MLS - March 22 - Miami (YS)

FotMob has xG at 1.28 to 1.46. While xG isn’t everything (doesn’t fully account for shifting game state, sample size is too small, etc), a draw would have felt about right.
 
I'd love to see a straight on angle from behind the ball on the free kick goal by Messi. If wolf could have blocked it but didn't... Argh
 
FotMob has xG at 1.28 to 1.46. While xG isn’t everything (doesn’t fully account for shifting game state, sample size is too small, etc), a draw would have felt about right.

Their first two goals felt a bit lucky. Especially Messi's goal deflecting off a defender. Whatever. It is what it is. Miami games aren't really predicative of what the rest of the season will look like unless we end up having to play them in the playoffs.
 
Their first two goals felt a bit lucky. Especially Messi's goal deflecting off a defender. Whatever. It is what it is. Miami games aren't really predicative of what the rest of the season will look like unless we end up having to play them in the playoffs.
Their first goal, we were kinda half asleep. We were statues on the second ball and it fell to a wide open player who finished well.

The free kick was unlucky. Probably should have had a better wall
 
Referee Egregious...
1. Nico pulled down in the box off the corner
2. Messi with a lighthearted kick right into Maxi that's called a yellow card, moving up the ball, before his free kick that led to a goal
3. St. Clair handling the ball outside the box
4. Handball by the Miami players before the handball by Nico
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Other Match Thoughts...
1. Kevin had a decent game. The highlight was the turn and lofted pass to Maxi for a secondary assist on the Ojeda goal. His lowlight was ball watching and not tracking the Miami player at the back post for the third goal.
2. Tayvon made some great line slicing passes. Some worked, others didn't because the other players couldn't get to it. But it's dynamic and he should continue.
3. Sending Freese up early. I like the balls by Pascal.
4. What will happen to all these 6 year olds who "love" Messi when he stops playing soccer entirely?
 
Anyway, I blame Trump. He started the war that led to the cancellation of the Argentina game in Qatar, which meant Messi was available for our game.
I blame Jesse Marsch who publicly complained about soccer at Yankee Stadium again in response to his other CANMNT goalkeeper getting a red card (Orlando match).
 
I always thought a keeper handling the ball outside the area is an automatic red no matter what the circumstances?

once the keeper leaves his box, he is considered an outfield player. there is no special exception for keepers outside the box. it is only a straight red if it's DOGSO. mgarbowski is correct in that it is not VAR reviewable because it is not DOGSO. if the refs didn't call it, we're just shit out of luck.
 
1. Kevin had a decent game. The highlight was the turn and lofted pass to Maxi for a secondary assist on the Ojeda goal. His lowlight was ball watching and not tracking the Miami player at the back post for the third goal.

I don't think Kevin is tall enough to have contested the ball on the third goal even with perfect positioning. The bigger error was on whoever's job it was to close down the player that sent in the cross.
 
I don't think Kevin is tall enough to have contested the ball on the third goal even with perfect positioning. The bigger error was on whoever's job it was to close down the player that sent in the cross.
True, but at least getting better positioning against the Miami attacker to make the header more difficult
 
I don't think Kevin is tall enough to have contested the ball on the third goal even with perfect positioning. The bigger error was on whoever's job it was to close down the player that sent in the cross.

sometimes all you need is a nudge to throw a player off. if he was there, he could have made it difficult in some manner without committing a foul. a hip check always worked for me against taller players who i knew would out jump me. it throws them off balance and it's "incidental contact" when done correctly :)

jansen said he talked to kevin about being in a better position to do just that. he wasn't where he needed to be and i think that's just lack of experience and maybe lack of coaching for a converted forward.
 
Didn’t realize this is how crazy the deflection is on the Messi goal. It doesn’t hit the wall. It hits the player behind it. The ball was definitely going out on the initial hit or is Messi actually aiming at the player for the deflection?
Nah.
Messi was trying to curl it into the deep left corner and accidentally hit the player. You can see freese had it 100% covered and the deflection threw him for a loop.

From where I was standing that was pretty clear, but this angle makes me even more certain
 
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