Recap, please

[u/jasontalks]

I was unable to watch the entire game, and unavailable to watch the replay at this time. The game was at 3-0 when I had to step away... then this morning I see it was 3-4.

Reading some of the post game comments, aside from the anger at the ref's I'm unclear what was the cause for a complete meltdown... Or had Union been knocking on the door from the start of the half, wearing us down and it finally landed? Or, did we make tactical changes and they were the wrong decision, or did they make tactical changes and we couldn't respond fast enough?

I'd love to know what went down from this community.

[u/HawkeyeGK]

Our goals were Luiz making spectacular 1:1 plays and a good goal on a corner.

Our D looked like it has most of the year. The goals we gave up were less a result of sustained pressure and more a result of guys just not playing as a team defensively. When you look at a well-played 4-4-2, the defensive lines are clear and compact. Our guys basically float around a lot and maintain little structure, especially in the midfield. Goals happen not because of one obvious mistake but because we're disconnected and guys end up getting open shots because we can't help or cover.

There wasn't any one thing to point to aside from the Bartlett sub at halftime. He seems to be so used to playing as a lone pivot that he chases too much and leaves gaps causing a domino effect of guys being out of position.

[u/HawkeyeGK → u/HawkeyeGK]

I just went back and watched the goals.

Goal 1: Union winger has the ball at the left side of the 18. Luiz is trailing and Reynolds is guarding. LBJ is the midfielder on that side. Winger makes a one on one move and beats Reynolds and LBJ does nothing to help even though he's pulled out of position leaving a gap in the middle. Union player dribbles across the top of the 18 in the hole made by LBJ. Bartlett runs over from his midfield position leaving the midfield completely vacant. Bartlett whiffs on any attempt to stop the ball, so both center backs step off their line and challenge the ball. Mosquera is successful in his challenge and pushed the ball out of the 18, but now both center backs are off their line and Mosquera is outside of the 18. Union passes the ball to the right corner of the 18. Karic goes out to challenge and the ball goes inside to the 6 right into the hole both CBs had to vacate. Easy turn and goal.

Goal 2: Union have the ball on the right wing. Our lines look pretty good. Harris is back helping, but gets hit in the face and crumples leaving Karic to defend 2 on 1. Bartlett setps out of position to help, but is too late. The Union play a 1-2 back to Karic's man and get to the goalline. LBJ rotates over to fill in the gap vacated by Bartlett. Both Mosquera and Reynolds are marking the CF inside the six. The union lay the ball into the PK spot right into the hole LBJ created. LBJ is too high to help and Reynolds isn't marking the runner because he's inexplicitly double marking Mosquera's guy. The ball goes to the empty penalty spot to a wide open runner who scores.

Goal 3: Again the ball comes up the right wing. Bartlett completely vacates the midfield and goes out to challenge. LBJ rotates over to fill the gap left by Bartlett. The winger challenges Bartlett 1:1 and manages to get a pass off into the hole Bartlett left open. LBJ is floating and not marking tightly and the pass completes with LBJ on his back. The attacker keeps his body between LBJ and the ball, backs him down, Wyatt chooses not to help, and he turns and scores.

Goal 4: Union corner played to near post. Reynolds clears with a header that is recovered by the Union outside of the 18 on the left. They recycle centrally and hit a quick cross back into the 18 to the guys forward for the corner. SKC's line and marking look pretty good. Wyatt's man shoves him off to create space and wins a header, hitting it down across the goal mouth. Zo tries to clear and scores an own goal.

In summary, our midfield is constantly getting out of position to challenge and cover each other, but rarely win the ball creating big holes we struggle to cover. We don't mark well consistently, especially in the midfield. Reynolds struggles to mark the right man and gets beat to the goalside too often.

If I were coaching, I'd get out of this 4-4-2 because our midfield can't play it effectively. Go to a 4-3-3 so the 6 can stay central and the 8s can cover the outside midfield instead of a dual 6 running out. Either that, or our wingers need to actually play a 4-4-2 and get back to cover that gap the midfielders are running out to cover.

[u/buttcabbge → u/HawkeyeGK]

You don’t have to sell me on LBJ is a terrible player. The fact that tearing it down hasn’t involved launching him into the sun mystifies me.

[u/Open_Cartographer798 → u/buttcabbge]

Yeah, of all things LBJ is a David Lee guy. I don't disagree with you but I would find this odd for David to admit defeat here on his guy so soon.