AkronZip54321

id go as far to say that i expect koroma and serna to be our best 2 attacking players this year. making the u20 team is a huge deal. these guys will be seasoned beyond their years and wont have that deer in headlights most freshmen get. remember blair, kitchen, kofi, and zarek? they were on the u20s and did pretty good at akron.. its safe to say im getting excited about the season

well then maybe this: Yedlin, Souders, Barson, Stevenson; Trapp, Gallego; Caldwell; Serna, Koroma, Quinn

If we go 3-4-3 which may be the best way to get our best players on the field I see it being this: Meves Souders, Barson, Gallego Yedlin, Trapp, Caldwell, Quinn Serna, Koroma, Derschang I can tell you that any blue chip recruit Porter brings in will be planned on being a starter going into day 1. I still can almost assure you that he will not go with 3-4-3 as his primary system. I've had trouble finding a left back, can Souders play there? Also remember Gallego played DM in the NCAAs and after the Northwestern game Porter told him that he looked like Perry Kitchen out there. It's not a foregone conclusion that Souders Barson and Gallego are battling for centerback spots. Also I know that Schmidt is a very nice player and had a great spring but Porter loves having him as a spark off the bench and I'd be very surprised if he starts.

I think he will play up front in a 4-3-3 with Koroma through the middle and the SMU transfer on the other side.

Souders will step in next to Barson at centerback, and being behind Trapp and Gallego and it front of Meves gives us a good core to start with. Need to find a goalscorer more then a left back IMO.

this doesnt have the feel of a round of 16 NCAA game with the emotion of the players or the atompshere (of what we can see) of the stadium. were so flat right now, sigh

this is awful ugh

From a purely statistical standpoint this kid is doing things no one has done in decades at Akron. 21 goals after scoring 18 last year is nothing short of remarkable. walking into a national finalist team with most of the team back and leading them in goals in route to a national championship as a freshman is outstanding. he has without a doubt even stepped it up further this year scoring more goals then Zakuani or Teal ever did in 1 season despite being our only goal scoring threat and a marked man everywhere he goes. He doesn't even have a second forward playing with him and is getting beaten on by big centerbacks every game. To me it's really impressive how he has scored big goals the last two games despite these teams KNOWING he is our only main threat and not really giving him an inch. really our team will only go as far as he takes us, not sure we have been so reliant on one player in years past, even in 2008 with Zakuani we had Teal Nagbe Ampai Tutich all chipping in goals. Im not saying hes the greatest Zip in the Porter era but it seems no one even considers that a possibility with Nagbe Teal and Zaks all more highly regarded - maybe not rightly so. Keep going Darren!

------Holmes Mattocks--------- Quinn------ -----------Caldwell ----------Trapp Gallego------------ Stevenson Dagillis Barson Yedelin -----------------Meves------------------- With Schmidt being first off bench, and Balogun and Brenes used situationally.

yes! I'll be there too! guys, guys guys. We beat Northwestern, we beat SMU, UAB could easily lose their round of 32 game and we are back at the pouch for the sweet 16! This doesn't have to be the last game here this year.

Holmes missing the first 7 games plus preseason really hurt the chemistry of the team. if he was available from the start maybe we wouldnt have been forced to play the 4-3-3 that we have used all year. in hindsight it looks like we should have changed our system at some point during the season to something of a similar shape to the last 2 years. Holmes does well in the Nagbe role where he is just off of the main goal scorer. He is not a wide guy like how Tommy Schmidt is, who looks to put his head down and run at guys. Holmes is more of a creater in pockets of space that finishes well in and around the box. I am extremely curious to see what Porter does. I was actually really content with the lineup we used in the WMU game. For a few weeks I really thought the lineup was so far off our best group (Portillos at LB, Brenes at wide forward, Stevenson, Yedelin, Holmes out). I do hope we come out in a 4-4-2 but in all honesty it is almost definitely not going to happen. I still think this team can make a good run in the NCAA tournament. Edges between good teams are razor thin and a lot of times it comes down to lucky breaks. Assuming we have a first round game which shouldn't be too hard, we simply have to win 3 games after that and we are back in the college cup. Certainly not that daunting a task really is it?

Would love to get involved. How can I chip in a few bucks?

Anyone else a little puzzled by Holmes' playing time over the last 2 games. Only played 31 minutes last night as a starter.

Too many guys were getting knocked around and had trouble really dealing with the pressure from UCSB. This was a dog fight and we couldn't rise above it and pass them to death like we saw the 09 and 2010 teams do vs these roughhouse teams. Havent seen Caldwell be so careless in possession ever. Trapp was our M.O.M. in my opinion, what a bright future this kid has. Not the end of the world though. Looks like were shooting for a top 8 seed (bye and 2 home games)

we certainly have that feel of being the immovable object again like we were last year. dont feel nervous about us winning tough games like i did a few weeks ago.

we certainly have that feel of being the immovable object again like we were last year. dont feel nervous about us winning tough games like i did a few weeks ago.

2011: Fwds: Bunbury and Mattocks Mids: Holmes Nagbe, Caldwell; Kitchen Def Mid Def: Nanchoff LB Barson and Zarek CB Kofi RB GK: Meves 2010: Bunbury Zakuani Ampai, Nagbe; Gavin and Kitchen Def Mids; Def: Nanchoff, Barson, Zarek and Kofi: GK: Meves Subs for 2010: Korb, Caldwell, Speas, Mattocks... Lol

Definitely could use Speas this year! Rumor is that he was not guaranteed starting spot, a necessity for those with professional aspirations. Coupled with poor showings in the Spring, Ben saw greener pastures and orchestrated the transfer himself. I do not know it for a fact, but I doubt Porter is the type to guarantee anyone a spot. I could believe that. He was never at his best during his Akron days and only showed flashes of what he was expected to do. I'm sure porter wanted him to stay so he could use him off the bench at the very least how hes going to use Schmidt the rest of the year but you have to respect that he was honest and took a minor setback for the Akron team telling Speas he might be best to leave to benefit one of his (former) players.

Uhhh speas having an outstanding game so far, letting him go was a mistake. He played out of position last year and only played spot minutes - wasn't able to showcase his ability. 4-3-3 with him and Holmes either side of Mattocks would of been scary!

Then we see Holmes... and maybe he can show our Jamaicans a few things.I don't understand how UNC is above the Zips in both polls. They lost to Va Tech who isn't even in the top 48 of TDS. Meanwhile, the Zips tied a couple of very tough teams. Makes no sense to me.More quality wins. Look at their schedule and who they've beaten compared to Akron.

Meves - 7 solidYeddelin - 7 won a crucial penaltyGallego - 5 - Distribution wasn't great, looked a step slow.Barson - 7 SteadyMayer - 6 Wasnt noticed much.Brenes - 4 - Too passiveTrapp - 6 Worked hardCaldwell - 7 - Came through againQuinn - 5 - looked tiredStevenson - 7 Looked smooth and comfortable. his stock definitely roseBarrett - 4 - Looked lost at center forward, still raw.Schmidt - 8 - Was a real difference makerBalogun - 8 - Proved he belongs in the first 11. Need to stick with him here on out and develop cohesion.Portillos - 4 - Hasn't really settled at Akron yet.

Yeah I think Holmes will start on the wing opposite of Quinn. We have a seen a few different guys start at that spot including Portillos, Schmitt, and most recently Stevenson. I think this has all been Porter trying to find someone to fill that position until Luke comes back. I Look forward to seeing how he impacts our game.What I think eventually happens is we do 1 of 2 things:the 2009 system. the back 4, then Balogun (zemanski role), Trapp (Gavin role) and Caldwell (Ampai role) as 3 central midfielders and Quinn (Nanchoff role) on the left. With Holmes (Nagbe role) off of Mattocks (Bunbury role). This system was a pleasure to watch and difficult for opposing teams to deal with because the right side was left open for Sarkodie, and Yeddelin would thrive in such a system. This may take time to get down and being already late September when he comes back they may go for a more simple approach to developing a system which brings me to my second ideathe 2010 system was essentially a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield or a 4-1-3-2. The 4 midfielders were all pretty central allowing the width to come from the outside backs who were so comfortable going forward. Holmes would much more thrive in a central role off of a main striker like Mattocks rather then in a wide role (although he could certainly do a job in such a role). The reason we've played 4-3-3 up to this point is simply personnel. We dont have anyone besides Mattocks who is an out and out striker and Holmes certainly is just that. Also we did avert to a 4-4-1 when down a man vs New Mexico and all 4 midfielders looked very comfortable in their roles playing a tighter diamond shape. here's how I'd line us up vs OSU on Wed.Holmes and Mattocks up front; Diamond Midfield - Caldwell attacking mid, Trapp and Quinn, and Balogun holding; Back 4 of Mayer, Barson, Gallego, and Yeddelin.

Scotty Caldwell... hands down.. man down.. there goes that man again...!

a nice team victory. Gritted out the win and played a very good second half. Balogun, Schmidt fantastic. Stevenson a bright spot too. Whose excited for OSU a week from wednesday?

Tommy Schmidt has been a real bright spot for us today.