Yeah the worst rain was pre game, but right before KO it lightened up and never got beyond a drizzle the rest of the way.
Atlanta Postmatch
- Thread starter NYCFC_Dan
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Umm, in case anybody hasn't noticed, and I'm sure MLS isn't running to write a new piece, Minnesota is sitting on 11pts/10games while ATL has 11pts/9games. Take away the head to head, and it's MIN 11/9 versus ATL 8/8, with the northern team faring better against established competition.
Hate to say it, but ATL has been badly exposed while suffering from one key injury - they may have been anointed the best expansion team a tad early (how much of our first season were we missing two key players?). Granted, I think they have a very solid roster makeup for a first 11, and I was on their bandwagon from the beginning, but to get trashed by a counterattacking DC last week and pretty much decimated by us bossing them at their own game (it could have easily been 6-1), shows that they are still an expansion team lacking depth and fortitude. I'll be very curious to see how they play Minnesota next time, and if they lose, then expect some writer to say Minnesota is the perfect expansion team for having waited to see where they need to bring in DPs.
All I know is that after today, I cannot wait to play Minnesota.
Yeah, Frasquito blew it on that one chance where he forced it in to Villa at a tight angle when Harrison was wide open in front frantically waving his arms like an air traffic controller on the tarmac. One of the few bad decisions all game.
My wife showed me possession stats during the game hat had ATL with a 51 to 49 advantage. That is not the game I saw.
Jokes aside, how many eye rolls/double takes did you have during that interview? I remember the awkward silence when he said that ATL's press was better than RBNJ...you could sense the interview spiraling downward into comedy.
I only got to watch the second half, which was more or less over after 15 minutes, so I couldn't tell you. I kind of suspect that the biggest difference is Herrera at the 8 instead of Ring, but in the 15 minutes of actual game time I saw, Ring looked much more disciplined.Does this meanChristopher Jee has given up the ghost, too?
It's possible for all of this to be true, yet also feel that Pirlo is unfairly criticised. I'm excited about our midfield options though. Teams cannot deal. I'm getting this funny feeling that this might be the year we win it all.
ATL controlled a lot more possession in the last 10-15 minutes after NYCFC closed up shop, although most of it was not threatening. That's probably what pushed them over for the whole game. Possession in MLS is overrated anyway.
TMac didn't make the bench and the transfer window closes tomorrow. Anybody wanna take a guess if he's being traded and was held out??? I'm thinking yes.
MLS guys on twitter also noticed that KC's Abdul-Salaam was also out of the 18 today and speculation occurred about a TMac-SAS swap. SAS would be an upgrade at RB compared to a Ethan White. (Nothing against White, he's exceeded all expectations this year but SAS is a true right back).
Somewhere north of 15, it was pretty crazy to listen to it live, hence some of my stuttered questions, I couldn't get my head straight
Jokes aside, how many eye rolls/double takes did you have during that interview? I remember the awkward silence when he said that ATL's press was better than RBNJ...you could sense the interview spiraling downward into comedy.
So I was wrong about the rain *points fingers at weather.com* but it was more than worth sitting out in the cool damp for that performance. I've been to enough games in England in October or November so this basically felt like that. More Important thing I'll admit to being wrong about, was getting down on Maxi after a few games. Not sure if he's improved as he's gotten used to the league or if it has anything to do with confidence to create without Pirlo on the field, but this was my first time seeing him live and, I was impressed.
What more can be said about Villa? I was seated behind the goal where he scored and what beauty of a strike. This was my 15th match at the stadium (9 first season, 5 last year, first time I could make it out this year) and I'm almost positive he's in double digit goals at matches I've attended. He's pretty much the model DP still has a lot in the locker talent wise and he still cares as much as anyone about scoring goals and winning matches. Lamps and Pirlo show how hard it can be to get the DP thing just right.
God it sucks that just as we're rounding into form with a Ring Herrera Midfield partnership we have to lose the kid to international duty and right in time for a tough four game road trip. But the league should be on notice when he gets back.
I think you have to struggle to really pick out any downsides today we were pretty complete. Maybe some of the finishing in the first half? We should have been up by more than one when they tied it and after that unconverted triple chance I was definitely thinking we were snake bit and it was going to come back to haunt us. Thankfully those two rapid fire strikes a wee bit later proved otherwise.
What more can be said about Villa? I was seated behind the goal where he scored and what beauty of a strike. This was my 15th match at the stadium (9 first season, 5 last year, first time I could make it out this year) and I'm almost positive he's in double digit goals at matches I've attended. He's pretty much the model DP still has a lot in the locker talent wise and he still cares as much as anyone about scoring goals and winning matches. Lamps and Pirlo show how hard it can be to get the DP thing just right.
God it sucks that just as we're rounding into form with a Ring Herrera Midfield partnership we have to lose the kid to international duty and right in time for a tough four game road trip. But the league should be on notice when he gets back.
I think you have to struggle to really pick out any downsides today we were pretty complete. Maybe some of the finishing in the first half? We should have been up by more than one when they tied it and after that unconverted triple chance I was definitely thinking we were snake bit and it was going to come back to haunt us. Thankfully those two rapid fire strikes a wee bit later proved otherwise.
I know nothing of AS's ability, but if he's an upgrade, then fantastic. But considering how hard I was on White last year, I'm equally high on him this year for becoming a very serviceable RB who has figured out how best to play the position in our system given his limitations. And just to add to it, he made quite a few overlaps today that led to dangerous crosses, one of which got him an assist. He's really upped his game, and I'd like to see him raise it another notch to hold the position from any new players.
Jeez
Midas Mulligan, pretty soon you're not going to have any more players to bitch about!!! 
But that's not a bad thing!
As to the bold, isn't the big criticism that we're not athletic enough and the team as a whole is better without him? We can actually press and defend the whole field now. So how that makes the criticism unfair, I'm not sure. I'm willing to go out on a limb here and say Pirlo, as we once knew him, just doesn't exist anymore. He is still good for an occasional show stopper pass, but this year, they've been fewer and farther between. And the mistakes and lapses are more regular. Going to go back to what I said early this year, the reason Pirlo creates all the chances when he plays is that the team is forced to play in such a way that he's the only one who can create chances.
If Ring being 6 and Herrera being hell for leather whatever is what we're doing, then I don't want to ever change. Herrera is doing his Vidal thing all over the pitch and it is beautiful. In person, I was like "there he is making a defensive stop", 3 seconds later "that SOB is in the box already!" And he hit so many beautiful one-touch passes. We can finally play quickly and it's exactly what we need.
Ring and Herrera will fucking punish Michael Bradley. Oh happy day it will be if they could embarrass that shameless bald bastard to the point he'd retire on the spot, as he should, just to keep him off the nats.
All that said, you know Ring can't play the 6 if Pirlo is on the field, so I don't see the point in this one.
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No one has mentioned Wallace's three shots in quick succession at the beginning of the second half--rightfully so, because he had a role in all three goals--but it was a determined effort right out of the gate. Felt unlucky, but when he scored 15 minutes later it was such joy to watch. And then he follows it up a minute later with that sick layoff that
Midas Mulligan recapped
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Midas Mulligan recappedclip:
I love Rodney Wallace with all of my heart. He's so good when we press. Poor man's Firmino.No one has mentioned Wallace's three shots in quick succession at the beginning of the second half--rightfully so, because he had a role in all three goals--but it was a determined effort right out of the gate. Felt unlucky, but when he scored 15 minutes later it was such joy to watch. And then he follows it up a minute later with that sick layoff that
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Just one thing: Was the Atlanta throw in leading to the only Atlanta goal illegal?
His foot looked to have stepped very much on the line with his foot even in play, possibly over the line. It looked illegal.
His foot looked to have stepped very much on the line with his foot even in play, possibly over the line. It looked illegal.
Too bad he'll be away on international break and pirlo will start
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