I'd personally be shocked if Hagglund saw any minutes. The international break is upon us, no sense in trying to rush to get him minutes just for the sake of it. I would rather see him work on his fitness and the play on the 15th. I think Seba plays in some form Saturday. I hope he starts but wouldn't be shocked to see him come on for the last half hour. The Redbulls are most definitely can be had, we half to make sure we mark BWP close. He has a history of shredding our backline. Overall I am confident we can pick up 3 points here and right the ship.
Mama always said there would be weeks like last week. Shake it off, lock down the Shield, and then do what you gotta do to get ready for the post-season.
“Heroism breaks its heart, and idealism its back, on the intransigence of the credulous and the mediocre, manipulated by the cynical and the corrupt.” ~Christopher Hitchens
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/913072368255422465
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/913072849363062789
Both these guys give a poop, good to see.
Molinaro took it down it seems.
In training, Mavinga & Bradley got into a heated profane arguement that didn't last long, they settled it and went back to intense training.
Ben Spencer sucks. He should never see the light of BMO field again.
That would be true if Spencer actually played like a target man. The reality is he is a useless false target man. He doesn't utilize his height and fails to win 90% percent of headers. One time per game he is able to chest the ball down to a teammate - literally once, I've counted. He is absolutely useless. Doesn't run, doesn't fight, puts in no effort. Hamilton does a better job of being a target man than this pylon.
Maybe Jordan Hamilton has an attitude problem, maybe he is lazy in training, we just don't know, and I am not defending Spencer by any means and agree with most of the comments regarding Spencer, but there must be a reason, after all WE are not the management.
I'm not one to accept appeals to authority, and that's all the defence of JHam not getting minutes is.
We don't know why JHam isn't getting the minutes. Supposition that there is a good reason for this is just that - supposition. He makes the 18 often enough (23 times an unused sub this season). He does get subbed in (8 times). So he's not dismissed or rooted.
It's also fair to point to whatever data we have in the absence of whatever the management has but doesn't make public. To me the production at TFC and TFC II makes the case - I don't pay my SSH fees to watch guys who produced on the practice pitch, but I *do* pay to see players produce on the playing field. JHams does that. Spencer does not.
As I stated we just don't know the reasons, this may have been Ben Spencer's last chance so to speak, I remember when Raheem Edwards had a spell we he thought he was a bit too big for his boots in attitude and was left off of the roster a few matches, but came back a better player after being grounded. If eating a bit of 'Humble Pie' makes for a better player then that is management's prerogative, no?
Back to the topic, I hope Hamilton sees some minutes, in particular against the Red Bulls as a starter and Ricketts as a super sub
NYRB looks shakey and bewildered. Drawing at home to DCU on a last minute OG is so Metro.
This is our best chance to get 3 and sail through the last 2 games with nothing on the line.
Its time to turn things around. Ideally we go into the season with a 3 game win streak. Better to wrap up the supporter's shield now so the players can forget about it and focus on the playoffs and the final game against Atlanta.
I'd like to see Chapman get minutes in these games. To me, he's a much bigger priority than Hamilton.
Teams that stop us, stop us in the midfield, with Seba and Altidore getting no service.
If we need an offensive sub in MF, we have Osorio, but he's more of an AM, a better sub for Vasquez, than for Delgado.
We may need Chapman, if we need that box to box sub (ie in a tie game late, where Delgado has run himself out, and maybe you'd like a touch more flair forward than Delgado has, without overcommitting to going forward, which is Osorio's achilles heel.
Vanney has shown his hand on Hamilton - Hamilton is really not likely to see action in the playoffs unless both Seba and Altidore are off the field. Even then, I suspect Vazquez would get pushed forward, with Chapman coming in.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
You know, I get the historical records thing but after the last 2 seasons of later in the season lost points, I just want us to win a game.
We know how good this team is. Don't need no dang records to prove this.
But it would be something that we could look back on with pride and sustain us when we're back to being the "worst in the world" in another decade.
I'd argue that at this point in the season you're looking for subs who produce, not projects. As much as I think Chapman has potential, he has looked to me to be a bit weak under physical challenge. In this league a clean shoulder check seems to be allowed, and he gets the ball cut away from him too easily.
This won't get solved with substitute minutes in 4 games.
Edwards, Bono and Delgado all missed out on the MLS Top 24 under 24 list. More fuel to the fire for the rest of the season.