DC - Postmatch

Agree, said a similar thing in the Dome thread. We played Villa and Maxi behind Berget in a 3-4-2-1 at some point this season and he had a lot of the ball. Maxi would make a better 8 in this system. He's not really the type to carry the ball and try to get a shot on target, and without that threat we become a lot more predictable in the final third. I don't really see anybody apart from Berget really leading the line the same way that Taty and Villa do.
I think there's an argument to be made we miss Berget more than anyone else right now, and he's our most indispensable player. Which is very odd for a striker with just 4 goals. I'm not sure I believe it, either, and there's too much crossover overlapping data to be sure, but it's an arguable point.
 
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Is lewis self sabotaging himself in order to be traded next year?
I’m extremely surprised they were eating pizza since their chef at the training facility said he doesn’t have them eating cheese and fats.

But yes, at this point I’m sure he’s trying to force a trade. Dome said Lewis was set to start possibly 2 matches in this last stretch, and then ends up using him for the last 10mins, when full points were being lost, why ever say that if not carrying through and the team is short-handed??? Unless Lewis screwed up in a massive way prior to the matches, it’s a top level job of trolling by the coach. Honestly, it’s not as if the team isn’t giving up cheap goals from a lack of focus and marking - the same stuff that supposedly is keeping Lewis off the field - so why make an example of him for his shortcomings when obviously the rest of the team is delinquent in their game-time focus?

NYCFC has had two very talented American players in Mix and Lewis, and they’ve mishandled both situations to the detriment of the team - letting their skills rot on the bench when they have been short players at the respective positions. Lewis’ formulative year’s are passing him and if he can get a trade worked out, I’m fine with it and I wish him the best. The kid has mad skills that I enjoy watching and if he is traded and subsequently scores on NYCFC, I’ll smile every time.
 
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If Lewis is supposedly being called out for his defensive miscues, how does Ben Sweat get a pass? It was Sweat who got confused with SJ as Sweat was covering Birnbaum on the “moon shot” cross.

Sweat now has singlehandedly cost the team multiple games. *cough Chicago Fire cough*
 
One more thing from last night - what an absolute travesty from the ref. David Villa was a bullshit “simultaneous foul” call and a non-called penalty from having a hat trick.

Would have changed that “NYCFC can’t create any good chances” narrative (ahem, Doyle).

I’m almost to LionNYC levels of conspiracy about the refs having it in for this team. I guarantee you if it is Josef Martinez clattering into the defender or getting fouled in the box that Atlanta gets those calls. Complete and utter bull.
 
If Lewis is supposedly being called out for his defensive miscues, how does Ben Sweat get a pass? It was Sweat who got confused with SJ as Sweat was covering Birnbaum on the “moon shot” cross.

Sweat now has singlehandedly cost the team multiple games. *cough Chicago Fire cough*

Nah that goal's all on Johnson. Sweat was right to get out of his keeper's way.
 
So, Amagat again. He made the foul that created the free kick when DC scored. Weak foul to call, made more annoying because it came right after the non-PK call on Villa. But Amagat just ran right into Rooney for no reason, after Rooney had already kicked the ball away, and their legs got tangled. Rooney had basically stopped. He didn't veer into Amagat or anything. Amagat just ran into him late.

What a signing.
 
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Opare got a yellow card in minute 90. It was not clear what he did. He seemed to impede Maxi with his hands. But it was also inside the penalty area. Frankly it seemed like less than a yellow to me, but if a foul, and moreso if a yellow, then why no PK? I know there are some offenses that can lead to an indirect free kick even though inside the penalty area, but I don't think this was one of them, and the ref also just let play resume via a throw in after the ball went out of touch. Also, nobody on our side seemed to call for a PK.
So, what am I missing?
 
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Opare got a yellow card in minute 90. It was not clear what he did. He seemed to impede Maxi with his hands. But it was also inside the penalty area. Frankly it seemed like less than a yellow to me, but if a foul, and moreso if a yellow, then why no PK? I know there are some offenses that can lead to an indirect free kick even though inside the penalty area, but I don't think this was one of them, and the ref also just let play resume via a throw in after the ball went out of touch. Also, nobody on our side seemed to call for a PK.
So, what am I missing?
He could have mouthed off to the ref during a stoppage?

Otherwise, yeah a PK.
 
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If Lewis is supposedly being called out for his defensive miscues, how does Ben Sweat get a pass? It was Sweat who got confused with SJ as Sweat was covering Birnbaum on the “moon shot” cross.

Sweat now has singlehandedly cost the team multiple games. *cough Chicago Fire cough*

I hate to defend Sweat here, but that was all on SJ
 
She was on serve down 3-4 in the second set before the game violation. That set likely goes to a tiebreaker, maybe she wins and it goes to a third set.

Who knows how it plays out?

Serena was down a break at this point. She had just lost a game on her serve and Osaka was serving next to consolidate the break.

It was certainly still possible for Serena to come back - you can never count anyone out, much less her. However, the odds were very long. She also didn't do herself any favors and behaved very poorly during the match. Not that the referee wasn't out of line, but Serena didn't control her emotions at all. After the match, she was terrific and gracious to Osaka - pure class.
 
One of the issues we've had in the last two games - which is going to continue in future games - is breaking down an opponent that is intent on ceding possession and packing the defense.

This is always tough, but we haven't really come close to being dangerous against that setup the last few weeks. As has been noted, we are really playing wide and lobbing in crosses, which doesn't well fit our personnel.

It's also worth noting that Villa has been playing well to the left in both games - not sure if that's something that will continue when we get players back. I think it has limited his effectiveness.
 
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Serena was down a break at this point. She had just lost a game on her serve and Osaka was serving next to consolidate the break.

It was certainly still possible for Serena to come back - you can never count anyone out, much less her. However, the odds were very long. She also didn't do herself any favors and behaved very poorly during the match. Not that the referee wasn't out of line, but Serena didn't control her emotions at all. After the match, she was terrific and gracious to Osaka - pure class.
It was a Grand Slam final. He didn’t give warnings and his accusation of coaching was impossible to prove. It’d be no different if a referee in a World Cup Final handed out a Red Card to a player for talking back to them - that’d never happen and definitely not to Ronaldo or Messi. Serena may have called him a thief (which he was for not being able to prove the coaching), but she didn’t curse at him, so this is on him. At most, her racket abuse was the only item he should have penalized her for.
 
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