Post by airkeeper on Jul 16, 2024 22:37:38 GMT
I think he has grown into the striker position--he's been getting starts up top and is growing more confident. It also helps that Rusnak has been more competent in the 10 role. The two seem to have a good understanding of one another's positioning and don't clog up the same passing channels or space. Morris does a good job of staying up high to be an option but will track back and help defend when needed (and he can make the quick recovery to attack). He doesn't feel the need to have the ball at his feet all the time but makes himself available. Ruidiaz, on the other hand, will drop back just to get touches on the ball rather than getting/staying in a practical position to receive a pass (I think this has as much to do with the fact he is desperate to shoot/score as it does with his reduced stamina--it happens to the best of strikers; in fact, we saw this here with Dempsey as his career was drawing to a close).
The biggest change I've noticed in the squad during this unbeaten streak is, tactically, we aren't dinking around with the ball in the back, trying to win the possession battle for the sake of possession. We are not a team suited for sitting on the ball and inviting pressure, not for 90 minutes. Our defense has been one of the best in the league for a while, but IMO they were being asked to take on too much and were expending too much energy, and then they'd tire and/or make a bad pass, and we'd concede. When we try to dictate higher paced play and press the attack, we are a better team. And then there is the fact that we aren't just sprinting the ball up the wing and crossing it into the box hoping someone will be on the end of it; yeah, we still do that but we are mixing things up more. Unsung heroes are our center mids--they've found their confidence and chemistry as well. Dare I suggest we are fun to watch again?
The team seems to be playing with confidence and composure--finally--and I definitely am seeing that in JMo as of late.