Eriksson never scored anything near the rate that Pellegrino did in Scandinavia. I think he topped out at 9 non-PK goals, whereas Pellegrino would be more like 20. But, totally different kinds of players. Pellegrino is a specific kind of player who can help us if we understand what his strengths are and play to those strengths. The goal against Austin was class and he was close again against CO on a similar play.
He has a limited skill set that needs a high functioning team around him for him to succeed We aren't good enough to provide the silver platter service he needs to function. We should have scouted that, but we apparently didn't...and we didn't upgrade with the much talked about high end ACM to help the situation.
A high end CAM would be make a big difference, but it hasn't happened yet. That's not the fault of the Pellegrino signing. That's a failure to get the full compliment of pieces that you had planned to get. He doesn't need the ball on a "silver platter" but you need to play him into space. We've started doing it more the last few games and it's made a difference. When I watched him play with Bødo - compressed game / highlights, they played him thru like 6 times and he ran past the defense easily. A little harder in MLS but he's got the speed to do it.
I agree with this. Our Pelle cannot hold onto the ball. His foot skills are probably as bad as Cade’s, but because our Pelle is built like Gumby, he can’t even use his body to maintain possession.
He doesn't beat players off the dribble - we've known that for a long time. I was writing about it soon after we signed him. But touch is touch - I think mostly of "1st touch". Like I said he doesn't always get it right but his 1st touch is generally pretty good and sometimes really good. I don't think he loses it very often. But if you pass to him and he's got a man on him, the pass is coming back. He's not going to take the guy on. That's why - totally different player than Cade - apples to oranges even though they're playing the same position. The key is - can we leverage Pellegrino's strengths?
It wasn't everyone... I don't think. They were done with their practice and invited a few of us to play with them so they could have a full field.
I'd rather have a player who can find the goal now and then than one like Cade who will beat you on the dribble and then hit a weak-ass shot or off-target cross 98% of the time...
Describing Pelle as “he doesn’t beat players off the dribble” is too generous when the fact is he just plain loses the ball when he’s challenged. Pelle only has one strength — a nice right footed shot when he’s not under pressure. He’s not very fast even though he has such long legs. He doesn’t defend, he only marks space. He can trap the ball okay, certainly not like Espi can trap. He doesn’t seem eager to head the ball.
I don’t think Pelle loses the ball much. He’s generally pretty conservative with it. So as I say if you pass to him and he’s tightly marked, it’s generally going to be a safe pass back. He’s actually quite fast given a bit of a run-up to get those legs going. As I’ve been saying I watched a condensed Bødo game and he ran behind the defense easily several times. The Quakes are finally looking to do it with him more often so hopefully that bears some fruit.
As I mentioned to @mjlee22 in the SkyLounge before the Colorado match, Pellegrino should not be starting. He's not effective unless the game is stretched, which is ordinarily not the case in the first half. Why this is not now obvious to the coaching staff is beyond me.
See minute 2:30 in this highlight video to for a good example of Pellegrino’s touch - how he uses it to get around the defender and into the box for a good chance on goal. https://www.mlssoccer.com/video/hig...-earthquakes-vs-colorado-rapids-april-13-2024
Maybe the way the team is playing is not Luchi's fault but if they are going to fire him now or next week, why wait? Do they honestly believe something will change between now and then? I mean why the suspense? I don't get it.
You missed the main reasons: - Quakes don't want to spend the money - The people in charge don't care enough to do anything - On some level they have to know that not nearly enough was done over the offseason to give poor old Luchi any chance - he has been set up to fail
No, I don't think they're at the point where they want to fire him, for the reasons I stated. This is my reason #3 (repeated below for convenience):
I believe its the money. And the lack of any real desire to compete in MLS, ymmv. But we agree on #3! Almost nobody thought this roster was ready to go on opening day. Not Luchi's fault.
How could it be? They'd have to be completely stupid not to see that. Luchi was set up to fail. It's impossible to miss. Leitch has yet to build us that competitive roster he promised us years ago.
No one's talked about it yet, but one of the (many) reasons we're struggling is that Espinoza is not coming thru for us in front of goal so far this year. How many times has he been in great positions in front of goal, but he takes an extra touch and the opportunity goes wanting. Many times. I don't fault his effort, and he already has 4 assists I think, and I think he'll come around, but this is a key difference between this year and last that no one's mentioned yet as far as I know. He's been a little indecisive and the shots that didn't get blocked because he waited too long have not been good enough - they've generally been too easy to save.
I was thinking the same thing in the first half of last Sat's game. If it was the Espinoza of last season, he would capitalize on the chances and score 2 goals in those 45 min. Both Daniel and Espinoza overperformed last season.