Five Takes On The Five Stripes

1: 🎵Heyyy we’re 2/3 there! Ohhhhhh, this is hard to bare. 🎵 Over the past few matches we’ve seen progression. Today was a regression for me. That doesn’t mean we played like trash, but it wasn’t better. 

We played well in the first 45. We more or less had control of the match. We created the opportunities to create the opportunity. However unlike the previous three matches, it wasn’t the finishing that was missing today, it was the final pass. 

 

2: Some curious play from Araujo. I don’t know why he felt like trying to hit a 25 yard curler was his best option. I’ve got no problem with a shot on target from downtown. Thiago damn near had GOTW, but not when there’s better options to the left/right. We know he’s skilled. We know he’s got got wheels. He can be a real problem for the opposition. None of his immense skill was on display today tho. Perhaps he’s still coming back from injury, but in his own words, he said he’s 100% and we should be prepared to see a different version of Luiz. 

 

3: Alan looks better physically and technically. His situational awareness and decision making is still catching him out. He’s gotta be better at reading the game and being turned on in the big moments. The silly yellow card is another good example of just needing to play smarter. 

 

4: Oh good grief here we go with set piece vulnerability again. Credit to Montreal for the trickery they deployed but we HAVE to be switched on in these moments. I really feel like it has been better this year, but today was not good. 

 

5: You can see the players are doing what I think Gonzo wants. We’re not playing badly. But we are still lacking that killer mentality. Maybe we need to implement a policy of no more cake until we start burrying chances? There is no denying that the lack of results is ramping up pressure on everyone. There’s plenty of soccer left to play, hopefully with a healthy Josef, but goals build confidence. Results build confidence. Both have to come and soon. 

1: Cisneros’ best start by far. I really would not write this guy off yet. Is he gonna have double digit goals? No probably not. But can we get some production out of him until Josef is back? Yeah absolutely. I think I prefer him starting to Dom. I like Dom coming as a sub when the situation calls for it. Jackson is also still an option but his performance in MLS hasn’t been good enough to justify starting. He will get opportunities tho and he’s gonna need to capitalize on them big time to see more minutes. 

 

2: Everything everywhere all at once is the best way to describe injuries and bad luck with our club. Hopefully Dom isn’t seriously hurt and the staff is just being cautious (which is understandable) but man, we just can’t get anything to break our way. And yeah, title winning teams, on top of being very good, have things just go there way too and that isn’t happening for us. It really is the little things that are keeping us from results. 

 

3: Gotta be happy with set piece defending and productivity this season. We’re only a third of the way through season and we’ve already scored more off dead ball situations than we did the whole of the ‘21 season. We now look like a team capable and maybe even likely of scoring off set pieces, especially in swinging corners. 

 

4: Action around the box looked great. The passing was quick and crisp. We created space that created chances. Thiago and Moreno combined well. Passing around the box looke great. Once we were in the final third we were going straight to goal. Once again, the finishing is a problem. Thiago and especially Brooks are not natural finishers but regardless, they both had opportunities that have to be put away. 

 

5: We now lead the league in times fouled and apologies from PRO. 

1: There is no way, absolutely no way you can say Atlanta United played poorly. I’d argue that we looked better in the attacking phase (which was often) without Josef. We dominated the ball. We controlled the run of play. We could not buy a goal. We had an XG of close to 4. You’re gonna have to miss me with any Gonzo out takes. This game was crying out for Josef. It was custom made for him. Yup. It’s a factor that he wasn’t there. 

 

2: George Campbell is a fist choice defender. He’s earned that. He’s now had back to back to back games where he’s made saving tackles and blocks. He’s still making potentially costly offensive errors but those are becoming less frequent too. 

 

3: We gotta figure out Moreno and Almada. For me they’re still not combining like we need them to. Almada is still most productive centrally while getting frequent touches on the ball. So is Moreno. If that can get sorted out, and we have someone up top who can finish off what they create, well then we’ve really got something. 

 

4: A 👏 C 👏 L 👏 We now lead the league in fouls won and injuries incurred. Has to be. I don’t know if we need to do a sage burn over the whole of the city but we seemed to be cursed. When Guz went down it looked like an ACL tear to me and given his age, if that’s the case, the Guz Out crowd might get their wish sooner than expected. Thankfully we do have a veteran backup but we have also lost our third stringer, also due to an ACL. 

 

5: Kaaaaaaannnnnnnnn. You’ve got to give credit where it’s due and Alec deserves it. He’s always been a tremendous shot stopper and he showed it tonight. On top of saving the penalty he was solid all night. His distribution might still be lacking, but Cincinnati has to be happy with him thus far. I’m happy for his success. Just wish it wasn’t against us. 

1: Thiago looked very good for his first start. Apart from producing another GOW, there’s not much more he could e done to get a goal tonight. He was very involved in the attacking play. He was eager to take players on, won his duels, stole balls and played several good balls into Moreno and Josef and Jackson. I think he’s going to develop into a big chance creator for us. He’s acclimated to the team very quickly and we’re all the better for it. 

 

2: Really happy that we’re getting more production out of our set piece opportunities as well as being able to defend them better. We’ve scored off a hand full now and we defended corner after corner tonight. Gressel out like 10 dead balls into the 18 and somehow DC didn’t convert on any of them. That’s impressive considering how often we have conceded from corners in the past. 

 

3: Guzan was massive again tonight and Alan Franco was at times a liability. Alan has been very up and down. Considering he was initially a DP signing we really need him to be more consistent and steady than he has been. 

 

4: I would like to see us be able to spring counter attacks quicker and more effectively. We can get an intiial ball out but then we hold up the play too often. We’re not a counter attacking team but we can do more with those opportunities. 

 

5: I love to see Moreno on the dribble, just maybe at better times. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes off it’s beautiful watch, but there’s just a few instances when he should lay it off instead. That aside, he was very good once again and had the game winner! Considering how often we was kicked and hacked at, he had a great performance. He’s the new Barco in terms of being on the receiving end of fouls. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.