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SLU Men's Soccer Thread


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7 hours ago, bauman said:

3-0 loss to SMU.  Disappointing start to the season.

Sure, but wither roster turnover this offseason growing pains were to be expected. The preseason was all of two weeks.

Competing for an at large bid/hanging near the top 25 would be nice, but being focused on the A10 Championship path isn't necessarily something to be surprised or disappointed by.

 

If this team starts dropping games to average teams. Then you should worry, for now stand by.

1 minute ago, Davis said:

Alright, I'm officially worried.

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4 hours ago, billikenfan05 said:

Sure, but wither roster turnover this offseason growing pains were to be expected. The preseason was all of two weeks.

Competing for an at large bid/hanging near the top 25 would be nice, but being focused on the A10 Championship path isn't necessarily something to be surprised or disappointed by.

 

If this team starts dropping games to average teams. Then you should worry, for now stand by.

Agree. This has also not been an easy schedule for a team with a short preseason that lost so many of their best players. I believe they'll gel. 

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1 hour ago, slufanskip said:

Agree. This has also not been an easy schedule for a team with a short preseason that lost so many of their best players. I believe they'll gel. 

SLU definitely gave as good as they got in the first half.  Second half was a different story...  #7 is  one bright spot - kid is a baller!

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4 hours ago, Gremio14 said:

SLU definitely gave as good as they got in the first half.  Second half was a different story...  #7 is  one bright spot - kid is a baller!

Serh Anderson is number 7. He has been good for SLU. Idealistically he’d be paired up top with Klein, but SLU needs him on the wing, often the left side. You will be pleased to know that Seth’s younger brother Tanner, is a 2023 SLU commit. Tanner is every bit as good as Seth, maybe better.

SLU has been okay box to box in 3 of their 4 games. And, they finished well, and had nice combination possession in the Creighton game. Where SLU has struggled, is defending the final third, and finishing in the final third. Defending transition counters and set pieces. 

A mix of finding the best players and some injuries, SLU has had a different back line for each game. They have tried a few things, including moving Ross inside (Okpoye has been out a few games), and moving Suarez outside left while moving Warrington way up on the right. Having commits Padelford and Rivera make it to campus at left back would have helped. But they played so well that other options presented themselves for them.

The SMU game was poorly played by SLU in a variety of areas, except about 20-25 minutes after SMU’s first goal. SLU created several unfinished chances. Goalkeeping also hasn’t been good enough regardless of keeper. 

Obviously SLU lost almost all of its starting 11. You have a mix of returning players who played less, transfers, and Freshmen, all trying to mesh together. It takes some time. 

Casual observers will fade with the slow start, just like many did with the Women’s team last year. The grind isn’t for them. Some things need definitely need fixing and improving. The good news is the staff understands what needs to be improved and fixed, and how to go about it. Opportunity is there for those who take advantage of it. 

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32 minutes ago, courtside said:

Serh Anderson is number 7. He has been good for SLU. Idealistically he’d be paired up top with Klein, but SLU needs him on the wing, often the left side. You will be pleased to know that Seth’s younger brother Tanner, is a 2023 SLU commit. Tanner is every bit as good as Seth, maybe better.

SLU has been okay box to box in 3 of their 4 games. And, they finished well, and had nice combination possession in the Creighton game. Where SLU has struggled, is defending the final third, and finishing in the final third. Defending transition counters and set pieces. 

A mix of finding the best players and some injuries, SLU has had a different back line for each game. They have tried a few things, including moving Ross inside (Okpoye has been out a few games), and moving Suarez outside left while moving Warrington way up on the right. Having commits Padelford and Rivera make it to campus at left back would have helped. But they played so well that other options presented themselves for them.

The SMU game was poorly played by SLU in a variety of areas, except about 20-25 minutes after SMU’s first goal. SLU created several unfinished chances. Goalkeeping also hasn’t been good enough regardless of keeper. 

Obviously SLU lost almost all of its starting 11. You have a mix of returning players who played less, transfers, and Freshmen, all trying to mesh together. It takes some time. 

Casual observers will fade with the slow start, just like many did with the Women’s team last year. The grind isn’t for them. Some things need definitely need fixing and improving. The good news is the staff understands what needs to be improved and fixed, and how to go about it. Opportunity is there for those who take advantage of it. 

I agree. Give the coaching staff time, and with the talent on the team by the time the A10 tournament starts I think you will find this team to be a tough bunch to play.

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2 hours ago, brianstl said:

The team will get better as the season goes along. I just worry they have put themselves in a position where they have to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA tournament.   

I think they are there, or close to it. So they may as well win the conference and the conference tournament and remove all doubt.

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2 hours ago, billikenfan05 said:

They certainly looked better, while SIUE may not be the quality of the first 4 opponents. The important aspect was that they played with cohesion both in possession and on defense. Definitely more poise with the ball.

I’d still like to see more patience out of the back. During the middle of both halves especially the 2nd half, SIUE was controlling play. SLU was defending well but we kept just clearing the ball. Once in a while it’s necessary, but many times we had the time to settle and play it to maintain possession. Some of this is probably due to it being a team trying to grow together. 

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51 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

I’d still like to see more patience out of the back. During the middle of both halves especially the 2nd half, SIUE was controlling play. SLU was defending well but we kept just clearing the ball. Once in a while it’s necessary, but many times we had the time to settle and play it to maintain possession. Some of this is probably due to it being a team trying to grow together. 

I totally agree. I gotta think that it has to do with the first choice player for distribution being out of position or not knowing where that player is supposed to be.

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55 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

I totally agree. I gotta think that it has to do with the first choice player for distribution being out of position or not knowing where that player is supposed to be.

Agreed, but you get that only with players playing together for awhile. They learn where everyone should or will be through that.

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4 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

Agreed, but you get that only with players playing together for awhile. They learn where everyone should or will be through that.

Right, we're in agreement. I was confirming what Skip posited and then expanded on it by giving additional explanation for why they may be clearing first over passing out.

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On 9/14/2022 at 9:35 AM, slufanskip said:

I’d still like to see more patience out of the back. During the middle of both halves especially the 2nd half, SIUE was controlling play. SLU was defending well but we kept just clearing the ball. Once in a while it’s necessary, but many times we had the time to settle and play it to maintain possession. Some of this is probably due to it being a team trying to grow together. 

SLU has had a different back 4 every game. Some of that is injuries, some of that is finding the best players, and moving them around a bit.

SLU started the game well briefly, and SLU dominated the final 15-20 minutes of the first half. I would not say SIUE had very much sustained, controlled attacking possession in the middle of the first half. (I saw it and rewatched it again). I also don't think SLU did either. 

In the 2nd half, SLU came out the same way it finished the first half, very well, and, SLU quickly added 2 more goals in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half after applying pressure. 

So, it's a 4-0 game with 37 minutes left, a game, where SLU was clearly the better team. 

I'd say SIUE applied some pressure for about 10 minutes after that, down 4-0, and they were able to get on the board to make it 4-1. SIUE had a few brief chances with 15 minutes left, as the game was getting a little chippy at that point.

SLU was more efficient in the final 3rd and defended better in the final 3rd much of the game. 

SLU had yet another different back 4. Moved Warrington (very strong game from Lane in all phases) to the left side, which was effective working with Anderson. Seth played a very strong game, setting up SLU's first goal on a nice through ball, and finished his own from Buendia. He made run after run. SLU also had a  nice set piece goal and improved there.

Coppola received a start and he delivered a goal and he did some good things.

Moving Suarez to inside right and Easton to inside left and Floriani to outside right was solid overall. I would expect to see it in SLU's next game. Townsend gave SLU some good minutes too.

Overall SLU has some areas to work on, but it was a hard fought, comfortable win for SLU, who was the better team much of the game.

 

 

 

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3-1 win at La Salle. 

Lots of John Klein. 2 goals, a not counted assist, a shot off of the cross bar. Good interior combination play in the attacking 3rd with Anderson and Coppola. Buendia ripped one from 20 after making a move on a feed from Klein. 

Good pressure throughout for SLU. Warrington, Suarez, Floriani, Easton right to left. SLU is still figuring out one of its wings. Mads had another turn. Shterenberg , Komodi, etc….Coppola settling in up top again. Once again, SLU played most of the 2nd half with a 3 goal lead. Townsend keeps adding minutes after his ankle injury.

Getting more efficient inside both 18’s.

………………….

SLU currently has the Number 1 ranked recruiting nationally for the class for the class of 2023:

Marcos Moore, Cole Dougherty, Carlos Leatherman, Jack Sullivan, Tanner Anderson, Axel Torres. 

……………….

 

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I tried.  After 45 minutes of kick ball, even a fireworks display could not keep me tuned in.  I thought VCU was the better team in the first half in terms of trying to advance on offense from what I saw.  Bills showed nothing but our three attackers seemed swarmed by seven men back for the Rams every time. 

VCU hasn't won a game all year and has scored seven goals in 8 games.  

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Is SLU still playing Seth Anderson at the Wing?  If so, why?

He is a Striker, a natural goal scorer.  Play him there.

SLU hosts Marquette tonight at 7 p.m.  SLU leads the all-time series with Marquette 22-4-2.

With the Cardinals in position to clinch the NL (Comedy) Central tonight in Milwaukee, and the Billikens hosting Marquette on the pitch, tonight is a big night for St. Louis vs. Milwaukee.

 

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