In a stunning development last week, the Dynamo were able to score on a 10-man team. The MIO have an easier time scoring on 11-men than they do versus 10-men, but they did it. On the road. On green asphalt.
The story of the game was really about our bench providing a spark when it was needed. The score was set up by a nice turnover in our half of the field (Boswell or Cameron was responsible for that), then a pass to Davis, who got the ball to a streaking Ashe. Ashe had speed on his side, but it was his curling cross that was really the story. And a sliding Wondolowski got on the end of the cross to net his 2nd goal of the season (and the 7,000th goal for the MLS). With 2 goals and an assist, Wondo is behind only Ching's 3 goals for our team. The young pup is making a case for a starting role, or at least for coming in off the bench sooner.
When we got that goal, I thought the game was over, based on our ubiquitously solid defense and the match's general run of play. Unfortunately, a defensive miscue led to a corner kick, which was not defended correctly, and John Wolyniec demonstrated excellent composure and technique to bring down a blind ball, turn, and get it past Onstad to split the points with the Dynamo.
Now the Dynamo are amongst a group of 5 teams fighting to catch up with Chivas-North. We can help keep the trailers down in the cellar when we meet up against San Jose tonight at Robertson. San Jose has only one win so far, and it was against us, natch. We have a little dark cloud that lingers around us when we play the Quakes, but let's hope we can shake that tonight.
In other news, Garcia says he compensates for his lack of skill by getting in the head of his opponents. One has to be good at something I presume, and he has been successful at manipulating officials and the system to get Kamara off the field. We'll see if he is successful at that tonight.
Soapbox: I do like the physicality of the MLS and the fact that we don't have soft defenses that exaggerate the skill of forwards. However, I do wish the MLS had an environment where technique and creativity would be rewarded slightly more than force and destruction are. To do this, we need the officials to call a game in such a way as to create this environment, and we'd need to see more defenders who have the vision and acuity necessary to compensate for the fact that physicality is no longer their trump card. In the end, I think this sort of environment would help develop better defenders, help develop more creative attackers, and generate more exciting gameplay.
Of course, whenever officials try to temper physical play, then we start to see more flopping by the attackers, so as with everything in life, there could be a downside.
But tonight I think we're going to see too physical teams hammering each other to attrition. Let's hope that the Dynamo come out unscathed and with 3 points.
Go DYNAMO!
Showing posts with label RBNY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RBNY. Show all posts
Saturday, May 23, 2009
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.
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, November 09, 2008
Another first in a season of firsts
We opened the season with a 3-0 loss, and we closed the season with a 3-0 loss. What happened to the vaunted Dynamo defense?
Dynamo get a first round exit. The best team in the league (no, not the team with the best record -- only the second best record -- but the best team nonetheless) got spanked at home. RBNY never does that. Houston never allows it to be done. It was, nevertheless, done.
That game just sucked. What a horrible time for the Dynamo to reaquaint themselves with their poor finishing bugaboo. Speed killed us this year. Dane Richards has speed. He got the goal and the PK that ended the game and our season. Crapola.
I'm off to Florida in an hour to work for the week, and I'll have a long time alone to stew about this bitter and unjust end to the season.
Dynamo get a first round exit. The best team in the league (no, not the team with the best record -- only the second best record -- but the best team nonetheless) got spanked at home. RBNY never does that. Houston never allows it to be done. It was, nevertheless, done.
That game just sucked. What a horrible time for the Dynamo to reaquaint themselves with their poor finishing bugaboo. Speed killed us this year. Dane Richards has speed. He got the goal and the PK that ended the game and our season. Crapola.
I'm off to Florida in an hour to work for the week, and I'll have a long time alone to stew about this bitter and unjust end to the season.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
'Mo Salvages an Otherwise Miserable Sportsday
Thanks, Kei, for getting the dramatic equalizer in the 85th minute. (Recap. Recap 2.) We're tied up with RBNY so it's a simple matter of win and move on at Robertson next week.
Other than that, the weekend sucked. My son's team lost 3-2 to a team they had beaten 5-3 on the opponent's home field. It was their first loss of the season and was one of those frustrating matches where you dominate territory and possession, but give up a few quick counterattacks that make you pay. We were 2-2 at the half. We scored in the 3rd, they scored in the 7th, we went ahead in the 16th, and they equalized in the 30th. Both of their goals came from footraces between their forward and our defenders. Our first goal came off a header after the boys executed a corner kick sequence perfectly. (Short pass-layoff-cross-header-Goal!) Our second goal came from some combinations up the center that sprang our forward into the attacking third. The first half also saw a handball in our box, but our goalkeeper saved the successive PK. Five minutes into the second half, our opponent scored what would be the winning goal. It started from yet another fast break, but then slowed down when we kicked the ball out of bounds. A few bounces after the throw in and we lost the game. The remainder of the match was in the opponent's half ... but nothing went in the opponent's goal, unfortunately.
The worst part of the loss is that I (as the coach) think I sat a player out too long because (1) we needed our best players in to win, (2) this guy isn't one of our best players, and (3) worst of all, he half-trots around almost as if he doesn't want to play. Also, unbeknownst to me, I stopped my stopwatch sometime in the second half, so I was unaware how late we were in the game. So, either out of subconscious desire to hide our weakness or an accidental occurrence because I thought we had more time left in the game, I ended up breaking my own cardinal rule and played him less than the 40 minute minimum (half the game, spread over both halves). He had 20 minutes in the first half but only 10 minutes in the second. And I feel lousy. I've become one of those jerk-coaches who sacrifice player development in order to win.
And then to cap off the day, my Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. I don't know WHAT our problem was in the first half, but we almost made amends with our comeback in the second half. Had Gideon hung onto the interception with 8 seconds left, then I think my whole weekend would have seemed just fine. Now there is a pallor over everything. Everything.
And to cap things off, I'm traveling to Florida next Sunday for business during the week. I'll miss seeing the Dynamo game, and worst of all: I'll miss most of my daughter's 11th birthday. Next weekend isn't looking much better than this one.
Hopefully the Dynamo give me something to smile about next weekend too.
Other than that, the weekend sucked. My son's team lost 3-2 to a team they had beaten 5-3 on the opponent's home field. It was their first loss of the season and was one of those frustrating matches where you dominate territory and possession, but give up a few quick counterattacks that make you pay. We were 2-2 at the half. We scored in the 3rd, they scored in the 7th, we went ahead in the 16th, and they equalized in the 30th. Both of their goals came from footraces between their forward and our defenders. Our first goal came off a header after the boys executed a corner kick sequence perfectly. (Short pass-layoff-cross-header-Goal!) Our second goal came from some combinations up the center that sprang our forward into the attacking third. The first half also saw a handball in our box, but our goalkeeper saved the successive PK. Five minutes into the second half, our opponent scored what would be the winning goal. It started from yet another fast break, but then slowed down when we kicked the ball out of bounds. A few bounces after the throw in and we lost the game. The remainder of the match was in the opponent's half ... but nothing went in the opponent's goal, unfortunately.
The worst part of the loss is that I (as the coach) think I sat a player out too long because (1) we needed our best players in to win, (2) this guy isn't one of our best players, and (3) worst of all, he half-trots around almost as if he doesn't want to play. Also, unbeknownst to me, I stopped my stopwatch sometime in the second half, so I was unaware how late we were in the game. So, either out of subconscious desire to hide our weakness or an accidental occurrence because I thought we had more time left in the game, I ended up breaking my own cardinal rule and played him less than the 40 minute minimum (half the game, spread over both halves). He had 20 minutes in the first half but only 10 minutes in the second. And I feel lousy. I've become one of those jerk-coaches who sacrifice player development in order to win.
And then to cap off the day, my Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. I don't know WHAT our problem was in the first half, but we almost made amends with our comeback in the second half. Had Gideon hung onto the interception with 8 seconds left, then I think my whole weekend would have seemed just fine. Now there is a pallor over everything. Everything.
And to cap things off, I'm traveling to Florida next Sunday for business during the week. I'll miss seeing the Dynamo game, and worst of all: I'll miss most of my daughter's 11th birthday. Next weekend isn't looking much better than this one.
Hopefully the Dynamo give me something to smile about next weekend too.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Farewell, Regular Season 2008
The Dynamo wrapped up the season with a nice win, an ugly loss, and a disappointing draw.
A week ago, on a Saturday, the team racked up three quick goals in the first half to defeat the hapless Galaxy and lock up the Western Conference regular season "title". (Note: The Dynamo won't be called the Western Conference Champions unless they win the MLS Cup Semifinals in the post-season.) The past two years we came in second in the Conference, so it is a nice accomplishment to be first in the Conference and second overall for the first time. In addition to it being "nice," it also assures the Dynamo have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, a benefit that hasn't proven beneficial for the past two Western Conference leaders (FC Dallas in 2006 and Chivas USA in 2007), both of whom washed out in the first round. Hopefully we fare better with the advantage. We usually do.
On Wednesday, the Dynamo veterans and reserves met the UNAM Pumas veterans and reserves. We managed to tie them in Mexico City, so hopes were high here at home, particularly given the run we've had. It was not to be, as we fell to Pumas 1-3. It was our first loss since August 24, when we lost 0-3 to RBNY. (More on that later.) Pumas scored on a PK after a poorly positioned Ianni knocked down an onrushing attacker in the penalty box. Then Pumas scored on a quick counter that was essentially a 3v1 (Barrett was the "1", with Ashe coming in from behind). With the MIO pushed up on a free kick, the Dynamo lost possession and the midfield failed to contain or delay the Pumas middle, leaving the Dynamo backline exposed when undermanned. Before the half ended, the exciting rookie, Geoff Cameron, intercepted a goal kick, raced down the right flank, and sent a cross in for Nate Jaqua that a defender kindly knocked in. Pumas got the only goal of the second half, with a nice heel flick/volley off a corner kick where an offside Pumas player shielded Onstad from the shot. After the game, Coach Dom correctly pointed out that the goal should have not counted. But it did. We had plenty of chances to score in the first and second halves. But we didn't. And we were probably fortunate that Stuart Holden wasn't sent off with a second yellow card after repeated poorly-timed and executed slide tackles. Our first loss of the CONCACAF Champions League, and enough to knock us into third place and needing a win and a tie to get through to the next round.
The week ended with a miserable match versus Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center. It shouldn't have been a miserable match because (1) it was a meaningless match and (2) it would probably see our starters rested. BUT, it became meaningful when The Dom decided to play a full strength squad for some reason (you're not going to rest them for the match in El Salvador? For the playoffs?), and that veteran squad proved unable to score a goal against a 10-man team. We had plenty of opportunities, but poor finishing plagued the team as it seems to do at the most inopportune times, and almost always when playing against a short-sided team. We did get a PK in the second half, but nothing else. To add salt to the wound, our veterans also conceded a goal to the 10-man side after a freaky series of caroms in the final minute of the match. The first carom was when ERob nearly scored an own-goal, forcing Onstad to make a diving save, and Little Curtin was able to punch in the bouncing ball from a foot out.
It was not a good day for ERob, who also nearly gifted Anton Razov a goal when he lost control of the ball and coughed it up to Razov who was eventually denied in a 1-on-1 with Pat On-Stud.
In the end, the tie didn't do anything but tick fans off and deny the Dynamo the chance to better their point total from last year. (They had 52 points last year; 51 this year.)
So now what?
Well, Tuesday we face CD Luis Angel Firpo in El Salvador for CONCACAF Champions League. We need a draw to stay alive.
Saturday we take on RBNY in the first leg of the first round of the playoffs. The good news: RBNY sucks. The bad news: RBNY plays on turf. We don't do well on the fake stuff, having not won on it one time this year. In fact, it seems that in our history, we've only won one game on the fake stuff. Well, we need to get at least a tie this weekend then seal the deal here in Houston the following week. Losing out to RBNY in the first round is unacceptable.
Finally, congrats to the Dynamo Reserves, who won the Reserve Division title this past weekend. It was a brilliant campaign by John Spencer and the lads. I wonder what they will do with the $20,000 they won.
The victory in the Reserve Division is another success in the history of the club. Now let's get on with setting MLS history by getting the three-peat. Go Dynamo!
A week ago, on a Saturday, the team racked up three quick goals in the first half to defeat the hapless Galaxy and lock up the Western Conference regular season "title". (Note: The Dynamo won't be called the Western Conference Champions unless they win the MLS Cup Semifinals in the post-season.) The past two years we came in second in the Conference, so it is a nice accomplishment to be first in the Conference and second overall for the first time. In addition to it being "nice," it also assures the Dynamo have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, a benefit that hasn't proven beneficial for the past two Western Conference leaders (FC Dallas in 2006 and Chivas USA in 2007), both of whom washed out in the first round. Hopefully we fare better with the advantage. We usually do.
On Wednesday, the Dynamo veterans and reserves met the UNAM Pumas veterans and reserves. We managed to tie them in Mexico City, so hopes were high here at home, particularly given the run we've had. It was not to be, as we fell to Pumas 1-3. It was our first loss since August 24, when we lost 0-3 to RBNY. (More on that later.) Pumas scored on a PK after a poorly positioned Ianni knocked down an onrushing attacker in the penalty box. Then Pumas scored on a quick counter that was essentially a 3v1 (Barrett was the "1", with Ashe coming in from behind). With the MIO pushed up on a free kick, the Dynamo lost possession and the midfield failed to contain or delay the Pumas middle, leaving the Dynamo backline exposed when undermanned. Before the half ended, the exciting rookie, Geoff Cameron, intercepted a goal kick, raced down the right flank, and sent a cross in for Nate Jaqua that a defender kindly knocked in. Pumas got the only goal of the second half, with a nice heel flick/volley off a corner kick where an offside Pumas player shielded Onstad from the shot. After the game, Coach Dom correctly pointed out that the goal should have not counted. But it did. We had plenty of chances to score in the first and second halves. But we didn't. And we were probably fortunate that Stuart Holden wasn't sent off with a second yellow card after repeated poorly-timed and executed slide tackles. Our first loss of the CONCACAF Champions League, and enough to knock us into third place and needing a win and a tie to get through to the next round.
The week ended with a miserable match versus Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center. It shouldn't have been a miserable match because (1) it was a meaningless match and (2) it would probably see our starters rested. BUT, it became meaningful when The Dom decided to play a full strength squad for some reason (you're not going to rest them for the match in El Salvador? For the playoffs?), and that veteran squad proved unable to score a goal against a 10-man team. We had plenty of opportunities, but poor finishing plagued the team as it seems to do at the most inopportune times, and almost always when playing against a short-sided team. We did get a PK in the second half, but nothing else. To add salt to the wound, our veterans also conceded a goal to the 10-man side after a freaky series of caroms in the final minute of the match. The first carom was when ERob nearly scored an own-goal, forcing Onstad to make a diving save, and Little Curtin was able to punch in the bouncing ball from a foot out.
It was not a good day for ERob, who also nearly gifted Anton Razov a goal when he lost control of the ball and coughed it up to Razov who was eventually denied in a 1-on-1 with Pat On-Stud.
In the end, the tie didn't do anything but tick fans off and deny the Dynamo the chance to better their point total from last year. (They had 52 points last year; 51 this year.)
So now what?
Well, Tuesday we face CD Luis Angel Firpo in El Salvador for CONCACAF Champions League. We need a draw to stay alive.
Saturday we take on RBNY in the first leg of the first round of the playoffs. The good news: RBNY sucks. The bad news: RBNY plays on turf. We don't do well on the fake stuff, having not won on it one time this year. In fact, it seems that in our history, we've only won one game on the fake stuff. Well, we need to get at least a tie this weekend then seal the deal here in Houston the following week. Losing out to RBNY in the first round is unacceptable.
Finally, congrats to the Dynamo Reserves, who won the Reserve Division title this past weekend. It was a brilliant campaign by John Spencer and the lads. I wonder what they will do with the $20,000 they won.
The victory in the Reserve Division is another success in the history of the club. Now let's get on with setting MLS history by getting the three-peat. Go Dynamo!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Coach, do we have to play on Field Turf?
I don't speak Spanish well at all, but watching the Dynamo-RBNY game on Telefutura today, it looked like we lost 0-3. That sure looked like non-orange players shooting into the net. Was that Ashe scoring a speedy strike? Oh, that's Dane Richards. (Ives Galarcep said Barrett shouldn't feel bad being smoked by Richards; about 20 American have been smoked by Jamaicans this week.)
Actually, the game stunk in any language. Here's a nice (well, maybe "nice" isn't the word) recap here.
Strange thing is that I didn't feel that we were outplayed by the Toros Rojos today, but we certainly were out hustled on about 6 occasions, 3 of which resulted in goals. It was very uncharacteristic of the MIO to be out-worked by an opponent. Can we chalk it up to 3 games in one week? (Two of which being in the taxing humid climate of Houston.)
The Dynamo offense frequently goes through dry spells. It's like Houston weather: monsoon one day, drought the next. So I wasn't completely surprised by the lack of scoring production. Technically we got 4 shots on goal, but none were particularly memorable. We didn't test Conway much at all.
We didn't have much creativity on the attack, but it was on the other end where the Dynamo were really out worked and out hustled -- and that WAS a surprise. On the first goal ERob ball-watches and stands flat-footed, not realizing someone might run into the box to do something with a cross. Too late he sees JP Angel's blur. The only thing ERob does is try to collar JPA at the last minute, but it was too late and was a poor tactic anyway. I have trouble faulting Barrett too much on the second goal. Richards out paced him and when Barrett saw Richards pulling away at the end, he tried a last ditch slide tackle that didn't go too well on the turf. Barrett possibly could have positioned himself better before the footrace began, but it really came down to the fact that Richards is blazing fast. The final goal was another ERob flub, where he just lackadaisically let Magee fly through for a 1-on-1 with Pat Onstad.
So that is 2 goals from being outworked, and one from being out paced. The Dynamo of old would have kept this to a respectable 0-1 loss. I wonder, does ERob sit next week? Or does he get the message this week that he let his team down?
Besides ERob, another AWOL player was DeRo. The difference is that DeRo looked like he was trying, he just couldn't get into the game. He and his fellow middies did do well enough that the Dynamo held their own in the middle, but there were still too many give-aways and too few coordinated passing plays.
Maybe Dom should have pulled Kei Kamara (who also seemed off, and was definitely off target), pushed DeRo to forward, and inserted Stuie as Attacking Mid earlier. Maybe Ashe could have gone in earlier to provide speed to counter Richards speed. Or maybe Dom expected ERob to show up and try a little harder.
Actually, the whole team seemed out of sync.
If there's any solace in this 0-3 loss (the second 0-3 loss of the season), it's that we weren't outclassed on the pitch. We were definitely out-hustled, out of ideas, and out of focus though. This happens too often when the Dynamo see the proverbial brass ring before them. It seems they crumble whenever there's an opportunity to position themselves for easy times. Maybe they just enjoy the hard road.
The embarrassment of today should ensure a better result on Labor Day weekend, when the Fire comes to town.
Actually, the game stunk in any language. Here's a nice (well, maybe "nice" isn't the word) recap here.
Strange thing is that I didn't feel that we were outplayed by the Toros Rojos today, but we certainly were out hustled on about 6 occasions, 3 of which resulted in goals. It was very uncharacteristic of the MIO to be out-worked by an opponent. Can we chalk it up to 3 games in one week? (Two of which being in the taxing humid climate of Houston.)
The Dynamo offense frequently goes through dry spells. It's like Houston weather: monsoon one day, drought the next. So I wasn't completely surprised by the lack of scoring production. Technically we got 4 shots on goal, but none were particularly memorable. We didn't test Conway much at all.
We didn't have much creativity on the attack, but it was on the other end where the Dynamo were really out worked and out hustled -- and that WAS a surprise. On the first goal ERob ball-watches and stands flat-footed, not realizing someone might run into the box to do something with a cross. Too late he sees JP Angel's blur. The only thing ERob does is try to collar JPA at the last minute, but it was too late and was a poor tactic anyway. I have trouble faulting Barrett too much on the second goal. Richards out paced him and when Barrett saw Richards pulling away at the end, he tried a last ditch slide tackle that didn't go too well on the turf. Barrett possibly could have positioned himself better before the footrace began, but it really came down to the fact that Richards is blazing fast. The final goal was another ERob flub, where he just lackadaisically let Magee fly through for a 1-on-1 with Pat Onstad.
So that is 2 goals from being outworked, and one from being out paced. The Dynamo of old would have kept this to a respectable 0-1 loss. I wonder, does ERob sit next week? Or does he get the message this week that he let his team down?
Besides ERob, another AWOL player was DeRo. The difference is that DeRo looked like he was trying, he just couldn't get into the game. He and his fellow middies did do well enough that the Dynamo held their own in the middle, but there were still too many give-aways and too few coordinated passing plays.
Maybe Dom should have pulled Kei Kamara (who also seemed off, and was definitely off target), pushed DeRo to forward, and inserted Stuie as Attacking Mid earlier. Maybe Ashe could have gone in earlier to provide speed to counter Richards speed. Or maybe Dom expected ERob to show up and try a little harder.
Actually, the whole team seemed out of sync.
If there's any solace in this 0-3 loss (the second 0-3 loss of the season), it's that we weren't outclassed on the pitch. We were definitely out-hustled, out of ideas, and out of focus though. This happens too often when the Dynamo see the proverbial brass ring before them. It seems they crumble whenever there's an opportunity to position themselves for easy times. Maybe they just enjoy the hard road.
The embarrassment of today should ensure a better result on Labor Day weekend, when the Fire comes to town.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Red Bulls fizzles in the heat of Houston
Beautiful soccer is a work of art, but grinding out a result is important some days. The Dynamo did just that last night. They began the game with several starters missing (DeRo, Onstad, Robinson, and Barrett), controlled possession in the first half but did not generate any dangerous threats, then managed to put together the whole package in the second half: control possession, set the tempo, get shots on goal, and get some shots in the goal.
Credit young guns Stuart Holden and Geoff Cameron for setting up the veteran Ching's goal. It came (natch) off a free kick. A restart, if you will. Maybe it will help restart the season as the Dynamo are now lingering at the top of the conference. Still, no one but San Jose is more than 3 points behind; the season is still a toss up, but we're near where we need to be. Now we need to stay there and keep rising.
To do that, we'll need to grind out some more results. And play some beautiful soccer along the way.
Media Roundup
Official recap is here.
Another article on the victory and the young guns responsible.
Some quotes. No particularly noteworthy quote was captured.
Credit young guns Stuart Holden and Geoff Cameron for setting up the veteran Ching's goal. It came (natch) off a free kick. A restart, if you will. Maybe it will help restart the season as the Dynamo are now lingering at the top of the conference. Still, no one but San Jose is more than 3 points behind; the season is still a toss up, but we're near where we need to be. Now we need to stay there and keep rising.
To do that, we'll need to grind out some more results. And play some beautiful soccer along the way.
Media Roundup
Official recap is here.
Another article on the victory and the young guns responsible.
Some quotes. No particularly noteworthy quote was captured.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
But it feels like a win
What did you think about last night's game in Frisco? Another come-from-behind, last-minute draw with the Folks From Frisco. Because of the nature of the draw, it feels pretty good when it looked like the home side was about to snatch three points to our zero.
I think I'm pleased all in all. I certainly don't think we deserved a win. The first 30 minutes saw us as the 2nd best team out there -- pretty depressing stuff when the other team is Dallas. For the first time versus Houston, Dallas played like they should play with the collection of talented Latino players in their midfield. They were possessing well and passing sharply. The Dynamo? Weren't.
Except for the first game of the season (the debacle versus New England) and some of the international games, the Dynamo always looked like the sharper team on the pitch. They may not have gotten the results -- and that blame falls squarely on the performance in the attacking third -- but they controlled the tempo, the ball, and the real estate and just looked unlucky.
Unfortunately, the past two games, versus San Jose and Dallas, the MIO didn't even have the moral victory of being the better, if unluckier, team. That clearly needs to change if we want to have any hope of accomplishing anything nice for the naranja this season.
Add to the fact that we gave Dallas two goals. Saragosa should have had the first goal in the 26th minute, but Kenny Cooper would end up getting the first goal in the 35th. (Sending the dozens of Dallas fans crazy in the stands.) It came after horrendous positioning by Waibel, followed by his slow recovery run and slow backup by E-Rob in the center, gave the poky Cooper all the time he needed to trudge to the ball that he had pushed 8 yards in front of himself, then slot a solid shot around Onstad into the far netting. I would call the defense here "cavalier" or "complacent" with absolutely no urgency The second goal was also from ball-watching and listless defending. It saw Moor rising up completely open to head a corner kick into the net. As the ball sailed through the air and Moor rose to meet it, the Dynamo were so flat-footed that I thought the play must have been whistled dead. Nope. The defense was just ball watching.
Some games this season, the Dynamo are so passive that it almost is if their past success gives them too much confidence, so much so that they have become complacent. As if they think their skill and their destiny is to win each game, or at least to keep the other team from getting the goals they need for them to win the game. I wonder how far the Dynamo will have to fall behind before they realize their complacency won't get them very far. Other teams have augmented their rosters and changed up their dynamic to adapt to the ever-improving league. The Dynamo haven't. In truth, perhaps they didn't need to make any changes, but they still don't have the right to be complacent. And last night showed that they still haven't fixed their problem at forward.
The final sign of the Dynamo's lack of control came with E-Rob foolishly pushing Saragosa in retaliation for a foul in the box. E-Rob already had a yellow and could have put his team at a serious disadvantage (down a goal and down a man) but was lucky that Dallas got a red card as well. As it is, E-Rob did put the short-handed Dynamo in a bit of a bind for our next match. We'll be without his services as we face NYRB. Due to injuries and national team call-ups, we were already stretched. You've exacerbated the problem. Thanks, E-Rob.
It was not all doom and gloom last night. After the Frisco Folks scored, Dallas reverted back to its reactive, defensive, "protect the lead" style of play. Houston then looked more like their own selves, though still not quite their own selves. The improved play could be attributed to us switching to a 3-5-2, but we had switched much earlier and didn't see any resulting improvement until after the Dallas goal. I think the improved play might have been more a result of desperation on our part, complacency on their part, and the extra midfielder helping us to maintain possession.
We squandered many chances, but did well on the two goals we got. Ashe's goal, was a result of a good run by DeRo on the right flank, who sent a great ball to Chingy inside the FCD box. Ching trapped the ball beautifully and sent a nice square pass to the onrushing Ashe. The brilliantly-timed equalizer (in the 93rd minute, y'all!) saw a sweet cross by Ashe result in another frustrating off-the-crossbar header by Ching, but the rebound fell to DeRo who won't miss many of those gimees.
Other bright points:
Media roundup
Offical MLSnet recap.
The Chronicle's B-Fall-less recap. "For the second straight week, the Houston Dynamo came out flat." Dynamo notes state that, along with all of the other lineup changes, Onstad will indeed miss the game versus NYRB.
B-Fall's thoughts and grades are here. "Seeing the Dynamo fight until the very last minute is both admirable and encouraging. Watching them twice fall behind in the score is troubling and yet another step backward. (Anyone remember the ties vs. Dallas and L.A. last month?)"
The DMN recap.
An article on the match, including the contribution of Corey Ashe. Credit to the color-man, Steve Jolley, on The Tube last night. Early on he said that Ashe should come on due to his speed allowing him to get behind the FCD D. I thought Jolley was wrong. Turns out he was right. Excellent game for Ashe.
Post-game quotes.
Here's a recap from Goal.com. Interesting description of the Dynamo equalizer by none other than Greg Lalas: " The game slid into stoppage time, setting up the opportunity for De Rosario. Ashe set things in motion, beating Wade Barrett [um, Wade Barrett?] to the endline and crossing to the far post. Ching rose over his marker to meet the ball, but his shot caromed off a stretched Moor and fell to De Rosario. De Ro fired it home to earn the Dynamo a massive road result."
I think I'm pleased all in all. I certainly don't think we deserved a win. The first 30 minutes saw us as the 2nd best team out there -- pretty depressing stuff when the other team is Dallas. For the first time versus Houston, Dallas played like they should play with the collection of talented Latino players in their midfield. They were possessing well and passing sharply. The Dynamo? Weren't.
Except for the first game of the season (the debacle versus New England) and some of the international games, the Dynamo always looked like the sharper team on the pitch. They may not have gotten the results -- and that blame falls squarely on the performance in the attacking third -- but they controlled the tempo, the ball, and the real estate and just looked unlucky.
Unfortunately, the past two games, versus San Jose and Dallas, the MIO didn't even have the moral victory of being the better, if unluckier, team. That clearly needs to change if we want to have any hope of accomplishing anything nice for the naranja this season.
Add to the fact that we gave Dallas two goals. Saragosa should have had the first goal in the 26th minute, but Kenny Cooper would end up getting the first goal in the 35th. (Sending the dozens of Dallas fans crazy in the stands.) It came after horrendous positioning by Waibel, followed by his slow recovery run and slow backup by E-Rob in the center, gave the poky Cooper all the time he needed to trudge to the ball that he had pushed 8 yards in front of himself, then slot a solid shot around Onstad into the far netting. I would call the defense here "cavalier" or "complacent" with absolutely no urgency The second goal was also from ball-watching and listless defending. It saw Moor rising up completely open to head a corner kick into the net. As the ball sailed through the air and Moor rose to meet it, the Dynamo were so flat-footed that I thought the play must have been whistled dead. Nope. The defense was just ball watching.
Some games this season, the Dynamo are so passive that it almost is if their past success gives them too much confidence, so much so that they have become complacent. As if they think their skill and their destiny is to win each game, or at least to keep the other team from getting the goals they need for them to win the game. I wonder how far the Dynamo will have to fall behind before they realize their complacency won't get them very far. Other teams have augmented their rosters and changed up their dynamic to adapt to the ever-improving league. The Dynamo haven't. In truth, perhaps they didn't need to make any changes, but they still don't have the right to be complacent. And last night showed that they still haven't fixed their problem at forward.
The final sign of the Dynamo's lack of control came with E-Rob foolishly pushing Saragosa in retaliation for a foul in the box. E-Rob already had a yellow and could have put his team at a serious disadvantage (down a goal and down a man) but was lucky that Dallas got a red card as well. As it is, E-Rob did put the short-handed Dynamo in a bit of a bind for our next match. We'll be without his services as we face NYRB. Due to injuries and national team call-ups, we were already stretched. You've exacerbated the problem. Thanks, E-Rob.
It was not all doom and gloom last night. After the Frisco Folks scored, Dallas reverted back to its reactive, defensive, "protect the lead" style of play. Houston then looked more like their own selves, though still not quite their own selves. The improved play could be attributed to us switching to a 3-5-2, but we had switched much earlier and didn't see any resulting improvement until after the Dallas goal. I think the improved play might have been more a result of desperation on our part, complacency on their part, and the extra midfielder helping us to maintain possession.
We squandered many chances, but did well on the two goals we got. Ashe's goal, was a result of a good run by DeRo on the right flank, who sent a great ball to Chingy inside the FCD box. Ching trapped the ball beautifully and sent a nice square pass to the onrushing Ashe. The brilliantly-timed equalizer (in the 93rd minute, y'all!) saw a sweet cross by Ashe result in another frustrating off-the-crossbar header by Ching, but the rebound fell to DeRo who won't miss many of those gimees.
Other bright points:
- Ching's ear-to-ear grin after Ashe scored his first MLS goal.
- The Dom (who didn't seem too happy in the post game interview; I bet he's ticked at the situation E-Rob put him in) climbed into the stands after the game to thank the traveling Orange Supporters. Pure class!
Media roundup
Offical MLSnet recap.
The Chronicle's B-Fall-less recap. "For the second straight week, the Houston Dynamo came out flat." Dynamo notes state that, along with all of the other lineup changes, Onstad will indeed miss the game versus NYRB.
B-Fall's thoughts and grades are here. "Seeing the Dynamo fight until the very last minute is both admirable and encouraging. Watching them twice fall behind in the score is troubling and yet another step backward. (Anyone remember the ties vs. Dallas and L.A. last month?)"
The DMN recap.
An article on the match, including the contribution of Corey Ashe. Credit to the color-man, Steve Jolley, on The Tube last night. Early on he said that Ashe should come on due to his speed allowing him to get behind the FCD D. I thought Jolley was wrong. Turns out he was right. Excellent game for Ashe.
Post-game quotes.
Here's a recap from Goal.com. Interesting description of the Dynamo equalizer by none other than Greg Lalas: " The game slid into stoppage time, setting up the opportunity for De Rosario. Ashe set things in motion, beating Wade Barrett [um, Wade Barrett?] to the endline and crossing to the far post. Ching rose over his marker to meet the ball, but his shot caromed off a stretched Moor and fell to De Rosario. De Ro fired it home to earn the Dynamo a massive road result."
Friday, October 19, 2007
Pilgrimage to the Cathedral of (US) Soccer
This past week, business took me to Southern California. Luckily, there was an MLS game during my stay and I was able to finally visit the much heralded "Cathedral of the MLS" -- aka the Home Depot Center.
I haven't been to many MLS stadia, which I hope to rectify over time. I've been to Robertson (of course) and the Cotton Bowl (which the Burn have since vacated), so I don't have much to compare to the HDC. It is a very nice facility and easily better than the Dynamo's home. The seating is nice, with excellent sight lines. The luxury suites are, well, luxurious and of the highest standard. (I swear I saw a shaggy B-list star in one, but I just can't place the face exactly.) There are lots of snack bars, lots of Galaxy-related artwork festooning the place, and restrooms that don't look like they belong in a backwater prison. The field is large (which I prefer) and pristine -- no sign of the X-games on this night.
I came across a parking lot that was down Victoria Street a bit, along Birch Knoll Dr. It posted a $15 fee, which is $5 more than the stadium parking around Robertson. I thought parking any closer to the stadium would involve even higher costs, so I took it. This involved quite a hike through the campus of California State University-Domnguez Hills, and across the parking lots fronting the eastern edge of the stadium. Thankfully, the weather was cool and crisp.
I circled the stadium before finding will call (at the North Gate if you're interested). I got in line just as the gates opened, an hour and a half before game time. A couple from San Jose was in front of me and noticed the Dynamo hat and shirt I was sporting. We got to talking about the old Earthquakes, the new team starting out in San Jose next year, and how we hoped RBNY would end LA's dream that night. The couple had been to several Quake games before the move. They would travel down to watch them play LA in the HDC. In LA, they were able to stay with other supporters in the same hotel as the team, and would even have drinks with the players after the game in the hotel lounge. On Sundays when the Reserve team had a game, the fans would mingle with the first team players and their families in a picnic-style environment at an ordinary field where the game was held. Sounds like good times, and I can clearly see why the fans were sad to see the team go.
But while the fan support was ardent, it wasn't widespread. The couple mentioned that there were season openers where only 6,000 people showed up, and there was absolutely no media coverage whatsoever. They have been really impressed with how the team has been accepted by the Houston fans and covered by the Houston media. Last year the couple rooted for the Dynamo, but this year they said the team was Houston's team, and they're looking forward to next year's return of the Quakes. They do hope they're able to pilfer a few of their former players though.
I took a counter-clockwise ramble around the stadium. Besides the concessions and souvenirs, there were vendor booths and a local band was playing -- kind of like what Houston has outside its stadium. I grabbed one of the free t-shirts commemorating Cobi Jones' career (this being Cobi's final regular season home game appearance before retirement). I saw Rob Stone walking up the stairs from the field, then found a booth selling Guinness, Harps, and Smithwick's. For $9 a pop, it's only $2 more than the usual stadium swill, so I had to partake of a "Smithicks."
Sipping my drink I stood above the field level seats, not far from the supporters' corner, and watched the Galaxy warm up. Beckham was there, but not with the starting team. He was just booting the ball around, mostly with Chris Albright. I was actually standing at about ground level, with the field and seating section below me having been dug out of the ground. The field level seats are built on concrete terraces. The sidelines sport actual chairs, while the corners and areas behind the goals have metal bleachers with seatbacks. The second tier (which is on only the eastern side of the stadium) have a metal base and the same bleachers with backs. I moseyed up to my seats in the second tier: Section 234, Row PP, Seat 25. I was 4 rows from the top, right on the aisle.
The crowd was very light, even by time the teams and refs were trooping out onto the field. An American Idol contestant (Kimberly Caldwell? Never heard of her.) sang the Star Spangled Banner well, if way too slowly. Then there was a tribute to Cobi and his career. The video screen displayed well wishes from current and past teammates. Cheers rang out for Kevin Hartman, Sigi Schmidt, and especially Mauricio Cienfuegos. Boos rang out for Steve Sampson. Alexi Lalas and Don Garber (mild boos here) made some trite on-field comments, and then Paul Caliguiri, Eric Wynalda (more boos), and Alexi posed for a picture with Cobi. With the chill in the air, it was no surprise seeing the RBNY players passing the ball around in their half rather than participating in the ceremony. After a while, even the Gals started kicking the ball around trying to keep warm.
When the game actually started, the seats were filling up. I sat next to a family of Galaxy supporters, and behind a guy from NJ who was pulling for RBNY (though he also cheered for Becks and even Edson Buddle). There were a lot of youth soccer teams in the crowd. Being on the metal-floored second tier, the footstomping of the crowd seemed especially loud. Throughout the game, the chants of the supporters' group (just below me and to my left) were spirited, and the crowds cheers, jeers, and footstomping was raucous. I thought there was a good atmosphere.
RBNY came out seeking the early goal, but the match was filled mostly by poor passing and poor touch from both teams, and no rhythm by either team. Inattentive defending led to good opportunities for both teams. LA took the lead first off a blown corner kick, but RBNY's Jozy Altidore evened the score soon after on an unmarked header. The Galaxy wisely covered Juan Pablo Angel tightly, but he still had many opportunities, and missed at least two that he should have finished. Even with those fluffs, JPA looked to be a level above the rest of the players on the field.
Oh yeah, David Beckham came in around the 68th minute. I suppose a few people cheered at this event and a few flashbulbs went off in the crowd. His first two plays were a missed header then a foul from a poor tackle. His corners showed that he's a bit rusty, so it was good that he got some minutes in.
The score ended in a draw, so the Galaxy's chances for a post-season berth remain solid, tragically.
On the long walk back to my car, I asked a couple if the crowd was usually that lively. They said that the crowd was larger and louder than usual. Usually they're "pretty laid back except after a goal." They also said they hope they face Houston in the playoffs rather than Chivas. I'm not thrilled with the prospect of a mediocre Galaxy team making the MLS playoffs, with the media spotlight on the team throwing all other teams into the shadow of its mediocrity. If a team that bad is competing in the championship, the other teams must be worse, right? No, it's better if the "Superclub" sits out this post-season and waits until they're truly worthy of the spotlight. It will be better for the reputation of the league and for the status Galaxy as well. They would be better off rebuilding for the next season. If they want to be revered as the best, they had better be able to live up to the hype and not rely on skating by due to flukish results and a faulty MLS post-season structure. If they want be be respected, they need to be respectable.
At least they have a first class facility.
I haven't been to many MLS stadia, which I hope to rectify over time. I've been to Robertson (of course) and the Cotton Bowl (which the Burn have since vacated), so I don't have much to compare to the HDC. It is a very nice facility and easily better than the Dynamo's home. The seating is nice, with excellent sight lines. The luxury suites are, well, luxurious and of the highest standard. (I swear I saw a shaggy B-list star in one, but I just can't place the face exactly.) There are lots of snack bars, lots of Galaxy-related artwork festooning the place, and restrooms that don't look like they belong in a backwater prison. The field is large (which I prefer) and pristine -- no sign of the X-games on this night.
I came across a parking lot that was down Victoria Street a bit, along Birch Knoll Dr. It posted a $15 fee, which is $5 more than the stadium parking around Robertson. I thought parking any closer to the stadium would involve even higher costs, so I took it. This involved quite a hike through the campus of California State University-Domnguez Hills, and across the parking lots fronting the eastern edge of the stadium. Thankfully, the weather was cool and crisp.
I circled the stadium before finding will call (at the North Gate if you're interested). I got in line just as the gates opened, an hour and a half before game time. A couple from San Jose was in front of me and noticed the Dynamo hat and shirt I was sporting. We got to talking about the old Earthquakes, the new team starting out in San Jose next year, and how we hoped RBNY would end LA's dream that night. The couple had been to several Quake games before the move. They would travel down to watch them play LA in the HDC. In LA, they were able to stay with other supporters in the same hotel as the team, and would even have drinks with the players after the game in the hotel lounge. On Sundays when the Reserve team had a game, the fans would mingle with the first team players and their families in a picnic-style environment at an ordinary field where the game was held. Sounds like good times, and I can clearly see why the fans were sad to see the team go.
But while the fan support was ardent, it wasn't widespread. The couple mentioned that there were season openers where only 6,000 people showed up, and there was absolutely no media coverage whatsoever. They have been really impressed with how the team has been accepted by the Houston fans and covered by the Houston media. Last year the couple rooted for the Dynamo, but this year they said the team was Houston's team, and they're looking forward to next year's return of the Quakes. They do hope they're able to pilfer a few of their former players though.
I took a counter-clockwise ramble around the stadium. Besides the concessions and souvenirs, there were vendor booths and a local band was playing -- kind of like what Houston has outside its stadium. I grabbed one of the free t-shirts commemorating Cobi Jones' career (this being Cobi's final regular season home game appearance before retirement). I saw Rob Stone walking up the stairs from the field, then found a booth selling Guinness, Harps, and Smithwick's. For $9 a pop, it's only $2 more than the usual stadium swill, so I had to partake of a "Smithicks."
Sipping my drink I stood above the field level seats, not far from the supporters' corner, and watched the Galaxy warm up. Beckham was there, but not with the starting team. He was just booting the ball around, mostly with Chris Albright. I was actually standing at about ground level, with the field and seating section below me having been dug out of the ground. The field level seats are built on concrete terraces. The sidelines sport actual chairs, while the corners and areas behind the goals have metal bleachers with seatbacks. The second tier (which is on only the eastern side of the stadium) have a metal base and the same bleachers with backs. I moseyed up to my seats in the second tier: Section 234, Row PP, Seat 25. I was 4 rows from the top, right on the aisle.
The crowd was very light, even by time the teams and refs were trooping out onto the field. An American Idol contestant (Kimberly Caldwell? Never heard of her.) sang the Star Spangled Banner well, if way too slowly. Then there was a tribute to Cobi and his career. The video screen displayed well wishes from current and past teammates. Cheers rang out for Kevin Hartman, Sigi Schmidt, and especially Mauricio Cienfuegos. Boos rang out for Steve Sampson. Alexi Lalas and Don Garber (mild boos here) made some trite on-field comments, and then Paul Caliguiri, Eric Wynalda (more boos), and Alexi posed for a picture with Cobi. With the chill in the air, it was no surprise seeing the RBNY players passing the ball around in their half rather than participating in the ceremony. After a while, even the Gals started kicking the ball around trying to keep warm.
When the game actually started, the seats were filling up. I sat next to a family of Galaxy supporters, and behind a guy from NJ who was pulling for RBNY (though he also cheered for Becks and even Edson Buddle). There were a lot of youth soccer teams in the crowd. Being on the metal-floored second tier, the footstomping of the crowd seemed especially loud. Throughout the game, the chants of the supporters' group (just below me and to my left) were spirited, and the crowds cheers, jeers, and footstomping was raucous. I thought there was a good atmosphere.
RBNY came out seeking the early goal, but the match was filled mostly by poor passing and poor touch from both teams, and no rhythm by either team. Inattentive defending led to good opportunities for both teams. LA took the lead first off a blown corner kick, but RBNY's Jozy Altidore evened the score soon after on an unmarked header. The Galaxy wisely covered Juan Pablo Angel tightly, but he still had many opportunities, and missed at least two that he should have finished. Even with those fluffs, JPA looked to be a level above the rest of the players on the field.
Oh yeah, David Beckham came in around the 68th minute. I suppose a few people cheered at this event and a few flashbulbs went off in the crowd. His first two plays were a missed header then a foul from a poor tackle. His corners showed that he's a bit rusty, so it was good that he got some minutes in.
The score ended in a draw, so the Galaxy's chances for a post-season berth remain solid, tragically.
On the long walk back to my car, I asked a couple if the crowd was usually that lively. They said that the crowd was larger and louder than usual. Usually they're "pretty laid back except after a goal." They also said they hope they face Houston in the playoffs rather than Chivas. I'm not thrilled with the prospect of a mediocre Galaxy team making the MLS playoffs, with the media spotlight on the team throwing all other teams into the shadow of its mediocrity. If a team that bad is competing in the championship, the other teams must be worse, right? No, it's better if the "Superclub" sits out this post-season and waits until they're truly worthy of the spotlight. It will be better for the reputation of the league and for the status Galaxy as well. They would be better off rebuilding for the next season. If they want to be revered as the best, they had better be able to live up to the hype and not rely on skating by due to flukish results and a faulty MLS post-season structure. If they want be be respected, they need to be respectable.
At least they have a first class facility.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Salt Lakers - the trap game
Chivas surprisingly fell to a 10-man Colorado team today. I think this is the 2nd game in a row that Colorado played (and won) short-handed. Last week they played with 9 men for a stretch.
What does this mean? It means that if we win at Salt Lake tomorrow, the winner of the Chivas-Houston game next Saturday will be first in the Western Conference and will maintain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That'd be a nice place to be for the Dynamo, since they do so well at home; but ... do we want all home games? That would give the Dynamo an apparent edge, and that might be a problem. You see, the team seems to perform better under adversity. Should they have what looks to be an easy path (though it never is), the irony is that the Dynamo would probably stumble. Maybe we should hope they don't get home field advantage. They'd then play with a chip on their shoulder and may progress farther.
For instance, tomorrow they should easily beat RSL. The Salt Lakers are struggling and are experimenting with next year's lineup. Yet, Dynamo-Houston is notorious in its struggles versus bottom feeders. Give us the creme de la creme and we'll hold our own, but goodness, not the dregs! Lark Howorth has a similar take on this strange facet of the team.
Besides home field advantage, coming first in the Conference means nothing. It's not like finishing first in the Western Conference makes a team the Conference Champion. That only comes from winning the Conference Championship, which is the match just prior to the MLS Cup. One match determines the Conference champion, just like one match determines the MLS Champion. Ridiculous...particularly because a team like LA with a losing record can still win it.
Speaking of the vile Galaxy: I'm in the LA area this week for business, so I'm planning on watching the Red Bulls take on the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center this Thursday. That'd be my first trip to the Tool Box (or at least my first trip beyond the road that runs around the parking lot), so I'm looking forward to it. I'll be pulling for the RBNY to end the Gals "dream run."
Here's hoping that the Dynamo can put away the Salt Lakers tomorrow night. Dynamo should easily triumph; therefore, they will struggle. I can't explain it, but that's the way the team seems to roll. Go Dynamo (and RBNY?)!
What does this mean? It means that if we win at Salt Lake tomorrow, the winner of the Chivas-Houston game next Saturday will be first in the Western Conference and will maintain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That'd be a nice place to be for the Dynamo, since they do so well at home; but ... do we want all home games? That would give the Dynamo an apparent edge, and that might be a problem. You see, the team seems to perform better under adversity. Should they have what looks to be an easy path (though it never is), the irony is that the Dynamo would probably stumble. Maybe we should hope they don't get home field advantage. They'd then play with a chip on their shoulder and may progress farther.
For instance, tomorrow they should easily beat RSL. The Salt Lakers are struggling and are experimenting with next year's lineup. Yet, Dynamo-Houston is notorious in its struggles versus bottom feeders. Give us the creme de la creme and we'll hold our own, but goodness, not the dregs! Lark Howorth has a similar take on this strange facet of the team.
Besides home field advantage, coming first in the Conference means nothing. It's not like finishing first in the Western Conference makes a team the Conference Champion. That only comes from winning the Conference Championship, which is the match just prior to the MLS Cup. One match determines the Conference champion, just like one match determines the MLS Champion. Ridiculous...particularly because a team like LA with a losing record can still win it.
Speaking of the vile Galaxy: I'm in the LA area this week for business, so I'm planning on watching the Red Bulls take on the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center this Thursday. That'd be my first trip to the Tool Box (or at least my first trip beyond the road that runs around the parking lot), so I'm looking forward to it. I'll be pulling for the RBNY to end the Gals "dream run."
Here's hoping that the Dynamo can put away the Salt Lakers tomorrow night. Dynamo should easily triumph; therefore, they will struggle. I can't explain it, but that's the way the team seems to roll. Go Dynamo (and RBNY?)!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Soccer 101
Dynamo Houston hosted a soccer clinic tonight with a public viewing. The courses included:
1. Organizing a Defense
2. The Midfield: A Tool for Setting Up the Forwards
3. Let's Get Physical: Soccer as an Effective Contact Sport
4. Play the Odds: Shooting in Bunches and the Goals that Can Result
5. Chillin' & Killin': How to stay refreshed and end a match
And finally,
6. How to Create a Strong Franchise within a Budget.
The willing student were the Red Bulls-NY. I don't know how much RBNY picked up in class, but we obliged with much repetition to help with the learning. We ended the game 4-0, but it could've been 6-0 or more.
Sometimes it's hard to figure out this team. We always have solid defense, and our midfield is among the best in the league, but we're not always that good in the final third. Tonight we were. Ngwenya had two (with his head), Ching had one (with his foot), and Holden had a "cracker of a shot" (as the English are wont to say) to add to his 2 (and a half) assists. Ngwenya almost had another, Ching almost had two more (including an outstanding shot that hit the post), DeRo could've had two (a brilliant free kick and a powerful kick following his own dummy and a Ching backheel), and substitute Cory Ashe could've had two of his own as well. After the second goal, the team was so relaxed that they were playing confidently and creatively.
If memory serves, the first three goals were off corner kicks, right? (Ching's being immediately following one.) That right there is unusual for the team this year. And we didn't have to rely on a single defender to score for us tonight.
All this after a forgettable day at Frisco. I guess Houston still wilts under a harsh sun (who doesn't?), but humidity ain't no thang.
And the newbie, Nate? As a sub he laid off the pass that opened Holden up for his "CoaS".
I'm just going to sit back and bask in it all. I've got it taped, so I might even rewatch it. I may have to save it to watch after the DC game this weekend if that goes sour.
But if the team finishes on a regular basis like it did tonight, things won't go sour often, and we'll take the Supporters' Shield.
Other bits:
Go Dynamo!
1. Organizing a Defense
2. The Midfield: A Tool for Setting Up the Forwards
3. Let's Get Physical: Soccer as an Effective Contact Sport
4. Play the Odds: Shooting in Bunches and the Goals that Can Result
5. Chillin' & Killin': How to stay refreshed and end a match
And finally,
6. How to Create a Strong Franchise within a Budget.
The willing student were the Red Bulls-NY. I don't know how much RBNY picked up in class, but we obliged with much repetition to help with the learning. We ended the game 4-0, but it could've been 6-0 or more.
Sometimes it's hard to figure out this team. We always have solid defense, and our midfield is among the best in the league, but we're not always that good in the final third. Tonight we were. Ngwenya had two (with his head), Ching had one (with his foot), and Holden had a "cracker of a shot" (as the English are wont to say) to add to his 2 (and a half) assists. Ngwenya almost had another, Ching almost had two more (including an outstanding shot that hit the post), DeRo could've had two (a brilliant free kick and a powerful kick following his own dummy and a Ching backheel), and substitute Cory Ashe could've had two of his own as well. After the second goal, the team was so relaxed that they were playing confidently and creatively.
If memory serves, the first three goals were off corner kicks, right? (Ching's being immediately following one.) That right there is unusual for the team this year. And we didn't have to rely on a single defender to score for us tonight.
All this after a forgettable day at Frisco. I guess Houston still wilts under a harsh sun (who doesn't?), but humidity ain't no thang.
And the newbie, Nate? As a sub he laid off the pass that opened Holden up for his "CoaS".
I'm just going to sit back and bask in it all. I've got it taped, so I might even rewatch it. I may have to save it to watch after the DC game this weekend if that goes sour.
But if the team finishes on a regular basis like it did tonight, things won't go sour often, and we'll take the Supporters' Shield.
Other bits:
- Good to see Goldthwaite again. Second time this season we've faced him, and in his second uniform. Trading Goldie was good for his career, I think, but I feel for him not getting the chance to gel with one team. Hopefully he gels with the Taureaux Rouges. He didn't have a particularly good game tonight unfortunately (or fortunately for us). How nice it would have been for him to have his goal count tonight, with him returning to Robertson. We likely won't see him again, unless he gets traded again or we see him in the post-season.
- Speaking of former Dynamos, here's a nice article on Alejandro Moreno from the Columbus Dispatch.
- The "First XI" have been identified for the All-Star team. To have two center mids from the same club chosen as "the best" says a lot for the club's quality.
- Oh yeah: the US lost to Colombia. While we didn't look overmatched like we did against Argentina, this one hurts the most because of the fact that Colombia is not the quality of Argentina, that Colombia had to play with 10 men and a striker in goal for the final 3+ minutes of the game, and Guzan managed to save a PK and we still were outscored.
Go Dynamo!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
A Warm, Wet Blanket
I'm back from hot, dry So-Cal. In Palm Springs the car thermometer said it was 113 out. But at least it was a dry heat.
It was about 30 degrees cooler in Frisco this evening. But it was a wet heat. Humidity and heat, as we Houstonians know, is like having a warm, wet blanket thrown over you. And that whole game was like a wet blanket. The bright spot: we got one point on the road.
With over 40 fouls between the two teams, it was a chippy affair to say the least. There was absolutely no rhythm to either team, but I'd say that FCD had the edge in possession and did a better job in the middle of the field. Alvarez and Toja had the best opportunities for the hosts, and it would have taken only one to put that game away.
Yawn.
On the other end of the field, DDR had a great opportunity in the 79th minute when Mullan won the goal line and made a nice cutback pass, but DeRo hit a stray, weak dribbler of a shot. In the 85th, he had a 1-on-1 with Sala, and the GK made a great sliding save. The back lines of both teams -- even FCD's cobbled-together defense -- were pretty solid.
In general, a team is happy with a point on the road, particularly after a great 5-game winning streak; but at the Deep Dish the Houston supporters were more ardent than the Dallas supporters and that FCD defense was mostly second-string. That was no hostile crowd or stifling defense we faced, and if Dynamo-H is going to be a contender we should be able to put away games like that ... or at least look to be the more dangerous team. I'd say we were half-hearted, though not as half-hearted as the Dallas supporters looked.
This makes two games in a row where our offense looked timid. When we had opportunities, our forwards would pause and pull back. They'd allow the defense to get organized, then pass the ball (and the responsibility) to someone else. You know: they were playing like Eddie Johnson on the USMNT. DeRo was the only one that looked willing to score. The only other threats came with players hoping for a lucky ricochet off their foreheads off corners or free kicks. We had 8 shots to Dallas' 14.
Subs didn't help either. Unlike past games, there was no spark generated by Holden's and Ashe's entrance into the game. What was missing? Are teams now aware of Ashe's speed? Or was there just a general malaise and a desire not to lose rather than an urge to win? I dunno.
Yawn.
Let's hope there's more passion when Juan Pablo Angel comes to town on Thursday. (And RBNY losing to the Crew tonight: what's with that? Parity can sure make for a fun league, but it sure undermines the ability of the league to have any great teams emerge. And it plays havoc with my fantasy team.)
Odd Notes:
Ruiz, trouble though he is at times, is still sporting the captain's armband. Did you notice that his armband is in FCD's colors with the FCD shield? Wade Barrett's armband is black and white with the Adidas logo. Can we not pitch in for a truly Dynamo armband?
In the pre-game show, Dallas supporters were waving some really classy posters in the background: "Bretos has Onstad's merkin" and "Kinnear has a baby arm." (What does that last one even mean?) After the first commercial break, the Fox Soccer Channel folks must have forced the miscreants to put away the posters. I think FSC did the miscreants a favor by making them put away those posters -- it prevented them from embarrassing themselves.
Post-game, did you notice the FCD prayer circle? It included Dynamos Brad Davis and Joseph Ngwenya. Seems religion can bring people together. Too bad that doesn't work in the Middle East.
The third round of the US Open Cup is upon us. We'll be playing the Charleston Battery of the USL on or around July 10. If we win, we'll play the winner of the FCD-Atlanta Silverbacks match. Charleston is no pushover, particularly since our schedule will likely force us to play many reserves and we'll be playing at their home stadium, Blackbaud Stadium. We played the Battery in the pre-season and tied 1-1. FCD faced Charleston last year in the Open, and the game ended tied 3-3, with FCD advancing on penalties (5-3).
It's no guarantee, but it's very likely we'll face FCD in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. If so, it'd be nice to have a result like last year's.
It was about 30 degrees cooler in Frisco this evening. But it was a wet heat. Humidity and heat, as we Houstonians know, is like having a warm, wet blanket thrown over you. And that whole game was like a wet blanket. The bright spot: we got one point on the road.
With over 40 fouls between the two teams, it was a chippy affair to say the least. There was absolutely no rhythm to either team, but I'd say that FCD had the edge in possession and did a better job in the middle of the field. Alvarez and Toja had the best opportunities for the hosts, and it would have taken only one to put that game away.
Yawn.
On the other end of the field, DDR had a great opportunity in the 79th minute when Mullan won the goal line and made a nice cutback pass, but DeRo hit a stray, weak dribbler of a shot. In the 85th, he had a 1-on-1 with Sala, and the GK made a great sliding save. The back lines of both teams -- even FCD's cobbled-together defense -- were pretty solid.
In general, a team is happy with a point on the road, particularly after a great 5-game winning streak; but at the Deep Dish the Houston supporters were more ardent than the Dallas supporters and that FCD defense was mostly second-string. That was no hostile crowd or stifling defense we faced, and if Dynamo-H is going to be a contender we should be able to put away games like that ... or at least look to be the more dangerous team. I'd say we were half-hearted, though not as half-hearted as the Dallas supporters looked.
This makes two games in a row where our offense looked timid. When we had opportunities, our forwards would pause and pull back. They'd allow the defense to get organized, then pass the ball (and the responsibility) to someone else. You know: they were playing like Eddie Johnson on the USMNT. DeRo was the only one that looked willing to score. The only other threats came with players hoping for a lucky ricochet off their foreheads off corners or free kicks. We had 8 shots to Dallas' 14.
Subs didn't help either. Unlike past games, there was no spark generated by Holden's and Ashe's entrance into the game. What was missing? Are teams now aware of Ashe's speed? Or was there just a general malaise and a desire not to lose rather than an urge to win? I dunno.
Yawn.
Let's hope there's more passion when Juan Pablo Angel comes to town on Thursday. (And RBNY losing to the Crew tonight: what's with that? Parity can sure make for a fun league, but it sure undermines the ability of the league to have any great teams emerge. And it plays havoc with my fantasy team.)
Odd Notes:
Ruiz, trouble though he is at times, is still sporting the captain's armband. Did you notice that his armband is in FCD's colors with the FCD shield? Wade Barrett's armband is black and white with the Adidas logo. Can we not pitch in for a truly Dynamo armband?
In the pre-game show, Dallas supporters were waving some really classy posters in the background: "Bretos has Onstad's merkin" and "Kinnear has a baby arm." (What does that last one even mean?) After the first commercial break, the Fox Soccer Channel folks must have forced the miscreants to put away the posters. I think FSC did the miscreants a favor by making them put away those posters -- it prevented them from embarrassing themselves.
Post-game, did you notice the FCD prayer circle? It included Dynamos Brad Davis and Joseph Ngwenya. Seems religion can bring people together. Too bad that doesn't work in the Middle East.
The third round of the US Open Cup is upon us. We'll be playing the Charleston Battery of the USL on or around July 10. If we win, we'll play the winner of the FCD-Atlanta Silverbacks match. Charleston is no pushover, particularly since our schedule will likely force us to play many reserves and we'll be playing at their home stadium, Blackbaud Stadium. We played the Battery in the pre-season and tied 1-1. FCD faced Charleston last year in the Open, and the game ended tied 3-3, with FCD advancing on penalties (5-3).
It's no guarantee, but it's very likely we'll face FCD in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. If so, it'd be nice to have a result like last year's.
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.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Paying the Piper
Dynamo have tempted fate all year, in 3 of the 4 matches of CONCACAF Champions Cup, in the Carolina Challenge Cup, and in the league games thus far. They've established a modus operandi of playing flat as if their reputation entitled them to a win, then -- after Dom uses halftime to remind them that one must, you know, play to win -- playing 45 minutes of soccer in the second half to rescue their reputation and salvage the match. Using this questionable technique, Dynamo dispatched Puntarenas in the second leg of their meeting, built a commendable lead versus Pachuca in the first leg of their meeting, came with 7 minutes of getting past Pachuca in the second leg, won the Carolina Challenge Cup after drawing with the Charleston Battery and having to come from behind versus Red Bull NY in the final, salvaged a tie with LA in the season opener, and eked out a win versus Chivas in the second league match.
Unfortunately, Red Bull got a red card in the first half yesterday, and I think that made Dynamo a little too comfortable to try any halftime adjustments. As a result, they reduced their 45 minute passion down to 15 minutes, and it just wasn't enough time.
Red Bull owned the first half. Dalglish (on a feed from DeRo) had the only serious threat for Houston in the half. The second half saw a more balanced game, which suggests that 11 Dynamo equal 10 Red Bulls. But even a man down, Red Bull looked as dangerous as we ever did, and certainly looked the more dynamic. About 15 minutes into the second half, young Jozy Altidore (who says "Impossible is Nothing") turned Eddie Robinson like a pro and knocked the ball just over Superman Onstad at point blank range, off the crossbar and into the twine.
The real problem here was the fact that no one challenged Hunter Freeman in the midfield, giving him the time and the space to make the pass to Jozy. This has been an intermittent problem with Dynamo going back to last year, but is even more egregious when done against a 10-man team. I can remember the team giving Ante Razov plenty of space in the midfield [last season, that is] and allowing him the time and confidence to make a 35 yard (or so) strike. Many assists, as well, were enabled [last year] by this lax pressure at the top of our defensive third.
Even after the goal, Dynamo didn't seem to want to score until about the 75th minute, which coincided with the introduction of Ching, Mulrooney, and Wondo. Then, Dynamo seemed to operate with a bit more urgency, but by then they were trying to score on a bunkered team, and Dynamo have serious problems with that.
I was very surprised with the introduction of Wondo. He didn't have much of an impact on the game, but I like the implications that his introduction suggests: forwards, unless you start performing, you'll be on the bench. Before the game, I thought it highly unlikely that we'd see Mulrooney, but in the first half the midfield's play was so sub-par that I thought Mulrooney would be injected to instill some passion and perhaps to send a message to the starters. His introduction was most welcome and I thought he made a case for himself as a Dynamo. Wouldn't it have been sweet irony if his shot in the closing minutes had gone in?
Boy I miss the DeRo of last year. I thought he had some moments of inspiration in this game, where he made an incisive pass that led to a solid threatening shot, but he'll be remembered for the inexplicable handball in the box. If that ball had been heading toward goal, it would surely have been a solid red...but maybe that would've ignited the team, which seems to feed on adversity rather than self-motivation.
DeRo says that the salary imbroglio isn't affecting him: "I love the game too much for outside stuff or decisions to affect me on the field." He realizes that improved play would help his case in bargaining for a better salary, so a work slowdown isn't in his best interest. Perhaps DeRo is trying too hard. Perhaps he needs a Taoist approach when playing.
Let's switch to something positive.
Another solid performance for Onstad, highlighted by his save of Mathis' PK. He's been bailing out the defense this year. As talented as Zach Wells is, I can't help but wonder if Pachuca would've put 5 goals on Onstad.
The Dynamo supporters were amazing even on the road. I heard the Dynamo chants (Is it "Dyna, Dyna, Dyna, Dynamo"?) more than I heard any RBNY chants. And the attendance was listed at a mere 12,400.
The more I hear Max Bretos calling games, the less I like him. I knew he was a Galaxy homer (he calls their games on the local LA broadcasts) but he was also practically pleading for calls to go for NY and against Houston. Christopher Sullivan is always balanced and has good technical analysis. (He did seem taken with Pachuca in the Dynamo-Pachuca match though -- but who can blame that?) Sully was correct that NY carried the play and Dynamo under performed.
Let's hope we turn things around versus the Fire this weekend. So far we're undefeated with the silver ball. At this point, losing when a man up and scoring one goal in three games does provide some cause for concern.
Unfortunately, Red Bull got a red card in the first half yesterday, and I think that made Dynamo a little too comfortable to try any halftime adjustments. As a result, they reduced their 45 minute passion down to 15 minutes, and it just wasn't enough time.
Red Bull owned the first half. Dalglish (on a feed from DeRo) had the only serious threat for Houston in the half. The second half saw a more balanced game, which suggests that 11 Dynamo equal 10 Red Bulls. But even a man down, Red Bull looked as dangerous as we ever did, and certainly looked the more dynamic. About 15 minutes into the second half, young Jozy Altidore (who says "Impossible is Nothing") turned Eddie Robinson like a pro and knocked the ball just over Superman Onstad at point blank range, off the crossbar and into the twine.
The real problem here was the fact that no one challenged Hunter Freeman in the midfield, giving him the time and the space to make the pass to Jozy. This has been an intermittent problem with Dynamo going back to last year, but is even more egregious when done against a 10-man team. I can remember the team giving Ante Razov plenty of space in the midfield [last season, that is] and allowing him the time and confidence to make a 35 yard (or so) strike. Many assists, as well, were enabled [last year] by this lax pressure at the top of our defensive third.
Even after the goal, Dynamo didn't seem to want to score until about the 75th minute, which coincided with the introduction of Ching, Mulrooney, and Wondo. Then, Dynamo seemed to operate with a bit more urgency, but by then they were trying to score on a bunkered team, and Dynamo have serious problems with that.
I was very surprised with the introduction of Wondo. He didn't have much of an impact on the game, but I like the implications that his introduction suggests: forwards, unless you start performing, you'll be on the bench. Before the game, I thought it highly unlikely that we'd see Mulrooney, but in the first half the midfield's play was so sub-par that I thought Mulrooney would be injected to instill some passion and perhaps to send a message to the starters. His introduction was most welcome and I thought he made a case for himself as a Dynamo. Wouldn't it have been sweet irony if his shot in the closing minutes had gone in?
Boy I miss the DeRo of last year. I thought he had some moments of inspiration in this game, where he made an incisive pass that led to a solid threatening shot, but he'll be remembered for the inexplicable handball in the box. If that ball had been heading toward goal, it would surely have been a solid red...but maybe that would've ignited the team, which seems to feed on adversity rather than self-motivation.
DeRo says that the salary imbroglio isn't affecting him: "I love the game too much for outside stuff or decisions to affect me on the field." He realizes that improved play would help his case in bargaining for a better salary, so a work slowdown isn't in his best interest. Perhaps DeRo is trying too hard. Perhaps he needs a Taoist approach when playing.
Let's switch to something positive.
Another solid performance for Onstad, highlighted by his save of Mathis' PK. He's been bailing out the defense this year. As talented as Zach Wells is, I can't help but wonder if Pachuca would've put 5 goals on Onstad.
The Dynamo supporters were amazing even on the road. I heard the Dynamo chants (Is it "Dyna, Dyna, Dyna, Dynamo"?) more than I heard any RBNY chants. And the attendance was listed at a mere 12,400.
The more I hear Max Bretos calling games, the less I like him. I knew he was a Galaxy homer (he calls their games on the local LA broadcasts) but he was also practically pleading for calls to go for NY and against Houston. Christopher Sullivan is always balanced and has good technical analysis. (He did seem taken with Pachuca in the Dynamo-Pachuca match though -- but who can blame that?) Sully was correct that NY carried the play and Dynamo under performed.
Let's hope we turn things around versus the Fire this weekend. So far we're undefeated with the silver ball. At this point, losing when a man up and scoring one goal in three games does provide some cause for concern.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Weekend Prognostication
Lessee, last week I picked:
Dynamo over Chivas (Check)
RSL over the Crew (Nope-draw)
DC over KC (Nope-KC wins)
New England over the Cannucks (Check)
FCD over RBNY (Nope-RBNY wins)
Colorado over Chicago (Nope-draw)
Not a great record thus far. I could call it 2-4, or call the draws a "push" and call it 2-2-2. At any rate, here's my guess for this weekend:
Dynamo ties RBNY 1-1
KC over Fire
Chivas over RSL
FCD ties Colorado
I wouldn't mind if Dynamo throws off my prediction and takes the Bulls.
Dynamo over Chivas (Check)
RSL over the Crew (Nope-draw)
DC over KC (Nope-KC wins)
New England over the Cannucks (Check)
FCD over RBNY (Nope-RBNY wins)
Colorado over Chicago (Nope-draw)
Not a great record thus far. I could call it 2-4, or call the draws a "push" and call it 2-2-2. At any rate, here's my guess for this weekend:
Dynamo ties RBNY 1-1
KC over Fire
Chivas over RSL
FCD ties Colorado
I wouldn't mind if Dynamo throws off my prediction and takes the Bulls.
Scoping out the NY Red Bowels
This Saturday, Dynamo faces the RBNY. Last year, when we faced the newly rechristened Red Bulls, we were in the midst of our scoring droughts and -- as sad as the NY team was -- could only split the points with them. I think the Bulls will be better this year, so we are facing a greater challenge.
I think we're lucky to be meeting them early in the season. Why?
Arena-ball: Say what you want about The Bruce, but he knows how to coach against the American style of play and, yes, the Mexican style of play. He will do well in the MLS (again), especially with the financial support of the Red Bull energy drink empire. Arena's teams, even the good ones, aren't completely foreign to slow starts; his DC team went 0-4 at the beginning of the 1996 season, the year DC won the first MLS Cup. Arena sometime out-thinks himself, and I think he'll still be struggling to get all the disparate pieces of his team together when we meet.
Claudio Reyna: It'd probably be best to face Reyna later in the season, when the turf, schedule, and travel has worn him down a bit. Still, he missed RBNY's last match vs FC Dallas (not that his absence hurt RBNY's result) and is listed as questionable for Dynamo due to a leg contusion. He can control the pace of a game (so the common thought goes), but already the media and Bowel fans are prepared to rip into the high-priced player sitting in the training room.
Juan Pablo Angel: He can be a goal-scoring machine, but luckily won't join NYRB until after this game. I'm looking forward to July 5, when he visits the Rob.
Clint Mathis: I would love Cleetus to find his form again and resurrect his ability to be the most unpredictable threat on the pitch. He's been so up-and-down of late that I can't help but feel (hope?) that the intense "up" versus FCD means we'll face him on a "down." He hasn't done much against Dynamo, but, as with mutual funds, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Ronald Waterreus: He's no rookie, but he's new to the MLS, having played only 1.5 games. It's good to catch a Keeper when he's in his adjustment period.
In the Carolina Challenge Cup, the Dynamo beat the Red Bowels 2-1 in the final. Dynamo played their usual 45 minutes of soccer (conceding the first half to the opposition) but were down only 1-0 at the break. In the second half, Ching and Moreno scored unanswered goals to put the good guys on top and win the Cup. If we can string together 90 minutes of soccer, we should be able to stuff the Bowels. I don't know if 45 minutes will be enough this time.
I think we're lucky to be meeting them early in the season. Why?
Arena-ball: Say what you want about The Bruce, but he knows how to coach against the American style of play and, yes, the Mexican style of play. He will do well in the MLS (again), especially with the financial support of the Red Bull energy drink empire. Arena's teams, even the good ones, aren't completely foreign to slow starts; his DC team went 0-4 at the beginning of the 1996 season, the year DC won the first MLS Cup. Arena sometime out-thinks himself, and I think he'll still be struggling to get all the disparate pieces of his team together when we meet.
Claudio Reyna: It'd probably be best to face Reyna later in the season, when the turf, schedule, and travel has worn him down a bit. Still, he missed RBNY's last match vs FC Dallas (not that his absence hurt RBNY's result) and is listed as questionable for Dynamo due to a leg contusion. He can control the pace of a game (so the common thought goes), but already the media and Bowel fans are prepared to rip into the high-priced player sitting in the training room.
Juan Pablo Angel: He can be a goal-scoring machine, but luckily won't join NYRB until after this game. I'm looking forward to July 5, when he visits the Rob.
Clint Mathis: I would love Cleetus to find his form again and resurrect his ability to be the most unpredictable threat on the pitch. He's been so up-and-down of late that I can't help but feel (hope?) that the intense "up" versus FCD means we'll face him on a "down." He hasn't done much against Dynamo, but, as with mutual funds, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Ronald Waterreus: He's no rookie, but he's new to the MLS, having played only 1.5 games. It's good to catch a Keeper when he's in his adjustment period.
In the Carolina Challenge Cup, the Dynamo beat the Red Bowels 2-1 in the final. Dynamo played their usual 45 minutes of soccer (conceding the first half to the opposition) but were down only 1-0 at the break. In the second half, Ching and Moreno scored unanswered goals to put the good guys on top and win the Cup. If we can string together 90 minutes of soccer, we should be able to stuff the Bowels. I don't know if 45 minutes will be enough this time.
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