New formation can't stop the bleeding, 2:1
April 6, 2019
Is it time to panic? It might be time to panic. Metro dropped its third straight game, losing to Minnesota 2:1 in a scoreline that masks yet another listless performance. Chris Armas trotted out a new formation that proved to be a feeble attempt. Something is rotten in Metro land...
The supposedly shiny 4-4-2 saw Daniel Royer and Marc Rzatkowski go to the bench in favor of Cristian Casseres and Mathias Jorgensen. The latter partnered Bradley Wright-Phillips in a rare two-forward setup that did not amount to much. The one chance the duo had came off a turnover, with the young Dane deciding on a week shot as opposed to passing to BWP. He was subbed out midway through the second.
By then, Metro was forced to replace injury Alex Muyl with Royer. Also by then, they were down two, as Minnesota scored on their only real chances. In the 34th, after some crisp passing, Abu Danladi slotted one home from the top of the box. In the 50th, after Aaron Long was pushed off the ball, Romario Ibarra double the lead.
The insertion of Derrick Etienne and Marcus Epps seemed to energize the team, but it was too little too late. Metro did finally score, in the 70th, when Cristian Casseres got his first MLS goal by pouncing on a rebound off a corner kick. A few minutes later, VAR ruled that BWP was not hacked down in the box, and that was that.
While it was nice to see the urgency, why did it only come with the team two goals down? Where was it from the opening whistle? This team used to play fast soccer, pouncing on opposition, forcing mistakes, and punishing them. The personnel is mostly the same... but where is that team?
Yes, it's time to panic.
Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Long, Parker, Murillo, Davis, Casseres, Muyl, Romero Gamarra, Jorgensen, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Royer, Etienne, Epps.
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