Lots of good stuff going on with the Orange, so much so that I've not blogged. I've been trotting around enjoying other blogs though, leaving my opinions sprinkled about as I go. It's a good time to be a Dynamo fan ... and a US fan for that matter. The US has had its ups and downs, but the Dynamo are undefeated since my last post...maybe I shouldn't post...
To recap what's happened since my last post:
May 23 - We said "See Ya!" to Nick Garcia and his fellow Quakes. Nick was impotent and proven to be the "mental midget" as the MIO crushed the Quakes 3-1. Ching scored in the 4th, Kamara in the 12th, Waibel (!) in the 50th, and San Jose's Johnson (assist by Cam Weaver) in the 53rd.
May 27 - The Dynamo pick up Dominic Oduro from the Red Bulls. Oduro spent 2006-2008 with FC Dallas.
May 30 - DeRo comes to town for the only time this season. Davis-Kamara-Holden each score a goal from minute 20 to minute 24, and Hainault and Onstad are the only Canucks with three points after the 3-0 victory.
June 1ish - Clark leaves for the USMNT, where he plays in a WCQ 2-1 win over Honduras, then the Confederation Cup Tournament in South Africa. Ching departs as well, but comes back injured before the WCQ match.
June 5 - The MIO travel to Chicago. Holden scored in the 3rd minute, but the Dynamo are mostly outplayed and concede numerous chances, but the lone goal stands and they leave with 3 points. (Chris Wondolowski came on in the 75th minute in what turned out to be his final game as a MIO.)
June 7 - Cam Weaver sits on the bench in Dallas as San Jose leaves with a 2-2 draw. Six days later Cam would return in Orange and score a brace.
June 8 - Cam Weaver comes to Houston from San Jose, while Orange Reserve mainstay Chris Wondolowski heads home to San Jose. We wish Wondo well with the Quakes.
June 9 - San Jose say "C'ya" to Nick Garcia and ship him to The Great White North.
June 10 - Chivas USA comes to town and is completely out-classed, but we eke out only a 1-0 victory...but at least it's a victory. Holden gets the goal, with Cam Weaver getting the assist in his first game as a MIO. It was a nice flick-on from an Onstad goal kick in the final minute of the first half, and it fell in front of a streaking Holden who side-stepped the goalie and slotted the lone goal in. Cam Weaver also got a legit goal, but it was illegitimately called off for being offside (which he wasn't). Luckily we didn't need the goal, but it hurt Cam's stats.
June 13 - Pooped from the arduous Chivas match three days before, the Dynamo travel to Frisco to face an inspired Dallas. The ex-Burn played perhaps their best match, but the Dynamo, led by our new Cam Weaver's 2 goals and a blistering shot from distance by Mulrooney, go up 3-0 before conceding a late goal to leave with a 3-1 win, 3 points, and El Capitan. My wife and I were able to enjoy this at the Dynamo viewing party at the Hooters on Kirby.
June 20 - It was a weird match all in all when RSL came to town. There was an early injury to Waibel that caused him to be subbed out 7 minutes into the game, a water break for the teams around the 25th minute, an OG by Bobby Boswell 50 seconds after the restart, an OG by RSL that was called off because Hainault was offside on the freekick (but was he part of the play?), to a free kick pass-back to the RSL keeper that Rimando picked up but the ref allowed the kick to be retaken, to a halftime substitute that brought in Ching (has Dom ever made 2 subs by the 46th minute? Or even the 60th minute?) to a red card to RSL's Olave for a stupid delay of game when he had a yellow already, to a missed PK by Brad Davis, to a late brilliant play by Ching to fly through the air to score and give us 1 point. There were highlights: such as in the 13th minute when the Dynamo had six 1-touch passes among 4 people to set Kamara up with a fast break from the left side. Also in the 87th, second half sub Ching (who had been out with an injury since the Toronto match) made a long pass from the center to Mullan on the right, then sprinted up the middle for Mullan's return cross, skying in the air and driving the ball into the net to give his side the tie they so desperately earned but looked to have been denied. There were also lowlights (beside the reffing): the 16 uncontested passes by RSL after the water break, then a cross and a backheel pass that led to a poor shot on goal that Boswell knocked in with his knee.
So now the Dynamo are alone in the Supporters' Shield position, and Dom is set to coach the MLS All Star Team versus Everton.
Tomorrow, we venture to LaLa Land to face the Galaxy without Hainault (Canadian National Team), Waibel (injury), Barrett (injury), and Clark (USMNT). Hopefully our cobbled-together defense can hold off LA's weak offense...
Go Dynamo!
Showing posts with label Ching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ching. Show all posts
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sunday, May 03, 2009
The first trademarked Dynamo win of 2009
The Dynamo have their first winning streak of the season after finally beating the New England Revolution at Foxboro. Holden scored from distance in the first half (via an uncharacteristic howler from Matt Reis letting the ball squirt under him and through his legs) then a patented Ching Snap-Header(TM) from a Davis corner kick in the second half sealed the deal. Add another Dynamo Clean Sheet(R) and you've got the first typical Dynamo win of the season.
Some among you would argue that last week's win versus Colorado was the first vintage Dynamo win because it involved (1) only one goal, (2) which was a [freakin' awesome] header by Ching, (3) from a cross by Davis, (4) coupled with a clean sheet, (5) in a home game, (6) on natural grass. I can't really argue with that list, but that game felt a like it involved a little luck (the cynics among you saying, "That's reason #7!") what with Onstad making several superhuman saves, none more important than the PK and successive point-blank shot.
What I liked about today's game was that we looked more like the aggressor even though we were the visiting team. Sure we were helped by the Revs missing several starters (been there), but even with their starters, Coach Nicol tends to play an ugly anti-soccer anyway. The gaffe by Reis to open up the scoring should have changed the complexion of the game. Usually the visitor bunkers in (New England, I'm looking at you!) and the home team becoms the aggressor. Instead, the Revs didn't get their first shot on goal until two-thirds of the game had passed.
It's good to get successive 3-points. That puts us only 11 points from the conference leaders, Chivas USA. Uh, 11 points back six games in? Oh. Well, at least we're gaining some ground.
Other highlight from the Revs game: seeing Andrew Hainault mesh with the back line to get the clean sheet, and seeing Ade Akinbiyi get some time with the team. Hainault saw more than a half of action and did very well. We didn't see much from Ade, given that he played only 5 minutes; but it was good to see him on the field. He looks strong.
Stadium News
The Chronicle has an article on the latest stadium developments.
This sounds good:
As for the stage, it had better be removable. I want the stadium to look like a stadium and nothing else. It should have wrap-around seating so that there is no place for the opponent to find peace away from the partisan Orange fans. The worst stadium development to happen in the past few years is when the Columbus Crew removed seats to install an ugly, permanent, dead zone so they could bring in a few concerts a year. This is not a soccer-specific stadium; it's a soccer-when-it's-convenient stadium. And it's not what we need or want for Houston.
I speak for all of Houston, by the way.
Some among you would argue that last week's win versus Colorado was the first vintage Dynamo win because it involved (1) only one goal, (2) which was a [freakin' awesome] header by Ching, (3) from a cross by Davis, (4) coupled with a clean sheet, (5) in a home game, (6) on natural grass. I can't really argue with that list, but that game felt a like it involved a little luck (the cynics among you saying, "That's reason #7!") what with Onstad making several superhuman saves, none more important than the PK and successive point-blank shot.
What I liked about today's game was that we looked more like the aggressor even though we were the visiting team. Sure we were helped by the Revs missing several starters (been there), but even with their starters, Coach Nicol tends to play an ugly anti-soccer anyway. The gaffe by Reis to open up the scoring should have changed the complexion of the game. Usually the visitor bunkers in (New England, I'm looking at you!) and the home team becoms the aggressor. Instead, the Revs didn't get their first shot on goal until two-thirds of the game had passed.
It's good to get successive 3-points. That puts us only 11 points from the conference leaders, Chivas USA. Uh, 11 points back six games in? Oh. Well, at least we're gaining some ground.
Other highlight from the Revs game: seeing Andrew Hainault mesh with the back line to get the clean sheet, and seeing Ade Akinbiyi get some time with the team. Hainault saw more than a half of action and did very well. We didn't see much from Ade, given that he played only 5 minutes; but it was good to see him on the field. He looks strong.
Stadium News
The Chronicle has an article on the latest stadium developments.
This sounds good:
They envision an all-round two-level, all-seater venue with 34 suites, 86 concession point-of-sales, a 3,000 square-foot club level and a party deck on the southeast corner.This doesn't:
Plans also call for at least one canopy (west stands).... The field would be 13 feet below street level. The first seating level would be set on concrete, with aluminum for the upper level.
A slick, intimate, futuristic-looking building with orange accents.I suppose stadium-beggars can't be choosers but I would rather have something architecturally similar to the nearby Minute Maid Park. It would be something timeless that would look contemporary, but with classical, vernacular elements that say "this is part of Houston's roots." Something slick and futuristic soon looks dated and cheap, like the Astrodome or Disney's Tomorrowland. It also looks like a flash-in-the-pan.
Plans also call for ... a stage (permanent or removable) on the south end.
As for the stage, it had better be removable. I want the stadium to look like a stadium and nothing else. It should have wrap-around seating so that there is no place for the opponent to find peace away from the partisan Orange fans. The worst stadium development to happen in the past few years is when the Columbus Crew removed seats to install an ugly, permanent, dead zone so they could bring in a few concerts a year. This is not a soccer-specific stadium; it's a soccer-when-it's-convenient stadium. And it's not what we need or want for Houston.
I speak for all of Houston, by the way.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The blah goes on...
RBNY came to town but little soccer was played.
Most irritating moment: The 36th minute when Ching (who might have been offside anyway) was 1 on 1 with a cold, newbie keeper and decided to chip the keeper, but didn't adjust his touch accordingly. I see that in youth soccer too often -- players who don't realize that you have to adjust your shooting power when you're going for the crafty arc; but should we see such things from professional soccer players?
Most cynical moment: When RBNY went down to 10 men, I said to my wife, "There goes our only chance to win the game. No goals from here on out." She knows my aggravation at the Orange's inability to break down a 10-man bunkered team.
Most despairing moment: When the game ended, and we hadn't gotten a single goal, and we were left with a lousy point that doubled our total and kept us down with the cellar-dwellers. No wins so far. Ten of twelve points lost thus far.
Most amusing moment: When Coach Osario tried to taunt the fans with his 3-0 hand gestures at the end of the game. Passion like that can be cool when you see it in players; it just looks sad and unprofessional when a coach does it. I knew the coach was a micromanager who, primarily because of the hubris of his micromanaging, is one of the worst gameday coaches out there; but the childish taunting made him look bush-league to boot. It also makes it look like he lives in the past, which should be worrisome to RBNY fans. They should be pleased with the away point they got tonight though.
Here's hoping that Cepero is okay and JP Angel gets his scoring touch back. The League is better when its stars are performing. Here's also hoping that the Orange get their scoring touch, that they find a new MLS star in Ade, and that they start playing complete games and earning complete points. Enough with the malaise! Sheesh, already!
Most irritating moment: The 36th minute when Ching (who might have been offside anyway) was 1 on 1 with a cold, newbie keeper and decided to chip the keeper, but didn't adjust his touch accordingly. I see that in youth soccer too often -- players who don't realize that you have to adjust your shooting power when you're going for the crafty arc; but should we see such things from professional soccer players?
Most cynical moment: When RBNY went down to 10 men, I said to my wife, "There goes our only chance to win the game. No goals from here on out." She knows my aggravation at the Orange's inability to break down a 10-man bunkered team.
Most despairing moment: When the game ended, and we hadn't gotten a single goal, and we were left with a lousy point that doubled our total and kept us down with the cellar-dwellers. No wins so far. Ten of twelve points lost thus far.
Most amusing moment: When Coach Osario tried to taunt the fans with his 3-0 hand gestures at the end of the game. Passion like that can be cool when you see it in players; it just looks sad and unprofessional when a coach does it. I knew the coach was a micromanager who, primarily because of the hubris of his micromanaging, is one of the worst gameday coaches out there; but the childish taunting made him look bush-league to boot. It also makes it look like he lives in the past, which should be worrisome to RBNY fans. They should be pleased with the away point they got tonight though.
Here's hoping that Cepero is okay and JP Angel gets his scoring touch back. The League is better when its stars are performing. Here's also hoping that the Orange get their scoring touch, that they find a new MLS star in Ade, and that they start playing complete games and earning complete points. Enough with the malaise! Sheesh, already!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Another blah beginning
The Dynamo are now 3 games into their fourth season and still searching for a win...just like last season! We're alongside fellow winless clubs FC Dallas and LA Galaxy from the West, and from the East last year's MLS Cup opponents: Columbus and RBNY. In fact, going back to last season and the CONCACAF tournament, Dynamo-Houston has won only once in their last 11 matches, and have lost five of those 11.
The results of the past three MLS matches have each been irritating in their own particular way: we gave up the equalizer very late in our home opener, we got two goals against San Jose and couldn't get even a point out of it, and we conceded a goal vs an average DC squad and were shut out even after United went down a man. (Being shut out versus a 10-man squad is a Dynamo tradition, unfortunately.)
The team isn't playing particularly poorly, but they are leaking goals at an un-Dynamolike pace. We are very slow in the back, except for the virtually untested Julius James, who has yet to mesh with the starting 11. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see James play this weekend when we face RBNY and the speedster, Dane Richards, who virtually single-handedly tore us up and kicked us out of the MLS Cup playoffs last season.
So we'll just wait this one out before we start panicking. We have faith in Dom; he's bound to get this team on the right course or make the changes necessary to at least get us into the post-season. We're excited about the potential Ade Akinbiyi has for this team in a league such as this. We're confident in Stuart Holden's ability to assume DeRo's mantle; he has the chops and he's comfortable with the team, and he's bound to be better than an aging and disgruntled DeRo would have been had he stayed. Plus we have some pretty capable players all around – Boswell, Clark, Ching, Davis, Mullen....
In the media:
J Hutcherson likens Houston's post-championship rebuilding to those of DC's past. He questions how Akinbiyi will help the team, but has good things to say about Ching. Courtesy of television angles, most fans not seeing him in person miss what Ching can bring to a squad. He's one of the few players in MLS that trends towards the smart play from the opening to the 90th minute. He'll play himself out of an attacking move if he sees a better option.
Last month, Goal.com had a preview of the Dynamo season. Nothing particularly new there. They have a fairly optimistic, though safe, prediction that Houston should fare well in the Western Conference, but I wonder if they are more pessimistic now after the recent results. Reporters always seem to place significant importance on the first few games of any season, and most seem to shift their opinions after even the briefest of trends.
Closer to home, Fanblogger Lark was a bit cynical after the home opener, and with good reason. He even used the "C" word, a title that Houston sports fans know too well.
The results of the past three MLS matches have each been irritating in their own particular way: we gave up the equalizer very late in our home opener, we got two goals against San Jose and couldn't get even a point out of it, and we conceded a goal vs an average DC squad and were shut out even after United went down a man. (Being shut out versus a 10-man squad is a Dynamo tradition, unfortunately.)
The team isn't playing particularly poorly, but they are leaking goals at an un-Dynamolike pace. We are very slow in the back, except for the virtually untested Julius James, who has yet to mesh with the starting 11. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see James play this weekend when we face RBNY and the speedster, Dane Richards, who virtually single-handedly tore us up and kicked us out of the MLS Cup playoffs last season.
So we'll just wait this one out before we start panicking. We have faith in Dom; he's bound to get this team on the right course or make the changes necessary to at least get us into the post-season. We're excited about the potential Ade Akinbiyi has for this team in a league such as this. We're confident in Stuart Holden's ability to assume DeRo's mantle; he has the chops and he's comfortable with the team, and he's bound to be better than an aging and disgruntled DeRo would have been had he stayed. Plus we have some pretty capable players all around – Boswell, Clark, Ching, Davis, Mullen....
In the media:
J Hutcherson likens Houston's post-championship rebuilding to those of DC's past. He questions how Akinbiyi will help the team, but has good things to say about Ching. Courtesy of television angles, most fans not seeing him in person miss what Ching can bring to a squad. He's one of the few players in MLS that trends towards the smart play from the opening to the 90th minute. He'll play himself out of an attacking move if he sees a better option.
Last month, Goal.com had a preview of the Dynamo season. Nothing particularly new there. They have a fairly optimistic, though safe, prediction that Houston should fare well in the Western Conference, but I wonder if they are more pessimistic now after the recent results. Reporters always seem to place significant importance on the first few games of any season, and most seem to shift their opinions after even the briefest of trends.
Closer to home, Fanblogger Lark was a bit cynical after the home opener, and with good reason. He even used the "C" word, a title that Houston sports fans know too well.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Playing catch up
The lack of blogging isn't due to my lack of attention to the world of soccer. On the contrary, so much has been going on (in the MLS, World Cup Qualifying, and my efforts to be a decent coach for my son's youth team), that I haven't made time to write.
But here I am. Since my last writing, the Dynamo have been very active.
They beat Colorado in Denver (Recap) behind 2 goals from Ching (he had a saved PK that would've given him the hat trick) and a sweet shot from afar by Rico. The win ensured the Dynamo clinched a playoff spot.
Midweek, in CONCACAF play, DeRo earned 3 points for the Orange with a brilliant game winner in the 88th minute. (Recap.) It looked like San Francisco FC of Panama was going to escape from Houston with a point. It would have been unjust, but poor finishing was killing the MIO. (We had 20 shots to Fr'isco's 6.) The night saw several young guns making their mark. Corey Ashe had perhaps his best game ever as he tore up the left flank and showed strong runs and solid crosses. Caig was a surprise starter in goal, and his poor positioning off his line (in yet another match) allowed the Panamanians to equalize early in the 2nd half with an outstanding lob. Chabala did well at right back, but could stand some practice making crosses when his legs are tired late. Wondo had a goal and nearly another (a chip that hit the post, and then the followup went wide as it was borne of frustration than of steely intent to finish). Kyle Brown was a surprising sub. But the game changed when the veteran, DeRo, came in at the 78th minute. He energized the team and seemed to make things happen.
His goal was good in and of itself, but what he did to get himself into that position is what was truly amazing. In the 88th minute, a long pass by Barrett to DeRo was intercepted and the ball ended up at Blanco's feet (no, not THE Blanco). Blanco began dribbling towards the halfway line, but DeRo came up from behind, deftly stepped between Blanco and the ball, and cleanly stole away and reversed course. Given time and space on the fringe of the attacking third, DeRo was like a kid at Christmas and unleashed a bending rocket that flat-footed the goalkeeper and iced the game. DeRo had been in the game all of 10 minutes.
Later in the week, the US Men's Team booked passage into the next round of WCQ with an easy win over an overmatched (and undermanned) Cuba. (Recap.) I feel for the Cuban players. Ching scored a goal after the match had already been decided. (His goal was a header of a Kljestan cross that Ching knocked in...but he was in a gaggle with 2 other US players so it would have been knocked in had Ching not been at the vanguard of the group). The most exciting part of the match for me was the introduction of José Francisco Torres of Pachuca into the USMNT rotation. (Quotes.) Maybe it's just pie-eyed dreams, but I hope that Torres is part of the future that builds a better technically skilled and creative USMNT culture. A guy can dream.
Ives has some observations about the game. Ives also had a good treatise on the worth Ching brings to the USMNT. The article is followed by amusing drivel -- for the most part -- chundered by the blogging community. It's amusing partly because the comments are so predictable, and partly because they are naive for the most part. As one matures, one realizes that there is not just one kind of forward, but many types that have value depending on the system and the team. Ching simply makes the players around him more productive. In other words: Ching makes the team better. That's a good thing. 'Nuff said.
Tonight, the week finished with a boring scoreless draw between a mediocre DC United team and a Dynamo team bereft of ideas. (Recap.) The result earned the Columbus Crew the Supporters' Shield.
The MIO wore all-white tonight as part of a charity effort to help raise funds as part of the reconstruction after Hurricane Ike. The team also honored first responders and their role in helping with the storm recovery.
The game was filled with half-chances. Geoff Cameron was an early 2nd half sub despite being listed as "Out" due to hamstring issues. He came in for Holden who knocked heads in the DC penalty box and got a golf-ball size lump on his forehead...yikes! Ashe was the other sub. He came on with only 10 minutes remaining, so it took him a while to get into the groove, but once he got into a rhythm, he delivered some nice crosses from the left.
It's been a long month for the Dynamo, but the traveling is over for the time being. Hopefully the MIO can re-energize themselves, recapture the (healthy) passion (not the anger-management-issue-laden passion that ERob shows before drawing needless Yellows), and do what needs to be done to get the third consecutive MLS Cup.
Go Dynamo!
But here I am. Since my last writing, the Dynamo have been very active.
They beat Colorado in Denver (Recap) behind 2 goals from Ching (he had a saved PK that would've given him the hat trick) and a sweet shot from afar by Rico. The win ensured the Dynamo clinched a playoff spot.
Midweek, in CONCACAF play, DeRo earned 3 points for the Orange with a brilliant game winner in the 88th minute. (Recap.) It looked like San Francisco FC of Panama was going to escape from Houston with a point. It would have been unjust, but poor finishing was killing the MIO. (We had 20 shots to Fr'isco's 6.) The night saw several young guns making their mark. Corey Ashe had perhaps his best game ever as he tore up the left flank and showed strong runs and solid crosses. Caig was a surprise starter in goal, and his poor positioning off his line (in yet another match) allowed the Panamanians to equalize early in the 2nd half with an outstanding lob. Chabala did well at right back, but could stand some practice making crosses when his legs are tired late. Wondo had a goal and nearly another (a chip that hit the post, and then the followup went wide as it was borne of frustration than of steely intent to finish). Kyle Brown was a surprising sub. But the game changed when the veteran, DeRo, came in at the 78th minute. He energized the team and seemed to make things happen.
His goal was good in and of itself, but what he did to get himself into that position is what was truly amazing. In the 88th minute, a long pass by Barrett to DeRo was intercepted and the ball ended up at Blanco's feet (no, not THE Blanco). Blanco began dribbling towards the halfway line, but DeRo came up from behind, deftly stepped between Blanco and the ball, and cleanly stole away and reversed course. Given time and space on the fringe of the attacking third, DeRo was like a kid at Christmas and unleashed a bending rocket that flat-footed the goalkeeper and iced the game. DeRo had been in the game all of 10 minutes.
Later in the week, the US Men's Team booked passage into the next round of WCQ with an easy win over an overmatched (and undermanned) Cuba. (Recap.) I feel for the Cuban players. Ching scored a goal after the match had already been decided. (His goal was a header of a Kljestan cross that Ching knocked in...but he was in a gaggle with 2 other US players so it would have been knocked in had Ching not been at the vanguard of the group). The most exciting part of the match for me was the introduction of José Francisco Torres of Pachuca into the USMNT rotation. (Quotes.) Maybe it's just pie-eyed dreams, but I hope that Torres is part of the future that builds a better technically skilled and creative USMNT culture. A guy can dream.
Ives has some observations about the game. Ives also had a good treatise on the worth Ching brings to the USMNT. The article is followed by amusing drivel -- for the most part -- chundered by the blogging community. It's amusing partly because the comments are so predictable, and partly because they are naive for the most part. As one matures, one realizes that there is not just one kind of forward, but many types that have value depending on the system and the team. Ching simply makes the players around him more productive. In other words: Ching makes the team better. That's a good thing. 'Nuff said.
Tonight, the week finished with a boring scoreless draw between a mediocre DC United team and a Dynamo team bereft of ideas. (Recap.) The result earned the Columbus Crew the Supporters' Shield.
The MIO wore all-white tonight as part of a charity effort to help raise funds as part of the reconstruction after Hurricane Ike. The team also honored first responders and their role in helping with the storm recovery.
The game was filled with half-chances. Geoff Cameron was an early 2nd half sub despite being listed as "Out" due to hamstring issues. He came in for Holden who knocked heads in the DC penalty box and got a golf-ball size lump on his forehead...yikes! Ashe was the other sub. He came on with only 10 minutes remaining, so it took him a while to get into the groove, but once he got into a rhythm, he delivered some nice crosses from the left.
It's been a long month for the Dynamo, but the traveling is over for the time being. Hopefully the MIO can re-energize themselves, recapture the (healthy) passion (not the anger-management-issue-laden passion that ERob shows before drawing needless Yellows), and do what needs to be done to get the third consecutive MLS Cup.
Go Dynamo!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Between Quake events, and After the Hurricane
I hope Hurricane Ike has had as minimal of an impact as possible on you, your family, and your property. As for me and my household, we lost several tree limbs but had no property damage. We are still without power, but we have water and gas, so we can cook on our gas stove and take comfortable showers with our gas water heater. If the cool front hadn't come through, we'd be absolutely miserable without air conditioning, but the weather has complied to make for pleasant evenings. We count ourselves very lucky and hope you can do the same.
(One of my neighbors stated that God gives us these challenges to help us grow and to test us. I replied that God must have a low opinion of my character under duress, because He went easy on us this time. Or maybe He thought we already had our hurricane test since we lost everything to Hurricane Andrew when I was a newlywed young Ensign stationed on Homestead AFB. Either way, I'm grateful for the minor inconvenience we've experienced this time.)
Still no power at home, but at work we have power. You might surmise that this means that I'm spending work time on personal blogging. I will not confirm or deny that.
I missed the Dynamo-Earthquake match this past weekend. (Official Recap.) We had no power at the time, and while I could've listened to it on the radio, I was actually asleep on the couch having stayed up most of the night watching the storm and spent most of the morning keeping our street gutters free of debris to prevent street flooding. I watched the highlights, though, and they suggest that we were lucky to leave San Jose with a point. We may have had better possession (I can't tell from the highlights) and may have been unlucky to not convert a few more of our chances, but the Earthquakes had several 1-on-1 shots on goal that weren't converted. After a botched header by ERob, Onstad made two desperate point-blank saves in a row in the first half. Not long after, Onstad displayed more heroics on another point-blank shot. In the second half, a point-blank header found Barrett's chest at the goal line. In fact, Ronnie O'Brien's goal that opened up the scoring in the 50th minute -- a blistering shot from just outside our box, taken from Onstad's left and ending up in the far right netting -- was more difficult than these four shots that Onstad and Barrett saved.
Of course, we had our chances too. And how about the spunk shown by Ching after he scored the equalizer, when he ran over to remind the feisty Earthquake fans where their 2 stars came from? Reading Ives' blog, at least one Quake fan thought that was a classless display and has decided to instantly despise his former hero. I think Ching was merely responding in kind; it was defiance to counter spitefulness and it was only directed at the fans who were spouting vitriol, not to the fans who were merely supporting their (new) players.
ERob got ejected yet again, this time for getting two yellow cards. From what I could see, though, ERob's second yellow came when he was fouled from behind. Either I missed something or the ref completely blew the call. Or both.
We now have 39 points, 6 points away from the Supporters' Shield that I want so badly. We only have 6 games to make up the difference, and the next match is versus the very same Earthquakes this Saturday. With the generous post-Ike deal sponsored by the Dynamo and the University of Houston (free parking? free tickets for kids under 14? $10 adult tickets? Wow!) we hope to see a big turnout to root for the Dynamo, hope to equalize the Quake series (now at 0-1-1), and hope to get to 42 points (10 less than last year's final total, only 4 less than 2006's final total).
UPDATE: No game and no deal this Saturday, at the request of the City of Houston. This is going to really cram the Dynamo's remaining schedule, and the make up date falls on a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match day for the US and Canada. The media notes that the postponement could hurt the Earthquakes' momentum, but do we care?
Go Dynamo! (And take care out there, fellow Texans!)
(One of my neighbors stated that God gives us these challenges to help us grow and to test us. I replied that God must have a low opinion of my character under duress, because He went easy on us this time. Or maybe He thought we already had our hurricane test since we lost everything to Hurricane Andrew when I was a newlywed young Ensign stationed on Homestead AFB. Either way, I'm grateful for the minor inconvenience we've experienced this time.)
Still no power at home, but at work we have power. You might surmise that this means that I'm spending work time on personal blogging. I will not confirm or deny that.
I missed the Dynamo-Earthquake match this past weekend. (Official Recap.) We had no power at the time, and while I could've listened to it on the radio, I was actually asleep on the couch having stayed up most of the night watching the storm and spent most of the morning keeping our street gutters free of debris to prevent street flooding. I watched the highlights, though, and they suggest that we were lucky to leave San Jose with a point. We may have had better possession (I can't tell from the highlights) and may have been unlucky to not convert a few more of our chances, but the Earthquakes had several 1-on-1 shots on goal that weren't converted. After a botched header by ERob, Onstad made two desperate point-blank saves in a row in the first half. Not long after, Onstad displayed more heroics on another point-blank shot. In the second half, a point-blank header found Barrett's chest at the goal line. In fact, Ronnie O'Brien's goal that opened up the scoring in the 50th minute -- a blistering shot from just outside our box, taken from Onstad's left and ending up in the far right netting -- was more difficult than these four shots that Onstad and Barrett saved.
Of course, we had our chances too. And how about the spunk shown by Ching after he scored the equalizer, when he ran over to remind the feisty Earthquake fans where their 2 stars came from? Reading Ives' blog, at least one Quake fan thought that was a classless display and has decided to instantly despise his former hero. I think Ching was merely responding in kind; it was defiance to counter spitefulness and it was only directed at the fans who were spouting vitriol, not to the fans who were merely supporting their (new) players.
ERob got ejected yet again, this time for getting two yellow cards. From what I could see, though, ERob's second yellow came when he was fouled from behind. Either I missed something or the ref completely blew the call. Or both.
We now have 39 points, 6 points away from the Supporters' Shield that I want so badly. We only have 6 games to make up the difference
UPDATE: No game and no deal this Saturday, at the request of the City of Houston. This is going to really cram the Dynamo's remaining schedule, and the make up date falls on a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match day for the US and Canada. The media notes that the postponement could hurt the Earthquakes' momentum, but do we care?
Go Dynamo! (And take care out there, fellow Texans!)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Win vs Soca Warriors gives us 9 pts in 3 games
Nice game by the Americans, though I think our job was made easier by a timid (whether through mentality or personnel availability) T&T team. Recap.
Ives has a take on Brian Ching. He isn't a goal-machine, and he isn't making anybody forget Brian McBride, but he can still serve a purpose on this team. Some folks get caught up in him being a target forward and thinking that the current U.S. team isn't equipped to provide service from the flanks to make Ching effective. This ignores the fact that Ching is better with the ball at his feet that some realize, and he's great at holding up the ball for teammates to make runs off him. The job should eventually fall to a player like Jozy Altidore, but for now, Ching doesn't do a bad job.
Jeff Carlisle gives both of the Dynamo boys a "5" rating:
[Ching's] hold-up play was typically solid, and he deserves credit for being well-placed to score his goal. But for the most part, his play in the box was subpar, in that he either failed to convert some clear chances or wandered offside.
[Clark's] fresh legs were certainly needed, but his overall performance was erratic, as some sharp passes were mixed in with some careless giveaways.
I didn't see many of Clark's giveaways, maybe because I was doing other things at that point in the game, I guess. I did see his diving header that almost resulted in a goal.
As for Ching, I think Carlisle's rating was a little low (for Ching contributed greatly to the win through his holdup play), but it WAS irritating to see his missed opportunities and the lack of awareness that resulted in several inopportune offside calls.
And that reminds me that we might be lucky to have won 3-0. The replays of the first goal sure suggest that Ching and Bradley were still offside at the time that Donovan struck the free kick -- great outside of the foot volley by Bradley though. The replays of the second goal show that it began with a turnover when the ball hit off Gooch's arm -- great through ball by Beasley and strike by Dempsey though. The last goal was a gimme for Ching, but it may have been the only goal that wasn't tainted by a foul or offside. (John Harkes initially said that he thought Ching was offside, but replays show the Hawaiian clearly wasn't.)
Nevertheless, we took the 3 points and it was well deserved. Bob Bradley may feel more comfortable now, so he might stop playing conservatively and starts looking at experimenting a little. Maybe the USMNT will feel loose enough to play joga bonito style soccer...
Good luck with Hurricane Ike, everyone!
And go Dynamo! (I hope we have power to watch your game vs San Jose on Saturday.)
Ives has a take on Brian Ching. He isn't a goal-machine, and he isn't making anybody forget Brian McBride, but he can still serve a purpose on this team. Some folks get caught up in him being a target forward and thinking that the current U.S. team isn't equipped to provide service from the flanks to make Ching effective. This ignores the fact that Ching is better with the ball at his feet that some realize, and he's great at holding up the ball for teammates to make runs off him. The job should eventually fall to a player like Jozy Altidore, but for now, Ching doesn't do a bad job.
Jeff Carlisle gives both of the Dynamo boys a "5" rating:
[Ching's] hold-up play was typically solid, and he deserves credit for being well-placed to score his goal. But for the most part, his play in the box was subpar, in that he either failed to convert some clear chances or wandered offside.
[Clark's] fresh legs were certainly needed, but his overall performance was erratic, as some sharp passes were mixed in with some careless giveaways.
I didn't see many of Clark's giveaways, maybe because I was doing other things at that point in the game, I guess. I did see his diving header that almost resulted in a goal.
As for Ching, I think Carlisle's rating was a little low (for Ching contributed greatly to the win through his holdup play), but it WAS irritating to see his missed opportunities and the lack of awareness that resulted in several inopportune offside calls.
And that reminds me that we might be lucky to have won 3-0. The replays of the first goal sure suggest that Ching and Bradley were still offside at the time that Donovan struck the free kick -- great outside of the foot volley by Bradley though. The replays of the second goal show that it began with a turnover when the ball hit off Gooch's arm -- great through ball by Beasley and strike by Dempsey though. The last goal was a gimme for Ching, but it may have been the only goal that wasn't tainted by a foul or offside. (John Harkes initially said that he thought Ching was offside, but replays show the Hawaiian clearly wasn't.)
Nevertheless, we took the 3 points and it was well deserved. Bob Bradley may feel more comfortable now, so he might stop playing conservatively and starts looking at experimenting a little. Maybe the USMNT will feel loose enough to play joga bonito style soccer...
Good luck with Hurricane Ike, everyone!
And go Dynamo! (I hope we have power to watch your game vs San Jose on Saturday.)
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Keeping the points a-coming
Two sweet goals in the first half, and another stellar performance by Onstad (among others), gave the Dynamo their first win over the Crew at Robertson. (Game recap. More on the win.)
First, know that it was hot. Mostly that was thanks to the humidity. I don't think the heat and humidity helped us as much last night though; it seemed that being a goal behind got the Crew motivated. They had some very good stretches of play once we scored, and they would have scored had Onstad not been his uber-goalkeeping self. The "Hardhats" looked particularly good in the second half, but the humidity (and the Crew's early subs mandated by injuries) probably did help late in that they didn't look dangerous after the 80th minute or so.
The first goal by Davis in the 13th minute came from a nice feed from Mullan. The ball bounced a bit on Davis' first touch (blame the uneven turf on that one), giving Davis the perfect opportunity to turn and blast a blistering half-volley into the upper left net. "It was good to be able to come out tonight and contribute with a goal. That was a great pass from Brian (Mullan) and the team got three points. That is the most important thing right now. I have had some chances recently with posts and crossbars, but it went my tonight."
In the 43rd, Ching hit a low rocket after Clark sent a through ball to Nate Jaqua in the box. Jaqua was closed down quickly and couldn't turn, but left a nice step-over layoff to Ching who sent his shot low and to the left, through the defender's legs, and into the net as the GK, WillFerrell Hesmer, dove the wrong way.
As with the Pachuca match, there was some controversy on the field: what's with the new Dynamo Girl uniforms? They looked almost modest! My wife approves.
Cool article alert! Richard Justice must've been at the game, or maybe he attended the Pachuca game, because he has a great article on the Men In Orange. It's a great soccer article from a non-soccer sports journalist. Links to newspaper articles sometimes break over time, so here are a few quotes for posterity:
Now let's hope we can take care of business this Tuesday versus New England and bring home our first international trophy. The Revs can't beat us THREE games in one season, can they? CAN THEY?
(Meanwhile, a New England fan is thinking "The Dynamo can't beat us THREE championships in a row, can they? CAN THEY?" Lords of Destiny hear me out: Each season sees a slightly different group wearing the jersey of a club, so a Dynamo win wouldn't have the same players beating the same players three times in a row, even if there are quite a few returning core players. However, a Revolution win would (basically) have the same players beating the same players thrice in a row. We can't have that, okay?)
Go Dynamo!
First, know that it was hot. Mostly that was thanks to the humidity. I don't think the heat and humidity helped us as much last night though; it seemed that being a goal behind got the Crew motivated. They had some very good stretches of play once we scored, and they would have scored had Onstad not been his uber-goalkeeping self. The "Hardhats" looked particularly good in the second half, but the humidity (and the Crew's early subs mandated by injuries) probably did help late in that they didn't look dangerous after the 80th minute or so.
The first goal by Davis in the 13th minute came from a nice feed from Mullan. The ball bounced a bit on Davis' first touch (blame the uneven turf on that one), giving Davis the perfect opportunity to turn and blast a blistering half-volley into the upper left net. "It was good to be able to come out tonight and contribute with a goal. That was a great pass from Brian (Mullan) and the team got three points. That is the most important thing right now. I have had some chances recently with posts and crossbars, but it went my tonight."
In the 43rd, Ching hit a low rocket after Clark sent a through ball to Nate Jaqua in the box. Jaqua was closed down quickly and couldn't turn, but left a nice step-over layoff to Ching who sent his shot low and to the left, through the defender's legs, and into the net as the GK, Will
As with the Pachuca match, there was some controversy on the field: what's with the new Dynamo Girl uniforms? They looked almost modest! My wife approves.
Cool article alert! Richard Justice must've been at the game, or maybe he attended the Pachuca game, because he has a great article on the Men In Orange. It's a great soccer article from a non-soccer sports journalist. Links to newspaper articles sometimes break over time, so here are a few quotes for posterity:
- The Dom, talking about the overwhelming support in the final home game last season: "To this day, I've never witnessed a club atmosphere in America better than that one," the Dynamo coach said. "You looked up and there was orange everywhere. There were no gimmicks, no giveaways. It was just fans that wanted to see the Houston Dynamo advance to the final. I still get chills talking about it."
- There's more emotion in one Dynamo game than the Texans, Astros and Rockets have in an entire season. Cynicism takes a day off when the Dynamo play. And it's all about the soccer. It's not about the creature comforts at Robertson Stadium or the chance to see an international star. It's about the team.
- Now into their third season, the Dynamo have done almost everything right. They moved into the right market. They won back-to-back championships. Robertson Stadium offers a closeness to the players, an intimacy rare in professional sports. It helps that players spend hours in the community visiting hospitals, holding clinics, being the best ambassadors a sport can have. It helps to have players who care, who always play with hustle and energy, who appreciate the fan base. It's all those things and more. It's our amazing little success story.
- They have great leadership beginning with team president Oliver Luck, an accomplished coach in Kinnear and an interesting locker room mix. Barrett, the captain, is quiet. So is Mullan. Onstad, the old guy, has seen it all. Robinson and Craig Waibel are talkative and emotional. It's the kind of mix of players for which every franchise strives. And the crowd support, the emotion and noise and all the rest, is irreplaceable.
Now let's hope we can take care of business this Tuesday versus New England and bring home our first international trophy. The Revs can't beat us THREE games in one season, can they? CAN THEY?
(Meanwhile, a New England fan is thinking "The Dynamo can't beat us THREE championships in a row, can they? CAN THEY?" Lords of Destiny hear me out: Each season sees a slightly different group wearing the jersey of a club, so a Dynamo win wouldn't have the same players beating the same players three times in a row, even if there are quite a few returning core players. However, a Revolution win would (basically) have the same players beating the same players thrice in a row. We can't have that, okay?)
Go Dynamo!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Three points from the four-day match
Well, THAT was probably the strangest match of the season. (Game recap. Quotes.) Dynamo-Houston went to DC on June 4 to begin the match (abandoned after 15 minutes), then was hours away from restarting the match on July 22, then finally began the replayed match on July 23 and finished it in the wee hours of July 24.
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A moment about Ching, DeRo's foot, and Rojo for Blanco
There's an article in the Seattle paper about former Sounder, Brian Ching. Regarding the move to Houston: "It was a hectic first couple of months, and we really didn't feel settled until August or September. Having said that, the fans have really made us feel at home, especially on the field. But they inherited a winning team and that definitely helps."
Who in the MLS is likeliest to break the sound barrier with his shot? According to DC goalkeeper Zach Wells, it's our own DeRo. Now if only the Canadian Rocketeer could get those on target this season...
Check this out. It seems the ever-creative Blanco does more than just highlight other players' fouls with melodramatic falls, he himself is a rapacious fouler of the most disgusting kind. Eye-gouging?
Who in the MLS is likeliest to break the sound barrier with his shot? According to DC goalkeeper Zach Wells, it's our own DeRo. Now if only the Canadian Rocketeer could get those on target this season...
Check this out. It seems the ever-creative Blanco does more than just highlight other players' fouls with melodramatic falls, he himself is a rapacious fouler of the most disgusting kind. Eye-gouging?
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A new low in the Season Of Mediocrity
The Season Of Mediocrity (SOM) continues. Tonight, we continued our chronic inability to shoot balls on frame. Add an amateurish coffee break by the usually stalwart defense (Ianni and Barrett not communicating, thus allowing Cooper an open header on goal). Sprinkle in spineless officiating by a ref who is afraid to force players to play quality soccer; on that note, it was a smart play by Richetti to trip Holden from behind when Holden was going 1v1 with the keeper, but the price for his smart play would have to be leaving his team with 10 men for the final 13 minutes. It's a heavy price, but a worthy one...and one it turns out he didn't have to pay thanks to the spineless ref.
The result: a 1-1 tie, the third draw in this three-game series. With 4 away goals to our 2, Dallas takes El Capitan for the first time. Enjoy the gun in 2009, fellas; your cynicism earned it tonight (and Caig's cold hands gave you the 2 decisive away goals you needed on April 6).
Pet peeve of the night: Shooting the ball so high or so wide that Sala just glances casually at the ball as we blow another chance.
Pet peeve of the night, runner up: With 4 minutes of stoppage time and the clock at 4:01, our defenders pittypat the ball around the back rather than driving the ball quickly forward. Slim chance you score in the last moments with a rushed ball. No chance you score when the ball is at the halfway line and the final whistle blows. Another example of our non-champion mentality this year.
Without a doubt, Houston was the best team on the field tonight -- just as we were for most of the 7 draws we suffered this season (on schedule to set a MLS record for most draws in a season, woo-hoo!). But there is also no doubt that Houston is borderline incompetent when it comes to the attacking third. Also, there's no doubt that they are uncharacteristically lax and cavalier on defense at inconvenient times. This is not the Houston Dynamo that won the 2006 Championship nor the 2007 Championship, doing so both times with a crushing defense and potent (if sometimes inconsistent) offense. The only thing that remains from those teams is the ability to penetrate along the flanks from the back, and the ability to possess the ball and generate opportunities in the middle. But until we fix the problems up front, and until we regain the continuous (as in "non-stop") professional composure in the back, we can't expect to win the MLS Cup.
There are other things that we can achieve instead of the MLS Cup this season, including (in descending order of prestige): winning SuperLiga, winning the US Open Cup (maybe this should be first, since it guarantees a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League), and winning the Reserve League that we currently lead. Personally, I hope we fix our attack first.
The Supporters' Shield? Oh that's out of the question. You have to win consistently to get that. Even the stalwart teams of yesteryear couldn't do that.
Of course, with half the teams getting into the post-season in this silly league, the Dynamo should remain in contention for the MLS Cup, even with their bajillion draws. But we've seen plenty of harbingers that suggest this season will not be like the last two. The most recent harbinger is losing El Capitan for the first time, but there have been others, including losing by more than one goal at Robertson (New England, 0-2, June 12).
Having said that, this team tends to deliver results when the odds are stacked against them. If that's the case, then they're setting themselves up for some crazy-awesome results later this season. Here's hoping.
Until then...Go Dynamo!
Addendum:
Here are the game quotes. Kinnear: "The guys are disappointed, as we should be. At the halfway point [of the season], I don't think we are getting as many points as we want or need."
But he claims the team is still one of the league's elites. Disappointing season aside, I agree with him. The team is one of the best; it just has to become more composed and more consistent. How about Ching's take on the defense? "You look at our team and what has made us successful the past couple of years. It's defense. We have been one of the best defensive, if not the best, defensive team in the league. But now we've got guys letting in mistakes. They are making big mistakes and costing us games. It's the same guys costing us 3-4 games, so it's disappointing." Wow: It's the same guys costing us 3-4 games. I can't disagree with that, but that's not something you hear from a teammate like Ching too often. And while the defense could always counter by pointing out the chances repeatedly missed by the forwards, I hope they instead focus on what they can do to make the team better. That would be the mature and honorable thing to do. In other words: the Orange thing to do.
The result: a 1-1 tie, the third draw in this three-game series. With 4 away goals to our 2, Dallas takes El Capitan for the first time. Enjoy the gun in 2009, fellas; your cynicism earned it tonight (and Caig's cold hands gave you the 2 decisive away goals you needed on April 6).
Pet peeve of the night: Shooting the ball so high or so wide that Sala just glances casually at the ball as we blow another chance.
Pet peeve of the night, runner up: With 4 minutes of stoppage time and the clock at 4:01, our defenders pittypat the ball around the back rather than driving the ball quickly forward. Slim chance you score in the last moments with a rushed ball. No chance you score when the ball is at the halfway line and the final whistle blows. Another example of our non-champion mentality this year.
Without a doubt, Houston was the best team on the field tonight -- just as we were for most of the 7 draws we suffered this season (on schedule to set a MLS record for most draws in a season, woo-hoo!). But there is also no doubt that Houston is borderline incompetent when it comes to the attacking third. Also, there's no doubt that they are uncharacteristically lax and cavalier on defense at inconvenient times. This is not the Houston Dynamo that won the 2006 Championship nor the 2007 Championship, doing so both times with a crushing defense and potent (if sometimes inconsistent) offense. The only thing that remains from those teams is the ability to penetrate along the flanks from the back, and the ability to possess the ball and generate opportunities in the middle. But until we fix the problems up front, and until we regain the continuous (as in "non-stop") professional composure in the back, we can't expect to win the MLS Cup.
There are other things that we can achieve instead of the MLS Cup this season, including (in descending order of prestige): winning SuperLiga, winning the US Open Cup (maybe this should be first, since it guarantees a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League), and winning the Reserve League that we currently lead. Personally, I hope we fix our attack first.
The Supporters' Shield? Oh that's out of the question. You have to win consistently to get that. Even the stalwart teams of yesteryear couldn't do that.
Of course, with half the teams getting into the post-season in this silly league, the Dynamo should remain in contention for the MLS Cup, even with their bajillion draws. But we've seen plenty of harbingers that suggest this season will not be like the last two. The most recent harbinger is losing El Capitan for the first time, but there have been others, including losing by more than one goal at Robertson (New England, 0-2, June 12).
Having said that, this team tends to deliver results when the odds are stacked against them. If that's the case, then they're setting themselves up for some crazy-awesome results later this season. Here's hoping.
Until then...Go Dynamo!
Addendum:
Here are the game quotes. Kinnear: "The guys are disappointed, as we should be. At the halfway point [of the season], I don't think we are getting as many points as we want or need."
But he claims the team is still one of the league's elites. Disappointing season aside, I agree with him. The team is one of the best; it just has to become more composed and more consistent. How about Ching's take on the defense? "You look at our team and what has made us successful the past couple of years. It's defense. We have been one of the best defensive, if not the best, defensive team in the league. But now we've got guys letting in mistakes. They are making big mistakes and costing us games. It's the same guys costing us 3-4 games, so it's disappointing." Wow: It's the same guys costing us 3-4 games. I can't disagree with that, but that's not something you hear from a teammate like Ching too often. And while the defense could always counter by pointing out the chances repeatedly missed by the forwards, I hope they instead focus on what they can do to make the team better. That would be the mature and honorable thing to do. In other words: the Orange thing to do.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Time to rebound in the Rockies
So tonight we're in Commerce City to face the Rapids on the biggest field in the MLS. (BTW, the bigger the better in my way of thinking, so I like the pitch at The Dick.) The worst news about tonight's game is that it's not on TV except for that mystical HDnet. I don't know any places on the north side of town that have HDnet and that would be willing to devote a TV to a soccer game, so it looks like I'm stuck with the radio play-by-play. Not a bad thing, that; but I prefer the visuals of television.
Here's the game preview. It says we still don't have DeRo or Onstad. That's not good. We also get a ref who's officiating his first MLS game tonight. That's not good either. We do have Ching back. And Barrett. But no Mulrooney. We also have the opportunity to break the deadlocked record at The Dick: in four meetings each team has won twice. Overall, we've beaten the Rapids 5 times and tied them once in 8 matches. Not bad. But what counts is tonight's result. We need 3 points in order to stay at the top of the conference with LA. At the moment we're in third place, with two teams one point behind us and a third two points behind (at the moment).
The Dynamo website has an article on Ricardo Clark and one on Caraccio. I've heard some fans voice concerns about how The Dom is not playing Caraccio, but I think coach is doing the right thing: forcing Caraccio to show improvement and desire before being allowed in the starting 11. In the end, I think it'll make the Argentine a better player and the Dynamo a better team.
DeRo might not play tonight, but he got the job done for Canada on Friday, scoring two goals and getting an assist in a 4-1 victory over St. Vincent AND the Grenadines (both countries at the same time!).
Here's a pre-game article from The Chron. The big news (according to the article) is that Ching is back with some zing. Let's hope so!
Vamos Dynamo!
Here's the game preview. It says we still don't have DeRo or Onstad. That's not good. We also get a ref who's officiating his first MLS game tonight. That's not good either. We do have Ching back. And Barrett. But no Mulrooney. We also have the opportunity to break the deadlocked record at The Dick: in four meetings each team has won twice. Overall, we've beaten the Rapids 5 times and tied them once in 8 matches. Not bad. But what counts is tonight's result. We need 3 points in order to stay at the top of the conference with LA. At the moment we're in third place, with two teams one point behind us and a third two points behind (at the moment).
The Dynamo website has an article on Ricardo Clark and one on Caraccio. I've heard some fans voice concerns about how The Dom is not playing Caraccio, but I think coach is doing the right thing: forcing Caraccio to show improvement and desire before being allowed in the starting 11. In the end, I think it'll make the Argentine a better player and the Dynamo a better team.
DeRo might not play tonight, but he got the job done for Canada on Friday, scoring two goals and getting an assist in a 4-1 victory over St. Vincent AND the Grenadines (both countries at the same time!).
Here's a pre-game article from The Chron. The big news (according to the article) is that Ching is back with some zing. Let's hope so!
Vamos Dynamo!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
A Craptastic ending to a craptastic week
Well, the Dynamo once again stumbled against an inferior foe. We had two goals this afternoon: 1. get three points and 2. keep a clean sheet to get a step closer to the defensive record.
We failed on both counts.
And once again, we failed to secure a win against a weak team. This happens too often for it to be coincidence. Do the Dynamo look at the stats and play conservatively against bottom feeders, thinking it'll be enough? If you ask them, of course they'll deny it. They may not even realize they're doing it; but the fact is, whether it's RLS, Colorado, Toronto, or LA, we have proven to be less than a top tier team.
Who is "top tier"? I would put DC, Dynamo, and Chivas USA (this year) into that category. New England may be there too, based solely on their consistency though not in their style of play.
But, while teams of the top tier may have the occasional letdown, those letdowns are few and far between. The Dynamo lose too often versus poor teams. In the MLS, even the top tier are not so far ahead that they can relax versus the mediocre or the pathetic. In fact, there are few teams that can do that in any league in the world.
Of course, as with any player of any sport, in pre-game interviews, the Dynamo will say their weak opponent is "dangerous" and that the Dynamo will remain focused during the game and "can't afford to let up"; but the team had better start believing it to their core and better learn that they have to play the full 90 versus every team, regardless of where the opponent is in the standings. Otherwise, crap like today's 1-2 loss to the Galaxy will happen.
What a crappy week. We've lost Rico for the season and then some, the Longhorns lost to OU, Brian Ching hurt himself (I would assume) before the game, the pathetic Galaxy can continue their obnoxious late season resurgence, and we fall further behind in the "race for the SuperLiga."
I've said it before: the media spotlight on the Galaxy means a good Galaxy is good for the league. But the fact is: the Galaxy are a pathetic team. Even if they win all of their remaining games, they'll have a losing record and don't deserve a place in the playoffs. If a crappy team like LA can make it to the playoffs, then a crappy team like LA can even win the MLS Cup. That a losing record could still get a team into that realm is a perfect argument for the meaninglessness of the MLS Cup as a way of determining a champion...and is more fodder for the argument that the MLS is bush league.
I've stewed about this all the way home from the game. I'm mad that the Dynamo did not get the 3 points they need, I'm mad that the Dynamo lost versus an inferior team, I'm mad that the Galaxy can still get into the post-season, I'm mad that Abby-O is such an incompetent ref, and I'm mad that we allowed 2 goals at home versus crap forwards. Heck, I'm mad that our fans are sometimes fools: down a goal and with time as our enemy, don't throw things onto the field to delay the game. Are you stupid?
I'm just mad.
1...2...3...4...5...
Okay, relax; there are some things that make this not so bad…
First, we were a long shot for winning the Western Conference, primarily due Chivas getting the job done and to our past failure to snag points against LA, Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Toronto, Chicago, and even our home game against New England when we outplayed the visitors but didn't have the quality finishing necessary to put the game away. And how about not being able to get more than a point against the Crew -- the Crew! -- at home? We should never lose at home, especially with the silver ball. Dang, I'm getting mad again. Okay, my point is this was a long shot, so not much lost here.
Second, only FCD can knock us out of the top 4. Why is this important? Well, the top 4 teams get to compete in next year's SuperLiga. The possibility that FCD can knock us out is remote. FCD has to win its final 2 games and we have to lose both of ours in order for us to be ousted from this group. All we need to do is tie one in order to claim this honor.
Third, we are still on track to set the record for best defense in terms of goals conceded. If we allow 4 or fewer goals in our next two games, we set the record for fewest goals conceded in a season, and fewest goals conceded per game. For some reason, I want this badly.
Fourth, it was a good environment today. The weather ranged from breezy and cool to humid and hot to rainy and cool. That quite a range in only 90 minutes.
The Dynamo Girls had a funny skit based on Posh Spice and the Spice Girls. Best line from the announcer: "That move [by Diesel] is better than anything we've seen from Beckham this year." But the best extra-curricular item was the "Real Men of Genius" song at halftime. The two guys sounded like the actual singers; I wonder if they were. I want to hear their song on the radio sometime.
There was a sign on the western side of the stadium that said "We [heart] the Dynamos." I really wish people would know not to add an "s" if they’re making signs.
You know what? There is a lot of room in those handicapped access rows. Yet you're still close to the action.
I need to read up on Ching. I saw him warming up with the "starting" group and Mullan with the "sub" group, but Ching wasn't even on the bench come game time. Reading Bernardo Fallas' blog I see Ching had a tight back. Hopefully he's 100% come next week, because we're apparently not the attacking threat without him.
Okay, deep breath. It'll be all right. The Dynamo have been brought back to earth (not that they had any reason to be over confident) and will get at least 4 points out of their next two games. They'll qualify for SuperLiga 2008 and be poised to make a run for the MLS Cup. We might also hear exciting news about a new stadium.
It'll be all right...
We failed on both counts.
And once again, we failed to secure a win against a weak team. This happens too often for it to be coincidence. Do the Dynamo look at the stats and play conservatively against bottom feeders, thinking it'll be enough? If you ask them, of course they'll deny it. They may not even realize they're doing it; but the fact is, whether it's RLS, Colorado, Toronto, or LA, we have proven to be less than a top tier team.
Who is "top tier"? I would put DC, Dynamo, and Chivas USA (this year) into that category. New England may be there too, based solely on their consistency though not in their style of play.
But, while teams of the top tier may have the occasional letdown, those letdowns are few and far between. The Dynamo lose too often versus poor teams. In the MLS, even the top tier are not so far ahead that they can relax versus the mediocre or the pathetic. In fact, there are few teams that can do that in any league in the world.
Of course, as with any player of any sport, in pre-game interviews, the Dynamo will say their weak opponent is "dangerous" and that the Dynamo will remain focused during the game and "can't afford to let up"; but the team had better start believing it to their core and better learn that they have to play the full 90 versus every team, regardless of where the opponent is in the standings. Otherwise, crap like today's 1-2 loss to the Galaxy will happen.
What a crappy week. We've lost Rico for the season and then some, the Longhorns lost to OU, Brian Ching hurt himself (I would assume) before the game, the pathetic Galaxy can continue their obnoxious late season resurgence, and we fall further behind in the "race for the SuperLiga."
I've said it before: the media spotlight on the Galaxy means a good Galaxy is good for the league. But the fact is: the Galaxy are a pathetic team. Even if they win all of their remaining games, they'll have a losing record and don't deserve a place in the playoffs. If a crappy team like LA can make it to the playoffs, then a crappy team like LA can even win the MLS Cup. That a losing record could still get a team into that realm is a perfect argument for the meaninglessness of the MLS Cup as a way of determining a champion...and is more fodder for the argument that the MLS is bush league.
I've stewed about this all the way home from the game. I'm mad that the Dynamo did not get the 3 points they need, I'm mad that the Dynamo lost versus an inferior team, I'm mad that the Galaxy can still get into the post-season, I'm mad that Abby-O is such an incompetent ref, and I'm mad that we allowed 2 goals at home versus crap forwards. Heck, I'm mad that our fans are sometimes fools: down a goal and with time as our enemy, don't throw things onto the field to delay the game. Are you stupid?
I'm just mad.
1...2...3...4...5...
Okay, relax; there are some things that make this not so bad…
First, we were a long shot for winning the Western Conference, primarily due Chivas getting the job done and to our past failure to snag points against LA, Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Toronto, Chicago, and even our home game against New England when we outplayed the visitors but didn't have the quality finishing necessary to put the game away. And how about not being able to get more than a point against the Crew -- the Crew! -- at home? We should never lose at home, especially with the silver ball. Dang, I'm getting mad again. Okay, my point is this was a long shot, so not much lost here.
Second, only FCD can knock us out of the top 4. Why is this important? Well, the top 4 teams get to compete in next year's SuperLiga. The possibility that FCD can knock us out is remote. FCD has to win its final 2 games and we have to lose both of ours in order for us to be ousted from this group. All we need to do is tie one in order to claim this honor.
Third, we are still on track to set the record for best defense in terms of goals conceded. If we allow 4 or fewer goals in our next two games, we set the record for fewest goals conceded in a season, and fewest goals conceded per game. For some reason, I want this badly.
Fourth, it was a good environment today. The weather ranged from breezy and cool to humid and hot to rainy and cool. That quite a range in only 90 minutes.
The Dynamo Girls had a funny skit based on Posh Spice and the Spice Girls. Best line from the announcer: "That move [by Diesel] is better than anything we've seen from Beckham this year." But the best extra-curricular item was the "Real Men of Genius" song at halftime. The two guys sounded like the actual singers; I wonder if they were. I want to hear their song on the radio sometime.
There was a sign on the western side of the stadium that said "We [heart] the Dynamos." I really wish people would know not to add an "s" if they’re making signs.
You know what? There is a lot of room in those handicapped access rows. Yet you're still close to the action.
I need to read up on Ching. I saw him warming up with the "starting" group and Mullan with the "sub" group, but Ching wasn't even on the bench come game time. Reading Bernardo Fallas' blog I see Ching had a tight back. Hopefully he's 100% come next week, because we're apparently not the attacking threat without him.
Okay, deep breath. It'll be all right. The Dynamo have been brought back to earth (not that they had any reason to be over confident) and will get at least 4 points out of their next two games. They'll qualify for SuperLiga 2008 and be poised to make a run for the MLS Cup. We might also hear exciting news about a new stadium.
It'll be all right...
Sunday, September 30, 2007
D-Mo and D-Ro Dominate in Dallas
What a dominating performance the Dynamo had in Frisco today. A 3-0 domination that left FCD with only 1 shot on goal. (Game guide -- Game Recap.)
The old D-Ro we know and love returned. He was the prime generator in the midfield, but also on the finishing end with a rocket to the near post in first half injury time, and another rocket from distance that was deflected by Sala...and those were just two of many.
Ching was doing his usual holding play and possession dribbling to make the insightful passes that make things happen. He got credit for the assist on Holden's goal of course (in the 84th), but my ultra-slow replays show that his head slightly deflected the ball on Mulrooney's corner kick, thus pushing the ball away from Sala's reach and getting the ball to E-Rob for the second goal in the 62nd minute.
As for the Defense? What can you say? Dominating. FCD's threats were few and far between.
Heck, I'm so happy I won't even mention Jaqua's horrendous finishing!
We've got 14 wins and 48 points, tied for first in the Western Conference (tied for 3rd overall). This is a good thing, because while the Supporters' Shield may be out of our reach (realistically, though not mathematically), we need the points to keep us in the top 4, which gets us into next year's SuperLiga. Then we can start worrying about the MLS Cup, which gets us the accolades and the invite to the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
As for the elephant in the room, I couldn't believe when I saw the usually cool Clark go ballistic on Ruiz at the end of the game. He'll get a sure match ban and fine after that violent act. In the replays, I couldn't see Ruiz do anything except jump for the ball then succumb to gravity and land on Clark. Then, using the ultra-slow replay of my DVR, I saw El Pescadito focused completely on Clark (not the ball) as he ran, then he jabbed Clark in the ribs (or sucker punched him in the kidney), and only then did Ruiz focus on the ball and jump for it over Clark's crumpled body. Clark was clearly incensed and kicked Ruiz in the arm, which of course caused the Lying, Cheating Guatemalan to grab his head and writhe in pain. Clark's violence was completely out of line and could have cost his team the clean sheet; however, had he not exploded (but couldn't he have done so less violently?), Ruiz's cheating would not have been recognized. Ruiz is a known cheater, and is incorrigible in his behavior, bringing disrepute to the game every time he is on the field. Clark should be banned for 2-4 matches, but Ruiz should be banned from the MLS. His cheating is pervasive, violent, cynical, and we only see a small fraction of the infractions that he attempts out on the pitch. No team with any values would support him or his manner of play...and I hope the MLS is composed entirely of teams with such caliber and ethics.
Thankfully, we got the 3 points and the clean sheet. We're closer to achieving our goal of being in the top 4 of the standings. Our defense has proven so stellar this year: we can allow up to 2 goals a game for our final 3 games and still set the record for goals conceded in a season and goals per game conceded in a season. If we can do this AND get 9 points out of our remaining games, life will be good...
...until the MLS postseason starts -- then we'll have a whole new set of goals we'll want to accomplish.
Go Dynamo!
The old D-Ro we know and love returned. He was the prime generator in the midfield, but also on the finishing end with a rocket to the near post in first half injury time, and another rocket from distance that was deflected by Sala...and those were just two of many.
Ching was doing his usual holding play and possession dribbling to make the insightful passes that make things happen. He got credit for the assist on Holden's goal of course (in the 84th), but my ultra-slow replays show that his head slightly deflected the ball on Mulrooney's corner kick, thus pushing the ball away from Sala's reach and getting the ball to E-Rob for the second goal in the 62nd minute.
As for the Defense? What can you say? Dominating. FCD's threats were few and far between.
Heck, I'm so happy I won't even mention Jaqua's horrendous finishing!
We've got 14 wins and 48 points, tied for first in the Western Conference (tied for 3rd overall). This is a good thing, because while the Supporters' Shield may be out of our reach (realistically, though not mathematically), we need the points to keep us in the top 4, which gets us into next year's SuperLiga. Then we can start worrying about the MLS Cup, which gets us the accolades and the invite to the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
As for the elephant in the room, I couldn't believe when I saw the usually cool Clark go ballistic on Ruiz at the end of the game. He'll get a sure match ban and fine after that violent act. In the replays, I couldn't see Ruiz do anything except jump for the ball then succumb to gravity and land on Clark. Then, using the ultra-slow replay of my DVR, I saw El Pescadito focused completely on Clark (not the ball) as he ran, then he jabbed Clark in the ribs (or sucker punched him in the kidney), and only then did Ruiz focus on the ball and jump for it over Clark's crumpled body. Clark was clearly incensed and kicked Ruiz in the arm, which of course caused the Lying, Cheating Guatemalan to grab his head and writhe in pain. Clark's violence was completely out of line and could have cost his team the clean sheet; however, had he not exploded (but couldn't he have done so less violently?), Ruiz's cheating would not have been recognized. Ruiz is a known cheater, and is incorrigible in his behavior, bringing disrepute to the game every time he is on the field. Clark should be banned for 2-4 matches, but Ruiz should be banned from the MLS. His cheating is pervasive, violent, cynical, and we only see a small fraction of the infractions that he attempts out on the pitch. No team with any values would support him or his manner of play...and I hope the MLS is composed entirely of teams with such caliber and ethics.
Thankfully, we got the 3 points and the clean sheet. We're closer to achieving our goal of being in the top 4 of the standings. Our defense has proven so stellar this year: we can allow up to 2 goals a game for our final 3 games and still set the record for goals conceded in a season and goals per game conceded in a season. If we can do this AND get 9 points out of our remaining games, life will be good...
...until the MLS postseason starts -- then we'll have a whole new set of goals we'll want to accomplish.
Go Dynamo!
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.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
C-bus, Ching, and Large Birds of Prey
Today Dynamo takes on the Crew in C-bus.The storylines:
Dynamo tend to have trouble maintaining streaks, and don't seem to be able to put away the Crew, no matter how bad the Crew are. That, coupled with the ongoing absences, suggests we get a draw for the third time facing the Crew, but my inner-optimist says Dynamo 1-0.
Chingy Gold Cup Sighting
Ching scored the game winner vs Trinidad & Tobago Saturday, redirecting with his feet a cross by Ralston in the 29th minute. In the 54th minute, Ching made the long pass to Donovan, who dribbled to goal and crossed the ball to Eddie Johnson for an insurance goal. Still, many see the opportunities that Ching has wasted, rather than seeing that he scored the game winner. While the US is winning, the fans are whining.
I will grant that the US isn't playing the most electric form of soccer, but they're still playing well enough to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup (but then so is Mexico, and maybe some other countries). No, I'm not content with mediocrity. Yes, I have bigger aspirations for the team than being a big fish in a small pond. I dream of the day that the US is a dominant player globally in international soccer. We have a ways to go, and the problem is not due to having a feeble coach or -- gasp! -- an American coach; the problem is in the way the game is taught to the players. If we ever organize our youth soccer culture to better train the next generation of players, and if we ever establish a coherent American style of play (beyond physical defense and impeachable fitness), then we just may fulfill that dream. Until then, I'll root the team on and wait for the recurrent if inconsistent flashes of technical skill that tends to carry us through, and I'll ignore the naysayers and complainers who revel in negativity and in the feeling of superiority they attempt to generate with their abuse. Ever notice that the people with all the answers are the people who aren't accountable for anything?
Mutual of Omaha's Wilde Kingdom
Saw this on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday. Hedwig the Owl brings good luck to the Fins over Belgium.
- Both teams are struggling, but for different reasons. Both teams are hard working, but neither scores a lot.
- Can the Crew reverse their slump? Can Dynamo win three in a row?
- Alejandro Moreno faces his former club. Joseph Ngwenya faces his former club.
- A win puts Dynamo in second place for the moment, with a game in hand versus conference leader, FC Dallas.
Dynamo tend to have trouble maintaining streaks, and don't seem to be able to put away the Crew, no matter how bad the Crew are. That, coupled with the ongoing absences, suggests we get a draw for the third time facing the Crew, but my inner-optimist says Dynamo 1-0.
Chingy Gold Cup Sighting
Ching scored the game winner vs Trinidad & Tobago Saturday, redirecting with his feet a cross by Ralston in the 29th minute. In the 54th minute, Ching made the long pass to Donovan, who dribbled to goal and crossed the ball to Eddie Johnson for an insurance goal. Still, many see the opportunities that Ching has wasted, rather than seeing that he scored the game winner. While the US is winning, the fans are whining.
I will grant that the US isn't playing the most electric form of soccer, but they're still playing well enough to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup (but then so is Mexico, and maybe some other countries). No, I'm not content with mediocrity. Yes, I have bigger aspirations for the team than being a big fish in a small pond. I dream of the day that the US is a dominant player globally in international soccer. We have a ways to go, and the problem is not due to having a feeble coach or -- gasp! -- an American coach; the problem is in the way the game is taught to the players. If we ever organize our youth soccer culture to better train the next generation of players, and if we ever establish a coherent American style of play (beyond physical defense and impeachable fitness), then we just may fulfill that dream. Until then, I'll root the team on and wait for the recurrent if inconsistent flashes of technical skill that tends to carry us through, and I'll ignore the naysayers and complainers who revel in negativity and in the feeling of superiority they attempt to generate with their abuse. Ever notice that the people with all the answers are the people who aren't accountable for anything?
Mutual of Omaha's Wilde Kingdom
Saw this on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday. Hedwig the Owl brings good luck to the Fins over Belgium.
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