Orlando City Stock Watch: Lions Look Like Kittens, Handled by Crew 4-1

Outshot them 20-8. Outpossessed them 55%-45%. Fell to them 4-1. This was an incredibly frustrating, incredibly disappointing result in what is a crucial stretch to the hopes of this season.

The Orlando City Lions reached down into the cellar and helped pull Columbus Crew from their spot at the bottom of the table, and find themselves sitting outside the playoff picture with little time left as a result.

Here's an easy prediction — if the quality of play we saw Saturday night continues, you can kiss the playoffs goodbye.

As for now, let's have a look at who finds their stock rising and falling after failing to remotely approach professional quality soccer for 90 minutes.

Rising

Matias Perez Garcia – Not great, but he was competent. That’s enough this week. He managed to bother the keeper with a pair of shots on target, and created four chances with his creative passing. He drew three fouls, which is proving to be a trademark of his style.

Kevin Molino – Probably the most threatening player for Orlando, other than Seb Hines. Molino gets the nod since he was threatening towards the other team’s net, which is generally a plus over threatening your own net. Was definitely the Lions’ best player on the ball, dribbling well and being dispossessed zero times, as opposed to Kaká and Cyle Larin, who combined to be dispossessed nine times.

Falling

That Back Line – Unbelievably poor performance. There didn’t appear to be a single MLS-quality player in the group the entire first half, and it didn’t get much better after the half. The foursome of Luke Boden, Hines, Tommy Redding, and Kevin Alston just might be the worst semi-regularly used back line in Major League Soccer.

Literally Everyone Else – This was embarrassing. From touchline to touchline, we got 90 minutes of suck from nearly every Lion on the pitch. I have no doubt the boys are trying, and want nothing more than to perform up to our expectations. Here's to hoping the next one brings better results.

Polling Closed