Going to start this one with a disclaimer: our 2023 National Championship team started 3-2-1.
Our still top 10 Tigers are off to a 1-1-1 start - the one loss coming at home to Top 5 Stanford on Friday (more on that later) and a tie on the road at Uof. The game vs. Loyola (Md.) (0-2-2) should be thought of as a get-right game, wearing a 6-1 loss to top 5 Marshall among those results.
But before we dive in on the Greyhounds, let us revisit for a moment the Stanford game from Friday.
I said before the game that Stanford would be a tough out - they are a blueblood program and every game with them is a battle. I don't have a problem stating they were the better team on Friday, despite us out-shooting them 16-9 (they had 5 SOG to our 2). But, to my eye, for two games in a row, we were bullied.
Their striker Jackson Kiil was putting his shoulder into Titus Sandy Jr.'s chest on dead balls and we just took it. We gave up countless balls out wide in the attacking third by just getting moved off the ball.
As a collective, and as Noonan pointed out at halftime of Stanford game, we have been giving up too many uncontested crosses. While Stanford had 3, they could have had more (in fairness, we could have as well). But we have given up five goals in the last two games after giving up just three goals in our final seven games last season.
Of those five goals, one wasn't because of a cross that we defended too softly - that was Stanford's PK. Is it personnel? Has to be, right? Now, it could be teaching moments here, too, from Noonan. We've played more this season with two CBs than we have in past seasons - of course, when you have a Papa Mar Boye, you don't need another centerback.
Shawn Smart would be our wing/outside back that would fight you tooth and nail before you got a cross off. He committed 39 fouls and received five yellow cards last season - led the team in both. That equates to roughly two fouls per 90'.
Remi Okunlola and Arthur Duquenne (our outside backs this season) have committed two fouls combined this season over 435 minutes - or .41 fouls per 90'.
Now, I'm not saying fouling is good - but I think these numbers show a lack of aggression that we've been playing with on the wings.
I'm not sure if Lundengard's red card suspension is one or two games, so let's get to know his replacement at CB - true freshman Lukas Magnason of Iceland. All Magnason does in his first start is play a full 90' and scores his first career goal. He had played just 25 minutes in the first two games combined.
Thought Iceland U20 team member was very tough in the back on Friday - and gives us some size back there at 6-2, 180.
Onto the Greyhounds - again, this NEEDS to be a get-right game. While I'm not concerned about our end of season ability yet, we were 1-1-1 heading into a game against PC last year and won 6-0. We need to see a game like that.
In their four games this season, they've scored just two goals against the gauntlet of NJIT, Iona, Marshall and St. Joseph's. They give up an average of 14 shots per game, with almost 40 percent of those going on goal. Expect them to be physical - they have accumulated 15 yellow cards in four games.
But we need and should match that Marshall scoreline (6-1) on Tuesday. Would really like to get back to not conceding goals.
But especially not on uncontested crosses from the wings.
Our still top 10 Tigers are off to a 1-1-1 start - the one loss coming at home to Top 5 Stanford on Friday (more on that later) and a tie on the road at Uof. The game vs. Loyola (Md.) (0-2-2) should be thought of as a get-right game, wearing a 6-1 loss to top 5 Marshall among those results.
But before we dive in on the Greyhounds, let us revisit for a moment the Stanford game from Friday.
I said before the game that Stanford would be a tough out - they are a blueblood program and every game with them is a battle. I don't have a problem stating they were the better team on Friday, despite us out-shooting them 16-9 (they had 5 SOG to our 2). But, to my eye, for two games in a row, we were bullied.
Their striker Jackson Kiil was putting his shoulder into Titus Sandy Jr.'s chest on dead balls and we just took it. We gave up countless balls out wide in the attacking third by just getting moved off the ball.
As a collective, and as Noonan pointed out at halftime of Stanford game, we have been giving up too many uncontested crosses. While Stanford had 3, they could have had more (in fairness, we could have as well). But we have given up five goals in the last two games after giving up just three goals in our final seven games last season.
Of those five goals, one wasn't because of a cross that we defended too softly - that was Stanford's PK. Is it personnel? Has to be, right? Now, it could be teaching moments here, too, from Noonan. We've played more this season with two CBs than we have in past seasons - of course, when you have a Papa Mar Boye, you don't need another centerback.
Shawn Smart would be our wing/outside back that would fight you tooth and nail before you got a cross off. He committed 39 fouls and received five yellow cards last season - led the team in both. That equates to roughly two fouls per 90'.
Remi Okunlola and Arthur Duquenne (our outside backs this season) have committed two fouls combined this season over 435 minutes - or .41 fouls per 90'.
Now, I'm not saying fouling is good - but I think these numbers show a lack of aggression that we've been playing with on the wings.
I'm not sure if Lundengard's red card suspension is one or two games, so let's get to know his replacement at CB - true freshman Lukas Magnason of Iceland. All Magnason does in his first start is play a full 90' and scores his first career goal. He had played just 25 minutes in the first two games combined.
Thought Iceland U20 team member was very tough in the back on Friday - and gives us some size back there at 6-2, 180.
Onto the Greyhounds - again, this NEEDS to be a get-right game. While I'm not concerned about our end of season ability yet, we were 1-1-1 heading into a game against PC last year and won 6-0. We need to see a game like that.
In their four games this season, they've scored just two goals against the gauntlet of NJIT, Iona, Marshall and St. Joseph's. They give up an average of 14 shots per game, with almost 40 percent of those going on goal. Expect them to be physical - they have accumulated 15 yellow cards in four games.
But we need and should match that Marshall scoreline (6-1) on Tuesday. Would really like to get back to not conceding goals.
But especially not on uncontested crosses from the wings.
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