929TheGame's Abe Gordon Joins SDH 9/30/24: Nothing Less Than 3 Points....

be needing help. As it stands right now, they do still control their own destiny, at least by my calculations. I mean, it's a jumbled mess. You got eight, nine, and ten all at thirty seven, eleven and twelve all at thirty four, and then Nashville right behind at thirty three. So as odd as it seems, depending on results Atlanta and I, it could actually be in eighth place with a win on Wednesday, So you'd need some help and some some other results. But I still think it's right

there for the taking. And I did not think I would be saying that without a win. Uh. I've been using the same term for the past couple of days here, John and I know how much we all love school, an academy or college or or whatever university what they're doing now. I was never like this. I was an outstanding student, obviously, But I think we all know if it wasn't you. We all know someone who waited until the night before a paper was due to start the paper.

And what do we call that procrastination?

Wednesday if you don't get three points. And so look at Lady United played it a little bit smart, a little bit safe, and they got a little bit of help on the weekend. Quite frankly, I was disappointed in what we saw on Saturday night. I thought you needed to be a little bit more reckless in finding a result as it turns out, like I said, you were actually okay with the one point, but I did not think that would be the case. With eight minutes left

in the Toronto Chicago match, that wasn't the case. So I thought you needed to be a little you know, I said it in the five Stripes countdown, like there's a very fine line between like being brave and being reckless stupid. Yeah, yeah, And I thought that Landa United had to go right up to that line to really push as far all in as you possibly could without playing dumb, without like giving yourself no chance to win.

I don't think they did that on Saturday. Quite frankly, it felt way too often at times, especially in the first half, that they would have been comfortable getting a draw out of that. And I mean I would argue that I'd rather have zero points than one point. At least I knew you went for it in that realm, but they didn't go for it. They do still come away with a draw, they still come away with one point,

and somehow they are still alive in this thing. But it's gonna have to be the exact same conversation on Wednesday. I mean, there's just no way around it you can't get another draw. I've had three straight draws. Now you cannot get another draw and get into the postseason. It has to be three points. And I'll say it again, I'd rather see zero points than one point on Wednesday.

You have to go for it in a way that you probably is uncomfortable, in a way that there's probably a lot of abandon in that in that form, but you have to go for it, like there's there's no more time, there's not another night to procrastinate, there's no more asking the teacher for an extension, like you have three games left, You're you're still in what eleventh place? The games are there, the opponents are there, the points

are there for you to get in. But uh, you got to get started on this thing and you can't put it off any longer. And that starts Wednesday. I will say this, We did see some really good performances

individually on on Saturday night. I think it starts in the back Brad Guzan his last couple of games, but really all season long, he has been just just when you thought like the time had come right and and we all know that that you know father time, you know, undefeated thought he was all right, he's coming off the injury. This this is probably what he's gonna be and we'll

live with that. But but you could see it. He's diminished this season, has shown a return to a form that I didn't think he could find, and especially in the last couple of games as well. And I mean it, it's been imperative for him to have had. I mean, what do you have like one point six goals prevented? Uh, two games ago and like one point one or one point two? Yeah, this way, like these are crazy numbers. Uh,

these really are. And how many times over the past like five years, have we just seen some goalie stand on their head against Atlanti United and it just feels like nothing you can do with the ball is gonna get past this guy. Yeah, and I know that Brad has conceded a couple here and there, two last game or game before this, and then one in this one. But he almost wonder from the perspective of other fans are watching Brad and just be like, what do we have to do to get a goal past this guy?

It's nice to kind of even in draws, to kind of be on the other side of this for a moment. So tip of a cap to Brad, he has been simply outstanding.

five of twelve on his long balls. So Brad, as you mentioned, bucking a quarter goals prevented last time out against Philly, And literally there are times where and I think to your point, I think that Brad is a year further away from surgery, a year further away from the recovery, and so you become more and more confident about how you're feeling about your body below the waist, considering the injury that he had with the achilles and

then the knee. So I think that the further away you get from those kinds of things, then you get to see the Brad g is in that we were talking about.

make sure that everybody stays away from him. All of the targets that you're throwing at, make sure they stay away from him. Do quick stuff, do handoffs, rely on Bjean Robinson, those kinds of things. And so it might be later this year with Kirk Cousins, it might be next season year two as you're getting ready for Michael Pennix to take over a So I mean, it's uh, I think you're onto something there.

while returning from the injury. Like it's one thing to be twenty four and come off in Achilles and maybe you can find that form again, right, but to be what is he thirty six, thirty seven.

bit of reaction time. I mean, sure that's always gonna happen, but you know, obviously his knowledge of the position, his knowledge of this team, his knowledge of the league has made up for that, and you just don't feel like he's not able to get the job done. Especially in recent weeks, he hasn't been. I can't remember a better two game stretch than he had against Red Bulls and and against Philly. And you said a goal in a quarter. It was definitely more than that against Red Bulls. I

think it was over a goal and a half. I think his you know, and obviously a lot of that goes to the PK save, right, I think his rating was like eight point one or something like that on SOFA score, Like the numbers were crazy, but even separate of the PK save, which.

He's probably gonna have to do it another time because you know, they're they're they're starting a round into form and the last two games are our good buddy Joseph Martinez has scored three goals in the last two games, and so he's starting to heat back up a little bit. And and yeah, it's it's it's a game, quite frankly, you have to have so that that's there's no more walking around it this time.

I think the Brad had mentioned after the match that he's looking for Pedro to get more offensive minded at times, because right now you'll see the occasional inside run from Pedro, but defensively you're getting what you were looking at when you saw him on tape and you asked around and you kick the tires on folks. Pedro Amador on the left for Atland United has really grown into what they're asking him to do defensively.

the left side. I said, I think you're able to do this because of Pedro Amador and the cross and the play that he's had on the left wing, and with all due respect to Ronald Hernandez and Caleb Wiley before him, it previously always felt like it was Brooks Lennon getting up to send in across, and I think more and more recently we've seen Pedro Amador on the other side get up to send in across. And I think the elevated offense from that left back position did

allow you to play Tyler Wolf up top. And obviously there's some depth issues and injuries that also factored in. I'm not gonna pretend it was only because of that, but yeah, he has been outstanding. And we talked about Brad Kuzan's two game run. It's now like a five game run for Pedro Amador where every single game and I know it only got like I think he's only got still the one assist a couple of games ago, but it just feels like every single game, You're like, man,

this guy just feels dangerous. He feels in rhythm, in the flow, the chemistry, and no longer seems to be an issue. He's had like five or six game run now where like every time he steps off the field. And Jay Fortune, by the way, also kind of in this group of guys who are like, man, like four or five straight games, this guy has really brought it.

And I think Pedro Amador's is kind of leading to charge on that, because look, you did send away a lot of talent, and not that we were forgetting Caleb Wiley, but so much focus was on on Yakamachus going away and on Thiago Almana going away, he almost forgot. You also sent a kid in Caleb Wiley that was about as good as any, or certainly has the potential to be as good as any. And you always worry about

what you're losing in those positions. In just the way that Pedro Amador has picked it up since Romo Hernandez got hurt, you just don't feel like you've lost that much there, you know. And they play slightly different and slightly different aspects of it. But yeah, he's been outstanding. I know, he kind of kind of saved the goal. I guess a week ago, didn't know much about it, but ball hit him where.

how much we'd actually see him. But he's been very solid in these Like I said, these last four or five games for him, feels like he's gotten more and more impactful every single one.

seven on his duels. It was fouled once. Seventy eight touches, sixty seven percent passing at thirty seven to fifty five. One key pass to your point, two for three on his crosses, four for seven on long balls, had the one big chance created one shot off target, So that

was Pedro against Philly. And we're just seeing this kind of that, this back line one when it's healthy of Amador, Derek Williamsteon, Gregorson, Brooks, Lennon with the with the help that you get from the six, whether it's Bart dropping back or Dax dropping back or Jay dropping back at any given moment, this back line is solidifying itself and it's no longer you know the hello, my name is name tag trying to figure out, Okay, who's my partner

this week? When these four are healthy, you're seeing the results here.

He was a little worn down. He is. The fight has been there for Saba all season, but it felt now like you can really attack from anywhere because of the addition of Pedro Amador into this offense. You got Brooks and Saba on one side, and it could come through the middle with Ronchuck, it can come from the wings. It does feel like you're a little bit more well rounded in finding the attacks. And you know, I think that can only come because you're confident in the back line.

And it's different, right, Like, I mean, we all like Stean gregorson, I don't know if we want to see him as as many one on ones as we let Miles Robinson deal with, right, Like the goal is not to be facing one on ones, but but you're certainly able to. And I'm surprised that Derek Williams I think he's had an outstanding season, uh, because I did not know what exactly we were gonna get from him back there. But it's been a lot of guys stepping up along

the back line. This is a team that can't win or not can't, but like hasn't won in the same way all the time, Like like there are teams in mls that, like you could circle it and if they're able to do this, they're probably gonna win. If they're able to do that, they're probably gonna lose. They have to play the exact same style every single game. It just feels fluid. Like in the all, like we just talked about the offensive attack, the defense feels fluid as well,

like like the whole squad feels fluid. And but maybe you don't want that, Maybe you wish you could like enact your will upon your opponent a little bit more. But I actually like being able to kind of go with it and swing and move with what the opponent forces you to do. I think it gives you options in the event, because there are teams that just cannot

win a game if they're not playing their style. And look at Lady United hadn't been outstanding this year, but I do think that they can kind of move and be malleable with what they're forced to do. And I think that starts with the defense, the confidence there, and also what you have been getting in the defensive midfield a little bit too. So it's been interesting to see. I mean, like mid season there was this huge flip right where like all right, like, possession's good. If we

win possession, that's fine. We're not going to force our way to win possession if we have to play slightly different than we will. And look, they've gotten this far to the point where they still have a season and in front of them with three games left and opportunity, they just have to take advantage of it now.

They're the one that's above you right now. You got to get a win and then that would even up the number of wins that you would have with Montreal if it came down to tiebreakers and things like that at the end of the season. So, got a couple of days to catch your breath here and get prepped for Montreal. What are you anticipating with this one coming up in the midweek.

And again I said this about Philly. I was proven wrong to an extent, but I just you're running out of games at this point. You gotta find the line between being brave, being courageous, going for it, and being reckless and just abandoning the goal because you have to win. You cannot get a fourth straight draw. And like I said, I'd rather come away with zero points than one. I need to see the fight that you're going for it full fledged, knowing that this is a must win game.

I thought Saturday was must win because of the Toronto Chicago result. It turned out not to be. That's not gonna happen. Like, you can't look around the rest of the table and the rest of the schedule and say, well, maybe this happens, this team will help bail us out. There is no more bailing out. This is a six point swing with a team ahead of you, with only two games remaining afterwards. You have to get three points

in this one. And so, like I said, I need to see these guys understand the moment and understand that a draw is not going to be good enough. And again, if it costs you to win, at least I can sit here and say I felt like they went for it because I did not feel that way on Saturday night. And so you can look at the tape all you want.

You can draw up plays and do your matchups all you want, and we can have some stats for you and keys and all this stuff, and that's fine, but you gotta really feel it in your blood, in your bones that we need this game and it needs to look that way. And again, you know I mentioned you can't get dumb eight minutes into this match, right, and there's a timeline for it to become increasingly more important

to find goals and find a win. You don't do it immediately, right, you just you don't send ten guys running forward right off the opening kick. I think we all understand that. But as this game develops, I need to see a certain level of desire and you know, quite frankly, desperation. And so that's what I'm looking for. Again, if it costs you a drawl going for a win, I'd rather talk about that postgame than settling for a point. And so we'll see, we'll see. I don't know if

any anyone listens to me that much. I don't think, I mean, but like if I'm rad volentino, like I would literally tell them, like don't come back to me with a point, like like do not cut. I don't care if we lose in the eighty ninth minute, in the ninety third minute, do not come back into this locker room with one point. It it better be three or zero because anything else is unacceptable. And so we'll

see if that's how it plays itself out. I know that's not necessarily the like the ideal message, but like that's that's the moment, Like that's what it is. Right now, you're not going to the playoffs with one point. You're not going to the playoffs with zero either. I think we understand that, but you're not going with one, right, So it's to me, it's it's all or nothing. It's

three or nothing in this one. And I want to see them look like that, play like that, And if you need to start ramping it up and getting dangerous in the fifty fifth minute, in the sixtieth minute, then then go for it and do whatever you have to do, but don't come back with one point.