What Should Bob Bradley Do?
Every sports fan thinks that they know better than their team's coaching staff (who've spent their lifetimes learning their job) what the team should do. On its face, this is a laughable notion. But watching a team fall apart in just the same way for the second year in a row can make a fan very susceptible to that notion.
Last season, the MetroStars entered the final weeks near the top of a tightly-contested Eastern Division, and managed not to even make the playoffs (which is extremely embarrassing since only two teams of the ten in Major League Soccer don't make the playoffs). This season, the MetroStars are again near the top of the tightly-contested Eastern Division, and again they're stumbling. They're only seven points (two wins and a tie) ahead of the teams that can knock them out of the playoffs, and they've only scored two goals in their last four games (a win, a tie, and two losses). They just look ugly--the few goals that they do score look more like accidents than the result of effective offensive play.
I can stand by silently no more. I'm stepping forward with my brilliant insights into what the MetroStars can do to salvage their season. First and foremost, they need to look away from some established players on whom they've come to rely to their detriment. Clint Mathis and Amado Guevara should spend some time on the bench thinking about what they've done (or haven't done), and Richie Williams should begin his post-soccer career. Last Thursday, with Guevara on the field, the MetroStars lost to D.C. United without even threatening to score (unless you count Mathis's missed penalty kick). On Sunday, without Guevara, they managed to score a late goal and tie the same D.C. United (after Mathis had been ejected). On Wednesday, they'll play D.C. United yet again, this time without Mathis, and I suspect they'll win that game. Then next Sunday, they'll play San Jose without Mathis or Williams. I'd predict a win in that game too if it were against anyone but San Jose.
In the absence of those three warhorses, I suggest that they try a line-up like this for the rest of the season:
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Juskowiak |
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Nugent |
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Lisi |
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Gaven |
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| DiGiamarino |
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Bartolomeu |
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Clark |
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| Jolley |
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Addo |
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Pope |
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Walker |
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Coming off of the bench, they'd have Mike Magee, John Wolyniec, and Jacob LeBlanc up front, and Craig Ziadie, Chris Leitch, and Tim Regan in the back. This line-up won't weaken their defense, which has been strong all season, but it will make them far more likely to score. Does anyone have Bob Bradley's e-mail address?
7:40:30 AM 
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