Showing posts with label Freddy Adu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freddy Adu. Show all posts
Turkish Delight
Great turn and finish. The start of rebuilding his confidence and career or has he just found his level?
The Random Wheel Goes Round
* West freakin' Ham? Oh, for crying out loud MLS--is this the best you can do for an All-Star opponent? Sure, the Hammers have an American on the roster, but assuming the U-23's can finish the job in qualifying, Spector will be in China, not Canada.
* And speaking of our Canuck compatriots in the Frozen White North, beware of TFC. According to Auntie Beeb, those red jerseys are to be feared. FEARED! Personally, I think the packed, noisy, and streamer-infested crowd will help more than the red jerseys, but every little bit helps, right?
* Back to that All-Star fiasco. What are the chances that MLS has hopped aboard the Obamamania Express train to Hopetown and booked the Hammers in a desperate bid to get their high-profile fan into that packed house, but then screwed the pooch in typical MLS pooch-screwing fashion by dumping the game up in Canada? Imagine the hilarity (or, more appropriately, the Hannity) if Obama shows up in CANADA watching SOCCER during the campaign!
* Remember the days when US Soccer was all about hustle, fitness, out-working the opposition, and hard-tackling d-mids? Okay, now reconcile that image with the U-23 performance last night. Now admitted, I did only catch the second half, but since when is Dax McCarty a midfield hard man? Sure, we're the technical boys now, and we can string some pretty passing together, but Panama just looked more dangerous, more athletic, and were not that far away from getting a result in that game. In more positive news, Mr. Adu looked pretty damn useful out there despite the dainty midfield behind him.
* Hey, guess what? When I turned on FSC last night to catch some of that aforementioned second half, I managed to mute it within 2 seconds, which means the only Christian Miles I had to deal with was seeing his name flashed on the screen as the "announcer"--and I do use that term loosely. How about Grand Poobah of Mispronunciation, Crown Prince of Pathetic Punditry, Le Marquis de Misidentification, Sultan of Stupidity, Emperor of Egregious Errors, Baron of Bad British-isms, or Lord High Chancellor of Incompetence? Seriously, man, I'm ready to print out your business cards--give me a ring.
* And speaking of our Canuck compatriots in the Frozen White North, beware of TFC. According to Auntie Beeb, those red jerseys are to be feared. FEARED! Personally, I think the packed, noisy, and streamer-infested crowd will help more than the red jerseys, but every little bit helps, right?
* Back to that All-Star fiasco. What are the chances that MLS has hopped aboard the Obamamania Express train to Hopetown and booked the Hammers in a desperate bid to get their high-profile fan into that packed house, but then screwed the pooch in typical MLS pooch-screwing fashion by dumping the game up in Canada? Imagine the hilarity (or, more appropriately, the Hannity) if Obama shows up in CANADA watching SOCCER during the campaign!
* Remember the days when US Soccer was all about hustle, fitness, out-working the opposition, and hard-tackling d-mids? Okay, now reconcile that image with the U-23 performance last night. Now admitted, I did only catch the second half, but since when is Dax McCarty a midfield hard man? Sure, we're the technical boys now, and we can string some pretty passing together, but Panama just looked more dangerous, more athletic, and were not that far away from getting a result in that game. In more positive news, Mr. Adu looked pretty damn useful out there despite the dainty midfield behind him.
* Hey, guess what? When I turned on FSC last night to catch some of that aforementioned second half, I managed to mute it within 2 seconds, which means the only Christian Miles I had to deal with was seeing his name flashed on the screen as the "announcer"--and I do use that term loosely. How about Grand Poobah of Mispronunciation, Crown Prince of Pathetic Punditry, Le Marquis de Misidentification, Sultan of Stupidity, Emperor of Egregious Errors, Baron of Bad British-isms, or Lord High Chancellor of Incompetence? Seriously, man, I'm ready to print out your business cards--give me a ring.
Tickle v. Tackle 25
Tickle
Sheffield Wednesday come from behind again to dispatch Blackpool 2-1 and crawl out of the Fizzy Soda Pop League drop zone. Just a bit more consistency should see the Owls move into the relative comfort of midtable, though it sure would be nice to be challenging for something other than safety from relagation--again . . . In other 2-1 come from behind home wins--Freddy strikes again, netting a late winner after coming on as a sub for 10-man Benfica, continuing to state his case for regular inclusion for both club and country . . . But he's nowhere near as indespensible as Cesc Fabregas is to Arsenal. The kid is flat out fantastic. It's hard to believe that he's still just 20 and constantly adding new facets to his game. It's also quite a good thing that Lehmann is no longer in the Arsenal net, as I love watching the Gunners play, but Jens makes me physically ill with his play-acting and whining . . . Ah, ye gods, as if I needed coffee coming out of my nose this badly. Thank you, thank you, Hudsonia for gift of Ray. Truly the gift that keeps on giving till it hurts. Magic, bloody magic indeed . . . And look who else is getting all fired up. Jaime isn't pulling any punches when it comes to the massed ranks of punditry and the negative, negative Fire.Tackle
Big Red to stay? Word around the ever-reliable web has Lalas still clinging to his job in LA. How? Why? If I'm Yallop, I'm bolting for greener pastures, even if they decide to try and keep me. Do you know the way to San Jose? . . . This week wasn't a particularly strong one for referees around the world, though that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. My Sunday revolved around Milan-Roma and Liverpool-Arsenal, and both matches were marred by officials intent on spoiling the futbol party . . . While we're at it, anybody think that Liverpool's Jamie Carragher is sending a portion of his paycheck the way of the referees? That makes it two weeks in a row that he's dragged down an oppenent in the box at a critical point in the match, only to have the man with the whistle ignore the infraction. To be fair, the affair in the derby last week was a much more egregious example of the Greco-Roman stuff than this weeks "handling" of Fabregas.
Tickle v. Tackle 24
Tickle
There's just something about a United team in black. God help me, but I actually enjoyed watching Manchester United in their all-black away strip as they demolished Villa on Saturday. The Dirty Devils were playing some some quick, one- and two-touch, barnstorming attacking play . . . And, my oh my, look who else got the offensive wheels turning! Wednesday hit two late goals to win 4-2 away to Stoke City . . . Of course, this being Wednesday, the good news was tempered by losing new boy Franny Jeffers to a serious ankle injury in the first half and inevitably followed by a midweek return to losing ways. Ah, the troubled, troubled life of the Owls supporter . . . Say what you will about Mr. Adu (yes, we're looking at you, Mr. Burch), but the buzz is starting to build again after a breakout showing at the U-20 World Cup and a move to Europe. A solid appearance as a sub for the US senior side versus Switzerland, scoring heroics for Benfica in the Portuguese League Cup, and now he's earned some Champions' League minutes for his club side. The cynical may call for bone scans, but he's starting to deliver on all that promise that we're all so sick of hearing about--and he's still just 18 years old! We're still a long way from "Giuseppe Rossi who?", but the US needs players who have flair and creativity and aren't afraid to use them (Hi Landon, comfortable out there with the wildfires?) . . .
Tackle
Say what you will about Rob Stone (and I sure have!), but at least he can generally keep his idioms straight. As opposed to say, Christian Miles, the antichrist of soccer broadcasting, in his lead-in to the Boro-Chelsea game, referring to Boro's "happy stomping grounds." WTF? Happy stomping grounds?. . . Does the Dick qualify? Cause it sure hasn't been that great to the Rapids, though most of the blame should fall on their turkey of a manager. How long will Rocky Mountain Arsenal stick with Clavijo now that they've bowed out of the playoff hunt so meekly? . . . Speaking of folks who've been around too long--isn't it about time that someone puts the stake through Jack Warner's heart? . . . What, oh what were Real Madrid playing at in their Champions' League match this week? Despite finally limping to victory, they always looked likely to concede on the counter--against 10 man Olympiakos--when they were holding the lead! Keep that sort of play up and perhaps the Special One will be sauntering into town on his immaculately scarfed and stubbled white pony . . .
***
Thus ends your transmission from the Fullbackian Stream o' the Ever-Righteous Consciousness. We now return you to your regularly scheduled humdrum existence. Namasté
***
Thus ends your transmission from the Fullbackian Stream o' the Ever-Righteous Consciousness. We now return you to your regularly scheduled humdrum existence. Namasté
***
Boys of Summer I - Five Who "Planted Their Spears"
Well, the summer has come and mostly gone. We still have the U-17 World Cup to get out of the way, but with the senior and U-20 sides involved in three major tournaments his summer, we got a better picture of what the national program looks like heading into qualification for the most important tourney of all - the World Cup. In this first of a five-part series, we'll take a look at the five players who surprised or impressed me the most - the five who "planted their spears" and gave "fist shaking performances" in the parlance of everybody's favorite Geordie.
5. Ricardo Clark
The first of the two-way midfielders that really staked their claims for spots on the 2010 roster for South Africa, Clark has returned from a couple of injury-hit seasons to really start opening some eyes in MLS and his performances for the national side were more of the same. Despite limited time in the Gold Cup, his entrance in the second half of the final tipped the balance in favor of the USA. Clark continued to show his class at the Copa America, though a lackluster series of results dims that shine a bit. He's athletic, solid on the ball, can crack them from distance and distributes well from a holding position. The emergence of players like Clark, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, et al spells the end of the line for one-trick ponies like Pablo Mastroeni.
4. Sal Zizzo
A handful of U-20 players turned in excellent showings up in Canada this summer, but then, they were really expected to. Injuries to the likes of Johann Smith and Quavas Kirk opened the door on the right side of the US U-20 attack and Zizzo charged right through. In fact, he did so well that he's landed with Bundesliga side Hannover 96 directly out of UCLA and also a received a call-up to the full national side when they face Sweden next week. Bob Bradley has a distinct shortage of quality right wingers in the player pool, all of which continues to play into Zizzo's hands. With the way the chips are falling into place for the kid, you've got to wonder if he did a deal down at the Crossroads.
3. Michael Bradley
The second of our central midfield trio who really grabbed their chance with both hands, Bradley stepped up to the plate hard, with flying tackles, high-energy performances, and more attack-minded passing that we've been accustomed to in our midfield destroyers of the past. All this, and he only turned 20 a couple of weeks ago. Though he often seemed to court the cards with full-blooded challenges, and indeed even walked for one of them, Bradley certainly didn't lack for confidence. Despite cries of nepotism, Bradley was probably more impressive with the senior side at the Gold Cup than he was for the U-20's in Canada, though some of that may be down to weariness from a long summer. The big fault in his game besides the rash tackling still seems to be trying to play difficult passes when the easy, considered ball would suffice. That should come with time and experience.
2. Freddy Adu
It's very easy for fans of MLS and American soccer to forget that Freddy just turned 18 this summer. Despite never setting the league on fire and failing to shine in the previous two U-20 World Cups, Freddy took charge in Canada and landed with Portuguese giants Benfica on the back of his sterling showings. And do you know what the kicker is? He's still eligible for one more U-20 World Cup! Flashes of the brilliance that we were supposed to get with Freddy were in abundance on the international stage of the U-20's and we'll have to see what happens in Europe. If he starts to flower into the anything like the player the hype has built him up to be, we can forget the next U-20 World Cup and focus on the real thing in 2010 for the teenage phenom.
1. Benny Feilhaber
There's no question who the revelation of the summer was. Feilhaber came in as an under-used reserve player for Bundesliga side Hamburg who had been sniffing around the margins of the US national team. He left the summer as the unquestioned fulcrum and feature piece of the US midfield and managed to book his passage to the lofty reaches of the English Premier League with Derby County. At 22, Feilhaber still has room to grow into his role on the full national squad, but his poise on the ball, passing, and of course, the wonder-volley against Mexico in the Gold Cup final, have earmarked him as one of the key cogs in the Red, White, and Blue midfield.
Now, these were not necessarily the five players who had the most impact on this summer's orgy of tournament activity for the US. Rather, these were the players who I felt stepped up on the big stage and demanded the attention and respect of both the fans and coaches of the US Men's National Team. All five are young and either had limited time at the international level or were in danger of being dismissed for failure to deliver on their promise. Now, I think it's only prudent, if not unavoidable, for Bob Bradley to include them in his qualification plans for the next World Cup.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of "Boys of Summer", where we look at five players who really "filled their pants" for the national team.
5. Ricardo Clark
The first of the two-way midfielders that really staked their claims for spots on the 2010 roster for South Africa, Clark has returned from a couple of injury-hit seasons to really start opening some eyes in MLS and his performances for the national side were more of the same. Despite limited time in the Gold Cup, his entrance in the second half of the final tipped the balance in favor of the USA. Clark continued to show his class at the Copa America, though a lackluster series of results dims that shine a bit. He's athletic, solid on the ball, can crack them from distance and distributes well from a holding position. The emergence of players like Clark, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, et al spells the end of the line for one-trick ponies like Pablo Mastroeni.
4. Sal Zizzo
A handful of U-20 players turned in excellent showings up in Canada this summer, but then, they were really expected to. Injuries to the likes of Johann Smith and Quavas Kirk opened the door on the right side of the US U-20 attack and Zizzo charged right through. In fact, he did so well that he's landed with Bundesliga side Hannover 96 directly out of UCLA and also a received a call-up to the full national side when they face Sweden next week. Bob Bradley has a distinct shortage of quality right wingers in the player pool, all of which continues to play into Zizzo's hands. With the way the chips are falling into place for the kid, you've got to wonder if he did a deal down at the Crossroads.
3. Michael Bradley
The second of our central midfield trio who really grabbed their chance with both hands, Bradley stepped up to the plate hard, with flying tackles, high-energy performances, and more attack-minded passing that we've been accustomed to in our midfield destroyers of the past. All this, and he only turned 20 a couple of weeks ago. Though he often seemed to court the cards with full-blooded challenges, and indeed even walked for one of them, Bradley certainly didn't lack for confidence. Despite cries of nepotism, Bradley was probably more impressive with the senior side at the Gold Cup than he was for the U-20's in Canada, though some of that may be down to weariness from a long summer. The big fault in his game besides the rash tackling still seems to be trying to play difficult passes when the easy, considered ball would suffice. That should come with time and experience.
2. Freddy Adu
It's very easy for fans of MLS and American soccer to forget that Freddy just turned 18 this summer. Despite never setting the league on fire and failing to shine in the previous two U-20 World Cups, Freddy took charge in Canada and landed with Portuguese giants Benfica on the back of his sterling showings. And do you know what the kicker is? He's still eligible for one more U-20 World Cup! Flashes of the brilliance that we were supposed to get with Freddy were in abundance on the international stage of the U-20's and we'll have to see what happens in Europe. If he starts to flower into the anything like the player the hype has built him up to be, we can forget the next U-20 World Cup and focus on the real thing in 2010 for the teenage phenom.
1. Benny Feilhaber
There's no question who the revelation of the summer was. Feilhaber came in as an under-used reserve player for Bundesliga side Hamburg who had been sniffing around the margins of the US national team. He left the summer as the unquestioned fulcrum and feature piece of the US midfield and managed to book his passage to the lofty reaches of the English Premier League with Derby County. At 22, Feilhaber still has room to grow into his role on the full national squad, but his poise on the ball, passing, and of course, the wonder-volley against Mexico in the Gold Cup final, have earmarked him as one of the key cogs in the Red, White, and Blue midfield.
Now, these were not necessarily the five players who had the most impact on this summer's orgy of tournament activity for the US. Rather, these were the players who I felt stepped up on the big stage and demanded the attention and respect of both the fans and coaches of the US Men's National Team. All five are young and either had limited time at the international level or were in danger of being dismissed for failure to deliver on their promise. Now, I think it's only prudent, if not unavoidable, for Bob Bradley to include them in his qualification plans for the next World Cup.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of "Boys of Summer", where we look at five players who really "filled their pants" for the national team.
Thursday Night Futbol - Revolution [win] #9
So, what's the deal with EJ's first touch? Is there a more unpredictable thing in all of American soccer? One minute he's brilliant, the next the ball is flying off his foot like it slammed into a concrete wall. It was encouraging that he was willing to shoot from distance and looking to take on defenders, that bespeaks of a growing confidence that's boosted the level of his game in MLS this year, but he's got to solve that first touch to be anything more than a top striker on the domestic front.
The more worrying thing for Onalfo's men will be their failure to create the type of chances on the break and in the box that Eddie Johnson thrives upon. The team looked out of sync and frustrated. I think twice KC players drilled a pass off of Marinelli and the Argentine ended a number of attacking movements holding his hands up in frustration, questioning the decisions and sloppy passing of his teammates. It also seemed like every Wizard was attempting to conjure some of Zavagnin's Goal of the Week magic by blasting away, early and often, from distance.
Some of that frustration has to be due to the twin towers of the Revolution midfield, Larentowicz and Joseph, who clogged the center of the park, choking off attacks through the middle, and the impeccable positioning of Parkhurst in defense. While the Revs were also guilty of some sloppy play, they were, in the main, putting together more cohesive attacks and actually proved capable of finding the final ball. Both keepers also proved their quality on multiple occasions and both clubs were maybe unlucky not to see more goals in this match, which was sloppy, but still entertaining.
And that's why it's so hard to figure out ESPN's obsession with cutting away for the ridiculous "30 at 30" segment, sideline interviews, and the torturously long shots of the coaches while the ball is in play. If you really feel the need to do crap like that, there are times in the match when you can do so - injuries, the milling about prior to set pieces, etc. I was really hoping that Marinelli's deflected shot would loop in over Reis so that ESPN would have to come out of the "30 at 30" to goal celebrations and egg all over their faces. Not to mention the couple of times that they would return from a replay only to see one keeper or the other shouting at his defense while the opposition set up for a corner. What the hell? What led to that corner, did they just have a scoring chance? Bah! Actually following the game is for fey Euro-pansies! Viva la replay! Screw long attention spans! What?
At least they managed to restrain themselves and did the Freddy interview during halftime. See, was that so hard? You don't have to do all the interviews during the freakin' game! Of course, if it's Beckham we're talking about, you know they'd either cut away from the game entirely or put it in the tiny "30 at 30" window so that they could maximize the real estate slavishly devoted to His Highness. No way they waste His presence during halftime, when folks might be off getting a snack or hitting the loo (see, Fullback Files takes its part in helping our Saviour feel right at home seriously - see, I did it again with an extraneous "u" - we're nothing if not accommodating to our brethren from across the seas).
The more worrying thing for Onalfo's men will be their failure to create the type of chances on the break and in the box that Eddie Johnson thrives upon. The team looked out of sync and frustrated. I think twice KC players drilled a pass off of Marinelli and the Argentine ended a number of attacking movements holding his hands up in frustration, questioning the decisions and sloppy passing of his teammates. It also seemed like every Wizard was attempting to conjure some of Zavagnin's Goal of the Week magic by blasting away, early and often, from distance.
Some of that frustration has to be due to the twin towers of the Revolution midfield, Larentowicz and Joseph, who clogged the center of the park, choking off attacks through the middle, and the impeccable positioning of Parkhurst in defense. While the Revs were also guilty of some sloppy play, they were, in the main, putting together more cohesive attacks and actually proved capable of finding the final ball. Both keepers also proved their quality on multiple occasions and both clubs were maybe unlucky not to see more goals in this match, which was sloppy, but still entertaining.
And that's why it's so hard to figure out ESPN's obsession with cutting away for the ridiculous "30 at 30" segment, sideline interviews, and the torturously long shots of the coaches while the ball is in play. If you really feel the need to do crap like that, there are times in the match when you can do so - injuries, the milling about prior to set pieces, etc. I was really hoping that Marinelli's deflected shot would loop in over Reis so that ESPN would have to come out of the "30 at 30" to goal celebrations and egg all over their faces. Not to mention the couple of times that they would return from a replay only to see one keeper or the other shouting at his defense while the opposition set up for a corner. What the hell? What led to that corner, did they just have a scoring chance? Bah! Actually following the game is for fey Euro-pansies! Viva la replay! Screw long attention spans! What?
At least they managed to restrain themselves and did the Freddy interview during halftime. See, was that so hard? You don't have to do all the interviews during the freakin' game! Of course, if it's Beckham we're talking about, you know they'd either cut away from the game entirely or put it in the tiny "30 at 30" window so that they could maximize the real estate slavishly devoted to His Highness. No way they waste His presence during halftime, when folks might be off getting a snack or hitting the loo (see, Fullback Files takes its part in helping our Saviour feel right at home seriously - see, I did it again with an extraneous "u" - we're nothing if not accommodating to our brethren from across the seas).
Tickle v. Tackle 12
Tickle
- Simek stays an Owl. Maybe he could have tested the waters in the Prem, maybe he could have taken the money and run, maybe a move would have been better for his national team career. But when an American international is playing in my old position for a club I've supported for nearly two decades, I'm going to look on his re-signing with Wednesday as possibly more satisfying than Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle (aarrrgghhh, get it out of the Flavor Graveyard you dirty hippies!)
- DC United is starting to get healthy and back on track with the sweet, sweet possession futbol. Now, if only the boys in black could find some of their missing finishing mojo!
- Oh, the Beck-manity! Watching MLS HQ and front offices league-wide scramble like the last rats off the boat in the wake of the iceberg that is Beckham's injured ankle sure is fun for the whole family. Well, maybe not the whole family, but to this jaded old hack at the very least.
- SuperLiga's website. Sure it's a tiny little window to watch the games through. But as someone without the benefit of Telefutura in my life, getting to watch the games in better quality than I normally get MLS highlights in over the tubes, and without the constant buffering to boot, makes me a happy little camper.
- Marc Burch has been en fuego for DC United of late, stepping out of the shadowy world of the reserves and into the spotlight without a hitch. Solid in defense, strong in the tackle, and he can get forward and hit a cross to boot! Josh Gros, are you paying attention? Who'd have thunk we might have been sitting on the answer at left back all along? Now, if only we could dip our ladle in the reserve stew and come up with a right-sided winger.
Tackle
- So Freddy's finally jumped ship on MLS and embarked on his great Euro adventure, but did MLS get enough for him? Prior to the U-20's I would have said that they made out like bandits, but he was clearly one of the most influential and technically gifted players in the tournament, and he's only just turned 18. Despite MLS's probable dropping of the ball, I'll look forward to seeing what Freddy can do in a Portuguese league that has proven to be a fairly regular supplier of quality attacking talent to the "big 4" Euro leagues.
- Rumors are swirling of big shakeups at the top for Red Bull, but the denials are flying thick and fast as well. I'd debated putting this as a "tickle" in the spirit of the Beckham "Anklegate", but the truth is, MLS could really use a decent franchise in NY and a success story to wave under the noses of future investors in the mold of Red Bull. Investment in the league trumps rivalry for now. Give it a decade or so though and that may change with guaranteed stability.
- DC United still hasn't made any moves on the transfer front. While there are signs of improvement in the team, this doesn't look like a championship squad yet and vague promises of "big-name" South American signings just don't cut it.
- Are Manchester City trying to up the ante on Chelsea? We'll see your Russian oil-mafia kingpin billionaire and raise you our Thai ex-dictator exiled from his own country and under investigation for alleged human rights violations (amongst other charges). And talk about spending sprees...
U-20 Recap - Comeback Kids
Well, the Baby Nats proved against Poland that they could come back from a goal down, and they did it again against a feisty Uruguay squad. It wasn't quite the spectacular explosion of goals that the earlier triumph was, but it was certainly more dramatic and nail-biting.
Uruguay clearly came into this game ready to rough up the US attackers and did so without much opposition from the awful referee, who seemed to alternate between letting brutal play go with nary an admonishment, yet blew the whistle for seemingly innocuous bumps off of the ball - for both sides. All you can ask of a referee is consistency. Unfortunately, consistent wretchedness isn't what you look for, and the match ended up getting away from the official well before the end.
In any case, Uruguay succeeded in knocking Jozy Altidore out of the game with an injury after several questionable challenges and his replacement Akpan was a mere shadow of the Red Bull hitman. While Akpan never really seemed to come to terms with the pace of the game, he did apply the pressure that led to a late Uruguay own goal that sent the game into extra time. After that, it was only a matter of what would prevail in extra time: the possession and pressure of the US, the rapier counters of Uruguay, or the whimsical throw of the dice that is penalties?
Fortunately, the US managed to bundle over their second from a corner kick, with Bradley roofing a ball pinged towards goal from about 12 yards out. I have to say that Szetela and Adu deliver some wicked free-kicks and corners that will be gladly welcomed into the senior ranks should they someday succeed in making the full squad. Despite some chances, including a header off the post, Uruguay could not manage an equalizer and the US advanced to the quarterfinal.
I have to say that as impressed as I have been with this squad over the last couple of games, this effort left a little to be desired, both from the players and coach. I was mildly confused, to say the least, by the substitutions made by Rongen and still feel that this team is tactically inflexible. While it's hard to fault the effort displayed by the US players, they allowed Uruguay's physical play to knock them off of their game, much like the speed and pressure of the Koreans did in the opening match of the tournament.
The US also never managed to utilize the wings effectively and Uruguay has to be credited with strong, if not always legal, defending. Speaking of not legalities, I don't think I've seen quite so many dives in a match not involving Cristiano Ronaldo or Arjen Robben in ages. It was getting so bad that Danny Szetela tried to get in on the act by collapsing after taking what we'll generously describe as a "brush of the fingertips" to the face. Regardless of the quality of Szetela's acting, how the linesman and center ref managed to miss the intent of the blow has to be questioned. Classless to the end, the Uruguay kids tried to emulate their senior squad's "sore loser" routine from the Copa America last night by starting a bit of a kerfuffle after the final whistle.
Little Bradley looked like he was about ready to bite somebody's head off and I hope that there won't be any disciplinary action forthcoming that could keep players out of the next game. Speaking of that next game, I sure hope Altidore can go, cause I didn't see much from either Akpan or Ferrari that made me think they'll be effective in this tournament. Chalk it up as a learning experience and hope that all those cards the US picked up in this match don't lead to suspensions down the line that end up costing the US in a semifinal or final.
Uruguay clearly came into this game ready to rough up the US attackers and did so without much opposition from the awful referee, who seemed to alternate between letting brutal play go with nary an admonishment, yet blew the whistle for seemingly innocuous bumps off of the ball - for both sides. All you can ask of a referee is consistency. Unfortunately, consistent wretchedness isn't what you look for, and the match ended up getting away from the official well before the end.
In any case, Uruguay succeeded in knocking Jozy Altidore out of the game with an injury after several questionable challenges and his replacement Akpan was a mere shadow of the Red Bull hitman. While Akpan never really seemed to come to terms with the pace of the game, he did apply the pressure that led to a late Uruguay own goal that sent the game into extra time. After that, it was only a matter of what would prevail in extra time: the possession and pressure of the US, the rapier counters of Uruguay, or the whimsical throw of the dice that is penalties?
Fortunately, the US managed to bundle over their second from a corner kick, with Bradley roofing a ball pinged towards goal from about 12 yards out. I have to say that Szetela and Adu deliver some wicked free-kicks and corners that will be gladly welcomed into the senior ranks should they someday succeed in making the full squad. Despite some chances, including a header off the post, Uruguay could not manage an equalizer and the US advanced to the quarterfinal.
I have to say that as impressed as I have been with this squad over the last couple of games, this effort left a little to be desired, both from the players and coach. I was mildly confused, to say the least, by the substitutions made by Rongen and still feel that this team is tactically inflexible. While it's hard to fault the effort displayed by the US players, they allowed Uruguay's physical play to knock them off of their game, much like the speed and pressure of the Koreans did in the opening match of the tournament.
The US also never managed to utilize the wings effectively and Uruguay has to be credited with strong, if not always legal, defending. Speaking of not legalities, I don't think I've seen quite so many dives in a match not involving Cristiano Ronaldo or Arjen Robben in ages. It was getting so bad that Danny Szetela tried to get in on the act by collapsing after taking what we'll generously describe as a "brush of the fingertips" to the face. Regardless of the quality of Szetela's acting, how the linesman and center ref managed to miss the intent of the blow has to be questioned. Classless to the end, the Uruguay kids tried to emulate their senior squad's "sore loser" routine from the Copa America last night by starting a bit of a kerfuffle after the final whistle.
Little Bradley looked like he was about ready to bite somebody's head off and I hope that there won't be any disciplinary action forthcoming that could keep players out of the next game. Speaking of that next game, I sure hope Altidore can go, cause I didn't see much from either Akpan or Ferrari that made me think they'll be effective in this tournament. Chalk it up as a learning experience and hope that all those cards the US picked up in this match don't lead to suspensions down the line that end up costing the US in a semifinal or final.
Tickle v. Tackle 9
Tickle
- The Open Cup third round is serving up some shockers as MLS clubs send in the young guys and get spanked for it by some USL sides determined to show their quality. As the depth and quality of both MLS and USL expand, could the Open Cup begin to grow in importance? It's no Man United playing a non-league side on a mud-patch in front of a couple of thousand fans yet, but maybe we can get there in say . . . a century or so. DC United have to be ready for the Islanders tonight.
- The rumors are swirling that Denílson and Okocha are on their way to MLS. While I'm not too sure about Denílson's commitment to anything beyond money and parties, those are two players of immense skill and imagination that could really fire the interest of the casual MLS fan, not to mention daring young American players to try the outrageous once in a while, which can only be a good thing for the future of futbol in this country.
- Speaking of outrageous, how about Freddy Adu's late bit of magic to set up the winner against Brazil? I didn't quite get as far out of my chair as I did with Feilhaber's blast to win the Gold Cup, but I'm sure I was just as loud in my amazement. Could the kid really amount to something after all?
- Yes please!
Tackle
- What the hell is with the roster for the All-Star game? 4 defenders? Really? Pope and Jones? Really? Save the sentimentality and give some players who've actually done something this year a chance to show their stuff. Why doesn't Houston, far and away the best defensive team in MLS, have any defenders or goalkeepers on the roster? I believe something like 32 players are "official all-stars" which gives them bonus money and the extra line on their resume, so pop Pope and Jones in that list. Jones has done well recently, but hasn't been doing it all season for a team on the wrong end of the table and Pope is anchoring a miserable RSL back line that's shipping goals. I know they've made great contributions to MLS and US Soccer in general, and it's often upsetting to see stars age and fade away into retirement, but these are some pretty dim "stars" if you ask me.
- All this, for a friendly? Way to pimp the league ESPN! I don't mind the extra coverage of soccer, but a 90-min SportsCenter focused on Becks? An iso-cam focused on Becks? In a friendly? I wonder how much of that commitment carries over to MLS?
- I think I caught a glimpse of the aforementioned "iso-cam" in the LA highlights from this weekend, only focused on Captain Kissypooh for the most part. It seemed to feature in every highlight. Ugh! Let's just hope it's only for replays and such and that they don't spend the whole damn game doing picture-in-picture just so you can see Goldenballs picking his nose or scratching his ass when he's not involved in the play.
- Hmm, I think I've seen the new Galaxy kits somewhere before. But where?
U-20 Recap - 3...2...1...Boom!
A hat-trick for Adu, a brace for Szetela, a tap-in for Altidore, and suddenly things are looking much rosier for the Baby Nats then they were after opening Group D play with a draw against the Koreans. The 6-1 thrashing of previous group leaders Poland puts the US atop the group and makes qualification for the knockout stages seem a much more distinct possibility than it was before the kickoff in Montreal. A win or draw against Brazil on Friday will see them through. Even a loss could result in advancing in second place (should Poland and Korea draw or Korea win but not make up the goal differential amassed by the US) or even as a "lucky loser" third, since 4 of the 6 third-placed finishers will advance as well.
So what changed? For one thing, Poland are no South Korea. They didn't possess anywhere near the stamina or quickness of the Asian side and that gave the US time and space in which to play their patient passing game, probing for holes and then exploiting them ruthlessly when they started to appear late in the first half. The only change to the lineup was the insertion of Anthony Wallace for Tim Ward at left back. While Wallace did have a nice assist on a Szetela goal, his real contribution was to play simple and not make mistakes. It also seemed that Rongen had his fullbacks play more conservatively in this match, which both stymied the Polish counter and allowed Zizzo and Rogers the space and freedom to really run at the Polish defense on the wings.
Zizzo in particular was running riot and his weaving runs set up Adu's first two goals (though that first took a lot of individual brilliance from Freddy). If he's got his Italian passport lined up, I think that Zizzo may take the Hill/Feilhaber road directly from UCLA to Europe. Szetela and Adu also did well for themselves in the big shop window and Freddy in particular might start getting back some of the attention that has dried up of late from across the pond. Consensus seems to be that Szetela is on his way out with a host of European clubs prowling about, but he may have just upped his price tag a bit. Altidore also looked threatening, with the Polish keeper denying him on multiple occasions before he finally found the net, and Sturgis showed the touch and poise on the ball that have made him a such a highly touted prospect.
Is one game enough to send some of these guys across the Atlantic? Probably not, but if they continue to impress, the offers will surely come in. But is that a good thing? Maybe yes, maybe no. Szetela and Adu seem pretty much stagnant in MLS right now and could probably benefit from a move, but it sure would be nice to have the likes of Altidore, Zizzo, and Sturgis boosting the quality of young American players in MLS for a least a few years before they jet off to roll in piles of crinkly Euros. Maybe that's a bit selfish, but I don't want to see MLS become a league of journeyman American hacks, foreign stars, and past-it national teamers. The league is young and vibrant, and youthful American talent is vital to both maintain that image and to grow the reputation, quality, and depth of talent playing in the league.
So what changed? For one thing, Poland are no South Korea. They didn't possess anywhere near the stamina or quickness of the Asian side and that gave the US time and space in which to play their patient passing game, probing for holes and then exploiting them ruthlessly when they started to appear late in the first half. The only change to the lineup was the insertion of Anthony Wallace for Tim Ward at left back. While Wallace did have a nice assist on a Szetela goal, his real contribution was to play simple and not make mistakes. It also seemed that Rongen had his fullbacks play more conservatively in this match, which both stymied the Polish counter and allowed Zizzo and Rogers the space and freedom to really run at the Polish defense on the wings.
Zizzo in particular was running riot and his weaving runs set up Adu's first two goals (though that first took a lot of individual brilliance from Freddy). If he's got his Italian passport lined up, I think that Zizzo may take the Hill/Feilhaber road directly from UCLA to Europe. Szetela and Adu also did well for themselves in the big shop window and Freddy in particular might start getting back some of the attention that has dried up of late from across the pond. Consensus seems to be that Szetela is on his way out with a host of European clubs prowling about, but he may have just upped his price tag a bit. Altidore also looked threatening, with the Polish keeper denying him on multiple occasions before he finally found the net, and Sturgis showed the touch and poise on the ball that have made him a such a highly touted prospect.
Is one game enough to send some of these guys across the Atlantic? Probably not, but if they continue to impress, the offers will surely come in. But is that a good thing? Maybe yes, maybe no. Szetela and Adu seem pretty much stagnant in MLS right now and could probably benefit from a move, but it sure would be nice to have the likes of Altidore, Zizzo, and Sturgis boosting the quality of young American players in MLS for a least a few years before they jet off to roll in piles of crinkly Euros. Maybe that's a bit selfish, but I don't want to see MLS become a league of journeyman American hacks, foreign stars, and past-it national teamers. The league is young and vibrant, and youthful American talent is vital to both maintain that image and to grow the reputation, quality, and depth of talent playing in the league.
U-20 Recap - WRongen'd Up!
The Koreans are probably in for a few days worth of shooting practice as they dominated this game but were unable to apply the finishing touch that would have sunk the baby Nats. While it's true that Seitz carried on the proud tradition of American excellence in the nets, he was aided by shanks, slices, ground kicks, and the crossbar. So let's get to the talking points:
- The Koreans were quick, not just in sheer team speed, but in passing, thought, and recovery as well. They realized their size and strength disadvantage and pinged the ball about, with long crossfield balls finding unmarked attackers and disregarding the midfield, packed as it was with 5 American players in whatever that awful 4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 formation was that the US were playing. The Americans played at a pedestrian pace allowing the Koreans not just to recover and set up a strong defensive wall, but also to anticipate balls and to intercept them, setting up quick counter-attacks. The speed, workrate, and determination were impressive, but you could tell they were starting to flag as the game wore on and this might prove their undoing in other matches and indeed the tournament itself as the games begin to pile up on overworked legs.
- Bench Adu! Or at least move him out to the wing where he can have the time and space he seemingly requires to operate. I lost track of the number of times two or three Korean defenders closed him down and stripped him of the ball while he was dribbling about, looking to make something happen. Save for one decent burst into the box that created one of the American's better chances, Adu was pretty much invisible. Having watched Adu for a number of years now, I think it's fairly obvious that he's not a back-to-goal player, and playing the point in a central midfield three, that seems to be a situation he ends up in more often than not. He either needs to be running off of a big man up top or out on the wing where things are not so congested and he can collect the ball and turn, either to pass or to run at defenders.
- The Ref had some issues. Whether he himself was bullied as a child is open to speculation, but he sure seemed to have a problem with physical play, particularly by the man-child Altidore. This negated one of the American's big advantages, making them play a more tentative game and spoiling a series of chances for Altidore to make his mark. Some of the decisions were so shocking that you have to wonder if it took the US completely out of its normal approach to the game.
- WRongen tactics. It's not particularly appealing to beat a dead horse what with the flies and stench and all, but this one really deserves it sometimes. First, with the size, speed, and power at his disposal and some players who can hit a decent cross, why are the US playing a "continental" game? And why didn't they adjust to the Korean's tactics? Seems to me you should be looking to push the play directly to high wingers who can deliver ball after ball into the box for the likes of Ferrari and Altidore to be crashing onto. I thought that besides the Adu burst into the box, the US's three best chances were a long ball over the top to Altidore and two crosses directed at the same player, the first of which skipped past him for a charging Szetela to finish and the second of which should have been buried, though it probably would have been waved off for offside. Such play (deep and to the wings) would also have negated the primary attack vector for the Koreans, counter-attacks sprung from interceptions of anticipated or just plain lazy balls being shuffled around the stagnant US midfield.
- Questionable defending. Sturgis and Ward were particularly guilty of overplaying at the back, allowing for the buzzing Koreans to nip in and steal the ball. Also, the US probably would have been more effective at cutting out the Korean counters by having one of the holding mids always dropping deep as soon as the ball was lost to cut out potential passing angles and to provide cover for defenders looking to close down Korean attackers immediately. This last bit was another ref issue as any degree of physical contact by a US player looking to muscle a Korean off the ball was greeted with a whistle. This brings us to another fault of Rongen's. The Koreans were running riot on the counter playing a direct style, yet Rongen made no adjustment to either personnel or formation. Stick another forward up top and start going at the Korean defense hard rather than putzing about trying to be "creative" and you put the Koreans more on their heels and force them to defend deeper, thus freeing up more space for your midfield to rush into. Also, by pushing the wings up and having two forwards, you can apply more pressure to the defenders and prevent them from having the time or space to pick out those long passes directly to their attackers.
Thursday Night Futbol - Pitchers' Duel
It wasn't for lack of trying, but a combination of less-than-lethal finishing, great goalkeeping, and a pathetic playing surface conspired to deliver 90+ minutes of scoreless soccer until FC Dallas' Dominic Oduro bagged a gift-wrapped winner courtesy of Jack Stewart. Both sides had their chances, with Dallas probably shading the first half and RSL dominating the opening stages of the second, but neither side could finish.
Sala and Rimando each had some remarkable saves to keep the sheets clean as Eskandarian for RSL and Alvarez for Dallas looked the most likely scorers. It has to be said that Arturo Alvarez suffers from Acute Justin-Mapp-itis, brilliant for about 10-15 minutes, showing a deft touch, surprising bursts of speed, and some flashy dribbling, only to go AWOL for the majority of the match.
In the end, there were probably 4 major villains of the piece:
Sala and Rimando each had some remarkable saves to keep the sheets clean as Eskandarian for RSL and Alvarez for Dallas looked the most likely scorers. It has to be said that Arturo Alvarez suffers from Acute Justin-Mapp-itis, brilliant for about 10-15 minutes, showing a deft touch, surprising bursts of speed, and some flashy dribbling, only to go AWOL for the majority of the match.
In the end, there were probably 4 major villains of the piece:
- The Pitch - Holy crap, that rug sucks! RSL has some decent passers and dribblers, but none can really show their stuff on that putting green as the ball runs too much. Through balls are pretty much useless as they usually carry to the keeper or go out of bounds before a runner can reach them and there is no mercy for a less-than-perfect first touch as the ball is well away from you before you know it.
- The Ref - Salazar has generally been pretty good this year, and he remained so for about the first 70-75 minutes of this game. But when push literally came to shove in the late going, he was found wanting. I don't blame Kreis for getting himself ejected as frustrations built rapidly all around the park.
- The RSL Front Office - Great job bullying your way to a new stadium deal, but you've got to put a decent product on the field if you want to fill said stadium. They've assembled about half of a capable MLS squad - just call them FC Crewzers West. Is it any wonder that they've gone a third of the season without a win?
- ESPN - Regardless of the quality of the match, you could at least try to present it professionally and appropriately. How long will it take the good folks at ESPN to realize that there are others out there (even some on Spanish-language networks in this country) that know how to broadcast a game? All you have to do is watch a few to get the idea. Soccer doesn't need "filler" during the game - that means no Posh throwing baseballs, no cutaways to sideline interviews, no La Liga highlights, no Eddie Pope career retrospective discussions. Save that stuff for halftime or the pre-game! And if you need to show a replay, for God's sake do it during a substitution or a break for injury or, heck, why not try waiting for the ball to be out of play? How many times do we have to be treated to replays and video irrelevant to the current match during live play? Oh, yeah - FIRE STONER! Lack of professionalism, cheerleader mentality, general fluff-puffiness suitable for Power Rangers not professional sports, blah blah blah. I know, I know, broken records and all.
Where Has the Magic Gone?
Back in the dewy morn of the season, United fandom, and BigSoccer in general, were convinced that the Black-and-Red would take the East, if not all of MLS, by storm. By shipping out fan favorite Alecko Eskandarian and bringing in the well-travelled Brazilian hit man Luciano Emilio, the massed ranks of the unwashed punditry began to prophecy a rebirth of the "magic triangle" in the form of Emilio-Moreno-Gomez.
It began with a bang. United's 7-3 aggregate victory in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup over Olimpia of Honduras showed a team that, while rusty, was capable of scoring magnificent goals. Emilio lived up to his billing, putting three goals past his former side in the two matches. On the verge of the semifinal match-up with Chivas, anticipation gave way to unbridled optimism as the club acquired another Brazilian - Fred "No, not-that-Fred" from Melbourne Victory of Australia's A-League.
With the addition of Fred, the prognosticators predicted an expansion to a "magic rhombus" with Emilio at the point, holding up the ball and banging in the goals, Moreno slightly behind making dangerous dribbling runs, and Gomez and Fred buzzing about the attacking midfield, taking on defenders and fashioning chances for the rest of the attack. Despite bowing out 2-3 against Chivas, the team still looked like it would roll into the MLS season and steamroller the opposition.
So, where has the magic gone? Although Emilio started strong, bagging two goals in his first two MLS matches, he's since gone quiet. Moreno looks like age has wrapped him up in cobwebs, slowing down an already patient style to approximately glacial speeds, while Gomez has struggled to influence games with the same élan as in previous years. Fred has only shown glimpses of his quality in fits and bursts.
Recent form suggests that United are starting to fit the pieces together as a trio of 2-1 victories has pushed them up the table and back into the playoff picture, but the manner of the wins is not the awe-inspiring attacking display that many had predicted. Rather, this is a team that is starting to solidify at the back - despite the worrying lack of shutouts - and can typically maintain an edge in possession, but sometimes looks lost in the attacking third.
Of the six goals in the last three games, four have come from set pieces and one of the others resulted from a cross after a throw in. That makes a grand total of one goal from true open play. I suppose a fan could take heart that the last goal of the six was the one that came from open play and it was a pretty goal, with Gomez driving at the defense and dishing to Olsen for the finish.
Another ray of hope has arrived in the surprise package named Guy-Roland Kpene. Picked by United in the third round of the Supplemental Draft (note that it was the Supplemental, not the SuperDraft), the Ivorian is pushing Moreno and Emilio for starting time up top. While he hasn't proven that he can score yet, he has looked good on the ball, making intelligent, quick touches and passes at speed.
That last bit is the part that United has been sorely missing. Throughout the beginning of the season, it seemed that the opposition always had an extra gear that they could switch to that would increase the speed of play and cause United problems at the back. United never seemed to be able to replicate this feat until Kpene got on the field.
So, the magic hasn't arrived, whether it be in the shape of a triangle or a rhombus, and while DC are scoring, they aren't doing it in with the panache that was expected. Whether it be a lack of fluidity in attack, the inability to string passes together at pace in the midfield, an adjustment to a new style of play under Soehn, or simply the poor form of some key players, United should be a more formidable attacking side.
They'll get a chance to demonstrate this tomorrow at the Toolbox when they face a Galaxy side that is struggling massively in the standings and is decimated by injuries, suspensions, and international call-ups. Despite the presence of two of MLS's best in Cannon and Donovan, anything less than three points from this match will be a massive disappointment.
It began with a bang. United's 7-3 aggregate victory in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup over Olimpia of Honduras showed a team that, while rusty, was capable of scoring magnificent goals. Emilio lived up to his billing, putting three goals past his former side in the two matches. On the verge of the semifinal match-up with Chivas, anticipation gave way to unbridled optimism as the club acquired another Brazilian - Fred "No, not-that-Fred" from Melbourne Victory of Australia's A-League.
With the addition of Fred, the prognosticators predicted an expansion to a "magic rhombus" with Emilio at the point, holding up the ball and banging in the goals, Moreno slightly behind making dangerous dribbling runs, and Gomez and Fred buzzing about the attacking midfield, taking on defenders and fashioning chances for the rest of the attack. Despite bowing out 2-3 against Chivas, the team still looked like it would roll into the MLS season and steamroller the opposition.
So, where has the magic gone? Although Emilio started strong, bagging two goals in his first two MLS matches, he's since gone quiet. Moreno looks like age has wrapped him up in cobwebs, slowing down an already patient style to approximately glacial speeds, while Gomez has struggled to influence games with the same élan as in previous years. Fred has only shown glimpses of his quality in fits and bursts.
Recent form suggests that United are starting to fit the pieces together as a trio of 2-1 victories has pushed them up the table and back into the playoff picture, but the manner of the wins is not the awe-inspiring attacking display that many had predicted. Rather, this is a team that is starting to solidify at the back - despite the worrying lack of shutouts - and can typically maintain an edge in possession, but sometimes looks lost in the attacking third.
Of the six goals in the last three games, four have come from set pieces and one of the others resulted from a cross after a throw in. That makes a grand total of one goal from true open play. I suppose a fan could take heart that the last goal of the six was the one that came from open play and it was a pretty goal, with Gomez driving at the defense and dishing to Olsen for the finish.
Another ray of hope has arrived in the surprise package named Guy-Roland Kpene. Picked by United in the third round of the Supplemental Draft (note that it was the Supplemental, not the SuperDraft), the Ivorian is pushing Moreno and Emilio for starting time up top. While he hasn't proven that he can score yet, he has looked good on the ball, making intelligent, quick touches and passes at speed.
That last bit is the part that United has been sorely missing. Throughout the beginning of the season, it seemed that the opposition always had an extra gear that they could switch to that would increase the speed of play and cause United problems at the back. United never seemed to be able to replicate this feat until Kpene got on the field.
So, the magic hasn't arrived, whether it be in the shape of a triangle or a rhombus, and while DC are scoring, they aren't doing it in with the panache that was expected. Whether it be a lack of fluidity in attack, the inability to string passes together at pace in the midfield, an adjustment to a new style of play under Soehn, or simply the poor form of some key players, United should be a more formidable attacking side.
They'll get a chance to demonstrate this tomorrow at the Toolbox when they face a Galaxy side that is struggling massively in the standings and is decimated by injuries, suspensions, and international call-ups. Despite the presence of two of MLS's best in Cannon and Donovan, anything less than three points from this match will be a massive disappointment.
Thursday Night Futbol: Own Goals Galore!
So...two teams so inept that they have to score goals for each other AND I get to listen to Wynalda, Smyth, and O'Brien. Sign me up! OK, so the game wasn't that terrible. Both sides created a handful of decent chances and the keepers made a few good saves to maintain the 1-1 draw. Freddy played a fairly decent match - getting hit on the head must have helped. That said...
Rants, sure I have a few. Will someone please, please, PLEASE get a FIFA rulebook so ESPN can figure out how offsides works? Numero Dos - more game, less Kreis. Honestly, how many
extended shots of the new RSL coach do we need? I get it - he looked intense - intense like an overage boy-band sociopath (nice hair). Forgive me for spending the last two years with Piotr Nowak power-chomping his way through wads of Big League Chew or Nicorette, or whatever the hell that cud was. I know what intensity looks like, thank you, and I'm glad it's present, but there's a game going on!
Which brings me to another issue - maybe some of that intensity should have rubbed off on the broadcast crew. It's a soccer game, not baseball - there is very little dead space to fill with inane stories and off topic musings. My patience with Davey-O has just about run out and adding Tommy Onion-bags doesn't help my blood pressure, though at least he generally manages to keep the chatter focused on soccer.
And finally, will someone please shoot the Yellow Shoes Fairy? She's spreading them around like the plague and needs to be stopped - quickly.
So, that's what surrounded the game, what about the creamy filling? Surprisingly, RSL doesn't look too bad. Keystone Kops defending aside, I think 1-1 was a fair result. They didn't sit back, they created chances, and were unfortunate with a couple of those chances. Rimando still looked his typical lost self on crosses and corners, but actually came up with a few decent stops, and Adu showed a bit of his promise. Could the problem have been Ellinger all along? Time will tell, though Kreis seems to have the ship pointed in the right direction.
Of course, nature seeks a balace. I don't get why a lot of people have been so Rocky Mountain High on Colorado. They have a decent midfield, but are mediocre to poor in every other part of the field and they have of coach of proven MLS incompetence. It was only a matter of time before the new stadium buzz wore off and the dregs settled to the bottom. Home loss to Houston? Check! Home draw against the second-worst team in the league? Check! Welcome back cRapids, allow me to give you the boot!
Rants, sure I have a few. Will someone please, please, PLEASE get a FIFA rulebook so ESPN can figure out how offsides works? Numero Dos - more game, less Kreis. Honestly, how many
extended shots of the new RSL coach do we need? I get it - he looked intense - intense like an overage boy-band sociopath (nice hair). Forgive me for spending the last two years with Piotr Nowak power-chomping his way through wads of Big League Chew or Nicorette, or whatever the hell that cud was. I know what intensity looks like, thank you, and I'm glad it's present, but there's a game going on!Which brings me to another issue - maybe some of that intensity should have rubbed off on the broadcast crew. It's a soccer game, not baseball - there is very little dead space to fill with inane stories and off topic musings. My patience with Davey-O has just about run out and adding Tommy Onion-bags doesn't help my blood pressure, though at least he generally manages to keep the chatter focused on soccer.
And finally, will someone please shoot the Yellow Shoes Fairy? She's spreading them around like the plague and needs to be stopped - quickly.
So, that's what surrounded the game, what about the creamy filling? Surprisingly, RSL doesn't look too bad. Keystone Kops defending aside, I think 1-1 was a fair result. They didn't sit back, they created chances, and were unfortunate with a couple of those chances. Rimando still looked his typical lost self on crosses and corners, but actually came up with a few decent stops, and Adu showed a bit of his promise. Could the problem have been Ellinger all along? Time will tell, though Kreis seems to have the ship pointed in the right direction.
Of course, nature seeks a balace. I don't get why a lot of people have been so Rocky Mountain High on Colorado. They have a decent midfield, but are mediocre to poor in every other part of the field and they have of coach of proven MLS incompetence. It was only a matter of time before the new stadium buzz wore off and the dregs settled to the bottom. Home loss to Houston? Check! Home draw against the second-worst team in the league? Check! Welcome back cRapids, allow me to give you the boot!
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