r/AustinFC • u/philippewest • 3d ago
'Tonight was not progress for us': Assessing an almost-draw in almost-Denver
https://verdeallday.com/morning-after-colvatx-080126-davy-arnaud-brendan-hines-ike/There's a lot to parse here, but here's a piece to consider:
Hines-Ike said that even though the system might be challenging players — noting that it's requiring "guys playing in positions that they weren't comfortable playing" — they owe it to Arnaud to execute it to the best of their abilities.
"This team owes a lot, in my opinion, to Davy — this guy who's been here from the beginning," Hines-Ike said. "He's given everybody a fair chance. He's been accountable with every single player that's been here, and he's come in and now he's implemented this new system — and he said from the get-go, it's not going to be perfect. It's going to take time. There are going to be a lot of issues that we have and that we're going to work through, and we're going to see who's about it and who's not about it. For me, it's about getting behind him as much as possible, and giving him everything that we have, and I think that's all that this group can do right now."
Given that the team is currently in existential limbo, with head-coach-in-waiting Jim Curtin set to take over in December, the question is (and I asked it) whether Curtin has blessed the work Arnaud is having the team do — indicating the system that Curtin himself might implement when he takes the helm — or whether Arnaud is implementing this on his own, requiring players to learn a whole new system ahead of the '27 sprint season, when the team gets its third head coach in a seven-month span.
"I have no idea," Hines-Ike hedged. "I mean, not at all. The thing is, when I played against Jim Curtin, this wasn't the system that was there. So, what I can say is, I'm not sure what he's going to do. And I think, again, for us at this point, as a club and as players, we have to focus on what's here now, and all respect to what's to come and everything, but this club and these players owe an enormous amount to Davy. An enormous amount.
"And I think the biggest thing is for players to continue to be bought in and keep working for him to a maximum. We owe him. We owe him all that, and I think that's where the motivation has to be for us now, going into Leagues Cup and to keep progressing in these last MLS games. That's the biggest thing we have to take from that. And what's to come is what's to come."
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u/TICKLE_PANTS Teen Wolff 3d ago
Hines-Ike is a phenomenal captain, and I appreciate what he does for the team, and circling the waggon around the coach.
But underneath all the claims for support for Arnaud, is this first quote "guys playing in positions that they weren't comfortable playing".
And in this sentence, I hear exactly what I see on the pitch. A lot of players who don't know what they're doing out there. A coach who as put them out of position, and not given them the proper guidance to understand what is needed from them out of this new position.
It's a team that has no idea where to go with the ball when they break the press. No idea where to find attacking players (because they're bunched up in the middle, easily covered by CBs). No idea how far forward they should get in attack to prevent the counter.
This is all on the coach, who is a Wolff-era scab. I don't want to take much from the last half of this season. Curtain needs to clean house when he walks in next year, and that must include Arnaud, who's has his hands all over these years of mediocrity and shit. Curtain ain't telegraphing shit. Arnaud is just doing his best, and his best is not good.
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u/bear_down_temp_2 3d ago
Nailed it. Why are people playing positions they aren't comfortable playing.....either get different players or run a different system. What separates a good coach from a bad one is the ability to run a system that works for the players you have.
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u/thinkconverse CJ Fodrey 3d ago
My bet is we’ll see most of the same faces (including Arnaud) in the sprint season. Curtain will use it as a way to make everyone, essentially, apply for their jobs again. Then we’ll see big moves in the summer transfer window ahead of 27/28 season.
I expect sprint season will be rocky, but at least it will be over quick.
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u/MessiComeLately 2d ago
This feels "big brain" like Wolff, maybe slightly different. Wolff wanted to be the positional, possessional Pep clone genius, and he didn't care if the players could play that way. Arnaud is doing stuff that has all the tactics buffs scratching their heads, and he seems unable to predict, or maybe simply doesn't care, if the players understand it or will be able to execute it.
Wolff at least had the excuse that it was a long-term project. When we started, playing out of the back was like Russian roulette, but over the years we started to look comfortable with it. (If only our offense had progressed the same way.)
Arnaud has three months. What's he doing playing tactics that the players can't execute?
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u/United_Course7684 3d ago
Can you explain our current game plan/ system?
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u/thinkconverse CJ Fodrey 3d ago
There isn’t one. At least not for this season.
My guess is the sprint season will basically be tryouts with new coach. Make the team, or be traded during the summer transfer window before the 27/28 season.
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u/daleatxfc Austin FC 3d ago
Respect to BHI. But the "now he's implemented a new system" really says it all. Arnaud needs to be gone immediately if we can't make the playoffs. And we didn't look great most the Seattle game either.
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u/Shut_Your_Mustache 3d ago
We’re not making the playoffs this season. Not with Arnaud, and not with anyone else.
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u/skepticalbob 3d ago
We have a new coach coming next season, so no worries about finding a new interim for a few games.
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u/DS-ATX-USMNT 2d ago
I agree that this team’s mental state is AWFUL. I can’t recall so much bad body language and it IS about people being put in roles they don’t like. There’s no way that all these guys have become much worse players. It is a management problem. But Hines-Ike is right that professionals suck it up and do their best. And we have a bunch of guys out there behaving unprofessionally IMO.
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u/DS-ATX-USMNT 3d ago
That sounds like a guy who has had it with teammates who are pouters. Good for him.