Soccer vs memphis

[SoccerFan]

Soccer Bills defeated Memphis 2-1 in the 1st overtime tonight. I heard in on internet radio - it sounded like the Bills outplayed Memphis the majority of the night, just had a hard time finishing.

1st Goal was David Peplinski and the OT goal was DiRaimondo

Comments from those present? How did they look?

[thetorch]

I listened for a few minutes on the radio and they dominated the ball. The announcers made a note that the best guys for SLU looked like the game just started, even as they had played nearly the whole game.

[gister]

I also heard the the last part of the game on the radio. The Bills scored the first goal at about the 60 minute mark and Memphis came right back 2 minutes later to tie it up. Even with the Bills apparently dominating, I was really concerned that Memphis might get away with a win or at least a tie.

It sounded like the Bill's goal in overtime was questionable because of a possible penalty. The announcers signed off pretty quickly so they didn't ever give a good explanation Anyone see it?

Glad they got the win. They have Bradley at home on Sunday and finish at UAB on the 8th.

[Lobo]

Thanks for the update as I had forgotten they played tonight. A big win fot the team. It seems they have had difficulty finiahing the last half of the season as conference play has been very competitive.

This week we are ranked 13, 12, 11 and 8 in the 4 polls which is very respectable. Two games left in the regular season, at home against Bradley and UAB on the road - a must win game.

Go Bills!

[DeSmetBilliken]

Memphis complained about the game-wininng goal, but it was perfectly legit, so there was nothing to complain about. Andrew Moses sent the ball into the box, the keeper Vecchio jumped up and caught it, but when he returned to the ground he collided with one of his own defenders, which caused him to drop the ball. After Peplinski got the ball, the ball ended up at DiRaimondo's feet and he scored the winner.

[slufanskip]

I saw most of the early games ... but due to family commitments have missed the last few. An overtime win against Memphis at home is dissapointing.

If these guys don't pick it up they will be out quick in the post season. The defense has not been as solid this year as expected, partially due to injuries ... and partially due to poor play. To give up a goal 2 minutes after they take a 1-0 lead is unnacceptable.

The offense has been stopped once opponnents got too watch them a little and put together a game plan. Yes they are freshmen ... but they get no extra points for that ... it is time for them to make adjustments and improve.

The transition from midfield to the frontline was not good early in the season ... and based upon the results lately ... I'm assuming hasn't improved. It is easy to stop a team that relies too heavily on the long ball.

I keep hearing they are dominating games ... but not the score. If they are too be a team whose strength is their defense then they must quit giving up goals. Martin was coming up with the superb saves early in the year. Is he still? If he is ... and we are still allowing goals than that tells me that we are not dominating games and just not finishing ... we must be giving up too many chances.

These last two games are huge ... even the nonconference against Bradley ... if we want a home field advantage in the tourney.

Can anyone who was at the game give us a detailed breakdown of their play?

Courtside ... were you there?

[tseugnekillib]

Not only does SLU have to win, but it has to be a pretty win.

SLU has an 8 to 4 edge in SOG, a 7 to 1 advantage in corner kicks, dominate the play against a hustling opponent, win, but they are still a disappointment. No credit to the opposition whatsoever.

On the flip side, if/when SLU upsets a higher ranked team with the stats in the oppositions favor, it's considered a great win.

At times, soccer can be truly a weird game!

[GoSlu]

I was at the game and the billikens played HORRIBLE last night. They should have easily handled Memphis but instead let them stay in the game and were forced to win in overtime.

Comments:

John D. just never quits working. He is always hustling to the ball and making plays and his serves on dead balls are lethal...great pace, away from the keeper and on target.

David Peplinski had a great game. Hustled his *ss off and actually created some offense(unlike Vedad and Will who I will address later).

Andy Pusateri. This guy is just solid. Metcalfe(#14) their quickest and most dangerous player(and who ate Gannon up twice) was a marked man in the second half once Andy was on him. His goal was on a mistake by Hutton coming off his line when he should have stayed in the goal, other than that he was a non-factor after Andy was assigned to him.

It was great to see Wick back. He started really slow in the first 20 mins of his shift making several bad serves but then really turned it on, shutting them down defensively and making some great serves across field.

Brian Grazier had a good game and so did Ryan Wileman and Kyle Hopson. All three worked very hard.

Vedad...all I can say is this kid has REALLY disappointed me. His individual skills are incredible but he NEVER comes to the ball or hustles(unless it's in a meaningless situation like running after the goalie). He never works for a ball, hardly ever looks to pass, takes on too many guys and is simply not a team player. Will is not as bad but he is VERY soft and only sporadically will take on a guy. Those 2 up top were ineffective and really killed their transition as a team. When those guys were in there the ball was constantly sent back to the defense because no one was moving or open. The midfield play was horrible when those guys were in there. After Hopson and Peplinski were inserted the team came alive. Then with 20 mins left in the game(after Vedad and Will sat out part of the first half and the first half of the second half) Don inserted them back in and the same sh*t happened. Other guys then decided to start playing with some intensity(why they didn't do that all game is beyond me) and put some pressure on but didn't score. In OT Vedad and John were pulled and Hopson and Peplinski went back in and they played the 6 best mins of the game...hustling to every ball...making plays...Hopson dug the ball out and crossed it and John D. was there to hammer it home(and Memphis had nothing to complain about on the goal, their guy ran into the keeper).

Slu did NOT dominate at all. Memphis had lots of chances and played the typical counter game on the road and actually going into OT had as many shots as the Bills did(7) for the game. SLU could have easily lost this game and unless Vedad and Will want to actually work hard this team is going nowhere in the post-season. And based on Vedad's and Will's play last night I would bench them for the Bradley game. Other guys deserve the mins much more than they do. At some point in time they will learn or they won't play. This has great potential and there are lots of guys working very hard but as a team they are not playing well at all. Somehow, someway these guys have to step up or it will be wait for next year.

D.

[slufanskip]

Thanks for the report. Except for the 1st couple of weeks ... that is what I have been saying about Vedad and Will. When Vedad gets pissed off ...he hustles more, but then becomes more selfish, like he will show them. I think Will has usually hustled ...and in the open field he is tremendous, just that it tight spaces, he is so easily knocked off the ball and his passes are soft.

Tseugnekillib, Memphis is a vastly inferior team to us talent wise ...and we are at home. My point was that lately there have been a few games that were too close ... and the story was "we outplayed them and dominated the game just didn't get the breaks or were unable to finish."

Sorry ... but yes I mas a fan expect more.

[Lobo]

I appreciate your candor. From afar it seems this team has faded once conference play began. And that there may well be some team issues. I agree, players that don't want to play team ball ahould be benched.

Could it be that we have too much preceived talent and too many egos?

I have been disappointed with the Bills results since conference play began. I hope they can regain their confidemt play they demonstrated during the first part of the season.

[slufanskip]

Lobo ... I don't really think it is an ego problem, or too much talent for the players to mix well.

I think we have had numerous defensive injuries ... Gannon, Wickart, and Hutton all missing at least a couple games and probably playing at less than 100% in others. I haven't seen them in quite a few games ... but it appears Hutton hasn't made the big save he did earlier in the year. (1 goal makes a huge difference in soccer)

Our Forwards are both freshman ... early in the year teams did not have a good read on them ... Coaches are smart and have figured out their strengths and weakness'es and have put together a plan to stop them ... or slow them down.

Our strength is in the midfield with John D. anchoring a very good unit. We do not transition well from midfield to the frontline ... to much reliance on the long ball ... this is due to the inexperience of the front line and inability to hold the ball.

Our early season success ... persuaded us and the National press to over rank them. The fact is with a team starting 6-8 freshmen each game ... we should not have gotten so caught up. We are probably now playing closer to our true caliber.

Memphis was dissapointing, but on the road at Cinci and Indiana are very tough games. We were competitive in both and could have won either.

Next CUSA is a better conference than in the past ... there are a lot of good teams ... Cinci, UAB, Marquette, Louisville, and S. Florida are all quality teams.

The best is still on the way with this team.

[SLUBALLS]

I have to agree with the match report from above. We did not dominate.

Memphis should have had two goals in the first half all because #14 was faster than Gannon. #14 sent in two wicked balls across the goal and his team couldn't get to them. Did anyone else notice that Pusateri started at midfield instead of fullback.. Of course as mentioned, #14 was torching our flanks and Donnigan had to pull Pusateri back to shut that guy down in the second half.

Vedad: everyone on my side of the field was complaining about his lack of checking to the ball. He just stands there waiting for the ball to get to his feet. He has to realize that he is a marked man and needs to buy as much time as possible and therefore must go to the ball to gain a couple seconds before a defender closes in on him.

Will: Soft. Sorry but he's not going to cut it if he doesn't get more aggressive. His skills are unreal, but a good defender will knock him off his game by jsut punishing him physically.

Our big problem right now is that we do not have a central playmaker at all. We have three guys -McKee, Wileman, and Grazier- that are much better as defensive mids than directing an attack. We have no Brad Davis or Jeff Dimaria type guy in the middle. JohnD comes the closest but he's too valuable on the flank. I think Matteson could develop into that guy but he's not there yet.

[slufanskip]

Actually ... I think we do have that midfielder ... Grazier ... He could easily be an attacking midfielder ... and may play there later in his career. This year I think Coach D knew our defense was our strong point ... but none of those guys are very offensive. Grazier serves as the transition from defense to midfield.

Brian is an accurate passer who is strong and composed on the ball. He seems to see the field well also.

But you are right ... we have no one in that role this year. I also think if Will would make his passes more crisp. He could be this guy. Kind of like Claudio Reyna ... rarely mixing it up ... but great vision in the open field ... play always runs through him when he is on the field. Skills can be learned. Vision and creativity are usually not. Will needs a lot of work ... but I could see him developing into this kind of a role.

[courtside]

Very good reports guys. I unfortunately could not make the game, last minute. One of my brothers(SLU grad student) attended and gave me a report as well.

8 OT games or something like that, ...got to be a record for them. Just a strange year.

All I can say is I have been to many games this year, and the above reports could have been pulled from a number of those games as well.

Grazier and John D are at a higher level with that national team exposure. And John D has improved his overall play a lot.

Big fan of David Peplinski who's motor never stops, and he understands the game. He is a midfielder that might have to play up top more. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

Interesting on team unity, etc...basically I think Isibevic is really the only one I have observed with the issues. From a distance, they don't seem to have take charge leaders. Such a great point on a playmaking midfielder and transition. WAY too many long balls. Davis, Dimaria, or even a Jewsbury in that role.

Vedad has a temper, is showing his competition from Roosevelt high, and is learning that great skill doesn't always get it done. That cast didn't help the situation any. In major D-1, you can't take plays or parts of game off, period. Will John to a lesser extent does this too. I have seen many great young talents over the years struggle with the physical aspect of the game their first year. That will change, but doesn't help much now.

SLU needs a creative playmaking central attacking midfielder. They have a million defensive ones, and a few of those are playing out of position.

Glad to see Wick back. he has taken some hits here. I like him. I think he will be an important factor in post-season. I think he has earned it.

Pusateri is the most experienced guy back there. He has been there done that. No left foot but that is okay.

SLU isn't a lights out defensive club. They will give up a goal, or even two. And they aren't a lights out offensive club. They are in the middle...a tough spot...lots and lots of close games.

Ranked 8th this week, a lot of pollster respect. They should be happy with that.

I will go ahead and make the ever safe prediction that the UAB game will ...gasp...go to OT.

At this point, I think SLU can get two NCAA home games, road quarters...that is subject to change quickly. And of course, I am not saying they will go that far, or less, or more...just where it looks to me right now. Lots of parity. Opportunity is there to step up.

UAB has tied everybody this year...that game just smells like an OT tie....hope not...and won't be end of world at this point. With conference parity...doesn't seem to matter too much who they get in conf tourney.

Bradley by the way...do not, repeat NOT overlook. Losing last two would really hurt the ranking, seeding for post-season etc...would force them to win conf tourney for good seed and home game.

[courtside]

Lastly, I just think they lack an identity. And it is getting late to lack one. Those kind of teams get bounced quickly.They could use someone to step up. Last year it was Nick Walls late in year, finished like crazy, really rose to the senior challenge. They could use that from someone this time. Maybe their identity is going to OT most times out?