By Doug Bonjour
Entering the 2007 season, the Hofstra men’s soccer team found itself in unfamiliar ground following the graduation of All-American Forward Michael Todd. Todd, who was also a three-time All-Colonial Athletic Conference recipient, finished his career third on the team’s all-time goals scored list with 40.
As Hofstra began play in Michigan against Oakland, the Pride knew that for the first time in four years, a player other than Todd would need to shoulder the scoring responsibility in order for the season to be a success.
However, Hofstra, which was chosen by league coaches as the CAA’s second-best team heading into the regular season, has proven early on that goal-scoring remains an issue that needs to be addressed.
Hofstra fell to 0-2-1 following Friday’s 3-1 defeat to rival Stony Brook, making it the third consecutive game in which the team failed to score more than once. In the previous two games, Hofstra tied Oakland 1-1 and lost to Michigan 1-0.
Head Coach Richard Nuttall believes his team’s inability to score is a result of its intensity, or lack thereof, when playing near the opponent’s goal.
“Where I think there is an issue is our approach to the gameplay. We haven’t played with any fire in the final third, and we’ve got to do better on the field,” Nuttall said.
Perhaps Nuttall is correct because not only has Hofstra struggled to score goals, but the chances to do so have come few and far between. In the three games, opponents have out-shot Hofstra by a resounding 52-18 margin, including an 18-8 edge over shots on goal. Hofstra has also only totaled nine corner kicks on the season, while opponents have totaled 21, with two of the kicks resulting in Stony Brook goals against the Pride.
Following the loss to Stony Brook, Nuttall remained disappointed in his team’s play and its inability to put pressure on the opponent.
“We’re not playing well as a team. We don’t have any flair. In the first 25-30 [minutes] we had the ball but we didn’t go anywhere. We have got to be more risky and we’re playing too conservative,” he said.
While the team’s slow start has much to do with its inability to score, a rash of injuries has also impeded the chance for a successful start to the season. Senior forward Chris Cox, who finished second on the team in scoring last season with 12 points and was expected be one of the leaders in that department again, has yet to play this season because of a knee injury. The healing process remains day-to-day.
Nuttall knows that Cox’s injury is a tough blow for the Pride because of the way Cox can affect the game.
“[Cox] is one of the premier attacking players in the country. He can change games. There are few players in the conference that can change games the way he can,” Nuttall said.
Also among the walking wounded is senior goaltender Tom Johansen, who has been bothered by a thigh strain. Even though Johansen has played in all 270 minutes for the Pride this season, the injury has hampered his ability to effectively kick the ball. Nuttall also called Johansen’s injury day-to-day.
The effects of the leg injury were displayed several times during the game against Stony Brook, as Johansen repeatedly threw the ball to teammates instead of kicking it.
The injury bug also bit Hofstra during pre-game warm-ups at Stony Brook, as the Pride lost sophomore defenseman Jamal Neptune to a hamstring strain and freshman defenseman Joseph Amendolare to a sprained ankle. Both were non-contact injuries.
Even though the injuries have forced several key players to spend precious minutes on the bench rather than on the field, Nuttall believes that injuries are part of the game and the players still need to make adjustments and play winning soccer.
“You’re going to get injuries every year, but you have to revise that and let the rest of the squad take over. Having injuries cannot affect you mentally. You have to be positive and you have to be forward thinking,” Nuttall explained.
Nuttall can only hope that Hofstra remains positive and the injury bug lessens for the rest of the young season.