RBNY came to town but little soccer was played.
Most irritating moment: The 36th minute when Ching (who might have been offside anyway) was 1 on 1 with a cold, newbie keeper and decided to chip the keeper, but didn't adjust his touch accordingly. I see that in youth soccer too often -- players who don't realize that you have to adjust your shooting power when you're going for the crafty arc; but should we see such things from professional soccer players?
Most cynical moment: When RBNY went down to 10 men, I said to my wife, "There goes our only chance to win the game. No goals from here on out." She knows my aggravation at the Orange's inability to break down a 10-man bunkered team.
Most despairing moment: When the game ended, and we hadn't gotten a single goal, and we were left with a lousy point that doubled our total and kept us down with the cellar-dwellers. No wins so far. Ten of twelve points lost thus far.
Most amusing moment: When Coach Osario tried to taunt the fans with his 3-0 hand gestures at the end of the game. Passion like that can be cool when you see it in players; it just looks sad and unprofessional when a coach does it. I knew the coach was a micromanager who, primarily because of the hubris of his micromanaging, is one of the worst gameday coaches out there; but the childish taunting made him look bush-league to boot. It also makes it look like he lives in the past, which should be worrisome to RBNY fans. They should be pleased with the away point they got tonight though.
Here's hoping that Cepero is okay and JP Angel gets his scoring touch back. The League is better when its stars are performing. Here's also hoping that the Orange get their scoring touch, that they find a new MLS star in Ade, and that they start playing complete games and earning complete points. Enough with the malaise! Sheesh, already!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Another blah beginning
The Dynamo are now 3 games into their fourth season and still searching for a win...just like last season! We're alongside fellow winless clubs FC Dallas and LA Galaxy from the West, and from the East last year's MLS Cup opponents: Columbus and RBNY. In fact, going back to last season and the CONCACAF tournament, Dynamo-Houston has won only once in their last 11 matches, and have lost five of those 11.
The results of the past three MLS matches have each been irritating in their own particular way: we gave up the equalizer very late in our home opener, we got two goals against San Jose and couldn't get even a point out of it, and we conceded a goal vs an average DC squad and were shut out even after United went down a man. (Being shut out versus a 10-man squad is a Dynamo tradition, unfortunately.)
The team isn't playing particularly poorly, but they are leaking goals at an un-Dynamolike pace. We are very slow in the back, except for the virtually untested Julius James, who has yet to mesh with the starting 11. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see James play this weekend when we face RBNY and the speedster, Dane Richards, who virtually single-handedly tore us up and kicked us out of the MLS Cup playoffs last season.
So we'll just wait this one out before we start panicking. We have faith in Dom; he's bound to get this team on the right course or make the changes necessary to at least get us into the post-season. We're excited about the potential Ade Akinbiyi has for this team in a league such as this. We're confident in Stuart Holden's ability to assume DeRo's mantle; he has the chops and he's comfortable with the team, and he's bound to be better than an aging and disgruntled DeRo would have been had he stayed. Plus we have some pretty capable players all around – Boswell, Clark, Ching, Davis, Mullen....
In the media:
J Hutcherson likens Houston's post-championship rebuilding to those of DC's past. He questions how Akinbiyi will help the team, but has good things to say about Ching. Courtesy of television angles, most fans not seeing him in person miss what Ching can bring to a squad. He's one of the few players in MLS that trends towards the smart play from the opening to the 90th minute. He'll play himself out of an attacking move if he sees a better option.
Last month, Goal.com had a preview of the Dynamo season. Nothing particularly new there. They have a fairly optimistic, though safe, prediction that Houston should fare well in the Western Conference, but I wonder if they are more pessimistic now after the recent results. Reporters always seem to place significant importance on the first few games of any season, and most seem to shift their opinions after even the briefest of trends.
Closer to home, Fanblogger Lark was a bit cynical after the home opener, and with good reason. He even used the "C" word, a title that Houston sports fans know too well.
The results of the past three MLS matches have each been irritating in their own particular way: we gave up the equalizer very late in our home opener, we got two goals against San Jose and couldn't get even a point out of it, and we conceded a goal vs an average DC squad and were shut out even after United went down a man. (Being shut out versus a 10-man squad is a Dynamo tradition, unfortunately.)
The team isn't playing particularly poorly, but they are leaking goals at an un-Dynamolike pace. We are very slow in the back, except for the virtually untested Julius James, who has yet to mesh with the starting 11. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see James play this weekend when we face RBNY and the speedster, Dane Richards, who virtually single-handedly tore us up and kicked us out of the MLS Cup playoffs last season.
So we'll just wait this one out before we start panicking. We have faith in Dom; he's bound to get this team on the right course or make the changes necessary to at least get us into the post-season. We're excited about the potential Ade Akinbiyi has for this team in a league such as this. We're confident in Stuart Holden's ability to assume DeRo's mantle; he has the chops and he's comfortable with the team, and he's bound to be better than an aging and disgruntled DeRo would have been had he stayed. Plus we have some pretty capable players all around – Boswell, Clark, Ching, Davis, Mullen....
In the media:
J Hutcherson likens Houston's post-championship rebuilding to those of DC's past. He questions how Akinbiyi will help the team, but has good things to say about Ching. Courtesy of television angles, most fans not seeing him in person miss what Ching can bring to a squad. He's one of the few players in MLS that trends towards the smart play from the opening to the 90th minute. He'll play himself out of an attacking move if he sees a better option.
Last month, Goal.com had a preview of the Dynamo season. Nothing particularly new there. They have a fairly optimistic, though safe, prediction that Houston should fare well in the Western Conference, but I wonder if they are more pessimistic now after the recent results. Reporters always seem to place significant importance on the first few games of any season, and most seem to shift their opinions after even the briefest of trends.
Closer to home, Fanblogger Lark was a bit cynical after the home opener, and with good reason. He even used the "C" word, a title that Houston sports fans know too well.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Year in Review
Goal.com has a nice month-by-month review of the Dynamo's 2008 season, from the Geoff Cameron draft in January, through the down then up then down MLS season and international competitions, to the trading of DeRo to Toronto in December.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll reminisce.
Man, 2009 is going to be a weird season for Dynamo fans. Not a bad season, per se...just weird.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll reminisce.
Man, 2009 is going to be a weird season for Dynamo fans. Not a bad season, per se...just weird.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Post-Season & Post-DeRo Media Roundup
Here's a roundup of some Houston-related topics that have hit the media. They discuss what Houston needs to do next year,
Houston season review
ESPN has an article about the Dynamo still being strong contenders for 2009. It was written before the team unloaded DeRo. Here are some excerpts:
"Houston is still, hands-down, the best team in Major League Soccer," said former U.S. international Eric Wynalda. "This is not to discredit the accomplishment that the Columbus Crew had. They had a great year and terrific blend of players. But based on pure talent, pure ability, soccer knowledge, experience -- yes, Houston is better."
Go down the Dynamo's lineup, and it's clear why Houston is still among the league's elite. Houston has quality at nearly every position, with its midfield especially rich in talent. Not only are Ricardo Clark and Brad Davis still in their prime, but the likes of Stuart Holden and Corey Ashe are young players who have proven themselves ready for bigger roles. Then there is the considerable class offered up by Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Mullan.
That's not to say that Houston doesn't have some holes to fill. The departure of Nate Jaqua to Seattle once again puts the Dynamo in the market for a forward to pair with Brian Ching. With Bobby Boswell expected to head to Europe, the team will also be looking to bolster the center of its defense, and the aforementioned age issue is most apparent at fullback. While both Wade Barrett and Richard Mulrooney are solid performers, Kinnear will need to start planning now for their eventual departures.
Kinnear will likely go the trade route, a tactic that has served him well over the years. After the 2004 campaign, the departures of Landon Donovan, Ronnie Ekelund and Jeff Agoos forced Kinnear to rebuild a San Jose Earthquake side that eventually morphed into the current Dynamo squad, with Davis and Clark among his acquisitions. And Kinnear's Midas touch in the trade market hasn't diminished over time; the 2007-08 offseason saw him land Boswell.
"Kinnear's too smart; he'll find players," said Wynalda. "And his system is one that works, that really defines the positions well so he doesn't have to get creative. Guys can come and go out of certain position and not have a dramatic effect on the team."
The MLS Website also has a season review. Here are some excerpts, some of which may presage the departure of DeRo:
Waibel: "The greatest thing to take away from this season, on top of the results, is that we are still one of the best teams in this league and we have a bench that is as deep as any."
After their loss to the New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference Semifinal Series, Ching mentioned that he thought there would be some big changes with the team, but failed to elaborate when pushed. Kinnear sidestepped the question and said the team next year would be fine. Waibel acknowledged the possibility of a shakeup, but didn't dwell on the potential breakup in chemistry the team has relied upon since Day 1.
"But I don't think anyone on this roster is banging down the door trying to get out of here. I think everyone that has been here and left is banging on the door trying to get back in." [Well, it seems that DeRo was, in fact, banging down the door trying to get out so he could return to Toronto.]
As for goals in 2009 for whatever players might don the Orange and White next year, that's easy.
"The season is over," Kinnear said. "But our goal for next year is set already, and that is to win MLS Cup 2009."
The DeRo Trade
Ives voices his opinion on the DeRo trade, and whether the Dynamo got a fair deal:
The deal happened because the Dynamo came to the realization that they had to revamp a roster that was showing vulnerabilities that didn't exist when the team was winning MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. The departure of Nate Jaqua, potential departure of Brian Ching and likely departure of stalwart defender Bobby Boswell forced the Dynamo to consider how to revamp their roster without tearing it apart.
As much as all parties involved [Houston, Toronto, DeRo] needed the trade to happen, Toronto FC still came away the clear winner. TFC director of soccer Mo Johnston ... has set Toronto up for a big 2009. Add De Rosario to three first-round draft picks in what is considered a strong upcoming draft in January, $800,000 in allocation money as well as a designated player slot the team is expected to use, and you realize that Toronto had the resources to pay more for De Rosario but didn't.
Johnston managed to land one of the league's best midfielders and a renowned clutch player, and he did so without giving up a key starter or any of the team's three first-round draft picks. Throw in that Houston accepted what sources say was an allocation less than $200,000, and you get the sneaking suspicion that Toronto FC played hardball and Houston relented.
Toronto's reward is a player who will boost a Toronto attack that struggled at times. Whether TFC groups De Rosario with Amado Guevara and Carl Robinson in a 4-5-1 formation or plays De Rosario as a withdrawn forward in a 4-4-1-1, the prospect of having the creative tandem of De Rosario and Guevara working together is a scary proposition. Especially if you consider that Toronto is expected to use its designated player slot on a forward.
The lingering question that stands out when looking at this trade is, why did Houston deal De Rosario for seemingly so little? The reality is that there wasn't a huge market for De Rosario because of his salary, his desire for a new contract and the leaguewide knowledge that he wanted to play only for Toronto. With only one team to deal him to, Houston was left with poor bargaining position, and it showed in what most experts will call a lopsided deal.
Although that may be so, a closer look at the deal reveals that it could help Houston on a variety of fronts. In swapping De Rosario for James and between $150,000 and $175,000 in allocation money, the Dynamo gain a potential net of up to $350,000 of salary-cap space. Houston is expected to use that cap space to use its designated player, with a marquee forward at the top of the team's list of needs.
James also is very high on the lists of several MLS clubs that considered him the best defender in the 2008 MLS draft. Although James did struggle at times as a rookie for Toronto, he still boasts the athleticism and toughness that many scouts believe could help him turn into an elite defender.
In the end, Houston won't regret this deal if Holden flourishes, if its DP signing isn't a flop and if James is a standout defender. But if more than one of these doesn't break right for the Dynamo, critics will look back on this trade as the real beginning of the end for the Dynamo.
As for TFC, the club landed the player it has long coveted and is one step closer to completing a rebuilding project that will see it go from missing the playoffs to winning a title. For Johnston & Co., 2009 is a make-or-break season, and Friday's trade is a major step toward Toronto's establishing itself as a legitimate force next season.
The Chronicle covers one cool aspect of the DeRo trade, and that is that Stuart Holden will be at the heart of the team:
Last week's trade — the biggest in the Dynamo's short history — might have been all about outgoing midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and incoming defender Julius James. But come next season, it might be all about Stuart Holden.
"I’ve always thought that (attacking mid) was my best position," Holden said. "This year I got to play most of my minutes there, and I think I proved to (coach) Dom (Kinnear) that I can play in central midfield, and not only play but score and be a threat."
The team is confident, too. So confident that it is in talks with Holden about a long-term deal — one that is bound to include a significant pay increase —despite him having a season left in his contract.
The Chronicle later takes the position that unloading DeRo may help the team in the long run. DeRo was filling a position where we already had a capable substitute. We needed to make the moves to fill gaping holes in our lineup. Out of the deal we get a young defender of the future, and the money to pursue a solid forward ... possibly Luis Angel Landin, a young Mexican First Division forward from Morelia Monarcas (and Pachuca before that) "with exceptional size, name recognition, incredible potential, and, better yet, an attractive price tag."
Houston season review
ESPN has an article about the Dynamo still being strong contenders for 2009. It was written before the team unloaded DeRo. Here are some excerpts:
"Houston is still, hands-down, the best team in Major League Soccer," said former U.S. international Eric Wynalda. "This is not to discredit the accomplishment that the Columbus Crew had. They had a great year and terrific blend of players. But based on pure talent, pure ability, soccer knowledge, experience -- yes, Houston is better."
Go down the Dynamo's lineup, and it's clear why Houston is still among the league's elite. Houston has quality at nearly every position, with its midfield especially rich in talent. Not only are Ricardo Clark and Brad Davis still in their prime, but the likes of Stuart Holden and Corey Ashe are young players who have proven themselves ready for bigger roles. Then there is the considerable class offered up by Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Mullan.
That's not to say that Houston doesn't have some holes to fill. The departure of Nate Jaqua to Seattle once again puts the Dynamo in the market for a forward to pair with Brian Ching. With Bobby Boswell expected to head to Europe, the team will also be looking to bolster the center of its defense, and the aforementioned age issue is most apparent at fullback. While both Wade Barrett and Richard Mulrooney are solid performers, Kinnear will need to start planning now for their eventual departures.
Kinnear will likely go the trade route, a tactic that has served him well over the years. After the 2004 campaign, the departures of Landon Donovan, Ronnie Ekelund and Jeff Agoos forced Kinnear to rebuild a San Jose Earthquake side that eventually morphed into the current Dynamo squad, with Davis and Clark among his acquisitions. And Kinnear's Midas touch in the trade market hasn't diminished over time; the 2007-08 offseason saw him land Boswell.
"Kinnear's too smart; he'll find players," said Wynalda. "And his system is one that works, that really defines the positions well so he doesn't have to get creative. Guys can come and go out of certain position and not have a dramatic effect on the team."
The MLS Website also has a season review. Here are some excerpts, some of which may presage the departure of DeRo:
Waibel: "The greatest thing to take away from this season, on top of the results, is that we are still one of the best teams in this league and we have a bench that is as deep as any."
After their loss to the New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference Semifinal Series, Ching mentioned that he thought there would be some big changes with the team, but failed to elaborate when pushed. Kinnear sidestepped the question and said the team next year would be fine. Waibel acknowledged the possibility of a shakeup, but didn't dwell on the potential breakup in chemistry the team has relied upon since Day 1.
"But I don't think anyone on this roster is banging down the door trying to get out of here. I think everyone that has been here and left is banging on the door trying to get back in." [Well, it seems that DeRo was, in fact, banging down the door trying to get out so he could return to Toronto.]
As for goals in 2009 for whatever players might don the Orange and White next year, that's easy.
"The season is over," Kinnear said. "But our goal for next year is set already, and that is to win MLS Cup 2009."
The DeRo Trade
Ives voices his opinion on the DeRo trade, and whether the Dynamo got a fair deal:
The deal happened because the Dynamo came to the realization that they had to revamp a roster that was showing vulnerabilities that didn't exist when the team was winning MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. The departure of Nate Jaqua, potential departure of Brian Ching and likely departure of stalwart defender Bobby Boswell forced the Dynamo to consider how to revamp their roster without tearing it apart.
As much as all parties involved [Houston, Toronto, DeRo] needed the trade to happen, Toronto FC still came away the clear winner. TFC director of soccer Mo Johnston ... has set Toronto up for a big 2009. Add De Rosario to three first-round draft picks in what is considered a strong upcoming draft in January, $800,000 in allocation money as well as a designated player slot the team is expected to use, and you realize that Toronto had the resources to pay more for De Rosario but didn't.
Johnston managed to land one of the league's best midfielders and a renowned clutch player, and he did so without giving up a key starter or any of the team's three first-round draft picks. Throw in that Houston accepted what sources say was an allocation less than $200,000, and you get the sneaking suspicion that Toronto FC played hardball and Houston relented.
Toronto's reward is a player who will boost a Toronto attack that struggled at times. Whether TFC groups De Rosario with Amado Guevara and Carl Robinson in a 4-5-1 formation or plays De Rosario as a withdrawn forward in a 4-4-1-1, the prospect of having the creative tandem of De Rosario and Guevara working together is a scary proposition. Especially if you consider that Toronto is expected to use its designated player slot on a forward.
The lingering question that stands out when looking at this trade is, why did Houston deal De Rosario for seemingly so little? The reality is that there wasn't a huge market for De Rosario because of his salary, his desire for a new contract and the leaguewide knowledge that he wanted to play only for Toronto. With only one team to deal him to, Houston was left with poor bargaining position, and it showed in what most experts will call a lopsided deal.
Although that may be so, a closer look at the deal reveals that it could help Houston on a variety of fronts. In swapping De Rosario for James and between $150,000 and $175,000 in allocation money, the Dynamo gain a potential net of up to $350,000 of salary-cap space. Houston is expected to use that cap space to use its designated player, with a marquee forward at the top of the team's list of needs.
James also is very high on the lists of several MLS clubs that considered him the best defender in the 2008 MLS draft. Although James did struggle at times as a rookie for Toronto, he still boasts the athleticism and toughness that many scouts believe could help him turn into an elite defender.
In the end, Houston won't regret this deal if Holden flourishes, if its DP signing isn't a flop and if James is a standout defender. But if more than one of these doesn't break right for the Dynamo, critics will look back on this trade as the real beginning of the end for the Dynamo.
As for TFC, the club landed the player it has long coveted and is one step closer to completing a rebuilding project that will see it go from missing the playoffs to winning a title. For Johnston & Co., 2009 is a make-or-break season, and Friday's trade is a major step toward Toronto's establishing itself as a legitimate force next season.
The Chronicle covers one cool aspect of the DeRo trade, and that is that Stuart Holden will be at the heart of the team:
Last week's trade — the biggest in the Dynamo's short history — might have been all about outgoing midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and incoming defender Julius James. But come next season, it might be all about Stuart Holden.
"I’ve always thought that (attacking mid) was my best position," Holden said. "This year I got to play most of my minutes there, and I think I proved to (coach) Dom (Kinnear) that I can play in central midfield, and not only play but score and be a threat."
The team is confident, too. So confident that it is in talks with Holden about a long-term deal — one that is bound to include a significant pay increase —despite him having a season left in his contract.
The Chronicle later takes the position that unloading DeRo may help the team in the long run. DeRo was filling a position where we already had a capable substitute. We needed to make the moves to fill gaping holes in our lineup. Out of the deal we get a young defender of the future, and the money to pursue a solid forward ... possibly Luis Angel Landin, a young Mexican First Division forward from Morelia Monarcas (and Pachuca before that) "with exceptional size, name recognition, incredible potential, and, better yet, an attractive price tag."
Friday, December 12, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
It was good to start off the weekend with a final Dynamo home game. It ended as I thought it would with a Dynamo win, but I was disappointed that the Dynamo didn't handle Firpo better. (Recap. Recap 2.) They should have had a second goal in the first half, and should have done a better job of creating opportunities that could lead to a second goal in the second half. In the end, they made the match a lot harder on themselves and a lot more anxious for their fans by playing down to the competition.
I know that's soccer at times; but it happens a little too frequently for my tastes with this team. Of course a lot of the problem was the gamesmanship used by FIRPO to compensate for their incompetence, and the inconsistent officiating didn't help either. I think a substitute was called for earlier in the second half, but many of our off-the-bench talent was already on the field, and with Holden, Davis, and Cameron out, we didn't have a good option to help out in midfield, where we were struggling. Kei Kamara was a good sub when he came on.
Kei was an example of the best of the Dynamo that night. I loved how Kei twice waved his arms at the crowd to energize the stands. That was his way of saying "We're in a tight one down here, we need your help, guys." After the game, he and his teammates took to the center circle and applauded all four sides of the stadium. That was much needed, and much appreciated by the supporters. Soon after, my sons and I were walking behind the north goal on our way out of the stadium, when we saw Kamara walking down from the El Batallon section. I don't know what he was doing there, but I figure he had been showing his appreciation for the season-long fervent support.
(In addition to Kamara, Frankie Hejduk also knows how to get the supporters energized.)
While intermingling with the supporters groups is above and beyond the call of duty, the applauding of the fans is the sort of fan-feedback that a team should provide on a regular basis. It acknowledges the fans and is recognition that should be demonstrated by any player who expects fans to be cheering for him. I did notice that all three players subbed out (Jaqua, DeRo, and Ching) applauded the fans as they came off the field. The cheers for Jaqua, and his response, were a little more ardent due to the fact that we all knew that was his last appearance in Orange. He'll be wearing Seattle Emerald next year.
The game had a weird vibe to it. Maybe it's been too long since I attended a CONCACAF match. They didn't do the Star Spangled Banner after the line ups. The players didn't stand facing the crowd while the line ups were announced (they had moved to the shaking of hands, flipping of coins, and posing for pictures). And I didn't spot the Dynamo Girls even in the stands. I don't remember a confetti canon when Ching scored either. It was a no-frills game, I guess.
My sons and I were sitting in Section 203 for the game. We took the seats from a co-worker of mine who had season tickets but was heading out of town for the holiday. It turns out, the seats are right next to those of a former co-worker of mine. I worked with him from 1995-2000 and hadn't seen him since. It was good to catch up with him, but he did tell me a story about the Dynamo players that disturbed me. One day he came to a Dynamo Reserves match, and he saw Holden, DeRo, and another player (I can't recall who he said) watching the game from the goal line seats. He decided to go sit not too far from them. He didn't bother them -- he didn't even speak to them -- he just wanted to take in the game and watch some Dynamo first teamers root as fans too. Well, they called security on him and forced him to move. (He said he thought it was Holden, of all people, who called security.) I thought that was a pretty crappy thing for players to do at a game. It wasn't like they were out on the town; they were at a Dynamo game. If they wanted privacy, they should go to one of the boxes. It wasn't like he was bothering them anyway. I hope that my old friend just misunderstood the situation and it was security -- and security alone -- who saw him and decided to relocate him.
At any rate, the Dynamo players did show their fan appreciation on Wednesday, and they were definitely the classier of the two teams on the field. Overall, they gave us a season of quality and came close to bringing home some silverware in the Pan-Pacific Cup and SuperLiga. They had also positioned themselves well for completing the nearly impossible three-peat. However, this year, for the first time, they brought home no awards -- not even El Capitan for the first time ever. Still, they're better positioned than most teams for a solid 2009 campaign, and they're the only MLS team heading to the quarterfinals of the Champions League Cup.
A few moves off-season should ensure a good 2009 -- and hopefully a better start than 2008. We also need to get that stadium situation settled (and find a way to do so WITHOUT allowing football lines on the damn grass). If $10 million really is the difference between a downtown stadium or none, you'd think that Anschutz would pony it up since they'd easily make that back with a stadium located in the Central Business District.
Maybe such gifts are better discussed around Christmas time. Right now we're enjoying Thanksgiving and we should be thankful for what we have.
Thanks for a great season, Dynamo and Dynamofans. Here's hoping for an even better one next year.
I know that's soccer at times; but it happens a little too frequently for my tastes with this team. Of course a lot of the problem was the gamesmanship used by FIRPO to compensate for their incompetence, and the inconsistent officiating didn't help either. I think a substitute was called for earlier in the second half, but many of our off-the-bench talent was already on the field, and with Holden, Davis, and Cameron out, we didn't have a good option to help out in midfield, where we were struggling. Kei Kamara was a good sub when he came on.
Kei was an example of the best of the Dynamo that night. I loved how Kei twice waved his arms at the crowd to energize the stands. That was his way of saying "We're in a tight one down here, we need your help, guys." After the game, he and his teammates took to the center circle and applauded all four sides of the stadium. That was much needed, and much appreciated by the supporters. Soon after, my sons and I were walking behind the north goal on our way out of the stadium, when we saw Kamara walking down from the El Batallon section. I don't know what he was doing there, but I figure he had been showing his appreciation for the season-long fervent support.
(In addition to Kamara, Frankie Hejduk also knows how to get the supporters energized.)
While intermingling with the supporters groups is above and beyond the call of duty, the applauding of the fans is the sort of fan-feedback that a team should provide on a regular basis. It acknowledges the fans and is recognition that should be demonstrated by any player who expects fans to be cheering for him. I did notice that all three players subbed out (Jaqua, DeRo, and Ching) applauded the fans as they came off the field. The cheers for Jaqua, and his response, were a little more ardent due to the fact that we all knew that was his last appearance in Orange. He'll be wearing Seattle Emerald next year.
The game had a weird vibe to it. Maybe it's been too long since I attended a CONCACAF match. They didn't do the Star Spangled Banner after the line ups. The players didn't stand facing the crowd while the line ups were announced (they had moved to the shaking of hands, flipping of coins, and posing for pictures). And I didn't spot the Dynamo Girls even in the stands. I don't remember a confetti canon when Ching scored either. It was a no-frills game, I guess.
My sons and I were sitting in Section 203 for the game. We took the seats from a co-worker of mine who had season tickets but was heading out of town for the holiday. It turns out, the seats are right next to those of a former co-worker of mine. I worked with him from 1995-2000 and hadn't seen him since. It was good to catch up with him, but he did tell me a story about the Dynamo players that disturbed me. One day he came to a Dynamo Reserves match, and he saw Holden, DeRo, and another player (I can't recall who he said) watching the game from the goal line seats. He decided to go sit not too far from them. He didn't bother them -- he didn't even speak to them -- he just wanted to take in the game and watch some Dynamo first teamers root as fans too. Well, they called security on him and forced him to move. (He said he thought it was Holden, of all people, who called security.) I thought that was a pretty crappy thing for players to do at a game. It wasn't like they were out on the town; they were at a Dynamo game. If they wanted privacy, they should go to one of the boxes. It wasn't like he was bothering them anyway. I hope that my old friend just misunderstood the situation and it was security -- and security alone -- who saw him and decided to relocate him.
At any rate, the Dynamo players did show their fan appreciation on Wednesday, and they were definitely the classier of the two teams on the field. Overall, they gave us a season of quality and came close to bringing home some silverware in the Pan-Pacific Cup and SuperLiga. They had also positioned themselves well for completing the nearly impossible three-peat. However, this year, for the first time, they brought home no awards -- not even El Capitan for the first time ever. Still, they're better positioned than most teams for a solid 2009 campaign, and they're the only MLS team heading to the quarterfinals of the Champions League Cup.
A few moves off-season should ensure a good 2009 -- and hopefully a better start than 2008. We also need to get that stadium situation settled (and find a way to do so WITHOUT allowing football lines on the damn grass). If $10 million really is the difference between a downtown stadium or none, you'd think that Anschutz would pony it up since they'd easily make that back with a stadium located in the Central Business District.
Maybe such gifts are better discussed around Christmas time. Right now we're enjoying Thanksgiving and we should be thankful for what we have.
Thanks for a great season, Dynamo and Dynamofans. Here's hoping for an even better one next year.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The MLS Cup is over, but the Dynamo are still playing
It's a new era for Dynamo soccer. We're now fans of a team that is not the MLS Champion. But because the 'Mo is arguably the best team in the MLS, it's still a great time to be an Orangefan. Lark Howorth has stated in his blog that we will be tested as to "whether we support the Dynamo even harder and better next year, despite the MLS Cup sitting in a rival's display case." Supporters have to "remember that a soccer team depends on its fans as much as the fans depends on the team." So true.
A truly devoted supporter will be a vocal supporter of the team, attending every game whether or not the team is the champion and whether or not the team has a good team that can contend for titles. I suppose I am a little on the fickle side when it comes to team support. I am not one that needs my team to be the champion, but I do expect the team to be a quality team that is expected to compete for championships. As long as I don't feel the front office is skimping on the product, I'll buy. They don't need to be champions, but they need to be quality. Maybe that doesn't make me fickle; perhaps I'm just discriminating.
At any rate, we have a quality team here in Houston, and I, for one, am so glad the Dynamo have their postponed CONCACAF match tomorrow. (Preview. Preview 2.) It's going to be a long off-season, so I'm eager to get one last game in before the hiatus.
It's win and move on for the Dynamo. I like their chances, given (1) the desire to end the season on a high note, (2) having enough prep time and rest for the match, (3) we're playing at home, and (4) our reserves tied and almost won the match in San Salvador.
Unfortunately, by game time we'll already know that one of our players will be moving to Seattle. Most people assume that someone will be Nate Jaqua. If so, we'll miss him but wish him the best of luck. (And anyone taken will be available for the evening match versus Firpo.)
Here's hoping the soon-to-be-departed leaves with a final Orange victory under his belt.
Accolades for the Dynamo
Even though they had the second best record in the league and the best record in international competitions, the Dynamo saw little recognition for their quality. That's become de rigueur for the Dynamo, who have often focused on team accomplishments in lieu of individual accolades. Noble.
In 2006 I think DeRo should have gotten MVP. We had a goal of the year candidate last year (I think) that should have been recognized. This year, I think the travesty was that Geoff Cameron wasn't selected Rookie of the Year. He wasn't a regular starter, but he played on every part of the field but goalkeeper for the top ranked Dynamo, and contributed mightily to our run in international play. Instead, the award went to a defender on a team with the worst defense.
But at least the front office won some awards. (And here is another article on the matter...but nothing on the official Dynamo or MLS websites?) This is one of the best run organizations in the league: on field, on the sidelines, and in the office.
MLS Cup
Though I didn't have a personal rooting interest, I did watch the MLS Cup. (Recap.) It didn't have the feel of a championship game -- maybe it was due to the empty seats or the quality of the pre-game and halftime commentary. I dunno. It was a decent match though.
At any rate, I was pulling for the Crew as they were the more deserving team. If a league's champion is a team with a losing record in the regular season, then that league has a faulty method for choosing a champ. Luckily that didn't come to pass.
In the first half the Crew did unto the Red Bulls what the Red Bulls had done unto others: absorb pressure then score on the odd chance from the counterattack. According to Steve Davis, this was not a matter of the Crew playing poorly, but it was an intentional strategy by the Crew in order to take RBNY out of their regular game. It was a risky, but effective move that also allowed the second half to be a better balanced game. We were treated to a total of 4 goals (3 in the second half) and in the final 10 minutes we saw a beautiful goal off a linkup between Schelotto and "Hey, Duck!"
Overall it was a decent -- though not an awe-inspiring -- final match.
Changes Coming to the MLS
The Commish did his annual pre-Cup state of the league speech. There were several key items that were noted in the speech.
Some highlights:
A truly devoted supporter will be a vocal supporter of the team, attending every game whether or not the team is the champion and whether or not the team has a good team that can contend for titles. I suppose I am a little on the fickle side when it comes to team support. I am not one that needs my team to be the champion, but I do expect the team to be a quality team that is expected to compete for championships. As long as I don't feel the front office is skimping on the product, I'll buy. They don't need to be champions, but they need to be quality. Maybe that doesn't make me fickle; perhaps I'm just discriminating.
At any rate, we have a quality team here in Houston, and I, for one, am so glad the Dynamo have their postponed CONCACAF match tomorrow. (Preview. Preview 2.) It's going to be a long off-season, so I'm eager to get one last game in before the hiatus.
It's win and move on for the Dynamo. I like their chances, given (1) the desire to end the season on a high note, (2) having enough prep time and rest for the match, (3) we're playing at home, and (4) our reserves tied and almost won the match in San Salvador.
Unfortunately, by game time we'll already know that one of our players will be moving to Seattle. Most people assume that someone will be Nate Jaqua. If so, we'll miss him but wish him the best of luck. (And anyone taken will be available for the evening match versus Firpo.)
Here's hoping the soon-to-be-departed leaves with a final Orange victory under his belt.
Accolades for the Dynamo
Even though they had the second best record in the league and the best record in international competitions, the Dynamo saw little recognition for their quality. That's become de rigueur for the Dynamo, who have often focused on team accomplishments in lieu of individual accolades. Noble.
In 2006 I think DeRo should have gotten MVP. We had a goal of the year candidate last year (I think) that should have been recognized. This year, I think the travesty was that Geoff Cameron wasn't selected Rookie of the Year. He wasn't a regular starter, but he played on every part of the field but goalkeeper for the top ranked Dynamo, and contributed mightily to our run in international play. Instead, the award went to a defender on a team with the worst defense.
But at least the front office won some awards. (And here is another article on the matter...but nothing on the official Dynamo or MLS websites?) This is one of the best run organizations in the league: on field, on the sidelines, and in the office.
MLS Cup
Though I didn't have a personal rooting interest, I did watch the MLS Cup. (Recap.) It didn't have the feel of a championship game -- maybe it was due to the empty seats or the quality of the pre-game and halftime commentary. I dunno. It was a decent match though.
At any rate, I was pulling for the Crew as they were the more deserving team. If a league's champion is a team with a losing record in the regular season, then that league has a faulty method for choosing a champ. Luckily that didn't come to pass.
In the first half the Crew did unto the Red Bulls what the Red Bulls had done unto others: absorb pressure then score on the odd chance from the counterattack. According to Steve Davis, this was not a matter of the Crew playing poorly, but it was an intentional strategy by the Crew in order to take RBNY out of their regular game. It was a risky, but effective move that also allowed the second half to be a better balanced game. We were treated to a total of 4 goals (3 in the second half) and in the final 10 minutes we saw a beautiful goal off a linkup between Schelotto and "Hey, Duck!"
Overall it was a decent -- though not an awe-inspiring -- final match.
Changes Coming to the MLS
The Commish did his annual pre-Cup state of the league speech. There were several key items that were noted in the speech.
Some highlights:
- The reserve division is gone. (Houston will be the final champion.) The Senior roster will be expanded from 18 to 20. The Reserves will be reduced from 10 to 4.
- “There will be small growth in the salary cap.”
- Teams in the CONCACAF Champions League will not play in SuperLiga. Houston will play in the CCL, along with Columbus, New York, and DC. SuperLiga competitors will include Chicago, Chivas USA, Kansas City, and New England. I don't think there are any changes to the US Open Cup participation.
- Teams will play 30 games in the regular season. Teams will play every other team once away and once at home. That makes up 28 games. There will also be two additional games versus a "rival," so, presumably, Houston will have an additional home game and an additional away game versus Dallas.
- MLS will take off 2 international dates next year and will go to a reduced schedule on four other weekends.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Another first in a season of firsts
We opened the season with a 3-0 loss, and we closed the season with a 3-0 loss. What happened to the vaunted Dynamo defense?
Dynamo get a first round exit. The best team in the league (no, not the team with the best record -- only the second best record -- but the best team nonetheless) got spanked at home. RBNY never does that. Houston never allows it to be done. It was, nevertheless, done.
That game just sucked. What a horrible time for the Dynamo to reaquaint themselves with their poor finishing bugaboo. Speed killed us this year. Dane Richards has speed. He got the goal and the PK that ended the game and our season. Crapola.
I'm off to Florida in an hour to work for the week, and I'll have a long time alone to stew about this bitter and unjust end to the season.
Dynamo get a first round exit. The best team in the league (no, not the team with the best record -- only the second best record -- but the best team nonetheless) got spanked at home. RBNY never does that. Houston never allows it to be done. It was, nevertheless, done.
That game just sucked. What a horrible time for the Dynamo to reaquaint themselves with their poor finishing bugaboo. Speed killed us this year. Dane Richards has speed. He got the goal and the PK that ended the game and our season. Crapola.
I'm off to Florida in an hour to work for the week, and I'll have a long time alone to stew about this bitter and unjust end to the season.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
'Mo Salvages an Otherwise Miserable Sportsday
Thanks, Kei, for getting the dramatic equalizer in the 85th minute. (Recap. Recap 2.) We're tied up with RBNY so it's a simple matter of win and move on at Robertson next week.
Other than that, the weekend sucked. My son's team lost 3-2 to a team they had beaten 5-3 on the opponent's home field. It was their first loss of the season and was one of those frustrating matches where you dominate territory and possession, but give up a few quick counterattacks that make you pay. We were 2-2 at the half. We scored in the 3rd, they scored in the 7th, we went ahead in the 16th, and they equalized in the 30th. Both of their goals came from footraces between their forward and our defenders. Our first goal came off a header after the boys executed a corner kick sequence perfectly. (Short pass-layoff-cross-header-Goal!) Our second goal came from some combinations up the center that sprang our forward into the attacking third. The first half also saw a handball in our box, but our goalkeeper saved the successive PK. Five minutes into the second half, our opponent scored what would be the winning goal. It started from yet another fast break, but then slowed down when we kicked the ball out of bounds. A few bounces after the throw in and we lost the game. The remainder of the match was in the opponent's half ... but nothing went in the opponent's goal, unfortunately.
The worst part of the loss is that I (as the coach) think I sat a player out too long because (1) we needed our best players in to win, (2) this guy isn't one of our best players, and (3) worst of all, he half-trots around almost as if he doesn't want to play. Also, unbeknownst to me, I stopped my stopwatch sometime in the second half, so I was unaware how late we were in the game. So, either out of subconscious desire to hide our weakness or an accidental occurrence because I thought we had more time left in the game, I ended up breaking my own cardinal rule and played him less than the 40 minute minimum (half the game, spread over both halves). He had 20 minutes in the first half but only 10 minutes in the second. And I feel lousy. I've become one of those jerk-coaches who sacrifice player development in order to win.
And then to cap off the day, my Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. I don't know WHAT our problem was in the first half, but we almost made amends with our comeback in the second half. Had Gideon hung onto the interception with 8 seconds left, then I think my whole weekend would have seemed just fine. Now there is a pallor over everything. Everything.
And to cap things off, I'm traveling to Florida next Sunday for business during the week. I'll miss seeing the Dynamo game, and worst of all: I'll miss most of my daughter's 11th birthday. Next weekend isn't looking much better than this one.
Hopefully the Dynamo give me something to smile about next weekend too.
Other than that, the weekend sucked. My son's team lost 3-2 to a team they had beaten 5-3 on the opponent's home field. It was their first loss of the season and was one of those frustrating matches where you dominate territory and possession, but give up a few quick counterattacks that make you pay. We were 2-2 at the half. We scored in the 3rd, they scored in the 7th, we went ahead in the 16th, and they equalized in the 30th. Both of their goals came from footraces between their forward and our defenders. Our first goal came off a header after the boys executed a corner kick sequence perfectly. (Short pass-layoff-cross-header-Goal!) Our second goal came from some combinations up the center that sprang our forward into the attacking third. The first half also saw a handball in our box, but our goalkeeper saved the successive PK. Five minutes into the second half, our opponent scored what would be the winning goal. It started from yet another fast break, but then slowed down when we kicked the ball out of bounds. A few bounces after the throw in and we lost the game. The remainder of the match was in the opponent's half ... but nothing went in the opponent's goal, unfortunately.
The worst part of the loss is that I (as the coach) think I sat a player out too long because (1) we needed our best players in to win, (2) this guy isn't one of our best players, and (3) worst of all, he half-trots around almost as if he doesn't want to play. Also, unbeknownst to me, I stopped my stopwatch sometime in the second half, so I was unaware how late we were in the game. So, either out of subconscious desire to hide our weakness or an accidental occurrence because I thought we had more time left in the game, I ended up breaking my own cardinal rule and played him less than the 40 minute minimum (half the game, spread over both halves). He had 20 minutes in the first half but only 10 minutes in the second. And I feel lousy. I've become one of those jerk-coaches who sacrifice player development in order to win.
And then to cap off the day, my Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. I don't know WHAT our problem was in the first half, but we almost made amends with our comeback in the second half. Had Gideon hung onto the interception with 8 seconds left, then I think my whole weekend would have seemed just fine. Now there is a pallor over everything. Everything.
And to cap things off, I'm traveling to Florida next Sunday for business during the week. I'll miss seeing the Dynamo game, and worst of all: I'll miss most of my daughter's 11th birthday. Next weekend isn't looking much better than this one.
Hopefully the Dynamo give me something to smile about next weekend too.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Oh so close in El Salvador
The Dynamo Reserves did what they had to do and kept the Dynamo in the mix for moving on to the knockout stages of the Champions League. But they were within mere minutes of being the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF match overseas this year. (Recap. Recap by Ives.)
The second team carried the play of the first half and could easily have had another goal or two, but it conceded possession and territory throughout the second. Even then, though they lagged in possession, they had the more dangerous opportunities on goal. And, in the 87th minute, had Caig not mis-timed his punch or had Chabala gotten his legs together quicker on the goal line, the team would have gotten the full 3 points. (With Onstad on the field as the only change to the lineup, we win.)
But the team should be extremely proud, being better than the El Salvador first team in the first half and being their equal in the second. And, best of all, they got the result they needed.
The Dynamo Blog has some notes on the game. (The Chronicle and B-Fall do as well, as usual. Those links expire quickly though, so get there via the Chronicle link in the left margin.)
It'll be up to the first team to win the game on November 26 (3 days after the MLS Cup...and the Dynamo Three-peat?) so we can move to the next stage. Given the performance of the Reserves last night, one has to think the first team should be able to get the necessary 3 points, but they will be facing a side that will pack it in seeking the tie and the easy counter-attacking goal. The Dynamo often struggle scoring against sides that put 11 behind the ball.
But first things first: Let's get our first turf win of the season this Saturday. Go Dynamo!
The second team carried the play of the first half and could easily have had another goal or two, but it conceded possession and territory throughout the second. Even then, though they lagged in possession, they had the more dangerous opportunities on goal. And, in the 87th minute, had Caig not mis-timed his punch or had Chabala gotten his legs together quicker on the goal line, the team would have gotten the full 3 points. (With Onstad on the field as the only change to the lineup, we win.)
But the team should be extremely proud, being better than the El Salvador first team in the first half and being their equal in the second. And, best of all, they got the result they needed.
The Dynamo Blog has some notes on the game. (The Chronicle and B-Fall do as well, as usual. Those links expire quickly though, so get there via the Chronicle link in the left margin.)
It'll be up to the first team to win the game on November 26 (3 days after the MLS Cup...and the Dynamo Three-peat?) so we can move to the next stage. Given the performance of the Reserves last night, one has to think the first team should be able to get the necessary 3 points, but they will be facing a side that will pack it in seeking the tie and the easy counter-attacking goal. The Dynamo often struggle scoring against sides that put 11 behind the ball.
But first things first: Let's get our first turf win of the season this Saturday. Go Dynamo!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Farewell, Regular Season 2008
The Dynamo wrapped up the season with a nice win, an ugly loss, and a disappointing draw.
A week ago, on a Saturday, the team racked up three quick goals in the first half to defeat the hapless Galaxy and lock up the Western Conference regular season "title". (Note: The Dynamo won't be called the Western Conference Champions unless they win the MLS Cup Semifinals in the post-season.) The past two years we came in second in the Conference, so it is a nice accomplishment to be first in the Conference and second overall for the first time. In addition to it being "nice," it also assures the Dynamo have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, a benefit that hasn't proven beneficial for the past two Western Conference leaders (FC Dallas in 2006 and Chivas USA in 2007), both of whom washed out in the first round. Hopefully we fare better with the advantage. We usually do.
On Wednesday, the Dynamo veterans and reserves met the UNAM Pumas veterans and reserves. We managed to tie them in Mexico City, so hopes were high here at home, particularly given the run we've had. It was not to be, as we fell to Pumas 1-3. It was our first loss since August 24, when we lost 0-3 to RBNY. (More on that later.) Pumas scored on a PK after a poorly positioned Ianni knocked down an onrushing attacker in the penalty box. Then Pumas scored on a quick counter that was essentially a 3v1 (Barrett was the "1", with Ashe coming in from behind). With the MIO pushed up on a free kick, the Dynamo lost possession and the midfield failed to contain or delay the Pumas middle, leaving the Dynamo backline exposed when undermanned. Before the half ended, the exciting rookie, Geoff Cameron, intercepted a goal kick, raced down the right flank, and sent a cross in for Nate Jaqua that a defender kindly knocked in. Pumas got the only goal of the second half, with a nice heel flick/volley off a corner kick where an offside Pumas player shielded Onstad from the shot. After the game, Coach Dom correctly pointed out that the goal should have not counted. But it did. We had plenty of chances to score in the first and second halves. But we didn't. And we were probably fortunate that Stuart Holden wasn't sent off with a second yellow card after repeated poorly-timed and executed slide tackles. Our first loss of the CONCACAF Champions League, and enough to knock us into third place and needing a win and a tie to get through to the next round.
The week ended with a miserable match versus Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center. It shouldn't have been a miserable match because (1) it was a meaningless match and (2) it would probably see our starters rested. BUT, it became meaningful when The Dom decided to play a full strength squad for some reason (you're not going to rest them for the match in El Salvador? For the playoffs?), and that veteran squad proved unable to score a goal against a 10-man team. We had plenty of opportunities, but poor finishing plagued the team as it seems to do at the most inopportune times, and almost always when playing against a short-sided team. We did get a PK in the second half, but nothing else. To add salt to the wound, our veterans also conceded a goal to the 10-man side after a freaky series of caroms in the final minute of the match. The first carom was when ERob nearly scored an own-goal, forcing Onstad to make a diving save, and Little Curtin was able to punch in the bouncing ball from a foot out.
It was not a good day for ERob, who also nearly gifted Anton Razov a goal when he lost control of the ball and coughed it up to Razov who was eventually denied in a 1-on-1 with Pat On-Stud.
In the end, the tie didn't do anything but tick fans off and deny the Dynamo the chance to better their point total from last year. (They had 52 points last year; 51 this year.)
So now what?
Well, Tuesday we face CD Luis Angel Firpo in El Salvador for CONCACAF Champions League. We need a draw to stay alive.
Saturday we take on RBNY in the first leg of the first round of the playoffs. The good news: RBNY sucks. The bad news: RBNY plays on turf. We don't do well on the fake stuff, having not won on it one time this year. In fact, it seems that in our history, we've only won one game on the fake stuff. Well, we need to get at least a tie this weekend then seal the deal here in Houston the following week. Losing out to RBNY in the first round is unacceptable.
Finally, congrats to the Dynamo Reserves, who won the Reserve Division title this past weekend. It was a brilliant campaign by John Spencer and the lads. I wonder what they will do with the $20,000 they won.
The victory in the Reserve Division is another success in the history of the club. Now let's get on with setting MLS history by getting the three-peat. Go Dynamo!
A week ago, on a Saturday, the team racked up three quick goals in the first half to defeat the hapless Galaxy and lock up the Western Conference regular season "title". (Note: The Dynamo won't be called the Western Conference Champions unless they win the MLS Cup Semifinals in the post-season.) The past two years we came in second in the Conference, so it is a nice accomplishment to be first in the Conference and second overall for the first time. In addition to it being "nice," it also assures the Dynamo have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, a benefit that hasn't proven beneficial for the past two Western Conference leaders (FC Dallas in 2006 and Chivas USA in 2007), both of whom washed out in the first round. Hopefully we fare better with the advantage. We usually do.
On Wednesday, the Dynamo veterans and reserves met the UNAM Pumas veterans and reserves. We managed to tie them in Mexico City, so hopes were high here at home, particularly given the run we've had. It was not to be, as we fell to Pumas 1-3. It was our first loss since August 24, when we lost 0-3 to RBNY. (More on that later.) Pumas scored on a PK after a poorly positioned Ianni knocked down an onrushing attacker in the penalty box. Then Pumas scored on a quick counter that was essentially a 3v1 (Barrett was the "1", with Ashe coming in from behind). With the MIO pushed up on a free kick, the Dynamo lost possession and the midfield failed to contain or delay the Pumas middle, leaving the Dynamo backline exposed when undermanned. Before the half ended, the exciting rookie, Geoff Cameron, intercepted a goal kick, raced down the right flank, and sent a cross in for Nate Jaqua that a defender kindly knocked in. Pumas got the only goal of the second half, with a nice heel flick/volley off a corner kick where an offside Pumas player shielded Onstad from the shot. After the game, Coach Dom correctly pointed out that the goal should have not counted. But it did. We had plenty of chances to score in the first and second halves. But we didn't. And we were probably fortunate that Stuart Holden wasn't sent off with a second yellow card after repeated poorly-timed and executed slide tackles. Our first loss of the CONCACAF Champions League, and enough to knock us into third place and needing a win and a tie to get through to the next round.
The week ended with a miserable match versus Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center. It shouldn't have been a miserable match because (1) it was a meaningless match and (2) it would probably see our starters rested. BUT, it became meaningful when The Dom decided to play a full strength squad for some reason (you're not going to rest them for the match in El Salvador? For the playoffs?), and that veteran squad proved unable to score a goal against a 10-man team. We had plenty of opportunities, but poor finishing plagued the team as it seems to do at the most inopportune times, and almost always when playing against a short-sided team. We did get a PK in the second half, but nothing else. To add salt to the wound, our veterans also conceded a goal to the 10-man side after a freaky series of caroms in the final minute of the match. The first carom was when ERob nearly scored an own-goal, forcing Onstad to make a diving save, and Little Curtin was able to punch in the bouncing ball from a foot out.
It was not a good day for ERob, who also nearly gifted Anton Razov a goal when he lost control of the ball and coughed it up to Razov who was eventually denied in a 1-on-1 with Pat On-Stud.
In the end, the tie didn't do anything but tick fans off and deny the Dynamo the chance to better their point total from last year. (They had 52 points last year; 51 this year.)
So now what?
Well, Tuesday we face CD Luis Angel Firpo in El Salvador for CONCACAF Champions League. We need a draw to stay alive.
Saturday we take on RBNY in the first leg of the first round of the playoffs. The good news: RBNY sucks. The bad news: RBNY plays on turf. We don't do well on the fake stuff, having not won on it one time this year. In fact, it seems that in our history, we've only won one game on the fake stuff. Well, we need to get at least a tie this weekend then seal the deal here in Houston the following week. Losing out to RBNY in the first round is unacceptable.
Finally, congrats to the Dynamo Reserves, who won the Reserve Division title this past weekend. It was a brilliant campaign by John Spencer and the lads. I wonder what they will do with the $20,000 they won.
The victory in the Reserve Division is another success in the history of the club. Now let's get on with setting MLS history by getting the three-peat. Go Dynamo!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Holden it in until the end
The Dynamo apparently have a lock on late-game heroics.
Tonight, twice a Dynamo forward knocked the ball into the post, and twice Stuart Holden was there to clean up the mess -- in the 6th minute Stuie started the scoring and in the 93rd minute he sealed the game. (Recap.) In between, the Dynamo played 80 minutes with 10 men after Kei Kamara was red carded, but it was the Dynamo who looked comfortable and confident on the pitch. They controlled the game and should have had another goal on several occasions. In the first half Ashe was 1v1 with Joe Cannon but hit the ball into the GK, later Ashe completely juked Hernandez (at Right Back) and put a sweet cross across the goal that Stuie touched just wide, later Cameron fights his way into the box and is tripped from behind but gets no call, throw in some missed headers off corner kicks (Boswell had an open header on one corner, and in the second half had a shot from 40 yards that almost caught Cannon away from the nets), and later Mullan and Jaqua had a 2v1 with Nick Garcia (who was booed the whole game after his role in getting Kamara ejected) but a bad pass allowed Cannon to snuff the chance. Funny thing is, Jaqua and Mullen looked dead-legged in this poorly executed play, but being late subs, they were the freshest guys on the field.
Besides these opportunities on goal, possession and penetration favored the MIO ... that is until about the 60th minute when I think fatigue starting eroding the Dynamo's usual punch. It's tough playing a man down, and the Dynamo began conserving their energy and relying more on counters for offensive output. Fatigue probably also affected Robinson's decision making when he made that bad back pass that led to the Quakes' equalizer in the 68th minute.
But Stuie saved the day in dramatic fashion. We're now 5 points ahead of Chivas USA. We need to only tie one of our two remaining games (vs LA and at Chivas) in order to clinch home field advantage through the playoffs -- which is crucial for this team and for its fan base.
First we host the Beckhamless Galaxy this Saturday. We'll need to do so without Robinson (yellow card accumulation) and Kamara (red card), but luckily Stuart gave us some breathing room tonight.
Get some rest, boys.
Tonight, twice a Dynamo forward knocked the ball into the post, and twice Stuart Holden was there to clean up the mess -- in the 6th minute Stuie started the scoring and in the 93rd minute he sealed the game. (Recap.) In between, the Dynamo played 80 minutes with 10 men after Kei Kamara was red carded, but it was the Dynamo who looked comfortable and confident on the pitch. They controlled the game and should have had another goal on several occasions. In the first half Ashe was 1v1 with Joe Cannon but hit the ball into the GK, later Ashe completely juked Hernandez (at Right Back) and put a sweet cross across the goal that Stuie touched just wide, later Cameron fights his way into the box and is tripped from behind but gets no call, throw in some missed headers off corner kicks (Boswell had an open header on one corner, and in the second half had a shot from 40 yards that almost caught Cannon away from the nets), and later Mullan and Jaqua had a 2v1 with Nick Garcia (who was booed the whole game after his role in getting Kamara ejected) but a bad pass allowed Cannon to snuff the chance. Funny thing is, Jaqua and Mullen looked dead-legged in this poorly executed play, but being late subs, they were the freshest guys on the field.
Besides these opportunities on goal, possession and penetration favored the MIO ... that is until about the 60th minute when I think fatigue starting eroding the Dynamo's usual punch. It's tough playing a man down, and the Dynamo began conserving their energy and relying more on counters for offensive output. Fatigue probably also affected Robinson's decision making when he made that bad back pass that led to the Quakes' equalizer in the 68th minute.
But Stuie saved the day in dramatic fashion. We're now 5 points ahead of Chivas USA. We need to only tie one of our two remaining games (vs LA and at Chivas) in order to clinch home field advantage through the playoffs -- which is crucial for this team and for its fan base.
First we host the Beckhamless Galaxy this Saturday. We'll need to do so without Robinson (yellow card accumulation) and Kamara (red card), but luckily Stuart gave us some breathing room tonight.
Get some rest, boys.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Playing catch up
The lack of blogging isn't due to my lack of attention to the world of soccer. On the contrary, so much has been going on (in the MLS, World Cup Qualifying, and my efforts to be a decent coach for my son's youth team), that I haven't made time to write.
But here I am. Since my last writing, the Dynamo have been very active.
They beat Colorado in Denver (Recap) behind 2 goals from Ching (he had a saved PK that would've given him the hat trick) and a sweet shot from afar by Rico. The win ensured the Dynamo clinched a playoff spot.
Midweek, in CONCACAF play, DeRo earned 3 points for the Orange with a brilliant game winner in the 88th minute. (Recap.) It looked like San Francisco FC of Panama was going to escape from Houston with a point. It would have been unjust, but poor finishing was killing the MIO. (We had 20 shots to Fr'isco's 6.) The night saw several young guns making their mark. Corey Ashe had perhaps his best game ever as he tore up the left flank and showed strong runs and solid crosses. Caig was a surprise starter in goal, and his poor positioning off his line (in yet another match) allowed the Panamanians to equalize early in the 2nd half with an outstanding lob. Chabala did well at right back, but could stand some practice making crosses when his legs are tired late. Wondo had a goal and nearly another (a chip that hit the post, and then the followup went wide as it was borne of frustration than of steely intent to finish). Kyle Brown was a surprising sub. But the game changed when the veteran, DeRo, came in at the 78th minute. He energized the team and seemed to make things happen.
His goal was good in and of itself, but what he did to get himself into that position is what was truly amazing. In the 88th minute, a long pass by Barrett to DeRo was intercepted and the ball ended up at Blanco's feet (no, not THE Blanco). Blanco began dribbling towards the halfway line, but DeRo came up from behind, deftly stepped between Blanco and the ball, and cleanly stole away and reversed course. Given time and space on the fringe of the attacking third, DeRo was like a kid at Christmas and unleashed a bending rocket that flat-footed the goalkeeper and iced the game. DeRo had been in the game all of 10 minutes.
Later in the week, the US Men's Team booked passage into the next round of WCQ with an easy win over an overmatched (and undermanned) Cuba. (Recap.) I feel for the Cuban players. Ching scored a goal after the match had already been decided. (His goal was a header of a Kljestan cross that Ching knocked in...but he was in a gaggle with 2 other US players so it would have been knocked in had Ching not been at the vanguard of the group). The most exciting part of the match for me was the introduction of José Francisco Torres of Pachuca into the USMNT rotation. (Quotes.) Maybe it's just pie-eyed dreams, but I hope that Torres is part of the future that builds a better technically skilled and creative USMNT culture. A guy can dream.
Ives has some observations about the game. Ives also had a good treatise on the worth Ching brings to the USMNT. The article is followed by amusing drivel -- for the most part -- chundered by the blogging community. It's amusing partly because the comments are so predictable, and partly because they are naive for the most part. As one matures, one realizes that there is not just one kind of forward, but many types that have value depending on the system and the team. Ching simply makes the players around him more productive. In other words: Ching makes the team better. That's a good thing. 'Nuff said.
Tonight, the week finished with a boring scoreless draw between a mediocre DC United team and a Dynamo team bereft of ideas. (Recap.) The result earned the Columbus Crew the Supporters' Shield.
The MIO wore all-white tonight as part of a charity effort to help raise funds as part of the reconstruction after Hurricane Ike. The team also honored first responders and their role in helping with the storm recovery.
The game was filled with half-chances. Geoff Cameron was an early 2nd half sub despite being listed as "Out" due to hamstring issues. He came in for Holden who knocked heads in the DC penalty box and got a golf-ball size lump on his forehead...yikes! Ashe was the other sub. He came on with only 10 minutes remaining, so it took him a while to get into the groove, but once he got into a rhythm, he delivered some nice crosses from the left.
It's been a long month for the Dynamo, but the traveling is over for the time being. Hopefully the MIO can re-energize themselves, recapture the (healthy) passion (not the anger-management-issue-laden passion that ERob shows before drawing needless Yellows), and do what needs to be done to get the third consecutive MLS Cup.
Go Dynamo!
But here I am. Since my last writing, the Dynamo have been very active.
They beat Colorado in Denver (Recap) behind 2 goals from Ching (he had a saved PK that would've given him the hat trick) and a sweet shot from afar by Rico. The win ensured the Dynamo clinched a playoff spot.
Midweek, in CONCACAF play, DeRo earned 3 points for the Orange with a brilliant game winner in the 88th minute. (Recap.) It looked like San Francisco FC of Panama was going to escape from Houston with a point. It would have been unjust, but poor finishing was killing the MIO. (We had 20 shots to Fr'isco's 6.) The night saw several young guns making their mark. Corey Ashe had perhaps his best game ever as he tore up the left flank and showed strong runs and solid crosses. Caig was a surprise starter in goal, and his poor positioning off his line (in yet another match) allowed the Panamanians to equalize early in the 2nd half with an outstanding lob. Chabala did well at right back, but could stand some practice making crosses when his legs are tired late. Wondo had a goal and nearly another (a chip that hit the post, and then the followup went wide as it was borne of frustration than of steely intent to finish). Kyle Brown was a surprising sub. But the game changed when the veteran, DeRo, came in at the 78th minute. He energized the team and seemed to make things happen.
His goal was good in and of itself, but what he did to get himself into that position is what was truly amazing. In the 88th minute, a long pass by Barrett to DeRo was intercepted and the ball ended up at Blanco's feet (no, not THE Blanco). Blanco began dribbling towards the halfway line, but DeRo came up from behind, deftly stepped between Blanco and the ball, and cleanly stole away and reversed course. Given time and space on the fringe of the attacking third, DeRo was like a kid at Christmas and unleashed a bending rocket that flat-footed the goalkeeper and iced the game. DeRo had been in the game all of 10 minutes.
Later in the week, the US Men's Team booked passage into the next round of WCQ with an easy win over an overmatched (and undermanned) Cuba. (Recap.) I feel for the Cuban players. Ching scored a goal after the match had already been decided. (His goal was a header of a Kljestan cross that Ching knocked in...but he was in a gaggle with 2 other US players so it would have been knocked in had Ching not been at the vanguard of the group). The most exciting part of the match for me was the introduction of José Francisco Torres of Pachuca into the USMNT rotation. (Quotes.) Maybe it's just pie-eyed dreams, but I hope that Torres is part of the future that builds a better technically skilled and creative USMNT culture. A guy can dream.
Ives has some observations about the game. Ives also had a good treatise on the worth Ching brings to the USMNT. The article is followed by amusing drivel -- for the most part -- chundered by the blogging community. It's amusing partly because the comments are so predictable, and partly because they are naive for the most part. As one matures, one realizes that there is not just one kind of forward, but many types that have value depending on the system and the team. Ching simply makes the players around him more productive. In other words: Ching makes the team better. That's a good thing. 'Nuff said.
Tonight, the week finished with a boring scoreless draw between a mediocre DC United team and a Dynamo team bereft of ideas. (Recap.) The result earned the Columbus Crew the Supporters' Shield.
The MIO wore all-white tonight as part of a charity effort to help raise funds as part of the reconstruction after Hurricane Ike. The team also honored first responders and their role in helping with the storm recovery.
The game was filled with half-chances. Geoff Cameron was an early 2nd half sub despite being listed as "Out" due to hamstring issues. He came in for Holden who knocked heads in the DC penalty box and got a golf-ball size lump on his forehead...yikes! Ashe was the other sub. He came on with only 10 minutes remaining, so it took him a while to get into the groove, but once he got into a rhythm, he delivered some nice crosses from the left.
It's been a long month for the Dynamo, but the traveling is over for the time being. Hopefully the MIO can re-energize themselves, recapture the (healthy) passion (not the anger-management-issue-laden passion that ERob shows before drawing needless Yellows), and do what needs to be done to get the third consecutive MLS Cup.
Go Dynamo!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Orange in the Sky
A mile high today the Burnt Orange are playing Colorado. And the Men In Orange are playing the Rapids. Both orange teams face the prospect of an upset, but the Dynamo have an advantage: the Rapids are playing well. If the Rapids were slumping and looking like a pushover, the Dynamo would get a draw at best. Why? Because that's how they roll.
We have won only 1 time since August. Luckily, we haven't lost even that many times; but the four draws stick out like a sore thumb. Those from the CONCACAF tourney are actually accomplishments, given that they were on hostile fields and at altitude on one occasion. But the MIO need 3 points from their MLS matches to secure home field for the playoffs. The Western Conference is too tight -- and the parity of the conference is too unsettling -- to leave things to chance.
Keep your TV tuned to The Tube.
And to the human side of the MIO: Here's a great article that talks about how the Dynamo (and particularly Pat Onstad) reacted to Hurricane Ike. "We're really ingrained in the community, so what happens to Houston happens to us as well."
In other news: After this game, Ching is off to help the USMNT secure their passage to the next round as they face Cuba in World Cup Qualifications. A win puts us through to the 6-team final round and allows Coach Bradley to experiment with personnel with the remaining matches.
Just a day before the roster was announced a co-worker of mine was talking about Pachuca and asked if I heard of Jose Francisco Torres. "Nope," said I. He told me that Torres was a middie for Pachuca and was from Longview, Texas. (The Longview part sounded familiar to me when he said that, so I must have heard a commentator talking about that when we played Pachuca in SuperLiga, but my memory is not what it was.) My co-worker continued by saying Torres is a great talent and is someone that my co-worker would love to see on the USMNT. He'd bring a fresh style and presence to a team that is devoid of creativity.
Less than 24 hours later, and Torres has been called up to the team. My co-worker didn't even know the USMNT had a match coming up. THAT was a weird coincidence.
Okay, Bradley, let's cup-tie this phenom and bring some style to the USMNT...but let's secure our berth to the next round most importantly.
We have won only 1 time since August. Luckily, we haven't lost even that many times; but the four draws stick out like a sore thumb. Those from the CONCACAF tourney are actually accomplishments, given that they were on hostile fields and at altitude on one occasion. But the MIO need 3 points from their MLS matches to secure home field for the playoffs. The Western Conference is too tight -- and the parity of the conference is too unsettling -- to leave things to chance.
Keep your TV tuned to The Tube.
And to the human side of the MIO: Here's a great article that talks about how the Dynamo (and particularly Pat Onstad) reacted to Hurricane Ike. "We're really ingrained in the community, so what happens to Houston happens to us as well."
In other news: After this game, Ching is off to help the USMNT secure their passage to the next round as they face Cuba in World Cup Qualifications. A win puts us through to the 6-team final round and allows Coach Bradley to experiment with personnel with the remaining matches.
Just a day before the roster was announced a co-worker of mine was talking about Pachuca and asked if I heard of Jose Francisco Torres. "Nope," said I. He told me that Torres was a middie for Pachuca and was from Longview, Texas. (The Longview part sounded familiar to me when he said that, so I must have heard a commentator talking about that when we played Pachuca in SuperLiga, but my memory is not what it was.) My co-worker continued by saying Torres is a great talent and is someone that my co-worker would love to see on the USMNT. He'd bring a fresh style and presence to a team that is devoid of creativity.
Less than 24 hours later, and Torres has been called up to the team. My co-worker didn't even know the USMNT had a match coming up. THAT was a weird coincidence.
Okay, Bradley, let's cup-tie this phenom and bring some style to the USMNT...but let's secure our berth to the next round most importantly.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ol' Fashioned Texan Shootout at UNAM
What a great result in Mexico City last night, bolstered by scoring 4 goals. (Recap! And another!) What an opportunity lost too, after conceding an un-Dynamo-like 4 goals. But the accomplishment of the Dynamo is nothing to sniffle at.
The game started off with a scary moment: Fox Soccer Channel listed Caig as the man between the pipes. It wasn't until the first goal kick was taken that I was relieved to see that Onstad was rightly in goal. Phew! But I wonder, could Caig have actually let in more goals that the 4 we let in? (Answer: probably. Onstad made at least two brilliant saves, in addition to his other run of the mill saves.)
Let's look at the goals:
1. Dynamo score a bit against the run of early play. Waibel's header off a corner kick fits into the Dynamo set-piece paradigm.
2. Dynamo goal: Cameron proves he's no ordinary rookie yet again, hustles down the right flank, sends a cross that Ashe brings down for Kamara to unload into the net. A great combination by the middies and forwards, and a terrific finish by Kamara.
3. Pumas goal: a through ball exposes a gap in the line putting Onstad on the wrong end of a 1v1 situation. A seriously hurt Holden is part of the reason for the gap, and the hosts take advantage rather than go out of their way to be sporting. In truth, it was the ref's job to stop play.
4. Pumas goal: after a foul by ERob that either shouldn't have been a foul or should have been a red card ("last defender" rule), Pumas gets a free kick that's blocked by the wall, but it caroms to a Pumas player who knocks it in from 25+ yds. The ball didn't look particularly well struck -- especially for a shot from so far away -- but Onstad was probably screened and couldn't get to it.
5. Dynamo goal: Kamara is poised and puts away a PK that he set up with a through ball to Ashe, before Ashe was tripped from behind.
6. Pumas goal: moments after Kamara botches a 1v1 chance with the GK (he did well to get in that position, but completely misfires afterwards) the Dynamo backline ball-watches, letting a middie through and letting Paco Palencia run onto the subsequent cross to equalize.
7. Puma goal: the Dynamo defense again are flat-footed, letting a man run free on a corner kick to head in the go-ahead goal. Pumas beating the Dynamo in the air? I used the term "lazy" last night, and that's not a word I ever associate with the Dynamo, but a more appropriate word would probably be "fatigued" given the altitude and the recent schedule.
8. Dynamo goal: Pumas had the better play in the 2nd half, but the Dynamo got the only goal of the half, Waibel bookends the scoring with another header, this one after a busted corner kick turns into about 3 crosses into the box by the Orange. Waibel (completely onside) times his run with a Mullan short cross, and finds himself alone with the goalie whereupon the Bald One ensures his team goes home with a point.
And then the game closes with a blast from distance by DeRo that forced the best save of the night by the Pumas keeper. DeRo, a late sub, nearly stole 3 points at the end. B-Fall says: "Hands down, the best match of the tournament."
Great bullet point summary of the key elements by Glenn Davis here.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was that, up 2-0, all the Dynamo had to do was play their normal defensive quality -- nothing beyond themselves or requiring uncanny luck --and they would have gone home with 3 points. But the fact is, the MIO scored 4 goals at altitude in smoggy Mexico City, held Pumas scoreless in the 2nd half, and did so without their full starting XI and with several young players that not only played, but were able to create opportunities against a strong Mexican side. Don't forget, having 2 points after 2 away games is excellent strategically.
The other worry about the night: how are Holden and Cameron, both of whom came off the field injured? Here's hoping they're AOK.
Finally, did anybody count how many times the Fox Soccer announcer mistakenly said Ashe was driving into the attacking third, when it was in fact Kamara? Kamara had an outstanding game, beyond even his 2 goals (and forgetting his awful finish when 1v1 near the end of the first half).
The game started off with a scary moment: Fox Soccer Channel listed Caig as the man between the pipes. It wasn't until the first goal kick was taken that I was relieved to see that Onstad was rightly in goal. Phew! But I wonder, could Caig have actually let in more goals that the 4 we let in? (Answer: probably. Onstad made at least two brilliant saves, in addition to his other run of the mill saves.)
Let's look at the goals:
1. Dynamo score a bit against the run of early play. Waibel's header off a corner kick fits into the Dynamo set-piece paradigm.
2. Dynamo goal: Cameron proves he's no ordinary rookie yet again, hustles down the right flank, sends a cross that Ashe brings down for Kamara to unload into the net. A great combination by the middies and forwards, and a terrific finish by Kamara.
3. Pumas goal: a through ball exposes a gap in the line putting Onstad on the wrong end of a 1v1 situation. A seriously hurt Holden is part of the reason for the gap, and the hosts take advantage rather than go out of their way to be sporting. In truth, it was the ref's job to stop play.
4. Pumas goal: after a foul by ERob that either shouldn't have been a foul or should have been a red card ("last defender" rule), Pumas gets a free kick that's blocked by the wall, but it caroms to a Pumas player who knocks it in from 25+ yds. The ball didn't look particularly well struck -- especially for a shot from so far away -- but Onstad was probably screened and couldn't get to it.
5. Dynamo goal: Kamara is poised and puts away a PK that he set up with a through ball to Ashe, before Ashe was tripped from behind.
6. Pumas goal: moments after Kamara botches a 1v1 chance with the GK (he did well to get in that position, but completely misfires afterwards) the Dynamo backline ball-watches, letting a middie through and letting Paco Palencia run onto the subsequent cross to equalize.
7. Puma goal: the Dynamo defense again are flat-footed, letting a man run free on a corner kick to head in the go-ahead goal. Pumas beating the Dynamo in the air? I used the term "lazy" last night, and that's not a word I ever associate with the Dynamo, but a more appropriate word would probably be "fatigued" given the altitude and the recent schedule.
8. Dynamo goal: Pumas had the better play in the 2nd half, but the Dynamo got the only goal of the half, Waibel bookends the scoring with another header, this one after a busted corner kick turns into about 3 crosses into the box by the Orange. Waibel (completely onside) times his run with a Mullan short cross, and finds himself alone with the goalie whereupon the Bald One ensures his team goes home with a point.
And then the game closes with a blast from distance by DeRo that forced the best save of the night by the Pumas keeper. DeRo, a late sub, nearly stole 3 points at the end. B-Fall says: "Hands down, the best match of the tournament."
Great bullet point summary of the key elements by Glenn Davis here.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was that, up 2-0, all the Dynamo had to do was play their normal defensive quality -- nothing beyond themselves or requiring uncanny luck --and they would have gone home with 3 points. But the fact is, the MIO scored 4 goals at altitude in smoggy Mexico City, held Pumas scoreless in the 2nd half, and did so without their full starting XI and with several young players that not only played, but were able to create opportunities against a strong Mexican side. Don't forget, having 2 points after 2 away games is excellent strategically.
The other worry about the night: how are Holden and Cameron, both of whom came off the field injured? Here's hoping they're AOK.
Finally, did anybody count how many times the Fox Soccer announcer mistakenly said Ashe was driving into the attacking third, when it was in fact Kamara? Kamara had an outstanding game, beyond even his 2 goals (and forgetting his awful finish when 1v1 near the end of the first half).
Monday, September 29, 2008
2 Countries down, 2 to go
This past week, the Dynamo got two draws in the first two countries of their four-country, 12-day stretch.
The Panama game (recap) was a good result, I thought, given the lineup, the travel, and the field. The best part was that we got power in enough time to watch the game. The game seemed surreal though, after living in a dark, quiet house for 11 days. It was bizarre watching TV and seeing the world moving on as usual.
The Toronto game (recap, and another) was a disappointment, but not unexpected. When discussing the impending game with a coworker on Friday, I said it wouldn't be a surprise if we lost because: (1) we're playing on fake turf and (2) we're playing a struggling team and we seem to struggle against strugglers.
Toronto scored two great goals, one a header for us (thanks, Mr. Freeman!) the other a blistering RicoClark-style shot by Marvell Wynne. If the Dynamo had scored that, it wouldn't win goal of the week, but since a Toronto player scored it I bet it does win GOTW. Such is the worthlessness of fan-based democracy. I got a kick out of Onstad's smile after Wynne's goal, realizing he and his defense were bested in that one moment.
Wynne followed that goal up with a possible goal-saving on DeRo just afterwards, when DeRo found himself almost 1v1 with the Toronto GK after a fast break, until Wynne slid in. I think Wynne was the MOTM Saturday.
I appreciated the empathy shown by Onstad in his televised interview prior to the game, where he talked about the last of the players' families finally receiving power that week but that there thoughts are with the others in the area (about 25% of the residents, were his words) who were still doing without.
The draw and Columbus' continued form essentially knocks us out of contention for the Supporters' Shield, which is unfortunate. But we can still place first in the Western Conference for the first time in our short history, but with Chivas USA only 4 points back, we'll need to start getting 3 points.
Tomorrow we're in country #3, as we face UNAM Pumas in the altitude of Mexico City.
Go DYNAMO!
The Panama game (recap) was a good result, I thought, given the lineup, the travel, and the field. The best part was that we got power in enough time to watch the game. The game seemed surreal though, after living in a dark, quiet house for 11 days. It was bizarre watching TV and seeing the world moving on as usual.
The Toronto game (recap, and another) was a disappointment, but not unexpected. When discussing the impending game with a coworker on Friday, I said it wouldn't be a surprise if we lost because: (1) we're playing on fake turf and (2) we're playing a struggling team and we seem to struggle against strugglers.
Toronto scored two great goals, one a header for us (thanks, Mr. Freeman!) the other a blistering RicoClark-style shot by Marvell Wynne. If the Dynamo had scored that, it wouldn't win goal of the week, but since a Toronto player scored it I bet it does win GOTW. Such is the worthlessness of fan-based democracy. I got a kick out of Onstad's smile after Wynne's goal, realizing he and his defense were bested in that one moment.
Wynne followed that goal up with a possible goal-saving on DeRo just afterwards, when DeRo found himself almost 1v1 with the Toronto GK after a fast break, until Wynne slid in. I think Wynne was the MOTM Saturday.
I appreciated the empathy shown by Onstad in his televised interview prior to the game, where he talked about the last of the players' families finally receiving power that week but that there thoughts are with the others in the area (about 25% of the residents, were his words) who were still doing without.
The draw and Columbus' continued form essentially knocks us out of contention for the Supporters' Shield, which is unfortunate. But we can still place first in the Western Conference for the first time in our short history, but with Chivas USA only 4 points back, we'll need to start getting 3 points.
Tomorrow we're in country #3, as we face UNAM Pumas in the altitude of Mexico City.
Go DYNAMO!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Between Quake events, and After the Hurricane
I hope Hurricane Ike has had as minimal of an impact as possible on you, your family, and your property. As for me and my household, we lost several tree limbs but had no property damage. We are still without power, but we have water and gas, so we can cook on our gas stove and take comfortable showers with our gas water heater. If the cool front hadn't come through, we'd be absolutely miserable without air conditioning, but the weather has complied to make for pleasant evenings. We count ourselves very lucky and hope you can do the same.
(One of my neighbors stated that God gives us these challenges to help us grow and to test us. I replied that God must have a low opinion of my character under duress, because He went easy on us this time. Or maybe He thought we already had our hurricane test since we lost everything to Hurricane Andrew when I was a newlywed young Ensign stationed on Homestead AFB. Either way, I'm grateful for the minor inconvenience we've experienced this time.)
Still no power at home, but at work we have power. You might surmise that this means that I'm spending work time on personal blogging. I will not confirm or deny that.
I missed the Dynamo-Earthquake match this past weekend. (Official Recap.) We had no power at the time, and while I could've listened to it on the radio, I was actually asleep on the couch having stayed up most of the night watching the storm and spent most of the morning keeping our street gutters free of debris to prevent street flooding. I watched the highlights, though, and they suggest that we were lucky to leave San Jose with a point. We may have had better possession (I can't tell from the highlights) and may have been unlucky to not convert a few more of our chances, but the Earthquakes had several 1-on-1 shots on goal that weren't converted. After a botched header by ERob, Onstad made two desperate point-blank saves in a row in the first half. Not long after, Onstad displayed more heroics on another point-blank shot. In the second half, a point-blank header found Barrett's chest at the goal line. In fact, Ronnie O'Brien's goal that opened up the scoring in the 50th minute -- a blistering shot from just outside our box, taken from Onstad's left and ending up in the far right netting -- was more difficult than these four shots that Onstad and Barrett saved.
Of course, we had our chances too. And how about the spunk shown by Ching after he scored the equalizer, when he ran over to remind the feisty Earthquake fans where their 2 stars came from? Reading Ives' blog, at least one Quake fan thought that was a classless display and has decided to instantly despise his former hero. I think Ching was merely responding in kind; it was defiance to counter spitefulness and it was only directed at the fans who were spouting vitriol, not to the fans who were merely supporting their (new) players.
ERob got ejected yet again, this time for getting two yellow cards. From what I could see, though, ERob's second yellow came when he was fouled from behind. Either I missed something or the ref completely blew the call. Or both.
We now have 39 points, 6 points away from the Supporters' Shield that I want so badly. We only have 6 games to make up the difference, and the next match is versus the very same Earthquakes this Saturday. With the generous post-Ike deal sponsored by the Dynamo and the University of Houston (free parking? free tickets for kids under 14? $10 adult tickets? Wow!) we hope to see a big turnout to root for the Dynamo, hope to equalize the Quake series (now at 0-1-1), and hope to get to 42 points (10 less than last year's final total, only 4 less than 2006's final total).
UPDATE: No game and no deal this Saturday, at the request of the City of Houston. This is going to really cram the Dynamo's remaining schedule, and the make up date falls on a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match day for the US and Canada. The media notes that the postponement could hurt the Earthquakes' momentum, but do we care?
Go Dynamo! (And take care out there, fellow Texans!)
(One of my neighbors stated that God gives us these challenges to help us grow and to test us. I replied that God must have a low opinion of my character under duress, because He went easy on us this time. Or maybe He thought we already had our hurricane test since we lost everything to Hurricane Andrew when I was a newlywed young Ensign stationed on Homestead AFB. Either way, I'm grateful for the minor inconvenience we've experienced this time.)
Still no power at home, but at work we have power. You might surmise that this means that I'm spending work time on personal blogging. I will not confirm or deny that.
I missed the Dynamo-Earthquake match this past weekend. (Official Recap.) We had no power at the time, and while I could've listened to it on the radio, I was actually asleep on the couch having stayed up most of the night watching the storm and spent most of the morning keeping our street gutters free of debris to prevent street flooding. I watched the highlights, though, and they suggest that we were lucky to leave San Jose with a point. We may have had better possession (I can't tell from the highlights) and may have been unlucky to not convert a few more of our chances, but the Earthquakes had several 1-on-1 shots on goal that weren't converted. After a botched header by ERob, Onstad made two desperate point-blank saves in a row in the first half. Not long after, Onstad displayed more heroics on another point-blank shot. In the second half, a point-blank header found Barrett's chest at the goal line. In fact, Ronnie O'Brien's goal that opened up the scoring in the 50th minute -- a blistering shot from just outside our box, taken from Onstad's left and ending up in the far right netting -- was more difficult than these four shots that Onstad and Barrett saved.
Of course, we had our chances too. And how about the spunk shown by Ching after he scored the equalizer, when he ran over to remind the feisty Earthquake fans where their 2 stars came from? Reading Ives' blog, at least one Quake fan thought that was a classless display and has decided to instantly despise his former hero. I think Ching was merely responding in kind; it was defiance to counter spitefulness and it was only directed at the fans who were spouting vitriol, not to the fans who were merely supporting their (new) players.
ERob got ejected yet again, this time for getting two yellow cards. From what I could see, though, ERob's second yellow came when he was fouled from behind. Either I missed something or the ref completely blew the call. Or both.
We now have 39 points, 6 points away from the Supporters' Shield that I want so badly. We only have 6 games to make up the difference
UPDATE: No game and no deal this Saturday, at the request of the City of Houston. This is going to really cram the Dynamo's remaining schedule, and the make up date falls on a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match day for the US and Canada. The media notes that the postponement could hurt the Earthquakes' momentum, but do we care?
Go Dynamo! (And take care out there, fellow Texans!)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Win vs Soca Warriors gives us 9 pts in 3 games
Nice game by the Americans, though I think our job was made easier by a timid (whether through mentality or personnel availability) T&T team. Recap.
Ives has a take on Brian Ching. He isn't a goal-machine, and he isn't making anybody forget Brian McBride, but he can still serve a purpose on this team. Some folks get caught up in him being a target forward and thinking that the current U.S. team isn't equipped to provide service from the flanks to make Ching effective. This ignores the fact that Ching is better with the ball at his feet that some realize, and he's great at holding up the ball for teammates to make runs off him. The job should eventually fall to a player like Jozy Altidore, but for now, Ching doesn't do a bad job.
Jeff Carlisle gives both of the Dynamo boys a "5" rating:
[Ching's] hold-up play was typically solid, and he deserves credit for being well-placed to score his goal. But for the most part, his play in the box was subpar, in that he either failed to convert some clear chances or wandered offside.
[Clark's] fresh legs were certainly needed, but his overall performance was erratic, as some sharp passes were mixed in with some careless giveaways.
I didn't see many of Clark's giveaways, maybe because I was doing other things at that point in the game, I guess. I did see his diving header that almost resulted in a goal.
As for Ching, I think Carlisle's rating was a little low (for Ching contributed greatly to the win through his holdup play), but it WAS irritating to see his missed opportunities and the lack of awareness that resulted in several inopportune offside calls.
And that reminds me that we might be lucky to have won 3-0. The replays of the first goal sure suggest that Ching and Bradley were still offside at the time that Donovan struck the free kick -- great outside of the foot volley by Bradley though. The replays of the second goal show that it began with a turnover when the ball hit off Gooch's arm -- great through ball by Beasley and strike by Dempsey though. The last goal was a gimme for Ching, but it may have been the only goal that wasn't tainted by a foul or offside. (John Harkes initially said that he thought Ching was offside, but replays show the Hawaiian clearly wasn't.)
Nevertheless, we took the 3 points and it was well deserved. Bob Bradley may feel more comfortable now, so he might stop playing conservatively and starts looking at experimenting a little. Maybe the USMNT will feel loose enough to play joga bonito style soccer...
Good luck with Hurricane Ike, everyone!
And go Dynamo! (I hope we have power to watch your game vs San Jose on Saturday.)
Ives has a take on Brian Ching. He isn't a goal-machine, and he isn't making anybody forget Brian McBride, but he can still serve a purpose on this team. Some folks get caught up in him being a target forward and thinking that the current U.S. team isn't equipped to provide service from the flanks to make Ching effective. This ignores the fact that Ching is better with the ball at his feet that some realize, and he's great at holding up the ball for teammates to make runs off him. The job should eventually fall to a player like Jozy Altidore, but for now, Ching doesn't do a bad job.
Jeff Carlisle gives both of the Dynamo boys a "5" rating:
[Ching's] hold-up play was typically solid, and he deserves credit for being well-placed to score his goal. But for the most part, his play in the box was subpar, in that he either failed to convert some clear chances or wandered offside.
[Clark's] fresh legs were certainly needed, but his overall performance was erratic, as some sharp passes were mixed in with some careless giveaways.
I didn't see many of Clark's giveaways, maybe because I was doing other things at that point in the game, I guess. I did see his diving header that almost resulted in a goal.
As for Ching, I think Carlisle's rating was a little low (for Ching contributed greatly to the win through his holdup play), but it WAS irritating to see his missed opportunities and the lack of awareness that resulted in several inopportune offside calls.
And that reminds me that we might be lucky to have won 3-0. The replays of the first goal sure suggest that Ching and Bradley were still offside at the time that Donovan struck the free kick -- great outside of the foot volley by Bradley though. The replays of the second goal show that it began with a turnover when the ball hit off Gooch's arm -- great through ball by Beasley and strike by Dempsey though. The last goal was a gimme for Ching, but it may have been the only goal that wasn't tainted by a foul or offside. (John Harkes initially said that he thought Ching was offside, but replays show the Hawaiian clearly wasn't.)
Nevertheless, we took the 3 points and it was well deserved. Bob Bradley may feel more comfortable now, so he might stop playing conservatively and starts looking at experimenting a little. Maybe the USMNT will feel loose enough to play joga bonito style soccer...
Good luck with Hurricane Ike, everyone!
And go Dynamo! (I hope we have power to watch your game vs San Jose on Saturday.)
Monday, September 08, 2008
KC withers and Dynamo soar
What a hot, miserable time to play a soccer game. The players and coaches will say that everyone has to play under the same conditions, but the fact is, it feels a lot hotter when you're behind than when you're ahead.
And, as B-Fall put it: Sunday's 3-1 home victory ... was as good as they come.
Pre-game guide.
Post-game recap.
Says one article: Entering Sunday's match against the Kansas City Wizards, Kamara, an MLS veteran of 54 matches, had never recorded a single assist in his career. Before the match he told a few friends of his that he wanted to get rid of that donut that, to some, makes him look like a selfish player.
The post-game quotes include this one from ERob: "We knew that mentally, if this beautiful weather today wouldn't get to them, just being down might." I'm sure that "beautiful weather" was said with sarcasm, not praise for the 12th man (or 13th man, if you count the fanbase as the 12th).
I remember The Dom complaining about a 3 o'clock game in summer of the 2006 season. That one was scheduled due to TV commitments; but surely this game wasn't played at this godforsaken hour because of Telefutura!?
My two favorite events of this game:
I do think Brad Davis may be practicing his attacking headers this week. Minutes after his first goal, he missed what should have been an easy header on goal from the back post. It was nearly identical to one he muffed in the previous game versus Chicago. My wife said he shouldn't be doing headers anyway, because his ears probably unbalance him. (She is actually a big fan of "Keebler".) Luckily, in both games Davis made up for his muffs with a dynamite assist in one game and a dynamite goal in the other.
So now we're solidly in the Western Conference lead, 7 points ahead of #2 RSL. Overall, we're behind only Columbus (which has 43 points) and tied with New England and Chicago. The Supporters' Shield is a longshot, but still a possibility. Taking the Western Conference and having homefield advantage through the MLS Cup tourney is something that is not only feasible, but had better be realized. I'm still holding out for the Supporters' Shield, even though our upcoming schedule congestion will make that a difficult feat.
In his weekly MLS recap, Steve Davis has this to say about Brian Mullan:
USMNT
Solid showing by the USMNT in Cuba, I thought. Ching did well in his role holding up the ball, and got the assist on the goal, laying off the pass that Dempsely put away. I agree with Doug McIntyre that Ching was the field player that probably did his respective job the best. (Tim Howard being the best and most valuable player overall.) People clamoring for new faces up front will rip him for missing that sitter near the end, but the big Hawaiian played his role as a target forward to perfection. He was able to effectively body up with his back to goal from start to finish and set up the winning strike doing just that.
McIntyre also has an article that laments the lack of offensive umph from the USMNT. Although the U.S. team deserves full credit for winning two difficult road matches to begin this potentially treacherous round of qualifying, it has done so by using a combination of grit, good fortune and Howard. The Americans didn't create many quality chances against either Guatemala or Cuba, and with all due respect to Brian Ching, who next to Howard was the best player on the field Saturday, their forwards still simply cannot score.
Other Soccer Coaching News
After a 3 year hiatus, I've been pulled back into the soccer coaching ranks to coach my son's U16 team. The kids are older and more sarcastic since I last coached, so I'll have that obstacle to overcome.
I have a new philosophy that I'm instituting now that I'm running the zoo. My focus is to ensure every player has the individual dribbling skills to hold their own regardless of the team (whether club or school) they play for next year. I've always worked on passing exercises and taught positional play in past terms as coach, but now I want every person -- regardless of position -- to be an excellent First Attacker (or "guy with ball") and excellent First Defender (or "guy on the guy with the ball"). To work towards this, the first 30 minutes of each practice is on footwork and 1v1. In this first half hour I'm also working on receiving skills, since players with good footskills must be able to pluck the ball out of the air and get it to their feet for their footskills to work.
After the first 30 minutes, I am working on some tactics, mostly in 4v4 mini-matches. But the emphasis is individual development.
The most likely result is that we won't win a lot of games since I'm not focusing on masking weaknesses through teamwork. Hopefully another result is that the players do become more adept at individual play...but it remains to be seen if the kids will do their part to make this happen. It takes practice and discipline and patience, and I don't know if this group of teenagers has that. We'll see.
And, as B-Fall put it: Sunday's 3-1 home victory ... was as good as they come.
Pre-game guide.
Post-game recap.
Says one article: Entering Sunday's match against the Kansas City Wizards, Kamara, an MLS veteran of 54 matches, had never recorded a single assist in his career. Before the match he told a few friends of his that he wanted to get rid of that donut that, to some, makes him look like a selfish player.
The post-game quotes include this one from ERob: "We knew that mentally, if this beautiful weather today wouldn't get to them, just being down might." I'm sure that "beautiful weather" was said with sarcasm, not praise for the 12th man (or 13th man, if you count the fanbase as the 12th).
I remember The Dom complaining about a 3 o'clock game in summer of the 2006 season. That one was scheduled due to TV commitments; but surely this game wasn't played at this godforsaken hour because of Telefutura!?
My two favorite events of this game:
- In the first half: Brad Davis' one-touch rocket into the net from a Kei Kamara layoff.
- In the second half: Stuart Holden's unselfish and prescient touch off to Nate Jaqua to get the goal that effectively won the game. Stuie had a good look on goal with that ball, but his pass was pure class. And the goal, coupled with the heat, crushed all of KC's motivation.
I do think Brad Davis may be practicing his attacking headers this week. Minutes after his first goal, he missed what should have been an easy header on goal from the back post. It was nearly identical to one he muffed in the previous game versus Chicago. My wife said he shouldn't be doing headers anyway, because his ears probably unbalance him. (She is actually a big fan of "Keebler".) Luckily, in both games Davis made up for his muffs with a dynamite assist in one game and a dynamite goal in the other.
So now we're solidly in the Western Conference lead, 7 points ahead of #2 RSL. Overall, we're behind only Columbus (which has 43 points) and tied with New England and Chicago. The Supporters' Shield is a longshot, but still a possibility. Taking the Western Conference and having homefield advantage through the MLS Cup tourney is something that is not only feasible, but had better be realized. I'm still holding out for the Supporters' Shield, even though our upcoming schedule congestion will make that a difficult feat.
In his weekly MLS recap, Steve Davis has this to say about Brian Mullan:
Because Brian Mullan is usually surrounded by more dynamic players (De Rosario, for instance), several internationals (Pat Onstad, Clark) and younger, emerging forces (Stuart Holden), it's easy to forget what a guy like that means to Houston. Manager Dominic Kinnear knows exactly what he'll get from Mullan every time on the pitch.
When opponents are in possession, Mullan tucks inside reliably when the ball is on the other side. When it's on his side, he's always in the right spot, helping the right fullback. On offense, Mullan consistently, effectively links with the man playing behind him and can be counted on to supply two or three good crosses a half.
Brad Davis, on the left, does some of the same. But where he's more of a goal-scoring threat with a tendency to drift inside often, Mullan is more of a classic flank attacker, always providing the width that stretches defenses.
You need guys like De Rosario and Clark to win championships. But you'll never get there without the dependable workadays such as Mullan.
USMNT
Solid showing by the USMNT in Cuba, I thought. Ching did well in his role holding up the ball, and got the assist on the goal, laying off the pass that Dempsely put away. I agree with Doug McIntyre that Ching was the field player that probably did his respective job the best. (Tim Howard being the best and most valuable player overall.) People clamoring for new faces up front will rip him for missing that sitter near the end, but the big Hawaiian played his role as a target forward to perfection. He was able to effectively body up with his back to goal from start to finish and set up the winning strike doing just that.
McIntyre also has an article that laments the lack of offensive umph from the USMNT. Although the U.S. team deserves full credit for winning two difficult road matches to begin this potentially treacherous round of qualifying, it has done so by using a combination of grit, good fortune and Howard. The Americans didn't create many quality chances against either Guatemala or Cuba, and with all due respect to Brian Ching, who next to Howard was the best player on the field Saturday, their forwards still simply cannot score.
Other Soccer Coaching News
After a 3 year hiatus, I've been pulled back into the soccer coaching ranks to coach my son's U16 team. The kids are older and more sarcastic since I last coached, so I'll have that obstacle to overcome.
I have a new philosophy that I'm instituting now that I'm running the zoo. My focus is to ensure every player has the individual dribbling skills to hold their own regardless of the team (whether club or school) they play for next year. I've always worked on passing exercises and taught positional play in past terms as coach, but now I want every person -- regardless of position -- to be an excellent First Attacker (or "guy with ball") and excellent First Defender (or "guy on the guy with the ball"). To work towards this, the first 30 minutes of each practice is on footwork and 1v1. In this first half hour I'm also working on receiving skills, since players with good footskills must be able to pluck the ball out of the air and get it to their feet for their footskills to work.
After the first 30 minutes, I am working on some tactics, mostly in 4v4 mini-matches. But the emphasis is individual development.
The most likely result is that we won't win a lot of games since I'm not focusing on masking weaknesses through teamwork. Hopefully another result is that the players do become more adept at individual play...but it remains to be seen if the kids will do their part to make this happen. It takes practice and discipline and patience, and I don't know if this group of teenagers has that. We'll see.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Good form keeps us on top
A great night for Dynamo soccer last night. With the creative Blanco in town and US international star (and one of my favorite players) Brian McBride, along with a solid Chicago defense, the Dynamo faced a formidable challenge. They were up to the task. Here's the recap, which points out: The Houston Dynamo have not lost back-to-back games all year, and they did not want Sunday night to be the first time against the high-powered Chicago Fire.
Yeah, we gifted the Fire an opening goal. Apparently it was McBride’s first in MLS since 10/26/2003, with Columbus. He's scored a few since then in some league called the EPL. In fact, the goal might not have been so much gifted as stolen, with Bobby Boswell pulled down in order to get the ball into the Fire's hands.
The Fire then reciprocated, gifting us a goal through poor marking on a set play, allowing DeRo to even the score a minute after the Dynamo conceded the opening goal.
The Fire played pretty poorly overall in the first half, with nothing organized in the center and little activity out wide. The Dynamo could have put several more into the net, notably a wide open header by Davis in the 35th minute from a cross by DeRo, but Davis, though unmarked and staring at an open goal, sent the ball into the side of the net. It was actually harder to miss than to score that time.
Minutes later, Davis started the chain that led to the winning goal. Davis passed to Nate Jaqua, who held onto the ball just long enough to feed a short pass to Davis in the center. Davis found some room just outside the box where he dished the ball to Mullan, who was alone and able to place the ball past Busch into the far corner netting. It was a bit of a redemption for Davis, who had missed the earlier header, and for Mullan, who had missed an almost identical shot earlier.
The second half saw more of the same, with neither team able to put away their chances. Chicago realized it was positioned to steal a point and amped up its attack in the final 15 minutes, with Blanco counting on his fingers as best he could whenever Onstad got the ball -- even when Blanco himself was delaying Onstad's release of the ball. As Bill and Ted would say: Egregious.
In the end, we defended our lead unspectacularly, we maintained sniping distance on the Supporters' Shield, and virtually guaranteed our playoff slot. It would be nice to lock up home field advantage for the conference championship game, and with 24 points left on the table, we still could pull a surprise and sneak off with the Supporters' Shield.
THAT would be nice.
Here are some more articles:
Dynamo show mettle. A quick look at the MLS standings shows that the Eastern Conference has the upper hand when it comes to overall league play. Four teams in the East have at least 10 wins and the fifth-place New York Red Bulls have more points than every team in the West, save for the conference-leading Houston Dynamo. But the two-time defending champions have played well against the superior conference this year. Counting Sunday's come-from-behind, 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire, the Dynamo are now 6-4-1 against the East, better than any other team in the West.
Houston Having No Problems. The Dynamo are back to their big, bad selves...and the rest of the league better be afraid, very afraid.
Yeah, we gifted the Fire an opening goal. Apparently it was McBride’s first in MLS since 10/26/2003, with Columbus. He's scored a few since then in some league called the EPL. In fact, the goal might not have been so much gifted as stolen, with Bobby Boswell pulled down in order to get the ball into the Fire's hands.
The Fire then reciprocated, gifting us a goal through poor marking on a set play, allowing DeRo to even the score a minute after the Dynamo conceded the opening goal.
The Fire played pretty poorly overall in the first half, with nothing organized in the center and little activity out wide. The Dynamo could have put several more into the net, notably a wide open header by Davis in the 35th minute from a cross by DeRo, but Davis, though unmarked and staring at an open goal, sent the ball into the side of the net. It was actually harder to miss than to score that time.
Minutes later, Davis started the chain that led to the winning goal. Davis passed to Nate Jaqua, who held onto the ball just long enough to feed a short pass to Davis in the center. Davis found some room just outside the box where he dished the ball to Mullan, who was alone and able to place the ball past Busch into the far corner netting. It was a bit of a redemption for Davis, who had missed the earlier header, and for Mullan, who had missed an almost identical shot earlier.
The second half saw more of the same, with neither team able to put away their chances. Chicago realized it was positioned to steal a point and amped up its attack in the final 15 minutes, with Blanco counting on his fingers as best he could whenever Onstad got the ball -- even when Blanco himself was delaying Onstad's release of the ball. As Bill and Ted would say: Egregious.
In the end, we defended our lead unspectacularly, we maintained sniping distance on the Supporters' Shield, and virtually guaranteed our playoff slot. It would be nice to lock up home field advantage for the conference championship game, and with 24 points left on the table, we still could pull a surprise and sneak off with the Supporters' Shield.
THAT would be nice.
Here are some more articles:
Dynamo show mettle. A quick look at the MLS standings shows that the Eastern Conference has the upper hand when it comes to overall league play. Four teams in the East have at least 10 wins and the fifth-place New York Red Bulls have more points than every team in the West, save for the conference-leading Houston Dynamo. But the two-time defending champions have played well against the superior conference this year. Counting Sunday's come-from-behind, 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire, the Dynamo are now 6-4-1 against the East, better than any other team in the West.
Houston Having No Problems. The Dynamo are back to their big, bad selves...and the rest of the league better be afraid, very afraid.
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