Home - February 26 - San Carlos - CCL (Postmatch)

M moogoo nice to meet you, Sabo Sabo nice to see you again!

Now that the friend I usually go to games with isn't in the country, I starve for people to talk tactics with during games! lol.

Would be nice to have in-stadium meet ups every now and then (or half time, etc.) during the regular season!
I’m usually pretty upbeat but aside from outdrawing RBNJ in their own house the whole thing felt pretty lackluster. Very sloppy in the final third. The D was very solid (Sands was excellent) and Maxi was his usual excellent self but we were terrible in front of the frame despite dominating possession and good balls in from Maxi, Mata, and Tinner.
What was that Keystone Kops thing late in the second half when we had a 2 on 0 and still failed to score?

Another comical moment late when GMS accomplishe the rare and difficult shoulderblade trap.

Wish we had seen more Isi. He did one of his patented cut-ins but shot wide about a minute after I told my civilian brother to watch for that.

Medina gonna Medina. He’s just so frustrating because the touch is there but he plays lightweight. I stumbled on a somewhat cruel new nickname for him: Jesusless.

Also thought SJ was tentative off his line a couple of times that might have cost him against better competition.

But overall, it was just a luxury to be so far up that we never had to worry. This team has seldom if ever enjoyed such a comfortable lead in any circumstances. And it was nice to have real football sightlines, though on every other count RBA is pretty lame and I actually prefer YS.
 
I’m usually pretty upbeat but aside from outdrawing RBNJ in their own house the whole thing felt pretty lackluster. Very sloppy in the final third. The D was very solid (Sands was excellent) and Maxi was his usual excellent self but we were terrible in front of the frame despite dominating possession and good balls in from Maxi, Mata, and Tinner.
What was that Keystone Kops thing late in the second half when we had a 2 on 0 and still failed to score?

Another comical moment late when GMS accomplishe the rare and difficult shoulderblade trap.

Wish we had seen more Isi. He did one of his patented cut-ins but shot wide about a minute after I told my civilian brother to watch for that.

Medina gonna Medina. He’s just so frustrating because the touch is there but he plays lightweight. I stumbled on a somewhat cruel new nickname for him: Jesusless.

Also thought SJ was tentative off his line a couple of times that might have cost him against better competition.

But overall, it was just a luxury to be so far up that we never had to worry. This team has seldom if ever enjoyed such a comfortable lead in any circumstances. And it was nice to have real football sightlines, though on every other count RBA is pretty lame and I actually prefer YS.

i concur on pretty much every point.

It’s an embarrassment that we only scored one goal... we were AWFUL in the final third.

When ISI came on it seemed like he at least understood how terrible San Carlos was and went straight at them but quickly got infected with the don’t know what the fuck to do in the final third virus like the rest of the team.

Why is GMS on this squad? He’s Medina 2.0.

Best of the night was Sands.

I know there is a lot of hope for this team but This is the kind of performance they displayed a good deal last year and it is not Championship caliber.

Did anyone catch Ronny making contact with the San Carlos player who took GMS down?

on another note:

As blasphemous as it will be to many of you, I didn’t mind RB Arena at all and thought it was nice to watch soccer in something other than a baseball stadium. Would love to feel what it was like with a full on crowd and I’d go there over Citi Field any day.
 
and another

Wow. Three different writers, too. It's not just one obsessive.
 
i concur on pretty much every point.

It’s an embarrassment that we only scored one goal... we were AWFUL in the final third.

When ISI came on it seemed like he at least understood how terrible San Carlos was and went straight at them but quickly got infected with the don’t know what the fuck to do in the final third virus like the rest of the team.

Why is GMS on this squad? He’s Medina 2.0.

Best of the night was Sands.

I know there is a lot of hope for this team but This is the kind of performance they displayed a good deal last year and it is not Championship caliber.

Did anyone catch Ronny making contact with the San Carlos player who took GMS down?

on another note:

As blasphemous as it will be to many of you, I didn’t mind RB Arena at all and thought it was nice to watch soccer in something other than a baseball stadium. Would love to feel what it was like with a full on crowd and I’d go there over Citi Field any day.

I agree. As unfortunate as it is to be playing a home game there, it was nice to not be in a baseball stadium for sure.

I wonder what the attendance numbers would look like if we played a full season there in a share like Jets/Giants.
 
I agree. As unfortunate as it is to be playing a home game there, it was nice to not be in a baseball stadium for sure.

I wonder what the attendance numbers would look like if we played a full season there in a share like Jets/Giants.
I’m not concerned about a game here and there, but I would be out. It’s a huge pain to get back from (to is ok, back to BK is a nightmare) and sightlines aside, both Citi and YS offer a better overall experience.
 
But overall, it was just a luxury to be so far up that we never had to worry. This team has seldom if ever enjoyed such a comfortable lead in any circumstances. And it was nice to have real football sightlines, though on every other count RBA is pretty lame and I actually prefer YS.
I wonder if this played a part in it at all. I know Deila wanted to still go for it from the outset, but I wonder if subconsciously, having such a large lead, especially after the Callens goal, if that led to a slightly less focus that resulted in not finishing off some of those attacking sequences.
 
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Anyone can go back to around the 28th or 29th minute mark when sands did that awesome fake out in San Carlos' box and their defender slided? I want that gif'd SO badly because it was glorious.

GMS has like 5 minutes to play, and I actually thought he did well in those five minutes. Isi is a monster, he dribble right through them like butter a few times! Medina had some chances but he doesn't know how/when to shoot. His touches are brilliant sometimes, but... everything else about him just lets you down :(
 
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I agree. As unfortunate as it is to be playing a home game there, it was nice to not be in a baseball stadium for sure.

I wonder what the attendance numbers would look like if we played a full season there in a share like Jets/Giants.


God forbid. I hate the Red Bull sponsorship but the main reason I don't support that team is I don't support Jersey teams.
 
Perhaps it is searching for a silver lining in a larger and larger cloud, but Medina seemed to play better after the Maxi substitution. The change put him central, behind the forwards, and it seemed to suit him - more space, less contact and a chance to quick touch the ball and keep it moving.

Going forward, I would prefer to see him be a backup to Maxi/Parks in the midfield and give up on any hope he can play forward on the wing. Anything to put him in space and away from physical play.
 
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Going forward, I would prefer to see him be a backup to Maxi/Parks in the midfield and give up on any hope he can play forward on the wing. Anything to put him in space and away from physical play.
Playing in the middle is the most crowded area of the field - the wing is where the most space can be found. If Medina can’t hack it on the wing, then he’s gonna get killed in the middle when tackles are launched repeatedly from the DMid, Central Defenders, and any other player collapsing from 360degrees.
 
Playing in the middle is the most crowded area of the field - the wing is where the most space can be found. If Medina can’t hack it on the wing, then he’s gonna get killed in the middle when tackles are launched repeatedly from the DMid, Central Defenders, and any other player collapsing from 360degrees.

Agreed. Any success in the midfield last night was likely due to the competition. Still, it was better to watch him circulate the ball quickly from the central position rather than lose the ball after any contact further up the pitch.

It would be nice to have a contributing third DP.
 
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Last night Sands seemed to play clearly as 6, and Ring as 8 although with more license because of the weakness of the opponent. That would leave Parks as the man out. IMHO Ring is much worse as a creator of chances and passer than Parks but his tackling further upfield could create a ton of chances out of counterpressing. He is also more regular. I wonder if that is Delia's plan for the future, especially playing away. Also I guess it's a testament to Sands evolution that I wouldn't be concerned at all to have him as our starting DM. Anything to have him play every week before he's snatched from us. Finally, with Isi in good shape I frankly see no place for Medina at all.