it's 'ing Memphis. Every D1 and D2 school in New England plays better soccer.UConn 3 - Memphis 0
Another freshman (Larin) scores again, giving him 4 goals on the season. UConn outshot Memphis 17-2, which is really bad, because we only converted on three of the shots...
it's 'ing Memphis. Every D1 and D2 school in New England plays better soccer.
Also they beat Memphis without Blake and Mamadou(Again). Anyone know what's wrong with mamadou's leg?
With all due respect, this line of thinking is ridiculous. It really is. By this same logic, Tom Izzo should be out of a job tomorrow. The last time Tom won a championship was also in 2000, and he has also molded multiple kids into "next-level" talent. So he needs to win "pressure games"??? Since 2000, Reid has won the Big East regular season championship four times and the tournament championship three times.
We have suffered some horrible knockout losses in "the big dance." There's no doubt about it. But you all are attributing that to the coach?!? Good Lord! I wonder what people would have thought of Calhoun if the 2011 team didn't make the magic run through the tourney. Maybe they would have said he should have retired 7 years prior...good God!
And by the way, are you being serious about knocking a goal because it was a PK??? How do you think a PK is earned?!? That comment alone pretty much sums up what I think of your soccer knowledge...
Izzo gets further on in the tourney than Reid has
I've coached the game for over 30 yrs and have coached ODP
Ray is a knowledgeable guy who relates well to the kids BUT the one thing he has not been able to do is get out there on the field and work with the kids due to physical restraints. Unlike baseball and football where coaches at the D1 level have kids who have skills that basically will cover a variety of various position demand. These coaches also have staff members who can mix it up with the players in practice. Soccer is very different in that due to the constant movement and number of players involved, position knowledge of specific responsibilities is vital. That knowledge comes with experience.
The way Reid recruits - he goes after the BEST PLAYER and then tries to mold 60% of them in positions they are not accustomed to. It is very difficult to mold a HS AA who played up front into a contributing midfielder, it is difficult having a HS AA midfielder to be an effective marking or zone defender. He has a strong asst head coach and then there is nothing else on the coaching bench. That puts pressure on him to work with the kids but he can't do it.
They execute a short passing game very nicely but that can be a tribute to the skill level of these kids. They seem to have a problem translating that tactic into a full field scheme. They either play over the midfield or get caught up playing horizontal limiting their opposite field vertical vision. Rarely do you see any of their front runners making diagonal off ball runs or execute crossing switch runs to free themselves and vary the target. They rely too much on sideline switches with midfielders and marking backs acting as supporting attack. This will sometimes mess up their spacing and shape. Against inferior opposition it can be very successful but a skilled and quick opponent will likely have numerous transition opportunities.
At D2 Southern (my alma) he coached a bunch of guys who came in at 21 - 23 yo and that is a bonus. In addition, he recruited huge from Long Island and New Jersey - D2 coaches in the 80's did not recruit that much outside their locale - the program gained some success while he was playing there and he was benefactor as a HC. Southern soccer in the 80's was like Duke Mens BB - the kids just came.
My opinion - he should have gone MLS in 2001 and right after 2005 season when he had the chance. I think it's time for a younger coach who can get those American youth who will stay in school and play for 3-4 years or at least the European kids who will treasure the 4 yr degree at a school like UCONN. The island kids are a gamble (while he has done well with quite a few) and if they fail in school or don't like the weather after the season - they are gone.
Ray will be a NCAA Soccer HoF coach - no doubt about it and deservingly so. His combined record of accomplishments at both SCSU and UCONN speak for themselves.
My bad. I had no idea Memphis had a winning record. Just goes to show that when you assume something it usually makes an ass out of you.Can you tell me Memphis' record this year?
It's actually a rhetorical question, since I know you can't. Then, you'll go look it up and find out that they have a winning record. But then you won't come back on the thread to say, "My bad", because you don't want to seem like you didn't know what you were talking about. So I'll save everyone fifteen minutes of their lives by just posting this. How does that sound?
My bad. I had no idea Memphis had a winning record. Just goes to show that when you assume something it usually makes an ass out of you.
Izzo gets further on in the tourney than Reid has
I've coached the game for over 30 yrs and have coached ODP
Ray is a knowledgeable guy who relates well to the kids BUT the one thing he has not been able to do is get out there on the field and work with the kids due to physical restraints. Unlike baseball and football where coaches at the D1 level have kids who have skills that basically will cover a variety of various position demand. These coaches also have staff members who can mix it up with the players in practice. Soccer is very different in that due to the constant movement and number of players involved, position knowledge of specific responsibilities is vital. That knowledge comes with experience.
The way Reid recruits - he goes after the BEST PLAYER and then tries to mold 60% of them in positions they are not accustomed to. It is very difficult to mold a HS AA who played up front into a contributing midfielder, it is difficult having a HS AA midfielder to be an effective marking or zone defender. He has a strong asst head coach and then there is nothing else on the coaching bench. That puts pressure on him to work with the kids but he can't do it.
They execute a short passing game very nicely but that can be a tribute to the skill level of these kids. They seem to have a problem translating that tactic into a full field scheme. They either play over the midfield or get caught up playing horizontal limiting their opposite field vertical vision. Rarely do you see any of their front runners making diagonal off ball runs or execute crossing switch runs to free themselves and vary the target. They rely too much on sideline switches with midfielders and marking backs acting as supporting attack. This will sometimes mess up their spacing and shape. Against inferior opposition it can be very successful but a skilled and quick opponent will likely have numerous transition opportunities.
At D2 Southern (my alma) he coached a bunch of guys who came in at 21 - 23 yo and that is a bonus. In addition, he recruited huge from Long Island and New Jersey - D2 coaches in the 80's did not recruit that much outside their locale - the program gained some success while he was playing there and he was benefactor as a HC. Southern soccer in the 80's was like Duke Mens BB - the kids just came.
My opinion - he should have gone MLS in 2001 and right after 2005 season when he had the chance. I think it's time for a younger coach who can get those American youth who will stay in school and play for 3-4 years or at least the European kids who will treasure the 4 yr degree at a school like UCONN. The island kids are a gamble (while he has done well with quite a few) and if they fail in school or don't like the weather after the season - they are gone.
Ray will be a NCAA Soccer HoF coach - no doubt about it and deservingly so. His combined record of accomplishments at both SCSU and UCONN speak for themselves.
For those keeping track of these things, UConn men's soccer has a 4-0 lead over Columbia. After struggling for goals all season, the Huskies suddenly have 7 goals in the last two games, with a good chunk of the second half to go in this one. It might not be top 25 competition, but any sort of Husky goal explosion is good to see going into Saturday's game at Louisville.
By the way, Andre Blake is back in goal for tonight's game.
Love seeing Allando step up. Has 4 goals in the past 2 games.
It's good to have Blake back. And like I've said before....eventually, all of those chances that the team has been generating all year will eventually convert into goals. I'm proud of this team and the way they are performing. They are still a top25 squad, even though they are so young and their star forward has been out for at least 4 games out of the season...Keep it up, Huskies!!!