NESCAC

[All NESCAC]

Looking at Nescac Team Stats in Conference only there are some telling figures.

The most impressive stat is Tufts only letting up 2 conference goals ( 1 penalty kick) in 8 games.

Williams at the bottom of the stat table with 24 corners compared to about 60 for Tufts and Amherst.

Conn is 3rd in corners with 50 and only 94 Shots and 5 goals. That is one corner for every 2 shots. 2:1 shots and corners is a ridiculous statistic and very telling of Conn's inability to finish on set pieces and not creating legitimate shots.

Good stats Mr Right....very telling.  Drilling down even deeper on Conn...of their 5 NESCAC goals 1 came on a corner vs Hamilton and 1 came on a free kick vs Bates, thus only 3 in the run of play (one of which was a major brain cramp from the Williams goalie).  Conn  continues to struggle.  Game vs Bowdoin was "Ground Hog Day" all over again.  Conn came out and had 3 great chances to score in the first 15 minutes and of course didn't, yet outplayed Bowdoin in first half.  But typical Conn coaching little substitution in the first half and all very late (last 10 minutes of half).  2nd half Bowdoin who subbed early and often in the first half had fresh legs and dominated the 2nd half.  Conn rarely subbed in the 2nd half and looked exhausted while Bowdoin continued to run players in and out.  Conn is on a 4 game winless streak and much of it and their 2nd half struggles can be put squarely on Conn Coach whose poor substitution pattern (or lack there of any utilization)  and usage of his bench.  when every other team you face subs 20 to 25 minutes into the game and has players with gas still left in their tank for the 2nd half yet you leave your starters in virtually the entire game you will lose.  Yes, Conn can't score, but its not from lack of opportunities, yet you still need to have fresh legs on the field to have a chance.  Tired legs and tired players lead to poor decisions and poor play.  Four straight games now the Conn coach refused to use his bench and it has hurt his team as he is not putting his team in position to succeed. His constant yelling and negativity during the game (and after the game) is getting very old.  he doesn't seem able to get the most out the talent he has on the roster and I don't think he ever will unless he changes his coaching style (unlikely ever to happen).  Coaching there continues to underwhelm me.  Conn HAS to win vs Trinity this coming weekend in order to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. It doesn't look good down in Camel Land. In other news big wins by the Jumbos over the Ephmen, and the Cardinals over the Lord Jeffs.

[Mr.Right]

ugh your tireless argument about win loss records between conferences being the end all be all is ridiculous. First of all AD's do not schedule the games coaches do. I just rate the teams based on what I see on the field. You are correct the Newmac has had some great and lucky results this year against its more powerful brother Nescac. Breaking down each game would tell more.

Conn v Coast Guard- Coast Guard sits 10 behind the ball scores on a fluke play and horrible GK mistake. Conn dominated.

MIT v Tufts- MIT had maybe 3 shots all day and sat back 10 behind the ball. etc etc.  I could go on Williams v Babson same deal.

The top teams in Nescac are just better than the top teams in Newmac.

[Off Pitch]

I get your point.  NESCAC is better than NEWMAC, they just can't beat them on the field of play.

[Mr.Right]

Can you go start a NEWMAC thread PLEASE.

[Mr.Right]

2008 reminds me of how this year is shaping up. In 2008, some Newmac teams were getting high winning % against bad teams and got about 4 teams regionally ranked. They got 3 teams in the tourney. I think Clark, Babson and MIT. They proceeded to go 0-3 in the NCAA's in the first round against teams like Johnson and Wales, Framingham State etc. This will repeat itself this year. Wheaton is a very good attacking team but have major lapses defensively to go far in the NCAA's.

[Mr.Right]

All Nescac- can you go into more detail of the starting 11 for Conn and the substitution patterns. I am curious because of all the injuries they have had you would figure guys should be playing alot

[Mr.Right]

Honestly I know I presented the facts about Conn's inability to score in the run of play but Conn's biggest problem is having maybe the worst GK in the league. In the games I have seen and the highlights of the Bowdoin goals the GK made a horrible mistake on the 2nd goal. A teams lack of quality GK can affect other players play on the field. If you cannot trust who is in net everything else falls apart

[Mr.Right]

Absolutely.  Greenwood has always impressed me with his athleticism and toughness. Bull is just a beast in net.

[Off Pitch]

ugh your tireless argument about win loss records between conferences being the end all be all is ridiculous. First of all AD's do not schedule the games coaches do. I just rate the teams based on what I see on the field. You are correct the Newmac has had some great and lucky results this year against its more powerful brother Nescac. Breaking down each game would tell more.

Conn v Coast Guard- Coast Guard sits 10 behind the ball scores on a fluke play and horrible GK mistake. Conn dominated.

MIT v Tufts- MIT had maybe 3 shots all day and sat back 10 behind the ball. etc etc.  I could go on Williams v Babson same deal.

The top teams in Nescac are just better than the top teams in Newmac.

Sorry Mr. Right, you invite these responses when you make statements that are simply not supported by reality or facts.  You wanted an unbiased thread.  I think posters generally post on this thread because we have ties to a NESCAC school and/or enjoy the quality of NESCAC play, the competition and the rivalries.  There are a couple of NESCAC teams that I will go out of my way to watch play every year because they play quality, entertaining soccer.  I have traveled to watch Williams play multiple times in past few years.  There is no disputing that NESCAC is historically the dominant, preeminent conference in New England and one of the strongest (and some years the strongest) soccer conferences in the country.  Having said that, I know you consider it blasphemy to observe and opine that the conference is down a little this year compared to prior years, but the results back me up.  Disparaging another conference against which the NESCAC is not having much current success does not show the NESCAC in a good light.

Even down a little, NESCAC should still get three into the NCAA tournament (unlike the injustice of only two last year).

[PaulNewman]

Seems the NESCAC is fairly safe to get 3 and there's probably a scenario where they could get 4.  That said, there is going to be a squeeze(s) somewhere as there is one LESS Pool C slot.

And regardless of debates about style of play or how they got there, Babson definitely have played themselves into consideration.  They've played a strong schedule overall (Oneonta also).  However, a NEWMAC semis loss might do them in.

The Wesleyan win over Amherst seems huge, and may turn out to be a key game that knocks out Midd and Williams.

[blooter442]

The Wesleyan win over Amherst seems huge, and may turn out to be a key game that knocks out Midd and Williams.

Interesting. I know that head-to-head record is a factor in selection (Williams has defeated both Wesleyan and Middlebury), but how much of a factor is record against common opponents? Ephs got walloped by Amherst 4-1, while Wesleyan obviously beat Amherst on Saturday and Midd drew.

[All NESCAC]

Honestly I know I presented the facts about Conn's inability to score in the run of play but Conn's biggest problem is having maybe the worst GK in the league. In the games I have seen and the highlights of the Bowdoin goals the GK made a horrible mistake on the 2nd goal. A teams lack of quality GK can affect other players play on the field. If you cannot trust who is in net everything else falls apart

Mr Right you are correct (I couldn't say right).  GK has been a troublesome position (and a deflating one) for Conn this season.  If they had Tuft's, Midd's or Amherst's or Bowdoin GK as their GK they probably would have a few more W's and a couple more Draws than their record now shows....even with their inability to finish in the final third.  And maybe solid GK play could energize the strikers....you are correct it does effect a team.  But they still should be scoring.  As far as their substation pattern, or lack there of, even with the injuries you do not let your starting forwards play 75 to 85 minutes of the game and expect them to play at a high level (no coasting & all out all the time)....not when your opponents are constantly subbing and you are playing against fresh legs.   They have younger recruited players who can give you 15 to 20 minutes a half and give your starters a chance to rest.  When your forwards and mids don't chase or track back or get to balls because they are gassed you are playing with fire.  Also, taking a starting forward and putting him in the back line and sitting down a seasoned starter when you've already lost your best defender for the year is not a sound move as it weakens you in two positions.  Keeping a seasoned starter in the midfield on the bench for an untested mid and not giving the former starter much, if any, playing time when your midfield is tiring is not sound.  Fresh legs make a difference. Tired legs lead to bad decisions leading to bad plays ending up with losses.  If your opponents use their bench depth (early and often)and you don't you are playing with fire.  yes, they have a hobbled Mutala and Punt (he is missed in a big way) is out, but other than that they are no worse than any other team (at this point every team is banged up).  One player who continues to get better as the season moves along is Patch.  They need to trust the bench and get some fresh legs in the game early and often so they don't run out of steam in the 2nd half which has happened now 4 games in a row.  Certainly playing your starters for virtually the entire game is clearly not working....maybe using the bench could make a difference...he was doing this earlier in the year, why he stopped I don't know.  He needs to trust his players and stop over coaching because he has been outcoached in each of the last 4 games.

[Mr.Right]

Excellent post but I was hoping you could put names to the starting 11 and the bench as to minutes and all that. Sometimes coaches lean on seniors sometimes coaches bench seniors who have the case of "senioritis". Conn and Williams have been killed with injuries this year. I do not see any major injuries on Amherst, Midd and Tufts. Also, sometimes coaches go with the guys who give them the most in practice and tend to punish guys with minutes who half-ass practice. Not saying that is the case here but am more curious to who is and is not playing as I have a decent handle on all Conn's players

[PaulNewman]

Wasn't someone just very recently talking about how incredible the Conn coach is?

And blooter wasn't thinking so much head to head but rather Wes vitally creating greater distance in terms of loss column.

[Mr.Right]

I can think of a couple great players in the past years and have no information as to why they are not playing regular minutes. If anyone knows please fill us in.

Issiroff-Wesleyan.  Great play maker in midfield has found the bench and limited minutes.  I love Gruner in midfield but certainly Issiroff is better quality than Erickson and Bravo.

Nakamura-Tufts. From starter to maybe 10 minutes a game if lucky. I always thought he was one of Tufts more creative players. My only guess here is that Shapiro does not think he is tough enough but certainly he is equal to Pinheiro if not a tad better.