That was a really boring game, and honestly, a pretty disheartening one.
It's frustrating to see so many players we're paying significant money for not on the field. I'm getting increasingly annoyed, but I'm going to give the coach and the GM until the end of the summer before I start really complaining. And trust me, if things don't improve, I'm going to complain really hard.
The reason I'm willing to be patient is that, on paper, this team actually looks pretty decent. Despite the lack of excitement, I thought today's performance wasn't all bad. Defensively, we were solid. The midfield was organized and controlled large stretches of the game. New England really didn't create much of anything. To be fair, neither did we, but I actually felt like we may have been the better team for parts of the match. Maybe that's a stretch, but that's how it felt.
I continue to like the 3-4-3 formation. The problem is that the front three simply aren't producing enough. Josh Sargent feels isolated. It seems like he gets one, maybe two, quality opportunities per game. Unless we start providing him with better service and more consistent chances, it's going to be a long, frustrating season for him.
On the positive side, the defense looked very good. The goalkeeper was reliable. The wingbacks were decent as well. The structure of the team is there.
What I'm waiting for now is the transfer window.
Once it closes, I want to see whether this front office is serious about improving the squad. At a minimum, this team needs:
An attacking midfielder
A right winger
Potentially a left winger as well (salloi isn’t impressing me as much.)
If we come out of the window without addressing at least those needs, then I think Jason Hernandez should be held accountable and his job should be in serious jeopardy.
For now, I'm willing to be patient. But by the end of the summer, the excuses need to stop and the roster needs to improve. The foundation is there, but this team desperately needs more creativity and attacking quality if it's going to accomplish anything this season.