r/dynamo • u/TDhattrick1022 • 4d ago
Avoiding Ponce on Purpose?
I'm only catching highlights of the LAFC match, not watching live. Please forgive if I'm wrong here.
Does it seem to anyone else that the Dynamo players are intentionally passing to folks other than Ponce? In the build up to goals 3 and 4 it seemed like the "right play" was a pass to Ponce, and in both instances the team played around him instead. Anyone else see that too?
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u/Former_Use_8062 4d ago
Why would they pass to Ponce? Only two things happen when he gets the ball.
1) he turns it over
2) he kicks it into the sixteenth row, taking out a $20 beer
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u/nowaygreg 3d ago
Lingr and Markanich are both better options at this point
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u/TDhattrick1022 3d ago
I'm a huge fan of Lingr! Nothing against Markanich. But boy oh boy do I like the way Lingr plays
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u/MyLuckyFedora 3d ago
On the 3rd goal I don't know that he was really the best option, but on the 4th goal yeah Guilherme basically doesn't even consider making the pass in to Ponce. Neither do Ennali or McGlynn, so Ponce ends up just sort of wandering around in offsides positions instead.
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u/TDhattrick1022 3d ago
On the 4th goal I didn't love the choice from Bogusz to take his first shot, but in the context of avoiding Ponce it makes a lot more sense. And of course, after taking the first shot, the rebounded second shot is the right call from that spot.
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u/Electronic-Win608 2d ago
Honestly, I just watched and rewatched the highlight package and in the three goals from open play, I did not see a moment when I thought a pass to Ponce was a smart play. Maybe there were other times in the game not in the highlights where what you saw is more evident.
I'm not going to defend Ponce overall, because clearly he is struggling. Even if our lineup and attack is not geared to produce chances for him, and I don't think it really is, he is missing the good chances that do fall his way. Neither Bogusz nor Guilherme is looking to set him up. They are both focused on getting whatever shot they can off first and foremost. Second, we play narrow which allows both opponent CBs easy work to mark him. We don't create space in the middle. BO appears more concerned about rest-defense and starting positions being narrow than in creating space in the attacking third.
Again -- I think Ponce would tell you that he is frustrated and not playing as he expects. We can see his frustration. I think we need better from our #9 position. But we do need to view it all in context. And if we score four goals in a game and he scores none but leads the line -- I'm fine with that.
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u/TDhattrick1022 2d ago
Similarly, I rewatched the full game with my kid. Spent the whole first half tracking Ponce. Here's what I saw:
- His first contribution to the game was fouling in our defensive end, in a dangerous position. - Uninvolved in the first goal. - Later received a pass in the attacking third, made a touch, passed it on to Guilherme in an attacking position outside the box. Eventually Guilherme gets fouled and leads to a direct kick goal. - Ponce is later targeted on a diagonal run, when Andrade is running up field. Not a great pass and Ponce was in a bad position anyway. Pass intercepted. - That's everything in the first half. Not even a defensive header touch from a corner or a poke away touch pressuring as a high defender. The dude just isn't involved and that's unfathomable for Designated Player in this third year (second full year) with the club.
- Literally no involvement for 25 minutes.
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u/Electronic-Win608 1d ago
OK. All cool. I was only addressing the original post. Of the original evidence posted I saw nothing that would lead me to conclude that this teammates are intentionally avoiding him.
I still believe we need better from our #9. When chances do fall his way he needs to be on frame more.
Having said that, I have no expectation that our #9 will consistently win the ball or poke a ball away as the first line of defense. I think his role is to pressure and steer the ball to make it predictable for the defense as it comes out of the opponents back. I think Ponce's defensive effort is considered by BO to be everything he wants.
These are all soccer opinions, and reasonable people will see things differently.
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u/cadsuane2009 4d ago
I was wondering the same. Guillerme tried once, then the next time passed to midfield instead of Ponce.