Coincidence that both Dash goals came almost right after we made substitutions? Did we not reorganize quickly enough and they exploited that? Our defensive is disastrously disorganized without Sauerbrunn. I really thought we had enough veterans that we wouldn't be so dependent on her but here we are. Agree that this seems like a coaching…
Coincidence that both Dash goals came almost right after we made substitutions? Did we not reorganize quickly enough and they exploited that? Our defensive is disastrously disorganized without Sauerbrunn. I really thought we had enough veterans that we wouldn't be so dependent on her but here we are. Agree that this seems like a coaching problem. We know Nally can be better. Reyes is a rookie so I'm giving her time. She's shown enough promise to warrant some optimism but throwing her into the fire might not be the best strategy. I'd also rather see Dunn on a wing and Hina in midfield. At least Sinclair came off the bench today but it might have worked better if we'd had a lead at that point.
Sadly, the backline organization problems predated ‘Brunn’s injury, so I’m not convinced it’s her loss or that if she returns next week they’ll go away. I think it’s coaching. I think a LOT of this is coaching, and a solution if there is to be one has to come from coaching.
I'm seeing little evidence that there IS coaching.
I'm not (just) being snarky here: the team plays like a collection of talented players who just met a day or so ago. There is very little cohesion on either side of the ball. The early signs of good understanding between some player pairs (Smith/Morgan, Dunn/Sugita, etc.) even seem to have disappeared. There's clearly a poor understanding of optimal positioning for multiple players (Hina's the best example, but not the only one). Bixby continues to make Goalkeeper 101 mistakes like continually leaving too much room at the near post. The list of problems likely attributable to bad coaching goes on...
Our biggest single issue, imo, is that the back line communication isn't there. Last night, of course, the two backline "generals" 'Brunn and Menges weren't out there, and that's a recipe for no direction in the back unless Bixby provides it. Nally is, well...Nally, and Hubly's not a quick thinker. The fullbacks are often positioned too far upfield in our attacking system to be calling defensive assignments. Bella seems caught up in her own issues; I didn't notice her barking directions. This is a recipe for missed marks.
But as you say, it's not a single issue that's caused the team to look so dire for several games now. The problems start at the top. If we had an owner that still had reason to give a shit and a GM that was concerned with anything beyond pasting a smiley face over everything, Norris would be staring a sacking in the face if a major turnaround isn't immediate. We have a chance to restore some confidence against a truly terrible Red Stars team next weekend. If this isn't a do or die situation for Norris, I don't know what is.
What's frustrating is that the sideline is aswarm with coaches; IIRC they hired Vytas specifically to coach the backline. But, no, it doesn't show.
Just finished screening the first half, and the backline - under virtually no pressure until well after the half hour - was scrambling to find marks and stay with them once the pressure appeared.
Kuikka headed a cross directly to Sanchez in the 15th minute. Salmon torched Kling and Nally but shot directly at Bixby in the 39th, then a minute later (in perhaps the most embarassing sequence in the half) Salmon beat Hubly three times running before crossing to Sophie Schmidt who forced a corner.
Nally made the Big Errors. But the defending was already looking sketchy before halftime and, as we know, imploded after the restart.
Coincidence that both Dash goals came almost right after we made substitutions? Did we not reorganize quickly enough and they exploited that? Our defensive is disastrously disorganized without Sauerbrunn. I really thought we had enough veterans that we wouldn't be so dependent on her but here we are. Agree that this seems like a coaching problem. We know Nally can be better. Reyes is a rookie so I'm giving her time. She's shown enough promise to warrant some optimism but throwing her into the fire might not be the best strategy. I'd also rather see Dunn on a wing and Hina in midfield. At least Sinclair came off the bench today but it might have worked better if we'd had a lead at that point.
Sadly, the backline organization problems predated ‘Brunn’s injury, so I’m not convinced it’s her loss or that if she returns next week they’ll go away. I think it’s coaching. I think a LOT of this is coaching, and a solution if there is to be one has to come from coaching.
I'm seeing little evidence that there IS coaching.
I'm not (just) being snarky here: the team plays like a collection of talented players who just met a day or so ago. There is very little cohesion on either side of the ball. The early signs of good understanding between some player pairs (Smith/Morgan, Dunn/Sugita, etc.) even seem to have disappeared. There's clearly a poor understanding of optimal positioning for multiple players (Hina's the best example, but not the only one). Bixby continues to make Goalkeeper 101 mistakes like continually leaving too much room at the near post. The list of problems likely attributable to bad coaching goes on...
Our biggest single issue, imo, is that the back line communication isn't there. Last night, of course, the two backline "generals" 'Brunn and Menges weren't out there, and that's a recipe for no direction in the back unless Bixby provides it. Nally is, well...Nally, and Hubly's not a quick thinker. The fullbacks are often positioned too far upfield in our attacking system to be calling defensive assignments. Bella seems caught up in her own issues; I didn't notice her barking directions. This is a recipe for missed marks.
But as you say, it's not a single issue that's caused the team to look so dire for several games now. The problems start at the top. If we had an owner that still had reason to give a shit and a GM that was concerned with anything beyond pasting a smiley face over everything, Norris would be staring a sacking in the face if a major turnaround isn't immediate. We have a chance to restore some confidence against a truly terrible Red Stars team next weekend. If this isn't a do or die situation for Norris, I don't know what is.
What's frustrating is that the sideline is aswarm with coaches; IIRC they hired Vytas specifically to coach the backline. But, no, it doesn't show.
Just finished screening the first half, and the backline - under virtually no pressure until well after the half hour - was scrambling to find marks and stay with them once the pressure appeared.
Kuikka headed a cross directly to Sanchez in the 15th minute. Salmon torched Kling and Nally but shot directly at Bixby in the 39th, then a minute later (in perhaps the most embarassing sequence in the half) Salmon beat Hubly three times running before crossing to Sophie Schmidt who forced a corner.
Nally made the Big Errors. But the defending was already looking sketchy before halftime and, as we know, imploded after the restart.
Brutal.