Match Thread: August 16, 2021 - Valour v Pacific

[narduch]

Match is at 8pm ET on One Soccer. 

This is Valour's first home match since the bubble ended. 

Pacific won the previous meeting 2-1.

[Cheeta]

And if you missed it, $5 beers pre kickoff.

And bloody well has to be, 37C at kickoff.  Ug.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Cheeta

[jonovision]

Thanks to the forest fire smoke, it should only be like 31 with a 35 degree humidex at kickoff. 

(What climate apocalypse?)

[jonovision]

Glad to see Kacher and Bouka-Moutou get the start. Nervous about a back 3 that only includes one proper CB.

[narduch]

 

[jonovision]

Levis off injured. Quelle surprise.

[jonovision]

Why are Valour wearing last season's jersey?

[narduch]

1 minute ago, jonovision said:

Why are Valour wearing last season's jersey?

Forgot to do laundry?

Edited August 17, 2021 by narduch

[narduch]

Diaz puts Pacific up 1-0

[jonovision]

Valour dominate 25 minutes and then undone by their wingers playing CB. (Valour won't score. This game is over).

Edited August 17, 2021 by jonovision

[Ingham]

Andrew Jean-Baptiste was indispensable really.

[jonovision]

Just now, Ingham said:

Andrew Jean-Baptiste was indispensable really.

Not only was he probably the league's best player, he was also Valour's only above-average player.

[jonovision]

Despite my negativity, Valour generated as much or more than Pacific. It's just that Ricci and especially Akio don't have the finishing talent, and some passes in the final third went astray.

Really liking Bouka Moutou so far.

[Ingham]

This has aged a bit too well for my liking.

 

[jonovision]

18 minutes ago, Ingham said:

This has aged a bit too well for my liking.

 

I predicted Valour wouldn't win another game after the bubble. That also is aging better than I would have hoped.

[jonovision]

I don't blame him because he's not a defender, but Pena got exposed 2 or 3 times on the build-up to that second goal. And obviously the first.

[Colliedor]

When Gale complains that he and his team don't get enough respect, this is why.

Some decent players, poorly managed however imo.

[jonovision]

Just now, Colliedor said:

When Gale complains that he and his team don't get enough respect, this is why.

Some decent players, poorly managed however imo.

I actually think he's done a decent job managing the players he has. I don't think he's putting them in a position to fail, and they are playing a much better brand of football than the first two seasons. The talent just isn't there, and although that's partly down to the team underspending the cap, it's also down to Gale's poor recruiting.

[Wippersuna]

This is starting to feel like year 1. Fans in the stands, no goals, and just can’t put anything together. Too many players just existing and players starting to get frustrated with each other. 
 

Edit: how was that not a foul.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Wippersuna

[Ingham]

3 minutes ago, Wippersuna said:

This is starting to feel like year 1. Fans in the stands, no goals, and just can’t put anything together. Too many players just existing and players starting to get frustrated with each other. 
 

Edit: how was that not a foul.

I had a huge worry about the interest being lower this year. Thankfully it was just summer tournament syndrome. It's actually probably higher than ever.

[davey_twelve]

Were they saying boo or Bustos?

[Bison44]

Ughhhh

 

[Cheeta]

2 hours ago, davey_twelve said:

Were they saying boo or Bustos?

Clan Bustos were out tonight so there really was no other choice but to give the man the gears all night.  It got "better" as the evening got on and I have to say, he wasn't liking it one bit.   It was grand. 

In a proper mood because it took me a 1/2 hour to get through the gate as my ticket app wouldn't work but was well worth the troubles just to be part of the choir singing "Busto's mom has it going on". 

To the rest, comment more after a re-watch but whatever passes for a forward plan with this Valour team, or a defensive plan for that matter, has broken down and am not sure there is an immediate answer.   Just watching Pacific's movements for long periods of the match must make that clear. 

P.S. Voyageur Elder, redhat, enjoying another birthday this week.  Well done, not dead yet, Old Man!  

Edited August 17, 2021 by Cheeta

[ted]

10 hours ago, Cheeta said:

Clan Bustos were out tonight ...

They were enthusiastic which was great but I wish they hadn't popped smoke. Just like RVV and the the game at Starlight with Edmonton fans, we are getting called out for fans who are not members of a Supporters Group, don't live here, and don't know the rules we follow. I just hope they didn't cause any damage. 

[Cheeta]

^ Yeah, fan controlled pyro is a real touchy subject at IG Field.  I write fan controlled because the Bombers are real fond of gysers of pyro right at field level for their games.  A smoke flare on a concrete stand is another matter.

A "kick them out" chant took hold instantly and security responded.  Got a reprieve in the end, but still.  If RRR can't put on smoke the away support can?

They were good and good on them for doing it.  Had fun.  Come back and do it again.  No harm meant I know, but leave the flares at home.