fknbuflobo

This is a new and unwelcome phenomenon.

Perfect pass beats offside trap. Good pass probably does not beat high line/trap. Make the final pass a diagonal one, boys and girls. #geometry

AKR 1-3 GTU FT A competitive contest with the better side winning. Zips dominated the first minutes of the match before a PK was awarded - after a prolonged VAR. Hoyas converted the PK and took both the lead and control of the game. Minutes later, Zips conceded a cheap goal resulting from slopping possession along the back line. Game was pretty much decided in the first half. Akron rallied in the second frame as Thomas O’Rourke smashed in a lefty to close the gap. But the energy expended was more than the Zips could sustain. Final analysis is that Akron 2026 is very good but they are not quite elite. To contrast, Georgetown is a legitimate contender. Zips need to change some things and/or get lucky to overcome a side like Hoyas. Even so, do not be surprised should these two meet again this year.

In the waning minutes of a game, just in time to concede a goal? You are technically correct.

Yeah. Maybe. But Akron will always play with a back 4. I am not necessarily disagreeing with you.

Our base formation is 4-2-3-1. We will always play 4 in the back no matter what else changes. A back 4 is fundamental to Embick’s ideals.

Perhaps Zips should try a 4-4-2 for the first half hour.

That Zips' performance was simply NOT good enough. Hoyas are licking their chops.

SLU 1-2 AKR FT For the third consecutive match (not counting the WVU no-contest), Zips come from behind to equalize and then go on to score the winner in the waning minutes of the match. GK Brett Kaminski heroically saved an on-target PK with 0:40 remaining. Zips display great resiliency, but surely there is no long future to this pattern. Much better to score first in a sport where scoring is so rare. On the other hand, Akron are not flustered by being down a goal. Coach Embick and Co. should be applauded for utilizing Zips' deep bench over these previous three matches. Over Embick's now long tenure, Akron have averaged about 14 players per match. Without mining the actual data, my guess is around 16 or 17 per match this season. Last night in Saint Louis, Zips employed 19. This is a welcome change, if not one late in coming.

Yes.

Those are the remarks of an exemplary head coach and leader. Factual. Accountable. Supportive. Forward thinking.

AKR 1-0 WF FT Very evenly matched contest, though Zips had more of the ball. WF GK, who played a stellar match up to that point, got caught going for a ball outside his own box. Zips' Noa Testa, who had just entered the match for the first time, punished the GK for that one mistake. Superb cross field diagonal pass by Matt Paiva to assist Testa's goal.

Sadly, seats bought today are just as likely to be WF fans. They travel well.

😐Meh

AKR 0-0 Army FT Army are fit and physical, not to mention large. They are disciplined and organized, as one might suspect. Zips could not unlock such a committed defense. The last pass, and the finishing, went begging. That is all. There is no reason for grave alarm right now. I do think Embick needs to get more players into his rotation, but that is a minor point. This was a hard-fought contest where none had the quality necessary to score. It was entertaining, nonetheless. But I am a football junkie, so... We will know more about this team come Friday.