NESCAC

[redsoccer06]

Curious to see how Bates-Bowdoin shakes out. Bowdoin is probably a slightly more complete side but Bates will be at home and I'm guessing will have a decent crowd for an early-evening kickoff at Garcelon. I think Merchant and co have some good skill and speed and could give Bowdoin some problems, but I am not sure how Bates will hold up defensively, although I have admittedly not watched them that much in recent past. I'll be up visiting the folks for the long weekend, so will probably try to get over and watch. Gut feeling is a score draw, which Mr.Right will probably laugh at, but I think both teams get on the board. 1-1.

Also curious to see how Bates-Bowdoin pans out. Both teams playing their second game of the weekend. Bates has to travel to Conn while Bowdoin has to travel to Trinity. Have to wonder if fatigue will be more of a factor for one than the other.

[truenorth]

On paper, Bates will have been through a tougher battle than Bowdoin in Saturday's games, but that's only on paper...

[redsoccer06]

Too true. It is the NESCAC, after all. Any team can win on any given day. Even with the way Trinity has performed so far this season.

[Bobcat1]

Tactically, I would expect Opoku and Merchant to work MacMillan's side of the field and see what they can generate. For Bowdoin, Niang and Morant will cause match-up issues for Bates, especially on set pieces. It's a good move by Bates to play this on the turf (again).  Two years ago they played to a scoreless tie on the turf. However, I tend to agree with Blooter and believe there will be goals scored in the game this year.

[SoccerMom_5]

For Saturday:

Bowdoin at Trinity----Bowdoin is 3-1-0 in Nescac with 9 pts and 2 games in hand on almost everyone at the top. If they go clean they would win the league. It is doubtful but not impossible. With Van Siclien and Niang they have two of the leagues best players but they need more from the rest of their line-up. They are not a truly great team because they lack creativity and a player that can beat 2 to 3 guys and feed a striker who can finish. I will say though that Ellsworth has improved but is no Dias-Costa on the flank. I liked the Frosh Byrd on the flank but he must be injured because I have not seen him in a few games. The Frosh McPherron looked decent in midfield. Sam Ward is steady in the back and I liked McColl's service. But eh if they go down a goal to a good team can they tie the game up and even win? Against Thomas they did but the stream went out and I have no idea how CJ Masterson scored both his goals. In the 1st Half he came off the bench and did nothing. Also, Thomas is ok but not a good team. The answer to my question right now is NO they cannot. Morant is a big body but if he is not scoring goals with his head or holding the ball up top then what good is he? He has 2 SOG in 4 league games as a striker. Not gonna cut it. In 4 league games Bowdoin has 16 SOG. An average of 4 SOG a game for a Top 4 side in Nescac is ridicoulous. I do think they are an NCAA team but they just are to thin on the bench and have no firepower to go very far.

I liked Niang last year, but... he had a lot of support that made his job easier. He had Charlier drawing defenders for him, and Dias Costa made decisions for him.  Niang is struggling this year without them.  Look at his numbers.  Watch him in the games.  He is never where he needs to be and he doesn't accomplish much unless he has someone feeding him.  I thought the new freshman CAM (McPherson?) would help with that, but... Niang had one good game with McPherson and then seems to have gone back quiet. 

On the other hand...  I find Bowdoin has the most complete defense that I have seen in the NESCAC, and their two center backs and keeper are the best players on the team. And the best of any defenders I have observed in the league.  That has to be worth something, right?

By far.  The back is not their weak point.  I can not think of any instances in which the Bowdoin  back line was just "beaten" for a goal.   The Bowdoin defense gives up goals - almost exclusively-  when they are compromised by their own midfield....  almost exclusively.   And usually then on set pieces. 

It looks to me like Bowdoin is looking to solve their problems regarding their poor organization/bad-decision-making in the midfield and their lack of finishing skills up front by using their backs more.  I think that could burn them if they throw them too far forward, as they did in the Thomas game. The back is hard to organize when your backs are also running the middle.  But... it is undeniable that Bowdoin generates a ton of shots when the backs run the middle.  If they work on finishing and find a happy medium with using their backline... I still think that they are the team to beat. 
Just because of that backline -- even if they continue to struggle with offense -- if they keep protecting the back and pushing the ball foward, someone is going to get one in at some point, righf?  Lol.

I only saw the second half of the Thomas game, but.... Bowdoin played with only two men back.  Two defenders were up at all times in that game organizing the midfield and supporting the offense.   So ...  they scrambled on the recovery at times, but as I had said last weekend... a lot of the teams are experimenting to try to create some offense.  And, it seems to at least be helping generate shots.

Honestly...   look at the Bowdoin stats.   Lol.  How many shots have they allowed in their last few games?    And that is with only two guys actually "staying home"  If they get the wrinkles ironed out of their offense, they will be hard to beat.  I know, I know... it is a pretty big if. But ... then again...
Bowdoin's defenders are the best players on the team... which I assume is why the CBs never get subbed out... ever. And also why the coach has been experimenting with sending them forward.  Either Bubb or Ward were above midfield alternately at nearly all times in the second half of  that Thomas game. And either McColl or the other OB (coach called him "Willie"  but I cant remember his last name right now)   was also attacking at all times.  And in that Thomas game, we repeatedly heard the coach telling them to "go" "get up" "stay high" and all of that. Or to "recover" because there was only one man alone in back.

So ... if the Bowdoin backs are playing full field ...  for 90 minutes... and playing with only two men fully back....  and still only allowing however few shots (very few) then....  they are not just "good..."
They might be superhuman. 

I am sticking  with Bowdoin as the team to beat for this year, despite their offensive troubles.

[OldNed]

By far.  The back is not their weak point.  I can not think of any instances in which the Bowdoin  back line was just "beaten" for a goal.   The Bowdoin defense gives up goals - almost exclusively-  when they are compromised by their own midfield....  almost exclusively.   And usually then on set pieces. 

SoccerMom_5,
you may not have been watching the Bowdoin/St. Joe's game, but the one goal that St. Joe's scored fits the description of the defense being beaten.  The play developed on the left side on the St. Joe's side of the field where the St. Joe's midfielder sent a pass up the left side to a streaking Noah Robinson, who beat the Bowdoin right back around the corner and he advanced on net and was able get off an odd angle shot that the Bowdoin keeper couldn't get to.  To be fair to Bowdoin's defense, Robinson is probably the most athletic player on St. Joe's and that's the only time he's been able to do that this year, so this might fit into the category of lightning striking once. 

[SoccerMom_5]

By far.  The back is not their weak point.  I can not think of any instances in which the Bowdoin  back line was just "beaten" for a goal.   The Bowdoin defense gives up goals - almost exclusively-  when they are compromised by their own midfield....  almost exclusively.   And usually then on set pieces. 

SoccerMom_5,
you may not have been watching the Bowdoin/St. Joe's game, but the one goal that St. Joe's scored fits the description of the defense being beaten.  The play developed on the left side on the St. Joe's side of the field where the St. Joe's midfielder sent a pass up the left side to a streaking Noah Robinson, who beat the Bowdoin right back around the corner and he advanced on net and was able get off an odd angle shot that the Bowdoin keeper couldn't get to.  To be fair to Bowdoin's defense, Robinson is probably the most athletic player on St. Joe's and that's the only time he's been able to do that this year, so this might fit into the category of lightning striking once.

I dont think I saw that one - a part of it, I think.  The end, and Bowdoin was a little hit-and-miss.  Got better when the backs started overlapping .but was pretty bad notwithstanding. 
But it was because the midfield and offense could not hold the ball.  And the DM was constantly making terrible negative passes and one-touching right back to a defender under pressure.  That was bad, but how do you count that? Do you count those as defensive failures?  It is possible that the defense got beat, but they were holding up ok in the part I saw, even though their midfield was just straight savotaging them.   Actually, come to think of it, was that the game where Stenquist repeatedly stole the ball from his own backline? He took one off of Ward's toe, swooped in and took one from Bubb as he was about to pass, and stole one from the outside back over by the sideline.   

But... saw all that and didnt catch the goal you are mentioning.

if all you can find is one goal where the defense got beaten, then... I am going to still say that is a remarkable defense.
I don't think I personally have witnessed that defense get beaten yet.  I am sure everyone gets beaten at some point.  But... I would say we all have to agree that it happens pretty darn seldom with that particular backline.
Although... if they keep experimenting with the backline and taking the risks with overlapping, they may be opening up some opportunities for teams to penetrate.  Two men in back can stop a breakaway (Bubb seems to have that assigment?)   but they simply cant defend against numbers if they will only keep two men back and the other team presses together on transition, as Colby seems to....

But those transitions..... that still comes down to an offensive flaw, not a defensive one, doesnt it?  It won't matter whose fault it was, of course. And... if the defenders have to run the midfield, support the offense, and hold their line... something is going to have to give.

As for the Robinson goal, was that a long ball up the left or combo play?

Part of the problem I have observed with Bowdoin in the games I watched is  that the offense can not win loose balls, and the midfield can be kind of a sieve. So... forward balls are often just coming right back on the transition. 

That is one reason I am wondering how they hold up against Colby who plays a nice tight deliberate game through the middle.  I would think it woukd potentially be a problem for Bowdoin who just leaks in the middle unless they pull their backs up to organize.   And also maybe Amherst who seems to like to throw everything  forward.  And maybe Tufts if they continue to play with the 3man backline. 

I really like Colby, but how do they hold up?  For me the questions are related to: how does Colby do at speed?  When they
are controlling the pace of the game, they seem to like to play slowly and deliberately.  Can they keep their combination style play and stay organized if they play a team who prefers a frenetically paced game, like Amherst, Bowdoin, and Tufts seem to prefer?

[cac.aholic1]

Quicks hit predictions:

Amherst 1-0 Hamilton

Conn 2-1 Bates

Colby 1-2 Wesleyan

Bowdoin 1-0 Trinity

Midd 0-1 tufts

[Mr.Right]

ACH back for Wesleyan today and Livingstone back to the bench...See if he can snag one for Wesleyan today.

Amherst pressuring Hamilton first 15 minutes but cannot capitalize yet. Hamilton's Chapman and Wood looking dangerous on the counter

[Mr.Right]

ACH hits the crossbar for Wesleyan early in the game v Colby off a set piece and ball bouncing around. Would have been a poachers goal

[Mr.Right]

Hamilton v Amherst 0-0 at the half. Very even game so far as Hamilton holding its own against Amherst physicality. Not to many dangerous chances for either side but from 18 to 18 the game is up and down as the game was getting stretched. Hamilton dealing pretty well so far with Amherst's corners, long throws and their backs pumping balls into the box.

[Mr.Right]

Wow..I have not seen any of the game but I guess Conn was not looking past Bates and focusing on Amherst. Halftime 3-0 Conn shredding Bates defense.

[BendIt007]

Watching Conn/Bates game in New London.  Camels have been dominating Bates from the start with good movement and pressing... and now with 3 goals at the half.   We'll see what happens in the second.

[Mr.Right]

Hamilton v Amherst still scoreless 60th minute but again like in the Williams game McMillian for Amherst shows off his speed and athleticism but fluffs a breakaway as Hamilton's GK stays big and wide. It was a somewhat difficult angle but if he had the composure he would of aimed far post and buried it. Both teams getting some chances. Hamilton played very well last week v Tufts but ended up losing after a split 2nd defensive lapse of concentration. Will that happen again and can Amherst capitalize?

[Mr.Right]

Watching Conn/Bates game in New London.  Camels have been dominating Bates from the start with good movement and pressing... and now with 3 goals at the half.   We'll see what happens in the second.

Go for the jugular and get the 4th goal and then sit all starters to rest for the match Tuesday at Amherst