So, I've tried to be patient with our first-year head coach this year. There have been some signs that this team is improving. There have been some times when we do things I really like. But there have been some things recently with this team that just makes me ask: "WHAT ARE WE DOING?" After last night's 2-1 loss to Minnesota United at home, Paulo Nagamura made a few more decisions that have left me.....well....flabbergasted. Forget about tactics for a minute, forget about formations. Let's just focus on the basic player selection and substitutions for a second a let forth a furnace blast of heat. With the signings we've made this year, we shouldn't be in a place where we have 1 win in our last 6, and 4 wins since April 16th (4-10-2 over that span). We shouldn't rank 20th in the league in Points Per Game at PNC. We've picked up 4 out of 15 points at home in our last 5 games in the Bayou City. There are some good things happening this year (like somewhat figuring out how to pick up wins on the road) but not even being competitive for a playoff spot needs to be accounted for.
I've said from the very beginning we don't have what it takes to make the playoffs. I've said all year long that we aren't going to make the playoffs. But I thought we'd at least be competitive. My belief is based off this team's ability, but questions are arising around basic desire. Today, however, we'll solely point the blame squarely on Paulo's shoulders, and ask what in the world we are doing.
Why can't we put all 11 of our best players in the starting lineup?
Does anyone know what's going on with Sebas? Is anyone asking: Why is the second biggest signing in the history of this franchise and this winter's poster child for change sitting on the bench? I read Paulo's quote, it told me nothing. If Paulo can't figure out how to get Darwin Quintero, Sebas, Hector Herrera, Coco, Teenage, Zeca, Adam Lundkvist, and Fafa all on the field together, how is he a professional coach? All year long we've been one of those short in the starting lineup. The first several games of the year, it was Teenage and DQ. Then, it was Parker and Fafa, and now it's Sebas who can't find the starting 11 anymore. WHAT ARE WE DOING? He's the team's leading scorer, he's second on the team in assists, and he barely ever gets the ball. He has fewer touches inside the box than Fafa (80-75) and is seventh on the team with touches inside the attacking 3rd. Memo, Lundy, Zeca, and Coco all have more touches in the attacking third than him, and DQ has 257 more touches in the attacking third than Sebas, with the same amount of goals and 1 less assist. We just got a guy that can break lines and get him the ball, and we decide we aren't going to start him anymore.
The last two games Paulo has rolled out a starting lineup without Zeca and Sebas, and we are supposed to be trying to make a playoff push. Since the beginning of the season, we have never posted a starting lineup that included this: Sebas, DQ, Fafa, Coco, Zeka, Parker, Hadebe, Lundy, Clark. Not one time. That doesn't include two spots, which you could go a couple of different routes with. Add HH in to that mix and you have 10 of your starting 11. We need a wing? Put DQ at RW and let him duck inside while Zeca overlaps the right side, then attack the right every chance you get. Put Thor at the other wing, or start Fafa and Thor and play DQ at the 10. It's crazy to think that over 24 games, we can't get those 9 together in the starting 11 a single time. Every game there's a couple of them rotated. Enough with the rotation. Settle in and get your best 11 on the field. There's not a mid-week game until the end of August, there's no reason for heavy squad rotation at this point. We're at the bottom of the table and need to play some catch-up.
The last two games Paulo has rolled out a starting lineup without Zeca and Sebas, and we are supposed to be trying to make a playoff push. Since the beginning of the season, we have never posted a starting lineup that included this: Sebas, DQ, Fafa, Coco, Zeka, Parker, Hadebe, Lundy, Clark. Not one time. That doesn't include two spots, which you could go a couple of different routes with. Add HH in to that mix and you have 10 of your starting 11. We need a wing? Put DQ at RW and let him duck inside while Zeca overlaps the right side, then attack the right every chance you get. Put Thor at the other wing, or start Fafa and Thor and play DQ at the 10. It's crazy to think that over 24 games, we can't get those 9 together in the starting 11 a single time. Every game there's a couple of them rotated. Enough with the rotation. Settle in and get your best 11 on the field. There's not a mid-week game until the end of August, there's no reason for heavy squad rotation at this point. We're at the bottom of the table and need to play some catch-up.
Hey Paulo, your fanbase likes winning. We aren't really into this whole......experiment and tinker thing at the moment. Enough with switching up 1/2 of your back line every game. Our playoff hopes are basically gone with 12 games left in the season, and our team has been pretty embarrassing for 3 months. When you're losing to Austin F.C., and you don't even play our DP striker, you need to answer for that. When we are two points shy of a playoff spot and you don't start our DP striker at home against one of the best defenses in the league, you need to answer for that. When you pull Sebas at 57 minutes against F.C. Frisco, then basically bench him for the last 3 games, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I get it, Sebas doesn't always run hard, he pouts at times, and sometimes gives up on plays early. But.......when you get him the ball in the box he puts shots on target. Plain and simple.
Pat, you weren't hired to help fix these sorts of things, but you talked about it being a collaborative environment all winter. Help Paulo figure it out. I don't know if you've noticed, but the second Sebas stepped on the field the last two games, the games changed. You know why? Because he's pretty good. Just once.....ONCE....we would like to see our best 11 players on the field together to start the game. It needs to happen now.
What is with the subs?
Not only is it confusing to not start your leading scorer constantly over the last 3 games, but what is going on with Paulo's substitutions over that span? Let's go back to Austin F.C. Granted, they had just played 3 nights before, but some of this I still don't understand. Down a goal at half (2-1), Paulo subs off Coco who had gone full-blown beast mode in the early parts of the game. If it wasn't for the fact that Hector Herrera was the one who came on, this would be even worse, but....can I ask why we didn't sub off Mattias Vera or Darwin Ceren instead? Urruti scored to put Austin up 2 goals, Paulo makes 2 very predictable (DQ-Ver; 65th minute, Junqua+Dorsey - Lundy+Zeca; 78th minute) and bland subs, but you still have Sebas and Tyler Pasher on the bench, and you're down 2 goals. Then, in the 85th minute, you sub in Steres for Parker? WE'RE DOWN TWO GOALS, and you're freshening up your back line? What are we doing? At least put on the face like we're trying to win?
The same thing happened last night. Down a goal, Sebas for Vera was a good move. But then you put in Steres for Parker in the 59th minute? We're down a goal Paulo, and you have Tyler Pasher just sitting there. This isn't the time to freshen up your back line. Parker's a big boy, he can handle the workload. Unless Steres is pushing up to get his head on the ball, there's literally no reason to make this change. Noted, Parker got roasted on the first goal, but he had settled in and was playing just fine. This team has no continuity, and now we are making substitutions that make no tactical sense. We need someone asking him these questions, he needs to answer for it.
The same thing happened last night. Down a goal, Sebas for Vera was a good move. But then you put in Steres for Parker in the 59th minute? We're down a goal Paulo, and you have Tyler Pasher just sitting there. This isn't the time to freshen up your back line. Parker's a big boy, he can handle the workload. Unless Steres is pushing up to get his head on the ball, there's literally no reason to make this change. Noted, Parker got roasted on the first goal, but he had settled in and was playing just fine. This team has no continuity, and now we are making substitutions that make no tactical sense. We need someone asking him these questions, he needs to answer for it.
Dynamo Fans, it's time to apply some healthy pressure.
I'm going to just put this out there. Healthy pressure doesn't come from empty seats. Healthy pressure would come from a packed stadium voicing their displeasure over what was going on with the team. Not bags over our heads in the supporters section, not empty seats. This team is pretty much immune to empty seats. It's so immune to empty seats, we see a stadium that's 2/3rds full as "a terrific atmosphere". 20,000 fans voicing their displeasure in an appropriate way (with words/signs, and boos, not throwing things on the field or wearing bags over our heads) shows a fanbase that actually cares. Empty seats shows a fanbase that doesn't. If you're unhappy with what's going on, show up, make a statement, and let it be heard. Call in the Glenn Davis on soccer matters, and let them hear it over the radio. I'm not saying it's time to fire Asher, Pat and Paulo, but they all need to feel some pressure. What's happening here is not good enough. Even those of us who predicted this was coming expected a better effort to get there.
What are we trying to be?
I've had an interesting conversation over on Big Soccer this week about an Asher Mendlesohn quote.
“We want our team to look like our city.”@asherhdfc spent some time pregame giving an exclusive chalk talk to our members 💪#HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/15qqSNqFvj
— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) July 23, 2022
So, just to settle some of the debate, let me tell you what a team representing the great city of Houston should look like:
- The hardest working, blue collar team in MLS. A tuff and gritty team that will outwork every opponent we see. Add in a sprinkling of highly paid, super talented exec types and you've got a start.
- The most innovative team in MLS. A team that can turn nothing into something, like making the worlds one of the worlds lagest ports out of a couple of swampy Bayous. A team that is leading in it's industry like Houston is in Oil, Gas, energy and medicine. A front office of hyper smart people that are on the leading edge of their field.
- A team that first and foremost has each other's backs like we did in....well....every Hurricane. A team that is going to bind together to rebuild this dynasty like we banded together to help tear down and rebuild each others homes after Harvey.
- A team full of vibrant life, culture, and joy, regardless of background or where you came from.
- A team with pride. Not just pride in the #ForeverOrange, but personal pride in what they do, who they are, and what they represent.
Next Up:
I keep saying how this schedule is about to get brutal, here's one of the most brutal games.
Saturday, July 30th - 6:30
Philedelphia is undefeated at home this year (6-0-5) and have outscored their opponents 20:6. Their 6 Goals Against at home is best in the league. They are one of only 4 teams to allow single digits in goals at home this year.
The Dynamo are 3-7-0 on the road this year, and after winning their last road game against sit 17th in the league in road points. They've been outscored 12-17 in 10 road games, and their -5 Goal Differential is tied for 14th.
Until then, remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange,
The Dynamo are 3-7-0 on the road this year, and after winning their last road game against sit 17th in the league in road points. They've been outscored 12-17 in 10 road games, and their -5 Goal Differential is tied for 14th.
Until then, remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange,
Brian
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