SAFC_Yank said:

tim13 said: Thor has been playing well but I'd still put Gersh & JMD ahead of him. Gersh can do the offensive stuff better and JMD can do the passing out of our third better so I don't know where that leaves Thor? If you want to play ultra defensive like on road games you can start all 3 but for offence you need DC & Gersh pairing up with JMD to transition from defending to attacking third. Good depth at the D-mid role on the club.

PS. I don't know what the 1410 guys are watching and rating things on but Jay Demerit was clear MOTM in Portland.

Nitpicking here ... one of my biggest complaints with Davidson is that he DOESN'T pass the ball out of our own third. He doesn't play nearly enough threatening passes forward. All too frequently, he gets the ball, looks upfield, decides he has nothing, Cruyff turns even though he's under very little pressure, and plays a 15-yard ball sideways or backwards. The chalkboards back that up. Thorrington's passes out of the back actually try to start something, rather than simply giving the responsibility to somebody else.

Now, I don't question that Davidson defensively is playing the role Rennie asks him to, and that he shields the centerbacks to a degree Thorrington wouldn't. So, there's still justification to have Davidson in there. But if we want somebody to distribute from that deep-lying spot, Thorrington is better.

I agree with your assessment of where JMD moves the ball, but IMO we have 2 of the best ball-moving fullbacks in the league, so personally I have no problem with his choice of distribution. With our 2 wingers typically playing higher up the pitch, it gives Rochat and Lee a lot more of the pitch to look at when they get the ball out on the wing, instead of trying to force balls up the middle from a deep-lying central position. They can carry the ball to space, play it up the line to wingers, or switch the field if necessary.

Markus,well said!I also think that Davidson can cover very well for Rochat and Lee when they want to push forward without exposing our defense.

Don't you know? It's adopt-a-player week. After a twitter interview with Alain's wife, Arne has chosen Rochat. I'm in for Lee, as we're the same age and I spent my formative years playing right back and because I had a Korean taco in Portland.

Easy fella. I think you're imagining this tidal wave of criticism. Davidson plays an important role, has limitations, and is having a good season. I think most people understand that.

I am not imagining anything.Anyway,I will try to balance the positive with the negative or visa versa.I guess I am old school in the sense that if you dont have something nice to say to or about someone,dont say anything.I guess this board is a way to allow all of us to express our thoughts freely and that is fine.Cheers!

GoF said: 'Jemal' is to Davidson what 'Old Fan' is to Tan.

He's done well for us, and we get that you like him and watched him in the J league, but man you're obsessed! Nearly every post is praising him.

At least the object of his obsession is still playing with the first team. Mine is buried deep in my sorrows and may never been seen on the first team again.

Brenton said: Don't you know? It's adopt-a-player week. After a twitter interview with Alain's wife, Arne has chosen Rochat. I'm in for Lee, as we're the same age and I spent my formative years playing right back and because I had a Korean taco in Portland.

I want Koffie; only a few years older than me. A physical prescence in midfield and strikes the ball from distance.

Brenton said: Easy fella. I think you're imagining this tidal wave of criticism. Davidson plays an important role, has limitations, and is having a good season. I think most people understand that.

I'm probably going to get a lot of negative votes, but he needs to step up his game. Yes, he plays in a tough role, but he needs to start reacting and passing quicker. At times, he's slow and can't make a decision fast enough. If you play in that position, it needs to be like second nature to him.

Solar said:

Brenton said: I had a Korean taco in Portland.

I've always wanted to try a Korean taco, but now that I'm married...

Bwahahaha

:))

A light went on in my head tonight. Fox Soccer Report showed extended highlights of that 2007 Gold Cup semi (and yes, even the Yank knows Canada got screwed). Martin Nash playing holding mid for Canada, and after a US attack falters in the penalty area, Nash gets a bit of time and plays a 65-yard ball to Ali Gerba in stride (and Gerba, of course, wastes the opportunity).

I miss that. I know there's this prevailing view that direct football is barbaric, that tiki-taka is the way forward, but for me, a ball played perfectly 50 or 60 yards is a thing of beauty. I don't just want random whacks, but Nash didn't play that way, those balls had a purpose - he'd play them blind and then chew out an outside mid for not anticipating them. :-)

So, maybe the root of my gripe with Davidson is that he isn't Martin Nash, that he would have looked up at Gerba, done a Cruyff turn and played the ball 15 yards sideways. And I know that's a bit illogical on my part, because Rennie doesn't want him playing that ball. But its my bit of sod and I'll defend it with vigour. Have a good evening.

SAFC_Yank said: A light went on in my head tonight. Fox Soccer Report showed extended highlights of that 2007 Gold Cup semi (and yes, even the Yank knows Canada got screwed). Martin Nash playing holding mid for Canada, and after a US attack falters in the penalty area, Nash gets a bit of time and plays a 65-yard ball to Ali Gerba in stride (and Gerba, of course, wastes the opportunity).

I miss that. I know there's this prevailing view that direct football is barbaric, that tiki-taka is the way forward, but for me, a ball played perfectly 50 or 60 yards is a thing of beauty. I don't just want random whacks, but Nash didn't play that way, those balls had a purpose - he'd play them blind and then chew out an outside mid for not anticipating them. :-)

So, maybe the root of my gripe with Davidson is that he isn't Martin Nash, that he would have looked up at Gerba, done a Cruyff turn and played the ball 15 yards sideways. And I know that's a bit illogical on my part, because Rennie doesn't want him playing that ball. But its my bit of sod and I'll defend it with vigour. Have a good evening.

I suspect if we rewatched all 34 + 4 matches from last season in a short period of time, as Rennie reportedly did, we'd be signing JMD as well. Our central defense was so porous last season, I understand. But in the process, we've become the least dynamic club in MLS. Everyone appears quite frightened to concede, and completely unwilling to abandon their role to take a chance. I suppose that's "discipline" but it doesn't make for the most entertaining football in the world.

Bryce Alderson used to play that Marty Nash ball you talking about at the U17 level. He really struggled with the U23s and every pass he tried was quite similar to JMD's range. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

Khalfan goal v RSL last year.

Cannon kicks long (instead of hopping back and forth for 15 seconds looking for a short option.) Salgado flicks on. Khalfan finishes. 7 seconds from Cannon to the goal.

StateSide_Cap said:

Khalfan goal v RSL last year.

Cannon kicks long (instead of hopping back and forth for 15 seconds looking for a short option.) Salgado flicks on. Khalfan finishes. 7 seconds from Cannon to the goal.

Forgot about that goal. Class on so many levels. Reminds me how much I liked Khalfan.

SAFC_Yank said: A light went on in my head tonight. Fox Soccer Report showed extended highlights of that 2007 Gold Cup semi (and yes, even the Yank knows Canada got screwed). Martin Nash playing holding mid for Canada, and after a US attack falters in the penalty area, Nash gets a bit of time and plays a 65-yard ball to Ali Gerba in stride (and Gerba, of course, wastes the opportunity).

I miss that. I know there's this prevailing view that direct football is barbaric, that tiki-taka is the way forward, but for me, a ball played perfectly 50 or 60 yards is a thing of beauty. I don't just want random whacks, but Nash didn't play that way, those balls had a purpose - he'd play them blind and then chew out an outside mid for not anticipating them. :-)

So, maybe the root of my gripe with Davidson is that he isn't Martin Nash, that he would have looked up at Gerba, done a Cruyff turn and played the ball 15 yards sideways. And I know that's a bit illogical on my part, because Rennie doesn't want him playing that ball. But its my bit of sod and I'll defend it with vigour. Have a good evening.

Nash was great at those balls, he always seemed to know where the winger would be. But our wingers aren't wingers, they're both central forwards playing out wide. Playing through the middle is what most of our midfield and strikers know what to do now when building an attack. If we can get wingers to hug the touchline (ala ansu toure) and build attacks from there, then yes, it would be great to have a deep lying central midfielder who can put the ball in those places... but until then I'm happy to have a deep-lying central mid who will keep possession out of the back

Rochat's picked out Hassli from wide this year too, versus Edmonton.

StateSide_Cap said: I would not say Salgado isn't a winger. He is capable of playing central or wide. And it is also very possible to play 50 yard balls and attack down the middle. You need a target guy. We have Hassli, or can move Salgado there, we just need someone to play it there.

i was talking more about the Canadian national team, but yes davidson wont be able to deliver those types of balls either.

OldFan said: Anyone notice the chemistry with Koffie and Mattocks? They seemed to really work well together out there today.

Never noticed.