Honestly, and after the clebrations...

[Lower St. John]

The Team play has not improved. We are playing better, for a couple reasons. we have a harder working midfield, and a stronger defense. But as a team, we not playing better.(nb. I did not see the panama game)

Guys, T&T has IMPROVED ! I am saying we have better coaches, more commited players. I am not denying that, but don't fool yourselves.
Losing to Mexico 2-0 playing better, with better system INSTEAD of 3-0 with shit coach, and uncommited players does NOT indicate an Improvement in Team play.

It take meh a while to figure out what yuh saying but I am assuming the main point of your argument is regarding the "Team Play."  I will preface what I am about to say by stating that I too have not seen a lot of games in recent times but I think viewing the Mexico game in a vacuum is a somewhat unfair way to judge the team and make that statement.  It seems obvious the guys were playing with a defensive mindset from jump street hoping to capitalize on counter attacks.  That being said the performance showed a lot of improvement to weather the Mexicans up to the 70 minute.  We were composed and appeared competent in playing to the game plan.  When in the past could you make that statement.  We aint that good yet, as a man before me state this is still Mexico at home.  When in the past would you have shrugged at loosing 2-0 to Mexico in Mexico.

Comparing scorelines is not a fair judge of improvement.  In no way does a score tell the story of the quality of play especially if one has not seen the game.  Most men on the forum would attest to having seen us play all over teams in the past and end up on the loosing end.  Did the score line paint the right picture??

Furthermore, I find it hard to evaluate the midfield performance in the Mexico game from an attacking point of view knowing that they were playing mainly in the first and second third of the field (defensive positions) to a game plan.  Defensively our midifeld was outstanding.

The Mexico showed that we still have some work to do in a number of areas but the one area of our team that could take some stick is the attacking play.  I will single out Mr. Stern John more so based on recent performances than the Mexico game.  I am a Stern fan but I am concerned with his scoring rate (1 in every 10+ chances) as opposed to the fact that he scored in a game.  I looked at the Panama US game and the US team got no more than a  handful of solid chances on goal in the first half and converted three.  If Stern is the best we have, we will pay the price for his present low scoring rate in the second round.  Another area of concern is the deadball play (we wasted corners in the first half).  Goals win matches and we need some victories in the second round.

Unlike others I cah blame Jack for what happen on Wednesday since he is our third string keeper who was elevated to a starting role because of circumstances (Inclusion by Omission).  If we have to go to war with him again in the future I will have to remove the Third string tag and support meh keeper.

The fact of the matter is that Beenie Man had the final 18 players together for less than 10 days before Panama and Mexico.  If what we saw is not an improvement then maybe I set my standards too low (which I am sure is not the case).  Most of the time under Beenie so far was used for evaluating personnel.  Beenie now has the rest of June and July to mold his squad.  A much clearer picture of where the team is and what Beenie Man has done will be evident after game 7.

[maxg]

I agree LSJ...maybe I want to beat dem to bad....
taken from Flex main page "Games since 2000", only 1 match report though..
We went from 7-0, 3-0,3-0 to 2-0. I guess that is some satisfacory improvement for most. Since goals win matches, we getting closer.
With the one match report, it seemed we may have had more chances, but we weren't playing with a proper defensive strategy. If we had maybe we could have done better like this time... 
When we got these plenty licks did we have any chances at all ? I hope so ?

At least we would get some quality games next month.

4. Mexico - T&T 2000 Gold Cup. 13 Feb 2000
4 - 0 No Scorers. Bertille St Clair. 

Home time listed 1st

20. T&T - Mexico 2002 World Cup Qualifying. 23 Jul 2000
1 - 0 Russell Latapy. Ian Porterfield.

24. Mexico - T&T 2002 World Cup Qualifying. 08 Oct 2000
7 - 0 No Scorers. Ian Porterfield.

39. T&T - Mexico 2002 World Cup Qualifying. 25 Apr 2001
1 - 1 Marvin Andrews. Ian Porterfield.

57. Mexico - T&T 2002 World Cup Qualifying. 05 Sep 2001
3 - 0 No Scorers. Rene Simoes.

110. T&T - Mexico 2006 World Cup Qualifying. 08 Sept 2004
1 - 3 Stern John 40th. Bertille St Clair.

113. Mexico - T&T 2006 World Cup Qualifying. 13 Oct 2004
3 - 0 No Scorers. Bertille St Clair.
http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=209703;article=66;title=News%20%26%20Reports

140. Mexico - T&T 2006 World Cup Qualifying. 08 Jun 2005
2 - 0 No Scorers. Leo Beenhakker.

[kounty]

I find the defensive strategy was quite good  until the goal break it down.  Trinidad hasn't had  such a solid defensive performance since the days of brian williams and clayton morris and dem

[maxg]

I find the defensive strategy was quite good  until the goal break it down.  Trinidad hasn't had  such a solid defensive performance since the days of brian williams and clayton morris and dem

Goal have that kinda effect on any strategy
Solid defensive performance, true...speciall for the length of time...would have like to see some more transition doh...

btw nice pics BK. thanks for the post.

[Preacher]

I agree wit you sah ...I fraid for we

[maxg]

doh frighten Preach, BeenE might be able to address some issues during the Gold Cup...I only hope, we doh start to get no Club flak(US or UK), bout no preseason training bs, mid-august..ok...ok...like ah gettin parro..
Well maybe if we start sending letters now, equesting the fellas, for the partcular dates BeenE need dem...etc...etc..thanking dem for understanding etc..etc

[Lower St. John]

We have to expect that BS and rely on the players to stay commited to the cause and withstand the pressure.

If man commited realizing that this thing will be over in October we have a chance.  World Cup in Germany may be the last opportunity for most of these players.

By The Way:  I want to be beat Mexico again in my lifetime and maybe just once in Mexico.