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MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - Printable Version

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MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - Viking_Guy - 11-07-2014

A great result, and the result of some great work.

It really didn't look like it would be early, as the Huskies were an absolute buzzsaw for the opening 10 minutes.  While Jimmy Callinan had a nice volley for the game's first shot, UW was camped in Stanford's end from the 4th minute until the 12th - they had 5 shots, hit the post on a header, and earned SIX corner kicks in the opening 12 minutes of the match.  Stanford was really just looking for a way to ease the pressure a bit.

They found the best way, as Austin Meyer got some space on the left side just in the offensive half, no defender closed, and he took his time flighting a ball into Zach Batteer.  Batteer, heavily marked with his back to goal about 8 yards out, jumped and got a perfect flick-on head on the ball, arcing it just over the Huskies' great keeper Spencer Richey.  Completely against the run of play.  And it completely changed the nature of the game.

Stanford slowly worked itself more and more on balance.  They no longer gave up long spells of Washington possession in their defensive third, but instead started to establish more possession, and went into the half maintaining that 1-0 lead, thanks in large part to a great half by Andrew Epstein in goal, especially when Brian Nana-Sinkam let a pass get through his legs to the Huskies' best player, Cristian Roldan, cutting in behind him and alone on the goalmouth.  Hilliard-Arce came across to pressure, but Roldan still got off a sharp-angle blast from about six yards out that Epstein managed to make a reaction block to clear.

That lead quickly doubled after the half.  But not before UW's annoyingly pesky Josh Heard made a lovely chip touch to himself to beat Nana-Sinkam and break in on Epstein.  Andrew went low, and Heard couldn't bring the ball down, but even without much if any contact it could've been called a foul and a PK.

Which really became important when the Huskies' left center back completely muffed a clearance into Zach Batteer's legs, and Batteer broke in alone, feeding Jordan Morris across the face of goal to complete a tap-in for the 2 vs goalie breakaway finish.

And that really put Stanford on the front foot for the rest of the game.  After being outshot 9-5 in the first half, they outshot UW 14-7 in the second, and really should have had 1 or 2 more goals.  But Spencer Richey spent a large part of the last 30 minutes standing on his head, with kick saves, tip saves, reaction saves, and throwing whatever part of his body he could in front of the ball to keep it out of his net.  He managed to do so, but UW really couldn't mount much of a sustained attack.  Their best chance of the second half came with only about 7 minutes left, and was another brilliant stop by Epstein off a point-blank header.  But they only had two other weak header attempts in the last 20 minutes, as Stanford competently and cleanly cleared its lines and saw the game out.

For me, gameball to (1) Andrew Epstein, for not giving up one in the opening 10 minutes, and keeping Stanford in it, and (2) Ty Thompson, who had a marvelous game shutting down UW's midfield, including Roldan, for long stretches with high pressure, sure tackling, and an absolutely phenomenal workrate.  Zach Batteer was the big offensive force tonight, but to shut down a UW side averaging more than 2 goals a game after that opening 10 minutes, especially given our sometimes-uncertain backline, argues for some midfield heroes.

On Epstein - he doesn't get a lot of publicity, because he doesn't have many saves very often.  The problem, in relation to what WiM posted in the "Troubling" thread, is that, when Stanford's D goes bad, it doesn't just bend - it snaps completely.  Almost every goal I've seen against Epstein this year has been from a breakaway, or an unmarked player, or (as in the UCLA game) a defender doing a poor job of shielding an attacker off the ball.  He's almost never beaten from outside (unless it's through a forest of people obstructing his view), and he's been an absolute rock in the back in the middle of an at-times uncertain defense that often has Callinan and Vincent caught well up the pitch.

More later, now on to volleyball.  It's a fun Cardinal sports Friday.

VG


Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - washingtonismoney - 11-07-2014

See, I don't think the problem with the defense is that the fullbacks are often caught upfield. I think the problem is that it just doesn't ever seem to get organized at all. Like, often you see teams organize in two banks of four, roll deep, etc. With Stanford, when it's trying to defend on its end of the field, it just kind of surges to the ball.

Basically, Stanford -- when it has the ball and doesn't -- seems to see the game as a series of individual battles rather than a team game. That works OK on offense, because it has talented players who often instinctively combine as teammates. On defense those instincts get harnessed to pressing high and not taking prisoners. But it's kind of strange overall.

Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - 81alum - 11-07-2014

That was fun to watch...we kept attacking throughout.  Nice to see our first win over Washington in many years.  And nice write up, VG!

Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - Viking_Guy - 11-07-2014

WiM--

One thing I've noticed - there appears to be a trend toward almost a 2-5-3 formation, where the outside backs are really more outside midfielders with defensive responsibilities.  Ty Thompson and Austin Meyer are often more defensively-oriented than Callinan and Vincent.  A central triangle of two center backs and a defensive center mid as the primary line, taking away the central forward channel.

But you're right, they tend to disorganization.  I'm specifically remembering UCLA's score at Stanford, when a Bruin got in the middle of three Stanford defenders completely unmarked to score.

Now the big thing is NO TRAP game against the Beavers, and no looking forward to C.al.  OSU beat da Bares 4-3 today, by the way.  Which means Stanford is now in second in the Pac-12.

VG


Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - washingtonismoney - 11-07-2014

For all the carping about the defense...UW only put 2 shots on goal, per the official website? Unsure whether (if accurate) UW's 16 shots/2 shots-on-goal ratio represents wayward finishing, or Stanford forcing UW into bad shots, or whatever, but certainly a puzzler.

(Stanford put 13 shots on target. Its two goals are a bit unlucky in terms in finishing, continuing a recent theme.)

Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - Viking_Guy - 11-08-2014

WiM--

UW's first 5 or 6 shots were all VERY dangerous - close in balls, a lot of corner kick set pieces, that they just missed or had blocked by the defense, or in one case, by the post.  But none of them made it through onto frame.

The only official shots on goal were the Epstein save on Roldan and the save on the close-in header in the last 10 minutes.  But there was a lot of danger, at least early on in the match.  The last header might have been so dangerous because the Cardinal had been utterly dominating play for about 20 minutes prior to that last shot.

The defense is anything but bad - they don't give up a lot of chances.  UW's shot total tonight was probably one of the highest all season; understandable, given they score more than 2 goals a game, and are pretty much a "volume shooting" side.  Stanford has given up only 13 goals in 16 games, and only  given up more than one goal twice - the season-opening loss to Creighton and the 2-2 draw in Westwood.

Whatever the case, this is the BIGGEST win for Stanford men's soccer in a long time (outside perhaps of last year's post-season run).  They hadn't taken a point off the Huskies since 2008, and hadn't beaten a top-20 team this season - lots of draws, and the win against a Delaware team that was ranked but is currently in the 50s of the RPI.

And they still control their destiny.  If they win against the Beavers on Sunday, and then can win in Berkeley next week, Stanford will win the Pac-12 title.

First things first.  Take care of business against OSU.

VG


Re: MSoc: #10 Stanford 2 #3 UW 0 - washingtonismoney - 11-08-2014

OSU's Khiry Shelton is very good, so no disagreement here that they're a dangerous team.

With respect to the defense: statistically they look pretty good, at least from what I can glean. I think the backline and GK are individually good. The defense high presses well, as I've said. Just, visually, they look so helter-skelter and disorganized when they're defending on their side of the field. I can't get over it.