I don't speak Spanish well at all, but watching the Dynamo-RBNY game on Telefutura today, it looked like we lost 0-3. That sure looked like non-orange players shooting into the net. Was that Ashe scoring a speedy strike? Oh, that's Dane Richards. (Ives Galarcep said Barrett shouldn't feel bad being smoked by Richards; about 20 American have been smoked by Jamaicans this week.)
Actually, the game stunk in any language. Here's a nice (well, maybe "nice" isn't the word) recap here.
Strange thing is that I didn't feel that we were outplayed by the Toros Rojos today, but we certainly were out hustled on about 6 occasions, 3 of which resulted in goals. It was very uncharacteristic of the MIO to be out-worked by an opponent. Can we chalk it up to 3 games in one week? (Two of which being in the taxing humid climate of Houston.)
The Dynamo offense frequently goes through dry spells. It's like Houston weather: monsoon one day, drought the next. So I wasn't completely surprised by the lack of scoring production. Technically we got 4 shots on goal, but none were particularly memorable. We didn't test Conway much at all.
We didn't have much creativity on the attack, but it was on the other end where the Dynamo were really out worked and out hustled -- and that WAS a surprise. On the first goal ERob ball-watches and stands flat-footed, not realizing someone might run into the box to do something with a cross. Too late he sees JP Angel's blur. The only thing ERob does is try to collar JPA at the last minute, but it was too late and was a poor tactic anyway. I have trouble faulting Barrett too much on the second goal. Richards out paced him and when Barrett saw Richards pulling away at the end, he tried a last ditch slide tackle that didn't go too well on the turf. Barrett possibly could have positioned himself better before the footrace began, but it really came down to the fact that Richards is blazing fast. The final goal was another ERob flub, where he just lackadaisically let Magee fly through for a 1-on-1 with Pat Onstad.
So that is 2 goals from being outworked, and one from being out paced. The Dynamo of old would have kept this to a respectable 0-1 loss. I wonder, does ERob sit next week? Or does he get the message this week that he let his team down?
Besides ERob, another AWOL player was DeRo. The difference is that DeRo looked like he was trying, he just couldn't get into the game. He and his fellow middies did do well enough that the Dynamo held their own in the middle, but there were still too many give-aways and too few coordinated passing plays.
Maybe Dom should have pulled Kei Kamara (who also seemed off, and was definitely off target), pushed DeRo to forward, and inserted Stuie as Attacking Mid earlier. Maybe Ashe could have gone in earlier to provide speed to counter Richards speed. Or maybe Dom expected ERob to show up and try a little harder.
Actually, the whole team seemed out of sync.
If there's any solace in this 0-3 loss (the second 0-3 loss of the season), it's that we weren't outclassed on the pitch. We were definitely out-hustled, out of ideas, and out of focus though. This happens too often when the Dynamo see the proverbial brass ring before them. It seems they crumble whenever there's an opportunity to position themselves for easy times. Maybe they just enjoy the hard road.
The embarrassment of today should ensure a better result on Labor Day weekend, when the Fire comes to town.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
"The better team won"
Well, that was easy.
With most of Chivas USA back home nursing injuries, there was no surprise that the Dynamo got 3 points last night. We knew there'd be goals scored even without Ching and DeRo, but there was the worry that Chivas would get one or two past Caig as well. The surprise was that by halftime we had amassed a 4-nil scoreline (and we could have scored more). The second half saw a more conservative Dynamo come out, but even then we had some great opportunities and Kei Kamara was terribly unlucky to not get his hat trick. It was a great night for the Sierra Leone native (Sierra Leonean?). Could Caraccio have had the same night?
Nate Jaqua also had a big night. I don't know what he did in Austria, but he is twice the player he used to be in the buildup.
Stuart Holden is looking more and more like the franchise player he could be. After a solid Olympic showing, he had a great run and a confident game-winning goal to start things off. He also does so well in the midfield. The Dom has got to find a way to keep Stuie on the field with DeRo, Mullan, and Davis. But where?
And Caig got a shutout, doing well on the three or so dangerous opportunities generated by Chivas, and also not turning otherwise tame Chivas opportunities into dangerous opportunities.
In all, I think the only complaint I have is that The Dom didn't substitute earlier. With a game on Sunday in New Jersey, he could have given some of his tender starters some rest.
As of last Friday, the Dynamo had never scored four goals in one half. As of Wednesday night, the Dynamo have accomplished that feat twice.
And we're only 4 points from the once-distant Supporters' Shield. We have 32 points (as does Chicago), the Crew have 34 points, and the Revs are at the top with 36 points. Can we catch them? That would be a first for the club and would gain us entry into all of the international tournaments of 2009.
Game recap
Another article: Four goals in the first half hasn't happened in the MLS since the Galaxy did it 10 years ago in 1998. Kamara said. "I am playing with -- every game now -- the best players in the league. This is my third year now and I have been around a lot of good players, but now, being around these guys, they are making me better every time I step on the field."
Article focusing on Chivas. Preki, "The better team won, they were sharp from the first minute, and that's the end of that."
Other Quotes.
USMNT
I saw only the last half of the USMNT match in Guatemala. (Game recap.) From what I saw, the US couldn't match Guatemala's passion and zeal. The US couldn't maintain possession for long on the attack and looked flustered on defense. They were lucky to get all three points, which is a fantastic result for the US in a hostile stadium in Central America. The fact that we got a goal off a free kick isn't all that surprising, but the way Guatemala was torching our defense, it was surprising they didn't get a goal (or three) of their own. Tim Howard, MOTM.
Ives has a good recounting of the post-match sentiments. Tim Howard had a few choice words about El Pescadito (or "Peccadillo" as I deem more appropriate).
USSoccerplayers.com has a good summary of the obstacles the USMNT faced off field and how it affected the on field performance. Sometimes the challenge is more than just matching the skill of the opposition.
With most of Chivas USA back home nursing injuries, there was no surprise that the Dynamo got 3 points last night. We knew there'd be goals scored even without Ching and DeRo, but there was the worry that Chivas would get one or two past Caig as well. The surprise was that by halftime we had amassed a 4-nil scoreline (and we could have scored more). The second half saw a more conservative Dynamo come out, but even then we had some great opportunities and Kei Kamara was terribly unlucky to not get his hat trick. It was a great night for the Sierra Leone native (Sierra Leonean?). Could Caraccio have had the same night?
Nate Jaqua also had a big night. I don't know what he did in Austria, but he is twice the player he used to be in the buildup.
Stuart Holden is looking more and more like the franchise player he could be. After a solid Olympic showing, he had a great run and a confident game-winning goal to start things off. He also does so well in the midfield. The Dom has got to find a way to keep Stuie on the field with DeRo, Mullan, and Davis. But where?
And Caig got a shutout, doing well on the three or so dangerous opportunities generated by Chivas, and also not turning otherwise tame Chivas opportunities into dangerous opportunities.
In all, I think the only complaint I have is that The Dom didn't substitute earlier. With a game on Sunday in New Jersey, he could have given some of his tender starters some rest.
As of last Friday, the Dynamo had never scored four goals in one half. As of Wednesday night, the Dynamo have accomplished that feat twice.
And we're only 4 points from the once-distant Supporters' Shield. We have 32 points (as does Chicago), the Crew have 34 points, and the Revs are at the top with 36 points. Can we catch them? That would be a first for the club and would gain us entry into all of the international tournaments of 2009.
Game recap
Another article: Four goals in the first half hasn't happened in the MLS since the Galaxy did it 10 years ago in 1998. Kamara said. "I am playing with -- every game now -- the best players in the league. This is my third year now and I have been around a lot of good players, but now, being around these guys, they are making me better every time I step on the field."
Article focusing on Chivas. Preki, "The better team won, they were sharp from the first minute, and that's the end of that."
Other Quotes.
USMNT
I saw only the last half of the USMNT match in Guatemala. (Game recap.) From what I saw, the US couldn't match Guatemala's passion and zeal. The US couldn't maintain possession for long on the attack and looked flustered on defense. They were lucky to get all three points, which is a fantastic result for the US in a hostile stadium in Central America. The fact that we got a goal off a free kick isn't all that surprising, but the way Guatemala was torching our defense, it was surprising they didn't get a goal (or three) of their own. Tim Howard, MOTM.
Ives has a good recounting of the post-match sentiments. Tim Howard had a few choice words about El Pescadito (or "Peccadillo" as I deem more appropriate).
USSoccerplayers.com has a good summary of the obstacles the USMNT faced off field and how it affected the on field performance. Sometimes the challenge is more than just matching the skill of the opposition.
Monday, August 18, 2008
A Robertson Goalfest
As I was out of town this weekend on a final summer fling before the kids go back to school, I didn't get to watch the game live (neither in person nor on The Tube). B-Fall's blog kept me in the loop Saturday night, and I got to watch the match a few days late when I returned home to my DVR.
What an exciting match. Even an American would have to love the volume of scoring. Six goals in one half, and one being a rocket from Ricardo Clark. Other goals came from Mullan with some moves, Ching with his foot, and Jaqua with the game winner. I think the only Man In Orange unhappy with the match would be Onstad, who had to pick the ball out of his net 3 times. I would imagine he feels the same as The Dom, who said: "It was an exciting game for the fans, with some great attacking play, some loose defending, and a lot of goals. The results were the most important thing to come out of tonight. We won, we are on top of the conference, and we are happy about that."
Official recap. Another MLS article. A third party recap of the game. (There's a joke that goes something like: Houston has two seasons, summer and August. It's not a particularly good joke, but it makes the point.)
Interesting quotes...
from Beckerman: "I don't even know if you should really be allowed to play in this type of heat."
from Beckerman again: "We definitely wanted to come get three points and make a statement that we're for real. We felt like we weren't getting respect from them, from some of the statements about us, what they felt about us, so we really wanted to come down and really put it to them. But they're a good team, and they play really well in Houston in all this heat." I wonder what comments the Dynamo made that "dissed" the RSL squad. That doesn't sound like the MIO.
from Findley: "They were champions a couple of years ago, but I look at them like any other team." A few years ago? How about the previous two years, and still the reigning champion.
Things get dicey now. Wednesday has Chivas USA coming to town. Due to international call ups, we'll be without Ching (ouch), DeRo (ouch), and Onstad (OUCH). Chivas will be without Guzan (the GK has left the MLS to ply his trade with Aston Villa) and Kljestan (who is with the USMNT). They'll also be without a boatload of starters due to injury (Eskadarian, Marsch, Vaughn, Zotinca and maybe Bornstein, Razov, Galindo, and Suarez). It's always a testy match with Chivas Jr, but with Caig in the goal it could be really interesting too.
Other news: Dynamo Reserves roll to first place with a 4-1 defeat of RSL Reserves.
What an exciting match. Even an American would have to love the volume of scoring. Six goals in one half, and one being a rocket from Ricardo Clark. Other goals came from Mullan with some moves, Ching with his foot, and Jaqua with the game winner. I think the only Man In Orange unhappy with the match would be Onstad, who had to pick the ball out of his net 3 times. I would imagine he feels the same as The Dom, who said: "It was an exciting game for the fans, with some great attacking play, some loose defending, and a lot of goals. The results were the most important thing to come out of tonight. We won, we are on top of the conference, and we are happy about that."
Official recap. Another MLS article. A third party recap of the game. (There's a joke that goes something like: Houston has two seasons, summer and August. It's not a particularly good joke, but it makes the point.)
Interesting quotes...
from Beckerman: "I don't even know if you should really be allowed to play in this type of heat."
from Beckerman again: "We definitely wanted to come get three points and make a statement that we're for real. We felt like we weren't getting respect from them, from some of the statements about us, what they felt about us, so we really wanted to come down and really put it to them. But they're a good team, and they play really well in Houston in all this heat." I wonder what comments the Dynamo made that "dissed" the RSL squad. That doesn't sound like the MIO.
from Findley: "They were champions a couple of years ago, but I look at them like any other team." A few years ago? How about the previous two years, and still the reigning champion.
Things get dicey now. Wednesday has Chivas USA coming to town. Due to international call ups, we'll be without Ching (ouch), DeRo (ouch), and Onstad (OUCH). Chivas will be without Guzan (the GK has left the MLS to ply his trade with Aston Villa) and Kljestan (who is with the USMNT). They'll also be without a boatload of starters due to injury (Eskadarian, Marsch, Vaughn, Zotinca and maybe Bornstein, Razov, Galindo, and Suarez). It's always a testy match with Chivas Jr, but with Caig in the goal it could be really interesting too.
Other news: Dynamo Reserves roll to first place with a 4-1 defeat of RSL Reserves.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Holden and Ianni are coming home
Good news from the Glass-Half-Full Department, we don't have to miss any more sleep watching early morning men's soccer and Holden and Ianni are set to return to Houston.
A red card 3 minutes in and a Nigerian team playing loose and aggressive combined to deny the US the draw it needed, and ended a promising Olympic campaign by the Americans. (Official recap.) The Nigerians were a fun team to watch. It would be nice to see how we'd fare 11 v11 for 90 minutes. The match was a microcosm of the troubles faced by the US in the tourney: poor decision-making at inopportune times, making worthless fouls that gain us little and cost us much, and not being able to mentally adapt to the changing dynamic on the field. It also showed that the US players are better technically than their forbears, can maintain possession and create chances against their international opponents, and are just a few tweaks away from making great strides on the international stage.
Overall the US did much better than I thought they would, and showed promise for the future of the full USMNT. They overcame listlessness to win their opening game, were seconds away from clinching their group in their second game, and held up well down a man when facing a relentless Nigerian attack. The coaching was adequate, but I think there are better choices for this age group.
As for the hometown connection, Stuart Holden was one of the bright spots of the team, showing composure defensively and creativity offensively. He looked like the guy McBride wanted to work with the most on field. His singular moments were the winning goal versus Japan, the dangerous run late versus the Netherlands that nearly got us the clinching insurance goal, and the unfortunate foul outside the box that gave the Netherlands the free kick in the dying moments that would deny us the win. At least he wasn't the one who jumped in the wall.
Ianni didn't see any field time, unfortunately. We only saw him in the post-goal celebrations.
And best of all, both players are uninjured and ready to return to help the commented on the Olympic Village, and his thoughts turned to the dining situation: Although we weren't able to sit together, it did give us a chance to mingle with some of the other athletes from other countries, which was pretty cool. I don't remember the names of the people I spoke with, but they were French track athletes and I was able to speak French with them. It went actually pretty well, and they obviously were big soccer fans. I also talked to a few Russian wrestlers, who I'm pretty sure I could take (kidding guys...good luck on a medal!).
He also mentioned that heroomed with Charles Davies, who subbed in for Stu in the 77th minute of the Nigerian match today.
In the same blog, Brad Guzan talked about the opening ceremonies and how POTUS recognized Stuie. Then we got to meet President Bush. I had never met him before but apparently Stuart is best friends with him. He walked down and took a group photo and met with all the athletes, which was pretty cool. He got to our team and Peter introduced him first to Brian and then to some of the other guys. He got to Stuart and President Bush did kind of a double-take and said "we've met before!" Oh, sorry Stu. I didn't know you and the President were so close!
Ives had some nice reflections on the pivotal draw with the Netherlands:
Grant Wahl loves the Olympics and he loves soccer, but he doesn't like Olympic soccer. That's mainly due to the ruling that clubs can hold onto their stars who would otherwise represent their countries. If the clubs can reject Olympic call-ups for their players, I think that should apply only to players who are older than U-23. I think clubs should be forced to release players who are U-23.
In US Open Cup news, the Charlestown Battery, the USL team that knocked the Dynamo out of the Cup, won their semifinal match versus Seattle in PKs. They'll face DC United in the final. DC is the presumed favorite, of course, but it would be kind of cool if the Battery capped off their Cinderella run by earning the trophy. That'd earn them some CONCACAF Champions League matches too, I believe. I'm just glad New England isn't going to repeat. They've got their SuperLiga trophy, that's enough for them this season.
A red card 3 minutes in and a Nigerian team playing loose and aggressive combined to deny the US the draw it needed, and ended a promising Olympic campaign by the Americans. (Official recap.) The Nigerians were a fun team to watch. It would be nice to see how we'd fare 11 v11 for 90 minutes. The match was a microcosm of the troubles faced by the US in the tourney: poor decision-making at inopportune times, making worthless fouls that gain us little and cost us much, and not being able to mentally adapt to the changing dynamic on the field. It also showed that the US players are better technically than their forbears, can maintain possession and create chances against their international opponents, and are just a few tweaks away from making great strides on the international stage.
Overall the US did much better than I thought they would, and showed promise for the future of the full USMNT. They overcame listlessness to win their opening game, were seconds away from clinching their group in their second game, and held up well down a man when facing a relentless Nigerian attack. The coaching was adequate, but I think there are better choices for this age group.
As for the hometown connection, Stuart Holden was one of the bright spots of the team, showing composure defensively and creativity offensively. He looked like the guy McBride wanted to work with the most on field. His singular moments were the winning goal versus Japan, the dangerous run late versus the Netherlands that nearly got us the clinching insurance goal, and the unfortunate foul outside the box that gave the Netherlands the free kick in the dying moments that would deny us the win. At least he wasn't the one who jumped in the wall.
Ianni didn't see any field time, unfortunately. We only saw him in the post-goal celebrations.
And best of all, both players are uninjured and ready to return to help the commented on the Olympic Village, and his thoughts turned to the dining situation: Although we weren't able to sit together, it did give us a chance to mingle with some of the other athletes from other countries, which was pretty cool. I don't remember the names of the people I spoke with, but they were French track athletes and I was able to speak French with them. It went actually pretty well, and they obviously were big soccer fans. I also talked to a few Russian wrestlers, who I'm pretty sure I could take (kidding guys...good luck on a medal!).
He also mentioned that heroomed with Charles Davies, who subbed in for Stu in the 77th minute of the Nigerian match today.
In the same blog, Brad Guzan talked about the opening ceremonies and how POTUS recognized Stuie. Then we got to meet President Bush. I had never met him before but apparently Stuart is best friends with him. He walked down and took a group photo and met with all the athletes, which was pretty cool. He got to our team and Peter introduced him first to Brian and then to some of the other guys. He got to Stuart and President Bush did kind of a double-take and said "we've met before!" Oh, sorry Stu. I didn't know you and the President were so close!
Ives had some nice reflections on the pivotal draw with the Netherlands:
No, the U.S. team's comeback and 2-1 lead were no fluke, the Americans outplayed the Dutch for 65 of minutes. There was no bunkering, no hitting and hoping. The U.S. team moved the ball around, created quality chances and defended well for a majority of the game. It was a quality performance made more impressive by the fact that it came a Dutch team regarded as a medal favorite, and a Dutch team that came into the match needing a result...
What the Americans were guilty of on Sunday was not being used to a situation like that, beating a high-level opponent and knowing how to finish them off. The Dutch were a beaten team and ripe to be finished off, but the U.S. team didn't have the experience to do it. You only develop that killer instinct by putting yourself in those situations regularly, something we just might see if this young and strong generation of American talent continues to develop.
Grant Wahl loves the Olympics and he loves soccer, but he doesn't like Olympic soccer. That's mainly due to the ruling that clubs can hold onto their stars who would otherwise represent their countries. If the clubs can reject Olympic call-ups for their players, I think that should apply only to players who are older than U-23. I think clubs should be forced to release players who are U-23.
In US Open Cup news, the Charlestown Battery, the USL team that knocked the Dynamo out of the Cup, won their semifinal match versus Seattle in PKs. They'll face DC United in the final. DC is the presumed favorite, of course, but it would be kind of cool if the Battery capped off their Cinderella run by earning the trophy. That'd earn them some CONCACAF Champions League matches too, I believe. I'm just glad New England isn't going to repeat. They've got their SuperLiga trophy, that's enough for them this season.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Holden helps US beat Japan
This morning, I woke up early enough to catch the 2nd half of the US Men's Olympic team's match versus Japan. It was great to see the Houston Dynamo represented well, with our very own Stuart Holden scoring the winning (and only) goal for the US Team.
So our own Hometown Holden is the scoring leader for the US team. Okay, so that's a weak stat at this point. I won't mind if another teammate (McBride? Adu? Altidore?) passes him up this tournament, as long as Holden continues to contribute and the US continues to win.
As for the game itself, it seemed that the US tried to sit back on the lead. The US has a pretty good (if very shallow) defense, but that tactic won't work in the next match, versus the Netherlands. A draw versus the Oranje would help our chances quite a bit overall, particularly after their draw with Nigeria. I'm looking forward to watching my recording of the whole Japan match tonight; I heard we did well in the first half, although we conceded several golden opportunities to the Japanese.
Here's a preview of the Japan match. It doesn't bother to mention anything about Holden, choosing to stick to the easy subjects: Adu, Altidore, and McBride.
Here's the US Soccer recap of the match. Holden was the "Sierra Mist Man of the Match." And here's the AP recap of the match. (It's from the Chron, so the link will only be good for a few weeks.)
Here's an old article about both Dynamo players, Ianni and Holden, after they first joined the Olympic team.
Oh, and for minor laughs, here's Jamie Trecker's preview of the US Men's Olympic team. His schtick is to have a cynical perspective on the US soccer culture in general, and US soccer players specifically. (He seems to have a personal vendetta against Ching; being almost childish -- and definitely rudimentary -- in his criticism of the Hawaiian prior to World Cup 2006.) His counter-culture approach would be better served if he was better at analysis and if he didn't rely on media handouts as the basis for his opinions (even if his opinions are only to counter those handouts). For instance, he obviously hasn't watched any Dynamo games, because he says in the above-linked article "Holden looks to be a journeyman at Houston" and could be on the 2014 US World Cup team "if at all." No one who is considered a solid understudy for DeRo at attacking midfield could be considered merely a journeyman. And no one who has seen Holden's touch, powerful shot, and dribbling skills would consider him a journeyman. Research is perhaps the most difficult job for writers, and so Trecker often skimps on this aspect. If you see facts in his writing, don't take them as accurate. His opinions can be amusing, as I've said, or even interesting at times; but they are often based on a weak foundation of factual errors, on poor analysis, or simply on a hope that a negative perspective will sound insightful.
So our own Hometown Holden is the scoring leader for the US team. Okay, so that's a weak stat at this point. I won't mind if another teammate (McBride? Adu? Altidore?) passes him up this tournament, as long as Holden continues to contribute and the US continues to win.
As for the game itself, it seemed that the US tried to sit back on the lead. The US has a pretty good (if very shallow) defense, but that tactic won't work in the next match, versus the Netherlands. A draw versus the Oranje would help our chances quite a bit overall, particularly after their draw with Nigeria. I'm looking forward to watching my recording of the whole Japan match tonight; I heard we did well in the first half, although we conceded several golden opportunities to the Japanese.
Here's a preview of the Japan match. It doesn't bother to mention anything about Holden, choosing to stick to the easy subjects: Adu, Altidore, and McBride.
Here's the US Soccer recap of the match. Holden was the "Sierra Mist Man of the Match." And here's the AP recap of the match. (It's from the Chron, so the link will only be good for a few weeks.)
Here's an old article about both Dynamo players, Ianni and Holden, after they first joined the Olympic team.
Oh, and for minor laughs, here's Jamie Trecker's preview of the US Men's Olympic team. His schtick is to have a cynical perspective on the US soccer culture in general, and US soccer players specifically. (He seems to have a personal vendetta against Ching; being almost childish -- and definitely rudimentary -- in his criticism of the Hawaiian prior to World Cup 2006.) His counter-culture approach would be better served if he was better at analysis and if he didn't rely on media handouts as the basis for his opinions (even if his opinions are only to counter those handouts). For instance, he obviously hasn't watched any Dynamo games, because he says in the above-linked article "Holden looks to be a journeyman at Houston" and could be on the 2014 US World Cup team "if at all." No one who is considered a solid understudy for DeRo at attacking midfield could be considered merely a journeyman. And no one who has seen Holden's touch, powerful shot, and dribbling skills would consider him a journeyman. Research is perhaps the most difficult job for writers, and so Trecker often skimps on this aspect. If you see facts in his writing, don't take them as accurate. His opinions can be amusing, as I've said, or even interesting at times; but they are often based on a weak foundation of factual errors, on poor analysis, or simply on a hope that a negative perspective will sound insightful.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Sometimes I really hate this game
How painful is it to not be able to win in regulation + extra time when you have 25 shots, 14 on goal, to the opponent's 15 shots, 7 on goal! And those 14 on goal don't even count the two off the left post! Arrgh! (Game preview. Game review.)
I've written before that this is not the Dynamo of yesteryear. This one loses to the Revs in a Championship game. This one has ginormous defensive gaffes -- and more than one! -- that allow goals. The usually stalwart Captain Barrett lets a ball drop into the box and doesn't stay with it, thus giving Ralston the ball, the space, the angle, and the first equalizer; while Bobby Boswell, who was B-Swell all match, reverted to BoBo on one play in overtime to give Shalrie Joseph the second equalizer. And that second goal was on a set play; Dynamo-Houston of yesteryear was golden on set plays.
On the other hand, this Dynamo team did other things that were uncharacteristic, like getting 14 shots on goal, taking the first lead in a final, and getting to a non-MLS Cup final in the first place. And how about Ching being the provider, sending in the cross for another player to head for a goal?
This has been the season of ties. Because we settled for yet another draw tonight, we had to go to a virtual coin flip to determine who gets to pick up the trophy. PKs are always a gamble. Excellent kick by The Waibel to set the tone. I had a bad feeling about DeRo (he seemed off all night, despite the countless opportunities he had on goal) and that proved correct. I then was hoping Ching would (1) not do the stutter step and (2) change his routine by shooting to the left. Well, he didn't do the stutter, but he went to the right, just like the last time he faced Reis. Onstad gave his side the saves they needed to win, only his buddies couldn't get the ball into the net every time. Just like in the game.
Can't complain about the PK result though. Those are really just crapshoots. I really can't complain about the offensive production either. We should have had more goals, sure; but if you said before the game that we'd get 2 past Reis, I'd take that straight up. My complaint is really with the lapses that gave the Revs their two goals. It should never have gone to PKs.
Take away the awful gifts by the defenses and we win 1-0 in overtime. As it is, we do continue the traditions of yesteryear by not winning a non-MLS Cup trophy. After ending our chances with the Pan-Pacific Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Open Cup, and the SuperLiga Cup, and drawing our way out of contention for the Supporters' Shield (my favorite of the awards), only the MLS Cup remains. Frankly, that's the most important one as that's the only one that gives us the unprecented "three-peat". It's also the one that gives one an automatic berth into all of the tournaments that add spice to the season.
But maybe, just maybe, this is the season where we learn what it's like to be a true supporter of a soccer club. Instead of rating the team based on the awards won and the accolades bestowed by the soccer literati; maybe this is the season where we appreciate the team for what it is: a solid, hard-working, talented team that plays an attractive style of soccer, with players that give their all for us each match. And maybe next year we get to see how the team fares when it has only MLS league games to squeeze into the schedule.
Maybe. But I'm not sure I'm mature enough for that sort of character growth, so let's just get the three-peat, 'kay? We can deal with not getting the MLS Cup in some future season when we've gotten something else, say a CONCACAF Champions League Cup or at least an Open Cup. We need the MLS Cup this season. Grab the unprecedented three-peat, then we'll negotiate on what trophies must be earned next season...
Go DYNAMO!
I've written before that this is not the Dynamo of yesteryear. This one loses to the Revs in a Championship game. This one has ginormous defensive gaffes -- and more than one! -- that allow goals. The usually stalwart Captain Barrett lets a ball drop into the box and doesn't stay with it, thus giving Ralston the ball, the space, the angle, and the first equalizer; while Bobby Boswell, who was B-Swell all match, reverted to BoBo on one play in overtime to give Shalrie Joseph the second equalizer. And that second goal was on a set play; Dynamo-Houston of yesteryear was golden on set plays.
On the other hand, this Dynamo team did other things that were uncharacteristic, like getting 14 shots on goal, taking the first lead in a final, and getting to a non-MLS Cup final in the first place. And how about Ching being the provider, sending in the cross for another player to head for a goal?
This has been the season of ties. Because we settled for yet another draw tonight, we had to go to a virtual coin flip to determine who gets to pick up the trophy. PKs are always a gamble. Excellent kick by The Waibel to set the tone. I had a bad feeling about DeRo (he seemed off all night, despite the countless opportunities he had on goal) and that proved correct. I then was hoping Ching would (1) not do the stutter step and (2) change his routine by shooting to the left. Well, he didn't do the stutter, but he went to the right, just like the last time he faced Reis. Onstad gave his side the saves they needed to win, only his buddies couldn't get the ball into the net every time. Just like in the game.
Can't complain about the PK result though. Those are really just crapshoots. I really can't complain about the offensive production either. We should have had more goals, sure; but if you said before the game that we'd get 2 past Reis, I'd take that straight up. My complaint is really with the lapses that gave the Revs their two goals. It should never have gone to PKs.
Take away the awful gifts by the defenses and we win 1-0 in overtime. As it is, we do continue the traditions of yesteryear by not winning a non-MLS Cup trophy. After ending our chances with the Pan-Pacific Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Open Cup, and the SuperLiga Cup, and drawing our way out of contention for the Supporters' Shield (my favorite of the awards), only the MLS Cup remains. Frankly, that's the most important one as that's the only one that gives us the unprecented "three-peat". It's also the one that gives one an automatic berth into all of the tournaments that add spice to the season.
But maybe, just maybe, this is the season where we learn what it's like to be a true supporter of a soccer club. Instead of rating the team based on the awards won and the accolades bestowed by the soccer literati; maybe this is the season where we appreciate the team for what it is: a solid, hard-working, talented team that plays an attractive style of soccer, with players that give their all for us each match. And maybe next year we get to see how the team fares when it has only MLS league games to squeeze into the schedule.
Maybe. But I'm not sure I'm mature enough for that sort of character growth, so let's just get the three-peat, 'kay? We can deal with not getting the MLS Cup in some future season when we've gotten something else, say a CONCACAF Champions League Cup or at least an Open Cup. We need the MLS Cup this season. Grab the unprecedented three-peat, then we'll negotiate on what trophies must be earned next season...
Go DYNAMO!
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Keeping the points a-coming
Two sweet goals in the first half, and another stellar performance by Onstad (among others), gave the Dynamo their first win over the Crew at Robertson. (Game recap. More on the win.)
First, know that it was hot. Mostly that was thanks to the humidity. I don't think the heat and humidity helped us as much last night though; it seemed that being a goal behind got the Crew motivated. They had some very good stretches of play once we scored, and they would have scored had Onstad not been his uber-goalkeeping self. The "Hardhats" looked particularly good in the second half, but the humidity (and the Crew's early subs mandated by injuries) probably did help late in that they didn't look dangerous after the 80th minute or so.
The first goal by Davis in the 13th minute came from a nice feed from Mullan. The ball bounced a bit on Davis' first touch (blame the uneven turf on that one), giving Davis the perfect opportunity to turn and blast a blistering half-volley into the upper left net. "It was good to be able to come out tonight and contribute with a goal. That was a great pass from Brian (Mullan) and the team got three points. That is the most important thing right now. I have had some chances recently with posts and crossbars, but it went my tonight."
In the 43rd, Ching hit a low rocket after Clark sent a through ball to Nate Jaqua in the box. Jaqua was closed down quickly and couldn't turn, but left a nice step-over layoff to Ching who sent his shot low and to the left, through the defender's legs, and into the net as the GK, WillFerrell Hesmer, dove the wrong way.
As with the Pachuca match, there was some controversy on the field: what's with the new Dynamo Girl uniforms? They looked almost modest! My wife approves.
Cool article alert! Richard Justice must've been at the game, or maybe he attended the Pachuca game, because he has a great article on the Men In Orange. It's a great soccer article from a non-soccer sports journalist. Links to newspaper articles sometimes break over time, so here are a few quotes for posterity:
Now let's hope we can take care of business this Tuesday versus New England and bring home our first international trophy. The Revs can't beat us THREE games in one season, can they? CAN THEY?
(Meanwhile, a New England fan is thinking "The Dynamo can't beat us THREE championships in a row, can they? CAN THEY?" Lords of Destiny hear me out: Each season sees a slightly different group wearing the jersey of a club, so a Dynamo win wouldn't have the same players beating the same players three times in a row, even if there are quite a few returning core players. However, a Revolution win would (basically) have the same players beating the same players thrice in a row. We can't have that, okay?)
Go Dynamo!
First, know that it was hot. Mostly that was thanks to the humidity. I don't think the heat and humidity helped us as much last night though; it seemed that being a goal behind got the Crew motivated. They had some very good stretches of play once we scored, and they would have scored had Onstad not been his uber-goalkeeping self. The "Hardhats" looked particularly good in the second half, but the humidity (and the Crew's early subs mandated by injuries) probably did help late in that they didn't look dangerous after the 80th minute or so.
The first goal by Davis in the 13th minute came from a nice feed from Mullan. The ball bounced a bit on Davis' first touch (blame the uneven turf on that one), giving Davis the perfect opportunity to turn and blast a blistering half-volley into the upper left net. "It was good to be able to come out tonight and contribute with a goal. That was a great pass from Brian (Mullan) and the team got three points. That is the most important thing right now. I have had some chances recently with posts and crossbars, but it went my tonight."
In the 43rd, Ching hit a low rocket after Clark sent a through ball to Nate Jaqua in the box. Jaqua was closed down quickly and couldn't turn, but left a nice step-over layoff to Ching who sent his shot low and to the left, through the defender's legs, and into the net as the GK, Will
As with the Pachuca match, there was some controversy on the field: what's with the new Dynamo Girl uniforms? They looked almost modest! My wife approves.
Cool article alert! Richard Justice must've been at the game, or maybe he attended the Pachuca game, because he has a great article on the Men In Orange. It's a great soccer article from a non-soccer sports journalist. Links to newspaper articles sometimes break over time, so here are a few quotes for posterity:
- The Dom, talking about the overwhelming support in the final home game last season: "To this day, I've never witnessed a club atmosphere in America better than that one," the Dynamo coach said. "You looked up and there was orange everywhere. There were no gimmicks, no giveaways. It was just fans that wanted to see the Houston Dynamo advance to the final. I still get chills talking about it."
- There's more emotion in one Dynamo game than the Texans, Astros and Rockets have in an entire season. Cynicism takes a day off when the Dynamo play. And it's all about the soccer. It's not about the creature comforts at Robertson Stadium or the chance to see an international star. It's about the team.
- Now into their third season, the Dynamo have done almost everything right. They moved into the right market. They won back-to-back championships. Robertson Stadium offers a closeness to the players, an intimacy rare in professional sports. It helps that players spend hours in the community visiting hospitals, holding clinics, being the best ambassadors a sport can have. It helps to have players who care, who always play with hustle and energy, who appreciate the fan base. It's all those things and more. It's our amazing little success story.
- They have great leadership beginning with team president Oliver Luck, an accomplished coach in Kinnear and an interesting locker room mix. Barrett, the captain, is quiet. So is Mullan. Onstad, the old guy, has seen it all. Robinson and Craig Waibel are talkative and emotional. It's the kind of mix of players for which every franchise strives. And the crowd support, the emotion and noise and all the rest, is irreplaceable.
Now let's hope we can take care of business this Tuesday versus New England and bring home our first international trophy. The Revs can't beat us THREE games in one season, can they? CAN THEY?
(Meanwhile, a New England fan is thinking "The Dynamo can't beat us THREE championships in a row, can they? CAN THEY?" Lords of Destiny hear me out: Each season sees a slightly different group wearing the jersey of a club, so a Dynamo win wouldn't have the same players beating the same players three times in a row, even if there are quite a few returning core players. However, a Revolution win would (basically) have the same players beating the same players thrice in a row. We can't have that, okay?)
Go Dynamo!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Crew's in town
Back to the MLS for one game before we face off for the SuperLiga championship versus New England, which WE BETTER WIN.
Here is the official preview for tonight's game. No ERob or Mulrooney (injury) or DeRo (too much yeller). The Crew will be without "Hey, Duck!"
For the Dynamo formation, I'm thinking something like:
With Cameron able to move to midfield if we switch to a 3-5-2 and Kamara able to come in for Jaqua around the 70th minute.
The Crew-Mo series has each team with one win and three draws. It's pretty uninspiring, really. The matches are boring on average and Alejandro Moreno gets a goal each time. He can have his goal tonight, as long as WE GET MORE.
I'm going with ALLCAPS today to express an intense fervor that can only be controlled by heavy use of the CAPS LOCK key.
And now for something completely different: the Dynamo open ties with local Chinese officials.
Here is the official preview for tonight's game. No ERob or Mulrooney (injury) or DeRo (too much yeller). The Crew will be without "Hey, Duck!"
For the Dynamo formation, I'm thinking something like:
Ching--Jaqua
Ashe-Davis-Mullan
Clark
Barrett-Boswell-Cameron-Waibel
Onstad
With Cameron able to move to midfield if we switch to a 3-5-2 and Kamara able to come in for Jaqua around the 70th minute.
The Crew-Mo series has each team with one win and three draws. It's pretty uninspiring, really. The matches are boring on average and Alejandro Moreno gets a goal each time. He can have his goal tonight, as long as WE GET MORE.
I'm going with ALLCAPS today to express an intense fervor that can only be controlled by heavy use of the CAPS LOCK key.
And now for something completely different: the Dynamo open ties with local Chinese officials.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Adios Pachuca!-SuperLiga
What a night! What a result! (Game recap.)
I should no longer refer to Bobby Boswell as BoBo. My wife suggests B-Swell has a more positive ring to it. And B-Swell's game winner comes a day or so after he says "For me, the goal is definitely to beat Pachuca, a team that [the Dynamo] played a lot last year. And if I can be a catalyst to help the team get past them and get into the finals, then that's a big step for me and the team." Congrats on your big step, Catalyst!
And I wonder how many more games I'll have to watch before I see Corey Ashe get another goal off a header. He's the smallest guy on the pitch, isn't he?
I thought there was a lot of energy in the crowd tonight. The two supporters' groups did well stirring up noise and fervor. We also were introduced to our newest player: Kei Kamara. He looked good, though he did not seem to have gelled with the team yet. No surprise there at this point.
My family tried a new seating position this time: Section 124. From that section we were looking over DeRo's shoulder when he made the two dangerous shots on goal from the left flank in the first half. The first shot looked like he was trying to bend it as a cross, only the ball didn't bend and it became a shot that was easily snuffed by Calero. The second shot looked like he swiveled to fake a cross, then attempted a clever flick that Calero deflected. Had a middie timed his run right, the deflection would have led to an easy follow-up shot on goal. (When I rewatched the play on Telemundo, it looked like Jaqua and Mullan actually were trailing the play, but the ball didn't get near them unfortunately.) DeRo's best shot was around the 8th minute. It was a spinning left-footed volley from about 25 yards out that Calero had to stretch to deflect over the ball. That shot, had it been a goal, would have been on the highlight reel.
From our seats, we were also in line with the play in the second half when Pachuca had a goal called back due to offside. We didn't see the infraction at the time, and watching the replay on Telemundo, it appears there wasn't one.
Before this divine/referee intervention, we also saw some excellent saves by Onstad in the first 5 minutes of the second half. The veteran saved our skin tonight.
I'd give Dynamo-H the edge in the first half. They had the better possesion and the better threats on goal. Pachuca completely dominated the first 5 minutes of the second half, and after that the game evened out (except for that fast break non-offside non-goal that we were gifted).
As the game wore on, I worried that we would head into extra time. If the Tuzos were able to sneak past the Dynamo yet again, who would I root for in the final, I wondered? Well, regardless of who wins the New England-Atlante match, I'd have to root for Pachuca. They're a quality team, and I won't root for the Revs as long as Steve Nicol is killing the game for them.
Then a bit of magic in the 77th minute when a DeRo corner is headed on by Waibel for a timely tap-in with B-Swell's side foot. After that, the game opened up as Pachuca sought the equalizer and the Dynamo had more opportunities to counter. Ashe's header 10 minutes later ensured that the non-offside gift wouldn't taint the Dynamo's victory.
Pachuca played a solid game, until their emotions got the best of them as time wore down. Then there was a fracas after the game. It seems Pachuca is only a class act when they're on top; they don't have the emotional maturity to face disappointment like men. Hats off to Calero (surprisingly, particularly after his antics with Dom at halftime) and Torres to show class and sportsmanship in their respective post-game interviews. They need to do some remedial training for some of their teammates.
Wednesday night, I guess I'll root for Atlante so we get the final at home. Either opponent would be difficult. We beat Atlante 4-0 in the group stage, so they'll be gunning for us -- plus they appear to have their edge back. Also, it's difficult to beat the same team twice in one tournament. New England would be difficult because they know how to frustrate the Dynamo, beating us for a combined 5-0 tally in our two matches this year. We've beaten them the past two MLS Cup championships, but that only makes the odds for a third consecutive championship victory seem that much more difficult to attain over the same opponent. Plus, we'd be on their home field with their fake turf. So, it's go Atlante.
But, Go Dynamo! even more.
I should no longer refer to Bobby Boswell as BoBo. My wife suggests B-Swell has a more positive ring to it. And B-Swell's game winner comes a day or so after he says "For me, the goal is definitely to beat Pachuca, a team that [the Dynamo] played a lot last year. And if I can be a catalyst to help the team get past them and get into the finals, then that's a big step for me and the team." Congrats on your big step, Catalyst!
And I wonder how many more games I'll have to watch before I see Corey Ashe get another goal off a header. He's the smallest guy on the pitch, isn't he?
I thought there was a lot of energy in the crowd tonight. The two supporters' groups did well stirring up noise and fervor. We also were introduced to our newest player: Kei Kamara. He looked good, though he did not seem to have gelled with the team yet. No surprise there at this point.
My family tried a new seating position this time: Section 124. From that section we were looking over DeRo's shoulder when he made the two dangerous shots on goal from the left flank in the first half. The first shot looked like he was trying to bend it as a cross, only the ball didn't bend and it became a shot that was easily snuffed by Calero. The second shot looked like he swiveled to fake a cross, then attempted a clever flick that Calero deflected. Had a middie timed his run right, the deflection would have led to an easy follow-up shot on goal. (When I rewatched the play on Telemundo, it looked like Jaqua and Mullan actually were trailing the play, but the ball didn't get near them unfortunately.) DeRo's best shot was around the 8th minute. It was a spinning left-footed volley from about 25 yards out that Calero had to stretch to deflect over the ball. That shot, had it been a goal, would have been on the highlight reel.
From our seats, we were also in line with the play in the second half when Pachuca had a goal called back due to offside. We didn't see the infraction at the time, and watching the replay on Telemundo, it appears there wasn't one.
Before this divine/referee intervention, we also saw some excellent saves by Onstad in the first 5 minutes of the second half. The veteran saved our skin tonight.
I'd give Dynamo-H the edge in the first half. They had the better possesion and the better threats on goal. Pachuca completely dominated the first 5 minutes of the second half, and after that the game evened out (except for that fast break non-offside non-goal that we were gifted).
As the game wore on, I worried that we would head into extra time. If the Tuzos were able to sneak past the Dynamo yet again, who would I root for in the final, I wondered? Well, regardless of who wins the New England-Atlante match, I'd have to root for Pachuca. They're a quality team, and I won't root for the Revs as long as Steve Nicol is killing the game for them.
Then a bit of magic in the 77th minute when a DeRo corner is headed on by Waibel for a timely tap-in with B-Swell's side foot. After that, the game opened up as Pachuca sought the equalizer and the Dynamo had more opportunities to counter. Ashe's header 10 minutes later ensured that the non-offside gift wouldn't taint the Dynamo's victory.
Pachuca played a solid game, until their emotions got the best of them as time wore down. Then there was a fracas after the game. It seems Pachuca is only a class act when they're on top; they don't have the emotional maturity to face disappointment like men. Hats off to Calero (surprisingly, particularly after his antics with Dom at halftime) and Torres to show class and sportsmanship in their respective post-game interviews. They need to do some remedial training for some of their teammates.
Wednesday night, I guess I'll root for Atlante so we get the final at home. Either opponent would be difficult. We beat Atlante 4-0 in the group stage, so they'll be gunning for us -- plus they appear to have their edge back. Also, it's difficult to beat the same team twice in one tournament. New England would be difficult because they know how to frustrate the Dynamo, beating us for a combined 5-0 tally in our two matches this year. We've beaten them the past two MLS Cup championships, but that only makes the odds for a third consecutive championship victory seem that much more difficult to attain over the same opponent. Plus, we'd be on their home field with their fake turf. So, it's go Atlante.
But, Go Dynamo! even more.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Pachuca tonight
It's Tuzos vs Dynamo tonight. Here is the game preview. An essay by a fan. Another essay: It is the stuff of which movies are made. Pachuca will have to face the Dynamo at Robertson Stadium, in front of a crowd that bleeds orange. It will be impossible for Pachuca players to ignore their nerves for the game in Houston, because the Dynamo will be at home, the crowd will go crazy, and the team will shine. It will be a game for the history books, and it will be painted orange.
The Chron has a its own preview as well as various notes about the Pachuca match and other MLS news. Our newest player, Kei Kamara, might be on the bench. E-Rob is unlikely, Mulrooney is still out (but could be back for our next MLS match). Good news: Pachuca's Christian Gimenez (The Orange Slayer) is out due to card accumulation. "I don't know if it's a rivalry; they beat us out of every competition," Dynamo forward Brian Ching said. "It's more of a frustration for us. But they're a good team, and we consider ourselves a good team."
An article on Waibel's charity-driven field goal attempts. "You have the best job in the world!" Waibel told Brown, before admitting that on-rushing NFL defenders might make a slight difference. B-Fall mentions it in his blog as well.
The Chron has a its own preview as well as various notes about the Pachuca match and other MLS news. Our newest player, Kei Kamara, might be on the bench. E-Rob is unlikely, Mulrooney is still out (but could be back for our next MLS match). Good news: Pachuca's Christian Gimenez (The Orange Slayer) is out due to card accumulation. "I don't know if it's a rivalry; they beat us out of every competition," Dynamo forward Brian Ching said. "It's more of a frustration for us. But they're a good team, and we consider ourselves a good team."
An article on Waibel's charity-driven field goal attempts. "You have the best job in the world!" Waibel told Brown, before admitting that on-rushing NFL defenders might make a slight difference. B-Fall mentions it in his blog as well.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
All-Stars was entertaining ... Who'd've guessed?
I wasn't really looking forward to the MLS All-Star game ... like most people, I'm sure. I wasn't sure if I would watch. Turns out I did, and I'm glad I did. The match was fun from beginning to end; and I even found it relaxing since I didn't care who won or lost.
West Ham played well, but the players weren't going to hurt themselves in the process. That, and the fact that the Hammers probably aren't match fit yet, was really the factor that led to the MLSers controlling possession and territory so well.
But what was cool was watching Blanco and Beckham play together. Blanco actually was off with his passing and had several give-aways, but started getting into the groove and ended the half with a clever, skillful goal curving so nicely into the net. His earlier assist was even sweeter: picking up a pass from Beckham, Blanco popped the ball up then heel-flicked it to Christian Gomez, who slotted the ball clinically into the far netting. Becks-Blanco-Gomez-goal: That play right there made the All-Stars worth it.
B-Fall's blog has a good summary of the game. Here is a good article talking about DeRo and Onstad playing two MLS games the same day and in different countries. DeRo is capping off his day with a party benefiting Nothing But Nets.
Beckham played all 90 and looked very strong, particularly since no one cared if he helped with the defending.
DeRo, had some good flashes as a late sub, including a dangerous run that won a PK. I was surprised that he took the PK, and it was tense seeing his blast ping-ponging off the crossbar and into the net. With the goal, DeRo has another game winner for the All-Stars. The Creative Canuck made some nice runs and passing combos, which was all the more surprising since he had just wrapped up his MLS match in DC that morning. He was certainly pumped to be in front of his hometown fans. He had a solid free kick late in the game (Becks kindly let DeRo take the kick, I wager).
Onstad wasn't tested much, but did well with what he faced. I was very surprised to see him inserted in (just after DeRo's PK), but it was good to see him playing in this honorary game, as he is still one of the best in the league.
Landon Donovan was off his game and didn't seem to do anything.
And what was the formation there at the end, when Hejduk and Bornstein came off for Buddle and Ralston? Was it a 2 5 3? Ralston must've been playing as a back. It would be nice if the announcers would, you know, cover the game and instead of laughing over inside jokes or commenting on the obvious ("So-and-so would like to have that one back"). THEY can see the entire field. THEY should tell us how the formation is morphing as the game plays out and especially as subs come in.
Speaking of announcers, I have got my whole family to detest the "as wells" that Harkes includes in every other sentence regardless of whether the phrase is relevant. In the off-season, maybe Harksie can go to a speaking coach. I complain because I care.
I thought it was laughable towards the beginning of the game when JP Dellacamera thought the Toronto fans would even consider chanting "We want Landon." No, Harkes was right: they were chanting "We want Brennan." And while it was cool that JPD mentioned DeRo played a 4 hour game last night, it'd be even cooler if he pointed out that DeRo actually finished playing that match THIS MORNING.
Finally, I don't know if it started to drizzle during the game, but the turf looked matted and slick by the end of the match. I didn't see a lot of sliding and falling, but the field sure looked worn. Was that an optical illusion or does that brand of turf have issues with heavy use?
All in all, great energy in the game. Good performance by the Dynamo reps. The MLS "super stars" (Becks, Blanco, and Angel, who looked onside when scored what would've been the 4th goal for the MLSers and would've been an assist for DeRo) all played up to the moment for the spectators. West Ham acquitted themselves well too.
I'd have to say that, other than my gripe about the announcers, the only negative of the whole night is that sad trophy presentation. Why is the MLS giving a trophy to itself in what is basically a friendly exhibition match? Who keeps it? Does the trophy go into the MLS headquarters' trophy case? This is a festival of soccer, not a meaningful competition. Invite both teams onto a stage. Let them swap jerseys. Pick an MVP, maybe even one from both teams. Thank everyone for coming. Then let the music blare and the confetti canons fire away. Having a "hooray for us" ceremony is just sad.
Speaking of shirt-swapping: did you see DeRo wearing (Anton) Ferdinand's shirt? With those cornrows, DeRo looked a bit like Anton's brother, Rio Ferdinand. Cool.
In Other news:
Check out Garber's "State of the MLS" speech. We'll have two more teams come 2011 it seems. Where will we get the quality players? Cannibalization? In the halftime interview, Garber said that the McBride situation has been resolved. It looks like he's going to Chicago. ("I hope he ends up in Chicago, yuk, yuk, yuk," Garber guffawed in the interview.)
In Toronto, Dynamo-Houston make the moves necessary to pick up the speedy forward they've been wanting: Kei Kamara. He has scored only 2 goals this year (so far!) and one of them was against us back in May. Here is B-Fall's take.
Do you ever feel that the Dynamo's 2nd striker position (Ching's partner) is kind of like the percussionist situation with Spinal Tap? The band could never keep a drummer due to all sorts of bizarre events, including spontaneous combustion. We've had Alejandro Moreno, Ronald Cerritos (kind of), Paul Dalglish, Nate Jaqua, Joseph Ngwenya, Franco Caraccio, Nate Jaqua again, and now Kei Kamara. That's not even considering the Reserves and midfielders that have played up there as band-aid approaches. Here's hoping that Kamara is the piece needed by the Dynamo to finish the season strong.
West Ham played well, but the players weren't going to hurt themselves in the process. That, and the fact that the Hammers probably aren't match fit yet, was really the factor that led to the MLSers controlling possession and territory so well.
But what was cool was watching Blanco and Beckham play together. Blanco actually was off with his passing and had several give-aways, but started getting into the groove and ended the half with a clever, skillful goal curving so nicely into the net. His earlier assist was even sweeter: picking up a pass from Beckham, Blanco popped the ball up then heel-flicked it to Christian Gomez, who slotted the ball clinically into the far netting. Becks-Blanco-Gomez-goal: That play right there made the All-Stars worth it.
B-Fall's blog has a good summary of the game. Here is a good article talking about DeRo and Onstad playing two MLS games the same day and in different countries. DeRo is capping off his day with a party benefiting Nothing But Nets.
Beckham played all 90 and looked very strong, particularly since no one cared if he helped with the defending.
DeRo, had some good flashes as a late sub, including a dangerous run that won a PK. I was surprised that he took the PK, and it was tense seeing his blast ping-ponging off the crossbar and into the net. With the goal, DeRo has another game winner for the All-Stars. The Creative Canuck made some nice runs and passing combos, which was all the more surprising since he had just wrapped up his MLS match in DC that morning. He was certainly pumped to be in front of his hometown fans. He had a solid free kick late in the game (Becks kindly let DeRo take the kick, I wager).
Onstad wasn't tested much, but did well with what he faced. I was very surprised to see him inserted in (just after DeRo's PK), but it was good to see him playing in this honorary game, as he is still one of the best in the league.
Landon Donovan was off his game and didn't seem to do anything.
And what was the formation there at the end, when Hejduk and Bornstein came off for Buddle and Ralston? Was it a 2 5 3? Ralston must've been playing as a back. It would be nice if the announcers would, you know, cover the game and instead of laughing over inside jokes or commenting on the obvious ("So-and-so would like to have that one back"). THEY can see the entire field. THEY should tell us how the formation is morphing as the game plays out and especially as subs come in.
Speaking of announcers, I have got my whole family to detest the "as wells" that Harkes includes in every other sentence regardless of whether the phrase is relevant. In the off-season, maybe Harksie can go to a speaking coach. I complain because I care.
I thought it was laughable towards the beginning of the game when JP Dellacamera thought the Toronto fans would even consider chanting "We want Landon." No, Harkes was right: they were chanting "We want Brennan." And while it was cool that JPD mentioned DeRo played a 4 hour game last night, it'd be even cooler if he pointed out that DeRo actually finished playing that match THIS MORNING.
Finally, I don't know if it started to drizzle during the game, but the turf looked matted and slick by the end of the match. I didn't see a lot of sliding and falling, but the field sure looked worn. Was that an optical illusion or does that brand of turf have issues with heavy use?
All in all, great energy in the game. Good performance by the Dynamo reps. The MLS "super stars" (Becks, Blanco, and Angel, who looked onside when scored what would've been the 4th goal for the MLSers and would've been an assist for DeRo) all played up to the moment for the spectators. West Ham acquitted themselves well too.
I'd have to say that, other than my gripe about the announcers, the only negative of the whole night is that sad trophy presentation. Why is the MLS giving a trophy to itself in what is basically a friendly exhibition match? Who keeps it? Does the trophy go into the MLS headquarters' trophy case? This is a festival of soccer, not a meaningful competition. Invite both teams onto a stage. Let them swap jerseys. Pick an MVP, maybe even one from both teams. Thank everyone for coming. Then let the music blare and the confetti canons fire away. Having a "hooray for us" ceremony is just sad.
Speaking of shirt-swapping: did you see DeRo wearing (Anton) Ferdinand's shirt? With those cornrows, DeRo looked a bit like Anton's brother, Rio Ferdinand. Cool.
In Other news:
Check out Garber's "State of the MLS" speech. We'll have two more teams come 2011 it seems. Where will we get the quality players? Cannibalization? In the halftime interview, Garber said that the McBride situation has been resolved. It looks like he's going to Chicago. ("I hope he ends up in Chicago, yuk, yuk, yuk," Garber guffawed in the interview.)
In Toronto, Dynamo-Houston make the moves necessary to pick up the speedy forward they've been wanting: Kei Kamara. He has scored only 2 goals this year (so far!) and one of them was against us back in May. Here is B-Fall's take.
Do you ever feel that the Dynamo's 2nd striker position (Ching's partner) is kind of like the percussionist situation with Spinal Tap? The band could never keep a drummer due to all sorts of bizarre events, including spontaneous combustion. We've had Alejandro Moreno, Ronald Cerritos (kind of), Paul Dalglish, Nate Jaqua, Joseph Ngwenya, Franco Caraccio, Nate Jaqua again, and now Kei Kamara. That's not even considering the Reserves and midfielders that have played up there as band-aid approaches. Here's hoping that Kamara is the piece needed by the Dynamo to finish the season strong.
Three points from the four-day match
Well, THAT was probably the strangest match of the season. (Game recap. Quotes.) Dynamo-Houston went to DC on June 4 to begin the match (abandoned after 15 minutes), then was hours away from restarting the match on July 22, then finally began the replayed match on July 23 and finished it in the wee hours of July 24.
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart the match at 10:40 after the 3 hour rain delay. At that point, up 1-0 and having dominated the match, Dynamo-H had nowhere to go but down. Three points in hand couldn't get any better. The break could have broken their rhythm. The puddles could ruin their passing game.
Luckily, the Dynamo still were the better team. DCU had two (three?) extremely scary, possibly game-changing shots on goal that Onstad managed to snuff out, but other than that, it was all Dynamo.
Dude: 23 shots to 4. That is total domination. Yet, if Ching hadn't gotten that insurance goal, or if Onstad hadn't been clutch, all those shots wouldn't have given us the points we deserved. Hats off to Onstad, Cameron, Mullan, Davis, and Ching for earning us the points. Others were able to create the domination on the field of course, but it was those five that managed to turn our advantage to points. DeRo was instrumental in the game, the midfield completely shut down the passing lanes and managed the transitions extremely well, and our defense were the aggressors on the ball. Nice job all around, but a special tip o' the hat to those who saved goals and made or assisted on goals.
DeRo had some near-gimmees in the first half, but Zach Wells or a defender's ill-placed extremity seemed to always deny the Canadian Creator. We need DeRo to unleash the dogs of war and net these opportunities when they arise in our upcoming SuperLiga matches and the remaining MLS league games. DeRo will create those opportunities -- he's a master at that -- we just need him to get his finishing mojo back.
The bad news from the match: our next game will be without our two attacking mids: DeRo (card accumulation) and Holden (Olympics). We will also be without ERob most likely (injury) and his understudy, Ianni (Olympics). We will have Rico back. Kinnear has a lot of options, thankfully, but he will have to be creative. And he won't have his first choices at several key positions.
Tonight Onstad and DeRo are to play in the All-Star Game, the same day that they finished their match in DC. I won't be surprised if we don't see either player on the field tonight.
Now it's back to SuperLiga for a bit. I want to beat Pachuca so badly and I want that SuperLiga trophy. Why? Mainly because the odds of winning the MLS Cup are slim so you want to take the silverware that's immediately available. Also because I do not want the plodding Revolution to take it. I'm rooting against them in the US Open Cup too. It grates on me that they're the leader for the Supporters' Shield -- I don't want their style of play to be rewarded. They have too much talent to play the crappy game they play. Yet that talent is compensating for -- and, more irritatingly, justifying -- Stevie Nicols' unimaginative leadership.
Go Dynamo!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
SuperLiga - On to the Semis
A nice win yesterday in DC puts us into the Semis of the SuperLiga. (Game recap.) DC looked to be saving their effort for the MLS matchup on Tuesday, and started subbing players early. The odd part was that once their key players were pulled, DC began to look more dangerous and get more opportunities on our goal. I don't know if this was due to us easing up a bit once we realized that DC was capitulating, or if the effort was doubled by DC as players fought hard to make an impression on the coach so that one day THEY'd be the starters.
After Doe halved the deficit, I felt quite nervous that they'd at least tie up the game. Onstad wasn't as crisp as he usually was, although he made the saves when he had to. Our attack had dwindled as well.
Then the beautiful combination of a steal by Waibel, forward pass across the halfway line to Wondo, one-touch drop to Ching, through ball to a running Holden who touches the ball once with the outside of his right foot, then uses his right instep to slam the ball past Zach Wells from about 18 yards out. When I grow up, I want to be Stuart Holden.
Another match versus DC comes this Tuesday. I imagine it'll be difficult to beat the same team twice in a row at their home field, but that's what we need to do to make headway in the league. At least there's no travel in between games. Afterwards, Onstad and DeRo will have to trek to Toronto for the All-Star match up on Thursday, then it's back to SuperLiga. We should know who we face (and where) after tonight's matches.
Go Dynamo!
After Doe halved the deficit, I felt quite nervous that they'd at least tie up the game. Onstad wasn't as crisp as he usually was, although he made the saves when he had to. Our attack had dwindled as well.
Then the beautiful combination of a steal by Waibel, forward pass across the halfway line to Wondo, one-touch drop to Ching, through ball to a running Holden who touches the ball once with the outside of his right foot, then uses his right instep to slam the ball past Zach Wells from about 18 yards out. When I grow up, I want to be Stuart Holden.
Another match versus DC comes this Tuesday. I imagine it'll be difficult to beat the same team twice in a row at their home field, but that's what we need to do to make headway in the league. At least there's no travel in between games. Afterwards, Onstad and DeRo will have to trek to Toronto for the All-Star match up on Thursday, then it's back to SuperLiga. We should know who we face (and where) after tonight's matches.
Go Dynamo!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
SuperLiga-Final Group Stage Match
Tonight the Dynamo face DC United in a do-or-go-home match. The good news is that we have DeRo, Ching, and ERob back in the lineup; but will Ching and ERob be match fit after their injury? We also have Ianni and (most importantly) Holden for the two DCU matches before they traipse off to the Olympics in search of honor and glory. We also have Nate Jaqua, though I doubt he sees action. Maybe in our Tuesday DCU replay.
We won't have Caraccio anymore. That's a shame, but understandable given the limitations on salaries and personnel set by the League. Buena suerte, Caraccio! (I took French, not Spanish, in school, so forgive any solecism.) I know you'll find a club that suits you well.
(The same day, LA released Abel Xavier.)
Winning tonight's match is vital, but B-Fall has all of the different scenarios of winners and losers mapped out in his blog.
There's been more coverage of the Dynamo's fight on behalf of all MLS players to get better compensation from tournament purses. Or at least to allow clubs to decide what is fair for their own players. Sounds reasonable. B-Fall has an article on the imbroglio. That MLS would prevent a team from voluntary striking bonus deals with players for this type of tournament can also hurt a team like the Dynamo, who could use the incentive to entice a player to sign with the team. ESPN has an article as well.The Dynamo case could set a precedent. If an arbitrator rules in favor of Dynamo players, each MLS team could be allowed to determine payouts to players for tournaments. This certainly challenges the single-entity system and could become a milestone decision.
In other soccer news, some of the New England Revs' staff are keeping the skies safe. Certainly a timely move by the MLS club members. Even off the field the club can effectively kill any offensive environment; sometimes it is not only easier, but better, to destroy than to create.
We won't have Caraccio anymore. That's a shame, but understandable given the limitations on salaries and personnel set by the League. Buena suerte, Caraccio! (I took French, not Spanish, in school, so forgive any solecism.) I know you'll find a club that suits you well.
(The same day, LA released Abel Xavier.)
Winning tonight's match is vital, but B-Fall has all of the different scenarios of winners and losers mapped out in his blog.
There's been more coverage of the Dynamo's fight on behalf of all MLS players to get better compensation from tournament purses. Or at least to allow clubs to decide what is fair for their own players. Sounds reasonable. B-Fall has an article on the imbroglio. That MLS would prevent a team from voluntary striking bonus deals with players for this type of tournament can also hurt a team like the Dynamo, who could use the incentive to entice a player to sign with the team. ESPN has an article as well.The Dynamo case could set a precedent. If an arbitrator rules in favor of Dynamo players, each MLS team could be allowed to determine payouts to players for tournaments. This certainly challenges the single-entity system and could become a milestone decision.
In other soccer news, some of the New England Revs' staff are keeping the skies safe. Certainly a timely move by the MLS club members. Even off the field the club can effectively kill any offensive environment; sometimes it is not only easier, but better, to destroy than to create.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
SuperLiga-Beaten by the Bimbos
They're back! After a one-game respite, the 2008 Dynamo returned in full force. The two telling traits were there for all to see:
1. Solid defense except for a costly moment of confusion
2. Chances aplenty up front but no goals
That's the 2008 Dynamo, love 'em or leave 'em. And in a season of unpleasant firsts, we added a new one: losing in an international competition at home for the first time.
The 1-0 loss to Chivas-Guadalajara answered the questions I posed earlier:
In all fairness, the Dynamo were missing four key starters (DeRo, Holden, Ching, and ERob) plus a fifth usual starter (Mulrooney, who is a very useful journeyman, but his lack of specialization means he's not an essential cog in the Orange Machine). That wasn't our A-Team that was out there, although they looked like our A-Team often does, given that they maintained some solid possession, demonstrated an indefatigable work rate, and clung to those two nasty traits I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. This patched-up team, but for a lousy 5 seconds, earned themselves a draw. But 5 bad seconds can kill you in this game.
The team also had three or so point blank shots that were saved by Luis Michel, the Chivas keeper. Good goalkeeping. Dreadful finishing.
Needing only a tie to get into the semifinals, the Dynamo took their usual rocky road and are essentially forced to win this weekend versus DC at DC. That's not an easy task. We then need to beat them on July 22 to help our MLS standings. (We could move on to the semis if we tie DCU and Chivas-Bimbo beats or ties Atlante, but we want a victory. Two of them. Both in DC.)
Another tough road ahead. That's the 2008 Dynamo for you.
PS: Check out Lark's blog. Good summary of the game, recap of the atmosphere, and analysis of Caraccio.
1. Solid defense except for a costly moment of confusion
2. Chances aplenty up front but no goals
That's the 2008 Dynamo, love 'em or leave 'em. And in a season of unpleasant firsts, we added a new one: losing in an international competition at home for the first time.
The 1-0 loss to Chivas-Guadalajara answered the questions I posed earlier:
Was the domination of Atlante a fluke?This game was a "a microcosm of the Dynamo's 2008 season."
Probably. The fact that Atlante beat DC United handily does suggest that we didn't beat a pansy team. And the fact that we were missing so many starters does make it hard to say we couldn't beat Chivas-Bimbo with the lineup that beat Atlante, particularly since we were oh-so-close with the lineup we threw together. But in the absence of a different result, we have to say at this point that it was a fluke. We need some more data points (positive ones, A.K.A "victories") if we want to say that this side can be consistently good. Can you provide us with some more positive data points this year, dear Dynamo?
Can the Dynamo be creative and effective without DeRo?
Not really. Especially not when Holden is gone too.
We will be missing some regulars; Who will step up tonight?
No one. Try back again this weekend and we'll see what we can do for you.
Will Houstonians go to a game that begins at 9PM on a weeknight?
Apparently yes. But they won't necessarily be rooting for the Dynamo. Good crowd though.
Will the field still be crappy?
Ugh, yes.
In all fairness, the Dynamo were missing four key starters (DeRo, Holden, Ching, and ERob) plus a fifth usual starter (Mulrooney, who is a very useful journeyman, but his lack of specialization means he's not an essential cog in the Orange Machine). That wasn't our A-Team that was out there, although they looked like our A-Team often does, given that they maintained some solid possession, demonstrated an indefatigable work rate, and clung to those two nasty traits I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. This patched-up team, but for a lousy 5 seconds, earned themselves a draw. But 5 bad seconds can kill you in this game.
The team also had three or so point blank shots that were saved by Luis Michel, the Chivas keeper. Good goalkeeping. Dreadful finishing.
Needing only a tie to get into the semifinals, the Dynamo took their usual rocky road and are essentially forced to win this weekend versus DC at DC. That's not an easy task. We then need to beat them on July 22 to help our MLS standings. (We could move on to the semis if we tie DCU and Chivas-Bimbo beats or ties Atlante, but we want a victory. Two of them. Both in DC.)
Another tough road ahead. That's the 2008 Dynamo for you.
PS: Check out Lark's blog. Good summary of the game, recap of the atmosphere, and analysis of Caraccio.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
SuperLiga-Chivas-Guadalajara is up
Tonight the Dynamo take on the original Chivas in the 2nd match of SuperLiga group play. (Game preview.)
Questions to answer tonight:
Was the domination of Atlante a fluke?
Can the Dynamo be creative and effective without DeRo?
We will be missing some regulars; Who will step up tonight?
Will Houstonians go to a game that begins at 9PM on a weeknight?
Will the field still be crappy?
And here's an optimistic take from an East-Coaster, Ives Galarcep: Houston may only have four wins but the blowout of Atlante reminded us just how good they can be. The Dynamo will start turning those ties into wins, and for my money they are still the best team in the West.
I agree they are the best in the West. Let's hope they start getting the results that support this opinion.
Questions to answer tonight:
Was the domination of Atlante a fluke?
Can the Dynamo be creative and effective without DeRo?
We will be missing some regulars; Who will step up tonight?
Will Houstonians go to a game that begins at 9PM on a weeknight?
Will the field still be crappy?
And here's an optimistic take from an East-Coaster, Ives Galarcep: Houston may only have four wins but the blowout of Atlante reminded us just how good they can be. The Dynamo will start turning those ties into wins, and for my money they are still the best team in the West.
I agree they are the best in the West. Let's hope they start getting the results that support this opinion.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
SuperLiga-Atlante Aftermath
First things first: last night was awesome, destroying Mexican club Atlante 4-0 at Robertson. Simply awesome. Here are B-Fall's player grades. Nearly all A's, but just short even after a 4-0 win?
We got goals from both forwards (DeRo and Mullan) and two from our attacking midfielder (yup, that's Holden, who serves when DeRo is not in). Cameron served up two assists, Davis served up one free kick assist, and Barrett threaded one through for Holden's fabulous second goal.
Holden, Mullan, and Cameron were men of the match with their tireless play. Atlante were obviously in pre-season form, but let's hope this match serves as the catalyst for a great second half of the season for these three MIO, and for the team as a whole.
But first we have to face Chivas Guadalajara. They look to be in better form than Atlante. I didn't see all of their match versus DC United, but their 2-1 victory seemed to be due to a lot of luck, with DCU hitting the post hard on two occasions and missing a PK (Jaime Moreno, at that!) late in the game. Still, although they didn't look dominant, they looked better than Atlante did versus us, and we'll have to face them without DeRo.
This is the second match in a row (and maybe the fourth this season) where I thought "What the hell is DeRo doing? Is he trying to get kicked out?" Last week at Salt Lake he instigated a pushing and pointing match and he did the same last night. He didn't even get a warning in Salt Lake, but the SuperLiga ref wasn't having any of those childish shenanigans and sent DeRo off. What DeRo did was not deserving of a red card, but when you engage in tom-foolery (senseless tom-foolery at that), you take your fate out of your own hands and put it into someone else who might be capricious with it. If you want to control your destiny, act like a man.
So it seems ERob isn't the only hot-head we have on the team. DeRo has shown his temper on multiple occasions. My question: is it getting more frequent? Is there a cause? Is the increased hacking and double-teaming frustrating him and building up his irritibility?
Finally, hooray for the MLS Players Union, who is calling out the MLS. It seems the league is more than happy to market SuperLiga as having a "One Million Dollar Pot" if it sells tickets and hype, but only as long as they don't have to give that money to the players that have earned that money for the MLS and generate the revenues for the league every week. It seems that in the US, the pot is actually only $150,000 for MLS players, or just over $5,350 per player on a 28-man roster. The MLS struggles with credibility from soccer fans and sports fans in general. Improving the quality on the field and opening up the bureaucracy to the light of day would both go a long way towards improving credibility. Giving players what they earn, especially when the league itself hypes the amount, would help improve the motivation of those on the field and reduce the impression that the MLS is a Soviet-style apparat. Red card goes to the MLS on this one.
We got goals from both forwards (DeRo and Mullan) and two from our attacking midfielder (yup, that's Holden, who serves when DeRo is not in). Cameron served up two assists, Davis served up one free kick assist, and Barrett threaded one through for Holden's fabulous second goal.
Holden, Mullan, and Cameron were men of the match with their tireless play. Atlante were obviously in pre-season form, but let's hope this match serves as the catalyst for a great second half of the season for these three MIO, and for the team as a whole.
But first we have to face Chivas Guadalajara. They look to be in better form than Atlante. I didn't see all of their match versus DC United, but their 2-1 victory seemed to be due to a lot of luck, with DCU hitting the post hard on two occasions and missing a PK (Jaime Moreno, at that!) late in the game. Still, although they didn't look dominant, they looked better than Atlante did versus us, and we'll have to face them without DeRo.
This is the second match in a row (and maybe the fourth this season) where I thought "What the hell is DeRo doing? Is he trying to get kicked out?" Last week at Salt Lake he instigated a pushing and pointing match and he did the same last night. He didn't even get a warning in Salt Lake, but the SuperLiga ref wasn't having any of those childish shenanigans and sent DeRo off. What DeRo did was not deserving of a red card, but when you engage in tom-foolery (senseless tom-foolery at that), you take your fate out of your own hands and put it into someone else who might be capricious with it. If you want to control your destiny, act like a man.
So it seems ERob isn't the only hot-head we have on the team. DeRo has shown his temper on multiple occasions. My question: is it getting more frequent? Is there a cause? Is the increased hacking and double-teaming frustrating him and building up his irritibility?
Finally, hooray for the MLS Players Union, who is calling out the MLS. It seems the league is more than happy to market SuperLiga as having a "One Million Dollar Pot" if it sells tickets and hype, but only as long as they don't have to give that money to the players that have earned that money for the MLS and generate the revenues for the league every week. It seems that in the US, the pot is actually only $150,000 for MLS players, or just over $5,350 per player on a 28-man roster. The MLS struggles with credibility from soccer fans and sports fans in general. Improving the quality on the field and opening up the bureaucracy to the light of day would both go a long way towards improving credibility. Giving players what they earn, especially when the league itself hypes the amount, would help improve the motivation of those on the field and reduce the impression that the MLS is a Soviet-style apparat. Red card goes to the MLS on this one.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A moment about Ching, DeRo's foot, and Rojo for Blanco
There's an article in the Seattle paper about former Sounder, Brian Ching. Regarding the move to Houston: "It was a hectic first couple of months, and we really didn't feel settled until August or September. Having said that, the fans have really made us feel at home, especially on the field. But they inherited a winning team and that definitely helps."
Who in the MLS is likeliest to break the sound barrier with his shot? According to DC goalkeeper Zach Wells, it's our own DeRo. Now if only the Canadian Rocketeer could get those on target this season...
Check this out. It seems the ever-creative Blanco does more than just highlight other players' fouls with melodramatic falls, he himself is a rapacious fouler of the most disgusting kind. Eye-gouging?
Who in the MLS is likeliest to break the sound barrier with his shot? According to DC goalkeeper Zach Wells, it's our own DeRo. Now if only the Canadian Rocketeer could get those on target this season...
Check this out. It seems the ever-creative Blanco does more than just highlight other players' fouls with melodramatic falls, he himself is a rapacious fouler of the most disgusting kind. Eye-gouging?
Media roundup (part deux)
ESPN Classic is hosting a series on The Art of Football, hosted by John Cleese. Don't know much about it, but it looks like it's going to start this Sunday, July 13, so check your listings. Maybe. The page for the show included a cool quote by uber-referee, Pierluigi Collina: "A good referee must defend creativity on the pitch. That is a very important role. If you make mistakes in this role, the beauty of the game and the creativity of the players can be influenced in a negative way." Amen.
I didn't attend the Free Kick Masters (and it sounds like it was a good thing I didn't), but I felt like I was there after reading Jen Chang's detailed account of the event. Here is his pre-event entry, with a tip o' the hat to DeRo. B-Fall also covered it in his blog.
And speaking of celebrity sightings, here's another nice recap of the Claudia Reyna-Steve Nash charity soccer game in New York last month. (More links here.) "This Is American Soccer" has some cool photos of the event.
Finally, check out the Dynamo blog. It quashes the rumor about DeRo going to FC Copenhagen, updates us on the Dynamo Academy's peformance in the SUM U-17 Cup tournament, and presents some nice photos of a few players and their wives at the Ronald McDonald House on June 27.
I didn't attend the Free Kick Masters (and it sounds like it was a good thing I didn't), but I felt like I was there after reading Jen Chang's detailed account of the event. Here is his pre-event entry, with a tip o' the hat to DeRo. B-Fall also covered it in his blog.
And speaking of celebrity sightings, here's another nice recap of the Claudia Reyna-Steve Nash charity soccer game in New York last month. (More links here.) "This Is American Soccer" has some cool photos of the event.
Finally, check out the Dynamo blog. It quashes the rumor about DeRo going to FC Copenhagen, updates us on the Dynamo Academy's peformance in the SUM U-17 Cup tournament, and presents some nice photos of a few players and their wives at the Ronald McDonald House on June 27.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Another media roundup - Midseason edition
As wordy as I can be, I won't waste time on prolix introductions. Here's a summary of some interesting articles that touch on all things Orange.
"Climbing the Ladder" has the midway stats for each MLS team. Last year Houston earned 1.73 points per game by the midway point, 0.48 higher than this year's 1.06 average. The reason for that drop is because we're only scoring 1.06 goals per game (0.37 fewer than last year's midseason average of 1.43) while conceding 1.19 goals per game (compared to last year's dominant 0.77 per game). Of the 14 teams, our points per game average ties us with RSL at #10. Our goals allowed average puts our defense at a respectable third place (behind only Chicago and New England and tied with RSL). We are allowing more goals than last year, and that change from last year's GAA is the second worst drop (of the 13 teams that played last year), but it just so happens that last year's defense was so good that a drop in quality is to be expected, and a significant drop still puts us in the top three defensively. Our offensive production is 11th, ahead of only New York, Kansas City, and expansion San Jose. In case you didn't know: that's not good.
Steve Davis does his weekly MLS roundup -- this one from the midseason perspective. He spends some time on the Dynamo. Houston has tied half of its 16 games. Why so many? Just look at the latest draw, one that kicked off Round 15 of MLS matches, a scoreless tie at Real Salt Lake. Houston's defense was good enough to keep an attack-minded RSL side from ever claiming the big goal. But at the other end, Houston managed just two shots on target. The result was a 0-0 tie, which isn't bad on the road. On the other hand, Kinnear's outfit has just two goals in its last four MLS matches. Good defense. Stagnant offense. Sounds like a draw waiting to happen, no matter how good the team feels about itself.
Speaking of the RSL match, Soccer America has an article that's mosting a "calling-out" of RSL Coach Jason Kries. About the Dynamo-RSL game: Houston’s tie was its eighth in 16 games yet it just missed scoring a late winner when Brian Ching just failed to get his head on a cross. Of its 10 shots, five came in the final 10 minutes. The Dynamo kept pushing to score a winning goal, RSL got into a pushing contest. That's an interesting unpartisan outlook on how the two teams approached the endgame of the match. The article concludes with some advice for RSL that the Dynamo should heed (and, fortunately, the Dynamo already realize): In all team sports, mediocre teams are mediocre because they can’t win close games, and in soccer, chances don’t decide game. Goals do. It’s harsh, it’s unfair, and sometimes painfully cruel, but that’s how it works. Don’t moan about being the better team. Prove it.
As you know, Dynamo will spend much of July battling for the SuperLiga Cup. The Chronicle has an article on how the tourney could revive the Dynamo's lackluster season. The League website has a similarly-themed article. The LA Daily News has a brief piece on the tournament as well. Despite the generally superior players (and far higher team salaries) on the Mexican teams, the timing of the tournament has proved a great leveler that accentuates the clash of futbol cultures.
And from the most recent tournament that saw Houston fall -- the US Open Cup -- comes some news that may hearten the disheartened Houston fan. As you know, Dynamo's Reserve team couldn't beat the USL Charlestown Battery, but managed a draw and lost only on penalties. FC Dallas' regular starting 11 couldn't even manage doing as well as our Reserves. The "Hoops" got manhandled by the USL team 3-1, with the lone Dallas goal coming as a consolation goal in the 94th minute. It could be worse, guys; we could be Dallas fans.
Finally, the Bellaire Examiner has an article on the Dynamo's supporters groups. The north and south ends of Robertson Stadium are home to Houston’s most rambunctious group of supporters, The Texian Army and El Batallon. To truly understand these groups, one must understand one basic concept: a supporter is very different from a fan. Also: With live music, nonstop singing and dancing, and more confetti and streamers than they know what to do with, Dynamo supporters provide the entire stadium, fans and players alike, constant liveliness and entertainment. They may be in large part to thank for a Dynamo home record of 24 wins, 12 ties, and only 6 losses. Hey, that's perfect doubling of results in the right direction 6=>12=>24.
Stay Orange.
"Climbing the Ladder" has the midway stats for each MLS team. Last year Houston earned 1.73 points per game by the midway point, 0.48 higher than this year's 1.06 average. The reason for that drop is because we're only scoring 1.06 goals per game (0.37 fewer than last year's midseason average of 1.43) while conceding 1.19 goals per game (compared to last year's dominant 0.77 per game). Of the 14 teams, our points per game average ties us with RSL at #10. Our goals allowed average puts our defense at a respectable third place (behind only Chicago and New England and tied with RSL). We are allowing more goals than last year, and that change from last year's GAA is the second worst drop (of the 13 teams that played last year), but it just so happens that last year's defense was so good that a drop in quality is to be expected, and a significant drop still puts us in the top three defensively. Our offensive production is 11th, ahead of only New York, Kansas City, and expansion San Jose. In case you didn't know: that's not good.
Steve Davis does his weekly MLS roundup -- this one from the midseason perspective. He spends some time on the Dynamo. Houston has tied half of its 16 games. Why so many? Just look at the latest draw, one that kicked off Round 15 of MLS matches, a scoreless tie at Real Salt Lake. Houston's defense was good enough to keep an attack-minded RSL side from ever claiming the big goal. But at the other end, Houston managed just two shots on target. The result was a 0-0 tie, which isn't bad on the road. On the other hand, Kinnear's outfit has just two goals in its last four MLS matches. Good defense. Stagnant offense. Sounds like a draw waiting to happen, no matter how good the team feels about itself.
Speaking of the RSL match, Soccer America has an article that's mosting a "calling-out" of RSL Coach Jason Kries. About the Dynamo-RSL game: Houston’s tie was its eighth in 16 games yet it just missed scoring a late winner when Brian Ching just failed to get his head on a cross. Of its 10 shots, five came in the final 10 minutes. The Dynamo kept pushing to score a winning goal, RSL got into a pushing contest. That's an interesting unpartisan outlook on how the two teams approached the endgame of the match. The article concludes with some advice for RSL that the Dynamo should heed (and, fortunately, the Dynamo already realize): In all team sports, mediocre teams are mediocre because they can’t win close games, and in soccer, chances don’t decide game. Goals do. It’s harsh, it’s unfair, and sometimes painfully cruel, but that’s how it works. Don’t moan about being the better team. Prove it.
As you know, Dynamo will spend much of July battling for the SuperLiga Cup. The Chronicle has an article on how the tourney could revive the Dynamo's lackluster season. The League website has a similarly-themed article. The LA Daily News has a brief piece on the tournament as well. Despite the generally superior players (and far higher team salaries) on the Mexican teams, the timing of the tournament has proved a great leveler that accentuates the clash of futbol cultures.
And from the most recent tournament that saw Houston fall -- the US Open Cup -- comes some news that may hearten the disheartened Houston fan. As you know, Dynamo's Reserve team couldn't beat the USL Charlestown Battery, but managed a draw and lost only on penalties. FC Dallas' regular starting 11 couldn't even manage doing as well as our Reserves. The "Hoops" got manhandled by the USL team 3-1, with the lone Dallas goal coming as a consolation goal in the 94th minute. It could be worse, guys; we could be Dallas fans.
Finally, the Bellaire Examiner has an article on the Dynamo's supporters groups. The north and south ends of Robertson Stadium are home to Houston’s most rambunctious group of supporters, The Texian Army and El Batallon. To truly understand these groups, one must understand one basic concept: a supporter is very different from a fan. Also: With live music, nonstop singing and dancing, and more confetti and streamers than they know what to do with, Dynamo supporters provide the entire stadium, fans and players alike, constant liveliness and entertainment. They may be in large part to thank for a Dynamo home record of 24 wins, 12 ties, and only 6 losses. Hey, that's perfect doubling of results in the right direction 6=>12=>24.
Stay Orange.
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