Orlando Postmatch

[Marito]

Pretty encouraging statswise which is way more indicative of long term success. We lost to a team in their stadium opener. It happens. Just really sucks that it is Orlando and Kreis.

I agree. I think people are overreacting (then again, what else are we here for, right?) But let's remember soccer is not fair. Greece won a Euro in which it probably didn't dominate or deserve to win a single match. Ditto Portugal in the last one. The examples pile up. We completely bossed a team playing at home. We completely bossed a pretty bad team, OK. But still. And unlike, say many of recent Man City losses and ties, we had the ball and created a fair number of clear chances. It didn't go in. But I think the signs are encouraging. Maybe people expected thrilling. The display wasn't thrilling. But it was good. We had very very few scares in our own 18. That's a positive change. Callens kept us with speedy guys, unlike Brillant, Hernandez, or any previous CB we've had not named Chanot. The team was faster (not fast, but not as slow as usual) and more physical. Mata may be overrated. RJ is RJ. Relax.

 

[joe]

Subject to my various comments above, and everyone else's legitimate analysis of our performance, and notwithstanding our lack of finishing, and the fact that it looked like we were playing a final pre-season game (how's that for a run-on lead-in?), our progression, flow and build-up still looked better than it did at our best last season. This team will be massively better than last season when it all clicks, whenever that is.

My toddler was toddlering, so I didn't get to watch as closely as I'd like, but it seemed like more of the same.

• We tended to control possession, but it fizzled out in the final third
• If Villa doesn't score, no one scores
• Concede early goal
• Burned by a turnover from trying to play on the back

 

[Seth]

Subject to my various comments above, and everyone else's legitimate analysis of our performance, and notwithstanding our lack of finishing, and the fact that it looked like we were playing a final pre-season game (how's that for a run-on lead-in?), our progression, flow and build-up still looked better than it did at our best last season. This team will be massively better than last season when it all clicks, whenever that is.

Mildly disappointed you chose to split this into two sentences. Coulda been the best ever single-sentence post.

 

[SayWhat44]

The thing I took away from Rings missed goal opportunity was he has some real closing speed. His speed created that opportunity and I really like him as a player.

 

[SoupInNYC]

A couple of thoughts on the game that haven't already been beaten to death. I was out in San Fran for a bachelor party this weekend, so I ended up watching at a bar at SFO.

Callens/Chanot looked to be a decent CB pairing. I know Kaka came off real early, and Larin couldn't go the whole match, but I still liked what I saw out of them.

As someone else mentioned before, attacking up the left with Mata/Wallace (I won't go into Mata's defending) we had lots of talent, but often they did seem to occupy the same space. I think this will get figured out and we can work some really dangerous overlapping runs between the two of them.

On a side note to the above along with the other Mata discussion, I'm kind of hoping we can sell him in the summer. I think Wallace showed that he has the ability to play as an attacking fullback on the left that can actually play defense. That would then either allow us to slide Maxi to LW and bring in Herrera. Or, that will be about the time that we can actually start to use JLew.

I liked some of what I saw out of Ring. He did seem to work his way out of position often, but he was very good at tackling the ball off of opposing players. He also has some wheels to him.

After the first 20 minutes, I was very encouraged with what I saw out of Maxi. Made some great runs and passes, and damnit Villa needs to finish (or at least put on target), that cross Maxi beautifully sent to him.

Will Johnson is a little penis.

 

[mgarbowski]

to borrow a football term, Pirlo is really only good for creating chunk plays surrounded by 2yrds of futility every down;

Vikings fans call this Adrian Peterson syndrome.

 

[mgarbowski]

Mildly disappointed you chose to split this into two sentences. Coulda been the best ever single-sentence post.

I liked how after his run-on parenthetical, he added a rather lengthy concluding clause.

 

[mgarbowski]

We had very very few scares in our own 18. That's a positive change.

A few people have mentioned this, but I am not yet convinced because Orlando played the last 75 minutes with a lead. They didn't go to a complete bunker but they were notably less concerned with attacking than they were during the first 15. I can't tell if we settled down or they just stopped testing us.

 

[ManhattanValley]

Kind of underwhelmed by the Orlando stadium experience. They COMPLETELY botched getting us in and out of the stadium - beforehand they led us around a load of side streets for ages to keep us separated, only to then march us all through a huge group of Orlando fans, single file. After the game, they held us for 15 minutes, only to then do exactly the same thing again. Didn't see it kick off but there were a few people looking for it. There were also Orlando fans waiting at the bottom of the stand to applaud us on our way out, the ULTIMATE #nicetouch

Anyway, the atmosphere didn't really get going in the home end, probably because we battered them for most of the game. That away section will be miserable during a storm as well. Perhaps most importantly, someone decided the stadium only needed about eight toilets. Like someone else said, I literally don't know how they're going to fix the concourse.

So yeah, the game, should've won, Maxi too deep, Mata allergic to defending, Shelton brain fart, Villa not on the ball enough. Feels like another day we'd have won 3 or 4-0. Not really worried, but pissed off we didn't score. Met some cool people, did some roller-coasters, drank a lot, all in all a fun weekend that I never want to do again.

 

[JayH]

My toddler was toddlering, so I didn't get to watch as closely as I'd like, but it seemed like more of the same.

• We tended to control possession, but it fizzled out in the final third
• If Villa doesn't score, no one scores
• Concede early goal
• Burned by a turnover from trying to play on the back

I was very critical of the game, and super frustrated, so I don't want to come off as pleased. But briefly in response, unlike last season we controlled between the 35s. It wasn't pretty because, among other things, Maxi, Ring and Pirlo seemed to be playing musical chairs, but at least there was some build up through the middle rather than Lampard just barreling through it, or Pirlo just bypassing it.

And yes, neither Villa nor the field scored, but unlike most games last season, the opportunities were spread around generously. Villa should have scored, but Ring, Harrison, Chanot, Shelton, Okoli and others should have as well. I can't recall many games last season where there was such a variety of good opportunities beyond Villa (or Lampard).

And we looked much better out of the back, although I am still not entirely comfortable with the tactic.

 

[dannd23]

Does going 3-4-3 with the third CB being more of a stopper in Herrera with the midfield being the same as Orlando's lineup+ Mata out wide on the left to interchange with Wallace work better? I don't think I can handle anymore RJ

 

[Gotham Gator]

Subject to my various comments above, and everyone else's legitimate analysis of our performance, and notwithstanding our lack of finishing, and the fact that it looked like we were playing a final pre-season game (how's that for a run-on lead-in?), our progression, flow and build-up still looked better than it did at our best last season. This team will be massively better than last season when it all clicks, whenever that is.

This is basically correct.

Think back to all the hand wringing over how late some of the new guys were in joining the team - how they basically had only one pre-season game together. Well, last night is what you get under those circumstances. We had a lot of possession and a few chances, but we lacked the last pass and/or the clinical finish.

Last night is basically what we should have expected. I remember saying that I thought this could end up like our first game last year against them, where we conceded an early goal and they bunkered, and we failed to break them down. Then, I went out and predicted 2-2 in the U Pick thread. I should have gone with my head over my heart.

 

[LionNYC]

Last year, we would never see Andoni Iraola make the run that Alex Ring did last night on goal. And Pirlo can't play the 6.

So, either Ring stays back. Or Herrera replaces Pirlo.

 

[Seth]

I should have gone with my head over my heart.

If we did that then none of us would be here.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I will add a few random observations.

• I think that Callens bears a great deal of responsibility for the goal. He was marking Larin and then left him when Larin fell. You can even see him look over his shoulder to see that Larin is down. Callens then proceeds away from Larin to cover... nobody. Meanwhile, Orlando's best scoring threat - a guy who is 6'2" and has killed us in the past - is left being marked only by a guy who is 5 inches shorter. Not sure what you wanted Matarrita to do on that one, but I know what I wanted. I wanted my 6'1" center back to stick to his fucking man.
• I think the jury is really out on Callens. I have been doubtful that a guy getting spot minutes in the Spanish 2nd division will be for us the full time starter that solidifies the back 4, but we will see.
• Pirlo was our best DP last night, the one play against Kaka notwithstanding. His passing was absolutely spot on. He created serious scoring threats with long balls better than Maxi did with short balls, and Villa certainly didn't do his job up front.
• We need to figure out what to do when teams double up our wings. Harrison especially last night was getting doubled, and there didn't seem to be any plan to switch the attack when that happens.
• I really liked Sean Johnson's ability to play the ball and distribute. Night and day from what we are used to, and I am referring to both Saunders and Lurch. Not only did he get the ball out wide to the CBs crisply and on target, but he also had some nice passes to the FBs upfield when the defense was overcommitting.

 

[sbrylski]

I will add a few random observations.

• I think that Callens bears a great deal of responsibility for the goal. He was marking Larin and then left him when Larin fell. You can even see him look over his shoulder to see that Larin is down. Callens then proceeds away from Larin to cover... nobody. Meanwhile, Orlando's best scoring threat - a guy who is 6'2" and has killed us in the past - is left being marked only by a guy who is 5 inches shorter. Not sure what you wanted Matarrita to do on that one, but I know what I wanted. I wanted my 6'1" center back to stick to his fucking man.
• I really liked Sean Johnson's ability to play the ball and distribute. Night and day from what we are used to, and I am referring to both Saunders and Lurch. Not only did he get the ball out wide to the CBs crisply and on target, but he also had some nice passes to the FBs upfield when the defense was overcommitting.

Regarding Johnson, I agree that his distribution felt very comfortable back there and is a welcome change.

However, I don't think I've seen anyone place some blame on him for that goal yet. When the cross comes in, he takes a horrible first step out, then has to back into the far post to cover the goal but is really just a sitting duck. If he read the ball properly right away, he could have taken a few steps to his left and met the ball at the top of his jump.

*Extremely amateur opinion here. I don't really know much about goalkeeping.

 

[Fantazma]

I will add a few random observations.

• I think that Callens bears a great deal of responsibility for the goal. He was marking Larin and then left him when Larin fell. You can even see him look over his shoulder to see that Larin is down. Callens then proceeds away from Larin to cover... nobody. Meanwhile, Orlando's best scoring threat - a guy who is 6'2" and has killed us in the past - is left being marked only by a guy who is 5 inches shorter. Not sure what you wanted Matarrita to do on that one, but I know what I wanted. I wanted my 6'1" center back to stick to his fucking man.
• I think the jury is really out on Callens. I have been doubtful that a guy getting spot minutes in the Spanish 2nd division will be for us the full time starter that solidifies the back 4, but we will see.
• Pirlo was our best DP last night, the one play against Kaka notwithstanding. His passing was absolutely spot on. He created serious scoring threats with long balls better than Maxi did with short balls, and Villa certainly didn't do his job up front.
• We need to figure out what to do when teams double up our wings. Harrison especially last night was getting doubled, and there didn't seem to be any plan to switch the attack when that happens.
• I really liked Sean Johnson's ability to play the ball and distribute. Night and day from what we are used to, and I am referring to both Saunders and Lurch. Not only did he get the ball out wide to the CBs crisply and on target, but he also had some nice passes to the FBs upfield when the defense was overcommitting.

he could of jumped at least....i still feel he could of done more. get in the way...if callens followed him you had a gaping space ( granted no one was there) but larin could even force his way there....and score...then we would say no one was there to cover....i feel that goal started form RJ being soft on the tackle and let rivas keep the ball and eventually made the pass to the wing ( forgot who was there for orlando) to send it to larin.

 

[gbservis]

Last year, we would never see Andoni Iraola make the run that Alex Ring did last night on goal. And Pirlo can't play the 6.

So, either Ring stays back. Or Herrera replaces Pirlo.

Or Maxi slides out to the wing and the midfield is Ring/Pirlo/Herrera

 

[Ulrich]

Or Maxi slides out to the wing and the midfield is Ring/Pirlo/Herrera

I'd really consider trying that and moving Wallace back to RB. It's not rocket science to switch sides of a field, especially on defense - the trick is on offense when crossing with the ball curling away from goal vs cutting in and shooting on goal. Let Wallace overlap with Harrison and get the added height/pace on the back line.

 

[The Toe]

Weird game. The pieces were there, but we never got into much of a rhythm other than feeding Jack and having him go head-on into defenders. I was BAFFLED at the amount of times we played the ball back when we had clear space ahead of us, with the main culprit being Maxi. I get that we want to possess and play through our distributor (Pirlo), but I think we wasted some chances at catching OCSC under-manned in the back by playing the possession game. Not too worried going forward. Florida's weird.