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| Yessir, it's been that kind of year. |
I hadn’t planned on writing about this game, but I had an hour to kill between games yesterday, so what the hell? Also, I’m barely writing about FC Cincinnati’s 0-2 road loss to Atlanta United FC so much as I’m writing about the season as a whole and state of things generally. Which makes sense because what was last night’s game but a 90-minute microcosm of the season and state of things as a whole?
Cincinnati went down one goal early - and under the weight of…was that just three attacking players for Atlanta? - something that’s proved fatal nearly every time it’s happened. That’s just what happens for any team that’s scored just five goals in sixteen games. That’s right: Cincinnati’s attack hasn’t even arrived at a point where I can start to use actual numbers when I write about them - e.g., it’s “five” instead of “5,” or, God forbid, “16” or, dare I orgasm mid-preamble by typing “30”?
Atlanta scored again, Cincinnati never did, the end. Point to anything in the box score - e.g., the Orange and Blue’s lopsided edge in possession and passing accuracy, their stockpile of passes, the fact they held the edge in every available attacking category - and I’ll point to the scoreboard. Cincinnati’s attackers gave Brad Guzan a little work to do, but, to get all existential about it, I can’t remember the last time I tuned into an FC Cincinnati game without expecting unbelievable, unrelenting tragedy. It’s not whether they’ll fail, but how long we’ll have to wait for it to become the familiar, sickening combination of both obvious and final. Atlanta did all concerned a solid by scoring their second by the 26th minute (and tough night for Kendall Waston). Anyone clear on why Jaap Stam swapped out Nick Hagglund, when central defense was working better than most things?
The only question left open for me in 2020 - that’s to say, yes, I think that FC Cincinnati 2020’s team will go down as the shittiest attacking team in MLS history (they have to score four goals to avoid that fate) - is which players the team holds onto going forward. I’ll tick through tonight’s starters and subs below - and, to be clear, this is an entirely ruthless and mercenary exercise, done without regard to how much turnover any given team can withstand, or even the realities of any player’s existing and legally binding contract, e.g., if Cincinnati’s contractually-bound to keep that player around, it is what it is. With that, here’s who I’d keep and who’d I’d cut bait on listed in the order they appear in the box score (don’t read into the order, basically):
Keep
Andrew Gutman - I like his running and he passes pretty well from all over the left.
Kendall Waston - If only as depth.
Saad Abdul-Salaam - See above, but I don’t mind him.
Tom Pettersson - He’s one of the few who impressed me down the stretch.
Kamohelo Mokotjo - He looks good when he’s got options and just as confused as the people watching when he doesn’t.
Brandon Vazquez - Another borderline player, but one I’m happy they kept.
Spencer Richey - He’s fine.
Zico Bailey - Why not? He’s new.
Alvaro Barreal - Why not? He’s new.
Franko Kovacevic - Why not? He’s new.
Rey Ortiz - Why not? He’s new.
Caleb Stanko/Tommy McCabe - Having one pure d-mid is a good idea, so keep one or the other.
Frankie Amaya/Alan Cruz - I think they’re roughly the same player and I don’t think you need depth for that role, so ditch one or the other and get some options.
Nick Hagglund/Maikel van der Werff - They’re both fine, get rid of one of them under “the beatings will continue until morale improves” logic that sports teams use sometimes and get a new defender and hype him until he comes good or reality catches up.
Yuya Kubo - He had one good game and that’s rare enough among FC Cincy forwards to convince me. That said, they still need to figure out how to get the best out of him…
Przemyslaw Tyton - I like him and Richey. They don’t have to be perfect. Just good and reliable. [Note: I don’t think about goalkeepers so much and only really notice them when they’re either great or awful.]
Cut Bait
Haris Medunjanin - Probably the best attacking coordinator on the field, but they need someone to build around and he’s getting too old for that shit.
Joseph-Claude Gyau - No, not even as depth at this point. I just don’t think he works.
Jurgen Locadia - Yes. I know. But still.
James McLaughlin - Sorry, kid.
Siem de Jong - I have yet to see anything.
Mathieu Deplagne - A challenge for me, but I think the team is covered in that position by the above.
Rashawn Dally - As with everyone above and below, I wish him a career. With Dally, I don’t think he’s MLS material.
Beckham Sunderland - Because I have no idea who the hell that is and don’t think it matters if I don’t.
Bobby Edwards - I’m good either way, honestly, but you’ve got a solid enough 1-2 between Tyton and Richey that I’d take the one looks better between Sunderland and Edwards.
Ben Lundt - Shit! How many of these ‘keeper things does Cincy have or need?
Greg Garza - He breaks too often. Wish he didn’t, but he does.
Hassan Ndam - Huh. He’s still on the roster? Loaned out? Again, does it matter?
As you can see, I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm even for the players I’d keep; the argument for a few boils down to one simple reality: you don’t have a car unless you have enough parts, so here we are.
It’s been a brutal and weird season for FC Cincinnati, one in which just about everything that could go wrong did, and every system basically failed. Light it in fire, walk away and hope for something better in 2021. Till then, in all likelihood.
Cincinnati went down one goal early - and under the weight of…was that just three attacking players for Atlanta? - something that’s proved fatal nearly every time it’s happened. That’s just what happens for any team that’s scored just five goals in sixteen games. That’s right: Cincinnati’s attack hasn’t even arrived at a point where I can start to use actual numbers when I write about them - e.g., it’s “five” instead of “5,” or, God forbid, “16” or, dare I orgasm mid-preamble by typing “30”?
Atlanta scored again, Cincinnati never did, the end. Point to anything in the box score - e.g., the Orange and Blue’s lopsided edge in possession and passing accuracy, their stockpile of passes, the fact they held the edge in every available attacking category - and I’ll point to the scoreboard. Cincinnati’s attackers gave Brad Guzan a little work to do, but, to get all existential about it, I can’t remember the last time I tuned into an FC Cincinnati game without expecting unbelievable, unrelenting tragedy. It’s not whether they’ll fail, but how long we’ll have to wait for it to become the familiar, sickening combination of both obvious and final. Atlanta did all concerned a solid by scoring their second by the 26th minute (and tough night for Kendall Waston). Anyone clear on why Jaap Stam swapped out Nick Hagglund, when central defense was working better than most things?
The only question left open for me in 2020 - that’s to say, yes, I think that FC Cincinnati 2020’s team will go down as the shittiest attacking team in MLS history (they have to score four goals to avoid that fate) - is which players the team holds onto going forward. I’ll tick through tonight’s starters and subs below - and, to be clear, this is an entirely ruthless and mercenary exercise, done without regard to how much turnover any given team can withstand, or even the realities of any player’s existing and legally binding contract, e.g., if Cincinnati’s contractually-bound to keep that player around, it is what it is. With that, here’s who I’d keep and who’d I’d cut bait on listed in the order they appear in the box score (don’t read into the order, basically):
Keep
Andrew Gutman - I like his running and he passes pretty well from all over the left.
Kendall Waston - If only as depth.
Saad Abdul-Salaam - See above, but I don’t mind him.
Tom Pettersson - He’s one of the few who impressed me down the stretch.
Kamohelo Mokotjo - He looks good when he’s got options and just as confused as the people watching when he doesn’t.
Brandon Vazquez - Another borderline player, but one I’m happy they kept.
Spencer Richey - He’s fine.
Zico Bailey - Why not? He’s new.
Alvaro Barreal - Why not? He’s new.
Franko Kovacevic - Why not? He’s new.
Rey Ortiz - Why not? He’s new.
Caleb Stanko/Tommy McCabe - Having one pure d-mid is a good idea, so keep one or the other.
Frankie Amaya/Alan Cruz - I think they’re roughly the same player and I don’t think you need depth for that role, so ditch one or the other and get some options.
Nick Hagglund/Maikel van der Werff - They’re both fine, get rid of one of them under “the beatings will continue until morale improves” logic that sports teams use sometimes and get a new defender and hype him until he comes good or reality catches up.
Yuya Kubo - He had one good game and that’s rare enough among FC Cincy forwards to convince me. That said, they still need to figure out how to get the best out of him…
Przemyslaw Tyton - I like him and Richey. They don’t have to be perfect. Just good and reliable. [Note: I don’t think about goalkeepers so much and only really notice them when they’re either great or awful.]
Cut Bait
Haris Medunjanin - Probably the best attacking coordinator on the field, but they need someone to build around and he’s getting too old for that shit.
Joseph-Claude Gyau - No, not even as depth at this point. I just don’t think he works.
Jurgen Locadia - Yes. I know. But still.
James McLaughlin - Sorry, kid.
Siem de Jong - I have yet to see anything.
Mathieu Deplagne - A challenge for me, but I think the team is covered in that position by the above.
Rashawn Dally - As with everyone above and below, I wish him a career. With Dally, I don’t think he’s MLS material.
Beckham Sunderland - Because I have no idea who the hell that is and don’t think it matters if I don’t.
Bobby Edwards - I’m good either way, honestly, but you’ve got a solid enough 1-2 between Tyton and Richey that I’d take the one looks better between Sunderland and Edwards.
Ben Lundt - Shit! How many of these ‘keeper things does Cincy have or need?
Greg Garza - He breaks too often. Wish he didn’t, but he does.
Hassan Ndam - Huh. He’s still on the roster? Loaned out? Again, does it matter?
As you can see, I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm even for the players I’d keep; the argument for a few boils down to one simple reality: you don’t have a car unless you have enough parts, so here we are.
It’s been a brutal and weird season for FC Cincinnati, one in which just about everything that could go wrong did, and every system basically failed. Light it in fire, walk away and hope for something better in 2021. Till then, in all likelihood.
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