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College Cup 2017: Dec 8, Akron v. Stanford


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It is not as though things were going to get easier. 

 

Contrasting styles will be even more pronounced and obvious than in the last match.  Stanford is much more direct than even Louisville, who were quite noticeably reliant upon the counter attack for offense.  Expect frequent vertical long balls over the top, sometimes from the Midfield, often straight out of the back.  This is the Soccer equivalent to running the Power I formation in Gridiron.  Stanford will make Akron prove that our Center Backs can match the athleticism of their Forwards, primarily Foster Langsdorf http://www.gostanford.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11632  .

 

Stanford Defense is anchored, held down, by Center Back Thomas Hilliard-Arce http://www.gostanford.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11628 , arguably the best player in the land. Stanford has not allowed a NCAA Tournament goal since late in the second half of the 2015 Quarterfinal vs. Wake Forest.  As a point of reference, that is the match before Stanford met Akron in the 2015 College Cup.  Hilliard-Arce is big, strong, skilled, and mean.

 

I expect that anyone reading this knows that Stanford are the 2-time defending champion going for a 3-peat.

 

It will take Zips' very best game to send home the champion. 

We can beat them, but we must be very sharp to do it.

 

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Last 3 college cups

2015 - Akron, Stanford, Clemson and Syracuse

2016 - Wake Forest, Denver, Stanford, N. Carolina

2017 - Akron, Stanford, N. Carolina, Indiana

 

3 programs only...that have been to at least 2 college cups in the last 3 years...Akron, Stanford and N. Carolina.

Akron soccer is truly special....an elite program.

 

President Matthew Wilson better be doing a video this week....since he did one for the football team that got destroyed in a conference championship game

This is an NCAA title......that the zips are going for....

There was a heck of a send off party...for the football team....

there better be a send off party to raise the roof....for this group of student athletes

   buses galore for the football team.....there better be buses available for the AK rowdies to support the "futbol" team

 

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17 minutes ago, TennZip said:

3 programs only...that have been to at least 2 college cups in the last 3 years...Akron, Stanford and N. Carolina.

Akron soccer is truly special....an elite program.

 

I feel good about our Zips' chances in the College Cup. I hope the Beacon gives it good coverage and no matter what tells the story from a positive angle. The Zips are among 4 of 205 D1 Men's Soccer Programs who are still playing. Getting to the College Cup is special in itself. Let's make some more Akron magic and history and bring home the Championship Trophy. Go Zips. We are...

 

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Edited by Zip_ME87
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I know that UAzipster campaigned in the Louisville thread for more playing time for David Egbo and Ezana Kahsay.    We will need Sam and Stuart for the full 90 against Stanford.  David Egbo and Marcel Zajac will make a great combo at the 3rd forward.

    Stanford is a very disciplined, well coached, compact defensive team.    It will take a special player with skill and speed to help the zips be effective.   I am a huge Nick Hinds fan.   Manel, Pau, and Skye have done a super job this year in the midfield.  It is going to take a gigantic team effort to defeat Stanford.   I firmly believe in Nick Hinds, the person and the soccer player.     I think that Nick is a special player and person and I think that he will be a great mid game to late game insertion and will make a very positive difference against the Cardinal.

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1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

But it is what it is.  It's soccer.  It's not football.  The difference shouldn't be surprising.  

 

A thread about a potential NATIONAL Championship is not the place for this debate. But for those who don't follow soccer and may not know, Akron is often referred to by professional soccer media as a "powerhouse". For example...

 

 

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2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

Do I get a sense that you are slamming on the football team because you are angry about the lack of attention given to soccer?

 

I hope they do everything possible to help publicize soccer's success right now.  I am a non-soccer fan that got on board with our soccer program about 10 years ago.  I'm super excited about what my alma mater is doing.  And I can do that, even though I don't care much for the sport.  

 

But it is what it is.  It's soccer.  It's not football.  The difference shouldn't be surprising.  

 

I think it's more of an indictment against the University and its marketing department. Soccer is the #1 sport in the world and is rapidly growing in the US (look at the MLS expansion in the last 5-10 years). The game on Friday is on ESPNU, with the Championship Game airing on ESPN2; this isn't a low end tournament/sport. The football team just laid a major egg on ESPN yesterday, but that can easily be forgotten with good showings on Friday & hopefully Sunday. TennZip isn't the only one frustrated with the lack of attention given to the soccer program in recent weeks. There has been virtually ZERO mentioning of their NCAA tournament matches at Zips basketball games, while the football team has had fanfare daily. The football team should absolutely get attention, but there's plenty of room for Akron soccer, too. We are the Alabama/OSU/Clemson/Duke/Kansas/UNC of Men's Soccer. 

 

Regarding the game, the only question I have is how wide is the pitch in Philadelphia? Someone mentioned that Louisville plays on a narrower pitch, hence the reason Akron found finding space difficult on the offensive end. Stanford's experience scares me more than their game does. Akron is the best team in this tournament from a pure soccer skill and technical ability standpoint; I hope it isn't automatically neutralized like it was on Friday with the narrower pitch. 

Edited by lilroodude
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1 hour ago, lilroodude said:

Regarding the game, the only question I have is how wide is the pitch in Philadelphia? Someone mentioned that Louisville plays on a narrower pitch, hence the reason Akron found finding space difficult on the offensive end. Stanford's experience scares me more than their game does. Akron is the best team in this tournament from a pure soccer skill and technical ability standpoint; I hope it isn't automatically neutralized like it was on Friday with the narrower pitch. 

 

 

From Wikipedia:

Field size at First Energy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field: Field size 120 yd. long x 77 yd. wide 

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FirstEnergy_Stadium–Cub_Cadet_Field

 

Field size at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium (Louisville):  Field size 109.73 x 68.58 m (120 x 75 yards)  2 yards narrower than our pitch.

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Mark_%26_Cindy_Lynn_Stadium

 

Field size at Talen Energy Stadium: Field size 120 × 75 yards (same as Louisville)

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talen_Energy_Stadium

Edited by Zip_ME87
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1 hour ago, lilroodude said:

 

I think it's more of an indictment against the University and its marketing department. Soccer is the #1 sport in the world and is rapidly growing in the US (look at the MLS expansion in the last 5-10 years). The game on Friday is on ESPNU, with the Championship Game airing on ESPN2; this isn't a low end tournament/sport. The football team just laid a major egg on ESPN yesterday, but that can easily be forgotten with good showings on Friday & hopefully Sunday. TennZip isn't the only one frustrated with the lack of attention given to the soccer program in recent weeks. There has been virtually ZERO mentioning of their NCAA tournament matches at Zips basketball games, while the football team has had fanfare daily. The football team should absolutely get attention, but there's plenty of room for Akron soccer, too. We are the Alabama/OSU/Clemson/Duke/Kansas/UNC of Men's Soccer. 

 

Regarding the game, the only question I have is how wide is the pitch in Philadelphia? Someone mentioned that Louisville plays on a narrower pitch, hence the reason Akron found finding space difficult on the offensive end. Stanford's experience scares me more than their game does. Akron is the best team in this tournament from a pure soccer skill and technical ability standpoint; I hope it isn't automatically neutralized like it was on Friday with the narrower pitch. 

I hear you.  A much narrower field would be a factor.  Remember playing in Buffalo?  But 2 yards difference is not enough to dramatically affect style.  Much greater a factor was Louisville dropping their whole team behind the Gridiron 40 yard line as soon as they lost possession.  It was obvious that they had been coached to do so.

 

Though a couple yards narrower, Lollaville field is immaculate, every bit as good as Cub Cadet (which is saying something).  And Lynn Stadium?  BY FAR the best I have ever seen in NCAA.  Unbelievable!

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1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

 

I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard someone say this during my 5+ decades on this planet.  

 

But, I still hope they do as much as possible to promote the soccer team's success.  

 

 

Then, you'd have a lot of nickels, because the first clause (soccer is the #1sport in the world) has been true for well over a century, and the second (is rapidly growing in the US) has been the case since the start of Major League Soccer in 1996.  But I don't wanna beat a dead horse!  :D

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16 hours ago, Zip_ME87 said:

 

 

From Wikipedia:

Field size at First Energy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field: Field size 120 yd. long x 77 yd. wide 

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FirstEnergy_Stadium–Cub_Cadet_Field

 

Field size at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium (Louisville):  Field size 109.73 x 68.58 m (120 x 75 yards)  2 yards narrower than our pitch.

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Mark_%26_Cindy_Lynn_Stadium

 

Field size at Talen Energy Stadium: Field size 120 × 75 yards (same as Louisville)

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talen_Energy_Stadium

Didn't you mean same size as First Energy?  

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On 12/3/2017 at 8:54 AM, TennZip said:

there better be buses available for the AK rowdies to support the "futbol" team

 

 

$50 deposit returned on bus. Hotel Included ... excellent!

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13 hours ago, Z.I.P. said:

Then, you'd have a lot of nickels, because the first clause (soccer is the #1sport in the world) has been true for well over a century, and the second (is rapidly growing in the US) has been the case since the start of Major League Soccer in 1996.  But I don't wanna beat a dead horse!  :D

:horse:

 

Commence flogging. 

World football is one of the most significant social dynamics in human history. 

Let that settle a moment. 

Over 250 million worldwide are actively involved in Association Football, at this posting. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_football

How many worldwide have played the sport at some point in their lifetime?  How many are tangentially involved?  How many are merely fans? 

Surely that is a 10 digit number.

In comparison, 2.25 billion of the 7.1+ billion on the planet claim to be Christian, currently the World's most popular religion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_population_growth

Take another moment.

 

USA either joins in on the fun, or we don't.

The World generally does not care if we do or we do not forge American Soccer.

We on this forum care about Soccer at Akron (definitely), and in the USA.

ESPN cares.  Nike cares.  FOX Sports cares.  NBC Sports cares.

These folks want to make money. 

They are sick that we missed Russia 2018.

But The World is apathetic toward US Soccer; they do not need us.

 

 

 

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Please stop the soccer v football stuff or move it to another thread. This thread should be about Zips Men's Soccer in the College Cup, specifically v Stanford Friday night. Unless you're a Stanford fan visiting this board, I think we can all agree,  Go Zips!

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