October 20th, 2008 . 10:39 am . By: Buzz Carrick

What’s that? Uh — Playoffs? Don’t talk about — playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game! Another game. - Jim Mora

I know it’s been a while since I done one of these and I hope you will forgive me for that.  This is crunch time for me with the real job and a series of travel days and long production schedules has prevented me from seeing games in a tiny enough fashion to make some comments worth while.

But I had a weekend off and caught the Tigres game as well [copyright John Harkes] so I figured I might as well dust off the old keyboard.

And before anyone asks I don’t know why Dax McCarty was left off the travel squad.

El Bueno (The Good)

Loved the effort and desire by the reserves against Tigres.  Tigres had a bunch of regulars in that game, even more so in the second half.  FCD tired at the 70 minute mark, match fitness is not game fitness.  But the work rate was terrific and FCD “won” this game.  So full credit to them for doing so.  Unfortunately the the series tied and went to PKs.  I thought for a time FCD would take the series by winning 2-0, but the change in formation for Tigres was a good one and a few of the subs were just to good for Tigres.  Notably Ayala who was amazing.

“I think we deserved to win against a team with seven starters. It’s more a point of pride than anything else.” – Jamie Watson about Tigres

Aaron Pitchkolan was a beast against Tigres.  Two goals on the offensive end and terrific tough defense on the other end.  It’s a crime he hasn’t started the last two gamed for FCD.  Pitch deserved to be in ahead of Davino, and no explanation about leadership and experience will explain to me why he wasn’t.

Jamie Watson was terrific at forward in the Tigres game and the previous reserve game, far outplaying Oduro.  Watson was dangerous, created chaos, made intelligent runs, combined well checking back to midfield, scored goals, played defense, and drove the opposition crazy. It’s why he was on the travel squad and it’s why he got into the RSL game.  He even scored on a header off a corner against Tigres.  Don’t undersell in the Freddy Adu hype that Watson used to do all the dirty work for Freddy.

Chase Wileman also had a nice Tigres game as the holding mid, right up until he ran out of gas at the 75th minute.  He tackled well and generally disrupted things in the midfield for Tigres.  He also showed well for his teammates and distrusted nicely.  Wileman took all the corners for the team and had the assist on the first two FCD goals.  Being a lefty I can’t help but wonder if he’s ever played left back?  I wonder how that would work?

“I’ve been in charge of set pieces with a lot of teams I’ve been on, including the reserve team. With corner kicks, you don’t always know where they’re going. Preferably, I’ll kick from (the right corner), because of the in-swing.  You’re just trying to hit it in an area. Luckily, Pitch and Jamie were there.” – Chase Wileman

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love me some Kyle Beckerman.  He’s a MVP level player.  What a beautiful game he has.  I would take him on any team I coached in heartbeat and would in fact make him the cornerstone around which I would build.  He dominated the FCD midfield… again.

I’ve long liked Max Bretos because of his enthusiasm, but Chris Sullivan, who I didn’t like at first, is starting to grow on me.  Sullivan had several good comments I agreed with, notably preferring Cunningham as the high striker and pulling Cooper back to midfield, and the comment about selection given how “high octane” the team was after Oduro and Avila entered the game.  He says what many of us are thinking and complaining about.

I loved how bright and inventive Avila looked in both games this week.  When he comes on FCD all of a sudden is dangerous from penetration out of midfield.  Team immediately begin sitting deeper and allow FCD more possession.  To bad he doesn’t start as he was hyped for the RSL game.

“This is what I love.  I love getting on the field for that type of game. I think the crowd and fans are going to be excited for that. To be on the field trying to help the team out in a situation like that, it’s big. It’s a game that we’re all waiting for.” – Eric Avila

Pablo Ricchetti over the last month has been brilliant.  The commentators have mentioned him as Hyndman’s MVP, which given Schelllas’ half a season is probably true.  Pablo’s playing his best soccer he’s played for FCD, it’s a shame it’s going to waste.  The red for him sucked, but he had been fighting like crazy to give FCD a chance and just pushed it to far.

“I think this is the best year he’s had. I think he deserves more recognition with all-star games, more recognition with the media.” – Dario Sala

“I really can’t say enough of what he’s meant to this team since I’ve been here.  He’s been a true professional to play with.” – Schellas Hyndman

Cunningham and Cooper are looking more and more like they’re on the same page.  That’s going to be a crazy dangerous combo next year if Cooper sticks around.  By training and instinct Cunningham is a natural center channel striker and Cooper is a natural off/mobile striker.  That’s the exact combination of player I love to see up top in a 4-4-2.

El Camino Central (Middle of the Road)

Solid game from Drew Moor, he has to do an immense amount of running to cover for Davino.  But he made a mistake on the 3rd goal and it’s the defensive lesson for the day.  Moor got himself in front of Findley and into position and turned his body to force the striker to go one direction… That’s all as it should be.  But he gave Findley the wrong direction.  As a defender you want to take the forward away from the center of goal, not toward it.  If Drew had forced Findley left then as Findley penetrates the angle on the goal decreases and makes the shot much, much harder.  By taking him right the goal opens up as Findley penetrates giving him a much easier shot and larger target, not to mention Findley’s (I think) preferred foot..  You never want to force the striker central (caveat: unless he’s so one footed he can’t even stand up going the wrong way.)

I liked the 4-4-1 that FCD ran in the second half.  That’s the right shape to try and counter and steal a point or the game.  It still provided a defensive shape and let’s FCD get forward one extra player at a time when they need on the counter.  Cooper moving to right midfield and Cunningham up high was the way to go.  With some balance on the left (Sikora out of gas) it would have been better.

“It’s something we’ve prepared for in the past,” said Cooper. “Schellas is great in that he doesn’t leave a stone unturned. So, it’s not a situation we’re unfamiliar with. It’s something we practice a lot on training.”

No Tan Bueno (Not So Good)

Sikora’s not fit/healthy enough.  Both Tigres goals could be laid to the 10 minutes when he was hobbling around and he faded badly after the 70 minute mark.  He was better against RSL, but still isn’t 100% or fit.  I applaud him for trying to get back with Rocha suspended, but he wasn’t good enough.

“I thought [Sikora] did fine.  He just ran out of gas, he was working awfully hard on both sides of the ball, and that made it a little bit difficult. We were in desperation. Going with three in the back, and trying to get fresh legs up front. Trying to get some speed up there and make something out of nothing.” – Schellas Hyndman

With Rocha suspended, FCD had no danger penetration from the midfield.  Guarda is supposed to do that, but for the second straight game against RSL he was played off the park by my boy Beckerman.  Avila is twice the player Guarda is at this point in my estimation.  I still have high hopes for Guarda, but it could be argued his presence in the starting 11 since he arrived is what cost FCD the playoffs.

“I think it’s a big loss that Andre is out.  I love to attack and love going at people. I want to help the team in any way so we can make the playoffs. (I want) as much time as I can get whether it’s as a starter or off the bench. I’m just happy to be on the field and helping my team out.” – Eric Avila

I feel bad for Saragosa as he was having a good game right up till he go ejected.  He was the only mid getting forward into the box, since Guarda sure wasn’t.  The first yellow card was undeserved, but once Saragosa got the it the full responsibility for adjusting his game is on him, and he didn’t do it.  A player has to be aware of the situation and the second card was a correct yellow card call.  It’s on Saragosa to have avoided the second card even if the first one was garbage and in this case it cost FCD the game.

“It started off great with the first goal, and then we picked up a silly yellow [from] Marcelo, and then the second yellow put us a man down, and gave them a chance to do what they wanted to do and score a goal. From then on it was just trying to play at altitude and trying to find a way to score.” – Schellas Hyndman

Davino got turned twice badly by Movsisyan twice in the first 36 minutes, the second one for the RSL opening goal.  Davino just isn’t fast enough or quick enough for this league.  His teammates know it, the commentators know it, and the opposition knows it.  Even if he was getting paid $150k I would still want Pitchkolan to play over him, and that’s not good when Davino’s getting $400k.  Davino sat five feet of Johnson cause he couldn’t handle the speed and Johnson scored with ease for the 2nd goal.  Davino should have been sent off in the second half.  He two footed  someone (I forget who) in the first half and then totally deserved what should have been his second yellow on Morales late in the game.

“But he’s probably one of our best player, and is one of our most experienced players.  As John Ellinger said to me today, ‘nothing seems to phase him.’ And that’s what we need, a little calmness back there.  He knows what he’s doing, that’s not anything I’m going to teach a World Cup Player, what to do and what not to do. – Schellas Hyndman (earlier this month)

Maybe “nothing seems to phase him” and “calmness” are code for “doesn’t give a crap?”

Categories: 120 Fahrenheit.

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