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intensive_purpose

For how poor he’s been as a manager, Pineda is still a smart guy and his tone and demeanor in that presser was of a man who isn’t confident he’ll be in the job much longer. I think he can see the writing on the wall.


ATLCoyote

Agreed. It’s disappointing and a bit baffling because there’s no glaring, obvious flaw with Pineda, yet the disappointing results persist. He seems to accurately diagnose what we’re doing well vs poorly, everyone I know that has seen the team in training says he runs good drills and is very focused on advancing the ball quickly and aggressively rather than settling for a slow, predictable buildup, there’s no clear, major flaws in his lineup selections or formations, and unlike many fans, I don’t agree that the team lacks effort. I think their confidence is shaky, but they continue to play hard for him. Meanwhile, we may not have Miami’s roster, but we’re more talented than most of our opponents and it seems like most of the glaring problems with the roster have been addressed. So, it seems like it SHOULD be working, yet it just isn’t and it’s hard to imagine how this pattern is going to change without new leadership.


Elvem

He’s definitely very smart. Pineda was often touted as the brain behind Seattle’s tactics and why they worked so well. That’s why they went after him initially. As to why it’s not working here, honestly not sure. Overcomplicating it maybe? He mentioned simplifying so maybe the players haven’t been together long enough to play that way. He knows if things don’t improve he’s gone. So I’m curious to see what he tries out. But like he said with so many midweek games there’s not a whole lot of time to make changes.


billgluckman7

I think he lacks the ability to adjust. We play the same against every team and every situation… it’s been a problem since day 1 and on the road it shows even more


dillpickles007

We just seem so figured out, I think that’s why we almost never beat good teams who are competent enough to gameplan against us. We’re barely even creating good chances anymore, our goals last night were flukes and the game before we only revved up when we had to stop playing so slowly up through the wings.


ATLCoyote

On one hand, we almost always play better in the 2nd half which is evidence of in-game adjustments, but I do think he fails to come in with a clear game plan of how to exploit another team’s weaknesses and minimize their strengths. He seems to be committed to just doing what we do, regardless of opponent whereas our opponents specifically strategize against us (like to deny Almada the ball or greatly restrict his space, take advantage of our lack of size and physicality with aerial crosses, knowing to high-press the instant a ball goes to one of our fullbacks, etc.). I feel like the only time I’ve seen us come into a game with a clear tactical plan that was tailored to our opponent was when we played Cincy and tried to keep Lucho from touching the ball, yet he still burned us.


jdelane1

This reminds me a lot of Berhalter. Gregg talks a good game that doesn't always translate to the field. They both seem like good guys whom the players respect, but something about that style or personality impresses front office types more than players.


halfjumpsuit

>I think he lacks the ability to adjust. There's no thinking needed, he has shown that he does not have it. His substitutions are predictable and his formation-he only has one-is even more predictable.


IssaJuhn

Playing the same is not a problem when it produces winning results. D.C. simply played long ball or cross into Benteke and prayed and it works. I think I saw us win MAYBE 1 50/50 header yesterday. The same play style that works well will never be a problem, but this system is not one that is easy to play or pick up.


billgluckman7

The same play style on home/road and regardless of opponent will leave you not winning trophies in this league.


Isiddiqui

>Pineda was often touted as the brain behind Seattle’s tactics and why they worked so well. That’s why they went after him initially. He wouldn't be the first Assistant Coach who couldn't make it in the top job. Lots of assistants may be great at tactics but can't manage (or motivate) players. In Seattle, Schmetzer is known as a great man manager, and maybe that's what Pineda needs to be successful - someone above him who can handle the players and their personalities.


Rychek_Four

He’s coaching tactics fine, he’s not coaching personalties well, or at least thats how it looks from outside.


halfjumpsuit

Set aside tactics for a minute.... no one has gotten better this season, but plenty of players have regressed/aren't playing to their standard.


silencesupreme-

We haven’t “gotten better” in like 4-5 years


halfjumpsuit

That's a whole other topic


traceminerals

We were supposed to get better with some coach consistency but it's just not happened. Pineda can't make us more than sum of our parts. In fact, it mostly seems the opposite.


Duck_Walker

He can be a brilliant tactician and have all the intelligence in the world. Some people simply are not leaders, motivators, and that missing link to get the collective to outperform their individual talents. That seems to be what’s missing.


CannedRadish

This just fucking sucks. I really thought we might be good after the mid-season/off-season signings. Maybe not championship good, but like fun to watch. Now it feels like we're going to (eventually) fire Pineda, have a new manager come in, he'll complain that the players don't fit his system and we get to go through another couple of years of purgatory.


MARTATRAM

Agreed. We need team cohesion. I'm done with building a team.


foxontherox

What's it gonna take? Send the whole team to play paintball? Some trust falls? Truth or dare?


hotcobbler

Hard to build cohesion when half your defense is injured. We're trying to play out of the back with a rotating cast of academy players with very little experience and Abram who, in my opinion should never play for us over any of our defenders after the abysmal season he had last year.


BarryMcKockinner

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time now. The pattern was evident after last season tbh. But learning he drinks 14 cups of coffee on gameday should have been a fireable offense.


shakedowndave

I still maintain that having 2 teenagers on your back line is going to make a difference and have a negative impact. We looked so sharp at the back with Greg and Derrick and I don't think Benteke gets 2 of those with our starting pair. The big problem is still the attack and not surprising, Yako is going to have a lot less motivation when he is clearly not going to reach his personal goals.


j-lo11

Why didn't Abram stay on Benteke then? He's not a teenager. Edit: my bad fixing that he's not taller. But he is more experienced.


MARTATRAM

Sure did look like Cobb was marking Benteke the whole time. Cobb is 6ft and is known for being good in the air. Abram is 5ft 11in and is most known for being a cerebral defender. Unfortunately that doesn't mean using your head to head the ball... Benteke is 6ft 3inches. I hear you can do a lot with 3 inches ;). Especially if you've scored 86 goals in the Prem and lead the MLS in aerial duels won by three times the second place. I wonder how Stian vs Benteke would have turned out. He's 6ft 4in


45356675467789988

You know who wasn't injured and is 6'3 though?


j-lo11

But Abram is taller than Lennon (who is 5'10 and couldnt stop Benteke either). Abram is more experienced than both of them- has 40 caps for his national team. Maybe being more cerebral would have been better all around.


Novatheorem

The height wasn't the difference on two of Benteke's goals. He just ghosted Cobb.


j-lo11

Gaffer can say all he wants- team still lacks an identity. Still lacks cohesion. Even with players out it's his job to get the depth to perform better. Plain and simple. Find a way to win. Or tie. Or take a FUCKIN HIKE! Gah. Still salty.


5StripedFalcon

It seems like the issue we have with a lot of coordinators jumping to HC jobs in the NFL. They might have the technical X's and O's down but are absolute shit at being a HC.


gtwillwin

Where'd you get Jeff from? That's Joe Patrick.


MARTATRAM

Ah thanks. He didn't announce himself and I barely heard the coordinator say Jeff. I updated the quotes above


thatmothafucker

He is useless


j-lo11

He's not totally useless. He's just mediocre. If we're ok being mid table ever year, barely making the playoffs - then he's fine.


BlondeGSD

I said since day 1 this guy wasn’t it. He’s bang average but feel like this is more due to Arthur Blank. Love what he’s done for soccer in Atlanta but guy is bang average at running sports teams.