Through three games in the 2015 campaign, Sporting Kansas City have scored just two goals en route to recording two draws and a loss…
And two of the three games played so far have been in the friendly confines of Sporting Park, supposedly one of the league’s biggest home field advantages.
But it really hasn’t seemed like the fortress it was a couple seasons back. Sure, teams still give the Blue Hell lip service, but just look at last season’s home record – 6-5-6. Visiting teams came in and got a result in KCK about 2/3 of the time.
This past Saturday, the just decent Portland Timbers came to town and played the boys in blue to a 0-0 draw. Despite the teams combining for 23 shots, just five of those were on target. As usual, Sporting tallied an impressive 16 of those shots, but could only get two of them on net, while Portland got nearly half of their seven shots on goal.
This was one of the dullest games I’ve seen in recent memory, and I’m not saying that just because of the lack of scoring.
No, the lack of scoring is a symptom of the underlying issue.
And that’s the fact that Sporting is sorely lacking in the creativity department.
Graham Zusi, once thought of as a premier string-puller in the MLS, now looks pedestrian, as he has since after last year’s World Cup. The winger has become predictable, and while he still can serve a quality ball with his right foot, he has not created much of anything for his teammates. Nor has he been dangerous in front of the net.
He looks slow.
Dom Dwyer
Last year’s goal scoring leader, Dom Dwyer, has been similarly out of touch. Dom so far has missed a penalty, failed to get several point-blankers even on target, and during the last game, seemed to barely touch the ball. He ghosted his way through the 0-0 draw with little to no service over the top, and not much else to show for himself.
But again, despite the lack of success doing his bulldog thing, Dwyer does little to change things up.
Predictable.
Is it time to finally kill Peter Vermes‘ “high-press” style?
Why does a team even need to have a style? Doesn’t having a style just pigeon-hole a squad, allowing other teams to anticipate more easily what to expect?
This squad needs to figure out what their actual identity is, rather than trying to cram an outdated philosophy onto the field with players who don’t necessarily fit that philosophy.
For an organization that prides itself on being innovative, I wonder if they’re too deep with Vermes to see that his one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to work going forward in an MLS that is improving its talent level at a rapid pace.
Plus, it’s boring as hell to watch.
Ya gotta mix it up peter. All people had to do was lie in wait when the defense got overextended and attack to put the kibosh on your flying defender attack. You got away with it in 2013 because you had a good enough goalie and luck to get a cup. MLS is slowly getting better while you clutch onto the same routine that is not paying dividends.
Sporting owner Neal Patterson is not one to suffer losing…
There was plenty of talk early on after the team first moved into the stadium of Vermes getting the ax. His high profile DUI didn’t help.
However he rose from his own ashes and turning Sporting KC games here into one of the town’s toughest tickets.
I’ve got a feeling though – especially after reading Matt’s insightful comments and critique – that unless something happens pretty quick, he may not be long for this world.
Verse was a great Wizard, btw
You’ve got a feeling?
LoL.
Vermes isn’t going anywhere. One. Two, your sports insights aren’t, but don’t let that stop you from opining on stuff you have zero clues about.
I went to a couple of games when they played at Arrowhead. This has got to be the most boring sporting game of all times. The same chant for the entire time and guys running up and down the field kicking the ball around. No score. No excitement. Dead sport.
However, I’m sure it’s the most popular game of illegal aliens.
Thank you for your positive commentary and outlook.
What can you say about something that is about as boring as watching paint dry. The only positive thing is that all the guys must be in terrific shape after all that running.
Yes, yes, you have got me there. Your American Football is so exciting they take an idiotic 30 second break after every play. Union members’ dream sport.
I’m with the dude on this one…
American football also takes three and one half hours to play an hour of football.
Not that I think it’s boring, but do the math
Dear Jack:
Get a clue!
Soccer is the World’s Game and your obvious lack of understanding of the game says far more about you than the hundreds of millions of people across the globe who find the sport thrilling enough to even riot over!
Maybe that’s what it would take to garner your interest
Hey everybody, this guy is here!
Look at you and your hot take dripping in racism! Good for you!
Soccer has always been a complete snoozefest for me. Not that I don’t recognize the outstanding athleticism required to play it at a high level. I don’t enjoy soccer and never will. So I find it hilarious that a blog entry talks about how Sporting needs to quit putting their fans to sleep. Really? That’s indicative of the sport as a whole, not just Sporting KC.
That’s pretty naive to say it’s indicative of the sport as a whole, Guy. I get that it might be that way for you personally, of course. But certainly there’s boring games and styles of play in other sports, including the Big 3. The point of the article is that KC isn’t scoring goals or playing an attractive style at the moment, and I think their concept needs to change in order to increase goal production.
What Matt said
Another hot taker!
I don’t like something others like blah blah blah.. at least throw some racism in the mix! The proprietor of this establishment loves the racism.
Dream on, morbs
Come on, Guy…
Soccer – like any sport – is something for which you need to understand the rules and how the game is played to appreciate.
I’ll go out on a limb and say that’s probably the case with most sports.
However for the millions who do, it’s obviously far from boring.
Anyone else think it’s interesting that there is little to no buzz about Sporting this season? Wasn’t it two years ago that many soccer fans were telling us how big of a soccer town Kansas City is? Even saying in some area’s of the city that SKC replaced the Royals as the No. 2 team?
Then, of course, the Royals have a long playoff run and go to the WS. Now, no one really talks SKC. It’s all either college basketball, Royals or even the upcoming Chiefs draft. But SKC…no talk about them what so ever.
Maybe this town wasn’t as soccer crazed as two years ago made it out to be. Maybe people were starving for a winner, any winner and SKC was there.
Good points, Word. But remember that Sporting is sitting on 55 straight sellouts and counting…
So? Is it hard to sell out a band box?
Me not understand because me silly soccer fan. What is band box?
It’s OK Dude for not knowing what a bandbox is. Most soccer fans are silly.
20,000 plus people is a band box?
That’s a pretty big band box.
You a John Philip Sousa fan or something?
Guy must have SERIOUSLY big hats.
Another dictionary moment, brought to you by the guys in the black hats at KC Confidential:
BANDBOX
1) a lightweight box of pasteboard, thin wood, etc., for holding a hat, clerical collars, or other articles of apparel.
2. an area or structure that is smaller in dimensions or size than the standard:
19th century stuff, implying a natty dresser
It’s so boring debating whether soccer deserves anyone’s attention. I’m not trying to convince anyone. I love the game. Can we move on to the substance?
Not really sure why “is this popular” or “this sport is boring” always seem to be a debate. I mean who really cares? It’s just a made up topic for the talking heads on sportcenter to kill time. The bottom line is if a sport is making money, putting butts in seats, and eyes on the tv screen it must be popular enough. As far as whether a sport (or anything for that matter) is boring or not is subjective. I think watching golf is boring, but apparently it must be popular with enough people to televise it and there are plenty of golfers with endorsement deals. The solution for me for televised golf, as it can be for all of the folks who think soccer is boring, is simply not to watch. I think you will find it is surprisingly easy.
Now, I will grant those folks who find soccer boring that there are indeed boring games at times. However, this can be said for pretty much any sport. A blowout in football is boring (as it is in about any sport). People enjoy sports because they enjoy competition. If the competition is not good between the teams, the product suffers. Close games are often exciting as they can come down to the wire or end of the game (if it is not a timed game like baseball).
When it comes to a low scoring soccer game, I equate it to a pitching duel in baseball. If you don’t know the rules of baseball and you are watching two pitchers fan the opposition inning after inning, you will probably not find it entertaining because you do not appreciate that aspect of the game. You would probably think, “this is boring, nothing is happening, the one guy is just throwing the ball past the hitting guy.” If you do know the rules of baseball and/or follow baseball, you know that throwing a shutout is a very hard thing to do and it is probably entertaining for you. “It’s the 7th inning. Is he going to make it to the end of the game. One run and he doesn’t do it.” There is tension and competition. Much the same, a 0-0 soccer game may have some great plays in it. Goals that just miss. Great saves. Great runs of play. Incredibly hard and skillful displays of passing. Great defensive plays, etc. If you don’t understand those aspects of the game, or are not familiar with identifying great plays you may find it boring. It is easy to know that a baseball player is a great hitter because he hit 50 home runs in a season. However, you may not be able to identify a great defender in soccer, or a great midfielder because they are not scoring goals. To say a sport is boring because you don’t understand it or don’t like it is a non-starter. If you don’t like it, that’s perfectly fine. There is plenty more out there. I think soccer is a very interesting and exciting sport.
That said, the Sporting v. Timbers game was a boring soccer game. That doesn’t mean all the games will be boring or the sport is boring in-of-itself.