The only real chance this team has is to say Fck it and come out playing fully attacking soccer with an attitude that they’re already losing before the opening whistle. Go 3-3-4 and push the tempo and try to force an early goal. It’s an all or nothing scenario really - a tie does zero for momentum and sends a message to the players that they’re backing into the playoffs rather than taking hold of the situation and imitating their will on the match. If they can’t win the match at home, in the last stanza of the season, then they’re not gonna magically lift themselves up mentally a week later in the playoffs when it’s all or nothing.
It's not even a week, it's only 4 days later so the win would definitely have some lasting impressions
Break out the orange ball and, more importantly, orange cone for Maxi’s head so we don’t lose him.
Yes, this has been my Man U line lately "play like you are losing." Conveniently, things as they stand may be the best case scenario for salvaging a playoff run. Counting Philly which now really is like a playoff game, we can play three home playoff games in a row. If we can play desperate instead of tentative and confused, maybe we can (some how, some way) score some goals, and get on a roll with some confidence and belief. I have a feeling Villa is going to step in and lead this team both on and off of the field. He's respectful to "authority" but he doesn't want to go out like this.
I would pay $500 for a guaranteed candid conversation with Villa right now.
I'm not sure Villa has much he can say to them about Dome. He worked with Torrent in Barcelona for 2-3 years. I would be shocked if he was not consulted in advance about the hiring, or if Torrent was hired over Villa's objections. He does not seem the type to run back to them complaining under those circumstances. And I can imagine they might ask him if he has second thoughts, but they would wait until the season ends, I think, rather than stir anything up.
It's not of the same importance, but I think the club execs would still value his input and he would provide it.
Not that my intuitions should be taken as meaningful, but throughout the DC match I kept having the thought that Villa would be retiring after our post-season. However long or short that may be.
