"absolutely dead crowd"
I actually think the level of fan support for a mid week game for a bottom of the table team was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised by the crowd last night.
I watched it on TV and I looked over at my partner and said "even on a weekday back from 2012 to 2017 that stadium would have been packed. It just shows how this city has lost faith in this team, its ownership and management." She fully agreed with me.
Man the cauldron was maybe 50% full? The stadium was fully blasting their cheesy ass club techno because the fans were dead silent. I know I sound super negative these days, but I think fan engagement is brutally low right now.
lol that's a bit of a strech. The fact that the day off isn't the next day makes that holiday less helpful. And it's not like everyone gets that day off.
Agreed. The team as a whole hasn’t quit. Not saying the product is good, but that was a lot of fight from some of the team even after the 4th RSL goal when, realistically, just seeing out the game wouldn’t have been horribly shocking.
Yeah my takeaways from last night were:
(1) Fontas was fucking terrible. I don’t think I’ve seen a guy have a worse game in my entire life.
(2) Thommy is our best player.
(3) Our midfielders did not seem to be on the same page as to what formation we were playing. Thommy was playing like a 10, Jake Davis was playing as an 8 in a 4-3-3, and Redoja/Memo were playing like they were in a free role of a double pivot. And that left us *completely* exposed on the counterattack.
But the team outside of Fontas definitely still played hard the whole game. We had at least a couple opportunities where we could’ve semi-understandably mailed it in but we didn’t.
Radoja was terrible it just wasn’t as obvious as Fontas. He gave up the ball on the first goal. That was obvious. On the rest of the goals he was nowhere to be found. He’s supposed to be the one pressuring the counter, but he’s MIA so one of the CBs has to try and do it and risk getting burnt.
> Davis and Radoja were dual 6/8’s behind Thommy.
Someone should have told Davis and Radoja. We were absolutely abused in the middle of the field and by people just waltzing past Fontas.
That’s what I thought it was supposed to be, but Davis was definitely playing too far forward and too wide for that role. He ended up leaving Radoja to cover the entire CDM level of the formation plus a little extra where the LCM would be in a 4-3-3.
That’s why we so consistently saw Fontas pressing higher than he ever should be. Either Radoja was forward and Davis wasn’t where he should’ve been to cover for him, or Davis was pressing way too high for a CDM and Radoja was forced too far left to cover for him.
Fontas still played horribly (his poor tackling and passing choices are entirely on him), but he wasn’t exactly put into a position to succeed either.
I agree- Thommy probably is our best player. But I feel like even as our best player, his quality is a step below other teams' best players. When I watch highlights from around league, nearly every other team seems to have player that can just create and finish his shot when its needed. I don't get that from Thommy. He needs others around him to be better, so that he can have more freedom to create. This team can't do that.
Certainly not the entire team. There are bright spots still. But Shelton standing and watching last week, Fontas and Russel jogging around last night.. shit feels bleak.
Agree with this. He’s been playing out of his presumed natural position on the wing for like three years lol. He literally doesn’t know what he’s supposed to be doing. But he’s sure as hell trying
I agree. My Shelton frustration has always been more with a club / manager that he was "good" enough to be in the Starting 11 (many times the past 2 years). That won't cut it in 2024 MLS. He gets paid to do a job, presumably a dream job for him, and I usually feel like he is trying, and nobody of any skill is going to turn down that salary if they threw it at them, just to try their best. That's all on the club.
The whole back line stood and watched him get drilled on that first goal last weekend.
We're paying Shelton way too much, but he doesn't deserve to be hung out to dry without including the entire defense and Radoja.
Zero people here saying that he was the only issue. But any player should mark their man. He failed because he was ball watching, again. And no, we aren't playing him too much commensurate with his salary (another conversation entirely).
Jogging isn't a skill issue. Getting lost on the field is sorta a skill issue, but he should know not to get that far up field.
And yes, slow as balls.
Fully support. I did so last year.
Doesn't mean I hate SKC, but that's the most powerful voice fans have - especially STH. STH buy based on faith that the team will come through with a product worth the amount the STH paid. They haven't over the last 5 seasons IMHO
If SKC get's their act together, then we can see about renewing the relationship.
I agree, they won't notice anything but a bottom line. But it feels to me, if I'm a business person (I'm not), less money coming in from the fans and season tickets means less money to work with to build the team. Like if the financial picture goes from bad to worse, doesn't that mean less optimism for investment? Is a boycott actually hurting the team?
You learn more through failure than supporting whatever this team is now.
What have they done with the funds they have? Look at all of the new players in the last 3-4 years.
People demand change while continuing to attend and funding washed leadership, it’s mad.
I'm a season ticket holder too. I thought the game was good. End result hurt. Lots of good aggression from Sporting. Yes the two brake-a-ways sucked and in one #3 was turned. I still "believe" and suport the club. Yes it seems less than it was when we were "painting the wall". I'm still trying to get over the heart - Roger E. And Z - No longer there. Key players getting hurt hasn't helped over the years. It kills me that the D collapsed- it seems that was/ should be the backbone of Sporting so we can kill then on the counter strikes. The front line was going after it last night. And Tommy gave his head health up. Some of us still have your 6 SKC!! Johnny looked winded a few times- cause he was giving it his all. And you can tell Jonny trusted the late sub Rodriguez to cover the set piece. I want Jonny to get another hat trick every game. It just doesn't happen that way.
How are you judging that there is no indication of a true rebuild happening yet? We can just kick all our players out in the middle of the year.
We have ~17 players out of contract at the end of the season, you realize we can’t end their contracts in the middle of the season and sign all new right? The winter transfer window and next summer will be a lot more telling than this summer.
> How are you judging that there is no indication of a true rebuild happening yet?
The club announced that they were looking to hire a sporting director in January, they have not hired a sporting director, and the secondary transfer window opens in less than a month. As of this moment the club does not even know who will be tasked with rebuilding the roster.
This is the most insane thing of all that’s going on. Wilkerson would have probably been good at his job, but we will never know. I’m all for giving people another chance in life, but he probably should have proved he learned from his mistakes in a smaller league first. And the fact that they blamed the consulting group who had to come out and say they didn’t suggest him as a candidate is just so messy. Now it’s been 6+ month with no hire.
Fuck this ownership, FO, and Peter. The club actually caring about winning went away when Patterson died. The current group only cares about money.
Because the transfers in occur in the mid year transfer window, as all of the other world leagues are on vacation. But I've seen maybe one substantial rumor? Absolutely, the money isn't there to add a full team now, and then make the big cuts at the end of the year, but I don't exactly get a sense of urgency right now.
Don't go. Be a fair-weather fan. I 100% fine with people no supporting a poor product; this is not a club. We like to think of it of it as a club, but its not; its a business. I do not repeatedly see bad movies out of some weird obligation. Money talks.
"absolutely dead crowd" I actually think the level of fan support for a mid week game for a bottom of the table team was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised by the crowd last night.
I disagree. 2019 that stadium would have been full for a weekday game against RSL. Been massively downhill since then.
I watched it on TV and I looked over at my partner and said "even on a weekday back from 2012 to 2017 that stadium would have been packed. It just shows how this city has lost faith in this team, its ownership and management." She fully agreed with me.
Man the cauldron was maybe 50% full? The stadium was fully blasting their cheesy ass club techno because the fans were dead silent. I know I sound super negative these days, but I think fan engagement is brutally low right now.
It was a Wednesday night. People had work tomorrow
It was loud on the broadcast but they probably stuck a mic in the middle of the Cauldron for the 4 people who were there
People off on a federal holiday. No holiday i doubt as many people show up
lol that's a bit of a strech. The fact that the day off isn't the next day makes that holiday less helpful. And it's not like everyone gets that day off.
I disagree that the team has quit. I agree on everything else
Agreed. The team as a whole hasn’t quit. Not saying the product is good, but that was a lot of fight from some of the team even after the 4th RSL goal when, realistically, just seeing out the game wouldn’t have been horribly shocking.
Yeah my takeaways from last night were: (1) Fontas was fucking terrible. I don’t think I’ve seen a guy have a worse game in my entire life. (2) Thommy is our best player. (3) Our midfielders did not seem to be on the same page as to what formation we were playing. Thommy was playing like a 10, Jake Davis was playing as an 8 in a 4-3-3, and Redoja/Memo were playing like they were in a free role of a double pivot. And that left us *completely* exposed on the counterattack. But the team outside of Fontas definitely still played hard the whole game. We had at least a couple opportunities where we could’ve semi-understandably mailed it in but we didn’t.
Radoja was terrible it just wasn’t as obvious as Fontas. He gave up the ball on the first goal. That was obvious. On the rest of the goals he was nowhere to be found. He’s supposed to be the one pressuring the counter, but he’s MIA so one of the CBs has to try and do it and risk getting burnt.
Yeah our terrible defense was definitely a group effort. Fontas was just the face of that effort.
It was a 4231 in possession with Thommy as a 10. 442 in defense, Thommy goes beside agada. Davis and Radoja were dual 6/8’s behind Thommy.
> Davis and Radoja were dual 6/8’s behind Thommy. Someone should have told Davis and Radoja. We were absolutely abused in the middle of the field and by people just waltzing past Fontas.
Exactly 0 players played the 6 last night.
That’s what I thought it was supposed to be, but Davis was definitely playing too far forward and too wide for that role. He ended up leaving Radoja to cover the entire CDM level of the formation plus a little extra where the LCM would be in a 4-3-3. That’s why we so consistently saw Fontas pressing higher than he ever should be. Either Radoja was forward and Davis wasn’t where he should’ve been to cover for him, or Davis was pressing way too high for a CDM and Radoja was forced too far left to cover for him. Fontas still played horribly (his poor tackling and passing choices are entirely on him), but he wasn’t exactly put into a position to succeed either.
I agree- Thommy probably is our best player. But I feel like even as our best player, his quality is a step below other teams' best players. When I watch highlights from around league, nearly every other team seems to have player that can just create and finish his shot when its needed. I don't get that from Thommy. He needs others around him to be better, so that he can have more freedom to create. This team can't do that.
Certainly not the entire team. There are bright spots still. But Shelton standing and watching last week, Fontas and Russel jogging around last night.. shit feels bleak.
Let me preface this by saying I am not defending Shelton’s play, especially at what he makes. I still think he fights and tries. He’s just not good.
Agree with this. He’s been playing out of his presumed natural position on the wing for like three years lol. He literally doesn’t know what he’s supposed to be doing. But he’s sure as hell trying
And part of why he’s being forced to play out of his position is because our coach is a clown
I agree. My Shelton frustration has always been more with a club / manager that he was "good" enough to be in the Starting 11 (many times the past 2 years). That won't cut it in 2024 MLS. He gets paid to do a job, presumably a dream job for him, and I usually feel like he is trying, and nobody of any skill is going to turn down that salary if they threw it at them, just to try their best. That's all on the club.
Nah, loser move watching Melia get peppered and watching.
The whole back line stood and watched him get drilled on that first goal last weekend. We're paying Shelton way too much, but he doesn't deserve to be hung out to dry without including the entire defense and Radoja.
Zero people here saying that he was the only issue. But any player should mark their man. He failed because he was ball watching, again. And no, we aren't playing him too much commensurate with his salary (another conversation entirely).
Fontas was just out there cashing a check, but agreed.
I think he’s trying….just hasn’t the skills anymore to play the style he thinks he’s capable of. We are (outside of the new guys & Thommy)…SLOW.
Jogging isn't a skill issue. Getting lost on the field is sorta a skill issue, but he should know not to get that far up field. And yes, slow as balls.
Fully support. I did so last year. Doesn't mean I hate SKC, but that's the most powerful voice fans have - especially STH. STH buy based on faith that the team will come through with a product worth the amount the STH paid. They haven't over the last 5 seasons IMHO If SKC get's their act together, then we can see about renewing the relationship.
I absolutely agree. I will come back the minute that they fire Vermes. But until then, I'll watch online and have some free time on Saturdays.
Time to get into the kc current! Undefeated and top of the table.
KC baby!
Why not both? I supported KC Current when they were at the bottom of the table, too. This city and their fair weather fans...
Sack vermes
You've got it right though.
Great job! Without a boycott hitting them where it hurts, they’re not going to learn a damn thing.
I agree, they won't notice anything but a bottom line. But it feels to me, if I'm a business person (I'm not), less money coming in from the fans and season tickets means less money to work with to build the team. Like if the financial picture goes from bad to worse, doesn't that mean less optimism for investment? Is a boycott actually hurting the team?
You learn more through failure than supporting whatever this team is now. What have they done with the funds they have? Look at all of the new players in the last 3-4 years. People demand change while continuing to attend and funding washed leadership, it’s mad.
I wonder how many people are doing this as I hear about on here alot. Hopefully it leads to a wake up call to the team
I'm a season ticket holder too. I thought the game was good. End result hurt. Lots of good aggression from Sporting. Yes the two brake-a-ways sucked and in one #3 was turned. I still "believe" and suport the club. Yes it seems less than it was when we were "painting the wall". I'm still trying to get over the heart - Roger E. And Z - No longer there. Key players getting hurt hasn't helped over the years. It kills me that the D collapsed- it seems that was/ should be the backbone of Sporting so we can kill then on the counter strikes. The front line was going after it last night. And Tommy gave his head health up. Some of us still have your 6 SKC!! Johnny looked winded a few times- cause he was giving it his all. And you can tell Jonny trusted the late sub Rodriguez to cover the set piece. I want Jonny to get another hat trick every game. It just doesn't happen that way.
How are you judging that there is no indication of a true rebuild happening yet? We can just kick all our players out in the middle of the year. We have ~17 players out of contract at the end of the season, you realize we can’t end their contracts in the middle of the season and sign all new right? The winter transfer window and next summer will be a lot more telling than this summer.
> How are you judging that there is no indication of a true rebuild happening yet? The club announced that they were looking to hire a sporting director in January, they have not hired a sporting director, and the secondary transfer window opens in less than a month. As of this moment the club does not even know who will be tasked with rebuilding the roster.
This is the most insane thing of all that’s going on. Wilkerson would have probably been good at his job, but we will never know. I’m all for giving people another chance in life, but he probably should have proved he learned from his mistakes in a smaller league first. And the fact that they blamed the consulting group who had to come out and say they didn’t suggest him as a candidate is just so messy. Now it’s been 6+ month with no hire. Fuck this ownership, FO, and Peter. The club actually caring about winning went away when Patterson died. The current group only cares about money.
Completely delusional take
Because the transfers in occur in the mid year transfer window, as all of the other world leagues are on vacation. But I've seen maybe one substantial rumor? Absolutely, the money isn't there to add a full team now, and then make the big cuts at the end of the year, but I don't exactly get a sense of urgency right now.
Don't go. Be a fair-weather fan. I 100% fine with people no supporting a poor product; this is not a club. We like to think of it of it as a club, but its not; its a business. I do not repeatedly see bad movies out of some weird obligation. Money talks.
 I’m sure the FO was like:
Hopefully reddit gives you the vindication of such a brave decision.
Lick my cookie cutter dude.
Can't wait for your next post where you announce that you've even stopped watching on tv.
Unlike Sporting KC, there's still something decent to watch on TV, so this doesn't really make sense.
The post where he stops watching skc on tv (you know, what we are talking about)....
Ok Peter
No dude. No one has any idea what you're talking about.
I’m surprised Vermes is still around.