MLS - April 29 - Toronto (Away)

[moogoo]

Adding to the complication of our offensive woes, I think Insigne was a big part of it. Pellegrini didn’t get any of the same support from Ilenic that Gabby has gotten last few games. I think he was instructed to stay at home more to protect against the threat of Insigne. Then on the other side Magno and O’Toole had no chemistry, no good overlaps there. So we can complain about the #9 (and sure, please do), but I think we were just as troubled last night by no FB play in the offensive third.

i guess their two older italian stars are better than our young, inexperienced wing backs. personally, i think we should have tested their ability/desire to track back.

I get very agitated when I see people post “this player is shit” etc. What I’m seeing this year is a very good first 11 and a group of backups who would probably start comfortably in the lower half of the table, but in our context constitute a big dropoff. The entire roster is very disciplined and makes other teams work hard for their goals.

And we need a striker to hold things up, open up space, and poach.

But what really seems to kill us on the road is the cult of possession at all costs.
Our marginal players and backups (Pel, O’Toole, both starting FBs, Fredo, Segal) all seem to think that a safe pass back is better than a forward thrust if there is even an iota of a chance that thrust will be parried.

I don’t think it’s about talent or the ability to make decisions/see the game (since Mata we haven’t had a serial bonehead —ok maybe Andrade, I’m exempting Talles for now). I think CFG just hammers that possession thing into them and stifles their creativity, while ironically it’s the risk takers (Taty, Gaby, Maxi, Callens) who make the difference.

I’m not suggesting that we throw caution to the winds, but when the O’Tooles and Ilenics and Cufres and Fredos and even Tayvons of the world go forward and it ends up as a GK or a throw in, that’s fine. And as fans we need to calm down when not every cross connects.

Everybody is like “shit this” and “garbage that.” We don’t really have any hot garbage. There are no more Sheltons. No Jason Hernandezes. There aren’t even any JLews. It’s a competent roster that is very disciplined. and outside of Santi Gaby Keaton and Talles I’d say we are too disciplined. Which translates to predictable. See Spain lately for reference.

And we need a striker.

So I’m not panicking. We’ve been here before.

Martins pretty much said this in his pre game interview. He said we have to play like we do at home. Attacking and brave. We haven't done it and look like a team that really hasn't quite gelled fully. is having pell on one side and otoole on the other enough to throw things out of whack? maybe. also what FootyLovin said about wingbacks not going forward enough. I personally thought our midfield could have been more clean and brave with their passing and decision making.

 

[JCMore]

First thought. What’s wrong with the Surface in Toronto? Everyone was slipping and sliding. The ball was either sticking or gliding across the top. It was not good.

Second thought. I know he’s the opposite of an NYC/CFG pick up, but come on. If we had picked up CJ Sapong instead of Toronto we certainly would have been clicking. It’s so frustrating watching this team try to figure out how to play without a striker. Especially if we are having Santi play the False 9. He was dropping back way to deep last night. Like great to help maintain possession I guess. But god damn Talles gets double teamed every time and there is never an up the field outlet. I saw a lot of dribbling into Toronto players last night and loss of possession.

Third thought. Toronto was really tough to break down. They were super disciplined in their shape and we kept passing it further and further back into our own half. We had no answer to that and Toronto did a very good job of bossing the midfield.

 

[Revfugee]

First thought. What’s wrong with the Surface in Toronto? Everyone was slipping and sliding. The ball was either sticking or gliding across the top. It was not good.

Second thought. I know he’s the opposite of an NYC/CFG pick up, but come on. If we had picked up CJ Sapong instead of Toronto we certainly would have been clicking. It’s so frustrating watching this team try to figure out how to play without a striker. Especially if we are having Santi play the False 9. He was dropping back way to deep last night. Like great to help maintain possession I guess. But god damn Talles gets double teamed every time and there is never an up the field outlet. I saw a lot of dribbling into Toronto players last night and loss of possession.

Third thought. Toronto was really tough to break down. They were super disciplined in their shape and we kept passing it further and further back into our own half. We had no answer to that and Toronto did a very good job of bossing the midfield.

On your second thought: I’d rather hold out for someone with some upside than fill a slot with an MLS journeyman. Sure he scored last night but we’d get very tired of him very quickly,

On your third: see my post above about predictability. I don’t think they shut us down so much as we shut ourselves down. This is the Achilles heel of CFG ball. I suspect up in the heavens Pep has figured this out and that’s why after a couple of years of false nine ball they pivoted to the Haaland express.

 

[JCMore]

On your second thought: I’d rather hold out for someone with some upside than fill a slot with an MLS journeyman. Sure he scored last night but we’d get very tired of him very quickly,

On your third: see my post above about predictability. I don’t think they shut us down so much as we shut ourselves down. This is the Achilles heel of CFG ball. I suspect up in the heavens Pep has figured this out and that’s why after a couple of years of false nine ball they pivoted to the Haaland express.

I agree with your sentiments. With regards to the second thought, I don’t want a journeyman either. Just saying it could have made the pieces clicked last night.

 

[GratefulDawg]

In the time it took me to write this post, the team passed the ball backwards six times.

 

[Revfugee]

In the time it took me to write this post, the team passed the ball backwards six times.

Back in the MLS Paleozoic Era, the Revolution had a midfielder named Imad Baba, whose only contribution to the team was to receive a pass, stop, think it over a minute, and pass it backward. I was getting Baba flashbacks the other night. I don’t like Revolution flashbacks.

 

[413Blue]

Back in the MLS Paleozoic Era, the Revolution had a midfielder named Imad Baba, whose only contribution to the team was to receive a pass, stop, think it over a minute, and pass it backward. I was getting Baba flashbacks the other night. I don’t like Revolution flashbacks.

While the soccer was poor, there was something special about those early Revolution days in Foxboro Stadium!

 

[Revfugee]

While the soccer was poor, there was something special about those early Revolution days in Foxboro

True, the old barn had its charms. The first year they served delicious Linguica pizza in the doomed hope that the Portuguese community would show up. And I think my season tix were like $163 for pretty good seats. And I got to see
two MLS Cup finals there. But the Rev teams were sooo poor. I didn’t even realize how bad at the time.