09-04-2016, 08:25 PM
DC--
A few thoughts.
Midfield play has been really disappointing, especially Baird and Werner. Not connecting the forwards to the backline at all. Skundrich has done okay with the position shift to holding mid, but he's not the distributor they need there.
Their work rate has also been really disappointing; can't tell if it's championship-itis or what, but the first game and 2/3rds, they really looked disinterested, especially in the attack. Their only scoring "outburst" has been when they went man down late against St. Mary's and scored two fairly quickly, but other than that, they've been held to ONE score in 4 games + almost 70 minutes of overtime. That one goal is the only goal they've scored in "normal soccer."
Don't know if it's by design, but the outside backs are also providing very little to the attack - tonight, against a man-down Hoosier side, they were pulling up 15 yards past the midline to launch speculative crosses into Langsdorf covered by 2 or 3 defenders.
Defensively, they've been solid, for the most part - but when it breaks down, it's almost always starting in the midfield and wide.
And more than that, they feel like they're ready to burst - WAY too many fouls, stupid aggression, etc. Gunn has got to take this in hand. Red card against Hilliard-Arce for stamping on an opponent's foot after a tangle in the box down 2-0 against St. Mary's; maybe he was trying to wake his team up, but that put them out of system against Notre Dame. Against the Irish, they were dominating the run of play until a second yellow against an outside back, and still had some good chances down a player - but should've been able to hold on. The tying goal was scored by an Irish player standing wide open in the penalty area because the midfield didn't get back to cover with less than 3 minutes left and a 1 goal lead down a player. Today, the first half was a series of hard challenges, but Langsdorf could very easily have been sent off for raising his arm while getting up after a foul and appearing to hit a Hoosier in the crotch. Of course, the Indiana player did make a bit of a meal of it, but still...
More generally, Langsdorf and Bashti aren't really connected to the midfield - Foster is playing target forward, and Bashti lying slightly deeper.
Yes, they miss Morris and Vincent. But my key departure is Ty Thompson - the holding midfielder who was the rock in front of the defense, but also distributed the ball well. Skundrich is trying, but appears to be more comfortable on the dribble rather than the two-touch release. Baird and Werner appear content to dribble at people.
There are some positives - the play of freshman Bryce Marion out on the right, and Beason in defense. But tonight, in 70 minutes against a team playing man down, they managed exactly 4 shots TOTAL, of which only 2 were vaguely threatening - the great header by Hilliard-Arce and a speculative shot from about 25 by Bashti. The first was the only real chance I saw Stanford take after halftime, and through the two OTs.
Definitely a work in progress, and some hard opposition on the road. But the lack of a finisher, and the lack of discipline, are troubling.
VG
A few thoughts.
Midfield play has been really disappointing, especially Baird and Werner. Not connecting the forwards to the backline at all. Skundrich has done okay with the position shift to holding mid, but he's not the distributor they need there.
Their work rate has also been really disappointing; can't tell if it's championship-itis or what, but the first game and 2/3rds, they really looked disinterested, especially in the attack. Their only scoring "outburst" has been when they went man down late against St. Mary's and scored two fairly quickly, but other than that, they've been held to ONE score in 4 games + almost 70 minutes of overtime. That one goal is the only goal they've scored in "normal soccer."
Don't know if it's by design, but the outside backs are also providing very little to the attack - tonight, against a man-down Hoosier side, they were pulling up 15 yards past the midline to launch speculative crosses into Langsdorf covered by 2 or 3 defenders.
Defensively, they've been solid, for the most part - but when it breaks down, it's almost always starting in the midfield and wide.
And more than that, they feel like they're ready to burst - WAY too many fouls, stupid aggression, etc. Gunn has got to take this in hand. Red card against Hilliard-Arce for stamping on an opponent's foot after a tangle in the box down 2-0 against St. Mary's; maybe he was trying to wake his team up, but that put them out of system against Notre Dame. Against the Irish, they were dominating the run of play until a second yellow against an outside back, and still had some good chances down a player - but should've been able to hold on. The tying goal was scored by an Irish player standing wide open in the penalty area because the midfield didn't get back to cover with less than 3 minutes left and a 1 goal lead down a player. Today, the first half was a series of hard challenges, but Langsdorf could very easily have been sent off for raising his arm while getting up after a foul and appearing to hit a Hoosier in the crotch. Of course, the Indiana player did make a bit of a meal of it, but still...
More generally, Langsdorf and Bashti aren't really connected to the midfield - Foster is playing target forward, and Bashti lying slightly deeper.
Yes, they miss Morris and Vincent. But my key departure is Ty Thompson - the holding midfielder who was the rock in front of the defense, but also distributed the ball well. Skundrich is trying, but appears to be more comfortable on the dribble rather than the two-touch release. Baird and Werner appear content to dribble at people.
There are some positives - the play of freshman Bryce Marion out on the right, and Beason in defense. But tonight, in 70 minutes against a team playing man down, they managed exactly 4 shots TOTAL, of which only 2 were vaguely threatening - the great header by Hilliard-Arce and a speculative shot from about 25 by Bashti. The first was the only real chance I saw Stanford take after halftime, and through the two OTs.
Definitely a work in progress, and some hard opposition on the road. But the lack of a finisher, and the lack of discipline, are troubling.
VG