SLU 3 Rhode Island 1

[courtside]

Strong effort from SLU, not perfect, but solid. And Rhode Island still is likely to be the next best conference team, despite their very poor start to the season. Very warm, bright sunny game, 85 degrees, and very windy.

SLU controlled most of first half, except for sleepwalking on the left side of the defense in the first 5-10 minutes. The result was just, ....unlike a UMass or LMU, RI is going to play straight up and be aggressive and attack, however this is more of a style of play SLU prefers to play against. Open it up a bit. RI didn't mark tight enough throughout the game, some strong midfield play though, Geoffrey Cameron had a strong game and to a lesser extent DanLeigh Borman, ......

SLU is still giving too much space in the midfield on their own side of the field between the half circle and approaching outside of the box.

Target passes must get more consistent, but SLU did well controlling the ball and stringing passes together on the ground for much of the game.

Hamzagic a very stong game up top, .....strong finish from Wisniweski on the first goal, Patterson strong run setting up the second goal, and Jimmy Holmes' goal late showed just how important speed is to the game.(his string of offsides are unacceptable, including the non-call on his goal)

Really could use Viviano in the lineup, to better organize the back group, (he is still very hobbled.) Good pace and intensity from both teams. SLU won more of the 50-50 balls.

SLU just really needs to learn how to create against opponents who pack it in hoping for a 0-0 draw or for that one or two chances a game because of lesser talent.

Goaltending is still iffy. At times solid at times not, and that isn't good enough for this level.

Rhode Island will do some damage in the conference if they play this way every game. They aren't IU or SMU or Duke, or SLU, but they have some solid experienced players and should be better than this.

And SLU nor any team is going to likely run the table in any conference, regardless of which one it is.....Friday's loss was unacceptable, but perfection isn't going to happen either.

[willie]

So what do you soccerheads thing about Ryan being fired as coach of the US Womens team? The guy is undefeated as a coach and then goes and plays a Tony La Russa and changes goalies. Some people just can't leave well enough alone.

[slufanskip]

So what do you soccerheads thing about Ryan being fired as coach of the US Womens team? The guy is undefeated as a coach and then goes and plays a Tony La Russa and changes goalies. Some people just can't leave well enough alone.

This is the 1st I've heard about it as I just got online today, but I think it is great. I made my feelings known at the time. I think the way the team treated Hope was terrible also. The only one she owed an apology to was Brianna, and then only if there wasn't something going on behind the scenes. I'm still not sure there wasn't as the move Ryan made was so bizzarre I can't believe there wasn't something motivating it.

[slufanskip]

Strong effort from SLU, not perfect, but solid. And Rhode Island still is likely to be the next best conference team, despite their very poor start to the season. Very warm, bright sunny game, 85 degrees, and very windy.

SLU controlled most of first half, except for sleepwalking on the left side of the defense in the first 5-10 minutes. The result was just, ....unlike a UMass or LMU, RI is going to play straight up and be aggressive and attack, however this is more of a style of play SLU prefers to play against. Open it up a bit. RI didn't mark tight enough throughout the game, some strong midfield play though, Geoffrey Cameron had a strong game and to a lesser extent DanLeigh Borman, ......

SLU is still giving too much space in the midfield on their own side of the field between the half circle and approaching outside of the box.

Target passes must get more consistent, but SLU did well controlling the ball and stringing passes together on the ground for much of the game.

Hamzagic a very stong game up top, .....strong finish from Wisniweski on the first goal, Patterson strong run setting up the second goal, and Jimmy Holmes' goal late showed just how important speed is to the game.(his string of offsides are unacceptable, including the non-call on his goal)

Really could use Viviano in the lineup, to better organize the back group, (he is still very hobbled.) Good pace and intensity from both teams. SLU won more of the 50-50 balls.

SLU just really needs to learn how to create against opponents who pack it in hoping for a 0-0 draw or for that one or two chances a game because of lesser talent.

Goaltending is still iffy. At times solid at times not, and that isn't good enough for this level.

Rhode Island will do some damage in the conference if they play this way every game. They aren't IU or SMU or Duke, or SLU, but they have some solid experienced players and should be better than this.

And SLU nor any team is going to likely run the table in any conference, regardless of which one it is.....Friday's loss was unacceptable, but perfection isn't going to happen either.

We seem to have the same thoughts about the Bills team. I actually called for putting Holmes in the game about a minute before it happened as against that wind we were going to have to keep the ball on the ground and as more time clicked off the clock RI was going to have to push forward a bit. I figured if we pushed the ball thru on the ground Holmes had the best chance to use his speed to make something happen and he did.

Just some thoughts

Scott W is playing better but his first touch and passing is still not good, he doesn't make good decisions with the ball ... but if he can hit the ball like he did Sunday with any consistency at all, and continue to hustle, he deserves a time as we don't seem to have other players who are willing to shoot the ball until they get within 12 yards of the goal.

It looked like during the last 10-15 minutes of the game when I expected RI to begin throwing everything at us and for us to sink into a defensive posture we actually filled that gap that seems to always be left unmanned between about 20 and 50 yards out ... as a reward we controlled play and created more scoring chances.

RI out shot us but really didn't test Kaufman except on their goal. Ross continues to give up too many 2nd chances and is indecisive on when to come out. We will not go far in the tourney or be a great team with him as our GK.

Tim Read who I thought had a poor game on Friday night really played well. He moved the ball much quicker and seemed more decisive with the ball at his feet even moving forward on his own numerous times when that gap we keep talking about was there. He needs to continue to do this as once he beats the opponents forward or forwards the opponents midfielders must come to him. He has good offensive skills for a defender and I hope he continues to use them.

It was nice to have Brian G back he has a stabilizing effect on the team, but I still want to see him be more aggressive with the ball. I think he has the best offensive game between him Sweet and Aranda and if he doesn't become more agressive it will be hard to have all 3 of them on the field at the same time ... one of the 3 and preferably 2 need to look more to advance the ball instead of just winning it and dropping it back to our defense to settle. Its hard to be a good offensive team when 3 of your midfielders are all defensive minded.

The ideal situation if we could get them all healthy would be to play Sweet, Aranda, Brian G and Barkledge in the midfield and to move Patterson upfront along side Dado ... but we can't do this unless Sweet and Brian G become more aggressive allowing us to have our best 11 on the field at the same time.

[courtside]

We seem to have the same thoughts about the Bills team. I actually called for putting Holmes in the game about a minute before it happened as against that wind we were going to have to keep the ball on the ground and as more time clicked off the clock RI was going to have to push forward a bit. I figured if we pushed the ball thru on the ground Holmes had the best chance to use his speed to make something happen and he did.

Just some thoughts

Scott W is playing better but his first touch and passing is still not good, he doesn't make good decisions with the ball ... but if he can hit the ball like he did Sunday with any consistency at all, and continue to hustle, he deserves a time as we don't seem to have other players who are willing to shoot the ball until they get within 12 yards of the goal.

It looked like during the last 10-15 minutes of the game when I expected RI to begin throwing everything at us and for us to sink into a defensive posture we actually filled that gap that seems to always be left unmanned between about 20 and 50 yards out ... as a reward we controlled play and created more scoring chances.

RI out shot us but really didn't test Kaufman except on their goal. Ross continues to give up too many 2nd chances and is indecisive on when to come out. We will not go far in the tourney or be a great team with him as our GK.

Tim Read who I thought had a poor game on Friday night really played well. He moved the ball much quicker and seemed more decisive with the ball at his feet even moving forward on his own numerous times when that gap we keep talking about was there. He needs to continue to do this as once he beats the opponents forward or forwards the opponents midfielders must come to him. He has good offensive skills for a defender and I hope he continues to use them.

It was nice to have Brian G back he has a stabilizing effect on the team, but I still want to see him be more aggressive with the ball. I think he has the best offensive game between him Sweet and Aranda and if he doesn't become more agressive it will be hard to have all 3 of them on the field at the same time ... one of the 3 and preferably 2 need to look more to advance the ball instead of just winning it and dropping it back to our defense to settle. Its hard to be a good offensive team when 3 of your midfielders are all defensive minded.

The ideal situation if we could get them all healthy would be to play Sweet, Aranda, Brian G and Barkledge in the midfield and to move Patterson upfront along side Dado ... but we can't do this unless Sweet and Brian G become more aggressive allowing us to have our best 11 on the field at the same time.

At this level, kids have to make big plays in big games etc...one here or there....and that is the separation. Wisniewski's elite finish Sunday is an expectation at this level, and it changed the course of the game. That's why he's there.

Timmy Ream has played his best ball vs the best teams SLU has played. Interestingly enough he played some forward in club and high school ball. Sweetin scored something like 32 goals in a year in high school ball and Aranda was a pretty good offensive midfielder in high school....shows you just how different high school is to college.

Grazier has to decrease the space and pick people up higher in the center of the field.

Having Barklage take all corners has worked out well for SLU with his service.

Shots are a misleading stat....35 yard shots 15 yards away from goal are considered a shot on goal because someone took one...RI had some quality chances....far fewer than SLU....but a few solid ones.

Line of the game had to have been a ball cleared out of bounds about 20 yards to SLU's bench and Donigan flicked it aside as it came to him and in typical Calum Angus fashion with accent and all, he says, "Nice touch coach," in the heat of the action, to of course no response from Danny.

And one must run inside his defender on diagnonal runs.

SLU is doing fine for now. Lots of teams getting beat left and right by unranked opponents....all kinds of results going on out there. Gotta play a full 90 every time out.