PBP: The Greatest Team The World Has Ever Seen vs. William Tecumseh Sherman's bitches

Exactly , I think some just hate TT and anything short of a blow job will not satisfy our fan base

 

He is out for a few games minimum. Porter said it after the game. I assume he could be back by the semi final or final, but it isn't a definite.

 

Did they mention what his issue is ?

 

Not from what I can find, and I doubt they will say, but I assume it is quad/hamstring related from how he was walking on Thursday.

 

My problem is when "it's about Atlanta" becomes "LAFC this and LAFC that". We were like an annoying opponent that has to be mentioned here and there.

 

Tarbell was motm. I didn't even expect him to play (thought Lampson was #2). Nagbe had a good night, Zardes was solid. It was nice to see Valenzuela back on the field but he didn't have a good match. Adi was really slow. I doubt he can start in Zardes' absence, Adi looks more like an 80th minute sub when we need a goal and have to add a body in the box.

It was interesting to hear Artur is trying for US citizenship in order to play for USMNT.

It's still a hose job that we don't get a 3rd place team in the next round.

 

annoying but when we beat all their Asses, it will be Great!

 

Obviously this wasn't stellar soccer by any stretch of the imagination. It got the job done. We absolutely carved them up in the first half though. It would have been nice to cash in 1 or 2 more of the chances to make the scoreline look like the game.

Those mentioning TT harshing their buzz about how good this team is may be forgetting that he was arguing for Nagbe and Artur to be the best midfield in the league.

Artur seems to be growing in confidence with every touch. I love to see it. He had a couple down years IMO after his first year with us. Playing with Trapp might do that to a guy. The US citizenship thing is interesting and maybe Trapp related as well. Artur sees Wil getting call-ups and must think to himselft, if that guy is good enough for the USMNT, then certainly I am too.

The second half was garbage except for finding out that Tarbel is a decent guy to have as a back up that has to start our next game.

Keita continues to play really nicely. Really loving his growth. Seems to improve with each opportunity. I had no idea he came to the game so late, bodes well for him to continue to improve. A guy I love to cheer for.

All in all, we did just enough to inch this one over the finish line. A full week to regroup and then on to the knockout. We'll know our opponent by a little before 1am tomorrow morning.

 

I meant, slow everywhere. Slow to react. Slow to pressure. Slow to loose balls.

It was a comment directed more at effort when he does not have the ball than straight line jets.

 

We 100% agree on that. Plus, because LAFC is down 1 guy. ATL lost like 4-5 from their heydey: Almiron, Josef, Nagbe, Gressel, Parkhust, + a couple more defenders. No comparison.

Plus, didn't LAFC leak 3 goals vs Houston? How is that awesome?

 

I mentioned something to either Fat Tony or GGG about how Columbus fans are loyal, but when we turn, we turn hard and don't look back.

Twellman was pro-move and our fans haven't forgotten, just the way we never forgot about Nee hiding in the locker room, refusing to answer questions.

 

Shut up and pay me for all the tailgate beer you drank in the past ten years.

I crack me up.

 

Plus Vilalba plus Pirez. Team was gutted. TT hasn't noticed yet but this is not your.....um...slightly older brothers ATL Utd.

Its like figuring the Yankees are the best team in baseball because Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

Other teams lost a key guy,(see Vela, Carlos, LAG) and managed to score more than....checks stats....ZERO frikkin goals in 3 games.

And I'm sorry, but they can babble "Pity Martinez" over and over and over until you want to throw something at that TV on the wall but where was he? What did he do? Where was he? Superstar bigshot did absolutely nothing.

He and Barco were the darlings of the media and they might as well have been back at the hotel staying cool while Adam Jahn, who simply cannot play, washed and waxed Jonathan Mensahs car.

I really do love like hell saying I told you so but Atlanta has nothing. Even with Josef, theyre a weak, badly led, shallow and dysfunctional team with limited talent, no ideas and no heart.

 

Oh, that you happily offered me?

 

I remember Artur mentioning this desire years ago. I would love to see it. And you are probably right on the mark with your reasoning!

It appears to me that the addition of Nagbe has unlocked Artur. He's now free once again to be the box to box pest he once was. I would love to see the stats on his km's covered per match. The young man sure covers some ground.

 

So, was Valenzuela just rusty, or is he still not fully recovered?

 

There is a reason we kept a Krypto Cooler outside with all the beer we didn't want.

 

Artur is a #6. We tried to make him an #8. "He's Brazilian!" But it just never worked. He struggles in the exact facet of the game most needed in a #8, quick transition from defense to attack. Pan left and enter one Darlington Nagbe, the quintessential MLS #8. They tried to make him a #10 for a while, but it never took.

When Trapp was back there backpassing his way to USMNT call ups, Artur was struggling to transition the team to attack. He just couldn't seem to take 3 dribbles and hit a forward pass. Now, he doesn't have to. He presses the ball, wins it, drops it to Mensah and moves in to space while Mensah hits Nagbe for the transition. They all compliment each other in their movement. They all are in roles that fit their skills.

The best part is that it is only going to get better. I'm enjoying watching them play.

 

Yeah, I remember.

Do you remember us winning MLS Cup, the USOC, or qualifying for CCL in the last 3 years? Or averaging 50,000 a game? Me neither. Atlanta did all of them. That's why them crashing & burning is a bigger talking point. Yeesh.

And to pile on Bill's point, they lost Tata, too.

100% agree on Artur. While he is rangy and has some bite, he was a bit out of place as a #8. Not a good enough passer/connector. He fits much better as a #6 who gets forward some (when Nagbe is between the CBs) than an 8 who is nearly always forward (with Trapp between the CBs).

This way, our #8 is the better possession player and the #6 is the more aggressive defender. As it should be.

 

RSL looked just slightly better than a summer sun baked egg salad sandwich against SKC last night. So, I guess hoping for a big MIN loss tonight.

But, I like our match up against all 3. But thinking about 85 year old Beckerman try to match up with Artur and Nagbe makes me giggle a bit.

 

And so others don't have to search:

10:30 ESPN

 

All three Group D teams will be on our side of the bracket, and if KFC can manage a draw against Red Bull tonight (8 ET on ESPN), then the remaining third place team in our half would be either the Food Lions or Houston.

 

I am one thousand percent convinced that Columbus Crew SC "fans" will never approve of a soccer pundit not named Alejandro Moreno until someone gets on ESPN or Fox Sports 1 or NBC Sports Network and says "I am sorry for talking shit about or discounting Columbus." Anyone who doesn't say that is the boogeyman.

F*cking Stuart Holden married into a Columbus family. Does that mean nothing to you people? Are you totally incapable of seeing anything other than your bias? Is a man not entitled to a dissenting opinion?

Let's look at Alexi Lalas. His stance is/was that the Columbus Franchise is a risk, and that it hasn't been supported - historically - by the business Columbus business community and revenue has been lacking. Is he wrong? Is he making an inaccurate statement? Is a soccer team in a college football town not a risk? No. But his opinions are unpopular therefore he is the ginger devil incarnate and he's a big idiot poo-poo head.

And this is why I hate SportsFans. Y'all are completely incapable of being logical. Sigh. I love you all.