1. Organizing a Defense
2. The Midfield: A Tool for Setting Up the Forwards
3. Let's Get Physical: Soccer as an Effective Contact Sport
4. Play the Odds: Shooting in Bunches and the Goals that Can Result
5. Chillin' & Killin': How to stay refreshed and end a match
And finally,
6. How to Create a Strong Franchise within a Budget.
The willing student were the Red Bulls-NY. I don't know how much RBNY picked up in class, but we obliged with much repetition to help with the learning. We ended the game 4-0, but it could've been 6-0 or more.
Sometimes it's hard to figure out this team. We always have solid defense, and our midfield is among the best in the league, but we're not always that good in the final third. Tonight we were. Ngwenya had two (with his head), Ching had one (with his foot), and Holden had a "cracker of a shot" (as the English are wont to say) to add to his 2 (and a half) assists. Ngwenya almost had another, Ching almost had two more (including an outstanding shot that hit the post), DeRo could've had two (a brilliant free kick and a powerful kick following his own dummy and a Ching backheel), and substitute Cory Ashe could've had two of his own as well. After the second goal, the team was so relaxed that they were playing confidently and creatively.
If memory serves, the first three goals were off corner kicks, right? (Ching's being immediately following one.) That right there is unusual for the team this year. And we didn't have to rely on a single defender to score for us tonight.
All this after a forgettable day at Frisco. I guess Houston still wilts under a harsh sun (who doesn't?), but humidity ain't no thang.
And the newbie, Nate? As a sub he laid off the pass that opened Holden up for his "CoaS".
I'm just going to sit back and bask in it all. I've got it taped, so I might even rewatch it. I may have to save it to watch after the DC game this weekend if that goes sour.
But if the team finishes on a regular basis like it did tonight, things won't go sour often, and we'll take the Supporters' Shield.
Other bits:
- Good to see Goldthwaite again. Second time this season we've faced him, and in his second uniform. Trading Goldie was good for his career, I think, but I feel for him not getting the chance to gel with one team. Hopefully he gels with the Taureaux Rouges. He didn't have a particularly good game tonight unfortunately (or fortunately for us). How nice it would have been for him to have his goal count tonight, with him returning to Robertson. We likely won't see him again, unless he gets traded again or we see him in the post-season.
- Speaking of former Dynamos, here's a nice article on Alejandro Moreno from the Columbus Dispatch.
- The "First XI" have been identified for the All-Star team. To have two center mids from the same club chosen as "the best" says a lot for the club's quality.
- Oh yeah: the US lost to Colombia. While we didn't look overmatched like we did against Argentina, this one hurts the most because of the fact that Colombia is not the quality of Argentina, that Colombia had to play with 10 men and a striker in goal for the final 3+ minutes of the game, and Guzan managed to save a PK and we still were outscored.
Go Dynamo!
3 comments:
USNT Mega Sucks, Dynamo doesn´t, they are not playing great soccer, but they are playing acceptable soccer, sometimes even good soccer, but that doesn´t matter a single bit, in this league in which is easier to qualify to the play offs than to get eliminated what counts is the momentum you have at the time of the play offs, everything else is really irrelevant.
Why do you want to get them?, don´t, just enjoy the games, win, lose or draw just enjoy the game.
Great win for the Dynamo. They looked good all around. Our defense was able to shut Juan Pablo down and Mullan was spinning Goldthwaite round and round (like a record baby).
I wonder if our boys have acclimatised to the weather enough to make it a significant advantage over visiting teams? At the half Reyna was beet red and by the end the RBNY boys looked spent.
Stuart should start every game. I don't see how Kinnear can sit him. Where does Rico fit if this happens?
I know Ngwenya scored two goals but he needs to stay onside. He was called off at least 3 times last night--this is becoming his trademark.
Go Dynamo!
I think Rico will continue at his Defensive Midfield position, which means Mulrooney moves back to Right Back and maybe Waibel sits or goes to Center Back (preferably).
BigSoccer has a Dagger sighting! Here's the link.
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