Lions trying to snap out of summer slump
ORLANDO CITY AT N.Y. RED BULLS, SAT., 7:30 P.M., WRDQ-27
While evaluating Orlando City’s season, it’s hard to overlook similarities with the past two Major League Soccer campaigns.
The Lions (8-9-6, 30 points) have a history of summer slumps that continues despite a change in coaching staff and many players.
During the club’s inaugural season, it got off to a decent start with a 7-6-5 record through the end of June. Beginning with a 1-1 draw on July 4, 2015, the team went 1-8-3 through Sept. 13 before hitting its stride again and finishing the season strong with four wins and a loss.
Last year, a similar pat- tern emerged. The Lions were 6-3-8 before a 4-0 July 4 defeat in Dallas that sparked a coaching change. Through July and August, the club went 1-4-5.
Though Orlando City’s struggles this year began in May, another summer slump is undeniable. The Lions suffered a big loss on July 5, this time 3-1 against Toronto FC, and are 0-3-1 since that game.
“Yeah, it’s a pattern I’ve noticed,” said Lions striker Carlos Rivas, who has been on the roster all three seasons. “We start well and then we struggle a little bit. I think it may have to do with the weather. Maybe it gets us a little more tired and we’re not able to perform as well.”
Assistant coach Bobby Murphy said there may be something to that theory since the players typically lose five to seven pounds in a single training session during the summer. It’s a struggle to put that weight back on, he said.
The club has tried many things to combat the stifling summer heat in Florida, in- cluding training at different times of the day.
Right now, the club typi- cally hits the field between 10 and 10:30 in the morning for an hour session outside.
Murphy said he knows Houston trains at 7 in the morning, but that early hour is unrealistic for many Lions who live an hour away from the Sanford training facility.
Houston (9-7-7, 34 points), second in the West, is 2-1-4 since the beginning of July. Texas rival FC Dallas (9-5-7, 34 points) is in third place with a 3-3-0 record during that same time.
Orlando City also thought about evening sessions, but the unpredictability of rain and thunderstorms in the summer made that too risky, Murphy said.
Physically, the players undergo hydration tests at least three times a week, he said, and the club makes sure they’re eating properly.
“I’m dying,” said midfielder Luis Gil, chest heaving and covered in sweat after training Tuesday. “It’s a little bit difficult. Obviously summertime you really feel it, but we can’t use that as an excuse. Both teams are on the field come game day, and we need to take care of ourselves on and off the field.”
That last part is something the coaching staff has worked hard to get the players to understand, Murphy said, particularly understanding what a “day off” should look like — rest and taking care of yourself, not going to the beach or the theme parks.
“There’s other places in the league that don’t have the same situation that we do, not just with the heat but with the availability of great things to do,” Murphy said. “I think they’ve bought into that, but it’s hard because there’s so much stuff to do here . . . . We also have to accept that we all signed up to play here and we have to not turn those into excuses.
“I think we all agree we can do better and we have to really as a group, from staff to players to everybody top to bottom, not let each other slide when it comes to the details. This is a real time now for personal responsibility.”