Orlando Postmatch

Positives: built out of the back better, pinged it around break the press and got it to midfield.

Iraola was really good at CDM. Can actually pass so they couldn't just swarm pirlo. Pirlo had a nice game offensivly, I think, because of that.

Brillant scoring was awesome. RJ Allen s good.
 
That was a horrible result, especially given how much we bossed those guys.

That was a team we should have bossed, and we did, and yet they stole a point at the end. It sucks, but that is soccer sometimes. No other sport can be as unfair.

The last goal was right in front of me. I was watching the defending on the cross - hoping they could block it. When they didn't, I looked at the goal, and all I saw was purple. Where the fuck was everyone?
 
Leaving aside the game that transpired afterwards, I thought that the "Where's Your/the Heart????????" sign was really poor form. All of the criticism following the RB disaster was warranted, but that was not the way to show support at the outset yesterday. It may just be a footnote to the FootyLovin FootyLovin conversation, and differing opinions on expressing criticism, but it made me cringe.
 
They all got caught waiting for the whistle and royally screwed themselves out of 3 points.
Just went back and watched the final goal about 20 times to try to understand. Here are what I think were by far the biggest issues.
  1. If you want to fault the wet grounds for the PK miss, there was an equally big slip here. KS was putting on decent pressure but slipped just prior to the cross giving ORL space to send it in. Even with the slip KS recovered, but not enough to get the block.
  2. The biggest problem - and this relates to NickA's post - was that we had all 3 of our midfielders pretty close to the play at the time of the cross and none of them sprinted back to the middle of the box once the cross went up. I could parse out more details, but the bottom line is that they all watched the cross and stayed on the 18 yard line rather than follow the ORL players into the box.
Everyone else seemed to position and move appropriately throughout the play.

Regarding Saunders - He was close to but not on the post where the cross came from at the time of the cross. Once the cross went up he immediately moved hard across goal, seemingly with the idea of getting to the cross. By the time he reached the opposite post he realized he couldn't get to it and protected the near post. This is what he is supposed to do. Once the ball was headed back across goal, he moved with it but couldn't cover the entire goal. I really can't find any fault with any of his movements or positioning in this play. I welcome people who understand the sport better than I do (and who actually break down the tape rather than just spewing hate) to help me understand where he should have done better on that goal.
 
Leaving aside the game that transpired afterwards, I thought that the "Where's Your/the Heart????????" sign was really poor form. All of the criticism following the RB disaster was warranted, but that was not the way to show support at the outset yesterday. It may just be a footnote to the FootyLovin FootyLovin conversation, and differing opinions on expressing criticism, but it made me cringe.
Wow. Where was that sign? I missed it. Had I seen it I would have been very angry.
 
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Yeah, that sign was completely, 100% inappropriate. A real disgrace for the Third Rail to allow it. I would support removing their access to the supporters section seats for something like that.
 
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2016 rookie doesn't understand 2014/2015 storylines...

The kid is just protecting his fellow Englishman. But come on Jack, get a damn green card or better yet, citizenship.
I winced when I saw this this morning, not because I really care about the Lampard debate, but because I can't imagine PV wants Harrison engaging in this type of stuff which is not going to be helpful to getting him on the field.
 
The biggest problem - and this relates to NickA's post - was that we had all 3 of our midfielders pretty close to the play at the time of the cross and none of them sprinted back to the middle of the box once the cross went up. I could parse out more details, but the bottom line is that they all watched the cross and stayed on the 18 yard line rather than follow the ORL players into the box.
Everyone else seemed to position and move appropriately throughout the play.

I had seen pretty much the same. Orlando had 4 guys involved in the play after the cross. Larin took the cross and was marked by RJ. Hernandez marked Seb Hines who was deep and ended up uninvolved but had to be marked. Brillant sort of also tracked Hines while protecting near post (as defined by Larin) and the goal.
Then Molino and Baptista were both in place to receive the service from Larin and were marked by nobody. Iraola was the first to see the danger but was far away on the side of the 18 where the cross came from. He jogged in but even if he went full speed he could not have reached things in time to help. Pirlo was closest, and reacted way too late. Lampard was next closest. It's unclear if he could have helped unless he reacted much sooner; as it was he didn't ever react and kind of jogged along the 18 yard line. Mendoza was also in the area, floating on the side of Larin outside the box. He had to have put himself in the box much earlier to have had an impact. I think the fault goes Pirlo, Lampard and Mendoza in that order. They all needed to be closer to goal before things got to critical. Maybe Brillant should have moved out but I think it was correct for him to stay by the goal line as CB.

As for your Saunders analysis, I also agree. The only thing I might say is he could have not gone hard to the near post (again near as defined by larin) because there was no angle for Larin. But I think he still had to do it.
 
  • If you want to fault the wet grounds for the PK miss, there was an equally big slip here. KS was putting on decent pressure but slipped just prior to the cross giving ORL space to send it in. Even with the slip KS recovered, but not enough to get the block.
  • The biggest problem - and this relates to NickA's post - was that we had all 3 of our midfielders pretty close to the play at the time of the cross and none of them sprinted back to the middle of the box once the cross went up. I could parse out more details, but the bottom line is that they all watched the cross and stayed on the 18 yard line rather than follow the ORL players into the box.
Isn't that nearly the same spot where Bravo slipped last week?

Anyhow, I think your second point is spot on. There are plenty of times where the back four and Saunders has shipped goals this year, but Pirlo is standing at the top of the 18 with Molino when the ball goes up and then just doesn't move as Molino attacks the ball.
 
I winced when I saw this this morning, not because I really care about the Lampard debate, but because I can't imagine PV wants Harrison engaging in this type of stuff which is not going to be helpful to getting him on the field.
Lopez retweeted it too. I doubt PV will disapprove. It seems clear to me there is a fundamental divide between team and fans on this (as there is between fan and fan). But the team seems absolutely united and I doubt PV will come down on the younglings.
 
Yeah, that sign was completely, 100% inappropriate. A real disgrace for the Third Rail to allow it. I would support removing their access to the supporters section seats for something like that.
Remove them for a sign?!? Are you serious? It may or may not have been in poor form, but as previously discussed, the team approves all Tifo. They knew what was coming and didn't say no.

I think the team answered the question yesterday by dropping points in the waning seconds, again, because they couldn't step on the proverbial neck of a wounded OCSC that was missing 5 players. Anybody can start a game, but it take mettle to finish a game and the team this year coasts too much at the end of games. Is that a lack of heart - I don't know - but it's definitely laziness.
 
Didn't like the sign but they have the right to do it. Definite problems but we are 3-1-3 in our last 7. Not like we're on Aston Villa form at the moment...

No one should be questioning Harrison standing up for Lampard. The last thing we want is dissension in the ranks. Look at France or Holland down the years .Been tournaments where they had among the most talented squads and didn't make it out of the group stages because of bickering behind the scenes. You want all the guys out there fighting for each regardless of what the fans may or may not think of Lampard.
 
So if our home games are like road games...let's take the point o_O
 
Lopez retweeted it too. I doubt PV will disapprove. It seems clear to me there is a fundamental divide between team and fans on this (as there is between fan and fan). But the team seems absolutely united and I doubt PV will come down on the younglings.
While I disagreed with the booing at the NJ game, I could still semi-understand the arguments for.

Yesterday I found it completely useless and nonsensical. You (the booing fans) are not sending a message to CFG (not one that's heard by them anyway). The only thing you are doing is satisfying your own anger and/or ego needs and demoralizing the TEAM. It's not just Frank who hears the boos. It's the whole team. And they seem to be one. And every time you boo you show that we (the fans) are not one. We are not one with each other. And we are not one with the team.

I'm at YS every game to cheer my team and help them win. I wish we all could get behind that purpose.
 
Leaving aside the game that transpired afterwards, I thought that the "Where's Your/the Heart????????" sign was really poor form. All of the criticism following the RB disaster was warranted, but that was not the way to show support at the outset yesterday. It may just be a footnote to the FootyLovin FootyLovin conversation, and differing opinions on expressing criticism, but it made me cringe.

I'll be honest, at first I thought that sign was directed at Orlando City (The Lions, "Heart of a Lion").