I don't know what it is about Carolina that makes Atlanta play like utter crap. Can someone explain it to me? Last year, aside from a 2-0 win early in the season, the two teams tied 0-0 twice and Carolina took a 2-1 win in Atlanta.
Once again, a rather boring affair with not much flair on display.
The one good chance Carolina had in the 2nd half they put away, a free kick from just outside the box.
For the Silverbacks? Long ball, long ball, long ball, long ball. You get the idea.
One of them actually worked with Jerson Monteiro latching onto one and putting it past McClellan for the tying goal.
Once again, I just didn't see much imagination from either team. It just wasn't a good night from any of the USL home teams, as Miami fell to Montreal 2-1 and Charleston tied Seattle 1-1, as both Miami and Charleston led 1-0 at halftime.
Thoughts?
16 comments:
I think the Silverbacks were content with the tie since they were missing four starters tonight. Long ball seemed to work for them last year because they led the league in scoring. After all it is the results that count. I don't care how pretty it is as long as the team you root for has good results. You guys are really wrapped up in the Spanish and Mexican leagues but to me it is awful, slow paced soccer. It puts me to sleep. I prefer the intense, fast pace game of the EPL - long ball and all.
TOBEE
I haven't seen the game, so I can't comment on how the teams looked.
Long ball can have a purpose, and I have no problem with that style when there is a purpose to the pass. My problem is when teams just whack the ball long and cross their fingers. I'd much rather see a team try to play and pass than just hoof the ball long.
I like the high paced action of the EPL at its best (ManUtd-Arsenal, for example). I hate it at its worst (Bolton-Portsmouth, or most match-ups outside the Top 4).
Personally, I like the style of La Liga more than the EPL, but that's just me. It's like preferring chocolate ice cream to vanilla.
Results do count, and being content for a draw at home isn't the typical result you're looking for.
But LA LIGA is so sloooow. It is like watching grass grow.
The Silverbacks were also playing guys out of position tonight. I think they will be a better team when they get Buete, Ukah, Toure, Knox and Ambersley back and put Hayes in his normal position. Rios will go to the bench. He is over the hill.
TOBEE
La Liga at its best is very dynamic and highly skilled. Games at the lower end of the table are slow, I agree. Just like how I like EPL games at the top of the table, but hate the games between the lesser teams. Real Madrid v. Barca is great, Levante v. Bilbao, not as much. I'd rather watch a slower, more skilled game than a faster, sloppy one though. That's just me...
I'm wondering how the lineup for the 'Backs will take shape with the additions. I don't think Rios will head to the bench since he's the captain, unless they're going to make that change too. I'd also love to see Mac up top more, I think he's much more dangerous up there.
Mac is probably the most skilled player in USL and he has a target on his back. No one can stop him when he has the ball in the open. The league has to step in and stop the blatant fouls on him.
You are right about Barca and Real Madrid. I love watching those matches. I also like the upper echelon of LA LIGA. They ARE more skilled than EPL but the intensity is just not there for me.
TOBEE
I don't think the intensity levels are different between the EPL and La Liga, maybe they're just displayed differently. It's more of a difference in the pace and speed of play.
I agree about Mac, there's very few in the USL who can keep up with him. That's one reason I'd rather see him up top, those fouls would be creating PK's and dangerous free kicks in the middle of the field. He'd also have to beat fewer defenders. He'd also have diminished defensive responsibilities, which is one weakness in his game. Mac could form a nice partnership with McLaughlin or Knox, a bigger guy who can win the knockdowns that would send Mac free.
I think Mac prefers playing on the wing rather than forward but he has to be convinced to do what is best for the team.
Missing so many starters is a blessing and a curse. The Silverbacks had better do well when all of these guys return.
The RailHawks clearly play to neutralize Atlanta's team speed. We're a very defensive oriented team (at least last year) that bogs down Atlanta's rhythm. I'm sure Scotty saw what worked last year and kept with it again this year. I haven't seen the game yet in its entirety but it sounds like it was business as usual between these two Southern Derby rivals.
the starting lineup was doomed to failure. rios is lost up front, neither strong enough nor quick enough. lancaster is entirely right footed and is lost at left back. mac is also announced up front, but he plays right wing. jason is announced as a midfielder, but no one is up front so he takes that position. and the center of defense is shredded repeatedly.
this "playing out of position" argument is specious. move lancaster right, hayes back and rios to where hayes is standing and now the team is no longer out of position. start monteiro up front to be a real forward.
and then we win the game instead of just being lucky to tie.
jabba
Didn't see it, but can't really argue with your basic points Jabba. It sounds like they wanted to play 4-5-1, right?
it was announced as a 4-4-2 with rios and mac up front. the talking head from USL live (who still insists that the USL is the "United State Soccer League" and doesn't appear to have ever seen a silverbacks game outside of doing play by play) indicated that it was a 4-4-1-1 with mac up front and rios behind him.
but neither of these shapes took form once the game started. mac played right wing, rios just got lost and jason mc moved up front into the empty void as he is just a good lad trying to help out in any way he can.
As usual Jabba does not know what he talking about. The formation was actually a 4-3-3. Rios will be on the bench anyway after Buete returns from indoor HELL.
Toure, McManus, Buete, Mac. No Rios. Jabba will have a stroke when he notices that lancaster will also be on the bench and maybe we won't have to deal with him anymore.
lankey on the bench??? my god, that might just induce a stroke! geez, my chest hurts just thinking about it!
i make no secret of being a lancaster fan. he and i think alike on the game and i love the english football tradition he embodies. he has a lot to contribute, both with his on the field play and with his general attitude.
in the playoffs last year, wicks was his usual mad dog self, terrorizing everyone who came near him. most of the team took the sadly prevalent attitude of "ooh, i mustn't do anything to upset the goalie so maybe i should just let him do whatever he wants to me." you know what lancaster did? he knocked wicks flat on his ass.
i don't see how you can bench that sort of spirited intelligence. i suppose that makes me STOOPID, huh?
i like the back line of hayes, lancaster, bobo and moore. i can understand moving hayes forward, in which case the kid from clemson says he can play left back, so i'd give him the opportunity.
Always fun when anonymous calls out non-anonymous...
If the captain's armband means anything, I'd be pretty surprised if Rios ended up on the bench. Although I'm not quite sure where he ends up on the field either. It's a long season, we'll see...
Personally, I don't like Lancaster as an outside back. He's fine in the middle with Bobo, not a standout but he gets the job done. I haven't seen Kirby yet, so no comment there.
I have a feeling there will be an extended sorting out process, one that will be even more extended due to Buete and Ukah's late inclusion into the squad.
lancaster is not comfortable at outside back. he is downright poor at left back. he could get decent at right back if he wanted to, but really doesn't have a lot of experience at that position.
he has what we used to call "back class" at the horse races. as a teenager, aston villa made a sizeable offer on his contract and was turned down. he let himself go a bit in his 20s and slid down the world of english football. today he trains very hard and lives clean and is probably in the best physical condition of his life.
i think he and bobo in the middle could form as solid a central tandem as there is in the league. with scott and tony as holding midfielders, the center is completely solid.
and it is this belief and my defense of this belief that is the source of much of the friction i face online, from anonymous and named flamers. the coaching staff does not seem to share this belief with me and disagreement with the assessments of the coaching staff seems strictly verboten amongst the silverback faithful who post their views online.
whereas i take a more liberal approach to disagreements in the belief that the free discussion of differing ideas yields insight, my adversaries believe that the best understanding would be yielded by my having a stroke.
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