Real Salty: Start Diego Luna Already!
Without the US U20 star in the lineup, this Real Salt Lake midfield looks vastly different and more discombobulated.
Kickoff: It goes without saying that Luna should not only be playing more—he should be starting these games. What the hell difference is there between the US U20s and an RSL first-team that is more or less a glorified U22 squad? Exactly. Not much.
Braian Ojeda is clearly not ready to take on this starting role as a pivot—and he sure as hell doesn’t know how to set a line of contention or confrontation [the terminology varies by region and that’s a mid-block for all of you soccer “experts”] in front of this haphazard low-block/first line of contention/confrontation that RSL insists it must set so deep and so close to Zac MacMath before it unleashes the Kraken, i.e. a counterattack.
This Just In: Diego Luna actually sets this mid-block/2nd line of C/C for the US U20s. He also did so at *wait for it* his old USL club, El Paso Locomotive, the same club at which this other guy you already know might have played:
Since we’re so good at 1v1s, why not bring back Velasquez? He’ll actually win most of the these. [Despite being at home in front of a sell-out* crowd at AFF, RSL still only won 55 duels compared to Austin’s 51.]
*terms and conditions may vary
In Sum: Luna’s capable of keeping the ball. Ojeda [age 22] simply is not ready to play that pivot. Luna [19] is a better fit for that pivot 6/8. In my notes, Ojeda didn’t make a significant tackle. What’s more, and here’s the stat that should most concern you, is that Ojeda is only touching the ball on average 70 times in 89 minutes played; Luna’s are actually flipped—it’s 21 to every 16. [Jasper Loffelsend is 62 to every 76 minutes.] Also, Luna has won more total duels than Ojeda, by a 60 to 56 percent margin. The through balls and deft passes into Damir and others that Luna attempted were not the fault of the US U20 star; it was due to “heavy legs” on those attacking players, i.e. too many minutes played and not enough “match fitness.” I explain in the podcast.
For now though, I’m afraid you’re going to be suffering right along with the boys and this group will look more defensive in its shape. Yes, it looks a lot like Atleti in that it can be somewhat boring to watch. Games will be close for awhile; 1-0, 2-0, 2-1. At some point, however, it should flip, pieces should gel and things should turn around.
Why Wasn’t Pablo Mastroeni Making Any Halftime Adjustments?
I literally said the same thing last week at Seattle when our supporters group was bumrushed by goons who lack a riot and/or city center to take hold of.
Congrats to the Sounders FO for taking hold of this issue reported by several members of one RSL SC, and I’m being totally facetious when I say that. But the trials and tribulations of that nightmare of a game in rainy, coldass Seattle bears repeating so here it is: why are we making our first substitutions in the 68th minute? We were LOSING 2-1 at the half to Austin. That would have been the first, second and third clue that an adjustment [or 5] needed to be made NOW.
Here’s How We Got There: Leading scorer Justen Glad was glad to see the ball meet the side of his foot as it careened into Austin’s net in the 22nd minute off a tap-down from the king of tap-downs, tying the game at 1-1. That’s courtesy of Mr. Damir Kreilach who, outside of this play below did not do a whole hell of a lot—other than almost getting sent off in minute 41 for a tackle that HIS PIVOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAKING IN THE FIRST PLACE. After a VAR review, the ref issued a yellow instead.
Here’s Why That Was: not a red card in the 41st minute, thankfully. Damir got ball. End of story. Meanwhile, here’s how Austin’s second goal a few minutes earlier in minute 34 went down:
Heh. Pocket of space? More like acres of space, pardner to put the ball into that there net of Real Salt Lake City, ummm hmmm.
The Broadcast Team For Apple TV Was Hard At Work Learning Proper Names Of Teams.
Real Salt Lake City, for example.
Not just on the field—but off the pitch. What a standup guy. So let’s just say, strictly a hypothetical, that Gyasi Zardes goes after a fan, in the stadium, with a knife. By accepting said gift from Mr. Zardes, might Mr. Costigan now have second thoughts about reporting this news fairly and accurately? He and his broadcast partner certainly didn’t know WHAT in the hell they were saying Saturday night. I get into that in a heated segment in which Angry BrianTM may or may not have come out and WHY I am fed the hell up.
DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO GET A FAIR, EQUITABLE AND REPUTABLE REPORTING FROM ANY LOCAL OR NATIONAL MEDIA OUTLET who is TAKING GIFTS FROM ANY MEMBER OF THAT CLUB?!? I’m sorry we’re going over and over this, but it appears to once again be necessary. You just saw what happens when that happens, folks.
Next up: Bye Week [But We’ll Have A Special Edition Next Week].
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Real Salty: Start Diego Luna Already!