NT vs Arkansas (Can I watch it anywhere!?)

[untbowler]

1 hour ago, TheColonyEagle said:

Same thing happened last year. While we can’t seem to attack the other team just puts us under siege and eventually the D just can’t hold forever. 

Same thing has happened last 7 trips to NCAA, zero goals scored. 7 trips and not one goal.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Y’all, imagine North Texas winning the C-USA Championship in football, then going to a bowl game against Alabama.  What would you expect to happen?

I think the early season losses hurt, and we really got shafted on the draw... again.

The ladies are gonna have to step up next year during non-conference and knock off a good team to earn some cred for the NCAA draw if they want to win their first tourney game.  Plain & simple.

Losing James & Newell is going to be tough, but there is SO MUCH firepower returning next year that we’ll certainly be expected to win CUSA again.

[greenminer]

Does the NCAA really frown on CUSA soccer that badly? Apparently so?

[Travis]

34 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Y’all, imagine North Texas winning the C-USA Championship in football, then going to a bowl game against Alabama.  What would you expect to happen?

I think the early season losses hurt, and we really got shafted on the draw... again.

The ladies are gonna have to step up next year during non-conference and knock off a good team to earn some cred for the NCAA draw if they want to win their first tourney game.  Plain & simple.

Losing James & Newell is going to be tough, but there is SO MUCH firepower returning next year that we’ll certainly be expected to win CUSA again.

We have played many second tier tournament teams with the same result. SMU and tech come to mind. It doesn’t matter about that. When you are in the tournament, all teams are good. So that part is irrelevant to me. hedlunds style is akin to the deep ball in football... every time. It doesn’t work and it is low percentage opportunities. We can help ourselves with better tactics. 
 

[Mean Green Matt]

8 hours ago, greenminer said:

Does the NCAA really frown on CUSA soccer that badly? Apparently so?

Unfortunately yes. FAU really should have been at at large. They had an RPI of 28 when we beat them in the championship. They dropped to 32. They were the only team on the top 36 not to get in. 

The other amazing thing is we have no business getting put against these top 10 teams. Sure. There are regional considerations to be taken into account, but our RPI was 47 this year. It was 30 last year. We aren’t going into these tournaments as the some nobody that deserves to play a top 4 seed. 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Mean Green Matt

[Mean Green Matt]

8 hours ago, Travis said:

We have played many second tier tournament teams with the same result. SMU and tech come to mind. It doesn’t matter about that. When you are in the tournament, all teams are good. So that part is irrelevant to me. hedlunds style is akin to the deep ball in football... every time. It doesn’t work and it is low percentage opportunities. We can help ourselves with better tactics. 
 

Yes and no. The idea that a talent gap isn’t a part of this is completely ignoring reality. I’m not saying that as an excuse, but it was on display last night and was against TAMU last year as wel  

We are pretty frequently in the top 50 or so in RPI with the style we play. We dismantled a top 30 RPI FAU team in the conference championship game. Do I still wish we would transition to a more possession style of play? Sure. 

[Travis]

1 hour ago, Mean Green Matt said:

Yes and no. The idea that a talent gap isn’t a part of this is completely ignoring reality. I’m not saying that as an excuse, but it was on display last night and was against TAMU last year as wel  

We are pretty frequently in the top 50 or so in RPI with the style we play. We dismantled a top 30 RPI FAU team in the conference championship game. Do I still wish we would transition to a more possession style of play? Sure. 

We have beat a ranked team a few times in regular season over the years. But when it counts, when teams have time to sit and watch film and have proper prep time, it is shut down. And that’s what we see.  If I recall correctly, the year we lost to SMU in the tournament we got beat in the tournament. As a coach, I love seeing teams that play this way because I have a few simple asks of just one or two of my defenders and it is completely shut down mostly.  
again, all teams are good in the tournament.... so that just is the reality of things. But that doesn’t mean we should have the results we do in it. 

[Salsa_Verde]

12 hours ago, greenminer said:

Does the NCAA really frown on CUSA soccer that badly? Apparently so?

This is not a popular opinion but I don’t think anyone (media, public at large) respects this conference, across all sports. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

2 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

This is not a popular opinion but I don’t think anyone (media, public at large) respects this conference, across all sports. 

Judy says, “you’re welcome”.

[Mean Green Matt]

2 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

This is not a popular opinion but I don’t think anyone (media, public at large) respects this conference, across all sports. 

It’s a pretty solid men’s soccer conference. 

[Salsa_Verde]

32 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

It’s a pretty solid men’s soccer conference. 

Maybe it’s time women’s soccer jumps to another conference in soccer only. Kentucky plays in CUSA for men’s soccer apparently. 

[GrandGreen]

17 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

I like Hedlund and what he has created. I also totally agree with what @Travis is posting. I attended our playoff game in Lubbock a couple of years ago. It was extremely frustrating to watch.  I mean, we had one shot the entire game...ONE!

It would be like McCasland winning conference every year and then running a four corners offense in the NCAA tournament each year with every possession ending in a shot clock violation. 
 

I started making these comments because I am a fan of Littrell and was being sarcastic, but it is true. If our expectation is to take all of our programs to the next level, then something has to be done here as well. 

Yes, desert the type of soccer that NT plays because it can't win in the NCAA tournament.

Did it ever occur to some of you, that the result of this could be never coming close to winning CUSA? 

What Hedlund has done is remarkable when you actually analyse it.

His team is 100% Texas players with all but 6 coming from the DFW area.  He basically takes second tier area players and consistently wins.

Arkansas' team for comparison includes one player from Arkansas and is made up by highly recruited national players. 

Yes, we all would love if NT could make a dent in the national tournament.   However, the odds of beating an A&M or Arkansas type program on their turf, are very slim. 

NT gave Arkansas all they could stand for 3 quarters of the game.  The 3- 0 score is very misleading.   

 

[Mean Green Matt]

5 minutes ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Maybe it’s time women’s soccer jumps to another conference in soccer only. Kentucky plays in CUSA for men’s soccer apparently. 

That’s because the SEC doesn’t sponsor men’s soccer. 

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, GrandGreen said:

NT gave Arkansas all they could stand for 3 quarters of the game.  The 3- 0 score is very misleading.   

Yep, that one shot on goal for the entire game had the Lady Piggies shakin’ especially since it as a set piece and the ball was kick directly at their golkeeper. 

[GrandGreen]

52 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Yep, that one shot on goal for the entire game had the Lady Piggies shakin’ especially since it as a set piece and the ball was kick directly at their golkeeper. 

Great observation, ever think that Arkansas' defense may have played some effect on NT's lack of shots.

[Travis]

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Yes, desert the type of soccer that NT plays because it can't win in the NCAA tournament.

Did it ever occur to some of you, that the result of this could be never coming close to winning CUSA? 

What Hedlund has done is remarkable when you actually analyse it.

His team is 100% Texas players with all but 6 coming from the DFW area.  He basically takes second tier area players and consistently wins.

Arkansas' team for comparison includes one player from Arkansas and is made up by highly recruited national players. 

Yes, we all would love if NT could make a dent in the national tournament.   However, the odds of beating an A&M or Arkansas type program on their turf, are very slim. 

NT gave Arkansas all they could stand for 3 quarters of the game.  The 3- 0 score is very misleading.   

 

The result would be better all around if we played a different style. 
Our long ball does well against inferior competition or ones we can just out athlete. Possession would do even better.

The major cities in Texas are a hotbed for soccer and we aren’t really getting second tier girls.
 

Really, long ball just becomes really dependent on set pieces. 

Sure Hedlunds winning percentage is good.... but there is so freaking much room for improvement. 

[Travis]

7 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Great observation, ever think that Arkansas' defense may have played some effect on NT's lack of shots.

Yes! It did. You are very correct.  Just as any tourney team we have played. Even the not so stellar ones like Tech and SMU when the tournament committee gave us a more favorable opportunity. But again, unt’s style is literally the easiest to defend. The result would be the same no matter who we played in the tournament. 
I have been saying this every freaking year. Please go look at my history on the topic. Hedlund makes me a freaking prophet. It’s time I see if I can part the Red Sea because I am batting 1.000 on this. 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Travis

[MeanGreenTexan]

Their style worked to the tune of 5 goals against the #32-ranked team in the nation.

Do we really think playing a possessive style would have made it any better?

[Travis]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Their style worked to the tune of 5 goals against the #32-ranked team in the nation.

Do we really think playing a possessive style would have made it any better?

1 billion percent yes. Given some rest, and simple film prep and you can shut it down. As Was proven every time we play a tourney game. I wouldn’t look at the conference championship game as some sort of indicator that this style works in tourney games. It simply doesn’t. And both stats and history is on my side on this. 

[GrandGreen]

1 hour ago, Travis said:

1 billion percent yes. Given some rest, and simple film prep and you can shut it down. As Was proven every time we play a tourney game. I wouldn’t look at the conference championship game as some sort of indicator that this style works in tourney games. It simply doesn’t. And both stats and history is on my side on this. 

I never said NT was getting second tier girls, I say recruits.  That is true, the highest rated recruits in the DFW area are not signing with NT. 

Stats and history are not on your side.  Just because Hedlund style hasn't worked against tournament teams, certainly doesn't mean a different approach would.  Superior talent tends to win out.

[UNTLifer]

4 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Great observation, ever think that Arkansas' defense may have played some effect on NT's lack of shots.

Did you watch the game?  We sit back in these big games hoping for a long ball.  It would be like playing a football game without attempting to really attack offensively other than an occasional Hail Mary.  Hedlund is just hoping for the opponent to make a mistake and for us to capitalize.  He doesn't attack in any way, shape or form.

[GrandGreen]

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Did you watch the game?  We sit back in these big games hoping for a long ball.  It would be like playing a football game without attempting to really attack offensively other than an occasional Hail Mary.  Hedlund is just hoping for the opponent to make a mistake and for us to capitalize.  He doesn't attack in any way, shape or form.

Yes, I watched the game.  If you want to criticize the most successful coach at NT because he only wins conference titles, continue. 

Once again: Just because Hedlund style hasn't worked against tournament teams, certainly doesn't mean a different approach would.  Superior talent tends to win out.

[Travis]

12 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

I never said NT was getting second tier girls, I say recruits.  That is true, the highest rated recruits in the DFW area are not signing with NT. 

Stats and history are not on your side.  Just because Hedlund style hasn't worked against tournament teams, certainly doesn't mean a different approach would.  Superior talent tends to win out.

Do you even know soccer? I am curious. 

[Travis]

9 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Yes, I watched the game.  If you want to criticize the most successful coach at NT because he only wins conference titles, continue. 

Once again: Just because Hedlund style hasn't worked against tournament teams, certainly doesn't mean a different approach would.  Superior talent tends to win out.

A different approach would give us far more than just one shot on frame. 
this team lacks any real creativity in these biggest of games. They play nothing more than kickball. It is a trash style play at best. Rewatch and tell me if they were moving the ball with purpose or just trying to clear and get rid of it. There was really no design. No movement. Any coach I know would stop such mess and simply ask, what were you trying to do with that because all I see is you reloading it to the other team. To suggest that no other style wouldn’t have improved things is simply crazy.  Soccer isn’t like football in that your lines can simply DOMINATE opponents. Ball movement, creativity, and proper runs and rewarding of those runs can impact any team you play. Any team.  They are all tournament caliber teams.... this isn’t exactly a David vs Goliath. But hell, the stats consistently show as if it were. So I don’t buy the we were just overmatched because of talent. We were overmatched because of style and tactics. This style will never work. And yes, history and stats show I am correct. 

[Mean Green Matt]

1 hour ago, Travis said:

A different approach would give us far more than just one shot on frame. 
this team lacks any real creativity in these biggest of games. They play nothing more than kickball. It is a trash style play at best. Rewatch and tell me if they were moving the ball with purpose or just trying to clear and get rid of it. There was really no design. No movement. Any coach I know would stop such mess and simply ask, what were you trying to do with that because all I see is you reloading it to the other team. To suggest that no other style wouldn’t have improved things is simply crazy.  Soccer isn’t like football in that your lines can simply DOMINATE opponents. Ball movement, creativity, and proper runs and rewarding of those runs can impact any team you play. Any team.  They are all tournament caliber teams.... this isn’t exactly a David vs Goliath. But hell, the stats consistently show as if it were. So I don’t buy the we were just overmatched because of talent. We were overmatched because of style and tactics. This style will never work. And yes, history and stats show I am correct. 

I actually don’t disagree with you philosophically on style of play. But you’re way underselling the talent gap between the very very top tier and everyone else.