First Three Results Have Reykjavik Recalibrating Expectations

[Jiggy]

I suppose if you wanted to get technical about it, Reykjavik United’s season COULD, in theory, have gotten off to a worse start. But not by much.

After three matches, Reykjavik stands firmly at the very bottom of the Major League Division 1 standings. The proud club has yet to break through with a win and has mustered just one point thus far – managing a 2-2 draw with Liffeyside Celtic FC on Matchday 1.

It’s otherwise been quite unpretty. Matchday 2 saw Reykjavik suffer a 0-4 Shellacking against Hollywood FC, and Matchday 3 was a resounding 4-2 loss against CD Tenochtitlan.

With these results, Reykjavik has already compiled a -6 goal differential on the season and dug themselves an 8-point deficit from the top of the table, a position currently held by the 3-0 Shanghai Dragons FC.

The two most recent stinging losses have the club looking back fondly now at the Matchday 1 draw with Liffeyside that at the time had seemed like a somewhat flat and disappointing way to open the new season.

The bottom of the table is not the kind of position that members of the Reykjavik locker room are used to occupying. But continued failures to launch in games has the team recalibrating what they think they are compared to what they thought they would be headed into the season. The objective for this simulation year seems to be shifting now away from competing with the top of the table toward avoiding potential relegation.

Even that climb appears like it may be a sharply uphill one based on these first three results.

[Toasty]

The results have to be disheartening to Reykjavik United but it is early in the season and there is time to improve. The forwards seem to be playing well, for the most part. The goalkeeping numbers have dipped for Brick Wall Jr.’s 11th season. Their save percentage is the lower of their entire career in the majors, and it’s not even close dropping over 10% from last season. You would have to think that evens out eventually, though maybe not all the way back last year’s numbers. Of course some of the blame lies with the back line and tactics, but sitting at just over 50% save percentage can’t be helping their season so far.

A 2-2 draw in the opening game obviously is not as concerning as a 4-0 shutout loss in match 2. That is the kind of game you have to shut out, use as motivation, and hope font haunt you the next time you take the pitch. In the shutout, Reykjavik United players had an average match rating of 6.4, so again, you have to hope it’s a fluke - that the team has a bad performance and thrill be back to a better form next week.