The crazy thing was, even with a man up, our entire defense was caught out of position 3-4 times that led to NJ breaks the other way. I like Williams and Wingert usually, but they just seem too boxy and not very fluid. Maybe it's better for our smaller field, but especially Williams was playing too high and had 90 yards to go to get back into the action.
I felt bad for Villa this game. He had a rough go, but made some pin-point change of field passes that would hit Alvarez or whomever on the right directly on the foot. His quality shows, but he was frustrated early and never really recovered. I still don't know how you leave BWP open 4 yards from the goal. Hernandez went to one post, Williams the back post, and left BWP without anyone within 5 yards but Saunders. I feel awful for Saunders, too. He goes out and makes a 1v1 stop on BWP, but his defense leaves him to deal with point-blank shots on almost all the goals this year that haven't been deflected.
Mix was also a ghost out there. Even in a role that should have had him moving forward. It was like there's no sense of attacking with this team. The passes are slow, and usually off by a yard or two, it's so frustrating. Poku came on and his passes are moving at twice the pace and are exact. There's not weight behind the ball 90% of the time, while NJ was pinballing through the midfield. I really do think that Frank is going to be a big difference maker for this squad, and he can't get here enough. He's going to bring some leadership this team desperately needs, and the passing ability it ought to have at this level.
I felt bad for Villa this game. He had a rough go, but made some pin-point change of field passes that would hit Alvarez or whomever on the right directly on the foot. His quality shows, but he was frustrated early and never really recovered. I still don't know how you leave BWP open 4 yards from the goal. Hernandez went to one post, Williams the back post, and left BWP without anyone within 5 yards but Saunders. I feel awful for Saunders, too. He goes out and makes a 1v1 stop on BWP, but his defense leaves him to deal with point-blank shots on almost all the goals this year that haven't been deflected.
Mix was also a ghost out there. Even in a role that should have had him moving forward. It was like there's no sense of attacking with this team. The passes are slow, and usually off by a yard or two, it's so frustrating. Poku came on and his passes are moving at twice the pace and are exact. There's not weight behind the ball 90% of the time, while NJ was pinballing through the midfield. I really do think that Frank is going to be a big difference maker for this squad, and he can't get here enough. He's going to bring some leadership this team desperately needs, and the passing ability it ought to have at this level.
