I regret posting that rather long and assured Singh piece about how we have no international spots… he asked BB about it in the presser and was told “you guys gotta do you homework” and that in fact we do have one spot because Victor qualifies as local now. Bob also said they are moving toward adding Alonso to the first team roster.Originally Posted by jloome
Well that's rather good news.
That first Charlotte goal, Bradley lost his guy (expected, he’s not in his 20s anymore), but what was JMR doing? That was such a weak attempt to block the shot, then the first thing he did after was asking for an offside call. I never thought he’s a defender, I don’t know why we still play him at RB while he doesn’t even provide any attack anymore.
Kaye…..my god he is just disappointing, can’t connect a damn simple short pass ever. Always hesitant on counter attacks. His positioning and coverage was ok, probably better than the academy players on the bench. His best play today was a sliding tackle in the 58’ but ended up losing a fk seconds after anyway. Still waiting for the LAFC version of him here. Oso is tired and shouldn’t be playing the full 90.
Ayo, I think Kilbane said something about him being technically better than Jozy…..I didn’t know having a 5 yard first touch dispossessing the ball on every goal scoring opportunity is technically better. At least Jozy comes clutch when he’s needed. He is slowly taking that Achara route, not looking good.
Put VV on to play 5mins…..comon Bob, even Messi can’t change the game with 5mins. But can’t blame the players too much today, the weather was bad…..and the ref was absolutely the worse.
I still blame the management for being lazy and not finding that 3rd DP, I am not buying that we need to find the perfect player bs (oldest MLSE trick in the book). We are wasting half the season once again. Maybe they should refund 50% for all SSH for this mediocrity. TL “why can’t we be great”……Bill Manning “why can’t we be mediocre”?
I agree with this. We’re playing in ridiculous weather conditions that make the games almost unwatchable. Should have been an afternoon game. I’m happy to have AppleTV but we need some flexibility. You can’t go to a game and enjoy yourself right now.
Last edited by Canary10; 04-02-2023 at 06:33 AM.
Welcome! Always nice to get new people posting.
As to Coello, they've just signed him to a short term loan from TFC II, but I don't know how that works in terms of league rules.
As for any other barriers, well, yes, there's Kaye. But considering what he cost I can't see them dropping him too easily.
For all that…these idiots put themselves head to head with HNIC and the NCAA semifinals by choice. I will bet you the NCAAs outdrew Charlotte FC in Charlotte yesterday.
Complaining here won't work. TFC need to hear about this from SSH on this. Loud. I dropped seats in part because of this issue (I didn’t think they should be playing in March here at all, let alone at night).
Soccer is a summer sport, somebody could explain that to these geniuses.
People in the TV business often just fall in love with how smart they are… that is how success in that business works, being the guy with the bold vision… “we are going to make MLS appointment viewing on Saturday night, it's going to take years, we have to take the pain… stick with it come hell or high water”. It's annoying. This market isn’t close to big enough to be appointment viewing.
Free the cold weather teams from the madness. You can have a 1pm appointment for them in March, April, maybe May too. Hey geniuses, here's a freebee for you, you never know, maybe somebody in Europe will watch (because right now, they don’t get a single game live all year before midnight, ever)
Last edited by ensco; 04-02-2023 at 07:47 AM.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
What did he say?
I was at the game and froze my bag off and left pissed off again. An absolute garbage display getting literally dominated and pinned in our end int he second half against if there ever was a gimme 3 points it was last night.
So disappointed.
I complained to my ticket rep at the beginning as the timing also makes it hard on families with young kids to attend games. Wasn’t even thinking weather at the time.
The wind is going to be an ongoing issue until we fill in the ends of the stadium too. I’ve been running along Lakeshore for more than a decade. Don’t know if it’s global warming or the condo development along the lake causing wind tunnels but the wind is way stronger now than it was ten years ago.
Last edited by Canary10; 04-02-2023 at 08:07 AM.
Interesting.
I do remember windy games from the early days. Fede's olimpico reminded me of Labrocca scoring on an FK from about 45 yards out, where the ball just carried and carried. There was also a game where Julius James scored in a monsoon… those games were probably in May. But they are isolated memories.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Now onto the game....sorry, not much to be positive about other than the Berna Olympico goal...I thought he'd try it given the wind and it worked.
As for the rest...an horrible game. I heard excuses about the "wind"...well it was just as bad in the first half and Charlotte playing against it missed 3 sitters. Meanwhile second half, we were pinned in our end and our midfield completely overan (yet again) and Bob stands on the sideline literally doing nothing. His son and Kaye (who he brought here mind you) completely overan in the second half as we collapse. Not to mention some of the giveaways by both including one of Kaye's in the first half...under no pressure puts in right on the Charlotte players foot and seconds later almost a goal...
Now onto the players...
Back 2 CBs and Berna, the only players that did anything. Without them, I'd shudder to think how bad we'd look. God Bless Berna for how hard he works but he is getting fed up no doubt. Playing with an absolute pylon in Akinola up front and having zero service....if he goes down to injury, we literally have no attack whatsover. Only negative of Berna was the yellow...I get he's pissed but we need him badly....he can't yell at the ref as these cards are accumulating and he'll be suspended and he knows it as well, he right now is our entire attack. He sits out, we might not even get a touch in the attacking end, that' how bad we are offensively without him.
Lareya, nightmare. Ffs, I get you aren't a left back..but that was bruatal. And quit b.ittching to the refs after every damn infraction (real or imagined) and focus.
Kaye, nothign more to say, is not good enough. Him and MB are the worst 2 man CB combo in the MLS. We gave up a lot for him and he's been completely underwhelming.
Mike-another game, another horror shows (what else is new?) and gets beat for the first goal and left for dead. Cannot run and must be a sub, and that's that.
Akinola-sorry, there cannot be a worse striker in all of MLS. He is not fit, can't run, has zero touch, no hold up play....is literally like we are playing a man down. Remind me why we don't have a striker again? This can't go on like this.
Johnson, very good again. Where would we be without him?
Others-sorry, no more point going on, it was a massively disappointing 2 points down the drain. I'll say it to the cows come home, Bob and Manning must be fired. Not at the end of the season, not next month. Not tomorrow. Right now. And lets get on the business of returning to quality and winning football this great city expects.
Cheers.
Last edited by Hala Hrvatska; 04-02-2023 at 08:18 AM.
Calmed down a bit….Condensed your points to respond - the head to head match up was so obvious though and duly noted
Pointing it out - I have brought it to ticket rep but might need to do what Stevep did, as I said World Cup hype will short term save MLS, maybe people like Molinaro, Buffery or anyone who is not a shill needs to write about it, would be nice to at least voice it.
Summer sport - not 100% in agreement with you on this, been in London in January at a game and nearly froze to the bones with the dampness, but it was a enclosed stadium and the wind didnt get through.. none or very little of the MLS stadiums are designed to prevent the winter/spring winds and the typical 10 degree drop after sunset. I could go on about, quality of play, fan enjoyment, stadium atmosphere, risk of muscle pulls but if they can get more people streaming and sitting at home (some Business genius must have the stats) then let the teams play to half empty stadiums.
Start time and European followers, never even thought about that one but very astute observation, also i used to like to go out for dinner after the game.
I just think these are self induced mistakes … if i wanted to stream the game and 9 others live, I wouldn’t be a SSH. just my thoughts.
Found the Kilbane video, posted in the MB thread.
Last rant...shame on the MLS for putting our games in March/April at 7;30 at night. This is not playable weather, is not watchable. Families can't watch in this weather, is too f/ing cold...and not worth it.
Am assuming it was a sell out but tonnes of empty seats....lots came late, were in halftime tunnels well into the second half....left early as well... I have seasons, 4 of them and am getting fed up with this crap product and late night starts in cold weather. Took my son and his two buddies and they are all rep players who love football and they even lost interest. If we are losing that's one thing...but 9;30 at night, freezing cold, its not watchable.
PS in my city, there is a facebook group of dads....saw lots of "free ticket" giveaways...again for the game. Have to assume 99% is weather related. Shame on mls.
I like the idea of consistent time slots. My antidotal observation is that running around to avoid the completion from a viewership perspective is a false economy. Best to stay consistent with something (whatever that may be) and feed your diehards, let everything blossom from there.
Really I would have rather taken the money we spent on Insgine and spent it on relocating the Argos + contributing to a retrofit of the stadium to turn it into what it should be for WC 2026 and thereafter: a 35k-40k enclosed stadium that actually protects fans from inclement weather.
I agree that given the current setup they are really killing the fan experience with evening kickoffs at the end of winter.
It was a mission to find the hot drinks in the east stand - after a bit of a wild goose chase on the 2nd level the only concession that had it was at the far north end.
The hot chocolate tastes like water.
Thanks for posting The Kilbane video Hala, I just realized who should be running this team that fellow Irishman sure knows his football. Agreed with everything you said in your game summary above , but Bernadeschi yellow only happened because our captain kept silent on the play he’s the one who should be in the refs face not Bernie, but we are stuck with this father and son mess so the horror show continues.
This is just my $0.02 but MB looks a lot less vocal / captain like than he did in years past. Time to pass the torch I think.
De Guzman added in his comments on TSN that this father and son dynamic potentially could cause problems in the dressing room and should not be occurring at this level.
This is still a huge issue for me. Apple saw some clips of ultra groups and thought that's what footy fandom is. I hope those boys have a good time, but that's just the parroting of European football culture for me. Having nothing but evening games destroys the ability to create real grass roots lifelong fandom. If every week is an evening game the audience will become even more drinking age male, with more alcohol in them already. Who wants this? I know in the 10 years I stood behind the net before moving out west it was always easier to give the capos two fingers during day games. At night they're so drunk you have to ignore them for fear of being screamed at by your fellow supporters, by someone not watching the football🙄. The future of North American football is with the kids. We cannot create our own culture while we hold onto these idle ideas about European football culture. Racist, sexist drunk, angry European football culture. At PFC they work really hard at making the game fun for kids, they know the supporters groups are gonna do their thing, and they let them, but the game day is focused on the family atmosphere. It's a better feeling that TFC matches, even with only 5k people. Because at every match our community comes together, not just the drunk males looking to peacock themselves like the ultras they've seen on tv or heard in stories. Sorry rant over, I hate the forced culture so much, it break my heart. Apple should have one or two prime time matches a week, but most matches on weekends should be played under the sun, not the lights.
It was freaking cold & miserable in the south end last night - the only good point was it wasn't raining.
I couldn't do it after 45 minutes...just way too cold.
Any other 4 hour window of today or yesterday and we win that game. The wind lessened our technical ability & upped their physical presence. Happens
****
TSN going after MB is an interesting choice. It might be a case of trying to differentiate themselves from the Apple broadcast which although not complete puffery (all the pundits regularly indicate they think TFC is going to fail this year), is very "you will love this".
***
And yes those 2 commentators are not good but Caldwell is not good in another way I just can't stand.
To me, this whole thing is clearly just to make Apple happy.
If all but three of the games are simultaneous, most package subscribers will only watch their own team, as most of the others are simulcast, and their hope is that, as it is evening, people will turn over to Apple programs because they're already on the App.
That's all this is about, channeling as much viewership towards Apple as possible, because Apple subscriber numbers are required to protect the value of their deal.
There was no consideration of weather, or timing, or Canada. Apple said "this is what we want," and they caved like the passel of corporate stooges that they are.
They are trying to copy the BBC model, basically, with the "wrap up" show being their version of "Match of the Day."
The argument is that football is not a sport where local teams draw large foreign support UNLESS they're a huge, premier-level club already. Most MLS clubs have 80-100% attendance, and they've seen from past national broadcasts on ESPN and Fox that the only people who watch the average MLS team are local fans.
So there's no percentage in "stacking games", which means they don't HAVE to start earlier. They don't care if kids go, because kids don't spend money until they're old enough to stay up to 10 pm anyway. They just take full-rate seats away from other adults in markets where, again, they already have 80-100% saturation.
From a business perspective, I understand Apple's reasoning.
From a pragmatic standpoint, given the weather six months a year here, it's absurd.
They could easily, also, have had one early game yesterday, same as the first four weeks. But someone watching a 2 pm start isn't going to necessarily stay on the couch afterwards and watch Ted Lasso.
Also, Fede basically refuses to track back and play defense.
At this point, we should probably be playing him as an out-and-out striker, as the final third is where he's effective and dangerous. He shows disinterest in being anywhere else, a luxury we can't really afford. His passing in the middle and final third are woeful, repeatedly the worst completion rate on the team. He's passing at under 75% last time I checked, which is pretty bad even for a winger.
They had multiple right-side breaks yesterday in which other players had to cheat over to cover his side.
Move him to striker or false nine.
I thought Bradley was problematic today. He was good a few times going forward and the header was nice. He had trouble tracking runners again due to speed. But the real problem was his inability to hold possession, turn on the ball and find space. He was just too slow to evade anyone. I counted three out-and-out strips where they just took the ball off him, and at least three times when, because he couldn't find space, he passed the ball into a crowd and gave it up.
He was a turnover machine. Kaye couldn't pass, Michael couldn't move, Servania was inaccurate across the board. Oso was leggy and probably shouldn't have been playing.
Frankly thought all three of our central mids were pretty awful yesterday. Servania was at least quick enough to defend but his control and passing were poor. Kaye was horrendous. His passing was terrible.
Coelo, again, looked exceptional. Several tough vertical passes, evading tackles that would've locked up Michael or MAK, keeping the ball moving. Really, as long as they can get his papers settled, he should be starting. Remove one of either MB or MAK and slot him in, and we will instantly be a better team for it.
The biggest issue to me is that we seemed to revert tactically to that purely vertical, quick touch into space style that he tried in the first game. It doesn't work. We're not Real Fucking Madrid. Attempt to cover 70 yards of the pitch with short passes only, all vertically, with no horizontal movement or switch of play until the final third, is lunacy.
I think we were set up to fail. At the very least, up 2-0 at the half, put on another central defender. It's a battle against the wind, and we have Michael in the box defending, because Hedges is wide, because JMR is too high defending the player Fede hasn't bothered to chase.
What a shitshow.
100% agreed. And not potentially, but it is. The fact de guzman said the quiet part out loud is shocking but much appreciated.
Finally tsn and/or anyone said what needed to be said. No more walking around on eggshells....or the elephant in the room....
This is like house league soccer with the father coaching the son...unheard of...and definitely the captain's arm band has to go to someone else.
Well said jloome. Nothing more to add to that.
My only non-negative to add is thank God we have a central defense now, or we would probably be bottom of the league.
That, and Ralph Priso was awful yesterday coming on in the second half for Colorado. Much talent, bad decisions. He's like a young Weston McKennie. He'll be fooling coaches with his potential for teams and teams to come.
I sort of feel like we have the pieces now to be competitive and we've just hit a point where Bob's tactical and personnel decisions are suspect.
I think he got it right against Atlanta and Miami, but the rest of the season so far is just the wrong look, playing at a speed we can't maintain through the middle.
WE have no consistency. We're like a microcosm of MAK and MB: inconsistent and slow in the middle.
Can only hope at this point that he changes tack, or that we hit a good stretch where combined training performances, good weather and smart tactical choices lead to some consistent quality. I felt last week like maybe we were turning a corner, but one week of poor weather was all it took to make them fall apart.
EDIT: Also, ONE win in six games. And that's with a defense that has limited our opponents to basically a goal a game, with two shutouts. If we hit ONE win in 10 games, does Manning maybe get off his thumbs and start looking at whether Bob's approach is working?
My one nightmare outcome is we get rid of Bradley and hire Jessie Marsch.
Last edited by jloome; 04-02-2023 at 11:28 AM.
Has anybody heard an updated timeline for Insigne.. or is the 4 weeks more like indefinite until he decides he wants to go?
One win since August...the Manning/Bradley disaster had to end. The sooner the better. We can turn it around with literally anyone else at the helm.
And even if this continues, manning won't make a change..he brought BB here...he won't admit what a collasal mistake its been. Manning has to go now. Someone has to be accountable for this and he cannot escape it anymore.
Agreed on the centre backs...liking them and Johnson...
And yeah, and NO more Americans...Marcsh would be a disaster here like BB....enough of the Americans getting fired elsewhere....not good enough.
Time for South American or Europeans...time for a clean break.
I still remember when Perez came in and had the cojones to bench Mike...no chance for that under BB...and its the same old crap as our midfield gets overun...including BB's handpicked Kaye who is simply not good enouggh to be a starter here.
It looked so promising for the 45 minutes I was in the stadium. Bob’s gotta be on the hotseat. I give it 3 more games and then sacked if they aren’t all wins.
AND why the fuck are there games this late? We were up 2 nil after 45 and I was part of a mass exodus of fans that couldn’t stand the cold. Put on top that I waited in 30 person line to get into the stadium for like 20 mins. MLS operations is shit.
After their performances this week, a good manager would sit a bunch of these guys, I think.
What I'd like to see next week, but won't.
------------------Johnson---------------
Laryea---Hedges---Rostad---Petretta/Franklin (if Insigne is out)
-----------Servania---Coelo-----------
-------------------Osorio----------------
----Bernadeschi------------Insigne/Petretta (if Insigne is out)-----
-------------------Kerr------------------
I dunno, maybe sub in Peruzza in the 2nd half if Kerr is ineffective. He's big, he's tall, he scored buckets of goals before we signed him to a first team deal to not play him. We need a target man style striker, although I think Kerr has real potential as he's pretty big and strong, as well as being fast.
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