2022 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[Coach Jeff]

Just a brutal loss for Emory...2-2...get red card late which I couldn't tell if that was deserved or not...just under a minute Emory defender drags down a NYU player just outside box...Emory keeper makes fantastic save but ball parried out about 18 yards to his right and NYU danger man one times a perfect strike that keeper had no chance on.  NYU 3, Emory 2.

Will be interesting to see if SC and Hopkins think he should have caught the free kick that was headed bottom left corner and very well struck.

I'm not SC or Hopkins, but I sometimes caucus with them on GK issues and I think this was a ball that could have been caught.  It's sometimes hard to tell the ball's pace from a video and the rebound does go pretty far, which is sometimes an indication of pace, but the NYU player had to put some bend on it, which often slows things down a bit, and it looked like it floated over and was exactly the height you would want a ball if you were trying to catch it in the air.  Plus, the GK was set exactly where he needed to be and didn't even have to move a foot to get there.  My sense was that the GK was going for the block from the outset as if it was a PK shootout where rebounds don't matter and never intended to catch it, which is probably his biggest mistake if you could call it a mistake.  I get why he didn't think catch, because he surely doesn't want to get it wrong and fumble it into the goal at the last second, but if you don't train over and over to go for the catch instinctively, you end up giving up a lot of rebounds on balls you could have caught in retrospect.  There is a way that he could have parried the ball more safely that involves stopping it with his right arm and pushing it down the end line with his left where it was out of trouble, but that's actually technically more difficult than just trying to catch the ball.

Ok. I watched the free kick.... so my observations.  He is like 6 foot ginormous so a ball at mid height to the side is totally saveable.  Second, he wasn't fooled on the shot.  He wasn't caught going to dark side behind the wall.  His feet were set and to me, he had eyes on the ball.  The. Whole. Way.  It wasn't even that great of a strike.... unless keeping it on frame is a great strike these days.  Third, I thought he only got one hand on it, but no, he had both hands on the ball.  And it looks like he was collapsing toward the ball, not really going into an extension for the ball.... he is like 6 foot ginormous...  Fourth, that wasn't a parry, that was just him blocking the shot.... hence the angle of the rebound he gave up.  Fifth, and the crux of the issue, if he went back to his bench and didn't get an earful for not catching the damn rock, then seriously, you get the keeper you deserve.  This is the perfect example of what I mean about kids being taught to block/parry/punch balls away instead of practice day in and day out, the art of catching ... and it is an art since not a lot of keepers do it much anymore ... and when they are tired of practicing catching, put them under pressure to catch the ball.  And if they drop the ball, bury it past them.  And then tell them if they caught the ball, you wouldn't have tried to take his head off with a shot.

Instead he blocks, and you even heard the announcer say something to the effect that it was a great save/or block on the shot.  My jaw dropped and actually my reaction was the goalkeeper caused the entire play to develop when if he would have stopped and either caught it or actually parry it away, Emory would have walked away with a 2-2 draw.

I am sweating from watching that play and typing this.  I am proud that I didn't drop any F bombs as I would have had he been one of my Keepers.....

SC.

SC i do agree that a lot of keepers are now being taught to knock the ball down.   I always looked for that when I was watching game tapes on teams when scouting or recruits videos (VHS) LOL.  We would definitely increase our offensive present in the the box for those teams.  But SC I think the issue is far before the actual direct kick Emory's defender got beat by a mediocre 1 v 1 move because he was in a terrible position.  He looked tired and if so the coach could have replaced him with fresher legs.  To make matters worst he dives into what he thought was going to be a great defensive move and instead gave NYU a direct kick just outside the box. 

Yes I agree he should have not given up the rebound but let's face it he shouldn't have been asked to do it.

[PaulNewman]

The stealth UAA game -- CWRU @ Wash U -- ended....yep...1-1.  CWRU pushed to score for a least the last 20 minutes and and Wash U cooperated with CWRU dominating possession, and CWRU finally knocked the door down with 50 secs left.

And of course UR scores late to squeak out a must win over Brandeis at Fauver Stadium.

[PaulNewman]

Barring an epic collapse the streak will end tonight.  Centre up 5-0 on Millsaps still in 1st half.

[PaulNewman]

RE:  The Emory GK free kick analysis

It turns out that SC did indeed have an opinion, lol. 

I thought the free kick was going in but now I can see what SC is saying.  Also give a bit of credit to the NYU player.  A lot of kids would have sailed that way over the bar from that distance and he absolutely (clinically) buried it.

The play was obviously huge for both teams but for NYU may have kept their season alive.  Makes the game with UR Sunday a little more interesting.

[PaulNewman]

Centre is ticked off....6-0, still 1st half. 

Ummm....7.

[PaulNewman]

Welp...now Wartburg actually is my zip code...6-1-7

I mean area code lol.

[Coach Jeff]

Welp...now Wartburg actually is my zip code...6-1-7

LOL

[PaulNewman]

Here's my one question on the Chicago vs Messiah debate (and yes, it's very possible we won't get this matchup for real similar to how some of us have waited several years for Tufts and Messiah to lock horns again and it hasn't materialized).

Are Chicago's outside backs and wingers fast enough to stay with Messiah's danger men?  Someone like bluejay I'm sure knows the answer.  Otherwise I think Chicago can easily match Messiah man for man.  They have two 1st team AA CBs with great size, instincts, and also some offensive punch, and I assume both could be legit D1 CBs.  Gillespie and Wada provide a tremendous safety net.  The Maroons also have plenty of skill and speed in the midfield and up top. 

[Hopkins92]

I am sweating from watching that play and typing this.  I am proud that I didn't drop any F bombs as I would have had he been one of my Keepers.....

SC.

Cracking me up over here. (I didn't get to the video last night, but as per usual, trust you and kuiper on this front.

I'm wondering if enough coaches over time seeing flappy parries turn into dangerous chances and/or goals will swing the pendulum the other way.

Prolly not, but it's not like there aren't a bunch of GK trainers/coaches on professional and D1 staff.  I know in D3 it's usually more spotty, with part timers filling that role in a lot of places. Have things really gone so far that even GK trainers are preaching the gospel of the punch/parry first, catch second mentality?

[Kuiper]

I am sweating from watching that play and typing this.  I am proud that I didn't drop any F bombs as I would have had he been one of my Keepers.....

SC.

Cracking me up over here. (I didn't get to the video last night, but as per usual, trust you and kuiper on this front.

I'm wondering if enough coaches over time seeing flappy parries turn into dangerous chances and/or goals will swing the pendulum the other way.

Prolly not, but it's not like there aren't a bunch of GK trainers/coaches on professional and D1 staff.  I know in D3 it's usually more spotty, with part timers filling that role in a lot of places. Have things really gone so far that even GK trainers are preaching the gospel of the punch/parry first, catch second mentality?

I tend to think most GK coaches would be happy to have a GK catch the ball instinctively and only block, punch, or parry when necessary, but they've gotten so used to seeing GKs who don't have the best hands in those situations, that at the first sign of a fumble they advise the GK to get it out of trouble. It's sort of like telling the defender to boot it long or out. Coaches don't adopt that philosophy because it's ideal, but because they know their player isn't good enough to hold onto the ball and the risks outweigh the chance they will in any particular instance.  To do better, coaches need to recruit better and with GKs, it's hard to find youth GKs who have great hands AND fit the coach's demands for height, athleticism, leadership, foot skills, distribution, decision-making etc.

[PaulNewman]

Sunday


11:00 – NYU @ Rochester – (Rochester scored late [83rd minute] to nip Brandeis at home and NYU scored very, very late [with 50 secs left] to crush Emory.  In my experience, UAA teams need to get to 3 wins and maybe a draw for strong Pool C consideration.  Everyone should just expect that Rochester will go on a little run here, as the Yellowjackets, albeit on the road after Sunday for all, close with CWRU, CMU, and Emory.  Not cupcakes by any means but winning two out of the last three seems very doable.  With a win over NYU and a couple more wins I'm pretty sure you'll see Rochester in the bracket.  NYU closes with Chicago and Wash U at home before traveling to Waltham to take on Brandeis.  I favor Rochester here just a touch, but I also could see them losing to NYU and then running the table.  NYU may need to win two out of the last three, especially if the Violets lose or draw at Rochester.)

12:00 – Carnegie Mellon @ Wash U – (In some ways, CMU's blowout loss may be easier to digest and move on from than Wash U conceding to a draw with CWRU with less than a minute left.  CMU needs at least a draw here and still might need to run the table against Emory, Rochester, and @CWRU.  A win Sunday and CMU might only need two of three or a win and a couple of draws.  CMU is likely to have the lowest SoS of all UAA teams but they will probably benefit from being in arguably the weakest region compared to the other UAAs.  As for Wash U, let's say they beat CMU.  The finish with three road games at Brandeis, NYU, and Chicago.  If the Bears win two out of those three they'd close around 8-4-2 [4-1-2 conference].  I'd say that record would get the Bears a bid, so can they really win three out of the last four starting tomorrow, or at least go 2-1-1 which would put them at 7-4-3 and 3-1-3.  Wash U also will be pulling for North Park and Calvin to win their AQs.)

12:00 – CWRU @ Chicago – (CWRU will need a really off day by Chicago and I just don't see that happening.  We're getting to a point where the Maroons could realistically start shooting for an undefeated season.  Let's go way out on a limb and give CWRU a loss here.  Their final four games are at home...Asbury, and then Rochester, Emory, and CMU.  Let's presume a win over Asbury and guess that the Spartans go 1-1-1 in the last three.  That would put them at 8-4-4 and 3-2-2, yielding another bubble watch situation for sure.  It's very possible CMU and CWRU could both get bids depending on how the NCAC and OAC shake out, but it's also possible their last game against each other could be determinative.)

2:30 – Rhodes @ Oglethorpe – (Rhodes is the new Sewanee before Sewanee really got to be the new anything.  Pollsters can't get their erasers out fast enough when a team they've just started to notice drops two in a row as Sewanee did.  Now it's Rhodes' turn and the Lynx didn't help themselves last night slumping to a draw at Berry.  Oglethorpe is having a very mediocre season by their standards but the awesome weight of history says Rhodes may have trouble leaving Atlanta with a win.  Rhodes has not been to the NCAA tournament since 1998.  The SAA regular season race could come down to the finale between current leaders at 4-0-1, Rhodes and Hendrix.  There it is...the first and likely last Hendrix mention.  The Warriors have never been to the NCAA tournament and the 10/22 match in Conway might be the biggest event in Hendrix men's soccer history.)

[hiyasoccer]

I call bullcrap there is no meaningful amount of goalie coaches teaching their players to parry/box instead of catch... it's just not a thing. Every coach wants their keeper to catch.

What's probably actually happening is that lots of D3 goalies just aren't very good and are liable to give up bad rebounds because they don't have the technique and training to hold the ball, so they try to parry instead and probably get some pressure from head coaches to do that if they have given up bad rebounds trying to catch before.

Goalie is a bit unique in that being good at it requires a large number of hours of specialized training and most kids don't get that, even many one's that are solid high school and club players.

[Hopkins92]

It was a question, not a statement of fact, no reason to call bullcrap on anything. You and Kuiper are saying, essentially, the same thing... The keepers in D3 range in talent and technical ability, so the coaches feel like it's "safer" to smack the ball clear of danger. Doesn't always work out that way... Totally makes sense.

[hiyasoccer]

Yeah sorry Hopkins I was not responding to you specifically. I've seen a hit of chatter about the whole parrying thing across the board in general and wanted to push back on it. Hope no hard feelings 

[Hopkins92]

All good! Nice to see you getting stuck in...