I agree with your post except for this 1 point -- it was pretty obvious around the 20th minute of the first half that Orlando was content to park the bus and make us break them down inside the 18 yd box.
NYCFC v Orlando Postmatch
- Thread starter NYCFC_Dan
- Start date
I see what you're saying, but I think that we lost that game rather than Orlando won it. And I'd rather it be that way, because that means we are the better team and the issues are fixable.
Orlando's strategy was "try to limit us" and "hope we can't finish corners?" That's not "imposing their will" against us, that's hunkering down and praying for a good result. I hope teams play on their heels like that against us this year, because most games we are going to finish a few of those shots.
After watching some more of our away games and other MLS games in general, our pitch definitely seems noticeably smaller. I know there's not much we can do about the field, but it seems like a determinant to the team. I can't help but wonder if some of the missed passes or shots from distance are affected due to shrunken dimensions of the field
No, that's crazy. He'll be at the edge of our 18 yard box and float a perfect pass that lands in-stride at Villa's feet at the center spot at midfield. And he'll do that sort of thing 20 times a game. He'll dance around defenders and get away from tacklers while waiting for someone to head for an open spot and then he'll have the ball arrive just when they get there. Time and time again, all day, every day.
I'd never really seen him play before, but it's been a sheer pleasure to have him here and on our team. He plays the game the way the game should be played.
Is that the same concept as your definition of upstate, which was something like 20 minutes north of wherever you are?
And what has been the result of that artistry? More goals? More wins? We have to play a caddy at CDM for him, since apart from one game he has been a negative defender. We haven't scored on a free kick since he's been here, where villa was doing decently at that previously. He's nice to watch, but either he's too good for MLS, or he's a luxury player that doesn't fit with the team.
Villa has won games for us singlehandedly. As the best DPs do. Keane has done it, giovinco has done it, Jermaine Jones did it at CDM. Pirlo has not. Maybe he will, but so far we have little to show for catering the entire team around him.
Yes upstate is 30 minutes north or northwest of where you are till you hit Plattsburgh (6 hours) or Buffalo (8hours)
No explanation needed on my part.
Not saying Pirlo's too good for MLS. Ain't nothing wrong with MLS rising up over the years towards Pirlo's level though.
Also, he's not a striker. It's not his job to score goals but more that he helps others score goals. He's a playmaker, not a goal scorer (although I'm sure he'll get his share of them). The team is way way way better with him on it, and our young players will become better players simply by playing next to him.
If Clayton Kershaw pitches very well for the Dodgers over the course of his first 3 games this year but the Dodgers lose 2 of those will that mean that Kershaw is replacement level or that he is not a good fit for his team?
Villa has never won a game singlehanded. If he outscores the opponent it's because the defense also limited the opponent and the mids fed him the ball where he could be dangerous. Certain players (mainly defenders and goalie) can singlehandedly lose a game. But no one can singlehandedly win one.
That said, wasn't the Pirlo to Villa goal of the year last year in our win against DC? That was important. I'd wager we would have lost instead of tied against TFC last week without Pirlo controlling the midfield.
I get it. You don't like the signing. You think we could have a better DP. But the extremity of your description discredits your argument.
#mobilepost
I read somewhere that before one of the games, the commentators marched off the width of the field themselves, and it was 70 yards. Might have been Taylor Twellman.
I think Tom likes being "that guy".
The contrarian who likes to lob some really weird statements in with his normally well thought out, well informed posts. I personally don't mind having a poster or two on the forum. It makes for some fun moments.
Or he's an incredibly terrible evaluator of football talent.
The contrarian who likes to lob some really weird statements in with his normally well thought out, well informed posts. I personally don't mind having a poster or two on the forum. It makes for some fun moments.
Or he's an incredibly terrible evaluator of football talent.
This, this, this. I think Brillant would make our ability on set pieces 3x better due to a better knowledge of getting a head on the ball from a cross. Without him, I don't think we've had a CB (or any starter) that could threaten to do so from a corner or set piece. One of our only goals from a CB that I can think of, since the start of the club in MLS, was KWS with his laser shot last year (Still don't know how that happened).
Defensively, I also feel like Brillant would've been in a better position seeing that Saunders clearly wasn't on the Orlando goal, but that could just be bias in me really wanting Brillant to start over Hernandez.
The one I remember was when Jacobson headed a corner kick to TMac who put it in against the Red Bulls at YS.
I would argue that Villa single-handedly won us the first game in Montreal on the 4th of July last year.
Oooh boy. I think I've finally thawed out a bit after being way underdressed. That was frustrating...but fun.
I think the most frustrating thing you can see in a soccer team is mental weakness. The kind that reveals itself in players lacking conviction or straight up appearing to not give a rat's ass. While at the end I was impatient that they were playing it around out of the back instead of hoofing it up as a Hail Mary, at least I get why they were doing it. It wasn't a lack of urgency -- it's just how PV has them playing. As they got the ball up the field they were looking for solutions, pushing for a goal against a team that had really contracted, and playing for a result. The fact that Orlando sprung on the counter towards the end in reaction to this is no surprise.
For the moment, I admire the way this team is going about things. The result wasn't there, but (nervousness and defensive brainfarts in the opening 15 minutes aside) the performance was. This wasn't one of those losses that stings for days. You can just as easily see this team putting a couple of those chances away. Now, if this is a pattern that continues over many weeks, of course I'll have to reevaluate my rosy stance. But for the time being, I feel there's a lot of positivity in the play.
Speaking of frustration, this was really a banner weekend for MLS refs gonna MLS ref. That's why I let out a boo at the full 90. Nothing on our guys.
I think the most frustrating thing you can see in a soccer team is mental weakness. The kind that reveals itself in players lacking conviction or straight up appearing to not give a rat's ass. While at the end I was impatient that they were playing it around out of the back instead of hoofing it up as a Hail Mary, at least I get why they were doing it. It wasn't a lack of urgency -- it's just how PV has them playing. As they got the ball up the field they were looking for solutions, pushing for a goal against a team that had really contracted, and playing for a result. The fact that Orlando sprung on the counter towards the end in reaction to this is no surprise.
For the moment, I admire the way this team is going about things. The result wasn't there, but (nervousness and defensive brainfarts in the opening 15 minutes aside) the performance was. This wasn't one of those losses that stings for days. You can just as easily see this team putting a couple of those chances away. Now, if this is a pattern that continues over many weeks, of course I'll have to reevaluate my rosy stance. But for the time being, I feel there's a lot of positivity in the play.
Speaking of frustration, this was really a banner weekend for MLS refs gonna MLS ref. That's why I let out a boo at the full 90. Nothing on our guys.
