Bill ‘The Wall’ Gaudette expressing our feelings very eloquently
By: Kristian Vazquez
What’s worse: seeing your team lose 3-0 at home or 2-1? Well, it depends on which team you follow and it depends on if you’re looking at single game results or at the larger picture.
It might sound absurd, but in my mind a 3-0 loss is much more desirable. Why? Well a humiliating loss usually will not only emphatically showcase your weaknesses (say a lackluster defense or goalkeeping) but also send a clear jolt through an organization. It motivates the powers that be to take a close look at how things are being managed.
On the other hand, a 2-1 loss can just be shrugged off as bad luck, bad refereeing, or a plethora of other things. Furthermore, a near-victory doesn’t usually create a sense of urgency or that radical change might be needed. And that of course is the scenario the Islanders are currently in.
Fanboy sentiments aside, the Islanders have the best and deepest roster in the USL-1. These players could very well comprise a competitive MLS side (just take a look at FC Dallas and RBNY and tell me it isn’t true). The team also has arguably the best coach in team history and solid front office support. So what’s wrong? Do you remember that team that knocked on the door of the Concacaf Champions League Final? The same team that, except for one match against CD Municipal, went undefeated at home throughout the Champions League. Where is that team?
Some people might say we’re not doing as horrible as Montreal; another Champions League surprise. But that’s not the point. The issue here is that the Puerto Rico Islanders were going to be the force to reckoned with during the USL-1 2009 season. We had the best pre-season, the best roster, etc; yet the team is playing like the Islanders of a couple of years ago.
Las year the team had a rocky start, but in great part that was due to a lackluster pre-season. And now the team keeps losing points on the road and at home in matches that should have been won. If you’ve watched most of these games, you probably have seen how the team dominates and it seems that any minute the winning goal will drop …. but then it never does.
The Islanders haven’t won a USL-1 game since May 2nd, the team has 2 losses and 2 ties in the last 4 games and their only win this month was in over-time against Haitian side Tempete FC in the Caribbean Champions Cup semi-final. This weekend we had a couple of players out playing with their national squads in a Haiti-Jamaica friendly, but that’s the beauty of not having to depend on just one or two players to win – the team still should have come out with at least 4 points against Portland.
So finally, what’s wrong with the Islanders? Well, my opinion: it’s all a case of some bad mojo.
The team that went into Mexico City looking to get a ticket to the Champions League Final is not the same team that came back. The disappointing loss via penalties seems to still linger over the orange clad players.
We constantly see a team that should be scoring one or two more goals (at least) per match, a team that continues to attack and look for the back of the net – but the plays are wasted on inaccurate passes, long balls, some bad shots, etc. This team made it far last season and in the Champions League because they proved to be much more than just the sum of its parts. To me, it looks like there’s a kink in the machine and it’s in desperate need for Clarke to do something about it. There’s some bad mojo that needs to be aired out and get the team back to playing like clockwork.
Before my comments get misconstrued, I’m not trying to detract from the job that Colin Clarke is doing, but he must realize the team is in a funk and definitely not playing and gelling like it should be. You see it in all sports, powerhouse teams hitting below their weight until a little spark comes along and their fortunes improve. That’s exactly what the team needs right now.
I’m no coach and I have never been one, but I can recognize that there’s a need for some change. Maybe instead of practicing for a couple of days, the technical team should take them out for a retreat so the players can clear their heads, or maybe the team needs some new blood. What the team certainly does not need is for Clarke and the FO to remain complacent and wait until we’ve lost a couple of games against Cleveland and Minnesota (no offense) to actually do something about it.
There’s no doubt in my mind one this team gets back on track, it will be on fire and difficult to beat but I think the time is ripe for something to be done. We don’t want to be a few points behind in the race for the Commissioner’s Cup (or dare I say, even the playoffs) and regret that action wasn’t taken earlier in the season.
What do you think is going on with the team and what do you think should be done?
