Five Takes On The Five Stripes

The one where we find our ”foot”ing late

1: When you strike a wounded animal it’s going to either roll over and die, or lash out one last time. Montreal came in full gas with the knowledge that a two week break to rest and recover awaited them. They looked lethargic at first, but after their first goal they played with a speed, fluidity and intensity they we simply could not match in the first half. 

 

2: In stark contrast to the March “Make your own luck” scarves, we made our own problems. So many of Montreal’s chances and virtually all of their goals started off from bad giveaways and errant passes. This is a mentality thing and it’s pretty shocking. Apparently we still don’t have that that step on your throat break your mentality that puts games away early. 

 

3: It’s hard to compliment the back line considering how often it got torched but I thought Alan Franco put in a shift. It probably isn’t going to be reflected on Sofa score because of the score line but he did have probably his best game of the season it terms of the duels and balls he won. 

 

4: And suddenly we’re lethal from 22 yards out 🤷‍♂️. All 3 goals are GOTW contenders. It’s great to see Josef score from open play and it was a vintage Josef goal with him receiving the ball on the edge of the box, taking one touch and putting it where no keeper saves it. Thiago probably takes it though. He cuts a defender, is off balance and puts it in the top corner. I still don’t think we quite know how to use him in Gonzo’s system but we’ll figure it out and it’s good to know he’s got that in his bag. 

 

5: I think this is a tough game for a coach. What exactly do you say in the locker room post game speech and presser? Great fight back, but also….damn. Well the fight back is good and that’s probably a quality we didn’t have over the last two years. 

The one where we experience new lows at new highs

1: Josef continues to be in good positions unfortunately he is missing that final touch. I’m happy to see him in the positions we want him to be in but if we get a couple more games of him unable to finish that is going to be a point of concern. Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that these are chances he should absolutely be putting away. It’s not like he’s missing on low percentage shots.

 

2: The number of chances created were down in the first half and that is not surprising considering we are missing the people that create our chances. Missing Luiz and Moreno is massive and it showed. I would’ve introduced Dwyer to the match earlier than we did. 

 

3: We seem to have the worst possible luck when it comes to injuries and health for the players. We have heart and attack and apparently now we might also have heart attack. I’m not sure what’s going on with Ozzie but him being sidelined due to a cardiologist recommendation is really concerning. I don’t want to see another Christian Eriksen situation on the pitch. We have one of the most expensive and impressive lineups in the league. Now, if we could just have it all available at the same time.

 

4: Alan Franco was really really poor tonight. He was involved in the concession of the first two goals. He looked lackadaisical and disinterested. It was bizarre. 

 

5: We could be in for another slow-ish start. On paper we have the most talented, and expensive roster in the league. We just can’t get all the pieces together at the same time. We’re missing (at full starting health/fitness) Araujo, Moreno, Thiago, Sosa, Hyndman, Ozzie and Mulraney. Now we will be missing Miles for the Charlotte match. Couple all that with Josef not quite being able to put the team on his back when we occasionally need him to, and it could be a rough march through March. 

The one where we Dom-inate

1: I’m not trying to minimize what’s going on in the world right now but I feel really hopeful. If Dom Dwyer can score a goal in Atlanta United colors, anything is possible. I’m thrilled to have an additional attacking option up front THAT CAN SCORE. A very impressive start for DD coming off the bench way earlier than expected, playing on a position he’s not meant to and scoring. 

2: There’s a great Mark Twain Quote. 

There are three things a wise man fears. The storm at sea, a night with no moon, and the rage of a calm patient man. Ozzie Alonso is that man. He’s that intelligent controlling midfield presence we’ve been wanting, but he’ll also cut you if pressed. That aggression is something we have been missing over the last couple seasons. Grant it, I’d prefer the yellows to come a little later but I’m happy to see a little 😤 

 

3: Find you someone who loves as you as much as Gutman loves sliding into a challenge. I’d like to thank the NYRB for training him into a damn animal. You can tell he’s brought some that bull mentality with him and we are all the better for it. 

 

4: Anyone can score a hat trick on opening day but can you get an assist brace with one of your former sworn enemies? Josef looked great out there today. He was active in all the ways we’ve come to expect. He had a number of shots on goal and with a little more fine tuning, he’s gonna be putting them away with regularity. If the over under on goals for Josef is at 15, I’m taking the over. Easy.  

 

5: So Wiley were at it, let’s talk about how good our academy system is. It just keeps producing real talent and we will develop a record of consistently moving that talent on to big clubs around the world. Absolutely thrilled for Wiley. Campbell was also tremendous today and Tyler Wolff was excellent. That’s 3 academy players on the pitch tonight. All producing and providing. 

 

It’s extremely tragic that we lost one our academy prospects in a senseless drunk driving accident. Our hearts are with the family and friends of Christian Carrillo. He is gone far too soon and he will be missed. 

The one where we are stopped short at short-stop.

1: There’s a reason NYC has only lost like, half dozen games at Yankee stadium. I hate playing here. The margin for error is so thin. Set pieces are even more of a threat then they normally are. Any chances that NYC had came from our mistakes which unfortunately are always going to be magnified in this venue. 

 

2: There were some nervy moments towards the end of the first half but overall we looked pretty comfortable in the first half. I think having the past two weeks to train on a pitch that matches the smaller dimensions was a big help. I didn’t see too many over hit passes. We didn’t look like we were jamming ourselves up. Passing looked clean, crisp careful and deliberate. 

 

3: NYC came out in the first minutes with energy carried over from the end of the first  that we did not match and then they got the flukiest of fluky goals. I’ll be honest that I thought it was going well over the bar too but as a player, you can’t make that same assumption. We were caught flat footed on that goal and the second. 

 

4: We’re always going to keep Josef on because his ability to hit a wonder strike but over the last few matches he hasn’t been able to get on the ball much at all. He’s been static, most of the time waiting for the ball to land at his feet. Looking forward to seeing a fully fit King in 2022. 

 

5: In hindsight, maybe we shouldn’t have been as careful and patient as we were in the first half. We were measured and controlled but maybe we should’ve taken a few more risks and a few more chances at getting that early goal rather than bank on the match going our way the longer we kept it to 0’s. I think the future looks…..positive and a little uncertain. The ship was definitely righted in the 2nd half of the season but I fear we are in for another super silly silly season. There will be a number of moves, some of them key core members of the squad. I hope Pineda has a lot of input and we get the signings done as quickly as possible. It’s going to be a short offseason. 

The one where we are those MO%$!@F%$#!@!

1: What happens in New Jersey apparently travels to Cincinnati. Ironically, we looked like could’ve used a Red Bull in the first half.  It was a surprisingly and disappointing slow and uninspired first half. Given the opportunity that was in front of us I expected us to come out fighting and take control of the game immediately. Now with the NYC and Philly result it didn’t end up mattering in terms of getting a home game, but it was disappointing nonethless. To put it simply, we looked disinterested. 

 

2: Not having Moreno or Sosa left us without anyone connecting the play midfield or organizing the attack. Ibarra just didn’t provide that. Our press, if you want to call it that, was ineffective. We didn’t win the ball back enough and when we did, we never capitalized. Passing and first touches were sloppy. It was down to individual runs with ball at Barco or Luiz’s feet. We were bereft of creativity and teamwork. It was a bewildering 1st half performance. 

 

3: I don’t need world class play every time but my goodness, it wasn’t until stoppage time of the first half that anyone started to even step up and have a sense or urgency. This kind of performance, even if only for one half, won’t be good enough in the post season. Certainly not against NYC on their kiddie pitch. 

 

4: So you’re telling me Bello has a chance? And then another chance? I don’t know what’s going on but if he converted even 1/3 of his chances, he’d be a completely different player and we’d be in a completely different position. 

 

5: Please tell me the PR team recorded the halftime speech. I gotta know. I’m imagining a Bill Pullman Independence Day style moment. The subs of Mulraney, and Lennon the formation switch to a back 4 made a huge difference so once again, I think credit goes to Gonzo. Also Josef Martinez is that Mo&@!%F*^%$!@. He’s given us some breathtaking goals, that one sure sucked the air out of my lungs. That being said, it’s gonna have to be a much better full 90 performance to move on from here. Hopefully having Moreno and Sosa back and healthy will help. We are going to have to be at our absolute best with our absolute best players. 

The one where neither can live while the other survives

10-30 Toronto

 

1: Luiz is that guy. He can develop the attack in midfield. He can drop back and defend. He can finish chances. He create them on his own.He had a gift of a goal but he’s still gotta unwrap it. That’s not the first time Luiz has got a goal out not giving up on the play. 

 

2: Moreno my god. The amount of distance we can travel. With the ball. Holding off a defender. 🤯

 

3: BAMM BAMM. When it’s in full effect we are seeing some of the most threatening creative attacking sequences we have ever seen in this club. Balls over the top, building out of the back, quick counters, crossing quality balls into the box. This is attacking on all fronts. 

 

4: And for all the attacking soccer…we get a draw. Having an XG of 2.6 and only one goal to show for it against bottom feeders Toronto is simply not good enough and won’t get us far in the playoffs, which, we still have to make. 

 

5: It was nice to see Jake again, if only for a brief Cameo appearance. When our starters are playing well we can forget we still have his as an ace in the hole. He always answers when called upon and it was a good move by Pineda. But it wasn’t really a spark that we needed tonight. The effort was there. The chances were there. We just weren’t clinical enough. Plain and simple. 

10-27 Miami

 

 

 

1: Josef had a poor first half. He wasn’t able to get on the ball and when he did he was easily taken off it. A lot of that I think comes down to positioning. Playing out wider and deeper doesn’t suit him. Like we talked about last time, I’m really happy we’ve been able to figure out how to score when Josef can’t go, but when we can and when he’s on the pitch…we kinda need him to. Fortunately he did just that in the 2nd half. Twice. Josef says FUCK YOUR OFFSIDE. 

 

2: I think Luiz is really figuring this soccer thing out. Totally deserving of Man of the Match with a goal and an assist. That goal was hugely impressive. Keeping it on the ground with enough pace to sneak it under the keeper is not easy. He’s been a natural fit for this team from the jump and now he’s becoming consistent with his goal/assist production rate. 

 

3: Gonzo made great subs again. Bringing Moreno on immediately at the half for Walkes was the right decision. We were chasing the game and it needed to be full attack. It also allowed Barco to drop back and have Josef assume his natural position. When BAMM is in full effect……you’re gonna like the way we score, I guarantee it. 

 

4: 25 fouls…… that we know of. 5 yellow cards. Seems Phil Neville’s side has adopted the strategy of, if you can’t beat’em, kick’em. LGP of course his contracturally obligated yellow. They were just playing a really aggressive ugly brand of football all night. We handled it well. Credit to the guys for not losing their heads. Also, half of those fouls…yeah…they were on Barco. HALF. 

 

5: No rest for the weary. We do control our own destiny. There’s still the possibility of a home playoff game but that’s gonna require at least two more wins and probably a draw.  There’s still the possibility of not making it. It’s gonna be a fight. Bare minimum we need at least a win and two draws. We would be at 51 points and that’s probably enough to play soccer in November. The schedule is in our favor. The points are there for the taking. 

The one where having a goal is not good enough

1: Marcelino is a Number 10+. Chance creator. Chance finisher. Dribbler. Back a Brinks truck up to his house and lock him in as long as we can. The only “criticism” I have is maybe go down when you’re fouled in and around the box. 

 

2: This was an outstanding defensive performance. Calm and controlled throughout nearly the whole match. Even when NYC had chances, which wasn’t often, we never panicked. There were no wild clearances. We played out of the back, found outlets and sprung the attack. Truthfully most of the time we were winning the ball back before anything could even develop anyhow. Alan Franco was outstanding. 

 

3: Some things never change and Cubo is one of those things. Largely invisible and when he did have the ball at his feet, it wasn’t long before it was taken off. Having a solid back up for Josef next season will be very important. To give him a little credit, he did have a shot that wasn’t completely sky’d and he didn’t do anything horrifically bad. 

 

4: Was it a foul? Look, we had ample opportunities to kill the game off and we just couldn’t get that 2nd goal. As it got closer and closer to full time and the more chances we didn’t convert I just felt like something has gonna happen for them off a fluke or set piece. And it did. 

 

5: I’m really happy we’ve been able to be threatening and find goals without Josef. I’d make the case that we actually looked better before Josef came on. Look, sometimes the ball just won’t go in and this was one of those nights. I think we are still in a good spot. The grind continues. It was always going to. 

The one where we got pout-ine our place

1: Terrific pressing from us in the first half. We were smothering the ball and forcing turnovers frequently. Honestly the pressure was really good in both halves. We were great at keeping the ball in the foot’s half, and attacks always seemed to be in development and the chances started coming at the end of the first. 

 

2: Moreno’s absence was a huge factor. We were missing that link up play and Rossetto didn’t really provide it. We saw Barco and especially Josef dropping back trying to link things up. When Moreno isn’t available we need Rossetto to be more involved and get forward a little more. 

 

3: Ever see a boat fly? Barco’s confidence is soaring. He’s trying some audacious stuff and if it doesn’t always come off, boy is it close. He just didn’t have the support he needed tonight. Apart from the goal created by the combination of Mulraney and Araujo, he was the sole chance creator out there. Unfortunately with Josef out for the entirety of 2nd, there really wasn’t anyone to get on the end of the chance creation. That’s a problem Gonzo will have to solve. We still don’t have a great like for like replacement for Jo or a different way of scoring when he’s not out there. Tho, Barco damn near put the team on his back and drew us level towards the end. He really put in a shift. 

 

4: Bello needs to be better in the final third. He’s been great in receiving the ball and continuing to develop the attack but that last pass from him or shot needs to come sooner. Be more decisive Bello, please and thank you. 

 

5: Jake Mulraney was terrific again. He hasn’t seen a ton of minutes over the last few months so it’s great to see him be so impactful. Also, has his footwork always been that good? He’s known to us for his speed and energy but he ain’t half bad on the dribble either. 

El donde Atlanta es familia

1: Miami was playing super compact. It was difficult to break down for the first 30 minutes but then we started to find ways through by being a little more direct and incisive. I was pleased with the set piece productivity again. No goals, but there were a handful of half chances that looked really good. Barco also put ANOTHER ball right on target. He’s really trying to dethrone Kratz. I would’ve like to seen us drive into the space more than we did. We have dribblers who just didn’t dribble much tonight. 

 

2: Brooks was so good in the first half. He was a big reason why Miami didn’t come down our right much at all. He was cutting off passing lanes, and positioning himself really well to be right where we needed him to be in dangerous situations. His usual freakish levels of endurance were once again on display. 

 

3: This is a really important win for us and not just because of our position in the table. It’s our first win over Miami. We tend to struggle with teams who sit a little deeper and play compact. We get frustrated. We start taking wild shots (there were a couple) and then we get exposed on the counter. The defense was pretty rock solid tho and we found a way tonight, even if that PK was….questionable. Full credit to Gonzo, smart, if not a little risky, effective subs that paid off. Jake coming on for Anton changed the game. 

 

4: Santi played his role to perfection tonight. His passing was pinpoint. He neutralized threats before they developed into attacking plays. He was really good on the half turn and, he even had a few half nutmegs. He just looked really great, really mature professional performance from him. He looked like a solid veteran leader out there tonight. 

 

5: 100/124. After recovering from an ACL. That is prolific on a level this league has never seen. 

The one where we are pro union, except when we play them.

1: I was really surprised by the lack of energy and intensity, especially in the first half. I mean Philly wants to play a slower game in general but that doesn’t mean we have to match that. Passing sequences were slow without much verticality. Even without Josef’s intensity I didn’t expect it to be as plodding as it was. 

 

2: I guess Gonzo went into the locker room at half and said, that’s it, no more cake! The quality of play was raised but not the pace really. At least we were better with the ball and kept it in the unions half.  But, even with better control  of the match, we didn’t have a lot of clear opportunities. 

 

3: Guz is the only reason it was only a 1-0 score line. The back line looked out of sorts. Miles especially was lacking, which was another surprise. To be honest, no one really showed up. Much of the struggles might be chalked up to not having Alan Franco due to yellow card accumulation. Gonzo did mention that this last Thursday’s training session wasn’t sharp. Maybe one too many cake smashes. He’ll have to figure out how to approach balancing training and rest with the squad. How to balance kind of being the fun positive energy guy with also being demanding. Balancing that is probably made even more complicated because of the issues with Heinze. 

 

4: Rob Valentino wasn’t with the team and hasn’t been for the past few days due to Health and Safety protocols. Coach Pineda mentioned his absence as making things more difficult. That’s a little curious for me. I mean, is Rob’s absence that much of a factor? Is he really that spark? I only bring it up because Gonzo specifically mentioned it as being a factor. That’s odd for me. 

 

5: This was a weird and kind of concerning match. I can’t really point to anything tactically speaking that was a problem. We didn’t play badly persay, we just didn’t really play at all. Under Heinze we could point to exhaustion and even questionable tactics, but the players always showed up. So this was pretty weird to witness. Hopefully this is just a weird blip. No more cake smashes until the energy is back.