The chemistry on offense is getting better.HopFan16 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 11:57 amWhy is the reaction immediately after an impressive Homecoming win that likely locked the Jays into their first NCAA tournament berth in four years to nitpick why they aren't "great"? It's just a little tiresome. Enjoy the win for 24 hours before we wonder what it's going to take to beat a team like Notre Dame in the tournament. (I also think you're giving 06 too much credit re: his comment.)Ruffled_Feathers wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 11:19 amI'm actually going to side with 06 on this one at least in terms of what it takes to make the next step up and to become a "great" team. Not to disparage the results of this season overall and this team is fun to watch and getting the job done but they aren't always getting it done particularly pretty and it's hard to look at some of the number metrics alongside how the games actually play out and just completely pull the rug over them.HopFan16 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:46 amYou keep saying this. Is it even true? I swear some of you just repeat the same things over and over and never adjust when presented with new information. I’m not sure you know what good offense looks like.
Since the shorthanded debacle at Loyola in February, the Jays have scored at least 11 goals in 10 straight games and 15+ in 3/4 Big Ten games. They’re averaging close to 14 goals per game since the calendar flipped to March.
They were #11 in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency prior to yesterday’s game (that’s even slightly better than the defense) and I imagine they’ll be inside the top 10 after the performance vs. OSU in which they scored 17 through 3 quarters and then emptied the bench.
It is true the offense had growing pains early on, some of which were related to injuries. And they are still prone to a mind-numbingly bad pass on occasion. But the actual facts suggest the opposite of your assertion which feels like it’s stuck in 2022.
At this point the need to be negative and still find stuff to criticize after a great day for the team is utterly pathological. I pity that way of seeing the world. Seems like it’d be miserable.
The offense is getting the job done in general and they put up a bunch yesterday BUT there was still plenty of signs of it happening "ugly" in many cases or a fortuitous bounce at times. Ball trickles in from an outside shot after the goalie basically stopped it, Melendez behind the back with no time left on the shot clock. Players are making plays for sure but sometimes the ball bounces your way on things like these and it won't always.
If we look back 1 week ago to the PSU game what happened aside from losing a bunch of faceoffs to cause that one to slip away? On the offensive end of the field there have been plenty of stretches where things just go cold for an entire quarter or more and even when things are working I still sometimes feel like I witness somewhat ill advised or low percentage things kinda just working out in the Jays favor at times. When Melendez went off in the 1st quarter were all of those shots from range that went in really unsaveable or of the caliber that you as a defense aren't more generally ok with allowing the opponent to get off?
Yesterday while the benches were emptied in the 4th there were still some possessions with the top of the depth chart out there in the earlier stages of the 4th and while you are of course somewhat sitting on the ball and being deliberate the Jays still posted up a 0 for that quarter.
Things will still need to be better on that end most likely if you want to go deep in May and actually beat teams ranked 1-5.
"Aside from losing a bunch of faceoffs" is doing a lot of work there — obviously the possession disadvantage was a real factor in the PSU game. We were actually the more efficient offense than Penn State that night on a per-possession basis. We had a couple of nice offensive sets that led to good chances in the 4th and in overtime but their goalie made some huge saves.
If the offense keeps getting it done ugly and the ball seems to bounce their way more often than not, maybe they're just good? I think maybe because we have 4-5 "very good" players on offense and nobody in the truly elite/1st team AA/Tewaaraton category that maybe it creates a feeling that the offense is just scraping by or getting lucky or something but that's where the metrics come in for me. Adjusted efficiency is the great equalizer. Goals per possession, factoring in how good the defense you're facing is. What else do you really need to know?
We're not the only team who has had a cold stretch here or there. Duke went ice cold in the 4th yesterday and let UVA back in it. Maryland was cold for basically the entire first half vs. OSU last week. If the argument is "our offense is not as good as UVA's yet" then yes, you'd be correct. I just don't get why that even needs to be said.
I always thought one sign of good chemistry on offense was when you see playground type plays working on the field. Tinney’s hidden ball tricks are one example. Thought the simple give and take between Peshko and Collison that led to a Collison goal was another. That was such a simple but beautiful play.
DocBarrister