SLU Men's Soccer Thread

HoosierPal · October 2, 2024

28 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

Doesn’t the national team let a club know if a player is going to be selected before the roster is announced?

Yes there is communication, but we have seen this issue before where a club (on both sides of the ocean) doesn't let a player go. Perhaps, just throwing stuff out, Schulte joins the USMNT for the second match on Oct 15. Since the MLS doesn't always line up with the FIFA windows, this is something that Pochetinno will have to learn to navigate. It might be a good thing that this happens right out of the gate.

Lord Elrond · October 2, 2024

2 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

Yes there is communication, but we have seen this issue before where a club (on both sides of the ocean) doesn't let a player go. Perhaps, just throwing stuff out, Schulte joins the USMNT for the second match on Oct 15. Since the MLS doesn't always line up with the FIFA windows, this is something that Pochetinno will have to learn to navigate. It might be a good thing that this happens right out of the gate.

I guess we’ll see what happens. You are definitely right, the foibles of the MLS are something he will have to learn.

OkieBilliken · October 3, 2024

Anyone know what Men's RPI is after the Charlotte match? I feel like that SIUE debacle will be the reason why there probably won't be any postseason, without a tournament run.

courtside · October 3, 2024

21 minutes ago, OkieBilliken said:

Anyone know what Men's RPI is after the Charlotte match? I feel like that SIUE debacle will be the reason why there probably won't be any postseason, without a tournament run.

I’ll have something on the Charlotte game some time today. (I was unavailable yesterday.)

4 of 5 remaining A10 games for SLU are top 100 RPI games, including some top 20 teams. And Missouri State has a top 20 RPI. Lots of opportunity left for SLU. And SLU doesn’t even play George Mason, who is having a big season this year so far.

SLU improved 19 spots with their 0-0 draw with Charlotte. After yesterday, SLU is at 88 in RPI.

The A10 is very different for Men’s and Women’s Soccer. Apples to Oranges.

OkieBilliken · October 3, 2024

1 minute ago, courtside said:

I’ll have something on the Charlotte game some time today. (I was unavailable yesterday.)

4 of 5 remaining A10 games for SLU are top 100 RPI games, including some top 20 teams. And Missouri State has a top 20 RPI. Lots of opportunity left for SLU. And SLU doesn’t even play George Mason, who is having a big season this year so far.

SLU improved 19 spots with their 0-0 draw with Charlotte. After yesterday, SLU is at 88 in RPI.

The A10 is very different for Men’s and Women’s Soccer. Apples to Oranges.

Mason tweeted out that they were #11 RPI. I was shocked. I know Dayton is also having a great year.

Taj79 · October 3, 2024

Nine games, nine goals. Just saying .......

courtside · October 3, 2024

On 10/1/2024 at 9:04 PM, Lord Elrond said:

0-0 tie. The Billikens generated a lot more chances when they opened up a little more, would have liked to see that all game. Still, a tie against a highly rated opponent is a good result. Back to conference play.

I don’t understand what you mean by opened up a little more, and wish they had done that all game.

courtside · October 3, 2024

2 hours ago, OkieBilliken said:

Mason tweeted out that they were #11 RPI. I was shocked. I know Dayton is also having a great year.

The A10 is a strong league this year in Men’s Soccer. There will be more opportunities for SLU. And you will notice that as a league, A10 Men’s Soccer also schedules good non-conference games later in the season. Not playing in a Power 4 league is a disadvantage in Women’s Soccer. And, there aren’t opportunities to schedule some stronger non-conference opponents later in the season.

courtside · October 3, 2024

On 10/1/2024 at 3:25 PM, courtside said:

Charlotte 49ers

Kevin Langan has made 10 NCAA Tourneys in his 12 seasons as Head Coach. Last season they lost in the 2nd round to eventual NCAA Champion Clemson. Langan was an assistant on the 2011 Charlotte team that reached the NCAA Title game. They return many players from that team.

Charlotte plays a 4-4-2. But they move their Japanese Forward Ogata behind their other big size, target forward. And they have a few of those. That will look at times more like a 4-2-3-1. But it’s a base 4-4-2. Ogata moving in between central attacking midfield and forward. They really like to play through him. Charlotte also has a lot of depth all over. They can insert 2nd 11 players and not miss a beat.They play roughly similar to SLU.

Former Billiken, and Charlotte native Danielle Moore, is a 2 year starter at left back for the 49ers.

Lots of experience at center back, where Pilcher and Laursen are very solid. Forana gives them depth. There is an opportunity for some wide pace runs for SLU’s wings on the outside. Spread them out. Their back 6 plays pretty compact. Consistent personnel up the middle, keeper, center backs, defensive midfielders, and Ogata. They have depth at wing and up top. They’ll play a few big target forwards up top , Jauk, Arsvoll. at 6’5 and 6’4. Even Larsen.

Charlotte is pretty solid in all phases, and they do well against a variety of styles. They don’t make many mistakes. Richardson gives them some pace on the wings, but their strength is up the middle. Good at working through the back 6 to Ogata and switching field s with diagonal balls. They’ll make you pay if you turn it over up the middle.

Big opportunity for SLU to get a result against a good top 10 team.

SLU 0 Charlotte 0

High level college soccer game. SLU dominated much of the game. One of the best performances of the year. Tough draw result. It easily could have been a 2-0 l, 3-0 game for SLU.

…………

4-2-3-1 formation for SLU for the 5th straight game. It was the 2nd game that SLU used a central attacking player in the middle 3. SLU changed its formation 5 games ago. And it has tweaked personnel based on injuries and effectiveness.

4-4-2/4-2-3-1 for Charlotte

………….

Out for SLU: Maher, Redmon, Barnett, Sellers.

SLU started on its front foot and kept it up throughout the game. Very strong first 30 minutes, setting the tone all over the field for the rest of the game. Target passes long and short, ground and over the top, to forward, who played wings and outside backs with overlapping runs. A Nate Ward shot just past the post, several short ground crosses inside the 18, across the There was another Ward miss on a volley wide open in front of goal from Seth. (He had time to settle and place it in the corner.) And, there was a goal called back, which was a terrible call, all in the first 10 minutes.

…………….

A goal that was called back that I would have left a goal. 7th minute, Henry dribbles to the end line wide of the box, and he chipped a perfect cross center of the goal for Wrobel who drove it top corner for the goal. It wasn’t off sides as both Pilcher and Laursen were goal side of Wrobel. And it wasn’t a foul, as preseason AAC Defender of the Year Pilcher wasn’t fouled. Big moment, and a bad call that affected the game.

……………

14th minute. Nice combination play from Henry to Lara to Fournier, to Wrobel, to Seth in alone at the 6 wide post. Pass just missed Ward in front. Seth had a goal there for himself.

17th minute. Give and go Lara and Henry. Switched field to Leatherman approaching the 18. Slots it to Seth again inside the 18. His cross was flicked on by Ward to Wrobel, but he couldn’t finish from the 6 in front of goal

Should have been at least 2-0 or so after 20 minutes.

…………….

Carlos played a nice ball in over the top to Seth behind the defense, but Pilcher was able to save a breakaway. This happened a few more times. as did wide of the box service. Good defending by Charlotte. Several additional set pieces won by SLU.

SLU won most of the 50/50 balls. It was a one sided half with zero Charlotte scoring chances. SLU had a plethora of them.

……………

Halftime adjustments.

…………….

As the game progressed, Charlotte, adjusted defensively, playing their wings very deep, doubling wide on Seth, and dropping a center back to help at the 18, on several through balls played in space to forwards. They were good defending the 18.

Free kick from Seth, caught the keeper out of position running into his own teammate. Floriani played the loose ball wise to Wrobel, but middle wide inside the 18, but Charlotte’s right back (Dunn) headed a sure goal in front of the goal line.

Multiple times SLU played through Townsend, who played aerial diagonal balls to Seth wide. (They’ve been doing this since they were kids playing club ball together). And. a few of them found Seth 1v1 and he had a good one cutting in side of the 18, ripped a left footed upper far corner shot that required a spectacular leaping save but Stritter.

Give and go for Seth and Dougherty inside the 18, wide right, ground pass deflected to Lara 10 yards out. But he couldn’t handle it as Henry was all alone waiting for a tap in goal wide of the 6 backside.

Henry and Fournier were elite level Freshmen in the game. And Fournier is slowly becoming a top of the box shot taker which is needed coming up from the defensive midfield position.

Back line played as well as you can play defensively. (Leatherman, Floriani, Easton, Henry, Dougherty)

Ward gives SLU a high motor that understands positioning and two way play in the middle of the 4-2-3-1.

Lara defended well in the game to make up for some lack of pace on the wing on that side.

Lord Elrond · October 3, 2024

44 minutes ago, courtside said:

I don’t understand what you mean by opened up a little more, and wish they had done that all game.

They went more direct to the goal instead of playing it back to the center backs so much

courtside · October 3, 2024

19 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

They went more direct to the goal instead of playing it back to the center backs so much

SLU played very consistently direct throughout the game. SLU was better in the first half than the 2nd, but they were very good throughout. And the first 20 minutes by SLU, dictated the rest of the game. SLU’s 1st half performance, and early 2nd half push, caused Charlotte to tweak the way they play the rest of the game.

SLU pressed well in the first half, forced a lot of turnovers and transition on short field. They played a higher level of long ball target passes to forwards from Max. In the 2nd those center backs played through the defensive midfielders wide to the wings. And SLU played through center mid to reverse fields to get outside backs into overlapping runs and combination play with wings.

Charlotte dropped their wings deeper, to double the wings. And they collapsed the middle near the 18 to group defend SLU’s forwards top of the 18.

WUH · October 3, 2024

4 hours ago, courtside said:

SLU 0 Charlotte 0

High level college soccer game. SLU dominated much of the game. One of the best performances of the year. Tough draw result. It easily could have been a 2-0 l, 3-0 game for SLU.

[...]

Back line played as well as you can play defensively. (Leatherman, Floriani, Easton, Henry, Dougherty)

It was a high-level game for sure and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, the crowd was unusually small. Midweek game with midterms and such.

I am glad you highlighted the back line as they played great.

WVBilliken · October 3, 2024

24 minutes ago, WUH said:

It was a high-level game for sure and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, the crowd was unusually small. Midweek game with midterms and such.

I am glad you highlighted the back line as they played great.

I was never much into soccer, was a basketball and baseball guy in HS. Played indoor soccer for a number of years. That's a neat game. But this 0 - 0 stuff for outdoor soccer game after game loses me. But then again, not really a soccer guy. But makes me tune out ESPN+ almost everytime .....

I was a student at SLU in the early 70's. Now that was exciting. Watched those guys win 3 National titles. Still friends with a few of the guys on those great Billiken soccer teams.

courtside · October 3, 2024

1 hour ago, WUH said:

It was a high-level game for sure and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, the crowd was unusually small. Midweek game with midterms and such.

I am glad you highlighted the back line as they played great.

Yep. SLU has a top 10 defense nationally. They need to be more efficient and opportunistic finishing. There will be several more chances to do that this season.

courtside · October 7, 2024

SLU 3 Duquesne 0

4-2-3-1 for both teams. I kept waiting for Duquesne to make an adjustment during the game but they never did.

SLU switched to a 4-2-3-1 before the Portland game. They tried different personnel to maximize production. And, SLU was hit with some injuries that forced changes to the lineup. They’ve settled into both for several games now.

The key to the 4-2-3-1 is playing a pace forward in the middle 3. SLU has been using Ward and Torres.

……………..

Front foot start for SLU, and it continued throughout the game. Heavy doses of pace, combination play and service with SLU’s outside backs (Henry, Leatherman) getting forward and working with the wings. Many wide edge of the 18 runs for Seth.

…………..

As early as the 4th minute, SLU had a Seth back post cross for Wrobel was ripped off of the post. SLU had sustained pressure with combination play down the right side, with short chip crosses and several near finishes.

22nd minute. Henry end swinger corner back post for a driving header goal from Lara. 1-0.

………….

Before SLU scored, Duquesne had one nice play, a diagonal ball over the top, and a header finish over Abonnel. But Wrobel cleared it off of the goal line, and kept it scoreless. 0-0. He was back defending the previous corner. Important early moment.

………..

Another 7 player touch pass play ended with Seth short service to Wrobel but the play was knocked away. SLU was sharp with first touch and passing.

……………

49th minute goal was Carlos and Axel combination play up the the right side Townsend to Seth. Back post header for Delkus. 2-0

More Seth and Carlos overlapping run, cross to a sliding Torres but a diving save temporarily kept it 2-0.

…………..

61st minute goal. Holloway forced a turnover at midfield. He played it to Ward, up to Seth. His cross was too far at the 18, but SLU triple teamed the defender and forced a turnover at the 18. Seth and Ward walked in to the 6 yard box, and Ward finished the squared pass. 3-0.

…………..

Holloway played his 3rd different position this season in the defensive ………….

High shot volume for SLU and many were dangerous in close as well as top of the 18 blasts.

………….

Comprehensive complete win that could have been a few more worse than 3-0. SLU was dangerous throughout and rock solid in back. SLU has settled on a pretty set formation, and rotation, the past several games. And it has been effective. A good mix of youth and experience

………………

SLU RPI has improved to 57. And they’ll have several more opportunities to improve it, even though they don’t play 2 of the best RPI A10 teams, George Mason and UMass.

Lord Elrond · October 10, 2024

2-2 draw vs Fordham. We created a 2-0 lead at halftime, but gave it away in the 2nd, the last Fordham goal being a PK off a handball in the box with a minute and a half left. Ouch.

willie · October 10, 2024