Montreal - Postmatch

Was Matarrita Going for Goal?

  • Yes

    Votes: 30 75.0%
  • No

    Votes: 10 25.0%

  • Total voters
    40
Little story from me: During pregame warm-ups, Mata had a ball at his feet and was pointing up towards 236 where I was sitting. I don’t know if he was signaling at me or just anybody. It was pretty sparse in the stands at that time. I stood up and he motioned to raise your arms so I put them up like a touchdown signal. He kicked a perfectly weighted ball right to me. It would’ve hit me in the sternum. I caught it (thank god!). He had a big smile on his face, I tossed the ball back. But I just had a huge grin on my face all the way back home. I’m a 39-year-old man and it made me feel like a little kid again.
 
That was a penalty on McNamara. If he dragged or slowed down it wasn't much and he was dinged for being big and slow. Players who weigh 140 -155 and scoot around the field do exactly what he did and get that call every day and twice on Sunday.

If we did get a penalty there, who takes it? I'm guessing Maxi takes it, but I might prefer Medina. But really, I didn't see a lot of options who gave me confidence.

I didn't think it was a penalty, but I'm not sure it was deserving of a yellow either, considering how yellows are generally handed (or mostly lack thereof) for simulation.

Watching online, TMac touched it past Bush, and then before contact was made on Tommy, he started going down, dragging his feet. And I think this is why it didn't receive an official review in VAR.

I think had Tommy actually continued another step forward, there would have been contact, he could have gone down and drawn it, but I think he anticipated contact too early, and started going down before the contact was made.

Regarding who would take it, probably Maxi. But the question on last week's NYCFC Nation podcast kinda had me thinking about this before (which 5 NYCFC players would you choose to take PKs), and I think Tinny would be a good PK taker, and some may laugh at me, but I think Ring would be solid as well.
 
Matarrita's goal celebration was as joyous as everyone is saying. In contrast, Medina's goal reaction was almost painful to watch. It was one of abject relief. I did not realize how hard the burden of his goal drought has been on the kid.
Lewis' goal celebration nearly gave me a heart attack as his knee kinda got caught in the grass and that was something I could have seen an injury resulting from.
 
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I didn't think it was a penalty, but I'm not sure it was deserving of a yellow either, considering how yellows are generally handed (or mostly lack thereof) for simulation.

Watching online, TMac touched it past Bush, and then before contact was made on Tommy, he started going down, dragging his feet. And I think this is why it didn't receive an official review in VAR.

I think had Tommy actually continued another step forward, there would have been contact, he could have gone down and drawn it, but I think he anticipated contact too early, and started going down before the contact was made.

Regarding who would take it, probably Maxi. But the question on last week's NYCFC Nation podcast kinda had me thinking about this before (which 5 NYCFC players would you choose to take PKs), and I think Tinny would be a good PK taker, and some may laugh at me, but I think Ring would be solid as well.
Tin and Ring definitely have the power. Direction concerns me. I expect it does you as well.
 
Lewis' goal celebration nearly gave me a heart attack as his knee kinda got caught in the grass and that was something I could have seen an injury resulting from.
Yeah. Then he just rolled over and bounced up because he’s 21 and his legs are made of slinky springs and rubber.
 
My buddy and I discussed last night that the fluidity of our ball movement is all different over the last 2-3 matches, in the way the players present triangles to each other and the final overlap to receive an outlet through ball, compared to PV’s system. It’s really kinda crazy how much rotating movement of the triangle there is which seems to lull/confuse the marking defenders so that a player (I saw Sweat and Tinny do it a lot) can then advance down the sideline unmarked to receive the pass.

What’s interesting is that when PV arrived, he set up passing formations that confused the hell out of our opponents for a year+ and hen slowly a few teams started to figure out our spacing and countered us. He then made a few adjustments and we were out in front again, but by the time he left, it seemed the movements had gone stale again.

Enter Dome, and we appear to have a brand new style that so far our competition isn’t ready for. The movement also seems to have multiple outlet-choices with the second/third to go cross field. Not saying teams won’t adapt to us, but it’s nice to see even more elegant flow to our attack. Last night, and grantednit was Montreal, we had a couple 4-5 pass sequences that broke them down so completely that it just looked demoralizing to them.
 
Lewis' goal celebration nearly gave me a heart attack as his knee kinda got caught in the grass and that was something I could have seen an injury resulting from.

Yeah. Then he just rolled over and bounced up because he’s 21 and his legs are made of slinky springs and rubber.

I think that is going to be his ongoing goal celebration - which makes me nervous because he can easily injure himself. It is a callback to when he celebrated his first goal against the Galaxy and tried slide but botched it - then improved it a match or two later.

 
CvztmoA.png


Have we talked about this yet?
Both in a good way, and in a "how the f* was that only 3? We gotta stop wasting chances" way
 
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I think that is going to be his ongoing goal celebration - which makes me nervous because he can easily injure himself. It is a callback to when he celebrated his first goal against the Galaxy and tried slide but botched it - then improved it a match or two later.

Pulisic slides on his knees too and I shudder every time. While nothing is likely to happen, it’s risking one of the most critical joints of the body, and why chance rolling snake eyes???
 
CvztmoA.png


Have we talked about this yet?
Both in a good way, and in a "how the f* was that only 3? We gotta stop wasting chances" way

American Soccer Analysis says NYC's Team xGoals were 1.57 and Montreal's was 0.1. With three goals the club overperformed. I expect that is largely because shots taken in regular run of play with the box packed with defenders are low likelihood.
Here are NYC's NYC's goals and all shots (on target, off target and blocked) for 60 minutes until just before scoring:
montreal-to-M60.PNG

Here is the same graph from the first goal forward (final 30 minutes):
montreal-after-M60.PNG
For 60 minutes the Impact packed the box with defenders, and NYC repeatedly tried to shoot around and through them. Once we scored the Impact opened up and NYC took fewer, but much higher percentage shots.
 
American Soccer Analysis says NYC's Team xGoals were 1.57 and Montreal's was 0.1. With three goals the club overperformed. I expect that is largely because shots taken in regular run of play with the box packed with defenders are low likelihood.
Here are NYC's NYC's goals and all shots (on target, off target and blocked) for 60 minutes until just before scoring:
View attachment 8878

Here is the same graph from the first goal forward (final 30 minutes):
View attachment 8879
For 60 minutes the Impact packed the box with defenders, and NYC repeatedly tried to shoot around and through them. Once we scored the Impact opened up and NYC took fewer, but much higher percentage shots.
Something else I’ve noticed with our play since Dome arrived, is that we now drive to the endline and look to either play a cross in front of the goalmouth, or the player continues to drive parallel to the endline forcing the defense to commit and leave their mark. This contrasts with the PV era where we’d take the ball to the top corner of the 18 and reverse back across the top of the 18 for a shot outside of the box. The old way played to Villa’s patented cut-back shot. The new way puts the defense on their heels and looks for close-range opportunities.
 
American Soccer Analysis says NYC's Team xGoals were 1.57 and Montreal's was 0.1. With three goals the club overperformed. I expect that is largely because shots taken in regular run of play with the box packed with defenders are low likelihood.
Here are NYC's NYC's goals and all shots (on target, off target and blocked) for 60 minutes until just before scoring:
View attachment 8878

Here is the same graph from the first goal forward (final 30 minutes):
View attachment 8879
For 60 minutes the Impact packed the box with defenders, and NYC repeatedly tried to shoot around and through them. Once we scored the Impact opened up and NYC took fewer, but much higher percentage shots.

I had not considered this. Seeing that second image really improves my confidence, thanks :)
 
On some of the above topics. Ran into a official for the team and they like how Dome explains things and were frustrated with PVs answers.

On PKs... Is it odd that I think Sweat would be good. You need confidence to take that kick and Benny definitely has that. My 5 assuming normal starting lineup would be
Villa
Maxi
Ish
Ring
(sweat or one of our stud CBs)
 
On some of the above topics. Ran into a official for the team and they like how Dome explains things and were frustrated with PVs answers.

On PKs... Is it odd that I think Sweat would be good. You need confidence to take that kick and Benny definitely has that. My 5 assuming normal starting lineup would be
Villa
Maxi
Ish
Ring
(sweat or one of our stud CBs)
I was thinking however ridiculous it would be... I'd love to see John Seanson take a penalty. I feel like he'd have a banger to the top left any day
 
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On some of the above topics. Ran into a official for the team and they like how Dome explains things and were frustrated with PVs answers.

On PKs... Is it odd that I think Sweat would be good. You need confidence to take that kick and Benny definitely has that. My 5 assuming normal starting lineup would be
Villa
Maxi
Ish
Ring
(sweat or one of our stud CBs)
I think you’re rights about Sweat, and don’t forget Berget if he’s in the lineup.