Comments on: That’s What You Get for Benching Hope http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/ It's always football season somewhere. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:12:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: mousy http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-88712 mousy Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:53:50 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-88712 i love marilyn! i love marilyn!

]]> By: joejoejoe http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26932 joejoejoe Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:08:27 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26932 That was epic stupidity benching Hope Solo. It's one thing if you are going to rotate goalkeepers on a regular basis but it's another to pick a second string keeper who has rode the bench for three months over a healthy keeper who just posted 3 shutouts. The move had the entire backline thinking 'Huh?' and it showed on the field. It's a classic example of an overthinking coach. That was epic stupidity benching Hope Solo. It’s one thing if you are going to rotate goalkeepers on a regular basis but it’s another to pick a second string keeper who has rode the bench for three months over a healthy keeper who just posted 3 shutouts. The move had the entire backline thinking ‘Huh?’ and it showed on the field. It’s a classic example of an overthinking coach.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26903 Jeff Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:25:19 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26903 There's a lot about Ryan I don't like. Our back line was a little suspect against strong attacks like N. Korea's and Brazil's. We were horrible at holding possession, and we had issues scoring when we didn't get set pieces. Ryan needs to get the team to work on possession more... I don't know if it's too early to start up the "fire Ryan" bandwagon, but I do know that I watched a team basically quit on Ryan after Osborne's own goal, only generating two real scoring chances from that point on. And I do know that team chemistry - or at least the way the team relates to Ryan - will never be the same. There’s a lot about Ryan I don’t like. Our back line was a little suspect against strong attacks like N. Korea’s and Brazil’s. We were horrible at holding possession, and we had issues scoring when we didn’t get set pieces. Ryan needs to get the team to work on possession more…

I don’t know if it’s too early to start up the “fire Ryan” bandwagon, but I do know that I watched a team basically quit on Ryan after Osborne’s own goal, only generating two real scoring chances from that point on. And I do know that team chemistry - or at least the way the team relates to Ryan - will never be the same.

]]> By: a different Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26899 a different Dave Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:54:10 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26899 Perhaps, but I'd trust Rafa's instincts over that of any American coach. Perhaps, but I’d trust Rafa’s instincts over that of any American coach.

]]> By: Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26881 Dave Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:10:24 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26881 So does that make Rafa Benitez an American at heart? ;) So does that make Rafa Benitez an American at heart? ;)

]]> By: a different Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26879 a different Dave Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:51:33 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/09/27/thats-what-you-get-for-benching-hope/#comment-26879 I have to agree. And I don't blame Brianna Scurry; it isn't her fault. The blame lies with Greg Ryan. He said he wanted her to play because of how well she handled Brasil the last time they played - but that was something like three years ago! If Ryan really thought Scurry was going to be in goal for an important game like this, he should have started her in more games. Scurry's only played in a handful of games these past few years, so she wasn't a good replacement for Hope Solo, no matter how good she might have looked in practice recently. Seriously, who changes goalies and disrupts team chemistry right before an important game, just because a player had played well against a particular team THREE F____NG YEARS AGO! Insanity. This is a problem with American soccer coaches. They lack the kind of deep seated instincts that comes with a background in a culture that takes soccer seriously. Lacking these instincts, they can't avoid the temptation to tinker. See the USA men's team for other examples of this weakness. Soccer ain't like gridiron. It's better to undercoach than overcoach, if you are going to go to extremes. I have to agree. And I don’t blame Brianna Scurry; it isn’t her fault. The blame lies with Greg Ryan. He said he wanted her to play because of how well she handled Brasil the last time they played - but that was something like three years ago!

If Ryan really thought Scurry was going to be in goal for an important game like this, he should have started her in more games. Scurry’s only played in a handful of games these past few years, so she wasn’t a good replacement for Hope Solo, no matter how good she might have looked in practice recently.

Seriously, who changes goalies and disrupts team chemistry right before an important game, just because a player had played well against a particular team THREE F____NG YEARS AGO! Insanity.

This is a problem with American soccer coaches. They lack the kind of deep seated instincts that comes with a background in a culture that takes soccer seriously. Lacking these instincts, they can’t avoid the temptation to tinker. See the USA men’s team for other examples of this weakness. Soccer ain’t like gridiron. It’s better to undercoach than overcoach, if you are going to go to extremes.

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