1. Javier Morales: a career in winter?
Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales is 35 years old, a professional soccer player navigating the winter of his career.
There is just one problem as the curtain begins to fall on the RSL’s talented Argentine playmaker: someone needs to tell him how things are. Because the fact that he should be on the downslope, with harsh reality nipping at his aged heels and the inexorable sands of time wearing down the sharp edges of his game, has somehow eluded Morales.
Real Salt Lake has a new way this year, the club’s signature midfield diamond and tilt toward possession gone in favor of a 4-3-3 that has been slow to grow into itself around Rio Tinto. Still, the team is doing fine in the standings largely because of three wise men: holding midfielder Kyle Beckerman remains as steady as ocean currents, Nick Rimando is doing his thing in goal (for, like, the 30th year or something), and because Morales remains a highly effective attacker, never mind the age thing.
Morales had the lone goal as RSL picked up three road points in a 1-0 win over San Jose at Avaya Stadium. He had two assists in the previous outing as RSL took down Toronto, 2-1, in Utah.
In fact, Morales has scored or assisted on five of six RSL goals in 2015.
His passing and possession don’t appear to have dropped a bit. Heck, the man even had a critical defensive intervention late Sunday to help preserve those valuable points at San Jose.
Who knows if Morales can keep this up over a long season? But so far, so good in getting the business done at both ends.
2. The problem in Colorado
These are obviously tough times in Colorado, where the club’s winless streak is now, officially, “historic.” The weekend’s loss to New England extends Colorado’s winless streak to 18 games dating to last year, matching a league record (Real Salt Lake in 2004-05).
The pressure is definitely mounting on Pablo Mastroeni, a first-time head coach. It’s not just pressure for a win; it’s pressure to score one doggone goal! The team doesn’t have one in four matches this year, and the scoreless streak is 600 minutes plus when you go back to 2014. Irish international Kevin Doyle is en route, but he won’t arrive into DSG Park outside Denver until late July.
The problem for the Rapids is that they could be out of the playoff race by then. As Rapids supporters debate Mastroeni’s performance and future, here is the really sticky issue that stands before the current boss: a fairly brutal schedule:
Within the next month, the Rapids travel to face Dallas, to the surprisingly tough New York Red Bulls and to the reigning champion L.A. Galaxy. They have Dallas and current Supporters Shield holders Seattle coming into DSG Park. That is a pretty fearsome five-some.
Given the team’s current state, it’s not hard to see the Rapids emerging with just one win through its first nine games … and you have to wonder if that would be enough?
3. Toronto defense just not good enough
WATCH: CHI 3, TFC 2
Earlier this year I wrote about how Toronto had the splash-dashiest of off-seasons, signing Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco to go along with Michael Bradley. And that is certainly a dandy trio of DP passers and shooters! But here is what I wrote in that piece about spending heavily on the attack while mostly ignoring the need to fix its broken defense: “Because in a salary capped league, you could easily end up with a back line better suited for Saturday nights in USL if you’re not careful.”
It’s great to be right in life. Well, I suppose Toronto FC fans might not agree in this instance. In that case. I humble and honestly say: “I am sorry for you guys that I was right.”
Toronto has allowed eight goals in four matches, which is 19th of 20 teams. Yes, it’s early. But given the team’s roster construction, it’s hard to see TFC getting significantly better in the back.
On two of the goals, the cover and support (second man coming over to help defend, etc.) just wasn’t good enough. The choices along the back line just aren’t good enough, like Warren Creavalle’s two bookings, which helped sink the ship.
Toronto picked up a set of DPs that are definitely good enough to drive the team toward a first playoff appearance . Too bad the Reds don’t have a rear guard that’s anything close.
4. Sometimes, it’s just “finishing,” pure and simple
Sometimes, some of us burrow too deeply into our little wonky soccer world and tend to over analyze. In examining what seems to be going right and wrong, we delight in dissecting the tactical particulars of midfield shape, the underused beauty of the target winger, the debate over whether left and right center backs can flop sides with impunity and so on. You know, the real nitty-gritty of tactical and personnel analysis.
And there is a place for that.
On the other hand, sometimes the game is just so doggone simple. Sometimes it’s just the meat and potatoes of passing and trapping. And finishing! Sometimes we analyze things to death when the truth of the matter is something far more basic. Sometimes – heck, plenty of times – winning and losing comes down to who is better around goal.
We give you Orlando City SC. Last Friday in Florida, they were the victims as United stole the points late.
Orlando, driven by Kaka’s skill and smarts, generated five or six good scoring chances – and scored on none of them. Bill Hamid, United’s tall and talented ‘keeper, certainly did his part. Even against that kind of wall-like presence, good finishing can still turn the day. More importantly, twice the Lions managed worked into great scoring spots near goal but missed the target entirely. Meanwhile, United had maybe 1 ½ good scoring chances – and converted one of them. United sneaked away 1-0 winners.
Sometimes it’s not sheer volume, but it’s missing the chances at the critical moment. Sunday night inside typically teeming Sporting Park in Kansas City, Philadelphia put itself in position to grab a huge road win with two set piece strikes. Ahead 2-1, Sebastien Le Toux and Michael Lahoud both missed on fabulous, 88th-minute chances to ice the match. (It happened after what Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas called a “low speed chase,” a comically slow developing breakaway; nice one, Alexi!)
Within minutes, Sporting KC pushed two goals past the stunned Union, and rather than a great road win that could have changed the team’s season, Philadelphia will lament the lost opportunity of three points on the road.
5. The Little Five
5a. In case anyone was wondering about next week’s domed friendly in San Antonio, U.S. Soccer officials have confirmed that the U.S.-Mexico match set for April 15 will be played on real grass (temporarily installed over the artificial turf inside the Alamodome.)
5b. Reports of Carles Puyol to the Colorado Rapids were apparently nothing more than (all too common) sketchy journalism out of Europe. And that is a good thing, because signing Puyol would be a terrible idea. There is a magic window when European stars retain sufficient utility, a period when they can still perform near top level, and when their smarts and marketability keep their value high. But MLS clubs have to nail it; they simply cannot miss the window. Puyol, at 37 years old, more than a year out of the game and with a history of knee issues is clearly past that window.
5c. On the other hand, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is right in the sweet spot. He’s 33 and has apparently begun positioning himself for a possible move stateside. Oh, please let that happen. Who wouldn’t love to see this guy (fabulous striker, complete lightning rod for notoriety) in MLS?
5d. Seriously, this is still an argument? That the United States national team should have a “permanent home?” No. In fact, definitely no! The country is too big, and you limit opportunities to see the team by establishing one fixed venue. This is a solution looking for a problem.
5e. Is anybody truly worried about the Galaxy’s sluggish start? Bruce Arena teams have done this before, like in 2012, when the Galaxy limped out of May with a 3-8-2 record. They won an MLS Cup that year. Or the next year when they were a humdrum 6-6-2 in mid-June, having already been booted from the U.S. Open Cup by the Carolina RailHawks. But the Galaxy got it together and finished third in the West. They’ll be fine. Especially considering that a big part of the midfield (Steven Gerrard) will not arrive until July.
Steve Davis has covered Major League Soccer since is first kick in 1996. He writes on-line for World Soccer Talk and Fusion TV’s Soccergods, and co-hosts the weekly radio show/podcast ESPN Soccer Today on 103.3 FM in Dallas. Davis is also the radio play-by-play voice for FC Dallas on 100.7 FM.
