Is Galvan in such a poor form? GAven is only 17, so i always see him as a player who should come off the bench (kinda like how Rooney was used by Everton last season-comparing ages here, not talent)....A team like New England was very shorthanded when it came to a forward line, but they more than made up for it with their very even midfield play....I still don't get why you play the kid on such a big game...Galvan could have provided a better contrast vs the likes of Cancela, Joseph, Ralston and Kamler....Just my opinion...I also think this was the worst performance not only from the players but also from the coach all season
Well id like to see some of the Boca Boys play.They are not that bad. I mean just look at Saturday's Game Cant be any worse. But I understand we also need to develop the youth,specially if the BB'S wont be here next year. Classic catch 22
I haven't read any of the other threads yet, but my reaction then and now is that starting Gaven was ridiculous. I was thinking "Bring back OZ". What the heck was Bradley thinking? Is he losing his brain cells to some disease? Or was there no other alternative? Props to the Revs. They played a great game, btw. Midfield play determines who wins not all the time, but 99.999% of the time! Sharlie Joseph and company were nice and smooth. Mark Lisi was seriously missed. I didn't realize how much he helps Guevera and Clark. Sort of like the center of the circle, or the eye of the hurricane. Obviously Metros need a backup for Lisi.
While I agree with the fact that Lisi was missed and is absolutely crucial to the Metros' chances, I disagree with the notion that putting Gaven in was a mistake. He gave the Metros a legitimate flank threat (something Galvan would not have done) and was able to pull the Revs defense out of shape a few times. The problem was not, then, with Gaven but with Clark and Williams. Clark is not capable of completing an attacking pass of over 15 yards. Williams is not capable of completing a pass - period. When either of those two had the ball in the center of the field all the Revs had to do was press and win possession right back. Now, if Clark was filling Williams's role as a pure destroyer and wasn't being asked to make creative passes I think he'd be a much better player. That would also have opened up a spot for Galvan (the spot that Lisi normally plays, and that Clark played last night) to be a little creative in the middle and link things together. It's not purely attacking or defensive; rather, it's the role Claudio Reyna plays for the national team, or what Fernando Redondo did for Argentina in the '90s. The real issue is Bradley's dedication to Williams, a player who has passed his sell-by date. He's not who he was even two years ago, and is a pale immitation of what he was with the United teams of 96-99. The Metros can not compete with the best teams in the league with Richie on the field.
---------------- I agree he should break into the lineup slowly. Evidently, this coach will throw them in when he is short players. Brought Guvara into a game after only 1 or 2 practices, but Guevara already had his game together Gavan does not. We have holes from the beginning of the season that still are there to this day. The most important ones are at both the flank mids. Then another hole at the other striker position. Woly and McGee are both only fill in players this season. Maybe the Polish player will fix that hole. But the two wing mids are the problem. Clark was tried because he can beat people off the dribble, but his real talent is at defensive mid. Gaven does not know how to play the flank as yet. Ellinger certainly did not prepare any of his players on how to really play the flank so they will not disappear in games and they did not know how to play the ball away from pressure before the pressure actually got there.
We do not have a hole at the back positions one of those Boca boys is a back. The other Galvan is a little like a bull in a china shop. but he can be thought to play a wing mid a lot better then he plays it now. Coach just has to do that, then we see how it works out.
I would place Rico at def mid, sit RW, then try Galvan at rt mid and give it a chance with Magee and Mathis up top. Right now it looks Amado takes no one off the dribble anymore and wants to be a holding mid as well. what's up with him??
so my metrofan finally see william is a waste and the beginning of the year was a fluke for him. He kills the damn attack!!!
Gaven had the best game of any of the Metros midfielders, if not the best game of anyone on the team. There are multiple people one could blame for the loss, so why hang it on Gaven?
I thought Gaven played relatively well... compared to everyone else on the field that game... Bradley is trying to instill confidence in Gaven and starting in a important regular season match does just that... the one risk Bradley takes is the chance of Gaven having a horrible game wich would be a detriment to his confidence level... and i dont care what anyone else says he definatly wasn't horrible and looked rather good at times(especially for a 17yr old playing amongst men) and that is what will make a diffrence in his developement... On top of that when has Galvan displayed enough form to be starting... definately none of the games i have watched and i have watched them all... he should only be coming off the bench. Also, has anyone here sat through every single Metro practice session??? well Bradley has and if he decides to play Gaven over Galvan then he has his own reasons to do so...
a) Not his role. Rico and Richie were supposed to be responsible for that, from my understanding of the plan. b) He did more ball winning and defensive pressuring than Wolyniec, Mathis, and Guevara, the other three players with a relatively offensive role in that game. c) Galvan plays even less defense than Gaven. As a creator, he has skills, but I don't believe he would have been any more dangerous than Eddie was. One can argue that Galvan should be the regular replacement for Lisi, but I think Bradley had a smart lineup out there. The team failed to be energized or motivated. Bradley's substitutes were all fresh, young, hustling types, who helped the Metros build a late attack, despite not being quite as good as the players they replaced.
Not that it matters much to this thread, but...Eddie Gaven is only 16, not 17, as you all have repeated numerous times.