Home - 08/06 Jersey

[Ulrich]

Ha! Not sure I will even give you "technically correct" on that one.

However, your point does reveal some interesting information.

Matarrita started the first 6 games at left back. Since then, Sweat has started 14 of 15 games while Matarrita has mostly been unavailable due to injuries and national team duty.

Matarrita has been available for 3 games since he first sat for an injury.

• In our 2-1 win over Philadelphia, he came off the bench, but it was for Camargo at LW.
• In our 2-0 win over the Red Fools three weeks later, he again came off the bench, again at LW, this time for Wallace.
• In our 3-1 win over Minnesota, Matarrita started at LB before being subbed out early with a broken foot; Sweat started at RB.

The interesting observation is that when Matarrita was coming off the bench as he returned to fitness, he came on at LW, not LB. Plus, while he started at LB in his last game (Minnesota), that was the game where Allen and White were punished for not showing up on time. So, it's not clear who Patrick would have started at LB. Indeed, I seem to recall that there was some talk that Matarrita would start over Wallace at LW before the shakeup.

So, I think it is possible that with a fully healthy lineup, Sweat would get some starts at LB with Matarrita ahead on the wing. That said, I do think that Matarrita would have kept the job at LB without the injuries, and I think ultimately the first choice lineup will be Matarrita and Wallace on the left side, assuming we can ever get both of them healthy.

As an aside, the only other guy to start at LB for us this season is RJ Allen against RSL in that ridiculous lineup that Coach V used to throw an easy game.

We won't know what was in store had he stayed injury free, but if it wasn't for two idiots being late, Mata wouldn't have played any LB in those three games. When the 1st choice LB isn't being chosen to play LB, he's not the "starter" any longer. Not sure how you can't agree on the "technically" part of that.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Yes, true (fitness), but I think Mata's best position may be advanced as a winger. He's deadly on the attack 1v1, and Sweat has made it possible to use Mata as a first sub off he bench to hit tired defenders.

If you have a fully fit and healthy Mata and Wallace, no way should Sweat start.

Mata and Wallace were combining quite nicely together at the beginning of the season. And Mata actually hustles to get back defensively.

 

[Ulrich]

If you have a fully fit and healthy Mata and Wallace, no way should Sweat start.

Mata and Wallace were combining quite nicely together at the beginning of the season. And Mata actually hustles to get back defensively.

No question they were, but don't discount that Sweat and Wallace have also combined well.

Of the three, the one that can be both an offensive (and defensive) spark/sub is Mata. Even when fully healthy, the team lacks an automatic instant spark off the bench. I'm not saying Sweat is a better player than Mata, but starting him over Mata creates more options and late-game mismatches to throw at the other team. And it's more effective to bring in a fresh Mata rather than just shifting him forward when his tiring is proportionally in line with the opposition's.

 

[JayH]

No question they were, but don't discount that Sweat and Wallace have also combined well.

Of the three, the one that can be both an offensive (and defensive) spark/sub is Mata. Even when fully healthy, the team lacks an automatic instant spark off the bench. I'm not saying Sweat is a better player than Mata, but starting him over Mata creates more options and late-game mismatches to throw at the other team. And it's more effective to bring in a fresh Mata rather than just shifting him forward when his tiring is proportionally in line with the opposition's.

I'm a big proponent of this. When healthy he's a perfect 60 minute/half-time sub under the right circumstances (regardless of the mediocrity of someone like Sweat).

 

[Ulrich]

I'm a big proponent of this. When healthy he's a perfect 60 minute/half-time sub under the right circumstances (regardless of the mediocrity of someone like Sweat).

I look at it as stacking the lineup like tennis teams would do in high school. Rather than always having your #1 go vs their 1, 2v2 -> 5v5, shift it so it's 4v1, 1v2, 2v3, 3v4, 5v5 and you have the advantage 3/5 times with one being even. Using mata is the same thing - our fresh starter may/may not be better than theirs, but our fresh "starter" is better than their tired starter every day. Create the mismatch.

 

[Christopher Jee]

I'm a big proponent of this. When healthy he's a perfect 60 minute/half-time sub under the right circumstances (regardless of the mediocrity of someone like Sweat).

Interesting. Intuitively, playing your stronger players for longer periods of time should be a better strategy, but we've seen how impactful even bad players can be in the latter stages of games vs. from the start (sorry, Khiry).

 

[Christopher Jee]

Interesting. Intuitively, playing your stronger players for longer periods of time should be a better strategy, but we've seen how impactful even bad players can be in the latter stages of games vs. from the start (sorry, Khiry).

The only reason I think that this is not already "a thing" in soccer is that players wanna play from the start, and not starting hurts their value. In other sports, being able to re-sub players means there is more tactical flexibility. No reason not to try this while we're easing Matarrita back in though.

 

[Ulrich]

The only reason I think that this is not already "a thing" in soccer is that players wanna play from the start, and not starting hurts their value. In other sports, being able to re-sub players means there is more tactical flexibility. No reason not to try this while we're easing Matarrita back in though.

True, regarding wanting to start, but in another prominent sport it's done all the time - baseball with pitchers in a series. Sacrifice your 4th/5th starter against their Ace and then teams have a mismatch for the series; all moot if your hitters still can't deliver.

 

[LionNYC]

https://twitter.com/x/status/893191708288184320

 

[SoupInNYC]

No question they were, but don't discount that Sweat and Wallace have also combined well.

Of the three, the one that can be both an offensive (and defensive) spark/sub is Mata. Even when fully healthy, the team lacks an automatic instant spark off the bench. I'm not saying Sweat is a better player than Mata, but starting him over Mata creates more options and late-game mismatches to throw at the other team. And it's more effective to bring in a fresh Mata rather than just shifting him forward when his tiring is proportionally in line with the opposition's.

That's fair enough.

 

[canchon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/893191708288184320

 

[canchon]

If you have a fully fit and healthy Mata and Wallace, no way should Sweat start.

Mata and Wallace were combining quite nicely together at the beginning of the season. And Mata actually hustles to get back defensively.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Didn't we finally break the Lalas curse recently?

 

[Gotham Gator]

Bold prediction for tomorrow's game.

VAR will be used at least once to retroactively award a red card against one of the players.

 

[Ulrich]

Bold prediction for tomorrow's game.

VAR will be used at least once to retroactively award a red card against one of the players.

Maybe Felipe will finally get the Red card he deserves every game.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Bold prediction for tomorrow's game.

VAR will be used at least once to retroactively award a red card against one of the players.

I really wonder about the unintended consequences of this. In baseball, it was the guy who comes off the bag by an inch and gets tagged out. In football it's the weird catch rules. What's the unintended consequence going to be in soccer? Will there be more red cards as they go to the video? Will there be less acting because the video is there? Will players have to change the way they play? I can't wait for VAR to be going frame-by-frame on an offsides call trying to make sure it's right. This thing should be used for egregious missed calls only, and I hope they don't try to do too much.

Anyways, back on topic -- so pumped for this game. I have a feeling the Boys in Blue are going to be a little ornery after last week, hopefully they show up for this one and put on a show.

 

[Sabo]

I really wonder about the unintended consequences of this. In baseball, it was the guy who comes off the bag by an inch and gets tagged out. In football it's the weird catch rules. What's the unintended consequence going to be in soccer? Will there be more red cards as they go to the video? Will there be less acting because the video is there? Will players have to change the way they play? I can't wait for VAR to be going frame-by-frame on an offsides call trying to make sure it's right. This thing should be used for egregious missed calls only, and I hope they don't try to do too much.

Anyways, back on topic -- so pumped for this game. I have a feeling the Boys in Blue are going to be a little ornery after last week, hopefully they show up for this one and put on a show.

It was my impression from watching preseason games using VAR that there were more penalties called for grabbing and pulling in the box -- particularly in dead ball situations. My prediction is there will be an increase in those calls the first 2-3 weeks, followed by less grabbing and pulling as players adjust to the new reality of VAR.

Most likely to earn a VAR penalty or red = Collin.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I really wonder about the unintended consequences of this. In baseball, it was the guy who comes off the bag by an inch and gets tagged out. In football it's the weird catch rules. What's the unintended consequence going to be in soccer? Will there be more red cards as they go to the video? Will there be less acting because the video is there? Will players have to change the way they play? I can't wait for VAR to be going frame-by-frame on an offsides call trying to make sure it's right. This thing should be used for egregious missed calls only, and I hope they don't try to do too much.

Anyways, back on topic -- so pumped for this game. I have a feeling the Boys in Blue are going to be a little ornery after last week, hopefully they show up for this one and put on a show.

I think it's going to be exactly this. More reds for things that weren't easily seen. Hope I'm wrong, but in an emotional game like the Hudson River Derby, it's even more likely.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Yeah, all this argument that Mata wouldn't or shouldn't be the starter is the most bulllshit I've ever read on this board.

It's not fucking close, people. We were trying to play him back to fitness.

Lord help me be strong and not lose my mind on folks making up ridiculous theories.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Gameday!!

COME ON NEW YORK

Seeya all in the Boogiedown.