45 minutes of solid play, 45 minutes + stoppage time of getting run over by the Sounders. It took longer than the Seahawks over the Broncos, but the result was the same, total domination by Seattle. The game really changed in the 10 minutes after half. The Rapids gave up their first first-half goal of the season just before the break, but it was the 2 quick goals to start the second half that ended the game. After that it was only Serna's effort that kept it from being a total rout.
My strategic consideration was Dempsey and Martins not running wild. It took 45 minutes, but Dempsey and Martins ran wild all over the Rapids..
Other Observations:
- First and foremost, the Rapids lost to the better team. Even at full strength we weren't going to win this game with the way the Seattle offense was firing. Maybe we get a draw.
- That said, we didn't have to look so bad doing it.
- Irwin had some big saves but also had a couple of blunders. Everyone's allowed one off game though.
- Moor was left exposed over and over, he could have done better (especially on the first goal when he had more time than he thought) but he didn't get any help from the rest of his back line.
- O'Neill, sleeping on Martins goal
- Piermayr just let Clint Dempsey (Clint Dempsey!) go for a free header on the second goal
- Jose Mari lets Dempsey (again, Dempsey!) get ball side of him on the first goal and just lets him go looking for the offside.
- Bad clearance on the second goal but beautiful heel flick from Dempsey to set the goal up.
- Of course a whopping 4 shots on target (including the goal) left us very little chance of making up the deficit. Serna had 2, Brown and Torres each had 1
- Serna now has the second most shots on goal on the team, this with less minutes than anyone who's started a game other than Hill and Watts.
- Last week I said that I liked Serna coming off the bench instead of starting. Scratch that, Serna should be starting over a number of our midfielders.
- Namely LaBrocca and Sturgis. LaBrocca had the pass to set up Serna's goal, but other than that they were both invisible. The 4 man midfield should be Powers, Sanchez, Serna, and Jose Mari.
- There were 32 passes between Martins and Dempsey, 9 between our starting strikers. That might explain a large part of the difference in offensive ability.
- BTW Marcelo, if you're reading this, I got that number (which you asked for in the broadcast) from MLSSoccer.com's stat page on the game. Its available for every game this season next time you need to do some research.
- Of course the broadcast was playing at the same level as the team. The Seattle starting lineup filled with pictures of the Rapids almost matched last year's multiple GK starting XI for the Rapids.
- Oh, and Richard Fleming, there's a reason that Yedlin has passed Brown, despite finishing behind him and Powers in RotY voting, as a candidate for the U.S. Nats. Brown is Jamaican and not eligible. He has, however, played and scored for the Jamaican Nats already.
- Ugly game all around. Hopefully next weekend agaisnt LA will be an improvement.
Man of the Match: Dillon Serna. Great goal for his first professional one (and first by any homegrown player for the Rapids) and his activity was the only thing really dangerous all game.
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1 comment:
We needed Wynne on the back line. Against a team like Seattle, you need his speed to keep up with the attackers. With attackers like Martins and Dempsey, you need his experience and positioning.
This idea of running 3 defensive midfielders is killing the attack. Of course, it doesn't help that the strikers look like they couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat!
Oh well, like I said before, the first year under a new coach is a throw away year anyhow. More so with a first year coach.
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