It's a Sophomore Slump

The slump continues. I'm disappointed with the results, but I really have little to quibble about regarding the quality of the team's play. Versus Chicago and TFC we played well enough to win, but lost; tonight we played even better than in those games, and we lost.

Our losses:
RBNY: 1-0
Chicago: 1-0
Toronto: 1-0
New England: 1-0

The key stat in all those instances: 0 goals for the good guys. And of these games, the RBNY game was the only one where we looked outclassed, and that was against a 10-man team.

Still, tonight's loss to the Revs is even more disappointing. Everyone talks about how we dominated possession, and we did, but that's not always a telling stat and can be deceptive based on the type of game being played by the opposition. Tonight, in addition to possession, we saw bucketloads of other things that hearken to a great team:

• Creative passing, takeovers, and combination play
  
• Changing the pattern of play & tempo
• Going through the midfield and working the short passes and also by-passing the midfield with the long ball
• Great free kicks by Davis
• Vertical and diagonal runs with and without the ball
• Ching headers in the box
  
• Contributions from the bench (particularly Ashe)
• Keeping the other team out of the penalty box
• Solid work rate from the team with a sense of urgency
  

Tonight I believe the loss is truly a factor of bad luck, bad juju, or the wrath of the gods. Perhaps it's just a test of our resolve as fans and our team's endurance. Whatever it was, the loss was not a factor of bad soccer.

The lack of finishing still buzzed around us, but we created the threats and had the shots -- some poor, yes, but others of complete quality. Ching had some good headers, and Clark had an excellent chip of the GK after a nice passing combo with Ching (and flick by Ngwenya) in the 67th and made a shot from distance in the 79th that barely went astray, Davis had a precise bending free kick that couldn't beat Reis, Ashe had 3 great crosses (two on the carpet, one in the air) in his short tenure, and Mullan has a dangerous cutback pass in the 93rd that caroms wildly in front of the goal before landing at the feet of a Rev defender (natch).

Ngwenya continues to be a threat, but can he score? He worked better with the mids tonight, but still seems out of synch with Ching.

I thought subbing in Ashe and Holden was a great move. Ashe did outstanding on the attack, less so defending, but that wasn't a worry since the Revs had gone to 11-man defending since before Ashe walked on the field. Holden provided some good service and might've tallied a goal in the 90th had his first touch been better when the rock fell to him at the top of the box. I question Dom taking out Ngwenya if only because we didn't insert any true forwards in replacement at a time when we were jonesing for some goals. Subbing Gray for DDR was out of necessity, I believe, due to DeRo's hamstring; but it further hampered our attack at a time when we needed creative attacking the most. Luckily, Ashe's energy on the left seemed to fill the void DDR's absence created in the middle -- but not enough to change the result.

The team is getting frustrated. Indeed, Ching and DeRo both received needless Yellows because of their emotional outbursts born of frustration. Frustration is understandable and may be a good thing if it turns into determination; but if it leads to exasperation, then the team could start playing tight and disjointed, which won't make goals come any faster.

So, how can Dynamo Houston break this curse? They could seek guidance from the infallible Internet, where you can find all sorts of wisdom. Or they can continue doing what they're doing for two-thirds of the field, while concentrating on improving their play and expanding their tactical repertoire in the final third. They also need to continue getting Ngwenya (or the healed Dalglish) incorporated into the coordinated attack better, or Nqwenya/Daggers need to do better on their own when the chances fall to them.

Final thoughts:

• The new grass looked horribly patchy, and sand flew up all over the field. I hope the pitch improves before the next home game.
• I like the all-orange kit. I'm surprised the team hasn't worn it before, since they have both pieces (the home jersey and the away shorts) already in their gearbox.
• Kudos to the 18,000+ who showed up to root for the home team. The supporters sounded great. I think that we need to stop booing (like the crowd did at the end of the first half), because it sounds like we're booing our team. I would guess that everyone was booing the officiating at the end of the half, but I'm not sure. Also, I think we need to learn a chant or cheer or song to ring out in support of the good guys whenever the opposition scores. We can't boo when the other team scores because booing, again, sounds like we're condemning our team's performance, but silence is exactly what the other team wants to make us do. We instead need to voice something that rejects the visitor's smugness and inspires Dynamo Houston. Just a thought.
• Both Coach Nichol and Matt Reis acknowledged that Dynamo Houston played the better soccer, and they both acknowledged they were lucky to have the 3 points. That's no consolation of course. I noticed in his interview that Reis was drinking from a Red Bull water bottle. I think the Rev supporters should pitch in and buy him a bottle that doesn't promote one of their Eastern Conference rivals. Or maybe they could buy him a bottle with a DC United emblem on it.

Don't worry Dynamo fans: this, too, shall pass.