Struggling to find any positives in this shambles of a season, I think of Mike. Many/most of us on here (raises hand ) were like "WTF!" when they acquired him: "again?", "he's HOW old?", etc. blah blah. Well, he's been decent or better almost every time he's been in there. The image of him heading a sure goal off the line in Colorado, when Bouna was off on one of his excursions , will stay with me for a long time. Without Mike we'd be even deeper in the shyte than we are ... and how's that for damning with faint praise?
Last year Harry Redknapp said it very well when he questioned whether his squad had the "type" of players needed to win a regulation dogfight. Above all he was saying he need players that could get up not just for Man United or Arsenal but for Stoke and Hull as well and that the players in question possesed the charecter to fight. Petke is a dogfighter, as is Woly. No matter what and no matter what their limitations as players are...they wont get out worked or lack the heart needed to win these dogfights.
If I were coach or GM, I'd fire anyone that didn't have the attitude Petke and Woly have. Normally, they both make others play better around them. I'm just really frustrated that their mojo aint working on this bunch of idiots.
+1 I tried to Rep you Toad but I need to spread it around more... I think Woly is in the same category as Petke....
I think one of the things that appeal to so many of us about soccer is its diversity. It's great to watch a team from Norway square off with another from Romania in the Euro Cup. It's even better to see Nigeria take on Argentina in the World Cup. Each country has its own footballing culture. This is much less pronounced in the major American sports leagues. Sure the Patriots are known for being well organized, disciplined and over-achievers. The Niners used to play the West Coast offense exclusively. But even these cultures are short lived. Coaches and players are recycled throughout the league until no team has its own culture anymore. An NBA game is never a clash of styles--it's all the same style executed by different players. Which brings me to my point. This team lacks a culture. And that's not just be groaning for the days of the Cosmos and for some history. I could care less about history. What I (and I think most other fans) want is an identity. It seems like there are two ways to go here. We can either become a team that relies on foreign talent (players that stick around for a few years and leave) or we can become focused on local talent. In the latter case, players would develop with a Red Bull culture through our youth system (or they would be molded in the reserves after we draft them). When they get to the senior team they would already have that culture. If we stick to plan A (as we have for the last fifteen years it seems) we will never develop a culture of our own. So let's keep players like Petke, Stammler, Wolyniec, Richards instead of trading them for salary cap space or draft rights. Imagine if we had done so with Clark, Bradley, Dunivant, Wynne, Gaven, Mathis, Magee, Quaranta, Kovalenko, etc. Sure they weren't all great but they had connections to the club. Instead, we have Rojas, Boyens, Oebster, Celades and the rest. I think even if we had the same record with those guys it wouldn't be a pain to watch.
Great post and I agree with most all of what you've said. This cracks me up though: The very definition of English football; journeyman managers especially
Woly Petke Hall Cepero Stammler Borman Angel I'll give a Pacheco a mention right now, because he wanted to be here. These are the guys who I believe are the hard workers on this club.
I agree; neither a superstar but belong on the list. Goldy can be great for stretches but then comes up with a mind-blowing gaffe like last match. Carlos is unspectacular but steady and seems always willing to do his best for the team. IMHO Mbuta could become one of these hard workers if he was given half a decent chance
Ten bucks Mbuta is on Phillys opening day roster. I wouldn't add Goldthwaite, just my opinion. He's a player that relies on thuggery and cynical fouls, luckily MLS refs are piss poor and don't call half the fouls he commits, to make up for poor positioning and slowness of thought. And at 27 years of age, he isn't getting any younger, if he hasn't learned any of that or how not to try and complete a square pass in his own box with a forward shadowing him, then he never will. Way too many brain farts in his career here that have cost games. A decent GM can find better. Again just my opinion.
I kind of disagree, I thought before his injury, Goldthwaite was having a career year. Petke had a mess up at the beginning of the season where he couldn't control the ball, and cost the RB a goal, and found him self on the bench for the next 3 games. Boyens how ever sucks. Every team has its "enforcer" type player. And Goldthwaite is the NY Enforcer IMO.
Dema was an enforcer...Goldie i don't see it. Not that it was for a lack of trying Wednesday..he should have seen straight red of intentionally cleating the back of the W.Connection player. That wasn't enforcing..down a goal already in a game you need a result and risking going down a man after being the guy who is wearing the goat horns as it is for the juvinille pass///...that is just stupid.
Agree, Goldberg is turing into Petrocardo right in front of our eyes. Stupid plays always near him it seems, if he is in position.