Does it not alarm anyone that we squeaked by a team flat on its back with injuries and suspensions due to referee error? The biggest issue on this team right now is lack of physical presence. We seem to have a smallish physically weak team that can't defend set pieces at all. Every corner and free kick we concede always feels like it is going to go in. We seem to lose every aerial battle in midfield and don't get the second ball either. Basically, the Fire play very narrow and try to either pop balls over the top to Oduro to run onto or send through-balls for Oduro to run on to. Trouble is, teams have snuffed this out and the opportunities are not there often if at all anymore. The only time we have width is when Segares or Gargan are able to get forward but it is all pretty pointless as we have few people in the box to head it and the ones who are there are small in size compared to the centerbacks in this league. Plan B (and yes, we do have a plan B) is to get either Grazzini or Pappa at the top of the box to unleash a long range shot. This feature should force teams to play higher up and enable to get Oduro the space he needs. But it doesn't happen because we don't hit enough long range shots to really scare the other team.........they still play pretty deep. Nyarko, for his part, is basically a cog in the wheel to keep the midfield ticking but I think I had a better shot when I was 12. What is needed, what was needed last year, and what will be needed in the future is a physical forward who can finish. This will add another dimension to the attack and help keep defenses honest and busy, will help out on set-pieces. Without this player, this team is going nowhere. Even when Friedrich gets healthy we will still have trouble defending set-pieces and our attack will be too one-dimensional. Work the phones Frank. Or watch us struggle against shitty teams and pray the referee helps us out.
They have no strategy beyond "play safe passes back" and "make Oruro sprint 40 yards 10 times a game." Pappa, Sega and Grazzini are combining for some nice triangle play but it seems no one wants to figure the right side out. Gargan and Nyarko can't cross to save their lives so we know whats coming from that side. Oduro has had his moments but he isn't the guy we want in the box when crosses can or can't come in. He HAS to come close to the wing to help out and force the defenders to spread. This is how the formation works but either no one is teaching him or he doesn't care. Grazzini and Robayo need to stop Messi around too. (see what i did there?) The Gibbs loss and not having Arne is huge cause Gibbs is a beast in the air. Giving up Cuesta wasn't really what i wanted to see in the off season. ...with my swinger.
We need strong out and out striker with skill ,of course and move Oduro on right wing . Solid box to box central mid ,ala Osvaldo Alonso
The passing and team play is horrible. Very little forward ball possesion and attacking ability.Very few good shots on goal and when I say on goal I mean, making the opposing goalkeeper make a good save,not drbbling the ball to him or kicking it 30 yards over the goal. They don't have people who can penetrate and make a decent final pass.Grazzini is the only one that seems to be able to make that last great pass but if you double cover him he loses the ball or falls down.
Nyarko is better on the wing than Oruro. Dom has no dribbling skill. Neither can cross tho. To make the non crossing/shooting wingers more effective, there has to be tighter play. They have to beat the defense, not wait for passes while double covered. How many times per game do we see "The Fastest Man in MLS!" standing in the box surrounded by 3-4 defenders while Nyarko tries to beat 2 guys?
Oduro is an average dribbler but he can make the best playing by the line where his sprinting comes handy .Now if he can pull simple pass, not full out cross , it would make significant difference .
I agree on the box to box midfielder. We need someone with some bite in the midfield. I also like the Minda guy from Chivas USA
Wow. We are not having trouble defending set pieces beacause of a lack of muscle or physical play. I would say it's because of inexperience at central defense and a tentative goalkeeper who doesn't always come out quick enough or know when to catch or punch. I also would question Johnson's ability to organize the defense.
Exactly. That is why his performance is the most disappointing aspect of this season for me. I really had high hopes that he would be the answer in midfield.
Negative on that. Look back at past games. Watch the set pieces. These guys are losing their marks time and again. And it is not just because we are missing Gibbs. Every game and every serve the opposing team seems to come out on top. Johnson has not been great and does not inspire confidence. But he can't be blamed for lax marking and guys falling asleep. He CAN be faulted for punching to much and catching too little. But a keeper can't get to every serve........no keeper does.
Exactly. All of the above. I've been complaining about our set piece defending for YEARS. It's not just this season. It's been an ongoing problem for a long long time. Of course this isn't our only area of concern but it would nice if we could go more than a few games giving up these type of goals.
I agree with both of you. I want to pull what is left of my hair out every time we give up a goal and someone is caught ball watching. It's unbelievable how often that occurs at this level.
I have been complaining about this for years too going back to the Hamlett era. In fact, one of the main reasons we didn't any trophies during the Soumare, Blanco, Conde, Rolfe era is because we were poor on set pieces........attacking and defending. Columbus was flat out better than us in that area and that was the team that was among the best in the league at them.........not to mention a very balanced squad. In a parity-based league set-pieces are the difference maker. Sigi Schmid only had it half right when he said MLS is a counterattacking league. It is a counterattacking and set-piece league. Do both of those right and the trophies are there to be had.
So falling asleep and losing your mark is a physicality issue?? Or a mental and organizational issue? I never said our set piece defending was good. I just said physicality wasn't the problem.
Uh yeah. Losing your mark is a physicality issue. These guys are not standing around before the kick like some suburban U-10 soccer game. The other team is getting separation and we are losing the aerial battle.
Meh Oduro is small but he's fast and strong like an ox. I think rolfe needs to come back and nyarko can go back on the wing and we will be scoring a lot of goals. We just need to stop making passes to ********ing nobody when it counts
Hello grumps, I'm real happy you know so much about soccer, I'ma let you finish, but everybody knows Columbus is the worst town of all time. You may now resume the 459th version of this same thread.