Two early goals (both from set pieces) certainly helped the Lights to get over the psychological pressure of the losing streak, and you could almost visibly see the pressure lift as the team started to play with more confidence and swagger.
So now is all well in Vegas? No, we're still earning just over one point per game, nowhere near the playoff picture. But having been pretty harsh on the team for the previous run, it's time to give credit where it's due and recognize the importance of the win. Here are my three thoughts from the game:
1. Timing is Everything
The Las Vegas goals in this game could not have come at more perfect times. When a team is on a bad run like the Lights were, goals are almost more important for their psychological effect than their effect on the scoreboard. If the Lights had conceded the first goal, it almost certainly would have made their heads drop, and they probably would have gone on to lose yet another game.
Instead, the Lights scored first. From a well-worked throw in by the corner flag, the Lights worked the ball to Christian Torres, who crossed it in for who else but Carlos Alvarez to head home.
Just as important in this game was the second goal. When a team is struggling like the Lights were, confidence can get shattered in a moment. Take for example the game against LA Galaxy II - we scored first, but they equalized shortly thereafter, and the game really went south fast after that.
That is almost certainly what the Colorado coach was telling his players at halftime. They would have come out int he second half really up for it and ready to make life difficult. So when Freddy Adu scored his birthday goal within two minutes of the restart, it redoubled the confidence of the Lights, while shattering the belief of the Switchbacks.
2. The Perfect Goalscorers
You could not have asked for better players to pick up the goals in this game.
First, Carlos Alvarez scored. If it wasn't clear before his goal, it should be clear now - Carlos is our best attacking player, and his form is vital to the smooth operation of our attack. When he's on, the Lights are on. When he's not, the Lights struggle.
Second, Freddy Adu scored. We all know Freddy's history. He's been a few places and seen a few things in his career. If he can gain some confidence here in Las Vegas, I think he has a lot to contribute to the other players who maybe haven't had the experiences he has had. This goal will hopefully help him to step out a little bit more and take a little bit more responsibility.
Third (and perhaps most importantly), Sammy Ochoa picked up his first goal of the season. I don't think I'm being too harsh here to say that so far, Ochoa's season has been disappointing (he'd probably agree). He does a lot of work for the team (knockdowns, running off the ball, etc.). But the fact of the matter is that a striker's first job is to score, and we were ten games into the season without Ochoa picking up a single goal. Some strikers are patchy scorers, meaning that they can go ten games without a goal and then rattle off ten goals in the next ten. Let's hope Ochoa follows that pattern over the next section of the season.
Fourth, Matt Thomas scored right at the end with his second of the season. With Ochoa struggling recently, it is important for the Lights to have alternate methods of scoring (you can't rely on Alvarez and set pieces from defenders all season).
3. Pretty Play
There was a definite re-think in the way the Lights approached this game compared to the last few seasons. I'n not sure how much of it came from the coach, who said "What we (did) today was the things we (did) the first four games... being brave, stepping out. It was difficult after six, eight weeks of not obtaining the results.” It may have been a more player-driven thing (either consciously or subconsciously). But looking at the numbers, the Lights matched Colorado for possession and passing.
Now that isn't some sort of crazy stat - most teams win the possession battle at home. But the Lights aren't most teams. Also, usually game states have a large effect on passing - when a team goes ahead early, they often try to sit back and counter-attack, ceding the possession battle to the team that now has pressure to score.
Today, the Lights took better care of the ball, and seemed to make it a point to find players and play it on the ground to feet. Let's hope that it is something they continue to work on.
4. Bonus - What was that?
I'm sorry, I couldn't write about this game without covering this:
The goalkeeper catches the free kick and then just dribbles all the way out past midfield on his own personal counter attack! I'M DYINGGGGG pic.twitter.com/PPtg7Qe9Si— Mike Manganello (@MikeManganello) June 3, 2018
This is absolutely, positively crazy. This is not "oh he's just being an aggressive keeper." This is insane. The only time I have ever seen this happen is in indoor 5 on 5 pickup games when nobody really knows the score anyways - and even then players get annoyed because it leaves the goal open.
This was stupidity, and Ferrino was really lucky that Matt Thomas was on hand and willing to pick up a yellow card when Ferrino inevitably lost the ball at the halfway line.
If anyone reading this is, or knows someone, who is wanting to be a goalkeeper - this is page 1, line 1 in the book of "Things not to do."
Till next time
-VSB
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