RSL vs Thunder Game Thread [R] Live, not tape delayed

[prk166]

Originally Posted by devNull

Why so negative on Ellinger? What more should he be doing? I actually think he is doing a decent job w/ what he has been handed. What are your main gripes?

He had a role in choosing the cards in the hand he's got.

And the defense, which has been painful to horrible all season doesn't seem to improve. 4 goals in regular time to an a-league team? 6 overall? But it's not that one game. This is a team that's let in 32 goals in 17 season games. At some point, one needs to question whether it's the players or the tactics. Maybe Ellinger just doesn't have what it takes to coach at the club level. I'm starting to wonder that. I don't expect a lot and I don't expect perfection. But a good coach can get a crappy group of players to do alright. No offense to the boys but they're not the most talented group of guys and they're doing far from alright. Maybe it's not time for a canning. But surely the situation needs to be revisted during the off-season.

[praxis]

Originally Posted by huntingfool12

Yes, i would agree mathis should not be getting paid as much as he is as of right now. But when Pope is here a defensive plays a lot better.

I think Pope is a good player, but what i don't see is him being a leader and pulling the team up to his level. most of the time it seems like he is slumming here, not pushing everyone to do more. He has talent, but not enough heart to bring the team with him. At least someone like Watson, who still has a lot to learn, brings a vitality to the pitch. My observations may not match up with reality, but hey, what can i say. Also, how many games has Pope actually played for us? He seems to be gone more than he is here. I do agree that we do better when Pope is here, but is it really that much better?

[Jim Umber]

Originally Posted by praxis

Also, how many games has Pope actually played for us? He seems to be gone more than he is here.

Unfortunately, that is true. We picked a bad year to be an expansion team, with the National Teams playing all the time. And not just Pope, remember.

Originally Posted by praxis

I do agree that we do better when Pope is here, but is it really that much better?

I would say, "Yes!" the improvement is very marked. But again, it's not JUST Pope, but Pierce and Dunseth, as well. It seems like the whole team is playing musical chairs for the start, sometimes.

I will tell you this, we have all the talent we need. We have EXCELLENT players. I believe we have an EXCELLENT coach. But somehow we have some negative attitudes on the team.

It isn't that they don't want to win. But they don't really believe they can. That's why, when someone does score a goal, the whole team seems to come to life. All of a sudden, they start to get a glimmer of hope! But it's not enough. They either start too late, or they don't REALLY believe it.

And the worste is that they're making a habit of it. Every time they step on the field, they're stepping into those same old frustrated, losing feelings. It is a very hard thing to overcome.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Jim Umber

Unfortunately, that is true. We picked a bad year to be an expansion team, with the National Teams playing all the time. And not just Pope, remember.


I would say, "Yes!" the improvement is very marked. But again, it's not JUST Pope, but Pierce and Dunseth, as well. It seems like the whole team is playing musical chairs for the start, sometimes.

I will tell you this, we have all the talent we need. We have EXCELLENT players. I believe we have an EXCELLENT coach. But somehow we have some negative attitudes on the team.

It isn't that they don't want to win. But they don't really believe they can. That's why, when someone does score a goal, the whole team seems to come to life. All of a sudden, they start to get a glimmer of hope! But it's not enough. They either start too late, or they don't REALLY believe it.

And the worste is that they're making a habit of it. Every time they step on the field, they're stepping into those same old frustrated, losing feelings. It is a very hard thing to overcome.

Yes, Jim, but it's probably hard to feel positive about winning when you score 4 goals, and the defense just keeps letting their opponents score and score and score and score....

[rabble-rabble]

Originally Posted by Jim Umber

And the worse is that they're making a habit of it. Every time they step on the field, they're stepping into those same old frustrated, losing feelings. It is a very hard thing to overcome.

Often the toughest challenge in turning things around is getting a team that is used to losing to start getting used to winning. If we could just put a few wins together, we could still have some success this year, but those first few wins will be the toughest ones to get.

[Zathras]

I have to say that the most glaring problem with your team on Wednesday was Clint Mathis. I used to be a big Cletus fan. I still believed that he could turn things around. I said on our board when we drew RSL that I was worried about the game and Clint in particular. A few years ago, we met Dallas in the USOC and Kreis scored twice... I'd forgotten that, and he bettered that tally this week.

However, back to Mathis. He was totally not committed to the team. He rarely left the center circle, and when he did get a chance to shoot, his shooting was woefully high, wide, or both.

Commitment flowed from the very pores of Trembly and Kreis is a truly worthy captain, but I feel that putting Mathis on the pine and/or the reserves is the right option for RSL right now. He's not getting it done, and doesn't even look interested.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Zathras

I have to say that the most glaring problem with your team on Wednesday was Clint Mathis. I used to be a big Cletus fan. I still believed that he could turn things around. I said on our board when we drew RSL that I was worried about the game and Clint in particular. A few years ago, we met Dallas in the USOC and Kreis scored twice... I'd forgotten that, and he bettered that tally this week.

However, back to Mathis. He was totally not committed to the team. He rarely left the center circle, and when he did get a chance to shoot, his shooting was woefully high, wide, or both.

Commitment flowed from the very pores of Trembly and Kreis is a truly worthy captain, but I feel that putting Mathis on the pine and/or the reserves is the right option for RSL right now. He's not getting it done, and doesn't even look interested.

What a phenomenal waste of cash, though, no?

[realPDX]

since everyone seems to be wondering about pope, here is a quick analysis of how we play with him and without him:

With
allowed shots -11-,-19-,9,19,14,16,5,9,-15-,6,19
allowed SOG -3-,-10-,3,8,6,10,0,4,-5-,2,10
average allowed shots 12.9
average allowed SOG 5.63
average allowed goals 1.5

without:
allowed shots -19-,-15-,-12-,-(9*)-,-16-,11,-24-,17
allowed SOG -15-,-8-,-5-,-(6*)-,-7-,6,-11-,(10**)
average allowed shots 15.38
average allowed SOG 8.5**
average allowed goals 2.9

*= catolica game
**= thunder game, report did not give total SOG, but there were 10 saves made so there must have been ATLEAST 10 SOG

so the stats arent that much worse when pope is gone, only about two and half more shots and almost 3 more SOG. we do play better with him, cant deny 3 more shots and 3 more shots on goal when he doesnt play. considering we give up more than 2 goals a game and allow about 1 goal in 3 SOG. the bigger stat is that we give up almost 2 times as many goals without him than we do with him. i think that shows his value more than anything. we seem to be more organized and protective of DJ and the goal when he is playing, usually because we have a better lineup out there.

now i also did when behncke plays (cuz i hate him with a passion and dont understand how he is even playing in this league he sucks so much). those numbers are surrounded by - - . those average out to 15.6 allowed shots when he plays, 12.5 when he doesnt, 7.8 SOG when he plays, 5.9 when he doesnt. about the same, but a little higher.

so in the end, its safe to say that yes behncke sucks a lot and causes us to give up more shots and more SOG when he plays


oh ya and we play better when pope eddie the 23rd is on the pitch for us.

[Zathras]

FYI, although I cannot give SOG, total shots for the Thunder game were:

Thunder: 17
RSL: 13

I don't believe there were any posts hit, but there was one goal-line clearance for the Thunder, so I would guess SOG is:

Thunder: 16
RSL: 9

Which seems odd as I can recall at least two off-frame shots for the Thunder, although one was deflected, so that might explain it.

[Zathras]

Originally Posted by Aerick

What a phenomenal waste of cash, though, no?

Precisely. Send him packing, I'd say. Don't know how to motivate that man. :down: