Hell of a game. It sucks that we lost but the season as a whole was such a success that the team can learn from the few fixable mistakes (playing down to our competition at times, lack of depth) and get better next year. Don't get me wrong- I was not at all happy with the result as the PKs were concluding, but like others have said we didn't really deserve to win the game with the lack of finishing at times tonight. I'm a very cynical/pessimistic fan but this team has been run so well to this point that I tend to think their future is in good hands. Also, the atmosphere was just awesome tonight. The crowd was into the game from the first minute and never really let up.
Seems like the PK situation was boondoggled. Shouldn't you put your best guys first? Tito is an obvious choice and his shot was a blast. But why no Almiron?? Why take out Joseff when his man didn't even take a PK? I'm not a soccer expert so maybe it's a bit difference than hockey shoot outs...strategy and skill wise. Are Almiron/Joseff not good PK shooters?
If we had Asad, Josef, Villalba, and Almiron to take PK's, I feel like that might have gone very differently. When Josef came off, I immediately was wondering why the hell you would pull him off when it looked almost certain the game would go to PK's.
Almiron might have taken the 5th kick, but it isn't like the team didn't put its best shooters available among the 5. Why Martinez was subbed is anybodies guess. Penalties is a crap shoot. Gressell hit a good penalty and it got saved. Best PK save that I have seen in years. Gonzalez Pirez went with a strategy that works almost all the time high down the middle, but again Steffen did a good job holding his ground. Higuin hit a similar PK and Guzan was guessing to his left. Even Lawrentowicz hit it pretty well just was off by about 3-5 inches. The worst PK was Manneh for Columbus. Really the only PK that is really botched.
Manneh was fucking garbage in pretty much every aspect. Wanted him on for fresh legs to run at your back line but the ball was just stopping at his feet, he was taking low chance shots and had a terrible PK. If we’d lost I don’t know that I’d ever want to see him again. Guzan and Steffen were incredible last night. I feel for you guys. I was at the MLS Cup loss 2 years ago and it gutted me. Seeing Kei sitting on the field crying broke my heart. You guys will be back next year. I know there’s concern about the interest in your top guys but you’ve got a fantastic coach, an owner who believes and is willing to spend (and you have to think with the response from the fans with the 1st and 3rd largest crowds ever (1 being the largest playoff crowd ever), and the season attendance record, that he will keep putting in the money needed. Your front office certainly looks like they know what they’re doing. I’m sure it hurts but the future is very bright for you guys and I’ll be happy for you guys when you are lifting the cup, because that is going to happen.
I don't want to be a dick, because I was kind of a dick last night, but it's very very easy to say that shit as a Ohio State and Cavs fan. The Falcons shitting their pants was the closest we will ever come to a championship in a looooong time, like I may be wearing old people Ooops I Crapped My Pants diapers at that point.
we have come a long way itt from the tards popping up in here saying Atlanta was a bad choice for a franchise, would be a failure, etc. much rather have ppl opine itt that theyre confident Atlanta is on track for a Cup
The team has too good of an owner who will spend on high level DP players and a coach with contacts who can bring in the right type of players for his style. The front office handicapped the team a bit by signing players to big deals that didn't fit Tata's style primarily Kenwynn Jones and Chris McCann, but also Kevin Kratz. This left them a little thin depth wise, but all MLS teams lack depth. It is a nature of the salary cap. The stadium being delayed and playing half the year at Bobby-Dodd compressed the schedule at the end of the season and the the team burned out and picked up injuries. This has been a knock of Tata everywhere and was a big reason he was fired at Barca. Sqaud rotation is even more important in MLS where results at the end of the year are way more important than results at the start of the year. As long as Blank is the owner and committed the team will be very good year after year and have a leg up on at well over half the league. Not going to predict championships, but field enough good teams and Atlanta will win something. They are fun to watch for sure. Hope more teams emulate their style of play and way of building a team with young fun players.
Fair but before the Cavs title Cleveland had plenty of heartbreak. I’m very thankful Lebron was born in Akron because that’s the only reason for it As an OSU fan though you won’t really find me complaining about that much even before the Cavs title. Very lucky to be born in Columbus.
I expected to add Kratz just for PK's but mears came on. Isn't Kratz the one who scored from a FK a few games back that was a thing of beauty. We totally botched the PK situation.
No idea if it’s common to practice penalties Miggy requesting to go 5th isn’t crazy. Ronaldo goes 5th. Portugal has gotten eliminated without him taking one because of it. I believe from the same match, Cesc Fabregas told Del Bosque he was going 5th, Del Bosque said no 3rd, Cesc said no 5th. He went 5th and won it.
They said guys do it on their own off to the side, but it isn’t something they train the whole team on.
Well that makes a little more sense, but I think most teams create a competition out of it. It should absolutely be monitored by staff to choose the best. The best goal scorers aren't always the best pk takers. See James milner the pk specialist for Liverpool. That was discovered on the training ground because he certainly doesn't score goals in open play.
looks like we have another CB/RB option. 22yr old Argentinian from Newell's. another article last week said we were going to pay Newells for his early contract buyout http://www.lacapital.com.ar/ovacion/escobar-charlas-bien-avanzadas-n1495937.html
Yea my concern too. He was so good, just began scratching his potential. Guess it will depend if contract #s allow us to keep both, thats the kind of backline depth we were missing.
more Milan chatter https://www.metro.us/sports/source-ac-milan-among-clubs-race-miguel-almiron#.WgCxz-uprHE.twitter
I hope A. Blank is willing to spend more on his replacement. Hopefully another young exciting #10 from south america.
Atlanta USL is being rumored for 2018. Need a spot for guys like Owonkwo, Kunga, Goslin Also rule changes that govern allocation money received for selling players likely to increase above current $650K re: Almiron. HGP rule almost certain to change to 100% from 75% of money on selling HGP players re: Carleton.
thats awesome accept the reality that they are bound to go but I love our management holding out for proper value
I don’t think we could have sold Almiron for 50 mil this summer. His value to the organization and making that season unbelievable is worth so much in the long run I think.
Agree. You can't sell you best player mid-season during your first season regardless of the amount of money on the table. Hard to sell any integral piece to a good team midseason even though it really needs to happen more often for the financial health of the league.
So are season tickets already sold out for next season? I was going to get in on them this year and just had too much going on and didn't think I'd make it to enough games to justify. Now I'm regretting that big time.
"Miguel's objective is to finish in Europe," Martino said. "He's the best or one of the three best in MLS. In the short term he'll leave, but he won't do it this transfer window." Would be pretty huge for us