job. Fine-tuning skills and capitalizing on individual strengths -- the coach's job. Creating a team out of a group of people from many different backgrounds and cultures, each with an ego and ideas of his own -- the coach's job.
You are a simpleton. If Mathis is coming back to get more touches, then Paule is a bad player??? Is Jolley a bad defender because Moore needs to track back on defense?