Dallas Postmatch

[CCMore]

*Music Plays in background. Drunkards holding each other's shoulders swaying back and forth with their tankards* Why can't we be friends?! WHY CANT WEEEE BE FRIENDS. Why can't we be friends??
*half of the men topple over from swaying to much. Shot zooms in on "NYCFC forum" banner hidden behind the bar*

 

[Gotham Gator]

-With Lamps probably out, PV has options. Mikey Lopez is the obvious one (let's not talk Mix) but would be interesting to move Tommy Mac back to midfield and start Shelton.

Good stuff. This is the big question. If Mix is out of the question, then a really good option is to start one of Shelton/Taylor/Mendoza and move back a wing to CM. However, I think moving TMac is only one option. We could also move Harrison back. I don't think Harrison has played there yet for us, but it's the position he played most before. My gut tells me to move TMac back so that you can use Jacky Boy's speed on the wing, but it's an interesting choice.

 

[FootyLovin]

Good stuff. This is the big question. If Mix is out of the question, then a really good option is to start one of Shelton/Taylor/Mendoza and move back a wing to CM. However, I think moving TMac is only one option. We could also move Harrison back. I don't think Harrison has played there yet for us, but it's the position he played most before. My gut tells me to move TMac back so that you can use Jacky Boy's speed on the wing, but it's an interesting choice.

I also think it's an interesting option to let those two be fluid. At any given moment one could drift central while the other heads out to the wing and vice versa. So long as they communicate ... good stuff.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I also think it's an interesting option to let those two be fluid. At any given moment one could drift central while the other heads out to the wing and vice versa. So long as they communicate ... good stuff.

I remember Poku doing that a couple of times when he started earlier in the season. Trading back and forth between LW and LCM.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Not a whole lot to add on here, but I agree with several people that it looks like Khiry has begun to turn a corner. As silly as this sounds, he seems a ton more serious with his new haircut.

What I loved about his goal the most though, was his aggressiveness. Jack played a great ball, but Khiry still had work to go get it. And he went and attacked the ball for the goal. As opposed to his goal against DCU earlier this year where he kinda jumped up and the ball glanced off of him.

We haven't really seen this kind of aggressiveness from Khiry before. Hope to see more of it. A guy with his physical talents and athleticism needs to be that aggressive (especially to help counter-act some of his weaknesses like his poor first touch).

 

[JayH]

Not a whole lot to add on here, but I agree with several people that it looks like Khiry has begun to turn a corner. As silly as this sounds, he seems a ton more serious with his new haircut.

What I loved about his goal the most though, was his aggressiveness. Jack played a great ball, but Khiry still had work to go get it. And he went and attacked the ball for the goal. As opposed to his goal against DCU earlier this year where he kinda jumped up and the ball glanced off of him.

We haven't really seen this kind of aggressiveness from Khiry before. Hope to see more of it. A guy with his physical talents and athleticism needs to be that aggressive (especially to help counter-act some of his weaknesses like his poor first touch).

It's great to see. I am sure that he has worked hard in training, matured (see, the haircut), and been coached up well by PV and the staff. And it's nice to see that's he's been rightfully rewarded with playing time by PV and the staff.

 

[adam]

I think with the Lampard injury (depending on severity, Khiry should crack the starting lineup. The question becomes do you move TMac or Jack into Lamp's position. I really would like to see what Jack could do there. Mikey is not a starter.

 

[Taurus]

At least we didn't lose.

Happen to talk to Jon Patricof prior to the match. Asked him about the stadium. He smiled and said it's a priority.
Ran into Susannah Collins from MLS. She's nice. Told her I enjoyed her show.
Attended the pre-match warm-ups. It was a fun experience watching them up-close. I recommend if you get the chance.

I think this must be my 3rd or 4th week posting about Mena. I'll just say it again. When Brillant and Chanot are not available, Hernandez over Mena. Mena should almost never see the field.

Shelton. Best 3 weeks of his career in my book. Glad to see him progress.

 

[gbservis]

I remember Poku doing that a couple of times when he started earlier in the season. Trading back and forth between LW and LCM.

I remember that as well although I think at least one of those times was more out of defensive necessity when Poku started at CM had to go box to box a handful of times, became totally gassed, stopped defending and had to be swapped with Mehdi on the wing in order to alleviate him of his defensive duties before we got run over. Crazy to think about Mehdi and Poku on the field being this season, feels so long ago.

 

[Viewfrom226]

I remember that as well although I think at least one of those times was more out of defensive necessity when Poku started at CM had to go box to box a handful of times, became totally gassed, stopped defending and had to be swapped with Mehdi on the wing in order to alleviate him of his defensive duties before we got run over. Crazy to think about Mehdi and Poku on the field being this season, feels so long ago.

This was the midweek Toronto match where we drew 1-1 in May. It was a perfect representation of Poku. He scored a beautiful goal on a curler from the left side, showed a general lack of tactical awareness and left cavernous holes on the left-side that forced the switch you mention and ran Diego Martinez into the ground to the point that he was subbed after 60 minutes. But, that goal was really sweet!

 

[Ulrich]

This was the midweek Toronto match where we drew 1-1 in May. It was a perfect representation of Poku. He scored a beautiful goal on a curler from the left side, showed a general lack of tactical awareness and left cavernous holes on the left-side that forced the switch you mention and ran Diego Martinez into the ground to the point that he was subbed after 60 minutes. But, that goal was really sweet!

and yet somehow Miami is figuring out how to keep him involved.... I'm sure there was a way for us to have used him effectively.

 

[Viewfrom226]

and yet somehow Miami is figuring out how to keep him involved.... I'm sure there was a way for us to have used him effectively.

I think he would have be very effective as a sub and no question we'd be a better team right now if we had him coming off the bench (setting aside the economics and his emotional happiness).

I'm going to say this having watched very little NASL and invite correction, but I'm assuming there is a meaningful quality drop and that his time here is more instructive.

 

[adam]

and yet somehow Miami is figuring out how to keep him involved.... I'm sure there was a way for us to have used him effectively.

Yes as a center forward.

 

[JayH]

and yet somehow Miami is figuring out how to keep him involved.... I'm sure there was a way for us to have used him effectively.

Yes, I agree. But I think that PV realized that he would only be able to use him as a spare part, and the team therefore did the "right" thing by honoring his request to leave for a bigger role and substantially more money. This was certainly to our detriment to some degree. Or not necessarily to our detriment if PV simply was stumped as to how to effectively utilize his strengths. But I will mention that many/most of the NASL teams are only slightly better than my Chelsea Piers team, so his success is not necessarily a great gauge.

It's sad looking at my Poku jersey next to my Mix jersey in my closet.

 

[Ulrich]

Yes, I agree. But I think that PV realized that he would only be able to use him as a spare part, and the team therefore did the "right" thing by honoring his request to leave for a bigger role and substantially more money. This was certainly to our detriment to some degree. Or not necessarily to our detriment if PV simply was stumped as to how to effectively utilize his strengths. But I will mention that many/most of the NASL teams are only slightly better than my Chelsea Piers team, so his success is not necessarily a great gauge.

It's sad looking at my Poku jersey next to my Mix jersey in my closet.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled Poku got an amazing contract with the move, but he may not have been so keen to leave if he had a regular role as a starter or impact 1st sub.

And don't sell yourself short - your Chelsea Piers team is a monster of talent and ability second to only a very few.

 

[Gotham Gator]

This was the midweek Toronto match where we drew 1-1 in May. It was a perfect representation of Poku. He scored a beautiful goal on a curler from the left side, showed a general lack of tactical awareness and left cavernous holes on the left-side that forced the switch you mention and ran Diego Martinez into the ground to the point that he was subbed after 60 minutes. But, that goal was really sweet!

There were actually a couple of games where I noticed it. The Toronto game was one. My memory was that in one game he started at wing and shifted at times to LCM and in the other game, it was the opposite. Looking back, I see that he was never listed as the starter at wing - at least in the MLS Matchcenter Reports. This suggests that he was put in midfield and switched occasionally to wing as the game dictated. He certainly scored his goal against Toronto from that spot. I think the other game was probably when we lost at Philly in which he traded with Mendoza who was our starting left wing. The only other game he started was at home against New England when we ran a W-M, and I think he may have been on the other side.