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.
Showing posts with label Columbus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Columbus. Show all posts
Monday, April 06, 2009
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The MLS Cup is over, but the Dynamo are still playing
It's a new era for Dynamo soccer. We're now fans of a team that is not the MLS Champion. But because the 'Mo is arguably the best team in the MLS, it's still a great time to be an Orangefan. Lark Howorth has stated in his blog that we will be tested as to "whether we support the Dynamo even harder and better next year, despite the MLS Cup sitting in a rival's display case." Supporters have to "remember that a soccer team depends on its fans as much as the fans depends on the team." So true.
A truly devoted supporter will be a vocal supporter of the team, attending every game whether or not the team is the champion and whether or not the team has a good team that can contend for titles. I suppose I am a little on the fickle side when it comes to team support. I am not one that needs my team to be the champion, but I do expect the team to be a quality team that is expected to compete for championships. As long as I don't feel the front office is skimping on the product, I'll buy. They don't need to be champions, but they need to be quality. Maybe that doesn't make me fickle; perhaps I'm just discriminating.
At any rate, we have a quality team here in Houston, and I, for one, am so glad the Dynamo have their postponed CONCACAF match tomorrow. (Preview. Preview 2.) It's going to be a long off-season, so I'm eager to get one last game in before the hiatus.
It's win and move on for the Dynamo. I like their chances, given (1) the desire to end the season on a high note, (2) having enough prep time and rest for the match, (3) we're playing at home, and (4) our reserves tied and almost won the match in San Salvador.
Unfortunately, by game time we'll already know that one of our players will be moving to Seattle. Most people assume that someone will be Nate Jaqua. If so, we'll miss him but wish him the best of luck. (And anyone taken will be available for the evening match versus Firpo.)
Here's hoping the soon-to-be-departed leaves with a final Orange victory under his belt.
Accolades for the Dynamo
Even though they had the second best record in the league and the best record in international competitions, the Dynamo saw little recognition for their quality. That's become de rigueur for the Dynamo, who have often focused on team accomplishments in lieu of individual accolades. Noble.
In 2006 I think DeRo should have gotten MVP. We had a goal of the year candidate last year (I think) that should have been recognized. This year, I think the travesty was that Geoff Cameron wasn't selected Rookie of the Year. He wasn't a regular starter, but he played on every part of the field but goalkeeper for the top ranked Dynamo, and contributed mightily to our run in international play. Instead, the award went to a defender on a team with the worst defense.
But at least the front office won some awards. (And here is another article on the matter...but nothing on the official Dynamo or MLS websites?) This is one of the best run organizations in the league: on field, on the sidelines, and in the office.
MLS Cup
Though I didn't have a personal rooting interest, I did watch the MLS Cup. (Recap.) It didn't have the feel of a championship game -- maybe it was due to the empty seats or the quality of the pre-game and halftime commentary. I dunno. It was a decent match though.
At any rate, I was pulling for the Crew as they were the more deserving team. If a league's champion is a team with a losing record in the regular season, then that league has a faulty method for choosing a champ. Luckily that didn't come to pass.
In the first half the Crew did unto the Red Bulls what the Red Bulls had done unto others: absorb pressure then score on the odd chance from the counterattack. According to Steve Davis, this was not a matter of the Crew playing poorly, but it was an intentional strategy by the Crew in order to take RBNY out of their regular game. It was a risky, but effective move that also allowed the second half to be a better balanced game. We were treated to a total of 4 goals (3 in the second half) and in the final 10 minutes we saw a beautiful goal off a linkup between Schelotto and "Hey, Duck!"
Overall it was a decent -- though not an awe-inspiring -- final match.
Changes Coming to the MLS
The Commish did his annual pre-Cup state of the league speech. There were several key items that were noted in the speech.
Some highlights:
A truly devoted supporter will be a vocal supporter of the team, attending every game whether or not the team is the champion and whether or not the team has a good team that can contend for titles. I suppose I am a little on the fickle side when it comes to team support. I am not one that needs my team to be the champion, but I do expect the team to be a quality team that is expected to compete for championships. As long as I don't feel the front office is skimping on the product, I'll buy. They don't need to be champions, but they need to be quality. Maybe that doesn't make me fickle; perhaps I'm just discriminating.
At any rate, we have a quality team here in Houston, and I, for one, am so glad the Dynamo have their postponed CONCACAF match tomorrow. (Preview. Preview 2.) It's going to be a long off-season, so I'm eager to get one last game in before the hiatus.
It's win and move on for the Dynamo. I like their chances, given (1) the desire to end the season on a high note, (2) having enough prep time and rest for the match, (3) we're playing at home, and (4) our reserves tied and almost won the match in San Salvador.
Unfortunately, by game time we'll already know that one of our players will be moving to Seattle. Most people assume that someone will be Nate Jaqua. If so, we'll miss him but wish him the best of luck. (And anyone taken will be available for the evening match versus Firpo.)
Here's hoping the soon-to-be-departed leaves with a final Orange victory under his belt.
Accolades for the Dynamo
Even though they had the second best record in the league and the best record in international competitions, the Dynamo saw little recognition for their quality. That's become de rigueur for the Dynamo, who have often focused on team accomplishments in lieu of individual accolades. Noble.
In 2006 I think DeRo should have gotten MVP. We had a goal of the year candidate last year (I think) that should have been recognized. This year, I think the travesty was that Geoff Cameron wasn't selected Rookie of the Year. He wasn't a regular starter, but he played on every part of the field but goalkeeper for the top ranked Dynamo, and contributed mightily to our run in international play. Instead, the award went to a defender on a team with the worst defense.
But at least the front office won some awards. (And here is another article on the matter...but nothing on the official Dynamo or MLS websites?) This is one of the best run organizations in the league: on field, on the sidelines, and in the office.
MLS Cup
Though I didn't have a personal rooting interest, I did watch the MLS Cup. (Recap.) It didn't have the feel of a championship game -- maybe it was due to the empty seats or the quality of the pre-game and halftime commentary. I dunno. It was a decent match though.
At any rate, I was pulling for the Crew as they were the more deserving team. If a league's champion is a team with a losing record in the regular season, then that league has a faulty method for choosing a champ. Luckily that didn't come to pass.
In the first half the Crew did unto the Red Bulls what the Red Bulls had done unto others: absorb pressure then score on the odd chance from the counterattack. According to Steve Davis, this was not a matter of the Crew playing poorly, but it was an intentional strategy by the Crew in order to take RBNY out of their regular game. It was a risky, but effective move that also allowed the second half to be a better balanced game. We were treated to a total of 4 goals (3 in the second half) and in the final 10 minutes we saw a beautiful goal off a linkup between Schelotto and "Hey, Duck!"
Overall it was a decent -- though not an awe-inspiring -- final match.
Changes Coming to the MLS
The Commish did his annual pre-Cup state of the league speech. There were several key items that were noted in the speech.
Some highlights:
- The reserve division is gone. (Houston will be the final champion.) The Senior roster will be expanded from 18 to 20. The Reserves will be reduced from 10 to 4.
- “There will be small growth in the salary cap.”
- Teams in the CONCACAF Champions League will not play in SuperLiga. Houston will play in the CCL, along with Columbus, New York, and DC. SuperLiga competitors will include Chicago, Chivas USA, Kansas City, and New England. I don't think there are any changes to the US Open Cup participation.
- Teams will play 30 games in the regular season. Teams will play every other team once away and once at home. That makes up 28 games. There will also be two additional games versus a "rival," so, presumably, Houston will have an additional home game and an additional away game versus Dallas.
- MLS will take off 2 international dates next year and will go to a reduced schedule on four other weekends.
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!
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!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Crew's in town
Back to the MLS for one game before we face off for the SuperLiga championship versus New England, which WE BETTER WIN.
Here is the official preview for tonight's game. No ERob or Mulrooney (injury) or DeRo (too much yeller). The Crew will be without "Hey, Duck!"
For the Dynamo formation, I'm thinking something like:
With Cameron able to move to midfield if we switch to a 3-5-2 and Kamara able to come in for Jaqua around the 70th minute.
The Crew-Mo series has each team with one win and three draws. It's pretty uninspiring, really. The matches are boring on average and Alejandro Moreno gets a goal each time. He can have his goal tonight, as long as WE GET MORE.
I'm going with ALLCAPS today to express an intense fervor that can only be controlled by heavy use of the CAPS LOCK key.
And now for something completely different: the Dynamo open ties with local Chinese officials.
Here is the official preview for tonight's game. No ERob or Mulrooney (injury) or DeRo (too much yeller). The Crew will be without "Hey, Duck!"
For the Dynamo formation, I'm thinking something like:
Ching--Jaqua
Ashe-Davis-Mullan
Clark
Barrett-Boswell-Cameron-Waibel
Onstad
With Cameron able to move to midfield if we switch to a 3-5-2 and Kamara able to come in for Jaqua around the 70th minute.
The Crew-Mo series has each team with one win and three draws. It's pretty uninspiring, really. The matches are boring on average and Alejandro Moreno gets a goal each time. He can have his goal tonight, as long as WE GET MORE.
I'm going with ALLCAPS today to express an intense fervor that can only be controlled by heavy use of the CAPS LOCK key.
And now for something completely different: the Dynamo open ties with local Chinese officials.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Another freakin' Moral Victory
One of the irritating things about soccer is that class and quality don't always translate into 3 points. Sometimes not even to 1 point. Last night, from the opening kickoff, Dynamo-Houston played like the home team. They were confident. They were creative. They played like professionals, particularly in the midfield. They controlled possession and territory. While Columbus was hesitant and forced to react to the play around them, and were left hoping for a break on a set play.
Well, you got that break, Columbus. Congrats on your 100th win, Sigi!
You think I'm a homer who is trying to paint the best picture of his team after a bitter loss? Well, you're right. But here's a quote from the opposing coach who apparently also realizes that the Dynamo are a class above his team: "We might have set a league record for blocked shots by a team tonight...They're a good team and when you look at it from a soccer aspect, maybe they had a little more of the game." At least Sigi's post-game soccer analysis isn't as myopic as Steve Morrow's is after FC Dallas games.
Here are some examples of the class of the Dynamo:
In the 22nd minute, the Crew take advantage of the only corner kick they get in the first half. BoBo makes a booboo and kind of hangs out in no-mans land. As Clark and DeRo run by him with their respective marks, BoBo sees -- too late! -- that Marshall is free and keying in on the incoming ball. BoBo gets there -- too late! -- and the ball is headed in bouncy-fashion towards the goal. Ianni is there, deflects it, then tries to heel flick it out of danger before Moreno manages to pick up the trash and knock the ball past Onstad and Barrett. BoBo didn't really have that bad of a game, but he is responsible for this goal. And, ironically, if Ianni hadn't done what a defender is supposed to do (that is: block the shot), Onstad would have easily gotten the ball as he was perfectly positioned for it. Fate worked against us, though, and the blocked shot set Moreno up for a typically scrappy Moreno goal. One corner = one goal for the home team playing like a visiting team.
The Yellow Ones would have more chances -- In the 2nd minute the Dynamo handed the Crew a free freekick when Onstad picked up a back pass from Mulrooney (it came to naught); Padula had a rocket that just missed the mark in the 35th; a Houston defensive breakdown gave Onstad a chance to show his awesomeness with a flying save in the 47th; in the 55th minute Robbie Rogers dribbles down and gets off a shot that is easily corralled by Onstad (if that had been Moreno dribbling, he would have flown through the air as Mullan engaged him in the hopes of conning the ref for a free kick); in the 74th Moreno jumps around Ianni to head a corner kick on frame and forcing a goal line clearance by Barrett -- but they were mostly the result of individual talent or nicely executed set plays. Those are certainly components of good soccer, but not the definition of good soccer.
Of course, being shut out isn't anywhere in the definition of good soccer. Nevertheless, the Dynamo played inspiring soccer in every aspect but the scoring aspect. I'm sure many fans are tired of this. It's a moral victory, but an actual loss.
Let's switch to some off-the-field observations.
The MLS game review, and article.
The Chronicle article. And player ratings.
Well, you got that break, Columbus. Congrats on your 100th win, Sigi!
You think I'm a homer who is trying to paint the best picture of his team after a bitter loss? Well, you're right. But here's a quote from the opposing coach who apparently also realizes that the Dynamo are a class above his team: "We might have set a league record for blocked shots by a team tonight...They're a good team and when you look at it from a soccer aspect, maybe they had a little more of the game." At least Sigi's post-game soccer analysis isn't as myopic as Steve Morrow's is after FC Dallas games.
Here are some examples of the class of the Dynamo:
- Right on the 6:00 mark there's an excellent combination: DeRo on the right drops the ball to Mulrooney, who touches it square to Clark and falls back to create a good angle. Clark drops it to Mulrooney who passes it to DeRo who dummies the ball then breaks down the line. Mullan gets the ball and pushes it forward to DeRo down the line who is facing a very disorganized Crew defense, but a desperate sliding tackle from Moffat pushes the ball into touch for a Dynamo throw in.
- 10th minute: DeRo just left of center pushes the ball through to Davis on the left. A one touch pass to Barrett, then a Barrett-Davis-Barrett pass exchange opens up the defense a bit, then Barrett threads a pass to DeRo who makes a one-touch flick to an onrushing Barrett, who gets fouled right on the left boundary of the penalty box.
- A minute after the second half restart, an excellent 3-person passing combination freezes the Crew defense giving Clark an opportunity saved by Hesmer.
- In the 89th minute, a aerial cross to Ching is headed down to Holden, who lays it off again to set up a dynamite sliding shot by Barrett that was heading to the upper 90, only for Hesmer to make an outstanding jumping dive to catch the rocket.
- 2nd minute: Caraccio nods a free kick on frame, straight at the GK.
- 12th minute: An apparent Davis goal gets waived off due to an offside DeRo.
- 34th minute: Davis chips a ball in to Carracio. The ball is mishandled by Hesmer, and Caraccio tries to pick up the trash before a general scrum forms on the goal line. Hesmer is able to get his hands around the ball in the middle of the writhing orgy to stop the play. I've got a question on this: with O'Rourke and Carroll (and, admittedly, Caraccio) trying to play the ball while on the ground, how is a free kick not awarded to somebody?
- In the 63rd minute, Mulrooney picks up the pieces from a broken Dynamo free kick in the attacking third, gets an aerial to Ching who chests it and...well...how did he not do something better with that one?
- In the next minute, Mullan drives a ball to the far post that a sliding Caraccio is inches away from touching into the net.
- In the 69th minute, a DeRo rocket is bobbled by Hesmer, but the lack of follow up ensures nothing comes of it. DeRo has another dangerous shot in the 74th.
- In the 83rd, Ashe has an uncharacteristically awesome shot heading to the far lower net, which is saved by Hesmer. This makes perhaps the first game that both Barrett and Ashe (who are known for their other attributes) have some of the most impressive and challenging shots on goal.
In the 22nd minute, the Crew take advantage of the only corner kick they get in the first half. BoBo makes a booboo and kind of hangs out in no-mans land. As Clark and DeRo run by him with their respective marks, BoBo sees -- too late! -- that Marshall is free and keying in on the incoming ball. BoBo gets there -- too late! -- and the ball is headed in bouncy-fashion towards the goal. Ianni is there, deflects it, then tries to heel flick it out of danger before Moreno manages to pick up the trash and knock the ball past Onstad and Barrett. BoBo didn't really have that bad of a game, but he is responsible for this goal. And, ironically, if Ianni hadn't done what a defender is supposed to do (that is: block the shot), Onstad would have easily gotten the ball as he was perfectly positioned for it. Fate worked against us, though, and the blocked shot set Moreno up for a typically scrappy Moreno goal. One corner = one goal for the home team playing like a visiting team.
The Yellow Ones would have more chances -- In the 2nd minute the Dynamo handed the Crew a free freekick when Onstad picked up a back pass from Mulrooney (it came to naught); Padula had a rocket that just missed the mark in the 35th; a Houston defensive breakdown gave Onstad a chance to show his awesomeness with a flying save in the 47th; in the 55th minute Robbie Rogers dribbles down and gets off a shot that is easily corralled by Onstad (if that had been Moreno dribbling, he would have flown through the air as Mullan engaged him in the hopes of conning the ref for a free kick); in the 74th Moreno jumps around Ianni to head a corner kick on frame and forcing a goal line clearance by Barrett -- but they were mostly the result of individual talent or nicely executed set plays. Those are certainly components of good soccer, but not the definition of good soccer.
Of course, being shut out isn't anywhere in the definition of good soccer. Nevertheless, the Dynamo played inspiring soccer in every aspect but the scoring aspect. I'm sure many fans are tired of this. It's a moral victory, but an actual loss.
Let's switch to some off-the-field observations.
- When did the Columbus crew take out stands behind the north (?) goal to put in a stage. I guess that's the standard for Hunt SWICS (remember?: Soccer-When-It's-Convenient_Stadiums): kill some of the passion by placing a barren concrete platform that permanently reserves a quarter of the stands for non-soccer activities. Both Pizza Hunt Park and Crew Stadium sport this abomination. It looks like this happened between last season and this one. The Columbus Dispatch says: "The Crew appears to have lost few of its most ardent supporters, some who were supplanted from their home in the stadium's north end by the new permanent stage."
- Props to the remaining Crew faithful who made Davis' job difficult on those corner kicks in front of the supporters. Kudos to Davis for not succumbing to the pressure.
- Janette Fernandez is simply awful in sport interviews. Please, somebody, give her some prepared and intelligent questions for halftime and after the game.
- Chivas got skunked by LA last night. Maybe we'll be able to score against Chivas next week at The Rob. Last year's goalkeeper of the year (Brad Guzan) isn't doing much better than last year's defensive squad of the year (that is us, y'all).
- The League's bottom dwellers at this writing are today's San Jose and yesteryear's San Jose. Is that some sort of poetic statement?
The MLS game review, and article.
The Chronicle article. And player ratings.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Going Back to Ohio
Dynamo-Houston trek to Columbus, OH, tonight. The Crew aren't their usual pushover selves, especially when Guillermo Barros Schelotto is on his game. In the 4-game history of the two teams, the Dynamo have won only once (in Columbus, not The Rob) with the remainder being draws. It's hard to predict who wins tonight, although one might think that Houston is due its first win of the season, but I don't think the odds work that way: adding up until a particular game is a gimme. You could easily argue that the Crew are due their first win of the Houston/Columbus series. Maybe a draw is the most likely conclusion.
All's I know is that Alejandro Moreno will probably score a goal; he has netted one every time he's faced Houston since his departure from Houston. And I will say unequivocally that Moreno will earn his team at least 2 dangerous free kicks. That's how he rolls. Still, I feel that Houston should win if they play like they have been. Here's hoping for a game like the first half versus LA, only with more scoring for the orange.
Here is the MLS game preview.
Caraccio has been a long-time admirer of Schelotto. Tonight is a great chance for the young gun to impress the old maestro.
A brief note about the defensive line. This will be the first time this season our back line will have the same personnel lining up in consecutive games.
Did you know that Sigi Schmid coached The Dom on the USNMT years ago? Sigi said Dom was on the "World Cup Team" but Dom wasn't on the final roster for the 1990 team. Maybe Sigi was the assistant coach and Dom was with the team through the build up, then was cut before the final roster was made?
Also, do the Dynamo want to be the team that gives Sigi his 100th win? (Read the fourth bullet under Item #5 here. Also, Item #1 talks about the weird knuckling action of the MLS ball; could unfamiliarity with the MLS ball be the reason for Caig's slow start? That would be nice if it were true; and it might explain why his last few games have been better. But: (1) that wouldn't explain one of his apparent weaknesses, which is his hesitancy as to when to come off his line and (2) it wouldn't explain the performance in Saprissa, where they don't use the MLS ball and he still struggled.)
A final (?) word on Donovan and His Angry Face
Shaka Hislop has an interesting take on the Dynamo's reaction to Donovan's vocal showmanship last week: the complacency is a sign that all is not well in Dynamoland. He feels Ianni should have confronted Donovan and the Dynamo should have supported their teammate. Instead, Donovan "had to be led away by one of his own team-mates - all the while, no one from Houston, not even Ianni, cared to confront the LA forward...It portrayed a real lack of camaraderie from within Houston's ranks, which is very concerning given the pre-season favourites' precarious position at the bottom of the Western Conference, without a win to their name." Personally, I think Ianni handled the incident quite professionally, and camaraderie is one thing that doesn't appear to be a problem with the Dynamo. I do agree with Hislop's later accolades about The Dom.
Another factoid from the Hislop piece: In Portsmouth "the fans are famous for their vehement support, so much so that the number 12 was reserved for the crowd - no player would wear the No12 shirt." Cool tradition, that.
All's I know is that Alejandro Moreno will probably score a goal; he has netted one every time he's faced Houston since his departure from Houston. And I will say unequivocally that Moreno will earn his team at least 2 dangerous free kicks. That's how he rolls. Still, I feel that Houston should win if they play like they have been. Here's hoping for a game like the first half versus LA, only with more scoring for the orange.
Here is the MLS game preview.
Caraccio has been a long-time admirer of Schelotto. Tonight is a great chance for the young gun to impress the old maestro.
A brief note about the defensive line. This will be the first time this season our back line will have the same personnel lining up in consecutive games.
Did you know that Sigi Schmid coached The Dom on the USNMT years ago? Sigi said Dom was on the "World Cup Team" but Dom wasn't on the final roster for the 1990 team. Maybe Sigi was the assistant coach and Dom was with the team through the build up, then was cut before the final roster was made?
Also, do the Dynamo want to be the team that gives Sigi his 100th win? (Read the fourth bullet under Item #5 here. Also, Item #1 talks about the weird knuckling action of the MLS ball; could unfamiliarity with the MLS ball be the reason for Caig's slow start? That would be nice if it were true; and it might explain why his last few games have been better. But: (1) that wouldn't explain one of his apparent weaknesses, which is his hesitancy as to when to come off his line and (2) it wouldn't explain the performance in Saprissa, where they don't use the MLS ball and he still struggled.)
A final (?) word on Donovan and His Angry Face
Shaka Hislop has an interesting take on the Dynamo's reaction to Donovan's vocal showmanship last week: the complacency is a sign that all is not well in Dynamoland. He feels Ianni should have confronted Donovan and the Dynamo should have supported their teammate. Instead, Donovan "had to be led away by one of his own team-mates - all the while, no one from Houston, not even Ianni, cared to confront the LA forward...It portrayed a real lack of camaraderie from within Houston's ranks, which is very concerning given the pre-season favourites' precarious position at the bottom of the Western Conference, without a win to their name." Personally, I think Ianni handled the incident quite professionally, and camaraderie is one thing that doesn't appear to be a problem with the Dynamo. I do agree with Hislop's later accolades about The Dom.
Another factoid from the Hislop piece: In Portsmouth "the fans are famous for their vehement support, so much so that the number 12 was reserved for the crowd - no player would wear the No12 shirt." Cool tradition, that.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Once again: we're even with the mediocre
I was tired Sat night/Sun morning so I executed my right to rewrite this...
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
- We got a point
- We finally managed to score on a 10 man team
- We played well and had sufficient opportunity to put this game away (dang finishing)
- Mulrooney and Ianni played excellent games
- Ngwenya is taking responsibility for his missed chances in saying "I had three clear chances I wish I could have put away. I think I need to get back to training and start being serious again. I need to start putting away chances again. I think I was a bit too relaxed. " Nice to hear the commitment, but why weren’t you already serious after the penalty kick fiasco vs Pachuca?
- My daughter caught a T-shirt
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The FCD Spin Doctor
One of the characteristics about the Dynamo is that they are, from back to front, an attacking team. This quality is even more impressive given the stout defending stats this teams puts up.
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Sunday, August 19, 2007
King of the Lone Star State
For the second year running, Dynamo have bested their Texas counterparts, FC Dallas, and kept ownership of El Capitan. The howitzer has remained silent in our possession, but hopefully we'll be able to fire it at will once (if) we move to our permanent stadium home. The "rivalry" is young, but if the current trend continues, we may not even relinquish possession of the big gun until after we move into a new home.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
- The new jerseys; we're undefeated in them!
- Mother Nature for bringing along that breeze
- The Jumbotron screen official, for saving money with an economy of letters, showing the score for "FC Dalas."
- Ianni, Mulrooney, Mullan, and Waibel for clapping their appreciation to our side of the field (Eastern Stands, Section 118 specifically) as they walked off the field. The entire team justifiable showed their appreciation to the TA and EB in 213 and 214, but those four were very considerate in showing their appreciation for our somewhat less enthusiastic contributions to the game.
- My wife, for packing an awesome pre- and post-game tailgate repast. She wouldn't let me stay for the Reserve match, but she made up for it by feeding me well.
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Taking the C-bus
It was certainly nice to leave C-bus with 3 points. Nine points in a week certainly turns things around, and now we're near the top of the conference.
I can't say much about the quality of our play. Our passing was poor and we had very little possession. In the second half, the guys looked exhausted and the quality dropped even more. It's exactly the opposite situation from the month of May, where we looked sharp yet would lose the game. Given that it was an afternoon game, a good plane ride away from home, and following two matches in a week, you gotta give the guys a pass.
Great irony that the two scorers were Ngwenya and Moreno, both tallying goals against their previous clubs. Moreno had a better game than I can recall him ever having with Dynamo. He skied through the air in the box to head in his goal, took on defenders, made crosses, and suffered the usual fouls. But my favorite Crewman was Marshall, who scored us the winning goal. After he slid to prevent Gray's cross (Gray serving as the primary A-Mid this afternoon) from getting to Ngwenya, I was thinking how I would've liked to see NGWENYA making the slide. It would make it look like, you know, he was hungry to score, rather than just being hopeful the ball would come to him. We need hunger up front. Even though the result wasn't what Marshall wanted, at least he was throwing his body into his effort. I'm just thankful that his effort helped the score along.
Ngwenya: beautiful header on the corner kick, and who would've thought you'd claim 3 goals this week. Props to you! Now lets see some more hunger in front of goal.
I'm just cranky because it's Sunday night and the workweek looms. Bear with me.
Other MLS Thoughts
Can't say I'm sad to see LA's decline. The MLS probably benefits with strong clubs in LA and NY, and Beckham definitely benefits from a strong LA. I still can't root for LA though; I leave it to them to solve their problems. I have faith that Frank Yallop can do so, but will it be too late to salvage the season? And do I care? Heck, if Beckham helps his team improve, but they still miss the playoffs, Becks will probably call it a successful building season and be glad for the rest.
Who would've thought that (1) Ben Olson would get a hat trick, and (2) DC could parlay a 2-1 lead into a 4-2 victory with only 10 men versus Captain America, JP Angel and RBNY? I didn't.
I can't say much about the quality of our play. Our passing was poor and we had very little possession. In the second half, the guys looked exhausted and the quality dropped even more. It's exactly the opposite situation from the month of May, where we looked sharp yet would lose the game. Given that it was an afternoon game, a good plane ride away from home, and following two matches in a week, you gotta give the guys a pass.
Great irony that the two scorers were Ngwenya and Moreno, both tallying goals against their previous clubs. Moreno had a better game than I can recall him ever having with Dynamo. He skied through the air in the box to head in his goal, took on defenders, made crosses, and suffered the usual fouls. But my favorite Crewman was Marshall, who scored us the winning goal. After he slid to prevent Gray's cross (Gray serving as the primary A-Mid this afternoon) from getting to Ngwenya, I was thinking how I would've liked to see NGWENYA making the slide. It would make it look like, you know, he was hungry to score, rather than just being hopeful the ball would come to him. We need hunger up front. Even though the result wasn't what Marshall wanted, at least he was throwing his body into his effort. I'm just thankful that his effort helped the score along.
Ngwenya: beautiful header on the corner kick, and who would've thought you'd claim 3 goals this week. Props to you! Now lets see some more hunger in front of goal.
I'm just cranky because it's Sunday night and the workweek looms. Bear with me.
Other MLS Thoughts
Can't say I'm sad to see LA's decline. The MLS probably benefits with strong clubs in LA and NY, and Beckham definitely benefits from a strong LA. I still can't root for LA though; I leave it to them to solve their problems. I have faith that Frank Yallop can do so, but will it be too late to salvage the season? And do I care? Heck, if Beckham helps his team improve, but they still miss the playoffs, Becks will probably call it a successful building season and be glad for the rest.
Who would've thought that (1) Ben Olson would get a hat trick, and (2) DC could parlay a 2-1 lead into a 4-2 victory with only 10 men versus Captain America, JP Angel and RBNY? I didn't.
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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