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MAC Men's Soccer Tournament returns to Akron ... Nov 15th and 17th


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Wow.....we had so many great chances, they had one.  Although, it was one of the worst officiated games I have ever witnessed.   How did Egbo get a red card? I am still trying to figure that out.  I have never seen Jared so upset - he doesn’t react like that - so in my mind something was wrong with that call.  Thanks seniors. I have never been a big fan of Skye but boy he played very well.  Great game Skye.  We were so much better when he was in the game.   

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Thanks Skye Harter, Chris Lue Young, Leonard Sohn, and Tom Smart for coming to Akron. Once a Zip, Always a Zip! It was my pleasure supporting all of you and the 2019 Zips Men's Soccer Team. So sorry that it turned out the way it did but happy that I was there for all of it. There is no team for me but Zips Men's Soccer!

 

Looking forward to hearing about all those who are joining for 2020 and to Spring Soccer. Go Zips!!!

 

 

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1 hour ago, malonepioneer12 said:

 it was one of the worst officiated games I have ever witnessed.   How did Egbo get a red card? I am still trying to figure that out. 

 

How does anyone get a red card going for a 50 / 50 ball and being injured.

 

Interesting that neither Zips or BGSU twitter would even indicate that a red card was given, and the announcer said nothing. Awful!!!

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9 hours ago, Zip_ME87 said:

 

How does anyone get a red card going for a 50 / 50 ball and being injured.

 

Interesting that neither Zips or BGSU twitter would even indicate that a red card was given, and the announcer said nothing. Awful!!!

Yes, there were definitely 12 guys out there in orange when you factored in the guy in yellow!

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11 hours ago, malonepioneer12 said:

Wow.....we had so many great chances, they had one.  Although, it was one of the worst officiated games I have ever witnessed.   How did Egbo get a red card? I am still trying to figure that out.  I have never seen Jared so upset - he doesn’t react like that - so in my mind something was wrong with that call.  Thanks seniors. I have never been a big fan of Skye but boy he played very well.  Great game Skye.  We were so much better when he was in the game.   

Skye Harter made a strong case tonight that his absence this season really affected the team more than we fans recognized. 

 

Thanks, Skye.   You can hold your head high, knowing that you left it all on the pitch.

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25 minutes ago, zippyfan34 said:

Yes, there were definitely 12 guys out there in orange when you factored in the guy in yellow!

 

And once again we get to pay for the overzealousness of a referee throwing around unwarranted red cards by one of our players sitting out the first match next season due to stupid NCAA soccer rules. If they're going to have such a rule, then they need to at least allow for an appeal of the card.

 

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By the way, it was awesome to see some of our recent former players make it back to Akron. Always a pleasure to see them...Ezana Kahsay, Niko De Vera, Abdi Mohammed, Marcel Zajac, Reggie Laryea. Also Stuart Holthusen who is taking graduate classes at Akron and our numerous alumni who are season ticket holders or regular attendees.

 

Sorry if there were others whom I did not get to see. 

 

 

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https://www.beaconjournal.com/sports/20191115/university-of-akron-mens-soccer-disappointing-season-for-zips-ends-in-1-0-loss-to-bowling-green-in-mac-tournament-semifinal

 

“This has been our issue all year,” Zips coach Jared Embick said. “I thought we were coming close to overcoming it. We gave up a few chances, a goal and a couple chances. We had plenty of chances and hit two posts and had a couple other looks. We don’t put them away — 12 corner kicks and didn’t get after it. This group under adversity sometimes didn’t deal with it the right way.”

 

“This was like the whole year,” Embick said. “We’ll have to evaluate some of the mindsets, but in terms of the games and performances, I think it was similar to the losses this season. We had good looks, good chances in key moments to take leads and go up and we didn’t.

“There were chances that went against us that were a little more clinical this year and we paid the price.”

 

“We underachieved and performed below expectations,” Embick said. “Us as coaches have to figure out where we went wrong. The players have to look in the mirror and let people know it’s one of those situations that may come from time to time.

“It’s disappointing, but we’re going to spend time, evaluate it, correct it and get everyone back to the level we can be.”

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I'm already looking forward to next year - we should see a very motivated group. We already know the talent is there.

 

Regarding this year, nearly every opposing goal keeper seemed to have the game of his life against our Akron Zips. That was extremely annoying.

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I always enjoy the comments and positive overall vibe of this UA soccer forum.  However, I'm a bit mystified by the lack of discussion on one topic:  What the hell happened this season???

 

I attended a number of games and watched a couple of streams, but it was pretty apparent that this team didn't have it this year.  It looked like we were turning the corner a bit (MAC record), but then the tournament was more of the same.

 

I don't count myself among the experts on this board, so I need some help here.  Bad team chemistry?  Lack of player leadership?  Were we lacking players in certain positions?  Are we lacking the "one and done" star recruits of the past?  Did Harter mean that much to this team?

 

To start the year so highly ranked and finish with such a poor record and finish, were we grossly overrated?  I admit that I did not see the level of talent depth that many on this board saw.  I kept waiting for Coach to simply insert a guy off the bench and we would magically play better ball.  It didn't happen.

 

Watching Zip soccer has been a really enjoyable experience for many years, but the 2019 team did not perform.  Why?

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13 hours ago, fknbuflobo said:

One nightmare of a season!

Man, aint that the truth....I can finally stop trying to explain to myself what happened and why, because Ms. Voice won't listen to me anymore, in fact tells me to "SHUT UP!" when I bring the subject up.  I've got my L.F.C. Reds and Barclay's (plus UEFA CL) to get me through the Winter/Spring.  But if we hang on to most of the returning players and the incoming class is as good as it looks....ummmm, I think I said the same thing last year after the College Cup.  Can't see anywhere but up for this team and program for 2020, because if not, there will definitely be a lot of changes at FES.  

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52 minutes ago, zippypitt said:

I always enjoy the comments and positive overall vibe of this UA soccer forum.  However, I'm a bit mystified by the lack of discussion on one topic:  What the hell happened this season???

 

I attended a number of games and watched a couple of streams, but it was pretty apparent that this team didn't have it this year.  It looked like we were turning the corner a bit (MAC record), but then the tournament was more of the same.

 

I don't count myself among the experts on this board, so I need some help here.  Bad team chemistry?  Lack of player leadership?  Were we lacking players in certain positions?  Are we lacking the "one and done" star recruits of the past?  Did Harter mean that much to this team?

 

To start the year so highly ranked and finish with such a poor record and finish, were we grossly overrated?  I admit that I did not see the level of talent depth that many on this board saw.  I kept waiting for Coach to simply insert a guy off the bench and we would magically play better ball.  It didn't happen.

 

Watching Zip soccer has been a really enjoyable experience for many years, but the 2019 team did not perform.  Why?

These are all great questions I've been wondering myself.  I don't know enough about soccer to have insight here, so I'm reliant on more knowledgeable soccer posters to educate me.

 

But I guess I have to bring this up... last year was a pretty underwhelming year as well.  I remember us all scratching our heads last year as the team sputtered to a regular season record of 7-6-2.  We didn't host the MAC Tourney.  But then we won the MAC Tourney, started hitting on all cylinders and went on our magical run to another College Cup.  Afterwards everyone seemed to completely forget, let alone have any concern for how we actually struggled to play "Akron soccer" all season long.  When we began this season with the hashtag #unfinishedbusiness I thought it was a bit presumptuous.  

Edited by Blue & Gold
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Corner Kicks.  Execute them efficiently.  We had thirteen last night vs. BGSU, with no score!  Thirteen!  Most offense is designed to get off a cross from wide into the box.  So, a short kick should only occur  to immediately get a different angle on a cross from wide into the box.  Taking a short CK just to pass it around the horn is a tremendous and unacceptable waste of opportunity.

 

Corner Kicks.  Defense them rigorously.  This is where men are separated from boys.  How many CK goals surrendered in 2019?  Zonal CK Defending does. Not. Work.  Stop it!  Need to be at least partially man to man.  Zips coaching should drill CK defense EFD!!! Ad nauseum!

 

Corner Kicks.  There.  I just fixed Zips Soccer.?

 

 

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21 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

When we began this season with the hashtag #unfinishedbusiness I thought it was a bit presumptuous.  

 

Yes, someone else said it...Thank you. I hope we do not do that again. We need to reflect on both seasons, ask the hard questions, make necessary adjustments and move forward.

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My opinion is that we didn’t realize how much we were missing from last years team.  I thought we could replace the players who left and boy was I wrong.  Starting with the GK.  Ben Lundt never seemed to do anything spectacular but he was solid.  He would make a great save now and then.  Our current year goalkeeper play was anything but solid.  I can’t remember thinking in any game - wow Saunders just made an unbelievable save.  It was always the other teams goalkeepers that made the unbelievable save.  Anytime a save was needed this year by Saunders it didn’t happen.  Next position right back.  That was a problem for most of last year till Abdi Mohamed settled in and by the end of the year he was an MLS draft pick at right back.  No disrespect to Lue-Young who played well at times but he just wasn’t the player that Abdi was at the end of the last year.  Next - Marcel Zajac.  This is when the team really started clicking last year when Zajac came back from injury and we had a second scoring option.  Zajac was able to create opportunities on his own and that is something we could not find on the this years team.  Last year - Zajac and Egbo could score.  This year it was Egbo and ......  I do think that all the parts took a bit of time to come together last year - Abdi was moved from the midfield and took some time to settle in at RB.  That was about half way during the season when that occurred.  Marcel returned from injury about half way during the year.  Add a few games for getting to learn teammates in a new position and boom.  There you go - inconsistent at the beginning of the year and a monster at the end of the year.  In addition -  after seeing Skye Harter’s performance last night, we really missed him this season.  He was very dangerous last night.  He and Egbo worked well together.  Him not playing most of the season really hurt our offense.  He played like a true #10.  Lastly I think we have to admit that some of our players just didn’t play as well as they did last year.  There can be many reasons for that and no reason to get into them but it’s hard to argue.  That’s just my two cents.  

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@malonepioneer12

 

Sorry. Out of Likes (so dumb).

 

I agree with nearly all your points, except one.  You are really de- valuing Ben Lundt’s contribution over the previous three seasons.  Only in his absence do we realize how good a GK Ben Lundt is.  I am just as guilty of under-appreciating Ben.  But I can clearly see it now.

 

No Zips GK has yet eclipsed Evan Bush, but I would put Ben Lundt second on that list.

 

Onward and Upward!

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Excellent analysis. My compliments. Couldn't agree with you more on Ben, Marcel and Abdi. Skye would have made our mid field so much stronger if he was there and healthy. I'll add one more point. As talented as Egbo is I believe his immaturity hurts us often. On last year's team he was surrounded by leadership that would not let him get caught up with himself. They had far better chemistry and that pulled them thru many difficult situations at the end of the season when they needed it.

 

In closing I have complete confidence in Jerod and his coaching staff. They will get the team back on track. They are humble. They will change what they must in themselves and not be afraid to do the same with the team. We are lucky to have them.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, malonepioneer12 said:

We are fortunate to have Coach Embick.  No doubt about that.   

I totally agree and love the coach and staff.....but to be honest, and I think Coach would agree, to be named the MAC Coach of the Year is a little bit of an indictment on the MAC as a league.  Not many D1 coaches go 6-10-2, even with our OOC schedule, and still win a Coach of the Year Award.  These were all his lads, his recruits, and he was never able to get them to consistently play together, hold their shape, especially on Defense, and find the "ideal 11".  I know, there were numerous injuries, KEY injuries, but the claim to fame for the staff was the fact that they were able to get these kids to play well enough for 5 matches to win the MAC, a little underwhelming when you think about it.  I know this will seem sacrilegious, to many on this board, but understand, my passion is with this team and staff, and mention this only as an honest critique.  If we want a more ideal situation, we should petition the MAC to drop men's soccer as a sport and let the 4 REAL MAC member find other homes in larger, more competitive conferences, where we could lessen our need for brutal, on-the-road early-season OOC schedules, and work towards a better strength of schedule and RPI based on our conference.  I'm sure there's a Conference out there that would love to have an Akron, with our pedigree, in their mix.  Okay, crucify me for my Jared comments....   

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