The Riverhounds stumble and fall 3-2 to New York Red Bulls II
Last week I talked about how games against MLS 2 teams are going to be critical down the stretch and that the Hounds can’t drop points against them. In the Gameday preview we mentioned this had the hallmarks of a trap game. Welp… here we are… unfortunately. I am hesitant to say the Hounds fell into a trap. They played pretty well and scoreline aside their performance looked consistent with what we’ve seen the last few weeks. It was genereally a pretty even match and it came oh so close to a draw before the last minute wonder strike by the Baby Bull’s captain. However, once again the Hounds dropped points in the final minutes. Five critical points have been left on the table so far this season. On the bright side it didn’t look like this time was due to them letting off the gas. On the downside it was because of a defensive lapse we’ve seen before.
Much has been made of Steffens’ dutch style system and how much better the Hounds have looked running it. And make no mistake they have. This is the best start to their season in a long time and even at 2-2-2 it’s been much more enjoyable as supporters. However the downside of it is by allowing players so much freedom to move around it can create defensive holes if the guys on the back line aren’t on the same page. We saw this with two of New York’s three goals. Players either got lost and were unmarked, or they were given too much space. The same thing happened to New York. They were running something similar and they ended up losing Vincent on the first goal and gave him too much space on the second. This is something that can be a big issue when your back line isn’t consistent. Early on the Hounds have had most of their injuries on defense, and there’s been a lot of juggling of players in front of Thompson. It looks like things might finally be settling down in that regard. As the season continues and the back line becomes consistent the holes we’re seeing should shrink.
At least the offense isn’t a problem for once!
The Hounds are on the road again this Saturday for a tough match against the Charleston Battery. Kick off at 7:30 pm. Presumably the Highmark Stadium’s bar opens at 6:30.
Notes
- Tough break for Okiomah on the early own goal. It looked like he slipped at the last second and didn’t make contact with the ball like he wanted. There were more than a few slips on both sides during the game. Not much you can say about it other than these things happen sometimes.
- Danny Earls had an unusually quiet game. However he did make a great slide tackle to make sure the Hounds kept possession leading up to Vincent’s second goal.
- What more can be said about Vincent and Kerr? The most lethal duo in the league.
- At some point teams have to learn to not give Vincent all day at the top of the 18 right?
- Good to see Dallman back and not having to leave early with an injury.
- Steffens sure isn’t afraid to change tactics and formations in the middle of the game. Several times players moved positions and the formation changed as he tried to get something going. The team being so flexible and adapting is probably a big part of their success so far.
What They’re Saying
Alexander Chismar – Pittsburgh Sporting News
The Riverhounds, who came off of a dominant win last weekend, would look to scrap for a win against a team that seemed superior on paper. They would keep themselves in the game and played like a top tier team but would come up just short in the end.
John Krysinsky – Pittsburgh Soccer Report
Last week, after his team romped over Toronto 5-1, Mark Steffens felt like things were really coming together for the Riverhounds. He made the statement that he really liked that the team was starting to build some chemistry and that the best is yet to come.
A new opponent, NY Red Bulls II, presented a new challenge on Sunday for the Riverhounds. And they came up short.
In some respects, the Riverhounds showed poise and ability to bounce back after difficult setbacks. Ultimately though, it was those setbacks that cost them a chance for a better result.
Anthony Merced – Empire of Soccer
After the game, head coach John Wolyniec was none too pleased with his side’s performance, despite the three points. “For me, it’s not as important as putting a good performance out that better our players.” Wolyniec didn’t just verbally show his frustration. A halftime substitution of Leo Stolz for Derrick Etienne was a tactical display of that frustration.
Around the League
- Rochester, Richmond, and Charleston keep on trucking undefeated at the top of the East.
- The West is wide open.
- Louisville get their first franchise loss.
- FC Montreal still can’t get a point.
- Former USL President Tim Holt joins the Orlando City front office.
#UNLEASH
