I’ll be a slightly sarcastic, so bear with me a little: -It was not 5-1. Ernesto Motta said that would be the worst result for the Metro since the Bora season (now, that’d be REALLY bad) -Imagine how it would have ended with Kenny Arena in the lineup...I know i feel better -How often do we score 2 goals? -We saw a kid who can help the Nats….Noonan reminds me of Buddle, versatile, good size, technique, heading the ball, etc. Not bad for a 4 year college graduate…Hopefully he cools off for the next two games -If this was our A team, we’d be totally demoralized…. - My conclusion is this: Bradley’s plan is to somehow bring the team to feel just like it is the preseason again….I still remember the great start we had to this campaign, and I think Bradley does too. Therefore, Bob wants to bring that mentality to the team: Forget the past (at least the last 2 or 3 months) and make them believe in themselves the way they did at the beginning of the season….Might sound farfetched , but that is what I think he is doing….Difficult thing to do? yes, but not impossible...BTW, these last two points i am very serious about
So the Rev beat our practice team 5-2. All that high-fiving will mean squat on Saturday, the stupid little jerks. In fact, I am counting on that little POS Franchino to get a boot up his ass repeatedly along with the rest of the Rev! Other positives? Pearce was his girly-girl self and will also get a whipping next Saturday from the A Team. But for the fact that homefield advantage is more convenient for the ESC, there is no homefield advantage. The Metro can beat those *#*#*#*#*#*#*# twice up there but won't need to. It all starts with a victory at home on November 1 and ends with a victory in the first game in Fuxboro. Eat it Rev scum -- you are going down.
Positives none, if they would have won that game they would have finished 2nd to Chicago is that right? That is a positive from finishing out of the playoffs the year before. Positive they would have beat the team they would face in the playoff if they won that game. Positive they would have ended the season with a win instead of a loss. A real positive was the play of Lisi 2 assists and his first goal. Incredible, that Messing thought none of those goals scored was Grafers fault. He is terrible one he is watching the shooter and guesses on where the ball will go? You watch the ball and react. He did it like one would guess on a pk. Maybe they wanted the first game to be a home game instead of an away game. We are great at home aren't we?
"Pearce was his girly-girl self and will also get a whipping next Saturday from the A Team." For once, I think Pierce has met his match... although I think he could take Murdock and Face on a good day. The Magpie
Yes and my sources confirm Bradley has big plans for Halloween in New Jersey. Traveling to New England next weekend would have intefered with them. That's a positive isn't it?
I hate when Metrostars coaches say after not playing well in the regular season. Wait until the playoffs, what we could not do during the season we will do in the playoffs thats bullshiite. How does your game get good during the playoffs where it was ordinary to bad during the regular season? Some kind of magic spell on the players I suppose. I would never even think we could not beat stinking New England. Now I don't know, but what I do know is neither us nor NE has a chance to beat Chicago.
I thought Lisi was pretty exceptional today, and he should be in the starting lineup against NE next weekend. I also thought Grafer was garbage. There were some deflected goals, but him and the central defenders were pretty bad. I took the game as a way to protect our most important players. Pope was injured only a few weeks ago. I would rather have a fully healthy Pope in the center then one who has some nagging injuries. Same goes with Amado and Jolley. Both have been through injuries, and I would have them be healthy. I question not playing Mathis though, as he needs playing time to get out of the funk he's in. As for the question of not putting in a full lineup, I just think it is smart. Smart because this game in someways is meaningless, that is the reality. As for the Revs, I saw a couple of things. Their central defense was not good at all. Our forwards had a lot of time and space in and around the box. They had chances, but they did not convert. That was the difference this game. The Revs fans are making it into a blowout, but I just didn't see that. The controlled the match in the first 7 minutes or so, but after that it was both ways, and the Metros had some stretches where they dominated pretty heavily. After tonights match, I am pretty confident that if we show up and play hard, we can take out New England. As for Chicago, we haven't done well against them. But all the games have been very very close. Who knows, maybe luck will swing our way this time.
A little more on Lisi. I hope we don't get rid of him before next season. A lot of players pad their assist total with second assists which i hate. I think all of his assists this season were real assists that lead to goals and not secondary assists. He also can beat people with the ball, but he does not try it enough. He also does not shoot nearly enough. But, he has real potiental. We have a history of giving away guys with real talent. He is young and good. We have to keep him, and we have to keep our other good young players as well.
Lisi see the field nicely compared to other players and LeBlanc looks like he might be able to la-score if given time.
Agreed! I know he is a nice guy and he is only a backup keeper and doesn't get much playing time, but his performance was embarassing! He is a liability. The team has to dump him and sign a competent back up for walker next season.
I imagine a lot of these guys have been riding the pine, thinking if they could just get in the game, they would make a difference. In a sense, they did. Now they have seen the elephant. But Bradley has also seen the best New England can bring to the table, without Twellman and Moore. At what cost? 2nd place and 2 matches with the same Revs we see in a 3rd place finish? Home field advantage? What home field advantage? We had 18,000 at the last regular season match; we still lost. So playing the second leg at home -- supposedly knowing the score needed to advance -- means nothing to us. Absolutely nothing. For a variety of reasons, Bob did the wise thing. Now, let the Revs wonder about what they really face next week.
Here, here! This was a lesson in great coaching...always take the free peek at your opponent's current status while risking NOTHING yourself. It's a rare advantage when this situation presents.
This makes NO SENSE in this league(or any with playoffs) when we play them 4(plus cup) times a year. 1 of which we just played them last week with our "Full squad". They know what we can do already. Not to say that what Bradley did was right or wrong but that is not a good reason.
This is utter garbage. Anyone that truly believes this is either to stupid to know better, or is into totally bull****ing themselves. Are you seriously telling us this is some grand scheme by Bradley? The Revolution is going to be blind-sided in the playoffs because they were up against the Metro bench-warmers and didn't realize it? For Christ's sake, they've played each other something like twenty times this season because MLS hasn't got enough clubs to go around. If you think the MetroStars are going to pull a Florida Marlins routine, forget it. I understand why Bob wanted to rest some guys, but get real. Enjoy next Saturday, it's probably the last home match of the season. And before anybody starts in on me, I hope the Metros kick ass on Saturday, but I'm going to be expecting nothing next week. Maybe they should play it at Rutgers. That seems to be the only place where they score goals.
Maybe it is not so much what we can do, but how the Metros might stop the Revs from doing the things that make them succesfull (the midfield play of Cancela, Kamler and Ralston), and what we can change to take advantage of the Revs weakness (their central defense). The one take away from Bradley's pre season talk at Nathan Hales was his focus on the playoffs and preparing the team for the playoffs. I believe (or maybe it is "I hope") that Bob has something up his sleeve.
Please tell me this isn't even being considered. That would be a stupid move. He has been a main catalyst of the team this season, outperforming many of the big name, big salary players...
If the "Scheme" is the "Secret" then what is the point of resting everyone? They could just play their usual *#*#*#*#*#*# scheme and not worry about the Revs knowing what they are going to do. To tell you the truth I wouldve done the same thing as Bradley, but mainly to get the players some rest and prevent them from injury. Which probably has more to do with it than not showing NE our plan.
I agree Lisi is a a good role player and if you put him next to top players who actually perform he could hold up well. THats the problem with this team tho that all of our players are basically role players except for 2 or 3 and those guys arent getting it done. You need to get rid of the top guys like Mathis and use the money to get someone who actually plays good. That with money from Moreno's salary can enable us to get key players to lift the team forward. I truly beleive that the young cats and Pope and Jolley can be a good core that needs 1 or 2 top guys to make them a contender.
I hate those as well...me..the stat dork keeps track MLS "real assists" leaders Code: Preki Kansas City Wizards 12 Carrieri, Chris Colorado Rapids 8 Guevara, Amado Metrostars 7 Lisi, Mark Metrostars 7 Ralston, Steve New England Revolution 7 as an aside.. metrocorazon, why every time you post something, it shows up twice on the home page? just curious...
Cause Im so freaking important they gotta make 2 threads. Seriously, I dont know cause I never go to the front page I usually log in thru MetroFanatic.com(Thats http://www.MetroFanatic.com) and it brings me right to the MetroStars page.
Just saw Juventus play. Mathis if he is going to play an attacking mid should watch Kato Kalen oops Nedvid play. This guy knows how to play. He never drifts away from the ball after a pass. He is always attacking and always moves toward who ever has the ball and becomes that players second attacker. So he always get's a lot of touches, and does not get lost in the game. Then when he get's the ball back he is always dangerous. A pleasure to watch him play. He also looks to attack space as well. Why can't we get him? Pay him the league min 25 or 30 thousand. Plus make him an assistant coach at 4,000,000 a season. No league rule against doing that right?
I don't know how resting a team that has 11 points over their last 9 league games (not counting yesterday), a whole 2 points more than the great collapse last year, is going to get them ready for the playoffs. I sure hope Bradley does. I'd have rested the guys who need it like Pope, not the whole team. They said on the broadcast Jusko wanted to watch the game on tv with his family who just arrived in the area. They also said Mo Johnson stayed behind to work out the guys. I think Bradley went overboard and could have given some of the starters a run yesterday without jeopardizing anything.
Now, now...last year's "collapse" was just a tad more costly, no? Why is this such a big deal? Once Bradley saw New England was the oponent in round one, he decided to let the starters focus on the playoffs, not the regular season finale. I don't hear him guaranteeing victory or anything, but his point is pretty clear. Take a week to focus on what's really important. I'm not sure I wouldn't rather have Game 1 at home and reading Steve Nicol's comments, I'm not sure he's thrilled to have Game 1 away either.