Pachuca faced LA in a half-packed Home Depot Center last night in a contest to determine the SuperLiga Champion. I watched much of the first half. At that point Pachuca controlled the possession, tempo, and real estate. But, much like the Dynamo too often, Pachuca couldn't leverage this control into goals.
For most of the second half, my face was pointed at the TV but my eyelids interfered with my view. I missed Klein's bicycle kick (quite impressive due to the timing and his age) until watching the highlight reel this morning. Likewise, I didn't see Donovan's missed PK that would have given LA the game. His kick wasn't particularly poorly taken (unlike many of his successful kicks down the middle during the Gold Cup), but the keeper guessed correctly and Donovan wasn't able to put the ball far enough into the corner. Unlucky.
I suppose the biggest news out of the game was that Beckham sprained his knee. It looks like he will be out for a while – longer than he was for his ankle. The injury occurred when Becks and Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar simultaneously tackled a loose ball just outside the Pachuca penalty box. Becks went in with his right foot, and the whole leg twisted with the counterforce applied by Salazar's foot. Beck's left ankle was the injured ankle, otherwise I'd think that it was his weak ankle that contributed to the painful torque on the knee. As it was, perhaps it was just misfortune. Salazar had to leave the match with a knee sprain as well.
This just in: in depth news analysis reports that when Beckham returned in overtime to watch the match, he was "dressed in a gray suit, white shirt and black tie."
In all seriousness, accolades go to the Galaxy for keeping themselves in the game, making a brilliant equalizer, and then having an opportunity to win the game with a single PK. Shame on Pachuca for controlling the game, but being unable to get the ball into the net versus a poor Galaxy side.(LA scored all of the goals in this one: one into the Galaxy net and one into the Tuzos' net.) Thing is, Dynamo fan that I am, I can completely sympathize with Pachuca's dominance coexisting with scoring anemia.
And shame on the so-called "Cathedral" of the MLS, the Home Depot Center. Only 12,500 tickets could be sold for the SuperLiga final in this supposed soccer-specific stadium because of parking concerns at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Apparently a lot of people want to park on campus at 8 PM on a Wednesday evening. This is a constraint we're going to have to make sure is NOT an issue with the Dynamo's eventual stadium. So many things to consider...
More Galaxy news...
Yahoo had this article about Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy GM, whining about how his master plan for the "Superclub" of the MLS has been undermined by a sudden appearance of games on the team's schedule. Surprisingly, his infectious whining has stricken a usually sane Andrea Canales, as well.
To this I say: balderdash. Is Lalas suddenly an unwilling victim of the scheduling? He sure spoke like he was integral to the scheduling process at the beginning of the season. And if the schedule is to blame, then why wasn’t the team racking up points in the early season when it had a mostly open schedule and plenty of chance to rest and recuperate players? And how is it that a lowly team like the Dynamo from a podunk village like Houston was able to zoom to the top of the standings when it was fighting through a schedule that included 3 games a week, some against high-caliber Mexican clubs? It seems that Lalas (and Canales) is trying to deflect blame when the finger should be pointed at poor management and poor players.
Now that the Galaxy have lost their only chance for a trophy and, with Salt Lake's victory over KC last night, have dropped to last place in the standings, AEG will probably begin taking measures to set up a better 2008 season. How do they right this ship?
Well, one of the biggest problems with the Galaxy is its random mish-mash of players who don’t comprise a coherent team. A couple of talented individuals can’t carry a team very far. Injuries have been a problem, sure; but even without the injuries there is an unhealthy randomness to the team roster. Perhaps less time should have been spent on developing a pretty new uniform, and more time spent on conscientious team building. This being the core problem of the team means that whoever is responsible for this mess should bear the consequences. Is Lalas or Yallop to blame? Based on past experience, I have to believe that Alexi is the culprit.
The track records of both Yallop and Lalas suggest who is to blame for the train wreck that is the Galaxy. Yallop has two MLS Cups after building the San Jose franchise from its bottom-of-the-barrel standing prior to his arrival, and he set the seeds for the club's success in 2005 and later as the Dynamo. Lalas has served as GM for 2 previous clubs, leaving each one in a state of, if not disarray, then definitely with no coherent strategy or defined identity. His handling of the Donovan loss was reviled by the SJ fans, and his inconsistency with the Metrostars left that club struggling for stability and required the new Red Bull ownership to throw a lot of cash at reversing the problem.
That suggests the Galaxy should fire Lalas to bring in a GM that has more intelligence and perception, even if it means fewer newsworthy sound bites. However, Yallop will probably get a pink slip too. If so, Yallop would benefit more than the Galaxy; the coach would easily be able to find employment in a less dysfunctional organization. Truth be told, if the Galaxy could bring in Jurgen Klinsmann, perhaps the Galaxy would benefit too. It would be interesting to see how Klins would do in the MLS, and his name has a certain cachet that the Galaxy — image conscious as they are — would love.
Yallop didn't help his own cause after he played an injured Becks all 90 minutes of a losing match versus Chivas after Becks had played all 90 of a match in England the day before. Perhaps Yallop was forced into that decision, but he's still accountable for it. And if it gets him out of the Galaxy organization, then he's the better for it.
And speaking of RSL...
Their new Argentineans proved their worth already in leading the team to a 3-1 victory over visiting KC. Wow, have the Lakers turned their ship around? We'll see. It'd be good to have a decent Salt Lake to contend in the Western Conference, but I'm not too pleased with how my fantasy team took a hit from last night's resurgence.
Here's hoping that the game took a lot out of KC's tank since we face them this weekend. On the other hand, that may NOT be a good thing; if they're tired and bunker in, our past experience with such tactics suggests we may not be able to crack the defensive shell. We've got to get a goal early, otherwise bad things could happen. We've got to defend our home turf too: on KC's last visit to Robertson (at the beginning of last year), they managed to win 2-1 off a late Burciaga laser.
One win gets us into the 40-point range, helps our cause for the Supporters' Shield, and surpasses our 11-win total from last season. Let's do it.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Once again: we're even with the mediocre
I was tired Sat night/Sun morning so I executed my right to rewrite this...
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
- We got a point
- We finally managed to score on a 10 man team
- We played well and had sufficient opportunity to put this game away (dang finishing)
- Mulrooney and Ianni played excellent games
- Ngwenya is taking responsibility for his missed chances in saying "I had three clear chances I wish I could have put away. I think I need to get back to training and start being serious again. I need to start putting away chances again. I think I was a bit too relaxed. " Nice to hear the commitment, but why weren’t you already serious after the penalty kick fiasco vs Pachuca?
- My daughter caught a T-shirt
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The FCD Spin Doctor
One of the characteristics about the Dynamo is that they are, from back to front, an attacking team. This quality is even more impressive given the stout defending stats this teams puts up.
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Sunday, August 19, 2007
King of the Lone Star State
For the second year running, Dynamo have bested their Texas counterparts, FC Dallas, and kept ownership of El Capitan. The howitzer has remained silent in our possession, but hopefully we'll be able to fire it at will once (if) we move to our permanent stadium home. The "rivalry" is young, but if the current trend continues, we may not even relinquish possession of the big gun until after we move into a new home.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
- The new jerseys; we're undefeated in them!
- Mother Nature for bringing along that breeze
- The Jumbotron screen official, for saving money with an economy of letters, showing the score for "FC Dalas."
- Ianni, Mulrooney, Mullan, and Waibel for clapping their appreciation to our side of the field (Eastern Stands, Section 118 specifically) as they walked off the field. The entire team justifiable showed their appreciation to the TA and EB in 213 and 214, but those four were very considerate in showing their appreciation for our somewhat less enthusiastic contributions to the game.
- My wife, for packing an awesome pre- and post-game tailgate repast. She wouldn't let me stay for the Reserve match, but she made up for it by feeding me well.
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Dynamo Players: Rich in other assets
There are some decided disadvantages to being a fledgling league. If you need a refresher course in what these are, just check out your nearest blog, sports chatroom, or mainstream media source.
There are some decided advantages too.
For one, the players aren't overpaid elitists who insulate themselves from the hoi polloi. The Dynamo players have proven this on more than one occasion at fan events, on media broadcasts, and after games. (And also at centers of fine arts.) KHOU (the local CBS affiliate) has an article and video clip showing how three Dynamo players -- Corey Ashe, John Michael Hayden, and Jordan James -- went beyond the call of duty to help out stranded motorists during yesterday's deluge caused by Tropical Depression Erin.
Ashe the Samaritan said, “We actually just got through with practice and [were] just trying to make it home. Unfortunately, the weather kind of stopped us. I figured we’d help these poor people get out.”
You WANT to see people like this play. You WANT them to succeed. You WANT to see good things happen to good people.
In a related vein, local sports writer and commentator John Lopez has an editorial talking about the humble and honorable players that populate the MLS.
Now that you, dear reader, have a warm glow building inside, let's all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" a cappella. Or, better yet, go donate blood or save an animal's life.
There are some decided advantages too.
For one, the players aren't overpaid elitists who insulate themselves from the hoi polloi. The Dynamo players have proven this on more than one occasion at fan events, on media broadcasts, and after games. (And also at centers of fine arts.) KHOU (the local CBS affiliate) has an article and video clip showing how three Dynamo players -- Corey Ashe, John Michael Hayden, and Jordan James -- went beyond the call of duty to help out stranded motorists during yesterday's deluge caused by Tropical Depression Erin.
Ashe the Samaritan said, “We actually just got through with practice and [were] just trying to make it home. Unfortunately, the weather kind of stopped us. I figured we’d help these poor people get out.”
You WANT to see people like this play. You WANT them to succeed. You WANT to see good things happen to good people.
In a related vein, local sports writer and commentator John Lopez has an editorial talking about the humble and honorable players that populate the MLS.
Now that you, dear reader, have a warm glow building inside, let's all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" a cappella. Or, better yet, go donate blood or save an animal's life.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
SuperLiga Post-Facto Thoughts; Supporters' Shield Pre-Facto Thoughts
I stumbled across an interesting article in the Washington Post that was written back in July. It summarizes how the Soccer United Marketing will compensate MLS teams that do well in SuperLiga. An excerpt:
SUM will reward the tournament champion $1 million. If an MLS team wins, $150,000 of the prize money will be earmarked for the players to divide. The league also will award $100,000 to the players on an MLS team that loses in the final, and $50,000 to the players on any MLS team that loses in the semifinals.
This year's MLS participants were selected by tournament organizers, but starting next summer, the top four finishers in the previous regular season will earn bids.
According to this quote, the Dynamo get to split $50 grand at least. It's not much (about $1,920 divided 26 ways), but it could cover a couple of car payments, a mortgage payment, or beer money, depending on the player's needs. This would be particularly welcome to the lowest-paid members of the team.
I imagine that Joseph Ngwenya, after playing a pretty good game overall, is nevertheless bummed out that his spot kick turned out so horribly. It cost him and his mates some significant dinero. He might even feel the need to take personal responsibility for the loss. All I would say to him is: Ngwenya, you're a Dynamo now. This team regularly competes for the highest honors. You'll have plenty of chances to redeem yourself as we pursue future prizes. This very weekend we get back on track for the Supporters' Shield, my friend.
Speaking of which, it seems the Supporters' Shield is becoming more and more dominant in the hierarchy of awards. Starting this season, the Shield bearers from last season were the first to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. (The other qualifier was the MLS Cup winner, that's us guys. If the Cup and Shield winner are ever the same team, then the runner up to the Shield -- not to the Cup -- takes the other Champions' slot.) Starting next season, the Supporters' Shield bearer from this season and the next three teams of the regular 2007 season qualify for the SuperLiga.
I like how the MLS is trying to make the Shield more prestigious. This is a reflection of the traditions of soccer leagues in other nations. Yet, at least for the foreseeable future, we here in America will refer to the MLS Cup winner as the Champion -- and the Cup Champion shall receive the most recognition in the press, the second slot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the MLS Cup jersey scudetto (which turns into a star atop the club's shield the second season after the Cup victory), and the silver ball for home games.
Winning the Cup involves a bit of luck: one bad game and your team gets nothing. For this reason, we should focus on securing the Shield. If we get this, then we get access to the two international tournaments. Only after winning the Shield should we turn our gaze to the MLS Cup...and we should be in a good position at that point to win the rare double.
(Click on the "Supporters' Shield" link above to see that only 3 teams have won the Cup and the Shield in the same season: DC United in 1997 & 1999, KC Wizards in 2000, and LAG in 2002.)
SUM will reward the tournament champion $1 million. If an MLS team wins, $150,000 of the prize money will be earmarked for the players to divide. The league also will award $100,000 to the players on an MLS team that loses in the final, and $50,000 to the players on any MLS team that loses in the semifinals.
This year's MLS participants were selected by tournament organizers, but starting next summer, the top four finishers in the previous regular season will earn bids.
According to this quote, the Dynamo get to split $50 grand at least. It's not much (about $1,920 divided 26 ways), but it could cover a couple of car payments, a mortgage payment, or beer money, depending on the player's needs. This would be particularly welcome to the lowest-paid members of the team.
I imagine that Joseph Ngwenya, after playing a pretty good game overall, is nevertheless bummed out that his spot kick turned out so horribly. It cost him and his mates some significant dinero. He might even feel the need to take personal responsibility for the loss. All I would say to him is: Ngwenya, you're a Dynamo now. This team regularly competes for the highest honors. You'll have plenty of chances to redeem yourself as we pursue future prizes. This very weekend we get back on track for the Supporters' Shield, my friend.
Speaking of which, it seems the Supporters' Shield is becoming more and more dominant in the hierarchy of awards. Starting this season, the Shield bearers from last season were the first to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. (The other qualifier was the MLS Cup winner, that's us guys. If the Cup and Shield winner are ever the same team, then the runner up to the Shield -- not to the Cup -- takes the other Champions' slot.) Starting next season, the Supporters' Shield bearer from this season and the next three teams of the regular 2007 season qualify for the SuperLiga.
I like how the MLS is trying to make the Shield more prestigious. This is a reflection of the traditions of soccer leagues in other nations. Yet, at least for the foreseeable future, we here in America will refer to the MLS Cup winner as the Champion -- and the Cup Champion shall receive the most recognition in the press, the second slot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the MLS Cup jersey scudetto (which turns into a star atop the club's shield the second season after the Cup victory), and the silver ball for home games.
Winning the Cup involves a bit of luck: one bad game and your team gets nothing. For this reason, we should focus on securing the Shield. If we get this, then we get access to the two international tournaments. Only after winning the Shield should we turn our gaze to the MLS Cup...and we should be in a good position at that point to win the rare double.
(Click on the "Supporters' Shield" link above to see that only 3 teams have won the Cup and the Shield in the same season: DC United in 1997 & 1999, KC Wizards in 2000, and LAG in 2002.)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Pachuca, our Nemesis
I wish I could say we were the better team tonight. We were the better team for the first 15 minutes of the first half (which saw us go up 1-0 on a D-Ro goal), and maybe the final 5 minutes of the first half (where Waibel could have given us a 2-1 lead...twice). The rest of the time we struggled, being a man down against one of the best teams in Mexico in stifling heat and humidity. Though we struggled at times, with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, Robinson fought through on a Mulrooney free kick to get the goal that would keep us in the match (2-2), then a Pachuca expulsion evened up the sides at 10.
Throughout the game, I thought we weren't pressuring the ball enough, and we gave the Tuzos plenty of time to make endless chains of passes in our own half. To our credit:
1) We didn't allow much of the possession to lead to scoring threats
2) We still pushed the attack on the counter, even a man down
3) We showed some 1v1 skill on the attack, wrong-footing the Pachuca markers as we drove to goal
In extra time, it was more of the same: cautious positioning by the Orange, possession by the Tuzos, and not a lot of chances for either team. Jaqua came out for Wondo. Regarding Jaqua: I can't wait until Davis and/or Holden are healthy. Nate wasn't much help on the field tonight. Oh yeah, and we got another red and went down to 9 men. At this point, the game began to look like the US vs Italy in World Cup 2006.
Ianni...I sure wish you had positioned yourself better in the first half so you wouldn't have had to make that foul. That red changed the game. Cochrane, who you were replacing, couldn't have done better though. Ah, to see this match 11v11. What would have happened then? And as for Ashe: that was a stupid, childish foul in overtime, particularly given the situation the team was in. You hadn't done much on the field, but your speed may have helped open the field up a bit. But alas, you felt pouty and lashed out.
Though the stars were aligned against us, we made it to penalties. At that point, I felt fairly confident. In fact, the only real doubt I suffered was when Ching went up. He had been a nonfactor for the entire game. He never linked up with any of his mates, and I can't remember a single header he won. I saw a lot of camera shots of him walking; he looked exhausted and listless. Robinson's goal in regulation could have been Ching's, but Ching didn't have a bead on the ball and the hungry Robinson leapt over the planted Ching to earn the equalizer. Because of this, I felt bad juju hung over Ching and was nervous as he approached the ball on the PK. It wasn't a badly struck ball, but hitting the post was just the icing on the cake for Ching's performance tonight. He'll have to be Mr. Clutch on another day.
Ngwenya's attempt to be cheeky was just atrocious, and that cost us the game.
Those who I thought did well: E-Rob, Waibel, and Barrett. Mullan was a workhorse, as was Mulrooney. D-Ro was inconsistent, but he wasn't the albatross that Ching and Jaqua were. Ngwenya played okay for the most part, but he still doesn't use his speed to its greatest effect, and there is that penalty of his...
All in all, losing in penalties is not what I wanted, but it wasn't an unfair result. We played poorly, though with heart. Defensively we left two men alone in the box, and each of them scored on us. We also made some stupid decisions that put the team in a bad spot and a man down...twice.
Now I just hope the team will focus on its league play and turn that ship around. We've lost our opportunity for the CONCACAF Champions Cup and now the SuperLiga trophy (and cash). The only things left are the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup, but we won't be able to claim those if we play like we've been playing in the MLS and tonight. This weekend is the time to get back on track and start a new winning streak with FCD. Go ORANGE!
Throughout the game, I thought we weren't pressuring the ball enough, and we gave the Tuzos plenty of time to make endless chains of passes in our own half. To our credit:
1) We didn't allow much of the possession to lead to scoring threats
2) We still pushed the attack on the counter, even a man down
3) We showed some 1v1 skill on the attack, wrong-footing the Pachuca markers as we drove to goal
In extra time, it was more of the same: cautious positioning by the Orange, possession by the Tuzos, and not a lot of chances for either team. Jaqua came out for Wondo. Regarding Jaqua: I can't wait until Davis and/or Holden are healthy. Nate wasn't much help on the field tonight. Oh yeah, and we got another red and went down to 9 men. At this point, the game began to look like the US vs Italy in World Cup 2006.
Ianni...I sure wish you had positioned yourself better in the first half so you wouldn't have had to make that foul. That red changed the game. Cochrane, who you were replacing, couldn't have done better though. Ah, to see this match 11v11. What would have happened then? And as for Ashe: that was a stupid, childish foul in overtime, particularly given the situation the team was in. You hadn't done much on the field, but your speed may have helped open the field up a bit. But alas, you felt pouty and lashed out.
Though the stars were aligned against us, we made it to penalties. At that point, I felt fairly confident. In fact, the only real doubt I suffered was when Ching went up. He had been a nonfactor for the entire game. He never linked up with any of his mates, and I can't remember a single header he won. I saw a lot of camera shots of him walking; he looked exhausted and listless. Robinson's goal in regulation could have been Ching's, but Ching didn't have a bead on the ball and the hungry Robinson leapt over the planted Ching to earn the equalizer. Because of this, I felt bad juju hung over Ching and was nervous as he approached the ball on the PK. It wasn't a badly struck ball, but hitting the post was just the icing on the cake for Ching's performance tonight. He'll have to be Mr. Clutch on another day.
Ngwenya's attempt to be cheeky was just atrocious, and that cost us the game.
Those who I thought did well: E-Rob, Waibel, and Barrett. Mullan was a workhorse, as was Mulrooney. D-Ro was inconsistent, but he wasn't the albatross that Ching and Jaqua were. Ngwenya played okay for the most part, but he still doesn't use his speed to its greatest effect, and there is that penalty of his...
All in all, losing in penalties is not what I wanted, but it wasn't an unfair result. We played poorly, though with heart. Defensively we left two men alone in the box, and each of them scored on us. We also made some stupid decisions that put the team in a bad spot and a man down...twice.
Now I just hope the team will focus on its league play and turn that ship around. We've lost our opportunity for the CONCACAF Champions Cup and now the SuperLiga trophy (and cash). The only things left are the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup, but we won't be able to claim those if we play like we've been playing in the MLS and tonight. This weekend is the time to get back on track and start a new winning streak with FCD. Go ORANGE!
Senior Citizens unite for the Dynamo! (SuperLiga Semis)
Tonight, we go to freshman orientation for my son. I am the father of a high schooler; ergo: I am old. I remember my high school days quite clearly. Previously, I had kids that were at stages of life that were quite fuzzy in my memory, so that connection to my youth wasn't always there. I have infrequent flashes of remembrances from elementary and middle school, but now my oldest son is at a stage of life that I remember quite well. I remember, for instance, that my peers at the time had parents that were elderly and stodgy. I guess times are a-changing, because my high schooler sure doesn't have elderly and stodgy parents. Yes, I'll keep telling that to myself.
One good thing about the late start time for tonight's Dynamo game versus Pachuca is that we'll be home from freshman orientation in time to catch the game in its entirety. (Assuming I can move my walker fast enough.) Tonight's game should be a good one. The recent play of the Dynamo in league action causes some worry about their ability to control the game tonight. Pachuca is still trying to gain its season form, but its two wins in recent league play show the team to be dangerous already.
Last time we played Pachuca in Houston, we were in pre-season form and Pachuca looked sharp. Nonetheless, we took the game 2-0. This time, Pachuca knows they won't have a second leg to make up for a bad result, so they'll be more focused on the field.
We're also going to be hindered by Stuart Holden's absence due to injury. He has become an important part of the team's attack (a la Hunter Pence), but his appearance was due to another injury: Brad Davis' unfortunate injury. Perhaps Holden's absence will lead to another revelation from the team's depths. I don't think we're going to see Ashe (at least, not early), so it'll probably be Jaqua filling in for Holden. I don't mind Jaqua much as a forward, but I'm still not sold on him as a middie, even though that's where he cut his teeth with the Chicago Fire.
Perhaps the most cutting injury is Ricardo Clark, if he indeed does not play. Mulrooney is a good journeyman at D-Mid, but Clark is a defensive stalwart, an offensive threat, and a player with flair -- all rolled into one. Paired with D-Ro in the middle, we have a core that makes the Dynamo among the most potent in the MLS, if not the most potent. Without that core, we can still do the job, but it's more difficult and our usual flair is replaced with sheer doggedness. That's not as fun to watch, but injuries sometimes force a team to concentrate on the result, not the entertainment. I'm cool with that.
Ryan Cochrane is another player that will be out due to injury. I'm not a fan of Cochrane's, but his absence does weaken our depth in the back. Go get 'em, Ianni.
(And the recurring ankle injury to Dalglish again rears its head. It looks like we won't see him for a while. He wants to return next season, but do we need an expensive third option at forward?)
Tonight we need to control the pace and possession in the middle and stay organized in the back, or else we'll be easy pickens. We also need to keep possession as much as possible in Pachuca's half to put more green between them and our goal, giving us time and space to react to their attacks.
Here's my prediction: the home crowd carries the Dynamo to a 1-0 lead. Pachuca opens up the field in an attempt to equalize, and we score a second goal in the second half. Pachuca halves the deficit before the finale, but the Dynamo end up on top, 2-1. I'd be okay with that.
If I read the SuperLiga rules correctly, a Dynamo win means we host the final regardless of who wins the LA-DC match. (Our 7 points beats their point totals.) A home game with hardware on the line is a good thing. I'd sure like to get this trophy, and we're only 2 games away, which makes it much more likely than the Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup at this point.
Now, where'd I put my walker...
Go 'Mo!
One good thing about the late start time for tonight's Dynamo game versus Pachuca is that we'll be home from freshman orientation in time to catch the game in its entirety. (Assuming I can move my walker fast enough.) Tonight's game should be a good one. The recent play of the Dynamo in league action causes some worry about their ability to control the game tonight. Pachuca is still trying to gain its season form, but its two wins in recent league play show the team to be dangerous already.
Last time we played Pachuca in Houston, we were in pre-season form and Pachuca looked sharp. Nonetheless, we took the game 2-0. This time, Pachuca knows they won't have a second leg to make up for a bad result, so they'll be more focused on the field.
We're also going to be hindered by Stuart Holden's absence due to injury. He has become an important part of the team's attack (a la Hunter Pence), but his appearance was due to another injury: Brad Davis' unfortunate injury. Perhaps Holden's absence will lead to another revelation from the team's depths. I don't think we're going to see Ashe (at least, not early), so it'll probably be Jaqua filling in for Holden. I don't mind Jaqua much as a forward, but I'm still not sold on him as a middie, even though that's where he cut his teeth with the Chicago Fire.
Perhaps the most cutting injury is Ricardo Clark, if he indeed does not play. Mulrooney is a good journeyman at D-Mid, but Clark is a defensive stalwart, an offensive threat, and a player with flair -- all rolled into one. Paired with D-Ro in the middle, we have a core that makes the Dynamo among the most potent in the MLS, if not the most potent. Without that core, we can still do the job, but it's more difficult and our usual flair is replaced with sheer doggedness. That's not as fun to watch, but injuries sometimes force a team to concentrate on the result, not the entertainment. I'm cool with that.
Ryan Cochrane is another player that will be out due to injury. I'm not a fan of Cochrane's, but his absence does weaken our depth in the back. Go get 'em, Ianni.
(And the recurring ankle injury to Dalglish again rears its head. It looks like we won't see him for a while. He wants to return next season, but do we need an expensive third option at forward?)
Tonight we need to control the pace and possession in the middle and stay organized in the back, or else we'll be easy pickens. We also need to keep possession as much as possible in Pachuca's half to put more green between them and our goal, giving us time and space to react to their attacks.
Here's my prediction: the home crowd carries the Dynamo to a 1-0 lead. Pachuca opens up the field in an attempt to equalize, and we score a second goal in the second half. Pachuca halves the deficit before the finale, but the Dynamo end up on top, 2-1. I'd be okay with that.
If I read the SuperLiga rules correctly, a Dynamo win means we host the final regardless of who wins the LA-DC match. (Our 7 points beats their point totals.) A home game with hardware on the line is a good thing. I'd sure like to get this trophy, and we're only 2 games away, which makes it much more likely than the Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup at this point.
Now, where'd I put my walker...
Go 'Mo!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Rocked in the Rockies
As the dark voice inside me expected, the Dynamo have lost to yet another lowly team. Colorado (with its previous 4 wins) joins Chicago, Toronto, and RSL in the Deadbeats That Shutout And Beat The Dynamo Club. The RSL match was a coincidence; now the Colorado match has set a trend.
I can't blame D-Ro for the own goal. Bad luck happens. But usually misfortune isn't a game changer, unless you're not taking care of business elsewhere on the field. As we said way too often last season, and again at the beginning of this season, the Dynamo's weakness is in the final third of the field. If you can't score goals, you'll be susceptible to bad luck; and we have been susceptible these past few weeks.
We generated a lot of chances, which is a good sign. We need to do better with the finishing if we expect to return to form. Good goalkeeping can keep a team in the game, but eventually the odds will work against the miracle worker in the net if you put enough quality shots at him. That's what we need to do. Mambo Seafood donates to charity $100 for each goal scored by the Dynamo. (Mambo has been saving its money big-time these past few games.) Maybe Mambo should collect $100 from each player that sends a shot from within the 18-yard box more than, say, 1 yard above the crossbar. That might eliminate those irritating parabolic, low-orbit shots.
I know, I know: penalizing bad shots will only lead to fewer shots. And that's bad.
So, we're 0-2-1 since the All-Star break. That doesn't speak well for the team in this second half of the season.
And there is a statistic I need to investigate. Have we ever won a game -- or even scored? -- when we had a man advantage and weren't already winning? Just off the top of my head, I know that we lost to KC last season when KC was down a man, we lost to RBNY this season when the Bulls were down a man, and we lost to Colorado tonight. We couldn't score against a 10-man Toronto just before the All-Star game in a match that ended it in a scoreless draw. Can we not score a goal against a short-handed side? And if not, why? What does that say about our weaknesses?
(Versus Chivas on June 21, we faced a 10 man team when we were up 2-0 already, and were able to score 2 more goals after the ejection. So we know that we CAN score versus a 10-man team if we're up by 2 goals already. We've proven that we CAN'T score against a 10-man team if we're tied or behind.)
Thanks to an uncharacteristic comeback by FCD in its match versus the Crew tonight, we're no longer leading the Western Conference. If New England takes care of business tomorrow versus LA, then we'll be in third place in the run for the Supporters' Shield. Our own destiny is no longer in our hands, but we should still be able to take the Supporters' Shield if we return to the form we had in June. With the remaining 9 games we have 27 points available, which would give us an impressive 61 points. (DCU won it last year with 55 points.) Next week we face FCD in Robertson, and that has proven to be a gateway to great runs for us in the past. This hope that trend continues, even while we look for ways to end the trend of losing to the mediocre.
But before we turn the MLS ship around, let's whoop up on Pachuca at Robertson and get the lads one step closer to that $1,000,000. Then we'll get back to taking our rightful place amongst our domestic brethren.
I can't blame D-Ro for the own goal. Bad luck happens. But usually misfortune isn't a game changer, unless you're not taking care of business elsewhere on the field. As we said way too often last season, and again at the beginning of this season, the Dynamo's weakness is in the final third of the field. If you can't score goals, you'll be susceptible to bad luck; and we have been susceptible these past few weeks.
We generated a lot of chances, which is a good sign. We need to do better with the finishing if we expect to return to form. Good goalkeeping can keep a team in the game, but eventually the odds will work against the miracle worker in the net if you put enough quality shots at him. That's what we need to do. Mambo Seafood donates to charity $100 for each goal scored by the Dynamo. (Mambo has been saving its money big-time these past few games.) Maybe Mambo should collect $100 from each player that sends a shot from within the 18-yard box more than, say, 1 yard above the crossbar. That might eliminate those irritating parabolic, low-orbit shots.
I know, I know: penalizing bad shots will only lead to fewer shots. And that's bad.
So, we're 0-2-1 since the All-Star break. That doesn't speak well for the team in this second half of the season.
And there is a statistic I need to investigate. Have we ever won a game -- or even scored? -- when we had a man advantage and weren't already winning? Just off the top of my head, I know that we lost to KC last season when KC was down a man, we lost to RBNY this season when the Bulls were down a man, and we lost to Colorado tonight. We couldn't score against a 10-man Toronto just before the All-Star game in a match that ended it in a scoreless draw. Can we not score a goal against a short-handed side? And if not, why? What does that say about our weaknesses?
(Versus Chivas on June 21, we faced a 10 man team when we were up 2-0 already, and were able to score 2 more goals after the ejection. So we know that we CAN score versus a 10-man team if we're up by 2 goals already. We've proven that we CAN'T score against a 10-man team if we're tied or behind.)
Thanks to an uncharacteristic comeback by FCD in its match versus the Crew tonight, we're no longer leading the Western Conference. If New England takes care of business tomorrow versus LA, then we'll be in third place in the run for the Supporters' Shield. Our own destiny is no longer in our hands, but we should still be able to take the Supporters' Shield if we return to the form we had in June. With the remaining 9 games we have 27 points available, which would give us an impressive 61 points. (DCU won it last year with 55 points.) Next week we face FCD in Robertson, and that has proven to be a gateway to great runs for us in the past. This hope that trend continues, even while we look for ways to end the trend of losing to the mediocre.
But before we turn the MLS ship around, let's whoop up on Pachuca at Robertson and get the lads one step closer to that $1,000,000. Then we'll get back to taking our rightful place amongst our domestic brethren.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Coaching a Great Club
I've been thinking back to our loss to the last place team last Saturday. There's an old sports adage that says that players are responsible for victories while coaches are responsible for losses. Thus, as with any loss, some lay the blame of the RSL loss at the feet of Dom. To his credit, Dom, himself, took complete responsibility for the loss in his post-match interview.
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Licked by Salt Lake
Despite extreme jet-lag, I managed to stay awake for the entire Dynamo game. Question is: should I have?
I have to say I was extremely worried before the match. Then, during the pre-game, I cringed every time Charlie Pallilo would say "RSL is just plain bad" or "Coach, I suppose you don't expect to be tested much by this" or the dozens of times he mentioned that it was the "Best playing the worst." To me, comments like that just beg the Lords of Karma to amass their armies.
Not long after we heard for the sixth or so time that the Dynamo haven't allowed a goal in the final 15 minutes, while RSL had allowed about 2 dozen over the same period, Barrett mis-touched a ball around E-Ro. Birthday Boy Robbie Findley pounced on the ball and drove into the box. With Cochrane indecisive until too late, Findley was able to slot the ball under Onstad for the game winner. That left us with only 6 minutes of regulation to find the equalizer, and we didn't have the legs, touch, or inspiration to do that.
The goal was flukey, and I thought a bit soft. (Onstad can get those usually.) But it was, unfortunately, a pretty good reflection of how the game went. RSL, which has the worst offense in the league, moved the ball around confidently and maintained possession throughout the game easily. In the back, our defenders seem to have trouble with the "third man running" routine, and RSL seemed to be able to free up a man in our defensive third at will.
Going against one of the worst defenses in the league, Dynamo were able to generate a few threats, but couldn't get into the net. Our flanks were shut down pretty effectively, and our crossing was completely random. When we got into the box, we seemed stumped. Ching and Mulrooney each had opportunities that were completely fluffed (their shots looked more like passes to the keeper). Although I call RSL's goal soft, they could have put the game away much earlier had they not had atrocious finishing themselves. It was truly a sad game to watch from both sides.
But I give the boys credit: they worked hard, just not well. Dom kept trying to generate offense by putting in attacking options for his subs. With our defense gassed, Dom probably should've put Ianni in earlier, perhaps for Cochrane.
So we allowed RSL to double their wins, and we allowed the rest of the Western Conference to stay within reach of us.
I hope to chalk up this loss to being a mere hiccup in the season (and perhaps revenge by the Lords of Karma for our hubris). We need to turn things around with a victory at altitude over Colorado next weekend. This is our chance to show that we aren't suffering another post-international malaise. We've had troubles when facing inferior teams (Toronto, Chicago, and now Salt Lake), but we've got to reverse that trend and snare the full 3 points. Anything less and we keep the rest of the Western Conference too close -- and we might even be overtaken by FCD.
I have to say I was extremely worried before the match. Then, during the pre-game, I cringed every time Charlie Pallilo would say "RSL is just plain bad" or "Coach, I suppose you don't expect to be tested much by this" or the dozens of times he mentioned that it was the "Best playing the worst." To me, comments like that just beg the Lords of Karma to amass their armies.
Not long after we heard for the sixth or so time that the Dynamo haven't allowed a goal in the final 15 minutes, while RSL had allowed about 2 dozen over the same period, Barrett mis-touched a ball around E-Ro. Birthday Boy Robbie Findley pounced on the ball and drove into the box. With Cochrane indecisive until too late, Findley was able to slot the ball under Onstad for the game winner. That left us with only 6 minutes of regulation to find the equalizer, and we didn't have the legs, touch, or inspiration to do that.
The goal was flukey, and I thought a bit soft. (Onstad can get those usually.) But it was, unfortunately, a pretty good reflection of how the game went. RSL, which has the worst offense in the league, moved the ball around confidently and maintained possession throughout the game easily. In the back, our defenders seem to have trouble with the "third man running" routine, and RSL seemed to be able to free up a man in our defensive third at will.
Going against one of the worst defenses in the league, Dynamo were able to generate a few threats, but couldn't get into the net. Our flanks were shut down pretty effectively, and our crossing was completely random. When we got into the box, we seemed stumped. Ching and Mulrooney each had opportunities that were completely fluffed (their shots looked more like passes to the keeper). Although I call RSL's goal soft, they could have put the game away much earlier had they not had atrocious finishing themselves. It was truly a sad game to watch from both sides.
But I give the boys credit: they worked hard, just not well. Dom kept trying to generate offense by putting in attacking options for his subs. With our defense gassed, Dom probably should've put Ianni in earlier, perhaps for Cochrane.
So we allowed RSL to double their wins, and we allowed the rest of the Western Conference to stay within reach of us.
I hope to chalk up this loss to being a mere hiccup in the season (and perhaps revenge by the Lords of Karma for our hubris). We need to turn things around with a victory at altitude over Colorado next weekend. This is our chance to show that we aren't suffering another post-international malaise. We've had troubles when facing inferior teams (Toronto, Chicago, and now Salt Lake), but we've got to reverse that trend and snare the full 3 points. Anything less and we keep the rest of the Western Conference too close -- and we might even be overtaken by FCD.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Catching up on the hometeam
After a whirlwind trip through So-Cal (Houston-Ontario-Temecula-Escondido-San Clemente-Mission Viejo-Santa Ana-Houston), it seems H-Mo has been busy with SuperLiga. On my travels, I was equipped with only a Blackberry and hotel televisions, so I wasn't able to view the games, only the results.
It seems the pattern was thus:
H-Mo vs Club América: Dynamo were very attack-minded, and only the Net Virus that occasionally strikes our favorite team kept the score from being much more one-sided than the 1-0 score, with Jaqua netting the lone goal.
H-Mo vs Morelia: Dynamo (Ngwenya) scores in the first 10 seconds and the team plays a solid first half, then takes the second half off until miscommunication in the back gives Morelia the equalizer, igniting the tired Dynamo again...but the winning goal was not to be found. Stuart Holden plays like a man possessed.
H-Mo vs DC United: In a sluggish performance, Dynamo squeak past their MLS foes to advance to the Semi-Finals. Ching scores the Dynamo's requisite 1 goal for the game.
As I said, I haven't seen any of the games (though I have the first two recorded), so I can't comment on the veracity of the above summaries. I guess I'll have to lurk about bigsoccer.com to see what the general attitude is amongst the fans.
So, undefeated with a 2-0-1 record, Dynamo faces Pachuca in the Semis with an opportunity to avenge their CONCACAF Champions Cup loss. Playing at Robertson and in mid-season form, this is an excellent opportunity for the Orange to advance to the finals and the million dollar prize...assuming that fatigue doesn't get the best of them.
But first things first. Tonight we're in Salt Lake facing ReAL Salt Lake. RSL is at the bottom, and we're at the top, which leads us to the logical conclusion of an inevitable Dynamo victory. But, as we all know, soccer isn't always logical. RSL is hungry and we're tired, so bad things could happen.
At least I get to settle down in my recliner, turn on The Tube, and watch my Orange battle it out after my week-long abstinence from fandom. I'll certainly fight to keep my eyes open (I flew in on the red-eye this morning from California), and hope to be rewarded with another Dynamo victory, which would bring our wins for the season equal to the total for last season: 11.
Go Orange! Keep me awake!
It seems the pattern was thus:
H-Mo vs Club América: Dynamo were very attack-minded, and only the Net Virus that occasionally strikes our favorite team kept the score from being much more one-sided than the 1-0 score, with Jaqua netting the lone goal.
H-Mo vs Morelia: Dynamo (Ngwenya) scores in the first 10 seconds and the team plays a solid first half, then takes the second half off until miscommunication in the back gives Morelia the equalizer, igniting the tired Dynamo again...but the winning goal was not to be found. Stuart Holden plays like a man possessed.
H-Mo vs DC United: In a sluggish performance, Dynamo squeak past their MLS foes to advance to the Semi-Finals. Ching scores the Dynamo's requisite 1 goal for the game.
As I said, I haven't seen any of the games (though I have the first two recorded), so I can't comment on the veracity of the above summaries. I guess I'll have to lurk about bigsoccer.com to see what the general attitude is amongst the fans.
So, undefeated with a 2-0-1 record, Dynamo faces Pachuca in the Semis with an opportunity to avenge their CONCACAF Champions Cup loss. Playing at Robertson and in mid-season form, this is an excellent opportunity for the Orange to advance to the finals and the million dollar prize...assuming that fatigue doesn't get the best of them.
But first things first. Tonight we're in Salt Lake facing ReAL Salt Lake. RSL is at the bottom, and we're at the top, which leads us to the logical conclusion of an inevitable Dynamo victory. But, as we all know, soccer isn't always logical. RSL is hungry and we're tired, so bad things could happen.
At least I get to settle down in my recliner, turn on The Tube, and watch my Orange battle it out after my week-long abstinence from fandom. I'll certainly fight to keep my eyes open (I flew in on the red-eye this morning from California), and hope to be rewarded with another Dynamo victory, which would bring our wins for the season equal to the total for last season: 11.
Go Orange! Keep me awake!
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