Quote from: PaulNewman on September 10, 2023, 04:46:48 PM
Well, Kenyon has clawed its way back to .500...a long way to go and still missing a couple of real difference makers to support Duratovic, Dujakovich, Ramirez, and the two very good, experienced CBs.  Still don't know about Martinez and whether he is out for the season or will be back relatively soon.  He would make a difference by himself.  Duratovic is gonna need to play 75 min and Dujakovich 80 at least until Wall figures out his rotations.  A couple of stalwarts from last year are not playing well and need to pick it up to avoid being liabilities.  One thing that has not changed yet with Wall is the Owls giving up loads of free kicks.  Fortunately none were super-close but several were close enough for Gaulmin or Morgan to score.  St Olaf may drift from the convo for a spell but they should be fine.  I think Kenyon benefited today from the Oles being exhausted.  Chasing a game for 65 minutes with 10 men on Roy Rike can do that to you.  St Olaf was competitive and won the stats battle (in part because of being down 1-0 and then 2-0), but they also looked like a team that was ready to get back home.

This might be the most competitive year with the largest number of teams in Great Lakes in a long time....JCU, CWRU, ONU, OWU, Denison, Kenyon...at least a couple more should emerge out of Otterbein, Rose Hulman, DePauw and/or Wabash, CMU, etc.

Dujakovich is really learning the rhythm of the game as a more traditional center midfielder than the role he played in the past. He is looking like an early NCAC offensive POTY candidate imo, singlehandedly drives the team forward at times while still having an understanding of tempo. He and Ramirez are a physically dominant midfield too, perfect complement to Martinez when he returns. The backline is also looking much more settled now. Lantz brings some much needed speed as a wide back that can get involved in the attack and still cover the ground defensively.

I thought Wall did a good job managing minutes this weekend starting on Friday ahead of the short turnaround. Will get easier when the schedule settles into a regular midweek-weekend pattern, but this team still has depth despite the 14 players graduating since last season.