Pachuca faced LA in a half-packed Home Depot Center last night in a contest to determine the SuperLiga Champion. I watched much of the first half. At that point Pachuca controlled the possession, tempo, and real estate. But, much like the Dynamo too often, Pachuca couldn't leverage this control into goals.
For most of the second half, my face was pointed at the TV but my eyelids interfered with my view. I missed Klein's bicycle kick (quite impressive due to the timing and his age) until watching the highlight reel this morning. Likewise, I didn't see Donovan's missed PK that would have given LA the game. His kick wasn't particularly poorly taken (unlike many of his successful kicks down the middle during the Gold Cup), but the keeper guessed correctly and Donovan wasn't able to put the ball far enough into the corner. Unlucky.
I suppose the biggest news out of the game was that Beckham sprained his knee. It looks like he will be out for a while – longer than he was for his ankle. The injury occurred when Becks and Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar simultaneously tackled a loose ball just outside the Pachuca penalty box. Becks went in with his right foot, and the whole leg twisted with the counterforce applied by Salazar's foot. Beck's left ankle was the injured ankle, otherwise I'd think that it was his weak ankle that contributed to the painful torque on the knee. As it was, perhaps it was just misfortune. Salazar had to leave the match with a knee sprain as well.
This just in: in depth news analysis reports that when Beckham returned in overtime to watch the match, he was "dressed in a gray suit, white shirt and black tie."
In all seriousness, accolades go to the Galaxy for keeping themselves in the game, making a brilliant equalizer, and then having an opportunity to win the game with a single PK. Shame on Pachuca for controlling the game, but being unable to get the ball into the net versus a poor Galaxy side.(LA scored all of the goals in this one: one into the Galaxy net and one into the Tuzos' net.) Thing is, Dynamo fan that I am, I can completely sympathize with Pachuca's dominance coexisting with scoring anemia.
And shame on the so-called "Cathedral" of the MLS, the Home Depot Center. Only 12,500 tickets could be sold for the SuperLiga final in this supposed soccer-specific stadium because of parking concerns at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Apparently a lot of people want to park on campus at 8 PM on a Wednesday evening. This is a constraint we're going to have to make sure is NOT an issue with the Dynamo's eventual stadium. So many things to consider...
More Galaxy news...
Yahoo had this article about Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy GM, whining about how his master plan for the "Superclub" of the MLS has been undermined by a sudden appearance of games on the team's schedule. Surprisingly, his infectious whining has stricken a usually sane Andrea Canales, as well.
To this I say: balderdash. Is Lalas suddenly an unwilling victim of the scheduling? He sure spoke like he was integral to the scheduling process at the beginning of the season. And if the schedule is to blame, then why wasn’t the team racking up points in the early season when it had a mostly open schedule and plenty of chance to rest and recuperate players? And how is it that a lowly team like the Dynamo from a podunk village like Houston was able to zoom to the top of the standings when it was fighting through a schedule that included 3 games a week, some against high-caliber Mexican clubs? It seems that Lalas (and Canales) is trying to deflect blame when the finger should be pointed at poor management and poor players.
Now that the Galaxy have lost their only chance for a trophy and, with Salt Lake's victory over KC last night, have dropped to last place in the standings, AEG will probably begin taking measures to set up a better 2008 season. How do they right this ship?
Well, one of the biggest problems with the Galaxy is its random mish-mash of players who don’t comprise a coherent team. A couple of talented individuals can’t carry a team very far. Injuries have been a problem, sure; but even without the injuries there is an unhealthy randomness to the team roster. Perhaps less time should have been spent on developing a pretty new uniform, and more time spent on conscientious team building. This being the core problem of the team means that whoever is responsible for this mess should bear the consequences. Is Lalas or Yallop to blame? Based on past experience, I have to believe that Alexi is the culprit.
The track records of both Yallop and Lalas suggest who is to blame for the train wreck that is the Galaxy. Yallop has two MLS Cups after building the San Jose franchise from its bottom-of-the-barrel standing prior to his arrival, and he set the seeds for the club's success in 2005 and later as the Dynamo. Lalas has served as GM for 2 previous clubs, leaving each one in a state of, if not disarray, then definitely with no coherent strategy or defined identity. His handling of the Donovan loss was reviled by the SJ fans, and his inconsistency with the Metrostars left that club struggling for stability and required the new Red Bull ownership to throw a lot of cash at reversing the problem.
That suggests the Galaxy should fire Lalas to bring in a GM that has more intelligence and perception, even if it means fewer newsworthy sound bites. However, Yallop will probably get a pink slip too. If so, Yallop would benefit more than the Galaxy; the coach would easily be able to find employment in a less dysfunctional organization. Truth be told, if the Galaxy could bring in Jurgen Klinsmann, perhaps the Galaxy would benefit too. It would be interesting to see how Klins would do in the MLS, and his name has a certain cachet that the Galaxy — image conscious as they are — would love.
Yallop didn't help his own cause after he played an injured Becks all 90 minutes of a losing match versus Chivas after Becks had played all 90 of a match in England the day before. Perhaps Yallop was forced into that decision, but he's still accountable for it. And if it gets him out of the Galaxy organization, then he's the better for it.
And speaking of RSL...
Their new Argentineans proved their worth already in leading the team to a 3-1 victory over visiting KC. Wow, have the Lakers turned their ship around? We'll see. It'd be good to have a decent Salt Lake to contend in the Western Conference, but I'm not too pleased with how my fantasy team took a hit from last night's resurgence.
Here's hoping that the game took a lot out of KC's tank since we face them this weekend. On the other hand, that may NOT be a good thing; if they're tired and bunker in, our past experience with such tactics suggests we may not be able to crack the defensive shell. We've got to get a goal early, otherwise bad things could happen. We've got to defend our home turf too: on KC's last visit to Robertson (at the beginning of last year), they managed to win 2-1 off a late Burciaga laser.
One win gets us into the 40-point range, helps our cause for the Supporters' Shield, and surpasses our 11-win total from last season. Let's do it.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Once again: we're even with the mediocre
I was tired Sat night/Sun morning so I executed my right to rewrite this...
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
Tonight the draw with C-Bus seemed more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. We cling to our lead in the Western Conference (but one Dallas win or two Chivas wins can erase that since they have games in hand on us), but we trail behind New England and DCU for the Supporters' Shield. Our fate is no longer solely in our hands. We have to win the majority of our remaining games in order to earn the Shield, and New England and DCU (and the teams that have games in hand on us) must also lose a few. Given the nature of this league, however, I think we're practically guaranteed the Shield if we go on another long winning streak.
The key is that we need to win in order to have the winning streak.
Tonight, we tie (barely), at home, to a mediocre C-Bus Crew team, which played most of the game with only 10 men.
That sentence (run-on though it is) is chock full of reasons to be depressed about the result. In the opening 15 minutes, I was surprised how wide open the game was. We were looking dangerous and moving the ball around, but C-Bus looked equally dangerous with their direct play and their ability to move the ball around our box once they got there. I thought we might see a 3-3 match after seeing the back and forth play and the shaky defense at both ends.
We were lucky that the Crew’s first golden opportunity hit the crossbar, but Cochrane's role in that play was a harbinger of what was to come. Sure enough, in the 17th minute, Schelotto fakes Cochrane out so smoothly that Cochrane is lucky that he wasn't given a wedgie and had a "kick me" sign placed on his back in the same play. Schelotto then lays the ball off for Alejandro Moreno, who had long ago proven that he doesn't score often in Robertson Stadium, but he decides to step out of character tonight. For the second time in as many meetings, Moreno scores on his former team.
Dynamo starts to press harder for the remainder of the match. D-Ro has a great shot from distance turned aside, Jaqua has a 1-on-1 with the goalie that gets sent into low earth orbit (forwards have no excuse for doing that, particularly early in the game), and Ngwenya sees his loads of opportunities wasted. The beginning of the second half portended an orange-dominated play. Yet, it was not until late (80th minute) that we could make hay of our possession. At that point Ngwenya, freed by a give and go with Clark just outside the box, worked his way into the box at the north end and got off a shot, the shot was saved, and Jaqua picked up the trash and evened the score. Because the goal came so late, it was blessed relief. We didn't stop there, though: we continued to pressed and a win seemed possible. Ngwenya and D-Ro both found themselves with great opportunities taken away by timely tackles, while another fast break by Ngwenya was nullified by a (ref-unseen) shirt pull by Ezra.
Not long after the match ended, the blessed relief of the late goal faded back into disgust at what we lost (2 points) and to whom (a mediocre team down to 10 men). This is really getting old: we beat quality teams, we tie mediocre teams, and we lose to cellar-dwellers. Where is the logic in that? Is there a certain quality horrible teams share (perhaps a compacted defense?) that we can’t overcome while others can? If so, is this the quality that fuels our inability to score on short-handed teams? Just this season, we weren’t able to score on a 10-man RBNY in NY, Colorado in Commerce City, and Toronto in Houston. We were able to score on Chivas when the Goats were down to 10, but we were already up 2-0 at that point.
What’s the connection? What does that say about our weaknesses?
Abby Okulaja proves to be his usual inconsistent self. He had help: in the second half the east-side AR called Wondo offside after an excellent through pass to Wondo in the box. Offside? There was a Crew defender (in addition to the keeper, naturally) sitting (literally) inside the box at least five yards between Wondo and the goal. Dynamo players enthusiastically pointed this out, and the AR seemed to recognize that he made an error -- I was only about 10 yards away from the linesman, so I'm basing this assumption on his body language and snippets of conversation I could hear after he made the call, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, Abby gives the Crew a free kick after our opportunity was already snuffed. Um, oops.
(Is there a loophole in the rules so that a player can be called offside if one of the two opponents (between the player and goal) is kneeling and taking himself out of the play? I didn’t think so.)
Thankfully, not too long after this, Jaqua scores.
Another complaint, while I’m at it: Can’t the stadium run the clock past 90 minutes? Just keep it going, guys! We'll tell you when to stop! Another facility related gripe: go back to an announcer who doesn’t mumble; tonight the mumbler made it difficult to hear most of the names of the subs coming in or the players going out of the game. This isn't a big problem for me with the Dynamo subs, but I had trouble keeping up with the Colorado players.
Before I go to bed, I have to focus on the positives, just so I go to sleep with a warm glow inside me:
- We got a point
- We finally managed to score on a 10 man team
- We played well and had sufficient opportunity to put this game away (dang finishing)
- Mulrooney and Ianni played excellent games
- Ngwenya is taking responsibility for his missed chances in saying "I had three clear chances I wish I could have put away. I think I need to get back to training and start being serious again. I need to start putting away chances again. I think I was a bit too relaxed. " Nice to hear the commitment, but why weren’t you already serious after the penalty kick fiasco vs Pachuca?
- My daughter caught a T-shirt
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The FCD Spin Doctor
One of the characteristics about the Dynamo is that they are, from back to front, an attacking team. This quality is even more impressive given the stout defending stats this teams puts up.
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Last Sunday's match was a hot and humid one (In Houston? in August? Really?), and that took some of the energy out of the play, but I thought the team looked just at attack-minded if ever, and definitely more so that the Hoops did. We attacked down the flanks, with Jaqua driving in and Mullan providing wide service. We went up the middle, with D-Ro and Clark both penetrating and Ching providing the hold-up play for give-and-goes. We kept the ball on the ground and we went aerial at times.
The final 10 minutes of the match were the exception to the balance of play, given that FCD became desperate to find a last minute equalizer. Prior to this frantic foray, the only threats posed by the Hoops were a fast break by Alvarez and a couple of headers by Ruiz off set pieces. In the waning moments of the game our back line nearly cracked under the increased pressure, but, fortunately for us, FCD's ambition was too little too late.
So, once again, Dynamo Houston proves to be the better team, not only in results, but in style of play.
Given this, it surprised me when I found the following post-game quote by FCD Coach Steve Morrow in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we weren't in too much trouble."
This quote is elaborated upon at the US Soccer Players website: "'Apart from a lot of long balls and set plays they threw at us in the first half, we coped with it pretty well and weren't in too much trouble with anything else. At least we tried to play some soccer, get the ball down and knock it around.' FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow hints that opponents Houston played results-oriented soccer to beat his side 1-0."
Was Morrow watching the same match I was watching? I'm not saying the Hoops played awfully whatsoever, but it is a complete fabrication to suggest that they were playing the beautiful game while Dynamo-Houston relied on a couple of lofted passes from Ianni and E-Rob then bunkered in the rest of the game. There is a time and a place for Route 1 ball, but the Dynamo didn't employ much of that (much less rely on it) last Sunday. If anything, FCD was guilty of that (again, excluding the final 10 minutes).
Is Morrow basing his observations on only the final moments of the game? Or is he just trying to spin a positive out of a negative? Or is he unable to read a game?
Or am I guilty of watching the match through Orange-colored glasses?
Well the Dallas Morning News suggests my observations (biased as they are) may have been the more accurate of the two when it writes "Burse, the backup to injured starter Dario Sala, showcased good instincts and defended well against an aggressive Dynamo offense. But FC Dallas failed to establish a steady offensive rhythm in a 1-0 loss to Houston before 19,501 at Robertson Stadium."
The real test will be whether we can do better than a draw when we face the Hoops at Frisco in a few weeks. We have an 0-1-2 (W-L-T) record there thus far, excluding our MLS Cup win of course.
First up: the Crew. Did you know that, as lowly as the Crew has been, we haven't beaten them here in Houston yet? This weekend would be a good time to reverse that trend. Luckily, the Crew isn't a bottom dweller this year, or we'd surely lose (a la Colorado, RSL, and Toronto).
Sunday, August 19, 2007
King of the Lone Star State
For the second year running, Dynamo have bested their Texas counterparts, FC Dallas, and kept ownership of El Capitan. The howitzer has remained silent in our possession, but hopefully we'll be able to fire it at will once (if) we move to our permanent stadium home. The "rivalry" is young, but if the current trend continues, we may not even relinquish possession of the big gun until after we move into a new home.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
In the first half, Alvarez and Ricardinho both had excellent shots on goal. That sums up Dallas' dangerous threats in the first half.
For the Orange, the opportunities came from Jaqua (who should've been awarded a PK after a Dallas handball deflected his shot), Ngwenya (who could've used his body better to get between Burse and the ball after the GK misjudged the ball's bounce; but alas Burse was able to touch the ball out of bounds), Ianni and Robinson (on several corners), and our entire midfield from distance. We had a wealth of "almosts" until, thankfully, Mullan broke free on the right flank and sent the perfect cross for Ching to head in. A few minutes later came halftime.
With the defense at home, one goal is all that is needed for the Orange Crush. Still, the second half saw us pick up some excellent chances for insurance goals. D-Ro should've had one and Wondo could have had a couple. On the other end, Ruiz had some open headers off corners, but both went straight to Onstad.
I can't find much fault with the team today (although the finishing COULD be better still). I thought Mullan was the MOTM, though I think Clark -- who had a good game -- got the official nod. Ching did well (I thought he was missing most of the Pachuca match); Jaqua, Ngwenya, and Wondo were dangerous; and D-Ro and Clark were solid in the middle. D-Ro didn't maximize a few of his looks on goal, but he was the creative force in the middle again -- as he should be. Mulrooney, Ianni, E-Rob, Barrett, and Onstad were nearly faultless, and the clean sheet was well earned.
One thing that did tick me off: I forgot my camera, so I didn't get a good shot of the new jersey on its inaugural game. I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities, but still!
Kudos also go to:
- The new jerseys; we're undefeated in them!
- Mother Nature for bringing along that breeze
- The Jumbotron screen official, for saving money with an economy of letters, showing the score for "FC Dalas."
- Ianni, Mulrooney, Mullan, and Waibel for clapping their appreciation to our side of the field (Eastern Stands, Section 118 specifically) as they walked off the field. The entire team justifiable showed their appreciation to the TA and EB in 213 and 214, but those four were very considerate in showing their appreciation for our somewhat less enthusiastic contributions to the game.
- My wife, for packing an awesome pre- and post-game tailgate repast. She wouldn't let me stay for the Reserve match, but she made up for it by feeding me well.
Ankle injuries can nag for quite a while (ask Daggers or that Englishman who plays for the "jewel of LA"), so I hope he's back to 100% by next weekend.
In the meantime, let's hope Ching gets some field time with the USMNT and shows well versus Sweden. But mostly, let's hope that he returns to us unscathed and ready to continue this fledgling winning streak we've just begun.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Dynamo Players: Rich in other assets
There are some decided disadvantages to being a fledgling league. If you need a refresher course in what these are, just check out your nearest blog, sports chatroom, or mainstream media source.
There are some decided advantages too.
For one, the players aren't overpaid elitists who insulate themselves from the hoi polloi. The Dynamo players have proven this on more than one occasion at fan events, on media broadcasts, and after games. (And also at centers of fine arts.) KHOU (the local CBS affiliate) has an article and video clip showing how three Dynamo players -- Corey Ashe, John Michael Hayden, and Jordan James -- went beyond the call of duty to help out stranded motorists during yesterday's deluge caused by Tropical Depression Erin.
Ashe the Samaritan said, “We actually just got through with practice and [were] just trying to make it home. Unfortunately, the weather kind of stopped us. I figured we’d help these poor people get out.”
You WANT to see people like this play. You WANT them to succeed. You WANT to see good things happen to good people.
In a related vein, local sports writer and commentator John Lopez has an editorial talking about the humble and honorable players that populate the MLS.
Now that you, dear reader, have a warm glow building inside, let's all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" a cappella. Or, better yet, go donate blood or save an animal's life.
There are some decided advantages too.
For one, the players aren't overpaid elitists who insulate themselves from the hoi polloi. The Dynamo players have proven this on more than one occasion at fan events, on media broadcasts, and after games. (And also at centers of fine arts.) KHOU (the local CBS affiliate) has an article and video clip showing how three Dynamo players -- Corey Ashe, John Michael Hayden, and Jordan James -- went beyond the call of duty to help out stranded motorists during yesterday's deluge caused by Tropical Depression Erin.
Ashe the Samaritan said, “We actually just got through with practice and [were] just trying to make it home. Unfortunately, the weather kind of stopped us. I figured we’d help these poor people get out.”
You WANT to see people like this play. You WANT them to succeed. You WANT to see good things happen to good people.
In a related vein, local sports writer and commentator John Lopez has an editorial talking about the humble and honorable players that populate the MLS.
Now that you, dear reader, have a warm glow building inside, let's all join hands and sing "Kumbaya" a cappella. Or, better yet, go donate blood or save an animal's life.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
SuperLiga Post-Facto Thoughts; Supporters' Shield Pre-Facto Thoughts
I stumbled across an interesting article in the Washington Post that was written back in July. It summarizes how the Soccer United Marketing will compensate MLS teams that do well in SuperLiga. An excerpt:
SUM will reward the tournament champion $1 million. If an MLS team wins, $150,000 of the prize money will be earmarked for the players to divide. The league also will award $100,000 to the players on an MLS team that loses in the final, and $50,000 to the players on any MLS team that loses in the semifinals.
This year's MLS participants were selected by tournament organizers, but starting next summer, the top four finishers in the previous regular season will earn bids.
According to this quote, the Dynamo get to split $50 grand at least. It's not much (about $1,920 divided 26 ways), but it could cover a couple of car payments, a mortgage payment, or beer money, depending on the player's needs. This would be particularly welcome to the lowest-paid members of the team.
I imagine that Joseph Ngwenya, after playing a pretty good game overall, is nevertheless bummed out that his spot kick turned out so horribly. It cost him and his mates some significant dinero. He might even feel the need to take personal responsibility for the loss. All I would say to him is: Ngwenya, you're a Dynamo now. This team regularly competes for the highest honors. You'll have plenty of chances to redeem yourself as we pursue future prizes. This very weekend we get back on track for the Supporters' Shield, my friend.
Speaking of which, it seems the Supporters' Shield is becoming more and more dominant in the hierarchy of awards. Starting this season, the Shield bearers from last season were the first to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. (The other qualifier was the MLS Cup winner, that's us guys. If the Cup and Shield winner are ever the same team, then the runner up to the Shield -- not to the Cup -- takes the other Champions' slot.) Starting next season, the Supporters' Shield bearer from this season and the next three teams of the regular 2007 season qualify for the SuperLiga.
I like how the MLS is trying to make the Shield more prestigious. This is a reflection of the traditions of soccer leagues in other nations. Yet, at least for the foreseeable future, we here in America will refer to the MLS Cup winner as the Champion -- and the Cup Champion shall receive the most recognition in the press, the second slot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the MLS Cup jersey scudetto (which turns into a star atop the club's shield the second season after the Cup victory), and the silver ball for home games.
Winning the Cup involves a bit of luck: one bad game and your team gets nothing. For this reason, we should focus on securing the Shield. If we get this, then we get access to the two international tournaments. Only after winning the Shield should we turn our gaze to the MLS Cup...and we should be in a good position at that point to win the rare double.
(Click on the "Supporters' Shield" link above to see that only 3 teams have won the Cup and the Shield in the same season: DC United in 1997 & 1999, KC Wizards in 2000, and LAG in 2002.)
SUM will reward the tournament champion $1 million. If an MLS team wins, $150,000 of the prize money will be earmarked for the players to divide. The league also will award $100,000 to the players on an MLS team that loses in the final, and $50,000 to the players on any MLS team that loses in the semifinals.
This year's MLS participants were selected by tournament organizers, but starting next summer, the top four finishers in the previous regular season will earn bids.
According to this quote, the Dynamo get to split $50 grand at least. It's not much (about $1,920 divided 26 ways), but it could cover a couple of car payments, a mortgage payment, or beer money, depending on the player's needs. This would be particularly welcome to the lowest-paid members of the team.
I imagine that Joseph Ngwenya, after playing a pretty good game overall, is nevertheless bummed out that his spot kick turned out so horribly. It cost him and his mates some significant dinero. He might even feel the need to take personal responsibility for the loss. All I would say to him is: Ngwenya, you're a Dynamo now. This team regularly competes for the highest honors. You'll have plenty of chances to redeem yourself as we pursue future prizes. This very weekend we get back on track for the Supporters' Shield, my friend.
Speaking of which, it seems the Supporters' Shield is becoming more and more dominant in the hierarchy of awards. Starting this season, the Shield bearers from last season were the first to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. (The other qualifier was the MLS Cup winner, that's us guys. If the Cup and Shield winner are ever the same team, then the runner up to the Shield -- not to the Cup -- takes the other Champions' slot.) Starting next season, the Supporters' Shield bearer from this season and the next three teams of the regular 2007 season qualify for the SuperLiga.
I like how the MLS is trying to make the Shield more prestigious. This is a reflection of the traditions of soccer leagues in other nations. Yet, at least for the foreseeable future, we here in America will refer to the MLS Cup winner as the Champion -- and the Cup Champion shall receive the most recognition in the press, the second slot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the MLS Cup jersey scudetto (which turns into a star atop the club's shield the second season after the Cup victory), and the silver ball for home games.
Winning the Cup involves a bit of luck: one bad game and your team gets nothing. For this reason, we should focus on securing the Shield. If we get this, then we get access to the two international tournaments. Only after winning the Shield should we turn our gaze to the MLS Cup...and we should be in a good position at that point to win the rare double.
(Click on the "Supporters' Shield" link above to see that only 3 teams have won the Cup and the Shield in the same season: DC United in 1997 & 1999, KC Wizards in 2000, and LAG in 2002.)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Pachuca, our Nemesis
I wish I could say we were the better team tonight. We were the better team for the first 15 minutes of the first half (which saw us go up 1-0 on a D-Ro goal), and maybe the final 5 minutes of the first half (where Waibel could have given us a 2-1 lead...twice). The rest of the time we struggled, being a man down against one of the best teams in Mexico in stifling heat and humidity. Though we struggled at times, with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, Robinson fought through on a Mulrooney free kick to get the goal that would keep us in the match (2-2), then a Pachuca expulsion evened up the sides at 10.
Throughout the game, I thought we weren't pressuring the ball enough, and we gave the Tuzos plenty of time to make endless chains of passes in our own half. To our credit:
1) We didn't allow much of the possession to lead to scoring threats
2) We still pushed the attack on the counter, even a man down
3) We showed some 1v1 skill on the attack, wrong-footing the Pachuca markers as we drove to goal
In extra time, it was more of the same: cautious positioning by the Orange, possession by the Tuzos, and not a lot of chances for either team. Jaqua came out for Wondo. Regarding Jaqua: I can't wait until Davis and/or Holden are healthy. Nate wasn't much help on the field tonight. Oh yeah, and we got another red and went down to 9 men. At this point, the game began to look like the US vs Italy in World Cup 2006.
Ianni...I sure wish you had positioned yourself better in the first half so you wouldn't have had to make that foul. That red changed the game. Cochrane, who you were replacing, couldn't have done better though. Ah, to see this match 11v11. What would have happened then? And as for Ashe: that was a stupid, childish foul in overtime, particularly given the situation the team was in. You hadn't done much on the field, but your speed may have helped open the field up a bit. But alas, you felt pouty and lashed out.
Though the stars were aligned against us, we made it to penalties. At that point, I felt fairly confident. In fact, the only real doubt I suffered was when Ching went up. He had been a nonfactor for the entire game. He never linked up with any of his mates, and I can't remember a single header he won. I saw a lot of camera shots of him walking; he looked exhausted and listless. Robinson's goal in regulation could have been Ching's, but Ching didn't have a bead on the ball and the hungry Robinson leapt over the planted Ching to earn the equalizer. Because of this, I felt bad juju hung over Ching and was nervous as he approached the ball on the PK. It wasn't a badly struck ball, but hitting the post was just the icing on the cake for Ching's performance tonight. He'll have to be Mr. Clutch on another day.
Ngwenya's attempt to be cheeky was just atrocious, and that cost us the game.
Those who I thought did well: E-Rob, Waibel, and Barrett. Mullan was a workhorse, as was Mulrooney. D-Ro was inconsistent, but he wasn't the albatross that Ching and Jaqua were. Ngwenya played okay for the most part, but he still doesn't use his speed to its greatest effect, and there is that penalty of his...
All in all, losing in penalties is not what I wanted, but it wasn't an unfair result. We played poorly, though with heart. Defensively we left two men alone in the box, and each of them scored on us. We also made some stupid decisions that put the team in a bad spot and a man down...twice.
Now I just hope the team will focus on its league play and turn that ship around. We've lost our opportunity for the CONCACAF Champions Cup and now the SuperLiga trophy (and cash). The only things left are the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup, but we won't be able to claim those if we play like we've been playing in the MLS and tonight. This weekend is the time to get back on track and start a new winning streak with FCD. Go ORANGE!
Throughout the game, I thought we weren't pressuring the ball enough, and we gave the Tuzos plenty of time to make endless chains of passes in our own half. To our credit:
1) We didn't allow much of the possession to lead to scoring threats
2) We still pushed the attack on the counter, even a man down
3) We showed some 1v1 skill on the attack, wrong-footing the Pachuca markers as we drove to goal
In extra time, it was more of the same: cautious positioning by the Orange, possession by the Tuzos, and not a lot of chances for either team. Jaqua came out for Wondo. Regarding Jaqua: I can't wait until Davis and/or Holden are healthy. Nate wasn't much help on the field tonight. Oh yeah, and we got another red and went down to 9 men. At this point, the game began to look like the US vs Italy in World Cup 2006.
Ianni...I sure wish you had positioned yourself better in the first half so you wouldn't have had to make that foul. That red changed the game. Cochrane, who you were replacing, couldn't have done better though. Ah, to see this match 11v11. What would have happened then? And as for Ashe: that was a stupid, childish foul in overtime, particularly given the situation the team was in. You hadn't done much on the field, but your speed may have helped open the field up a bit. But alas, you felt pouty and lashed out.
Though the stars were aligned against us, we made it to penalties. At that point, I felt fairly confident. In fact, the only real doubt I suffered was when Ching went up. He had been a nonfactor for the entire game. He never linked up with any of his mates, and I can't remember a single header he won. I saw a lot of camera shots of him walking; he looked exhausted and listless. Robinson's goal in regulation could have been Ching's, but Ching didn't have a bead on the ball and the hungry Robinson leapt over the planted Ching to earn the equalizer. Because of this, I felt bad juju hung over Ching and was nervous as he approached the ball on the PK. It wasn't a badly struck ball, but hitting the post was just the icing on the cake for Ching's performance tonight. He'll have to be Mr. Clutch on another day.
Ngwenya's attempt to be cheeky was just atrocious, and that cost us the game.
Those who I thought did well: E-Rob, Waibel, and Barrett. Mullan was a workhorse, as was Mulrooney. D-Ro was inconsistent, but he wasn't the albatross that Ching and Jaqua were. Ngwenya played okay for the most part, but he still doesn't use his speed to its greatest effect, and there is that penalty of his...
All in all, losing in penalties is not what I wanted, but it wasn't an unfair result. We played poorly, though with heart. Defensively we left two men alone in the box, and each of them scored on us. We also made some stupid decisions that put the team in a bad spot and a man down...twice.
Now I just hope the team will focus on its league play and turn that ship around. We've lost our opportunity for the CONCACAF Champions Cup and now the SuperLiga trophy (and cash). The only things left are the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup, but we won't be able to claim those if we play like we've been playing in the MLS and tonight. This weekend is the time to get back on track and start a new winning streak with FCD. Go ORANGE!
Senior Citizens unite for the Dynamo! (SuperLiga Semis)
Tonight, we go to freshman orientation for my son. I am the father of a high schooler; ergo: I am old. I remember my high school days quite clearly. Previously, I had kids that were at stages of life that were quite fuzzy in my memory, so that connection to my youth wasn't always there. I have infrequent flashes of remembrances from elementary and middle school, but now my oldest son is at a stage of life that I remember quite well. I remember, for instance, that my peers at the time had parents that were elderly and stodgy. I guess times are a-changing, because my high schooler sure doesn't have elderly and stodgy parents. Yes, I'll keep telling that to myself.
One good thing about the late start time for tonight's Dynamo game versus Pachuca is that we'll be home from freshman orientation in time to catch the game in its entirety. (Assuming I can move my walker fast enough.) Tonight's game should be a good one. The recent play of the Dynamo in league action causes some worry about their ability to control the game tonight. Pachuca is still trying to gain its season form, but its two wins in recent league play show the team to be dangerous already.
Last time we played Pachuca in Houston, we were in pre-season form and Pachuca looked sharp. Nonetheless, we took the game 2-0. This time, Pachuca knows they won't have a second leg to make up for a bad result, so they'll be more focused on the field.
We're also going to be hindered by Stuart Holden's absence due to injury. He has become an important part of the team's attack (a la Hunter Pence), but his appearance was due to another injury: Brad Davis' unfortunate injury. Perhaps Holden's absence will lead to another revelation from the team's depths. I don't think we're going to see Ashe (at least, not early), so it'll probably be Jaqua filling in for Holden. I don't mind Jaqua much as a forward, but I'm still not sold on him as a middie, even though that's where he cut his teeth with the Chicago Fire.
Perhaps the most cutting injury is Ricardo Clark, if he indeed does not play. Mulrooney is a good journeyman at D-Mid, but Clark is a defensive stalwart, an offensive threat, and a player with flair -- all rolled into one. Paired with D-Ro in the middle, we have a core that makes the Dynamo among the most potent in the MLS, if not the most potent. Without that core, we can still do the job, but it's more difficult and our usual flair is replaced with sheer doggedness. That's not as fun to watch, but injuries sometimes force a team to concentrate on the result, not the entertainment. I'm cool with that.
Ryan Cochrane is another player that will be out due to injury. I'm not a fan of Cochrane's, but his absence does weaken our depth in the back. Go get 'em, Ianni.
(And the recurring ankle injury to Dalglish again rears its head. It looks like we won't see him for a while. He wants to return next season, but do we need an expensive third option at forward?)
Tonight we need to control the pace and possession in the middle and stay organized in the back, or else we'll be easy pickens. We also need to keep possession as much as possible in Pachuca's half to put more green between them and our goal, giving us time and space to react to their attacks.
Here's my prediction: the home crowd carries the Dynamo to a 1-0 lead. Pachuca opens up the field in an attempt to equalize, and we score a second goal in the second half. Pachuca halves the deficit before the finale, but the Dynamo end up on top, 2-1. I'd be okay with that.
If I read the SuperLiga rules correctly, a Dynamo win means we host the final regardless of who wins the LA-DC match. (Our 7 points beats their point totals.) A home game with hardware on the line is a good thing. I'd sure like to get this trophy, and we're only 2 games away, which makes it much more likely than the Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup at this point.
Now, where'd I put my walker...
Go 'Mo!
One good thing about the late start time for tonight's Dynamo game versus Pachuca is that we'll be home from freshman orientation in time to catch the game in its entirety. (Assuming I can move my walker fast enough.) Tonight's game should be a good one. The recent play of the Dynamo in league action causes some worry about their ability to control the game tonight. Pachuca is still trying to gain its season form, but its two wins in recent league play show the team to be dangerous already.
Last time we played Pachuca in Houston, we were in pre-season form and Pachuca looked sharp. Nonetheless, we took the game 2-0. This time, Pachuca knows they won't have a second leg to make up for a bad result, so they'll be more focused on the field.
We're also going to be hindered by Stuart Holden's absence due to injury. He has become an important part of the team's attack (a la Hunter Pence), but his appearance was due to another injury: Brad Davis' unfortunate injury. Perhaps Holden's absence will lead to another revelation from the team's depths. I don't think we're going to see Ashe (at least, not early), so it'll probably be Jaqua filling in for Holden. I don't mind Jaqua much as a forward, but I'm still not sold on him as a middie, even though that's where he cut his teeth with the Chicago Fire.
Perhaps the most cutting injury is Ricardo Clark, if he indeed does not play. Mulrooney is a good journeyman at D-Mid, but Clark is a defensive stalwart, an offensive threat, and a player with flair -- all rolled into one. Paired with D-Ro in the middle, we have a core that makes the Dynamo among the most potent in the MLS, if not the most potent. Without that core, we can still do the job, but it's more difficult and our usual flair is replaced with sheer doggedness. That's not as fun to watch, but injuries sometimes force a team to concentrate on the result, not the entertainment. I'm cool with that.
Ryan Cochrane is another player that will be out due to injury. I'm not a fan of Cochrane's, but his absence does weaken our depth in the back. Go get 'em, Ianni.
(And the recurring ankle injury to Dalglish again rears its head. It looks like we won't see him for a while. He wants to return next season, but do we need an expensive third option at forward?)
Tonight we need to control the pace and possession in the middle and stay organized in the back, or else we'll be easy pickens. We also need to keep possession as much as possible in Pachuca's half to put more green between them and our goal, giving us time and space to react to their attacks.
Here's my prediction: the home crowd carries the Dynamo to a 1-0 lead. Pachuca opens up the field in an attempt to equalize, and we score a second goal in the second half. Pachuca halves the deficit before the finale, but the Dynamo end up on top, 2-1. I'd be okay with that.
If I read the SuperLiga rules correctly, a Dynamo win means we host the final regardless of who wins the LA-DC match. (Our 7 points beats their point totals.) A home game with hardware on the line is a good thing. I'd sure like to get this trophy, and we're only 2 games away, which makes it much more likely than the Supporters' Shield or MLS Cup at this point.
Now, where'd I put my walker...
Go 'Mo!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Rocked in the Rockies
As the dark voice inside me expected, the Dynamo have lost to yet another lowly team. Colorado (with its previous 4 wins) joins Chicago, Toronto, and RSL in the Deadbeats That Shutout And Beat The Dynamo Club. The RSL match was a coincidence; now the Colorado match has set a trend.
I can't blame D-Ro for the own goal. Bad luck happens. But usually misfortune isn't a game changer, unless you're not taking care of business elsewhere on the field. As we said way too often last season, and again at the beginning of this season, the Dynamo's weakness is in the final third of the field. If you can't score goals, you'll be susceptible to bad luck; and we have been susceptible these past few weeks.
We generated a lot of chances, which is a good sign. We need to do better with the finishing if we expect to return to form. Good goalkeeping can keep a team in the game, but eventually the odds will work against the miracle worker in the net if you put enough quality shots at him. That's what we need to do. Mambo Seafood donates to charity $100 for each goal scored by the Dynamo. (Mambo has been saving its money big-time these past few games.) Maybe Mambo should collect $100 from each player that sends a shot from within the 18-yard box more than, say, 1 yard above the crossbar. That might eliminate those irritating parabolic, low-orbit shots.
I know, I know: penalizing bad shots will only lead to fewer shots. And that's bad.
So, we're 0-2-1 since the All-Star break. That doesn't speak well for the team in this second half of the season.
And there is a statistic I need to investigate. Have we ever won a game -- or even scored? -- when we had a man advantage and weren't already winning? Just off the top of my head, I know that we lost to KC last season when KC was down a man, we lost to RBNY this season when the Bulls were down a man, and we lost to Colorado tonight. We couldn't score against a 10-man Toronto just before the All-Star game in a match that ended it in a scoreless draw. Can we not score a goal against a short-handed side? And if not, why? What does that say about our weaknesses?
(Versus Chivas on June 21, we faced a 10 man team when we were up 2-0 already, and were able to score 2 more goals after the ejection. So we know that we CAN score versus a 10-man team if we're up by 2 goals already. We've proven that we CAN'T score against a 10-man team if we're tied or behind.)
Thanks to an uncharacteristic comeback by FCD in its match versus the Crew tonight, we're no longer leading the Western Conference. If New England takes care of business tomorrow versus LA, then we'll be in third place in the run for the Supporters' Shield. Our own destiny is no longer in our hands, but we should still be able to take the Supporters' Shield if we return to the form we had in June. With the remaining 9 games we have 27 points available, which would give us an impressive 61 points. (DCU won it last year with 55 points.) Next week we face FCD in Robertson, and that has proven to be a gateway to great runs for us in the past. This hope that trend continues, even while we look for ways to end the trend of losing to the mediocre.
But before we turn the MLS ship around, let's whoop up on Pachuca at Robertson and get the lads one step closer to that $1,000,000. Then we'll get back to taking our rightful place amongst our domestic brethren.
I can't blame D-Ro for the own goal. Bad luck happens. But usually misfortune isn't a game changer, unless you're not taking care of business elsewhere on the field. As we said way too often last season, and again at the beginning of this season, the Dynamo's weakness is in the final third of the field. If you can't score goals, you'll be susceptible to bad luck; and we have been susceptible these past few weeks.
We generated a lot of chances, which is a good sign. We need to do better with the finishing if we expect to return to form. Good goalkeeping can keep a team in the game, but eventually the odds will work against the miracle worker in the net if you put enough quality shots at him. That's what we need to do. Mambo Seafood donates to charity $100 for each goal scored by the Dynamo. (Mambo has been saving its money big-time these past few games.) Maybe Mambo should collect $100 from each player that sends a shot from within the 18-yard box more than, say, 1 yard above the crossbar. That might eliminate those irritating parabolic, low-orbit shots.
I know, I know: penalizing bad shots will only lead to fewer shots. And that's bad.
So, we're 0-2-1 since the All-Star break. That doesn't speak well for the team in this second half of the season.
And there is a statistic I need to investigate. Have we ever won a game -- or even scored? -- when we had a man advantage and weren't already winning? Just off the top of my head, I know that we lost to KC last season when KC was down a man, we lost to RBNY this season when the Bulls were down a man, and we lost to Colorado tonight. We couldn't score against a 10-man Toronto just before the All-Star game in a match that ended it in a scoreless draw. Can we not score a goal against a short-handed side? And if not, why? What does that say about our weaknesses?
(Versus Chivas on June 21, we faced a 10 man team when we were up 2-0 already, and were able to score 2 more goals after the ejection. So we know that we CAN score versus a 10-man team if we're up by 2 goals already. We've proven that we CAN'T score against a 10-man team if we're tied or behind.)
Thanks to an uncharacteristic comeback by FCD in its match versus the Crew tonight, we're no longer leading the Western Conference. If New England takes care of business tomorrow versus LA, then we'll be in third place in the run for the Supporters' Shield. Our own destiny is no longer in our hands, but we should still be able to take the Supporters' Shield if we return to the form we had in June. With the remaining 9 games we have 27 points available, which would give us an impressive 61 points. (DCU won it last year with 55 points.) Next week we face FCD in Robertson, and that has proven to be a gateway to great runs for us in the past. This hope that trend continues, even while we look for ways to end the trend of losing to the mediocre.
But before we turn the MLS ship around, let's whoop up on Pachuca at Robertson and get the lads one step closer to that $1,000,000. Then we'll get back to taking our rightful place amongst our domestic brethren.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Coaching a Great Club
I've been thinking back to our loss to the last place team last Saturday. There's an old sports adage that says that players are responsible for victories while coaches are responsible for losses. Thus, as with any loss, some lay the blame of the RSL loss at the feet of Dom. To his credit, Dom, himself, took complete responsibility for the loss in his post-match interview.
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
For my part, I'm pretty pleased with the coaching philosophy displayed by Dom on Saturday. Tired though the team was, and playing away at semi-altitude, he still adopted an offensive game. Even in the second half, when a draw looked likely, he made attack-oriented substitutions with Jaqua and Ashe. This attitude is a credit to Dom and to the team. It shows that we are not like the Revolution and other MLS teams that sit back hoping for a counter and pleased with a tie. Too many MLS teams rely on that negative strategy, which may generate results, but it repulses fans; It's not the beautiful game, it's parasitic poaching.
(Read some excellent thoughts along the same vein by an RSL supporter here. "Playing for the win was the act of a true Champion. While it failed to pay off last night...in the long run this attitude is what separates the great clubs from all the rest.")
Yes, the lads were tired (and rightfully so) on Saturday. They've had a front-loaded campaign that began earlier (and with more intensity) than their MLS counterparts due to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and recent SuperLiga matches have drained the legs further. Everyone (media, coach, and players) have observed the fatigue factor, while also stating that they don't want to use it as an excuse. (But still they mention it.) For this reason, I think that if Dom made a mistake, it wasn't that he kept his usual attacking strategy; that is the mark of a coach for a "great club." If he made a mistake, it was that he didn't go outside his "First XI" on Saturday.
One of the questions about the Dynamo -- the team's depth -- has become one the strengths of the Dynamo, as witnessed by the great run that started with the absence of DeRo, Ching, Clark, and Onstad. Given this fact, Dom could have rested a lot of his starters and relied on the support crew on Saturday. This would give his First 11 the rest that they need, and would provide valuable experience to the backups. If necessary, some of the first teamers could have come in as subs when they'd be able to face tired opponents.
By playing his starting 11, Dom showed his intent to treat every MLS game as meaningful, but he may have missed an opportunity to give his reserves some valuable experience, and may have jeopardized our readiness for Pachuca next week as Dynamo-H continues its quest for a million bucks.
All this is easy to say after the fact, of course. Had Dom played a B-team on Saturday, and had we lost, there'd be questions about his choice to jeopardize our MLS standings. There's also the question of how deep in the Reserves should Dom have gone to give his Starting 11 a rest. The whole team was tired. It's not unusual to see our forwards or middies exhausted by the end of a match, but when our indefatigable defenders are flagging, you know the fatigue is chronic. Do we have enough Reserves to fill all three levels on the field? And how deep should Dom have gone? Should he have given our greenest guys (e.g. Chabala, Hayden, and Ustruck) a shot? We have some good choices for the front line (Dalglish and Wondo) who weren't used, but injuries and DeRo's absence have diminished our options at Midfield. In the back line, the argument could have been made that Ianni should have played more to spell one of the other defenders, but Ianni is actually just as likely to start one of the next few matches as, say, Cochrane, so resting Ianni wouldn't hurt us.
And there's also the fact that we had a Reserve game the next day versus RSL, so anyone who was rested on Saturday would probably have had to play on Sunday anyway. Given this, Dom elected to play his A-team in the match that mattered. At least he rested DeRo for the whole weekend (RSL played Andy Williams for the entirety of the Reserve match).
I guess the only sure thing to say is that Dom showed that he operates with the coaching philosophy of a top-tier manager. While it sure would have been nice if we could have magically rested our players, it seems only the forwards had obvious substitutes waiting in the wings.
And coming up: a match at altitude versus Colorado. This match will have a bigger impact on our readiness for Pachuca. With the SuperLiga semifinals a few days away, how will Dom approach Colorado? Will our desire to avenge the CONCACAF series with Pachuca make Colorado yet another weak team (alongside Chicago, Toronto, and RSL) to get a result against the Orange? These are great questions that we can only see, unfortunately, on HDNet this weekend. I guess I've got to find a sportsbar with HDNet...
Go 'Mo!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Licked by Salt Lake
Despite extreme jet-lag, I managed to stay awake for the entire Dynamo game. Question is: should I have?
I have to say I was extremely worried before the match. Then, during the pre-game, I cringed every time Charlie Pallilo would say "RSL is just plain bad" or "Coach, I suppose you don't expect to be tested much by this" or the dozens of times he mentioned that it was the "Best playing the worst." To me, comments like that just beg the Lords of Karma to amass their armies.
Not long after we heard for the sixth or so time that the Dynamo haven't allowed a goal in the final 15 minutes, while RSL had allowed about 2 dozen over the same period, Barrett mis-touched a ball around E-Ro. Birthday Boy Robbie Findley pounced on the ball and drove into the box. With Cochrane indecisive until too late, Findley was able to slot the ball under Onstad for the game winner. That left us with only 6 minutes of regulation to find the equalizer, and we didn't have the legs, touch, or inspiration to do that.
The goal was flukey, and I thought a bit soft. (Onstad can get those usually.) But it was, unfortunately, a pretty good reflection of how the game went. RSL, which has the worst offense in the league, moved the ball around confidently and maintained possession throughout the game easily. In the back, our defenders seem to have trouble with the "third man running" routine, and RSL seemed to be able to free up a man in our defensive third at will.
Going against one of the worst defenses in the league, Dynamo were able to generate a few threats, but couldn't get into the net. Our flanks were shut down pretty effectively, and our crossing was completely random. When we got into the box, we seemed stumped. Ching and Mulrooney each had opportunities that were completely fluffed (their shots looked more like passes to the keeper). Although I call RSL's goal soft, they could have put the game away much earlier had they not had atrocious finishing themselves. It was truly a sad game to watch from both sides.
But I give the boys credit: they worked hard, just not well. Dom kept trying to generate offense by putting in attacking options for his subs. With our defense gassed, Dom probably should've put Ianni in earlier, perhaps for Cochrane.
So we allowed RSL to double their wins, and we allowed the rest of the Western Conference to stay within reach of us.
I hope to chalk up this loss to being a mere hiccup in the season (and perhaps revenge by the Lords of Karma for our hubris). We need to turn things around with a victory at altitude over Colorado next weekend. This is our chance to show that we aren't suffering another post-international malaise. We've had troubles when facing inferior teams (Toronto, Chicago, and now Salt Lake), but we've got to reverse that trend and snare the full 3 points. Anything less and we keep the rest of the Western Conference too close -- and we might even be overtaken by FCD.
I have to say I was extremely worried before the match. Then, during the pre-game, I cringed every time Charlie Pallilo would say "RSL is just plain bad" or "Coach, I suppose you don't expect to be tested much by this" or the dozens of times he mentioned that it was the "Best playing the worst." To me, comments like that just beg the Lords of Karma to amass their armies.
Not long after we heard for the sixth or so time that the Dynamo haven't allowed a goal in the final 15 minutes, while RSL had allowed about 2 dozen over the same period, Barrett mis-touched a ball around E-Ro. Birthday Boy Robbie Findley pounced on the ball and drove into the box. With Cochrane indecisive until too late, Findley was able to slot the ball under Onstad for the game winner. That left us with only 6 minutes of regulation to find the equalizer, and we didn't have the legs, touch, or inspiration to do that.
The goal was flukey, and I thought a bit soft. (Onstad can get those usually.) But it was, unfortunately, a pretty good reflection of how the game went. RSL, which has the worst offense in the league, moved the ball around confidently and maintained possession throughout the game easily. In the back, our defenders seem to have trouble with the "third man running" routine, and RSL seemed to be able to free up a man in our defensive third at will.
Going against one of the worst defenses in the league, Dynamo were able to generate a few threats, but couldn't get into the net. Our flanks were shut down pretty effectively, and our crossing was completely random. When we got into the box, we seemed stumped. Ching and Mulrooney each had opportunities that were completely fluffed (their shots looked more like passes to the keeper). Although I call RSL's goal soft, they could have put the game away much earlier had they not had atrocious finishing themselves. It was truly a sad game to watch from both sides.
But I give the boys credit: they worked hard, just not well. Dom kept trying to generate offense by putting in attacking options for his subs. With our defense gassed, Dom probably should've put Ianni in earlier, perhaps for Cochrane.
So we allowed RSL to double their wins, and we allowed the rest of the Western Conference to stay within reach of us.
I hope to chalk up this loss to being a mere hiccup in the season (and perhaps revenge by the Lords of Karma for our hubris). We need to turn things around with a victory at altitude over Colorado next weekend. This is our chance to show that we aren't suffering another post-international malaise. We've had troubles when facing inferior teams (Toronto, Chicago, and now Salt Lake), but we've got to reverse that trend and snare the full 3 points. Anything less and we keep the rest of the Western Conference too close -- and we might even be overtaken by FCD.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Catching up on the hometeam
After a whirlwind trip through So-Cal (Houston-Ontario-Temecula-Escondido-San Clemente-Mission Viejo-Santa Ana-Houston), it seems H-Mo has been busy with SuperLiga. On my travels, I was equipped with only a Blackberry and hotel televisions, so I wasn't able to view the games, only the results.
It seems the pattern was thus:
H-Mo vs Club América: Dynamo were very attack-minded, and only the Net Virus that occasionally strikes our favorite team kept the score from being much more one-sided than the 1-0 score, with Jaqua netting the lone goal.
H-Mo vs Morelia: Dynamo (Ngwenya) scores in the first 10 seconds and the team plays a solid first half, then takes the second half off until miscommunication in the back gives Morelia the equalizer, igniting the tired Dynamo again...but the winning goal was not to be found. Stuart Holden plays like a man possessed.
H-Mo vs DC United: In a sluggish performance, Dynamo squeak past their MLS foes to advance to the Semi-Finals. Ching scores the Dynamo's requisite 1 goal for the game.
As I said, I haven't seen any of the games (though I have the first two recorded), so I can't comment on the veracity of the above summaries. I guess I'll have to lurk about bigsoccer.com to see what the general attitude is amongst the fans.
So, undefeated with a 2-0-1 record, Dynamo faces Pachuca in the Semis with an opportunity to avenge their CONCACAF Champions Cup loss. Playing at Robertson and in mid-season form, this is an excellent opportunity for the Orange to advance to the finals and the million dollar prize...assuming that fatigue doesn't get the best of them.
But first things first. Tonight we're in Salt Lake facing ReAL Salt Lake. RSL is at the bottom, and we're at the top, which leads us to the logical conclusion of an inevitable Dynamo victory. But, as we all know, soccer isn't always logical. RSL is hungry and we're tired, so bad things could happen.
At least I get to settle down in my recliner, turn on The Tube, and watch my Orange battle it out after my week-long abstinence from fandom. I'll certainly fight to keep my eyes open (I flew in on the red-eye this morning from California), and hope to be rewarded with another Dynamo victory, which would bring our wins for the season equal to the total for last season: 11.
Go Orange! Keep me awake!
It seems the pattern was thus:
H-Mo vs Club América: Dynamo were very attack-minded, and only the Net Virus that occasionally strikes our favorite team kept the score from being much more one-sided than the 1-0 score, with Jaqua netting the lone goal.
H-Mo vs Morelia: Dynamo (Ngwenya) scores in the first 10 seconds and the team plays a solid first half, then takes the second half off until miscommunication in the back gives Morelia the equalizer, igniting the tired Dynamo again...but the winning goal was not to be found. Stuart Holden plays like a man possessed.
H-Mo vs DC United: In a sluggish performance, Dynamo squeak past their MLS foes to advance to the Semi-Finals. Ching scores the Dynamo's requisite 1 goal for the game.
As I said, I haven't seen any of the games (though I have the first two recorded), so I can't comment on the veracity of the above summaries. I guess I'll have to lurk about bigsoccer.com to see what the general attitude is amongst the fans.
So, undefeated with a 2-0-1 record, Dynamo faces Pachuca in the Semis with an opportunity to avenge their CONCACAF Champions Cup loss. Playing at Robertson and in mid-season form, this is an excellent opportunity for the Orange to advance to the finals and the million dollar prize...assuming that fatigue doesn't get the best of them.
But first things first. Tonight we're in Salt Lake facing ReAL Salt Lake. RSL is at the bottom, and we're at the top, which leads us to the logical conclusion of an inevitable Dynamo victory. But, as we all know, soccer isn't always logical. RSL is hungry and we're tired, so bad things could happen.
At least I get to settle down in my recliner, turn on The Tube, and watch my Orange battle it out after my week-long abstinence from fandom. I'll certainly fight to keep my eyes open (I flew in on the red-eye this morning from California), and hope to be rewarded with another Dynamo victory, which would bring our wins for the season equal to the total for last season: 11.
Go Orange! Keep me awake!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
The Shutout Record Concludes
Our shutout record ends at 726 minutes and 7 games, but our unbeaten streak continues at 11 games. I'm glad we set the record, but hopefully now we can focus on the more important record: our winning record.
The winning column won't be augmented after today's match, despite our 3 goals. It seems 3 goals isn't enough versus Revs+Kevin Stott. Kevin Stott is a new prospect the Revs were trying out. He wore red in this match while the Revs wore their traditional blue.
There is something about Steve Nicol's soccer philosophy that I find to be absolutely pedantic and even negative. With such a bevy of talent at his disposal and though playing at home, this product of Scotland still has his team hold back and play the counter. With a 3-5-2 I would expect better domination of the midfield and a more attacking poise. Instead, I thought NE looked to be the inferior team, just as when they beat us here in Houston at the beginning of the season.
(As an aside, isn't Mo Johnston also Scottish? Why are these two unimaginative MLS coaches diametrically opposed to the philosophy held by other Scotsmen on the field and on the sidelines? Dominic Kinnear is a great MLS coach with a positive style of play, and Sir Alex Ferguson is great by most any standard.)
That's not to say that the Revs didn't look dangerous. In the first half, the Dynamo (despite being on the road) took an aggressive stance in the hope of attaining victory. We controlled possession and we pushed forward, and had several forays into the penalty box, albeit with few actual shots on goal. This aggressive stance left us vulnerable at times and, but for bad finishing by the Revs and solid goalkeeping by Onstad, we could have easily been down a goal due to New England's effective Route 1 tactics.
An excellent finish by Noonan (after poor defending and wasteful begging for a foul by Robinson) ended our shutout streak. New England gained some confidence from this and attempted to pass a little at times, but still relied on the counter, and there were often more than the "3" of the 3-5-2 clogging up their box. Hey, if you're going to play a 4-4-2 or 5-4-1, call it what it is at least.
D-Ro helped turn things around with his GOTW candidate from out of the blue in the second half. He found his space between the midfield and the back line, and a little space is all he needs to make game-changing plays. But moments later Cochrane drifts away from Twellman in our box, and Twellman (the pouty Dan Marino of the MLS) can usually tuck away freebies when he's not in a USMNT uniform.
Ngwenya looked the most dangerous Dynamo most of the match. He had the ball in the box on numerous occasions. I bet he had few actual shots on goal, but he got off several passes through the legs of defenders in the box, but the passes unfortunately missed their targets. He found Ching around the 60th minute to tie us up again. And Ching gets his 2nd and our 3rd just a minute later.
Enter Kevin Stott. I've got to say that the handball call against D-Ro was dodgy at best. The ball hit D-Ro in the chest, and it's questionable whether it actually hit his arm, but if it DID hit his arm, it was incidental and did not merit a PK. Great save by Onstad on the kick, and yes there was definite encroachment by our players. Technically, that is against the LOTG, so it's hard to argue the decision to take the kick again (bogus as the PK award was in the first place), but the fact is that there was no rebound for our encroaching players to intercept, so we gained no advantage from the encroachment, thus a re-kick is just a typical "letter of the law versus spirit of the law" situation. Unfortunately, Kevin Stott's spirit and decision-making was all sided against the Dynamo.
This is the first time we've given up more than 2 goals this season (not counting the 5 versus Pachuca in the second half of the aggregate CONCACAF Champions' Cup series with them). Last season, we only allowed two teams to score 3 on us: FC Dallas (we won 4-3 on May 6) and Colorado (a 3-3 draw on October 14). That's a testament to our defense. Obviously, we've never lost when we've scored 3 or more goals, but oddly, we've also never lost a MLS match when our opponent has scored more than 2 goals. Let's not test that record.
As for this past game: We have to be content with the fact that we got a point on the road and that we played the more exciting and imaginative soccer, and we did so we our wings clipped (Jaqua started on one wing, and Holden had his second sub-par game in a row, though it wasn't necessarily a poor performance). In fact, we tend to display more exciting and positive play than more than most of our MLS opponents ... even when we're on the road.
Now we take a nearly 2-week break from MLS play as we gear up for the inaugural SuperLiga. It would do credit to the club to do well versus our Mexican opponents (and DC as well), but we must guard against allowing our efforts versus international opponents to affect our domestic play, like we saw after the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
The winning column won't be augmented after today's match, despite our 3 goals. It seems 3 goals isn't enough versus Revs+Kevin Stott. Kevin Stott is a new prospect the Revs were trying out. He wore red in this match while the Revs wore their traditional blue.
There is something about Steve Nicol's soccer philosophy that I find to be absolutely pedantic and even negative. With such a bevy of talent at his disposal and though playing at home, this product of Scotland still has his team hold back and play the counter. With a 3-5-2 I would expect better domination of the midfield and a more attacking poise. Instead, I thought NE looked to be the inferior team, just as when they beat us here in Houston at the beginning of the season.
(As an aside, isn't Mo Johnston also Scottish? Why are these two unimaginative MLS coaches diametrically opposed to the philosophy held by other Scotsmen on the field and on the sidelines? Dominic Kinnear is a great MLS coach with a positive style of play, and Sir Alex Ferguson is great by most any standard.)
That's not to say that the Revs didn't look dangerous. In the first half, the Dynamo (despite being on the road) took an aggressive stance in the hope of attaining victory. We controlled possession and we pushed forward, and had several forays into the penalty box, albeit with few actual shots on goal. This aggressive stance left us vulnerable at times and, but for bad finishing by the Revs and solid goalkeeping by Onstad, we could have easily been down a goal due to New England's effective Route 1 tactics.
An excellent finish by Noonan (after poor defending and wasteful begging for a foul by Robinson) ended our shutout streak. New England gained some confidence from this and attempted to pass a little at times, but still relied on the counter, and there were often more than the "3" of the 3-5-2 clogging up their box. Hey, if you're going to play a 4-4-2 or 5-4-1, call it what it is at least.
D-Ro helped turn things around with his GOTW candidate from out of the blue in the second half. He found his space between the midfield and the back line, and a little space is all he needs to make game-changing plays. But moments later Cochrane drifts away from Twellman in our box, and Twellman (the pouty Dan Marino of the MLS) can usually tuck away freebies when he's not in a USMNT uniform.
Ngwenya looked the most dangerous Dynamo most of the match. He had the ball in the box on numerous occasions. I bet he had few actual shots on goal, but he got off several passes through the legs of defenders in the box, but the passes unfortunately missed their targets. He found Ching around the 60th minute to tie us up again. And Ching gets his 2nd and our 3rd just a minute later.
Enter Kevin Stott. I've got to say that the handball call against D-Ro was dodgy at best. The ball hit D-Ro in the chest, and it's questionable whether it actually hit his arm, but if it DID hit his arm, it was incidental and did not merit a PK. Great save by Onstad on the kick, and yes there was definite encroachment by our players. Technically, that is against the LOTG, so it's hard to argue the decision to take the kick again (bogus as the PK award was in the first place), but the fact is that there was no rebound for our encroaching players to intercept, so we gained no advantage from the encroachment, thus a re-kick is just a typical "letter of the law versus spirit of the law" situation. Unfortunately, Kevin Stott's spirit and decision-making was all sided against the Dynamo.
This is the first time we've given up more than 2 goals this season (not counting the 5 versus Pachuca in the second half of the aggregate CONCACAF Champions' Cup series with them). Last season, we only allowed two teams to score 3 on us: FC Dallas (we won 4-3 on May 6) and Colorado (a 3-3 draw on October 14). That's a testament to our defense. Obviously, we've never lost when we've scored 3 or more goals, but oddly, we've also never lost a MLS match when our opponent has scored more than 2 goals. Let's not test that record.
As for this past game: We have to be content with the fact that we got a point on the road and that we played the more exciting and imaginative soccer, and we did so we our wings clipped (Jaqua started on one wing, and Holden had his second sub-par game in a row, though it wasn't necessarily a poor performance). In fact, we tend to display more exciting and positive play than more than most of our MLS opponents ... even when we're on the road.
Now we take a nearly 2-week break from MLS play as we gear up for the inaugural SuperLiga. It would do credit to the club to do well versus our Mexican opponents (and DC as well), but we must guard against allowing our efforts versus international opponents to affect our domestic play, like we saw after the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Mid-Term Eval
At the All-Star Break is a convenient time to look back on our progress thus far. We're over halfway through the season (18 games down, 12 more to go), but most other teams are closer to the halfway mark (15). LA, on the other hand, has only played 12 games and has 18 to go. If they turn their ship around, they have enough games to catch up with anybody and everybody. In other words, we've got to keep on doing what we've been doing in the last month and a half.
If the MLS Cup tourney started today, here's how the teams would break out (showing points and number of games played):
Two West Leaders
33 Houston (GP: 18)
30 Dallas (GP: 18)
Two East Leaders
26 New England (GP: 15)
25 Kansas City (GP: 16)
Next Four Qualifiers
24 DC (GP: 15)
24 New York (GP: 16)
24 Chivas (GP: 15)
22 Columbus (GP: 17)
Five Out Of Playoffs
19 Toronto (GP: 16)
17 Colorado (GP: 17)
16 Chicago (GP: 16)
13 Los Angeles (GP: 12)
9 Salt Lake (GP: 15)
If the MLS Cup tourney started today, here's how the teams would break out (showing points and number of games played):
Two West Leaders
33 Houston (GP: 18)
30 Dallas (GP: 18)
Two East Leaders
26 New England (GP: 15)
25 Kansas City (GP: 16)
Next Four Qualifiers
24 DC (GP: 15)
24 New York (GP: 16)
24 Chivas (GP: 15)
22 Columbus (GP: 17)
Five Out Of Playoffs
19 Toronto (GP: 16)
17 Colorado (GP: 17)
16 Chicago (GP: 16)
13 Los Angeles (GP: 12)
9 Salt Lake (GP: 15)
Things look good at this point, but there's plenty of time for things to go sour should we not continue getting results. I'd say that we can still get to the playoffs if we play mediocre (as long as we don't play badly), but I think we should be shooting for the double: the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup. It's an achievable goal.
How do our numbers look compared to last year? Looking at totals won't tell us much, since we've only played 18 games to last year's 32; but we can compare the game-to-game statistical performance by looking at the averages and percentages. Here's a simple table that I crudely uploaded, thus making it virtually unreadable:
In short, we're doing better all around. More than half our games are wins (as opposed to a third last year, and less that 10% on the road). We're getting 1.8 points per game (2 per game at home) and scoring 1.4 goals a game, while conceding about 1 goal every 2 games (0.56 goals per game). Last year we were scoring slightly less per game (1.38 goals per game), allowing much more per game (1.25) and earning fewer points on average. All in all, we've improved. Credit goes to Dom and the lads on the field. Let's take this All-Star breather, then continue with our foot firmly on the Dynamo accelerator.
How do our numbers look compared to last year? Looking at totals won't tell us much, since we've only played 18 games to last year's 32; but we can compare the game-to-game statistical performance by looking at the averages and percentages. Here's a simple table that I crudely uploaded, thus making it virtually unreadable:
In short, we're doing better all around. More than half our games are wins (as opposed to a third last year, and less that 10% on the road). We're getting 1.8 points per game (2 per game at home) and scoring 1.4 goals a game, while conceding about 1 goal every 2 games (0.56 goals per game). Last year we were scoring slightly less per game (1.38 goals per game), allowing much more per game (1.25) and earning fewer points on average. All in all, we've improved. Credit goes to Dom and the lads on the field. Let's take this All-Star breather, then continue with our foot firmly on the Dynamo accelerator.
Onstad article
Great article in the Chronicle about our favorite goalkeeper (and perhaps the most underated one): Pat Onstad.
Pat is the only member of the MLS older than me. While that right there is enough for me to like the guy, he's also one of the classiest personalities you'll ever find in sports. He deserved to be on the All-Star team this year based on his numbers alone, but hopefully he'll have a few more years to prove his All-Star status.
Pat is the only member of the MLS older than me. While that right there is enough for me to like the guy, he's also one of the classiest personalities you'll ever find in sports. He deserved to be on the All-Star team this year based on his numbers alone, but hopefully he'll have a few more years to prove his All-Star status.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Blame the Metric System!
There's something about the Canadians and their darn metric system that confounds us. We lost to them up there (but is that the same as a tie using standard measurements?) and now we settle for a tie (is that the same as a win with the conversion?) down here. One point out of a possible 6 versus the expansion team; I blame the metric system.
(Note: the Canadian side had only 2 Canadian starters: the GK and Brennan. The two subs -- Pozniak and Lombardo -- were also Canadian.)
Tonight was a frustrating rehash of the beginning of the season. Despite dominating the field, we couldn't get the ball in the net. Ching had a 1v1 with the GK in the first half. Post. Ngwenya had shot after shot, and offside after offside. Holden: Blocked or post. Clark: High, wide, or to the keeper. D-Ro: wide. Jaqua: header high. All in all, we had 16 shots, and probably twice that many scoring opportunities. Toronto had 4 shots, 2 on goal, and that was about it for their opportunities.
With Edu sent off for his Flying Death maneuver on Mullan towards the end of the first half, and shots raining down on the Toronto goalkeeper, Srdjan "I'd Like to Buy A Vowel" Djekanovic, it seemed only a matter of time before we got one into the net. We even ended the game with 3 forwards: Ching, Jaqua, and Wondolowski. Dom also shifted the Middies around at the end, with Holden on the right, Mulrooney in the middle, and D-Ro on the left. I think that helped a lot (Holden was having trouble with O'Brien), but it didn't tickle the twine.
No goals; no Haiku.
But wait! There's still reason to celebrate. From the Dept. of the Glass is Half Full: We set an MLS record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. We're now at 695 minutes (the 2000 KC Wizards had the record at 681) and counting. I believe Dynamo's unbeaten streak of 10 games is a club record, and our shutout streak is at seven games. Plus, our 33 points put us at the top of the Conference and in the lead for the Supporters' Shield. Also, our 10 wins are just 1 shy of our season total in 2006. (Yeah, our 2006 losses were only 3 more than our total today, but I'm trying to keep it positive here.)
Other cool things: birthday wishes were posted on the Megatron for my oldest son. Happy 14th Birthday, bud!
How cool would it have been if Jaqua had squeezed his first touch into goal? Immediately after coming on, he had the golden chance following a corner kick. Dom has looked like a genius at times when his subs' first touch resulted in a goal or an assist. It's happened with Holden, Wondo, and Jaqua.
And how cool was it when the crowd cheered at the 77th minute -- during a routine goal kick -- when everyone realized the scoreless streak had attained record levels? That's a pretty savvy crowd.
But the crowd was sure light tonight. Just over 11,000 -- not a great showing. Our section (221) was very crowded, so I thought the attendance number would be higher. I guess they cram people into the eastern bleachers when possible to make the camera shots look more dynamic. Weather was probably a factor in the low turnout. Good thing the crowd was loud and ebullient.
Speaking of effusiveness; what was with Abbey-O demanding the streamers be taken off the field? We've had goalies complain about that before, and the refs just shushed them. Heck, Abbey-O has reffed here before and never had an issue with the party favors. This is the first time a game has been stopped for lawn maintenance at the Rob. (Except for when the sprinklers went off during the Dynamo vs Dynamo Open Cup match last summer...) I thought it was ridiculous that he stopped the game; but once he did, I thought the crowd should stop throwing things so we could continue the game. (Still every delay made the 77th minute get here faster.) I think we need a ruling from the MLS on this. Streamers are completely innocent; if cups and trash were being thrown, that would be a different issue entirely.
Despite the positives from tonight, losing to an expansion club that is one man down makes the evening a little sour. We seem to have trouble putting away games when a man up (see RBNY in our first road trip this season).
I think during the All-Star break we should do some finishing drills. Okay, it's not much of a break, but at least we don't have 4 games in 1 week.
At the All-Star exhibition. John Spencer will be the Asst. Coach (to Nichol, coach of our opponent next Sunday), and Ching, D-Ro, and Clark will represent.
Then it's off to New England, where the pesky Revolution will try to end our defensive streak. Here's hoping they don't, and that we find that net again. (Do we need to have a Thursday game to score?) Also, now that we're through facing the Canadian opponent, I hope that D-Ro will not try so hard and will return to his natural, game-controlling self.
Congratulations on the Dynamo U-17 team for going undefeated (so far) in the SUM U-17 Cup. Yeah, they're winless as well, but they're also undefeated!
(Note: the Canadian side had only 2 Canadian starters: the GK and Brennan. The two subs -- Pozniak and Lombardo -- were also Canadian.)
Tonight was a frustrating rehash of the beginning of the season. Despite dominating the field, we couldn't get the ball in the net. Ching had a 1v1 with the GK in the first half. Post. Ngwenya had shot after shot, and offside after offside. Holden: Blocked or post. Clark: High, wide, or to the keeper. D-Ro: wide. Jaqua: header high. All in all, we had 16 shots, and probably twice that many scoring opportunities. Toronto had 4 shots, 2 on goal, and that was about it for their opportunities.
With Edu sent off for his Flying Death maneuver on Mullan towards the end of the first half, and shots raining down on the Toronto goalkeeper, Srdjan "I'd Like to Buy A Vowel" Djekanovic, it seemed only a matter of time before we got one into the net. We even ended the game with 3 forwards: Ching, Jaqua, and Wondolowski. Dom also shifted the Middies around at the end, with Holden on the right, Mulrooney in the middle, and D-Ro on the left. I think that helped a lot (Holden was having trouble with O'Brien), but it didn't tickle the twine.
No goals; no Haiku.
But wait! There's still reason to celebrate. From the Dept. of the Glass is Half Full: We set an MLS record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. We're now at 695 minutes (the 2000 KC Wizards had the record at 681) and counting. I believe Dynamo's unbeaten streak of 10 games is a club record, and our shutout streak is at seven games. Plus, our 33 points put us at the top of the Conference and in the lead for the Supporters' Shield. Also, our 10 wins are just 1 shy of our season total in 2006. (Yeah, our 2006 losses were only 3 more than our total today, but I'm trying to keep it positive here.)
Other cool things: birthday wishes were posted on the Megatron for my oldest son. Happy 14th Birthday, bud!
How cool would it have been if Jaqua had squeezed his first touch into goal? Immediately after coming on, he had the golden chance following a corner kick. Dom has looked like a genius at times when his subs' first touch resulted in a goal or an assist. It's happened with Holden, Wondo, and Jaqua.
And how cool was it when the crowd cheered at the 77th minute -- during a routine goal kick -- when everyone realized the scoreless streak had attained record levels? That's a pretty savvy crowd.
But the crowd was sure light tonight. Just over 11,000 -- not a great showing. Our section (221) was very crowded, so I thought the attendance number would be higher. I guess they cram people into the eastern bleachers when possible to make the camera shots look more dynamic. Weather was probably a factor in the low turnout. Good thing the crowd was loud and ebullient.
Speaking of effusiveness; what was with Abbey-O demanding the streamers be taken off the field? We've had goalies complain about that before, and the refs just shushed them. Heck, Abbey-O has reffed here before and never had an issue with the party favors. This is the first time a game has been stopped for lawn maintenance at the Rob. (Except for when the sprinklers went off during the Dynamo vs Dynamo Open Cup match last summer...) I thought it was ridiculous that he stopped the game; but once he did, I thought the crowd should stop throwing things so we could continue the game. (Still every delay made the 77th minute get here faster.) I think we need a ruling from the MLS on this. Streamers are completely innocent; if cups and trash were being thrown, that would be a different issue entirely.
Despite the positives from tonight, losing to an expansion club that is one man down makes the evening a little sour. We seem to have trouble putting away games when a man up (see RBNY in our first road trip this season).
I think during the All-Star break we should do some finishing drills. Okay, it's not much of a break, but at least we don't have 4 games in 1 week.
At the All-Star exhibition. John Spencer will be the Asst. Coach (to Nichol, coach of our opponent next Sunday), and Ching, D-Ro, and Clark will represent.
Then it's off to New England, where the pesky Revolution will try to end our defensive streak. Here's hoping they don't, and that we find that net again. (Do we need to have a Thursday game to score?) Also, now that we're through facing the Canadian opponent, I hope that D-Ro will not try so hard and will return to his natural, game-controlling self.
Congratulations on the Dynamo U-17 team for going undefeated (so far) in the SUM U-17 Cup. Yeah, they're winless as well, but they're also undefeated!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Dear Carl
I submitted this email to Carl of 790 AM's Davies & Duke morning show. I only heard a bit of the show this morning as I drove in (traffic was lighter than usual today, so I didn't have as much radio time), but Carl was talking about -- what else? -- Beckham. Soccer is rarely discussed on this show (but they do have Waibel on occasionally), but I thought I'd weigh in when he asked for calls and emails about whether Beckham would grow the game of soccer in the US.
Carl,
Beckham will indeed grow the sport of soccer in the US. He will draw interest from fringe soccer fans, including the soccer moms and the media-molded curiosity-seekers. He'll also draw interest from ex-pat Euro/Latino soccer fans who have traditionally snubbed the MLS for the leagues of their homelands. (Beckham is not Latino, but he has the interest of Latino soccer fans -- and Latina soccer fans...)
In addition to these built-in audiences and manufactured audiences, soccer is unlike other American sports in that it is tied to national team competitions. The World Cup is a catalyst for passion that is fueled by more than just enjoyment of a sport, because it draws on the nationalistic pride of a people. The improved quality of the US Men's National Team has helped spark this interest in the USA, and that can turn into a passion for the local MLS clubs.
Nationalism is a powerful aphrodisiac. Basketball realizes this and is trying to tap into it with the newly organized approach to developing a national team for international play and the Olympics. Baseball is also hoping to eventually create something like the World Cup for similar reasons.
If Beckham's team, the LA Galaxy, actually becomes a good team, it will be better for the league having such a national (and maybe international) powerhouse in such a high profile media market. That will draw interest from not only new audiences, but from other global (and local) athletes, who will be willing to come to the MLS. This will improve the quality of the league, which will further the development of our American players and expand the audience even more.
This is not to say that soccer will surpass the big 3 in American sports. I think it can and will pass up hockey overall –- soccer is already becoming big in Toronto due to the new MLS team up there and the success of the Canadian National team, and we all know the Canucks are the biggest source of hockey fanaticism on the continent.
Of course, some of us may soon be sick of seeing all Beckham all the time, forcing us to turn away from soccer out of pure nausea...but I think the circus side of things will quiet down eventually.
***
As for the nausea and the circus side of things, there are plenty of articles and (yikes) pictures of His Hairness. The pix are not for those with a modest bent. I also don't imagine they're framed in the Beckham home for little Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz to see. "Mommy, why is Daddy wrestling with you in that picture? Did the wind blow your clothes off?"
A good sports illustrated article about Becks is here.
And a Time article here.
And a photo shoot that begs the question, "Why would a guy have a tramp stamp?" Apologies to all for me having succumbed to the madness and posting links. I feel dirty, and I can't get my wife off the computer now...
Carl,
Beckham will indeed grow the sport of soccer in the US. He will draw interest from fringe soccer fans, including the soccer moms and the media-molded curiosity-seekers. He'll also draw interest from ex-pat Euro/Latino soccer fans who have traditionally snubbed the MLS for the leagues of their homelands. (Beckham is not Latino, but he has the interest of Latino soccer fans -- and Latina soccer fans...)
In addition to these built-in audiences and manufactured audiences, soccer is unlike other American sports in that it is tied to national team competitions. The World Cup is a catalyst for passion that is fueled by more than just enjoyment of a sport, because it draws on the nationalistic pride of a people. The improved quality of the US Men's National Team has helped spark this interest in the USA, and that can turn into a passion for the local MLS clubs.
Nationalism is a powerful aphrodisiac. Basketball realizes this and is trying to tap into it with the newly organized approach to developing a national team for international play and the Olympics. Baseball is also hoping to eventually create something like the World Cup for similar reasons.
If Beckham's team, the LA Galaxy, actually becomes a good team, it will be better for the league having such a national (and maybe international) powerhouse in such a high profile media market. That will draw interest from not only new audiences, but from other global (and local) athletes, who will be willing to come to the MLS. This will improve the quality of the league, which will further the development of our American players and expand the audience even more.
This is not to say that soccer will surpass the big 3 in American sports. I think it can and will pass up hockey overall –- soccer is already becoming big in Toronto due to the new MLS team up there and the success of the Canadian National team, and we all know the Canucks are the biggest source of hockey fanaticism on the continent.
Of course, some of us may soon be sick of seeing all Beckham all the time, forcing us to turn away from soccer out of pure nausea...but I think the circus side of things will quiet down eventually.
***
As for the nausea and the circus side of things, there are plenty of articles and (yikes) pictures of His Hairness. The pix are not for those with a modest bent. I also don't imagine they're framed in the Beckham home for little Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz to see. "Mommy, why is Daddy wrestling with you in that picture? Did the wind blow your clothes off?"
A good sports illustrated article about Becks is here.
And a Time article here.
And a photo shoot that begs the question, "Why would a guy have a tramp stamp?" Apologies to all for me having succumbed to the madness and posting links. I feel dirty, and I can't get my wife off the computer now...
Thursday, July 12, 2007
We are on Fire!
In our short history, we've lost to Chicago twice (at home) and tied them at Toyota Park in a game that featured D-Ro's goal from the midfield line. We've never beaten them, until tonight.
For our third Thursday night game in a row, we beat our opponent 4-0. Mullan, Mulrooney, Holden (who played like a veteran), Ngwenya (who played like a maestro at times), and Jaqua (who really wanted to impress his former fans) were in the zone tonight. I didn't see Clark do too much today (I didn't even see his first half blistering shot until the replay because ESPN thought we might want to see a Beckham commercial in the middle of the game), but (1) he was playing out of his usual position, and (2) he didn't need to do too much today. We tended to by-pass the midfield or use the flanks to great effect tonight.
Despite the clean sheet, I think our back line was a little loosey-goosey at times. (That's a technical term, by the way.) Perhaps it was over confidence. We are now firmly in second place to the 2000 KC Wizards for consecutive minutes without conceding a score. I worried that the thorn-in-our-side-that-is-Thiago would make one of his signature moves and sneak a ball in, but nope. Onstad was flawless and our overall team defensive abilities kept us out of trouble for the most part.
Ngwenya's amazing goal has moved me to Haiku:
A touch: "Bye, Curtain;"
Another: rounding Pickens
A knife to the net.
The first touch around Curtain was immaculate. The move around Pickens, well timed. The shot from the impossible angle was amazing precision. Definite GOTW candidate. That was a Ngwenya that I've never seen; I wonder if the Crew had ever seen it?
Kinnear has done an amazing job crafting a team in this, his sophomore year in Houston. The team is the best integrated group of individuals in the MLS. They have talent, but their obvious rapport with each other is what separates them. I loved the relaxed smiles Onstad had during the game, including his relieved grin after Cochrane's own-goal-that-nearly-was whizzed past the post in the first half.
Sliding, dirt flying,
His leg -- akimbo -- strikes out,
"Flee to safety, ball."
Another great game tonight -- and in front of a great crowd too. Impressive showing by the Fahr faithful: more than 20,000 on a Thursday night. Here's hoping for equally impressive attendance this Sunday at the Rob, where we hopefully can avenge our loss to Toronto and shut them out in the process.
Finally, about that Beckham commercial that took up the screen while Rico was teeing up his shot: the "S" in ESPN should stand for "Sports" not "Soap Operas." We're glued to the TV to watch a game, so show a game. Talk about Becks if you must, but don't hide the reason we tuned to your station. By the same token, my main focus is the game, not the news. If you feel your sports fans need to have an in-game update on whether A-Rod will negotiate his new contract now, later, or never, because that's news that just can't wait, then at least make the news video a smaller screen than the game -- the game that made me tune to your station in the first place. Thanks.
A small postage stamp
With Orange mites on green,
Oh, that's the 'Mo Game!
For our third Thursday night game in a row, we beat our opponent 4-0. Mullan, Mulrooney, Holden (who played like a veteran), Ngwenya (who played like a maestro at times), and Jaqua (who really wanted to impress his former fans) were in the zone tonight. I didn't see Clark do too much today (I didn't even see his first half blistering shot until the replay because ESPN thought we might want to see a Beckham commercial in the middle of the game), but (1) he was playing out of his usual position, and (2) he didn't need to do too much today. We tended to by-pass the midfield or use the flanks to great effect tonight.
Despite the clean sheet, I think our back line was a little loosey-goosey at times. (That's a technical term, by the way.) Perhaps it was over confidence. We are now firmly in second place to the 2000 KC Wizards for consecutive minutes without conceding a score. I worried that the thorn-in-our-side-that-is-Thiago would make one of his signature moves and sneak a ball in, but nope. Onstad was flawless and our overall team defensive abilities kept us out of trouble for the most part.
Ngwenya's amazing goal has moved me to Haiku:
A touch: "Bye, Curtain;"
Another: rounding Pickens
A knife to the net.
The first touch around Curtain was immaculate. The move around Pickens, well timed. The shot from the impossible angle was amazing precision. Definite GOTW candidate. That was a Ngwenya that I've never seen; I wonder if the Crew had ever seen it?
Kinnear has done an amazing job crafting a team in this, his sophomore year in Houston. The team is the best integrated group of individuals in the MLS. They have talent, but their obvious rapport with each other is what separates them. I loved the relaxed smiles Onstad had during the game, including his relieved grin after Cochrane's own-goal-that-nearly-was whizzed past the post in the first half.
Sliding, dirt flying,
His leg -- akimbo -- strikes out,
"Flee to safety, ball."
Another great game tonight -- and in front of a great crowd too. Impressive showing by the Fahr faithful: more than 20,000 on a Thursday night. Here's hoping for equally impressive attendance this Sunday at the Rob, where we hopefully can avenge our loss to Toronto and shut them out in the process.
Finally, about that Beckham commercial that took up the screen while Rico was teeing up his shot: the "S" in ESPN should stand for "Sports" not "Soap Operas." We're glued to the TV to watch a game, so show a game. Talk about Becks if you must, but don't hide the reason we tuned to your station. By the same token, my main focus is the game, not the news. If you feel your sports fans need to have an in-game update on whether A-Rod will negotiate his new contract now, later, or never, because that's news that just can't wait, then at least make the news video a smaller screen than the game -- the game that made me tune to your station in the first place. Thanks.
A small postage stamp
With Orange mites on green,
Oh, that's the 'Mo Game!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Battery drains Dynamo
Well, I would've liked to have won tonight, of course. Wins are always nice, and we'd have had the reward of facing the vile Frisco Hoops in the quarterfinals. It would be nice to add the US Open Cup to our trophy case one day, but it won't be this year.
As much as I would have liked to have beaten the Charleston Battery, I can't say that I'm all that disappointed with the loss. Usually when we're on the business end of a defeat, I gnash my teeth and glower at the dog and grunt at the kids, but I just don't feel the frustration tonight.
Why?
The US Open Cup is a fascinating competition, and it's a nice piece of hardware; but it's traditionally been third in importance in the hierarchy, and now with SuperLiga, it's dropped to fourth. Let's see...in my mind the order is probably:
(1) the MLS Cup,
(2) the Supporters' Shield (which is a greater accomplishment I think, but the MLS Cup gets the edge because of the lasting recognition, including the jersey scudetto that turns into a star, and the magical silver ball),
(3) SuperLiga, then
(4) the US Open Cup.
I would have to put the CONCACAF Champions Cup above the SuperLiga at this point, but I do think (hope) SuperLiga will grow with importance as it matures.
Let's get the bad stuff out of the way:
Other 3rd Round Results:
I can't hold it back any longer: listening to Steve Mark's game description (I can't call it game play-by-play) is pure torture. He doesn't use much soccer terminology first of all, but the worse sin is that he doesn't keep pace with the game. The PK was immediately called by the ref, but Mark seemed to think the ref was waffling and I didn't learn of the call until the video feed (which runs nearly a full minute behind the radio play) showed it. Action in front of the goal will end with a long silent pause while Mark tries to mentally sort it out, and I'm left shouting "What is HAPPENING?!" The man knows sports, and he's got passion, no doubt; I just wish he'd borrow some tapes of EPL games and listen to how it's done. Maybe Glenn Davis or even Charlie Pallilo (who's not a soccer guy, but knows play-by-play) could pass along some pointers.
Having said that, I really liked Steve Mark's post game report this past weekend. It's great to be able to flip over to 790 on the drive home after a game and hear the team interviews. Live local soccer with radio commentary; things have gotten good here in Houston.
The USL video feed of the game was actually pretty good. The camera work was hosed, but to be able to watch a US Open Cup game from a USL team's home stadium in South Carolina is really a treat. The play-by-play guy was understated and good. He didn't know many of the Dynamo players...but then neither did I tonight. I wouldn't mind him calling Dynamo games regularly, but who knows: his radio work might not be as good as his video work.
A nod to Monsieur Dwayne De Rosario
I really like the news that came out yesterday: DDR will be a Dynamo through 2010. Much bile has been spilled his way due to his lack of form so far this year. He's still the generator of electricity for the Dynamo, and his speed, touch, and imagination can leave you breathless on the sidelines. I've already noted many times that I don't think that he was not trying hard enough during the negotiation: he was trying too hard. Hopefully now he will be at ease and just let himself slip into the game. DDR through 2010 is a good thing.
As much as I would have liked to have beaten the Charleston Battery, I can't say that I'm all that disappointed with the loss. Usually when we're on the business end of a defeat, I gnash my teeth and glower at the dog and grunt at the kids, but I just don't feel the frustration tonight.
Why?
The US Open Cup is a fascinating competition, and it's a nice piece of hardware; but it's traditionally been third in importance in the hierarchy, and now with SuperLiga, it's dropped to fourth. Let's see...in my mind the order is probably:
(1) the MLS Cup,
(2) the Supporters' Shield (which is a greater accomplishment I think, but the MLS Cup gets the edge because of the lasting recognition, including the jersey scudetto that turns into a star, and the magical silver ball),
(3) SuperLiga, then
(4) the US Open Cup.
I would have to put the CONCACAF Champions Cup above the SuperLiga at this point, but I do think (hope) SuperLiga will grow with importance as it matures.
Let's get the bad stuff out of the way:
- Well, we lost, and that's never good.
- Ashe looks like he has an ankle sprain. He's recently been making a name for himself on the first team, and an ankle sprain could waylay him for a while -- just ask Dalglish. Cochrane may have also been nicked up.
- Charleston Battery were quite equal with us on the field, and could have gotten a goal without the ref's help had it not been for Zach Wells. Similarly, we had too few good chances on goal.
- Eddie Robinson played quite a bit. So? Well, this is bad because he's on my Fantasy Soccer team (currently in 6th place in my 86-team league; Go Balder Dash!) and will now probably sit much of the Thursday game.
- The reserves got some good time on the field and in a meaningful competition. I saw some talent out there, but a lot of development is still in the books. There was one left middie (or an advanced back) towards the end of the match who had a really good touch and could maintain possession well under pressure. Was that Hayden? Hatzke? Ustruck? Couldn't tell on my small screen. Moloi got some raves too.
- Dalglish finally got some work on the field and began to build up his fitness. Welcome back, Daggers! (What's with the hair?)
- Zach Wells continues to impress.
- It took a lame dive and chintzy call by the ref in the 106th minute to get the ball into our net, and even then, better reaction from our defenders may have paid off after Wells deflected the initial shot but couldn’t beat the Battery forwards to the rolling ball.
- Except for Robinson, our primary starters were able to rest. I know Onstad traveled to the game and Ching didn't, but I hope at least some of the other "Starting XI" attended the game to cheer on their mates.
- Our game schedule is now a little more open and less arduous on the lads. It's very likely we'd have to go with a mostly reserve team versus FCD, or risk our effectiveness in the league or SuperLiga.
Other 3rd Round Results:
- Dallas plays its first team against the Atlanta Silverbacks and is a man up for 68 minutes (from the 82nd minute through two overtimes) but still has to go to penalties to move on.
- LA takes the same approach as Dynamo Houston, and with the same results. Playing several reserves, the Gals lose to the Richmond Kickers 1-0.
- New England Revolution plays its first team and beats the historic club, the Rochester Rhinos, 4-2.
- Colorado relies on a mix of veterans and reserves to put away the California Victory, 3-1.
I can't hold it back any longer: listening to Steve Mark's game description (I can't call it game play-by-play) is pure torture. He doesn't use much soccer terminology first of all, but the worse sin is that he doesn't keep pace with the game. The PK was immediately called by the ref, but Mark seemed to think the ref was waffling and I didn't learn of the call until the video feed (which runs nearly a full minute behind the radio play) showed it. Action in front of the goal will end with a long silent pause while Mark tries to mentally sort it out, and I'm left shouting "What is HAPPENING?!" The man knows sports, and he's got passion, no doubt; I just wish he'd borrow some tapes of EPL games and listen to how it's done. Maybe Glenn Davis or even Charlie Pallilo (who's not a soccer guy, but knows play-by-play) could pass along some pointers.
Having said that, I really liked Steve Mark's post game report this past weekend. It's great to be able to flip over to 790 on the drive home after a game and hear the team interviews. Live local soccer with radio commentary; things have gotten good here in Houston.
The USL video feed of the game was actually pretty good. The camera work was hosed, but to be able to watch a US Open Cup game from a USL team's home stadium in South Carolina is really a treat. The play-by-play guy was understated and good. He didn't know many of the Dynamo players...but then neither did I tonight. I wouldn't mind him calling Dynamo games regularly, but who knows: his radio work might not be as good as his video work.
A nod to Monsieur Dwayne De Rosario
I really like the news that came out yesterday: DDR will be a Dynamo through 2010. Much bile has been spilled his way due to his lack of form so far this year. He's still the generator of electricity for the Dynamo, and his speed, touch, and imagination can leave you breathless on the sidelines. I've already noted many times that I don't think that he was not trying hard enough during the negotiation: he was trying too hard. Hopefully now he will be at ease and just let himself slip into the game. DDR through 2010 is a good thing.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
The Dynamo Machine Keeps Plugging Away
The Dynamo-Houston defense lived up to its billing and got its fifth straight clean sheet. We only got ourselves one goal, but it was all we needed.
The goal wasn't pretty by any stretch. After DC cleared one of our corners, the ball ended up with Mulrooney, who took a little long in my eager mind to decide to shoot, but shoot he did. The ball got stopped in the crowd in front of the goal, and Ching managed to redirect it into the goal. Gotta say that I didn't realize Ching had even scored that one until much later.
We had a few more opportunities that were prettier than the goal, but nothing trumps a goal. In the first 10 minutes, I thought we were going to get our goal when we had two solid threats. One of them saw Ngwenya with an open look on goal, but he decided to pass it off and the ball was lost. Later, Ching [watching the tape later: it is D-Ro] hustled to the goal line to save the ball and chip it in front of goal, but with an open goal staring us in the face, no one was there to capitalize as Holden hustled up to try.
Then in the 19th minute Gomez had a pretty innocuous free kick that bounced in our box (bad news, that) and somehow lazily floated towards the top corner of our goal. We were saved by the woodwork, but it would've been pretty embarrassing had that slow ball gone in.
From my position (low down section 219 tonight), I thought Ching had a sure goal in the 27th or thereabouts. With the ball at his feet at the edge of the 18-yard box, only one defender in the area (pinned to his side of course), Ching winds up and rips a shot that was deflected by the back's shin. With the deflection, I was lined up behind the ball's path and it was bearing in on the upper 90. I thought the ricochet would make it too deceptive for Perkins, but the GK had incredible reflexes and managed to knock the sure goal out for a corner.
Just a few minutes later, Robinson and Emilio are going at it on our half and Robinson smoothly wins the ball, only to get twisted up with his own momentum. The Brazilian collects the ball and Onstad faces him alone...and comes out on top. This was by far the most dangerous moment of the first half (other than that confusingly scary free kick). A few minutes later, we got the goal and I figured one goal would be all we need in Robertson Stadium.
But then the second half started and I became a bit more worried. Our back line limited DC 's opportunities on goal, but we were totally outclassed in the midfield. It wasn't that we had bunkered in or had given up, but for a stretch from about the 55th minute to the 65th minute, we could only manage about 2 passes to every 11 of DC's. They were stringing the passes together like beads, but luckily the passing was basically just possession-oriented and not penetrating. Things became a bit more even as the half wore on, but I think DC's desperation made them a bit more effective.
I thought that we had some good individual performances in the second half, but we sure weren't clicking. One player would make a nice pass, and another would have just cut the other way. One would zig while another would zag. The subs didn't change the game complexion much, but were a good move given we have three more games this week. I didn't think Nate Jaqua added much when he came in, but it was good to give Ngwenya some rest. Ashe did manage to keep our speed up in Ngwenya's absence. DeRo needed the rest and Clark needed some time to gel with his teammates. (And did Clark's jersey look yellower than the other jerseys? Maybe that's what happens when it sits at the bottom of your drawer for a month. My wife thought it just hadn't absorbed 8 pounds of sweat and that's why it looked different.)
We do need to work on game-killing possession play in these 1-goal games. It makes for tense moments otherwise. And I repeat this question: Why can't the stadium keep the clock running past 90 so we at least have an idea of how far into stoppage we've gone? Maybe I need to start an email campaign to get that going.
Bottom line is our defense is tops of the league. We have allowed only 10 goals this year, 5 fewer than the next lowest total (owned by Chivas-Carson). At home, we've scored 13 and allowed only 4. In only one game (at DC) we have allowed more than 1 goal -- and that was limited to 2. Credit goes to Onstad and our back four, no doubt; but it's also a result of our solid midfield with talent in the center and hustle on the wings. Perhaps Bradley should give some of our defenders a better look at the next US National Team camp.
Odd bits:
You know, you can't expect better weather in Houston in July. With the occasional breeze, it was actually bearable tonight.
We tied the series with DC this year. While we're done with them for league play, we do meet them once more here in Houston, on August 1 for the SuperLiga tournament.
We are only 2 wins shy of our season win total last year. Our 2 ties are 11 shy of our season total for last year, but I'd gladly swap draws for wins any season.
Tuesday we face the Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup. Even if it means we struggle, I hope we give our reserves some time on the field. It'd be good for them and good for our club's future. If we do move on and face FCD, I hope we mop the field up with them!
The goal wasn't pretty by any stretch. After DC cleared one of our corners, the ball ended up with Mulrooney, who took a little long in my eager mind to decide to shoot, but shoot he did. The ball got stopped in the crowd in front of the goal, and Ching managed to redirect it into the goal. Gotta say that I didn't realize Ching had even scored that one until much later.
We had a few more opportunities that were prettier than the goal, but nothing trumps a goal. In the first 10 minutes, I thought we were going to get our goal when we had two solid threats. One of them saw Ngwenya with an open look on goal, but he decided to pass it off and the ball was lost. Later, Ching [watching the tape later: it is D-Ro] hustled to the goal line to save the ball and chip it in front of goal, but with an open goal staring us in the face, no one was there to capitalize as Holden hustled up to try.
Then in the 19th minute Gomez had a pretty innocuous free kick that bounced in our box (bad news, that) and somehow lazily floated towards the top corner of our goal. We were saved by the woodwork, but it would've been pretty embarrassing had that slow ball gone in.
From my position (low down section 219 tonight), I thought Ching had a sure goal in the 27th or thereabouts. With the ball at his feet at the edge of the 18-yard box, only one defender in the area (pinned to his side of course), Ching winds up and rips a shot that was deflected by the back's shin. With the deflection, I was lined up behind the ball's path and it was bearing in on the upper 90. I thought the ricochet would make it too deceptive for Perkins, but the GK had incredible reflexes and managed to knock the sure goal out for a corner.
Just a few minutes later, Robinson and Emilio are going at it on our half and Robinson smoothly wins the ball, only to get twisted up with his own momentum. The Brazilian collects the ball and Onstad faces him alone...and comes out on top. This was by far the most dangerous moment of the first half (other than that confusingly scary free kick). A few minutes later, we got the goal and I figured one goal would be all we need in Robertson Stadium.
But then the second half started and I became a bit more worried. Our back line limited DC 's opportunities on goal, but we were totally outclassed in the midfield. It wasn't that we had bunkered in or had given up, but for a stretch from about the 55th minute to the 65th minute, we could only manage about 2 passes to every 11 of DC's. They were stringing the passes together like beads, but luckily the passing was basically just possession-oriented and not penetrating. Things became a bit more even as the half wore on, but I think DC's desperation made them a bit more effective.
I thought that we had some good individual performances in the second half, but we sure weren't clicking. One player would make a nice pass, and another would have just cut the other way. One would zig while another would zag. The subs didn't change the game complexion much, but were a good move given we have three more games this week. I didn't think Nate Jaqua added much when he came in, but it was good to give Ngwenya some rest. Ashe did manage to keep our speed up in Ngwenya's absence. DeRo needed the rest and Clark needed some time to gel with his teammates. (And did Clark's jersey look yellower than the other jerseys? Maybe that's what happens when it sits at the bottom of your drawer for a month. My wife thought it just hadn't absorbed 8 pounds of sweat and that's why it looked different.)
We do need to work on game-killing possession play in these 1-goal games. It makes for tense moments otherwise. And I repeat this question: Why can't the stadium keep the clock running past 90 so we at least have an idea of how far into stoppage we've gone? Maybe I need to start an email campaign to get that going.
Bottom line is our defense is tops of the league. We have allowed only 10 goals this year, 5 fewer than the next lowest total (owned by Chivas-Carson). At home, we've scored 13 and allowed only 4. In only one game (at DC) we have allowed more than 1 goal -- and that was limited to 2. Credit goes to Onstad and our back four, no doubt; but it's also a result of our solid midfield with talent in the center and hustle on the wings. Perhaps Bradley should give some of our defenders a better look at the next US National Team camp.
Odd bits:
You know, you can't expect better weather in Houston in July. With the occasional breeze, it was actually bearable tonight.
We tied the series with DC this year. While we're done with them for league play, we do meet them once more here in Houston, on August 1 for the SuperLiga tournament.
We are only 2 wins shy of our season win total last year. Our 2 ties are 11 shy of our season total for last year, but I'd gladly swap draws for wins any season.
Tuesday we face the Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup. Even if it means we struggle, I hope we give our reserves some time on the field. It'd be good for them and good for our club's future. If we do move on and face FCD, I hope we mop the field up with them!
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!
Monday, July 02, 2007
Paraguay Cheese & Daggers
Okay, I'm getting cheesed by the USMNT. Tonight we played a Paraguay team that, as good as it is, is several notches below Argentina. That played a major role in the fact that the US looked much more solid than in its first game. Not only did we have good possession, we had a half dozen (or more) solid chances on goal. Great goal by Dynamo-Clark to end the first half, and he almost ended the second half with an even better strike.
And for all the grief I give Twellman, his assist was complete quality and showed amazing vision.
But good gravy! The game should've ended 1-1, except for a horrible back pass by Bornstein to Keller that left the GK out to dry. Perhaps Conrad could've gotten to it, but he was caught flat-footed by the lazy pass as well. (I hinted at this before, but now I'm loudly proclaiming that Bornstein has talent, but those talents do not involve defense. Put the bloke in as left mid.) And that final Paraguayan goal was well placed, but (1) what a horrible and unnecessary foul by Califf that should never have happened, and (2) I can't help but believe that Keller could've gotten to it had he been better positioned from the onset.
The first goal was well played right down our middle and we were completely disorganized as a result. An organized and disciplined (as in, "non-ball-watching") defense could have stopped that run, but I'll give a pass on that one since it was executed so quickly. Yet those last two goals were, I think, completely preventable.
This result cheeses me more than the Argentina result. On the positives, I've got to say that Clark had a good game and I'm glad he bounced back. Moor did better than I thought he would, shame about the missed open header at the end. In the "beating a dead horse" category: can we please, PLEASE find some forwards in this nation of 302 million people? Our defense has usually been strong and our midfield is becoming more and more talented, but our corps of forwards is very weak, with even the talented ones seemingly hesitant to go to goal or put away good opportunities. I think this might haunt us for some time, but hopefully we figure it out before 2010.
***
Speaking of lame forwards...
Here's some other news that cheeses me. Dynamo are losing Gray and gaining Nate Jaqua. Gray had his faults, but he was a good utility player to fill holes due to call-ups or injury. He is also young and cheap. Jaqua is a forward (don't we have a bunch of those already?) and not a very good one. And he's expensive. So we're obliging AEG's favorite team, the Gals, by taking their expensive cast-offs. Great.
I think this means that Dalglish is no longer a Dynamo. Daggers, we hardly knew ye. I guess that'll put an end for good to the Braveheart game intro.
It's just a day to be cheesed.
And for all the grief I give Twellman, his assist was complete quality and showed amazing vision.
But good gravy! The game should've ended 1-1, except for a horrible back pass by Bornstein to Keller that left the GK out to dry. Perhaps Conrad could've gotten to it, but he was caught flat-footed by the lazy pass as well. (I hinted at this before, but now I'm loudly proclaiming that Bornstein has talent, but those talents do not involve defense. Put the bloke in as left mid.) And that final Paraguayan goal was well placed, but (1) what a horrible and unnecessary foul by Califf that should never have happened, and (2) I can't help but believe that Keller could've gotten to it had he been better positioned from the onset.
The first goal was well played right down our middle and we were completely disorganized as a result. An organized and disciplined (as in, "non-ball-watching") defense could have stopped that run, but I'll give a pass on that one since it was executed so quickly. Yet those last two goals were, I think, completely preventable.
This result cheeses me more than the Argentina result. On the positives, I've got to say that Clark had a good game and I'm glad he bounced back. Moor did better than I thought he would, shame about the missed open header at the end. In the "beating a dead horse" category: can we please, PLEASE find some forwards in this nation of 302 million people? Our defense has usually been strong and our midfield is becoming more and more talented, but our corps of forwards is very weak, with even the talented ones seemingly hesitant to go to goal or put away good opportunities. I think this might haunt us for some time, but hopefully we figure it out before 2010.
***
Speaking of lame forwards...
Here's some other news that cheeses me. Dynamo are losing Gray and gaining Nate Jaqua. Gray had his faults, but he was a good utility player to fill holes due to call-ups or injury. He is also young and cheap. Jaqua is a forward (don't we have a bunch of those already?) and not a very good one. And he's expensive. So we're obliging AEG's favorite team, the Gals, by taking their expensive cast-offs. Great.
I think this means that Dalglish is no longer a Dynamo. Daggers, we hardly knew ye. I guess that'll put an end for good to the Braveheart game intro.
It's just a day to be cheesed.
How I'd change things up for Paraguay
Tonight we meet a Paraguay team that posted an impressive 5-0 victory over Colombia. (Maybe "Los Cafeteros" should have called up JP Angel and Juan Toja after all.) We've faced Paraguay four times, with us winning twice and drawing twice. That means zilch of course.
If I ran the zoo, this is the lineup I'd select for the US, partly because I think it might work, partly because I just want to shake things up, and partly because I don't get into trouble if things go awry. I still think the forward selection is the weakest pool of talent we've brought with us, but our wide defenders could be the most troublesome weakness. Still, if our forwards could stretch out the opposition and set them back on their heels, it would make things easier for our harried defense.
GK: Keller (stay with experience one more game as long as we have hopes of advancing)
DEF: Wynne (one more chance to see if he learned from the first match...but if not, then he might be the first sub out), DeMerit, Conrad, Pearce
MID: Nguyen (an exciting prospect?), Clark, Feilhaber, Bornstein (it's not his normal position, but I think his strengths and weaknesses would work here)
FOR: Johnson (yet another chance), Davies (a first chance)
Olsen would be the first sub of the second half if we are fortunate to have a lead to protect.
It was pure coaching brilliance on Bradley's part to ensure our first game blowout makes Paraguay overconfident coming into this match...go US!
If I ran the zoo, this is the lineup I'd select for the US, partly because I think it might work, partly because I just want to shake things up, and partly because I don't get into trouble if things go awry. I still think the forward selection is the weakest pool of talent we've brought with us, but our wide defenders could be the most troublesome weakness. Still, if our forwards could stretch out the opposition and set them back on their heels, it would make things easier for our harried defense.
GK: Keller (stay with experience one more game as long as we have hopes of advancing)
DEF: Wynne (one more chance to see if he learned from the first match...but if not, then he might be the first sub out), DeMerit, Conrad, Pearce
MID: Nguyen (an exciting prospect?), Clark, Feilhaber, Bornstein (it's not his normal position, but I think his strengths and weaknesses would work here)
FOR: Johnson (yet another chance), Davies (a first chance)
Olsen would be the first sub of the second half if we are fortunate to have a lead to protect.
It was pure coaching brilliance on Bradley's part to ensure our first game blowout makes Paraguay overconfident coming into this match...go US!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Copa America
America didn't start the Copa America on a strong foot. On Thursday, as I sat in an Outback restaurant, I saw the score 4-1 scroll across the screen and I figured that the worst had come to pass--that Argentina had rolled up 4 quick goals then put in some scrubs to give them experience and only then did the US manage to eke out a goal in garbage time.
Having watched the game post-facto, I have to say I'm relieved. Or at least I'm as relieved as one can be when one's team has lost 4-1.
First of all, we scored first. Second of all, we managed some periods of possession and even some one-touch passing combinations amongst a group that mostly hadn't played together, and we even did so at times in Argentina's half. Thirdly, I thought DeMerit and Conrad looked pretty solid as center backs. Finally, we limited Argentina's chances on goal and most of the goals can be directly linked to one (or two) of our players deciding not to do his job.
Having said all that, Argentina definitely controlled the game. They didn't dominate the game, but they could've. They took a tentative approach for some reason, perhaps because they don't know the US that well or perhaps because they are trying to conserve their energy for a long tourney. The US had no serious threats on the Argentine goal, and had the South Americans not fouled Johnson, the US probably would have had no goals. (Johnson already looked to be indecisive as he approached goal.)
It seems that Johnson and Twellman are not international-caliber forwards. I can only hope that Johnson grows into that role eventually, but I have my doubts. (I've long since given up on Twellman.) Unfortunately, there's no one on this roster that offers immediate hope either, so we will struggle to score in the tournament unless our midfield steps up dramatically. I'd like to see Charlie Davies get some time. I've heard he's full of promise at least.
In the midfield Feilhaber continues to impress, and Olsen is the Pablo Mastroeni of the wingers. Clark played well overall, and Mapp shows promise but needs plenty of seasoning. The sub, Gaven, didn't do much. While the successive onslaught wasn't his fault, there was a decided defensive edge that was lost when Olsen departed the field. Beckerman also showed some spunk on the attack. Strong shots from distance are one of his hallmarks, and he had his opportunities from afar, but the shots were much too anemic to pose any threat. On the left side, I think Bornstein might do well moved up to left mid. I also hope Lee Nguyen gets some time on the field. It would be good for him and I think it would even be an improvement for the team.
In the back, I think DeMerit and Conrad looked solid for the most part. DeMerit has already faced Tevez in the Premiership at least. The two outside backs, Wynne and Bornstein looked okay when we were in possession, but were defensive liabilities at times...and easing up just a moment can be fatal at this level, and is an inexcusable sin for defensive backs. Keller got a lot of grief for some of the goals, but it's hard to blame him.
Goal 1: The line thought the free kick would be a shot directly on goal and didn't adjust to the runs made on the chipped kick. Chaos in front of the goal is usually bad.
Goal 2: Messi works the ball through the gut of the US and slots a through pass to Crespo, who Bornstein charitably lets run free for the goal.
Goal 3: Wynne jogs at a leisurely pace to ensure Heinze has plenty of time on the flank. Heinze uses the time to make a perfect cross. Clark, meanwhile, lets Aimar make an unchallenged run up the middle to head in the goal. Both DeMerit and Conrad almost got to the cross in the air, so perhaps Clark thought they'd get the ball before Aimar, but that's a risky gamble.
Goal 4: Bornstein again lets his man (some guy named Tevez...can't be too dangerous, can he?) run free onto a perfectly timed pass from the centerline. Tevez has so much time that he stops for a cappuccino on his way to scoring the final goal.
Much has been made of this being a US B-Team, but I don't know how much of a factor that is. Up front we really haven't found our dependable forward (I'd say Ching is the best true forward we have at this point, but most disagree with me), so what we put out there was as good as any. In the midfield we were missing some definite strength, with Donovan, Dempsey, and Beasley gone, and that definitely affected our attacking ability, but we still had some solid (in terms of USMNT standards) fare with our two center mids: Clark and Feilhaber (and even Beckerman, though it's hard to tell based on when he came in). As for the back line, I don't think that our centerbacks were much of a drop (if they even were a drop) in quality from our Gold Cup tandem of Onyewu and Bocanegra, but our wing backs were definitely problematic at times...but are Hejduk and Spector that much of improvement? Simek maybe defensively.
So, yes, a definite loss of quality with our wide mids and attacking mid, but the questions we already had at the other positions means we can't smugly say "Well, this was our reserve team you beat." In short, we have some definite newbies, but the drop in quality overall was less than what most US fans would believe. Had we sent our so-called A-Team (namely, just added the consensus favorites: Donovan, Beasley, and Dempsey), the scoreline might be different, but I think the result would be the same. That might be a fatalistic view, but I think our World Cup experience supports the theory for now. At least with this loss we've exposed some new players to the best of the best, so to speak. Maybe Bradley has even found out that some who he thought might be staples (Twellman, perhaps) should remain in the US as club heroes.
But, yeah, it would've been nice to see what difference (if any) our supposed USMNT starters would have made. It's always best to put your country's starters against another country's.
(Oh, and another excuse I hate is that "we were pooped from playing the Gold Cup just a few days before." Mexico's win over Brazil eliminates that excuse.)
Final notes:
On the Telefutura broadcast, who thinks the US fans cheering around the reporter were really US fans? I think they were studio plants to create atmosphere. That's my impression at least. The Argentine fans at least were sporting team jerseys and had passion in their eyes.
Didn't sober Maradona look happy when his team finally cranked up the level of play? What a sad off-field story he has become though.
Having watched the game post-facto, I have to say I'm relieved. Or at least I'm as relieved as one can be when one's team has lost 4-1.
First of all, we scored first. Second of all, we managed some periods of possession and even some one-touch passing combinations amongst a group that mostly hadn't played together, and we even did so at times in Argentina's half. Thirdly, I thought DeMerit and Conrad looked pretty solid as center backs. Finally, we limited Argentina's chances on goal and most of the goals can be directly linked to one (or two) of our players deciding not to do his job.
Having said all that, Argentina definitely controlled the game. They didn't dominate the game, but they could've. They took a tentative approach for some reason, perhaps because they don't know the US that well or perhaps because they are trying to conserve their energy for a long tourney. The US had no serious threats on the Argentine goal, and had the South Americans not fouled Johnson, the US probably would have had no goals. (Johnson already looked to be indecisive as he approached goal.)
It seems that Johnson and Twellman are not international-caliber forwards. I can only hope that Johnson grows into that role eventually, but I have my doubts. (I've long since given up on Twellman.) Unfortunately, there's no one on this roster that offers immediate hope either, so we will struggle to score in the tournament unless our midfield steps up dramatically. I'd like to see Charlie Davies get some time. I've heard he's full of promise at least.
In the midfield Feilhaber continues to impress, and Olsen is the Pablo Mastroeni of the wingers. Clark played well overall, and Mapp shows promise but needs plenty of seasoning. The sub, Gaven, didn't do much. While the successive onslaught wasn't his fault, there was a decided defensive edge that was lost when Olsen departed the field. Beckerman also showed some spunk on the attack. Strong shots from distance are one of his hallmarks, and he had his opportunities from afar, but the shots were much too anemic to pose any threat. On the left side, I think Bornstein might do well moved up to left mid. I also hope Lee Nguyen gets some time on the field. It would be good for him and I think it would even be an improvement for the team.
In the back, I think DeMerit and Conrad looked solid for the most part. DeMerit has already faced Tevez in the Premiership at least. The two outside backs, Wynne and Bornstein looked okay when we were in possession, but were defensive liabilities at times...and easing up just a moment can be fatal at this level, and is an inexcusable sin for defensive backs. Keller got a lot of grief for some of the goals, but it's hard to blame him.
Goal 1: The line thought the free kick would be a shot directly on goal and didn't adjust to the runs made on the chipped kick. Chaos in front of the goal is usually bad.
Goal 2: Messi works the ball through the gut of the US and slots a through pass to Crespo, who Bornstein charitably lets run free for the goal.
Goal 3: Wynne jogs at a leisurely pace to ensure Heinze has plenty of time on the flank. Heinze uses the time to make a perfect cross. Clark, meanwhile, lets Aimar make an unchallenged run up the middle to head in the goal. Both DeMerit and Conrad almost got to the cross in the air, so perhaps Clark thought they'd get the ball before Aimar, but that's a risky gamble.
Goal 4: Bornstein again lets his man (some guy named Tevez...can't be too dangerous, can he?) run free onto a perfectly timed pass from the centerline. Tevez has so much time that he stops for a cappuccino on his way to scoring the final goal.
Much has been made of this being a US B-Team, but I don't know how much of a factor that is. Up front we really haven't found our dependable forward (I'd say Ching is the best true forward we have at this point, but most disagree with me), so what we put out there was as good as any. In the midfield we were missing some definite strength, with Donovan, Dempsey, and Beasley gone, and that definitely affected our attacking ability, but we still had some solid (in terms of USMNT standards) fare with our two center mids: Clark and Feilhaber (and even Beckerman, though it's hard to tell based on when he came in). As for the back line, I don't think that our centerbacks were much of a drop (if they even were a drop) in quality from our Gold Cup tandem of Onyewu and Bocanegra, but our wing backs were definitely problematic at times...but are Hejduk and Spector that much of improvement? Simek maybe defensively.
So, yes, a definite loss of quality with our wide mids and attacking mid, but the questions we already had at the other positions means we can't smugly say "Well, this was our reserve team you beat." In short, we have some definite newbies, but the drop in quality overall was less than what most US fans would believe. Had we sent our so-called A-Team (namely, just added the consensus favorites: Donovan, Beasley, and Dempsey), the scoreline might be different, but I think the result would be the same. That might be a fatalistic view, but I think our World Cup experience supports the theory for now. At least with this loss we've exposed some new players to the best of the best, so to speak. Maybe Bradley has even found out that some who he thought might be staples (Twellman, perhaps) should remain in the US as club heroes.
But, yeah, it would've been nice to see what difference (if any) our supposed USMNT starters would have made. It's always best to put your country's starters against another country's.
(Oh, and another excuse I hate is that "we were pooped from playing the Gold Cup just a few days before." Mexico's win over Brazil eliminates that excuse.)
Final notes:
On the Telefutura broadcast, who thinks the US fans cheering around the reporter were really US fans? I think they were studio plants to create atmosphere. That's my impression at least. The Argentine fans at least were sporting team jerseys and had passion in their eyes.
Didn't sober Maradona look happy when his team finally cranked up the level of play? What a sad off-field story he has become though.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)