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 Style of Play. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Style of Play. Show all posts
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Three points from the four-day match
Well, THAT was probably the strangest match of the season. (Game recap. Quotes.) Dynamo-Houston went to DC on June 4 to begin the match (abandoned after 15 minutes), then was hours away from restarting the match on July 22, then finally began the replayed match on July 23 and finished it in the wee hours of July 24.
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
Monday, April 07, 2008
Dallas Drawl
Sunday, Dallas got their first point in Houston. The 3-3 draw came as blessed relief for the Dynamo faithful, because we were looking at no points until the rookie Geoff Cameron hamered home the equalizer in the 90+ minute. Relief aside, the result is actually a poor reflection of how dominant the Dynamo were, except for some overly lax defending and an inability to handle the fast break.
Fact is, Dynamo had solid possession, controlling both the ball and real estate for a majority of the match. FCD relied on a Route 101 philosophy that hoped for some luck on the fast breaks. They got that luck in spades when they took out Onstad and forced our backup keeper, Tony Caig, into an MLS baptism by fire. In retrospect, only one of Caig's goals looked like a complete flub by the keeper, but I'd wager that Onstad would likely have also stopped at least one of the other two goals conceded to Dallas.
I'm pretty disappointed in Dallas' play because I thought with all those South Americans they'd have a strong and creative midfield. In fact, they seemed to by-pass the midfield completely and go straight from defense to blitzkrieg. Maybe it was the heat or maybe it was a desperate road strategy. If they stick with that style of play, it'll be an ugly year for the Frisco crowd.
And the ugly play turned downright criminal with the on-field mugging the Hoops players repeatedly inflicted on the Men In Orange. They took out Onstad and Robinson, who are both tough as nails, and were probably encouraged by the blind eye given by Abbey-O, who continues his tradition of poor and inconsistent officiating. If Dallas knocked Onstad and Robinson out of the Saprissa match this Wednesday, then they are as moronic as they are barbaric, hurting an MLS side's ability to carry the MLS banner internationally.
There was ugly on the Dynamo side as well. The Dynamo defense bears little resemblance to the defense of the 2007 campaign. They're not helping their GK (whoever he may be) very much. They had better find their chemistry quickly in this campaign or the forwards will require superhuman finishing if they wish to offset the GAA. Only 1/15th of the way into the season, they've let in over 1/4th the total number of goals we conceded last year.
Here's what some of the media outlets have to say:
Here's B-Fall's blog in the Chronicle. It has his player grades and links to his game article and game notes. I do disagree in his assessment of the first goal being Caig's fault. While the goal looked ludicrous, Caig was positioned to block the more likely direct shot on goal.
The league's official recap is here.
The US Soccer Players' recap is here. "Gift Houston an own-goal"? Uh, that was no gift. Ching was knocking that ball in whether Moor was there or not, and Moor wouldn't have knocked it in had Ching not struck when and where he did. How about that quote from FC coach Steve Morrow? I think it's great that he continues his blind assessment of his own team's quality: "We're very disappointed. It feels like a loss. I think we should have had the game won by then. We had two or three chances to go up 4-2. We should've finished off the game." Yes, his team managed to score three goals (but were lucky to have two of the three they did get), and yes one or two of his team's misses could have feasibly gone into goal, but those were the exceptions to the Dynamo's dominance. Dallas did not at all carry the play and were more than lucky that the Dynamo did not put away one or two more of their own. Quotes like Morrow's are good news for Dynamo fans: Morrow's continued myopia in terms of his team's failings means he'll be less able to fix the problems. And his reliance on fast breaks will ensure they remain the second best MLS team in Texas.
Having said that, they ARE in a better position to win El Capitan this year than they have been in past years. But, in addition to playing them once in Frisco (Wed, May 28), we get them one more time in Robertson (Thur, June 26). If we can tie them away and beat them in Robertson (reasserting our natural superiority, natch), we'll keep the cannon.
The neutral folks at Soccer by Ives have a less favorable review of Dallas' performance than the biased Steve Morrow does. "FCD shouldn't be in this game much less winning it. They're proving so far they can defend and score against the run of play." "Nice to see Dallas switch to the 9-0-1 formation."
Now we need to switch our gaze from the second best team in Texas to the best team in Costa Rica. It looks like we'll be without ERob (gulp!). Let's pray that we'll have a healthy Onstad, not to mention a magical DeRo and prolific Ching/Caraccio.
Fact is, Dynamo had solid possession, controlling both the ball and real estate for a majority of the match. FCD relied on a Route 101 philosophy that hoped for some luck on the fast breaks. They got that luck in spades when they took out Onstad and forced our backup keeper, Tony Caig, into an MLS baptism by fire. In retrospect, only one of Caig's goals looked like a complete flub by the keeper, but I'd wager that Onstad would likely have also stopped at least one of the other two goals conceded to Dallas.
I'm pretty disappointed in Dallas' play because I thought with all those South Americans they'd have a strong and creative midfield. In fact, they seemed to by-pass the midfield completely and go straight from defense to blitzkrieg. Maybe it was the heat or maybe it was a desperate road strategy. If they stick with that style of play, it'll be an ugly year for the Frisco crowd.
And the ugly play turned downright criminal with the on-field mugging the Hoops players repeatedly inflicted on the Men In Orange. They took out Onstad and Robinson, who are both tough as nails, and were probably encouraged by the blind eye given by Abbey-O, who continues his tradition of poor and inconsistent officiating. If Dallas knocked Onstad and Robinson out of the Saprissa match this Wednesday, then they are as moronic as they are barbaric, hurting an MLS side's ability to carry the MLS banner internationally.
There was ugly on the Dynamo side as well. The Dynamo defense bears little resemblance to the defense of the 2007 campaign. They're not helping their GK (whoever he may be) very much. They had better find their chemistry quickly in this campaign or the forwards will require superhuman finishing if they wish to offset the GAA. Only 1/15th of the way into the season, they've let in over 1/4th the total number of goals we conceded last year.
Here's what some of the media outlets have to say:
Here's B-Fall's blog in the Chronicle. It has his player grades and links to his game article and game notes. I do disagree in his assessment of the first goal being Caig's fault. While the goal looked ludicrous, Caig was positioned to block the more likely direct shot on goal.
The league's official recap is here.
The US Soccer Players' recap is here. "Gift Houston an own-goal"? Uh, that was no gift. Ching was knocking that ball in whether Moor was there or not, and Moor wouldn't have knocked it in had Ching not struck when and where he did. How about that quote from FC coach Steve Morrow? I think it's great that he continues his blind assessment of his own team's quality: "We're very disappointed. It feels like a loss. I think we should have had the game won by then. We had two or three chances to go up 4-2. We should've finished off the game." Yes, his team managed to score three goals (but were lucky to have two of the three they did get), and yes one or two of his team's misses could have feasibly gone into goal, but those were the exceptions to the Dynamo's dominance. Dallas did not at all carry the play and were more than lucky that the Dynamo did not put away one or two more of their own. Quotes like Morrow's are good news for Dynamo fans: Morrow's continued myopia in terms of his team's failings means he'll be less able to fix the problems. And his reliance on fast breaks will ensure they remain the second best MLS team in Texas.
Having said that, they ARE in a better position to win El Capitan this year than they have been in past years. But, in addition to playing them once in Frisco (Wed, May 28), we get them one more time in Robertson (Thur, June 26). If we can tie them away and beat them in Robertson (reasserting our natural superiority, natch), we'll keep the cannon.
The neutral folks at Soccer by Ives have a less favorable review of Dallas' performance than the biased Steve Morrow does. "FCD shouldn't be in this game much less winning it. They're proving so far they can defend and score against the run of play." "Nice to see Dallas switch to the 9-0-1 formation."
Now we need to switch our gaze from the second best team in Texas to the best team in Costa Rica. It looks like we'll be without ERob (gulp!). Let's pray that we'll have a healthy Onstad, not to mention a magical DeRo and prolific Ching/Caraccio.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
MLS Cup - Newsclippings
An essay on the similarities and differences of the Cup contenders, Dynamo-Houston and the New England Revolution.
Here's an article discussing the philosophies behind the two teams. It has some opinion about the benevolence of Jair Marrufo when dealing with Nate Jaqua's foul on Jewsbury.
This piece by Greg Lalas in Sports Illustrated has more on the philosophies going head-to-head in this "mouth watering" match. So, we're the artists who play with heart, and we're facing the technicians who play methodically? I can handle that. Right brain vs left brain. Dionysus vs Apollo. Brazil vs Germany. (Okay, that last one might be a stretch.) I like the concept behind the article, and I even agree with it to a good extent, although the dichotomy is probably a bit more subtle than the metaphors suggest.
Like the previous article, the SI article concludes with criticism for Jaqua not receiving a red. Greg Lalas (brother to Alexi) even beseeches the Powers That Be to suspend Jaqua from the final, kind of like they did to excess with Clark, you know? If they could successfully plunder the Dynamo's squad by getting both Jaqua and Clark out, and add to that Ching's injury, we'd have ourselves a right boring contest for the League's marquee game. But that's okay because maybe Sunil Gulati's team would win.
Not surprisingly, current Rev Jay Heaps agrees with former Rev Greg Lalas. Heaps said, "Jaqua shouldn't be playing in the final. That was not just an elbow, he followed through with it." It's one thing for columnists to lobby for a suspension, but a player? That's poor sportsmanship at best.
And as the Revs lobby for the Dynamo squad to be depleted, I've got to wonder: Shouldn't they at least pretend to want to settle it on the field? Their best versus our best?
Here's an article discussing the philosophies behind the two teams. It has some opinion about the benevolence of Jair Marrufo when dealing with Nate Jaqua's foul on Jewsbury.
This piece by Greg Lalas in Sports Illustrated has more on the philosophies going head-to-head in this "mouth watering" match. So, we're the artists who play with heart, and we're facing the technicians who play methodically? I can handle that. Right brain vs left brain. Dionysus vs Apollo. Brazil vs Germany. (Okay, that last one might be a stretch.) I like the concept behind the article, and I even agree with it to a good extent, although the dichotomy is probably a bit more subtle than the metaphors suggest.
Like the previous article, the SI article concludes with criticism for Jaqua not receiving a red. Greg Lalas (brother to Alexi) even beseeches the Powers That Be to suspend Jaqua from the final, kind of like they did to excess with Clark, you know? If they could successfully plunder the Dynamo's squad by getting both Jaqua and Clark out, and add to that Ching's injury, we'd have ourselves a right boring contest for the League's marquee game. But that's okay because maybe Sunil Gulati's team would win.
Not surprisingly, current Rev Jay Heaps agrees with former Rev Greg Lalas. Heaps said, "Jaqua shouldn't be playing in the final. That was not just an elbow, he followed through with it." It's one thing for columnists to lobby for a suspension, but a player? That's poor sportsmanship at best.
And as the Revs lobby for the Dynamo squad to be depleted, I've got to wonder: Shouldn't they at least pretend to want to settle it on the field? Their best versus our best?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Killing their way to another MLS Cup
Yet again, the New England Revolution will grace the MLS Cup with their special brand of anti-soccer. Beating the Chicago Fire with an acrobatic chileno from Taylor Twellman, all the more impressive because he had two defenders pressing him hard, the Revs are in their third straight MLS Cup match.
Raise your hand if you thought "That's it: the only goal we'll see in this match" after Twellman scored. It's difficult to type with one hand in the air, but I'm a trooper.
The Revs were aided by an ineffective Wanchope who appeared able to take any half-chance and turn it into a no chance. I think Osorio was too late in inserting Carr --Wanchope looked like he would never score. I'm not a big fan of Blanco, but he has to be irritated with his quality passes being wasted by Barrett and Wanchope. Rolfe had some good shots from distance, but nothing that panned out. I think his battered body will do well with an off-season of rest.
Credit should go to the Revs ability to defend -- some would say "kill a game" -- and protect their lead. Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst, and Matt Reis are some of the best at this.
We're halfway to a rematch of last year's MLS Cup -- a match-up that most of the US soccer community is dreading. The only thing worse than a Dynamo-Rev match-up would be a Wizards-Rev match-up. Let's hope that the latter doesn't come to pass.
And given the success of Boston in football (with the Pats winning the Superbowl and undefeated so far this season) and baseball (with the Red Sox -- the new New York Yankees some would say -- sweeping the World Series), the Revs seem destined to win the MLS Cup. That would give them the domestic double, them having already won the US Open Cup.
However, if there is a pantheon of gods that governs soccer, the Revs will not be rewarded with a win, and either KC or the Dynamo will take the silver ball. I think Lark Howorth said it as well as anybody: "...the skillful cynicism Nicol brings to the playoffs, especially with the talent he has, frankly has met its just end in all his three MLS Cup finals. I'm so glad we've got a Dynamo team to support that's more interested in winning playoff games via scoring goals, rather than locking down opponents in tactical stalemates."
Word.
I haven't always been a Revs hater, by the way. In fact, I had been impressed with the quality of their individual talent over the years. But seeing them play in person at Robertson over the past two years made me realize that this is a team that hurts the sport. In both instances (2006 and this year), the Dynamo played open, possession-style soccer against a prosaic, cynical opponent that had prostituted its game. Last year's match ended 1-1 and this year's 0-1. Credit the Revs for earning 4 out of 6 points in 2006 and 2007; but they also earned my spite for squashing the creativity from either team and for confirming the haters' stereotype of soccer being boring and banal.
Since I've turned this piece into a bit of a Revs-bashing, I guess I'll continue.
How about Michael Parkhurst as the MLS Defender of the Year? He is a talented defender to be sure, and did you know that he only garnered 5 yellow cards and no red cards all year? Isn't that amazing? It must be: it's mentioned in nearly every article about the young defender.
Is it right that he beat out a player (E-Rob) on a team that conceded 20 fewer goals than his team and another player (Claudi Suarez) on a team that conceded 15 fewer? And Suarez playes for Chivas USA, which conceded fewer goals while also playing an open, attacking style of play. Parkhurst was at the core of a defense that allowed 9 more than even lowly Colorado -- and that's with a keeper as good as Reis in the nets behind him (and a defensive style of play ingrained by Coach Nichol). Maybe Parkhurst should have fouled more.
Despite the stats, Parkhurst is indeed a good defender, and I can't say that the award is an abomination. It's not like giving Eddie Johnson the Comeback Player of the Year award or anything. (What exactly did Eddie comeback from? Underachievement? And does half a good season constitute a comeback?) But I think it says a lot about the MLS when "feel good stories" win out over performance; and the Dynamo's record-setting defense -- which smashed the previous 29 goal record by conceding only 23 goals -- doesn't win a single award. Onstad in particular was slighted.
As for Parkhurst's only goal (and only shot) of his career -- his 60-yard shot versus Toronto this year -- being up for Goal of the Year: it's interesting how the MLS got this into the running despite the fact that it wasn't selected as the best goal even in the week it occurred. (Granted, that's probably due to the votes of overzealous Toronto fans voting for Dichio the same week.) The goal is certainly impressive due to its rarity (haven't seen one since Dwayne DeRosario's shot versus Chicago and Zach Thornton last year), and Lord knows the fans love goals from really, really, really far away (with bicycle kicks right up there). I can't argue that both types of goals aren't impressive, but Parkhurst's feat has the air of luck and coincidence about it. I think a better GOTY would be one that demonstrates intentional skill.
Joseph Ngwenya's doesn't have the "gee-whiz" factor that surrounds a fortuitous strike; however, it does impress due to its focused application of skill. In fact, it is the type of feat that proves that we have skillful players here in the MLS. I think that is what the MLS should emphasize and laud: skill. It seems that we should want the world to know that we are a league of talented players, rather than knowing us as a league that has some lucky blokes every now and then -- because everyone has blind luck from time to time.
When you get a chance, vote for GOTY.
Raise your hand if you thought "That's it: the only goal we'll see in this match" after Twellman scored. It's difficult to type with one hand in the air, but I'm a trooper.
The Revs were aided by an ineffective Wanchope who appeared able to take any half-chance and turn it into a no chance. I think Osorio was too late in inserting Carr --Wanchope looked like he would never score. I'm not a big fan of Blanco, but he has to be irritated with his quality passes being wasted by Barrett and Wanchope. Rolfe had some good shots from distance, but nothing that panned out. I think his battered body will do well with an off-season of rest.
Credit should go to the Revs ability to defend -- some would say "kill a game" -- and protect their lead. Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst, and Matt Reis are some of the best at this.
We're halfway to a rematch of last year's MLS Cup -- a match-up that most of the US soccer community is dreading. The only thing worse than a Dynamo-Rev match-up would be a Wizards-Rev match-up. Let's hope that the latter doesn't come to pass.
And given the success of Boston in football (with the Pats winning the Superbowl and undefeated so far this season) and baseball (with the Red Sox -- the new New York Yankees some would say -- sweeping the World Series), the Revs seem destined to win the MLS Cup. That would give them the domestic double, them having already won the US Open Cup.
However, if there is a pantheon of gods that governs soccer, the Revs will not be rewarded with a win, and either KC or the Dynamo will take the silver ball. I think Lark Howorth said it as well as anybody: "...the skillful cynicism Nicol brings to the playoffs, especially with the talent he has, frankly has met its just end in all his three MLS Cup finals. I'm so glad we've got a Dynamo team to support that's more interested in winning playoff games via scoring goals, rather than locking down opponents in tactical stalemates."
Word.
I haven't always been a Revs hater, by the way. In fact, I had been impressed with the quality of their individual talent over the years. But seeing them play in person at Robertson over the past two years made me realize that this is a team that hurts the sport. In both instances (2006 and this year), the Dynamo played open, possession-style soccer against a prosaic, cynical opponent that had prostituted its game. Last year's match ended 1-1 and this year's 0-1. Credit the Revs for earning 4 out of 6 points in 2006 and 2007; but they also earned my spite for squashing the creativity from either team and for confirming the haters' stereotype of soccer being boring and banal.
Since I've turned this piece into a bit of a Revs-bashing, I guess I'll continue.
How about Michael Parkhurst as the MLS Defender of the Year? He is a talented defender to be sure, and did you know that he only garnered 5 yellow cards and no red cards all year? Isn't that amazing? It must be: it's mentioned in nearly every article about the young defender.
Is it right that he beat out a player (E-Rob) on a team that conceded 20 fewer goals than his team and another player (Claudi Suarez) on a team that conceded 15 fewer? And Suarez playes for Chivas USA, which conceded fewer goals while also playing an open, attacking style of play. Parkhurst was at the core of a defense that allowed 9 more than even lowly Colorado -- and that's with a keeper as good as Reis in the nets behind him (and a defensive style of play ingrained by Coach Nichol). Maybe Parkhurst should have fouled more.
Despite the stats, Parkhurst is indeed a good defender, and I can't say that the award is an abomination. It's not like giving Eddie Johnson the Comeback Player of the Year award or anything. (What exactly did Eddie comeback from? Underachievement? And does half a good season constitute a comeback?) But I think it says a lot about the MLS when "feel good stories" win out over performance; and the Dynamo's record-setting defense -- which smashed the previous 29 goal record by conceding only 23 goals -- doesn't win a single award. Onstad in particular was slighted.
As for Parkhurst's only goal (and only shot) of his career -- his 60-yard shot versus Toronto this year -- being up for Goal of the Year: it's interesting how the MLS got this into the running despite the fact that it wasn't selected as the best goal even in the week it occurred. (Granted, that's probably due to the votes of overzealous Toronto fans voting for Dichio the same week.) The goal is certainly impressive due to its rarity (haven't seen one since Dwayne DeRosario's shot versus Chicago and Zach Thornton last year), and Lord knows the fans love goals from really, really, really far away (with bicycle kicks right up there). I can't argue that both types of goals aren't impressive, but Parkhurst's feat has the air of luck and coincidence about it. I think a better GOTY would be one that demonstrates intentional skill.
Joseph Ngwenya's doesn't have the "gee-whiz" factor that surrounds a fortuitous strike; however, it does impress due to its focused application of skill. In fact, it is the type of feat that proves that we have skillful players here in the MLS. I think that is what the MLS should emphasize and laud: skill. It seems that we should want the world to know that we are a league of talented players, rather than knowing us as a league that has some lucky blokes every now and then -- because everyone has blind luck from time to time.
When you get a chance, vote for GOTY.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Weekend's Anti-soccer
The US Soccer Players blog (I site I now regularly hit) has its take on the recent first round leg matches of the conference semis. Here are some highlights:
Regarding the Dynamo match:
Check out Ian Plenderleith's article for his perspective on the entire weekend.
"We wanted to play and go forward but, at the end of the day, who cares?" Revs' coach Steve Nicol told the Boston Globe.
It's naive to imagine that Nicol might worry about entertaining the 14,165 fans who came to watch. But to say "who cares?" like an insouciant teenager suggests he thinks that everyone watching his dull but efficient team in the playoffs is similarly fixated on "smart play" and the final result as he is. The thought of the revs making it through to the MLS Cup Final again is, frankly, depressing.
Regarding the Dynamo match:
Steve Morrow reverted to the British stereotype, breaking up all opposing plays with niggly fouls and using the big lad Adrian Serioux to launch in as many long (and arguably foul) throws as possible in the hope that one might careen around and land in the right place. It worked, with Clarence Goodson banging in a loose ball for the only goal of an intense but extremely poor game of soccer.
Dallas committed 23 fouls in the game, to Houston's eight. The Dynamo, sometimes seen as the Revs of the West, deserved a tie at least for their effort, and because they weren't as dirty as their opponents. It's a strange game when you end up feeling sympathy for Eddie Robinson, the victim of yet another discreet Carlos Ruiz elbow to the face.
Ruiz continued his mediocre form, showing no on-field rapport at all with the lumbering Kenny Cooper. In the end, you prayed for a cameo five minutes from Denilson just to watch him backheel the ball and remind you that this was really supposed to be a game of soccer, and not hands-free rugby played by panicky, over-developed third-graders.
"We made it difficult for them to establish a rhythm," Dallas defender Bobby Rhine told the Dallas Morning News in the understatement of the weekend. Congratulations, Bobby. And did you wonder why there were only twelve and a half thousand people in the stadium for what should have been the biggest game of the season?
Check out Ian Plenderleith's article for his perspective on the entire weekend.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Offside enforcement for the betterment of the game
I enjoyed this editorial from usssoccerplayers.com. The subject is on how MLS referees should understand the spirit of the Offside law and use it as a tool not only to prevent the game from degrading into skill-less kickball (the original intent of the law), but also to encourage creative, attacking play.
The editorialist uses an incident during the recent Chivas USA - FCD goalless draw as an example. I have to agree that, as in baseball, ties should go to the offense in order to err on the side of attacking (which is by nature creative, since the opposition will not create the opportunities for you), rather than to err on the side of stodgy defense (which, though a necessary and admirable skill, is still destructive since it seeks to undo what the opposition is creating). This could also have the side effect of slightly increasing the goals in a game due to increasing the number of goal-scoring opportunities in a game -- and that would help the game in the US.
(As an aside, we Dynamo fans should relish this draw as it keeps the Dynamo safely in the top four of the league, thus ensuring our berth in SuperLiga next year, while still keeping Chivas USA within reach of us...for now. This is a short term benefit, but a long-term benefit would arise from enforcing the spirit rather than the strictest letter of the offside law. Such a policy could help improve the style of play league-wide by creating more attacking opportunities and forcing defenders to improve their marking, tackling, and decision-making skills. The risk is that defenders will be put in more desperate situations and resort to Ty Harden-style fouling tactics -- brutality over skill.)
Other ways changes in enforcement could have a positive effect on the game: allowing cards to be issued for gamesmanship (e.g. diving, intentional handballs, pushing/pulling) based on video review after a match. While post-facto review wouldn't reverse an injustice committed in a previous match, it should serve as a deterrent and would ensure that those who bring disrepute to the game are punished. Belated punishment is better than none. Violators would sit out future matches for severe fouls (as with any red card) or if there has been an accumulation of such incidents (like any Yellow accumulation would do). The details of such a policy would need to be worked out, preventing fickle punishments and perhaps dictating that such punishments would have to be announced within a certain period (perhaps 5 days or so) after the match, but that is minutiae that could be easily determined.
BTW, ussoccerplayers.com is a great website that I've just stumbled across within the past month or so. Under the "Exclusives" tab you can find some great editorials on various facets of the game.
The editorialist uses an incident during the recent Chivas USA - FCD goalless draw as an example. I have to agree that, as in baseball, ties should go to the offense in order to err on the side of attacking (which is by nature creative, since the opposition will not create the opportunities for you), rather than to err on the side of stodgy defense (which, though a necessary and admirable skill, is still destructive since it seeks to undo what the opposition is creating). This could also have the side effect of slightly increasing the goals in a game due to increasing the number of goal-scoring opportunities in a game -- and that would help the game in the US.
(As an aside, we Dynamo fans should relish this draw as it keeps the Dynamo safely in the top four of the league, thus ensuring our berth in SuperLiga next year, while still keeping Chivas USA within reach of us...for now. This is a short term benefit, but a long-term benefit would arise from enforcing the spirit rather than the strictest letter of the offside law. Such a policy could help improve the style of play league-wide by creating more attacking opportunities and forcing defenders to improve their marking, tackling, and decision-making skills. The risk is that defenders will be put in more desperate situations and resort to Ty Harden-style fouling tactics -- brutality over skill.)
Other ways changes in enforcement could have a positive effect on the game: allowing cards to be issued for gamesmanship (e.g. diving, intentional handballs, pushing/pulling) based on video review after a match. While post-facto review wouldn't reverse an injustice committed in a previous match, it should serve as a deterrent and would ensure that those who bring disrepute to the game are punished. Belated punishment is better than none. Violators would sit out future matches for severe fouls (as with any red card) or if there has been an accumulation of such incidents (like any Yellow accumulation would do). The details of such a policy would need to be worked out, preventing fickle punishments and perhaps dictating that such punishments would have to be announced within a certain period (perhaps 5 days or so) after the match, but that is minutiae that could be easily determined.
BTW, ussoccerplayers.com is a great website that I've just stumbled across within the past month or so. Under the "Exclusives" tab you can find some great editorials on various facets of the game.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The FCD Spin Doctor
One of the characteristics about the Dynamo is that they are, from back to front, an attacking team. This quality is even more impressive given the stout defending stats this teams puts up.
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Coaching a Great Club
I've been thinking back to our loss to the last place team last Saturday. There's an old sports adage that says that players are responsible for victories while coaches are responsible for losses. Thus, as with any loss, some lay the blame of the RSL loss at the feet of Dom. To his credit, Dom, himself, took complete responsibility for the loss in his post-match interview.
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
C-bus, Ching, and Large Birds of Prey
Today Dynamo takes on the Crew in C-bus.The storylines:
Dynamo tend to have trouble maintaining streaks, and don't seem to be able to put away the Crew, no matter how bad the Crew are. That, coupled with the ongoing absences, suggests we get a draw for the third time facing the Crew, but my inner-optimist says Dynamo 1-0.
Chingy Gold Cup Sighting
Ching scored the game winner vs Trinidad & Tobago Saturday, redirecting with his feet a cross by Ralston in the 29th minute. In the 54th minute, Ching made the long pass to Donovan, who dribbled to goal and crossed the ball to Eddie Johnson for an insurance goal. Still, many see the opportunities that Ching has wasted, rather than seeing that he scored the game winner. While the US is winning, the fans are whining.
I will grant that the US isn't playing the most electric form of soccer, but they're still playing well enough to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup (but then so is Mexico, and maybe some other countries). No, I'm not content with mediocrity. Yes, I have bigger aspirations for the team than being a big fish in a small pond. I dream of the day that the US is a dominant player globally in international soccer. We have a ways to go, and the problem is not due to having a feeble coach or -- gasp! -- an American coach; the problem is in the way the game is taught to the players. If we ever organize our youth soccer culture to better train the next generation of players, and if we ever establish a coherent American style of play (beyond physical defense and impeachable fitness), then we just may fulfill that dream. Until then, I'll root the team on and wait for the recurrent if inconsistent flashes of technical skill that tends to carry us through, and I'll ignore the naysayers and complainers who revel in negativity and in the feeling of superiority they attempt to generate with their abuse. Ever notice that the people with all the answers are the people who aren't accountable for anything?
Mutual of Omaha's Wilde Kingdom
Saw this on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday. Hedwig the Owl brings good luck to the Fins over Belgium.
- Both teams are struggling, but for different reasons. Both teams are hard working, but neither scores a lot.
- Can the Crew reverse their slump? Can Dynamo win three in a row?
- Alejandro Moreno faces his former club. Joseph Ngwenya faces his former club.
- A win puts Dynamo in second place for the moment, with a game in hand versus conference leader, FC Dallas.
Dynamo tend to have trouble maintaining streaks, and don't seem to be able to put away the Crew, no matter how bad the Crew are. That, coupled with the ongoing absences, suggests we get a draw for the third time facing the Crew, but my inner-optimist says Dynamo 1-0.
Chingy Gold Cup Sighting
Ching scored the game winner vs Trinidad & Tobago Saturday, redirecting with his feet a cross by Ralston in the 29th minute. In the 54th minute, Ching made the long pass to Donovan, who dribbled to goal and crossed the ball to Eddie Johnson for an insurance goal. Still, many see the opportunities that Ching has wasted, rather than seeing that he scored the game winner. While the US is winning, the fans are whining.
I will grant that the US isn't playing the most electric form of soccer, but they're still playing well enough to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup (but then so is Mexico, and maybe some other countries). No, I'm not content with mediocrity. Yes, I have bigger aspirations for the team than being a big fish in a small pond. I dream of the day that the US is a dominant player globally in international soccer. We have a ways to go, and the problem is not due to having a feeble coach or -- gasp! -- an American coach; the problem is in the way the game is taught to the players. If we ever organize our youth soccer culture to better train the next generation of players, and if we ever establish a coherent American style of play (beyond physical defense and impeachable fitness), then we just may fulfill that dream. Until then, I'll root the team on and wait for the recurrent if inconsistent flashes of technical skill that tends to carry us through, and I'll ignore the naysayers and complainers who revel in negativity and in the feeling of superiority they attempt to generate with their abuse. Ever notice that the people with all the answers are the people who aren't accountable for anything?
Mutual of Omaha's Wilde Kingdom
Saw this on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday. Hedwig the Owl brings good luck to the Fins over Belgium.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Playing with Style
As a fan of MLS, I'm use to reading denigrating comments about the quality of the league. As an American, I'm use to reading and hearing slurs on our national style of play. In fact, such invectives are not limited to the MLS or to the USA, even though it may seem that way to me because of my perspective.
No, it's not unusual for one nation to criticize another's style of play. Even those at the top sometimes take it on the chin. Take the EPL. Many people consider the EPL to be the best soccer league in the world (and few would argue that it's not in the top five at least). Yet even with the quality of that league, the quality of play comes into question.
ESPN has an interview with Argentinean and Real Madrid legend, Jorge Valdano, where he criticizes two of the most effective EPL coaches, Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez.
"Chelsea and Liverpool are the clearest, most exaggerated example of the way football is going: very intense, very collective, very tactical, very physical, and very direct.
"But, a short pass? No. A feint? No. A change of pace? No. A one-two? A nutmeg? A backheel? Don't be ridiculous. None of that. The extreme control and seriousness with which both teams played the semi-final neutralized any creative license, any moments of exquisite skill."
These are some of the same qualities that American soccer has been condemned for: direct, physical soccer that relies on collective teamwork rather than creative passing combinations and changing the pace of the game. The US has strong physical training regimens and nutritional science that has made this limitation into a strength. In fact, physical, athletic soccer based on disciplined defense and direct offense can almost be claimed to be our national style of play, and we might be the nation that gets the best results using this style of play.
But in the global world of soccer, everyone can find something to fault in one's neighbor. Valdano claims the EPL is no more creative than the MLS. The same criticism has been levied against the English Nation Team by some over the past year -- particularly since the World Cup. The EPL and the English team are still considered better than the MLS and USMNT, but I presume it's not due to an improved style of play, but because the island league and national team is composed of players with more (and better) soccer experience that in the States.
Should that be heartening to us? Are we truly not much different in soccer tactics than the creators of the world game? Would we be equals if only we improve our technique?
Perhaps. At any rate, we DO need to improve the technique of our players. Furthermore, I think that now that we have converted the English to our style of play, we should abandon that style and, the great Melting Pot that we are, adopt the flair seen in the play of our neighbors to the south. Perhaps we can create a new "American Style" based on the solid, organized defending drawn from our European roots, coupled with the creative attacking flair of our Central and South American roots. Instead of Brazilian Salsa, we'd be more like Southern Rock in the back and Jazz up front, maybe.
Getting back to Valdano’s comments, I do differ with his further editorializing when he says, "Those who did not have the talent to make it as players do not believe in the talent of players, they do not believe in the ability to improvise in order to win football matches. In short, Benitez and Mourinho are exactly the kind of coaches that Benitez and Mourinho would have needed to have made it as players."
This makes for an interesting insult, hitting the successful where they can't protect themselves: in the past. But this sounds more like schoolgirl cat-fighting based on jealousy than on logical conclusions or historical precedent.
I will concede that a good coach has to have soccer experience; but I do not think a coach's lack of talent as an athlete means he is incapable of being a remarkable coach, any more than a player's remarkable athleticism prepares him to be a coaching genius. There are many examples of coaching legends (within soccer and without) who have had only moderate success in the sport where they later proved their leadership and tactical acumen. Can you name one?
Dynamo Style of Play
I've got to link this to the Dynamo at some point, so let me make a comment about the Dynamo style of play. In the back, we play the typical physical, organized defense. That's as American as apple pie. Our flanks and Ching also fall into the American style, with direct play and dogged athleticism pushing forward and running back on support. Where our play may differ is with regards to our Canadian middle. Yes, DDR has that flair and creativeness that seems to be lacking in general here and even across the pond.
Let's use Valdano’s comments as a list:
A short pass? Yes.
A feint? Yes.
A change of pace? Oh, yes.
A one-two? You bet.
A nutmeg? On occasion.
A backheel? Sure!
DeRo has that creative license and those moments of exquisite skill. Even when he's not a direct part of the play, he can show that flair. For instance, how about that dummy he did during the buildup before Ching's goal last Saturday in Colorado? When he's on, it's magic.
Texans in the EPL
I’ll sign this post off with a quick bravo to Clint Dempsey, who scored his first EPL goal, a game winner versus Liverpool on May 5. Receiving the ball after a quick give and go, Dempsey saves Fulham from relegation. Here’s a link to the goal.
No, it's not unusual for one nation to criticize another's style of play. Even those at the top sometimes take it on the chin. Take the EPL. Many people consider the EPL to be the best soccer league in the world (and few would argue that it's not in the top five at least). Yet even with the quality of that league, the quality of play comes into question.
ESPN has an interview with Argentinean and Real Madrid legend, Jorge Valdano, where he criticizes two of the most effective EPL coaches, Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez.
"Chelsea and Liverpool are the clearest, most exaggerated example of the way football is going: very intense, very collective, very tactical, very physical, and very direct.
"But, a short pass? No. A feint? No. A change of pace? No. A one-two? A nutmeg? A backheel? Don't be ridiculous. None of that. The extreme control and seriousness with which both teams played the semi-final neutralized any creative license, any moments of exquisite skill."
These are some of the same qualities that American soccer has been condemned for: direct, physical soccer that relies on collective teamwork rather than creative passing combinations and changing the pace of the game. The US has strong physical training regimens and nutritional science that has made this limitation into a strength. In fact, physical, athletic soccer based on disciplined defense and direct offense can almost be claimed to be our national style of play, and we might be the nation that gets the best results using this style of play.
But in the global world of soccer, everyone can find something to fault in one's neighbor. Valdano claims the EPL is no more creative than the MLS. The same criticism has been levied against the English Nation Team by some over the past year -- particularly since the World Cup. The EPL and the English team are still considered better than the MLS and USMNT, but I presume it's not due to an improved style of play, but because the island league and national team is composed of players with more (and better) soccer experience that in the States.
Should that be heartening to us? Are we truly not much different in soccer tactics than the creators of the world game? Would we be equals if only we improve our technique?
Perhaps. At any rate, we DO need to improve the technique of our players. Furthermore, I think that now that we have converted the English to our style of play, we should abandon that style and, the great Melting Pot that we are, adopt the flair seen in the play of our neighbors to the south. Perhaps we can create a new "American Style" based on the solid, organized defending drawn from our European roots, coupled with the creative attacking flair of our Central and South American roots. Instead of Brazilian Salsa, we'd be more like Southern Rock in the back and Jazz up front, maybe.
Getting back to Valdano’s comments, I do differ with his further editorializing when he says, "Those who did not have the talent to make it as players do not believe in the talent of players, they do not believe in the ability to improvise in order to win football matches. In short, Benitez and Mourinho are exactly the kind of coaches that Benitez and Mourinho would have needed to have made it as players."
This makes for an interesting insult, hitting the successful where they can't protect themselves: in the past. But this sounds more like schoolgirl cat-fighting based on jealousy than on logical conclusions or historical precedent.
I will concede that a good coach has to have soccer experience; but I do not think a coach's lack of talent as an athlete means he is incapable of being a remarkable coach, any more than a player's remarkable athleticism prepares him to be a coaching genius. There are many examples of coaching legends (within soccer and without) who have had only moderate success in the sport where they later proved their leadership and tactical acumen. Can you name one?
Dynamo Style of Play
I've got to link this to the Dynamo at some point, so let me make a comment about the Dynamo style of play. In the back, we play the typical physical, organized defense. That's as American as apple pie. Our flanks and Ching also fall into the American style, with direct play and dogged athleticism pushing forward and running back on support. Where our play may differ is with regards to our Canadian middle. Yes, DDR has that flair and creativeness that seems to be lacking in general here and even across the pond.
Let's use Valdano’s comments as a list:
A short pass? Yes.
A feint? Yes.
A change of pace? Oh, yes.
A one-two? You bet.
A nutmeg? On occasion.
A backheel? Sure!
DeRo has that creative license and those moments of exquisite skill. Even when he's not a direct part of the play, he can show that flair. For instance, how about that dummy he did during the buildup before Ching's goal last Saturday in Colorado? When he's on, it's magic.
Texans in the EPL
I’ll sign this post off with a quick bravo to Clint Dempsey, who scored his first EPL goal, a game winner versus Liverpool on May 5. Receiving the ball after a quick give and go, Dempsey saves Fulham from relegation. Here’s a link to the goal.
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