I guess I don't understand the complaining about formations. 3-5-2, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, or any other number you want to trot out there makes no difference. You can be as attacking or defensive minded out of any formation as you want to be. If the mid field consistantly turns the ball over, if the backs and goalie are out of position on a regular basis, and if the coaching staff doesn't make the proper adjustments, then who gives a crap what formation they line up in. Blaming the players for poor performances, the coaches for poor tactics, or the FO for not addressing defensive depth are very much warrented. Complaining about what formation is being played, IMHO, is silly. Or so it seems to me.
I would agree that Carroll looked completely out of place. But Erpen was hideous. Bobby wasn't playing very well either. We only got to play in the second half because they were two goals up. Two weeks till the next game. Shit. I guess the only good thing is they won't be able to stink it up next week and have to take a bit more time to get every together as a unit. Fred needs to start in the next game. Erpen to sit and hopefully Simms can get back and play so our midfield can have a backbone. McTavish played pretty well in D, though was out of it during the first half and was lost trying to play the wing. Glad we had Gros back. Maybe Gomez won't dissapear in the next game. Emileo was the only one with a good game. What Sh!T.
But formation is one of the tactical adjustments the coaching staff can make to fix the issues with the team.
McTavish was actually pretty good out there. Carroll continues his streak of bad games. Erpen and Boswell were both poor. It seems that Gomez set up the 3rd goal for KC. Horrible play, bad tactics, good fans. The players who compained about support for the Chivas support need to think about how to earn the support of the fans.
I know. Cat out of the bag much? Brace yourself for the lover/hater war later in the thread. I think it might be too soon to give up on a familiar and previously working system, but I think it's definitely time to try some player changes. With Tommy sitting Erpen down at HALFTIME, I'm thinking his Texas soul will get pistol happy and change the formation pretty quick if he doesn't like what he sees. Even without proven players for 4 in the back, I'm willing to put up with the experiment and add someone later in the year. More and more it gets clearer and clearer that we do not have the midfielders to support what we want to do. I think Gros is our best outside player in a 352 and that's not saying much since his crossing is fairly weak (but improving). Fred does not look the part, nor Olsen (for lack of legs), or anyone else. Now I think the duties of those players change if you add the 4th defender and I think even Olsen could play outside with someone else supporting behind him, since for example, he can cross better than Gros. I heard that. Funny stuff. Their broadcast kinda derailed toward the end. Disagree. I saw both teams matching expectations, each doing well what they do well and poorly what they do poorly, along with 2 goals from close range shots at our keeper that are 50/50 if they go through at all, and 2 that come off richochets to open players in dangerous positions. We have work to do, but we didn't get any breaks and they took advantage. It was a classic DC United game to lose. The conditions do not favor us, with our game reliant on older and technically skilled players. Have to toot my own horn because on Gomez's goal I said to my wife "come on Gomez just shoot it ON goal because Hartman is a moron" and wah-lah. Have to say I was impressed by EJ for the first time a WAY TOO LONG. He made the difference in the game, I believe. With Olsen playing further up field and BC off his game, there's no way our back line can cope with him when he's on. Fred was improved, but he is still not our answer on the outside, and it doesn't look like he will ever be. I could be wrong. If we stick to this formation I think the only viable option on the wing will be Gros on the right and Casal on the left. And that will take some breakout stuff from Casal to happen. Alright I'm duckin out before the Erpen wars start. But yeah, he was totally burned on the first goal. Bonehead. Just like I always said. But he did have a great assist on our first goal. Classic Facundo. God bless him.
I don't have Fox Soccer Channel and I'm relying on DirecTV at a bar to see this game. The first half I have NO reception. And no audio. WTF happened on those three goals???
Three observations. 1) Our defense seems MUCH more stable with McTavish at right back than Erpen. Don't want to pile on the poor kid, but how much longer can we put up with Facundo's constant giveaways? 2) Fred is going to help us immeasurably. He's calm on the ball, makes good runs that draw defenders, makes great passes. Hallelujah. He must be on the field. You can close that other thread about whether or not he's good. He is. 3) Josh is learning how to be a wing. This was his best game as an attacking wide player I've ever seen. Other than that, I wanted to cower every time our slow defense had to face up to GAM's speed. Why were we playing such a high line knowing that they could just lob us and beat us to the ball? Hmm? Oh well. One day we'll have a dry field to play on, and our skill on the ball will come through. MM
To a point. Sat in the rain and felt Soehn was channeling Rongen. Erpen, who I usually defend was undressed for the first goal. However, Carroll was a giant sucking sound all night. MacTavish played well in Erpen's spot (however KC wasn't pressing forward in the 2nd half), but he was as lost as Justin Moose when playing wing. Soehn's major problem is that he just doesn't have the players for a 3-5-2. Gros is one and there is no one else who has shown the ability/desire/intelligence to play that position. Moose didn't play defense, MacTavish always looked between offense and defense and Fred wants to move inside whenever he gets the chance. Luckily he has two weeks to try to figure it out. I don't think Erpen was benched, he picked up a ding when he slipped on the first goal and probably tightened up at half. Here's a lineup to use against Columbus MacTavish --- Boswell --- Namoff Erpen Gros ---- Gomez ----Olsen ---- Moose/Casal Emilio ------ Fred Carroll has to sit, he made Erpen look good tonight. Jaime needs to sit as well and maybe come on around the 65th minute. What Payne needs to do is package Simms/Walker/DeRoux and maybe Moose for some defensive depth/help. Or maybe stop auditioning attacking players like Addlery and look for some defenders.
sums it up... DCU player ratings Perkins (5) - failed to make any big saves in the first half, but he came back with a couple nice ones in the second. Was under siege at times. Erpen (3) - okay going forward, but a nightmare in the back and brought off at halftime. The first goal in particular was just embarassing to say the least. His form is dreadful and needs to improve drastically to deserve to start. Boswell (3) - also a terrible match, except for 90 minutes. Seems to have completely lost form from the last couple of seasons. Eddie Johnson had him in his pocket for the entire match, including the most embarassing moment in the second half resulting in a yellow card. Namoff (4) - more steady than the other two, but still woefully exposed for pace and positioning too many times. Carroll (2) - another disgusting performance, he needs to hit the bench. BC is way, way better than this. Failed to stop virtually everything coming up the middle and his pathetic giveaway led to their game-clinching goal early in the second half. Clearly all form and confidence are currently gone, so something needs to change (hence, bench). Olsen (6) - probably our best player, and never gave up. Didn't give the ball away like Carroll and always attempted to get down and dirty. Gros (5) - the only wide player we had out there, resulting in a lopsided attack. He didn't get the ball too much in the 1st but got in a lot of [mediocre] crosses in the 2nd. You can see why we missed his width so badly against Colorado. McTavish (4) - didn't see much of the ball in the 1st, moved to Erpen's position for the 2nd and saw more of it (because Fred kept coming inside as he is wont to do and McTavish had space outside him). Seemed too nervous to take a touch on the ball in an attacking area and his crosses were less effective than Gros's. Gomez (5) - Much more effective than against Colorado and scored a goal because Kevin Hartman sucks. Late in the game was starved of space because they pulled players back and we had width only on one side. Moreno (4) - poor match and not involved enough. Seems like he wants Emilio to do all the work. Emilio (5) - well-taken goal and worked hard up front to recieve the ball as always. Too many poor touches for his standard, and unable to get going in the 2nd much. Sub - Fred (6) - started slowly and then started to show what he can do after he really fits in with the team. The 2nd half for us was all attacks by Fred and Gros. We need to modify tactics to use him properly, though, since Fred seems naturally to want to play inside and not on the wing...Olsen just cannot play out there effectively at this point in his career. Random thoughts: - MLS referees still suck - Yes, it was definitely a penalty on Emilio in the 1st half - As you can read above, our entire defense for the entire match was a laughable shambles. This needs to be addressed (hopefully by Erpen and Boswell waking up NOW) - FSC's coverage is better than ESPN/ABC, although there are some annoying things about it (lack of good offside replays still is a problem) - Buck up, only 2 games in and they don't mean that much - Once again everyone was shown why DCU fans are the best in the league by miles EDIT: - oh yeah, best game I've ever seen Eddie Johnson play. At least that's good for the US I guess...
I think Coach needs to do something soon or a lot of us are going to be getting on the "new coach" bandwagon soon.
1) Max Bretos should never ever be allowed to call a DC match again 2) Where is the recovery - we switch ownership, players, coaches, etc. & we still look like the playoffs last year 3) The subbing pattern must better reflect the state of the game or I'll think less of Tommy Soehn. This is the third coach in a row with unusual ideas in that dept. Oh yeah, did I mention Max Bretos is a weiner dweebie?
First goal - Harrington took the ball down the left flank, Erpen slipped and fell down, he went around him and put it through Troy's legs. Second goal - DC had a corner kick, so the defenders were all forward. Gros and Carroll were back. KC cleared the ball long, Gros slipped and fell down, Carroll dove in, Victorine scored. Third goal - McTavish made a great tackle, passed the ball to Erpen, who played it to Gomez. Gomez couldn't control, KC stole the ball and played it to Johnson in behind Namoff, who had been pushing forward. Shot low, Troy dove, but it went under him. Fourth goal - Carroll with a terrible giveaway in the midfield, ball played to Johnson who was in on goal, Troy saved the shot, but parried it right to Sealy who was following the play.
where the hell was the defense in the second goal? gah this sucks. we need to make a dramatic change. I'm thinking 4-4-2.
And the whole team was ball watching and no one was marking Sealy. I say that was BC's fault, but you could give it to any of the D as well. Sealy shouldn't have had the option since the D should get a rebound out of there. We play a swarming D with mf's coming back to cover. They were not doing it or the play happened before they got back. This can happen all season unless we find a way to deal with it.
The defenders were all pushed forward for the corner kick. The quick counter attack left Gros and Carroll back alone.
Wow, you're right...could have sworn he got a yellow for that play where EJ pushed the ball around him, then ran from 2 yards back to in front of Boswell and Bozilla took him down. Well, it should have been a yellow in any case.
just got back from the game: where to begin ..... Carroll is in a funk - I watched him alot during the game - he isn't moving - isn't communicating - poor touch on the ball - loss of confidence - who knows why - but bench him - put in Simms ..... I don't care how fast EJ is (it sucks that he rediscovers some skill against us) ..... Perkins should never get beat on the near post. Erpen - man what a liability - I am so sick of his long range shots and bicycle kicks at the defensive end - all the while looking like a fool three or four times a game. Fred is good individually - but they are not clicking with him yet ..... Jaime may need to sit - he slows things down in the final third - that clearly will not cut it .... Boswell needs to dump the website and focus on commanding his defense. hello Bryan - calling Namoff - go see Eddie Johnson for your lunch so he can hand it to you ... glad to see Gros back .... damn Emilio is a monster .. it was fun to see FSC channel outside in the rain broadcasting - very cool
People can argue all they want about formations or starting Fred. But the reality is that the team is playing poorly. 1. Overall team possession and first touch on the ball has been ragged so far. Okay, maybe the elements has something to do with that. But bottomline, we're making bad passes, having bad touches, giving the ball away easily. 2. While the wing play hasn't been stellar, team-wide we haven't looked to switch play enough. That makes it easier for teams to congest midfield, put bodies around Gomez and reduce his effectiveness. 3. Defensively the effort hasn't been there. Yep, a lot of mistakes by Erpen. Yep, Troy has had some bad moments. But the TEAM defense has sucked. You haven't seen players tracking back, you haven't seen much defensive support. Folks, we aren't talking about a game where we give up 2 shots and both are goals. We're talking about games where we give up a lot of chances. 2 goals tonite on rebounds but you know what--that just says that Perkins is being put in some very bad positions. If you look at our first 2 games, you see teams imposing their will on us offensively. Look, we can play a 5-4-1 and we'll still be a sieve given the lack of team effort and poor touches on the ball. Right now, the play of the entire team is poor. Oh, I might except a few players. Emilio is doing great work with little service. Olsen is still running his but off and jawing away. Gomez is actually playing better than it seems but he's having to drop back deeper to get the ball and teams are putting bodies on him (starting with Chivas) and not being penalized by it.
I have been wondering for a long time why DC plays so many players in the box. On that corner kick, they had two guys trying to block Hartman. By playing so many in the box, they make it easier to defend and the box becomes too crowded.
I just got home from the game and I have to agree with you, our defense blows. What's up with Erpen? What's the point of having a defender if he can't defend half the time. He's okay going forward but I think we have enough people doing that. I'm sick and tired of getting beat on the counter and why has the whole team been giving the ball away in the worst possible areas?? Why oh Why do we continue to play three in the back our defenders are to bloody slow for that. Is Soehn the right guy for the job???
Plus, it doesn't work. We didn't have a single goal from a corner kick last year, save the one Conrad gifted us.
Maybe Erpen could be our right winger. We need one, and he seems to be better going forward than as a pure defender. Just wondering......
If that is the defense that the DCU brain trust is confident in, this is going to be a long season. From what we have seen so far this year, its time to trade in the back five for some defensive players. This group lacks pace, touch, passing ability, playing with some organization and doesn't understand ball-side, goal-side. Other than that they are great. Offensively the team looks to have ability, but tends to be too slow on the counter, allowing the opposition to get back and defend. Not a good performance from the team many think is the pick of the litter.