Monday, May 23, 2011

Disappointment, Exhaustion and other Crew musings

Saturday night's game was on late. too late if you ask me. 11 pm out here on the east coast. 8 pm in Portland. why so late? i don't know. but by the time i'd had a few beers and a sipping shot of spirit the 2nd half was rolling up and i was struggling to stay awake.
curiously, i awoke Sunday morning and immediately checked the final score. had Colombus rallied and tied the game up 1-1, or really pushed themselves and actually gone ahead? the answer to both queries was a resounding "NO."
what I saw in 60-70 minutes of play was a tired Crew desperate for a leader, a goal scorer, someone the rest of the team could look to and think "he's really going for it, I'm with him!" but there was nobody to fill that spot. and i fear, nobody will step into that spot.

let's look at the options:

Renteria - i think he's a bit lazy. i've said before he can post up. he can make a turn. send in a good ball. but he's not a runner. he's not trying to create chances. that's just not a part of his game. he has some good qualities. but a leader he is not.

Mendoza - um, no. was his introduction into the game supposed to spark something? i'm sure the manager hoped so. Mendoza had a lot of game time after Renteria went off injured to stake some claim. but he didn't. he doesn't. why is his paycheck so hefty?

Chad Marshall - he's got the spirit. but so far he seems quiet on the field. and being a defender he's back in his half protecting Hesmer, not making noise up front.
Heinemann - young. but he looks like making trouble, doesn't he? in my view, if he can start giving the opposition defense more to think about the Crew will start moving back up the table.

Ekpo - like him. he's got something. i just don't know what it is.

Gaven - he's got to do more. and the team has got to give him more to do. plain and simple. guys got a lot of talent. and when gets the ball i think, "yes, here we go." does the team think that too. i don't know. but he's the likeliest candidate for me.

If Gaven and Heinemann can get a partnership going in attack I'd say we'd have something for other teams to fear.

so, who's it gonna be? somebody. Anybody!


1 comment:

Larry W Johnson II said...

it's like the crew closed up the attack shop after the 1st game of the season and lost the keys. desperate. only one way to figure our leader and that's to rough highlight vids to soulful strut by young-holt unlimited till the shoe fits... gaven may just have this one