This will be short, sweet, and even more out of the derriere than usual, seeing as how I haven't had a chance to watch United's 2-1 victory (2-3 loss on aggregate), but did stumble across the result, trip and bang my head on the hue and cry of BigSoccer, and even managed to step in the big, steaming pile of a [slanted] Mexican highlights package. Whew! Well, I guess it's about time to synthesize all that my attention sponge has absorbed and wring it out in a concentrated bout of ass-talking . . .
* So what's the deal with Emiligol? The golden-booted one has looked all kinds of out of sorts in this young season--bad touches, frequent loss of possession, and some oh-so glaring misses. Now, beyond the early explosion against his old club in this very same competition last year, he started 2007 rather slowly as well. So there's always hope that he'll round into form as the season continues. Fat lot of good that does us now though. Wasn't there a lot of supposition that the acquisition of the second DP slot from the cRapids for Gomez was intended as a reward for Emilio if he performed in the same capacity as last year? At the moment, I don't think I'd be particularly inclined to take that option . . .
* Return of the three-back system? Early last year, Soehn addressed our early season defensive wobbles by switching to a four-back system. But the second half against TFC and this last match against Pachuca suggest that perhaps another change is on the cards. Namoff has already proved himself in such a system for United before. Martinez looks like he'll be ideally suited to be his counterpart as the second outside back, and indeed, perhaps some of his talents are wasted a bit at center back. The final piece of the puzzle is Peralta, who certainly seems to have some of the blend of dominating physical presence and organizational skill that made Ryan Nelson such a valuable player for this team. If nothing else, increased tactical flexibility will be an asset going forward.
* Hang the man with the whistle? Sure, it's easy to blame the ref for a job well-botched. My vicarious experience of the game through others' eyes suggests that the official bought into some diving, missed at least one PK call, and apparently just picked a number at random when it came to assessing how many minutes of stoppage time should be played. But this is CONCACAF. The refs are always crap. Hell, MLS refs aren't much better as a whole, so we better get used to the ill treatment. While the officials should undoubtedly shoulder some of the blame, I'm going to take a somewhat higher road and point the finger instead at: (1) the naivete displayed in Mexico that led us to run our legs off in the first half-hour of the game, leading to a second half collapse, and a difficult 2-0 first leg result, and (2) an inability to stick the ball in the back of the net in the first half of the second leg when the chances presented themselves. Are Pachuca a better side? Probably. Are they that much better that we couldn't have won this series? Nope.
* Building a better mousetrap? I was listening to the Guardian's Football Weekly podcast last week and was intrigued by the German correspondent's opinion that Bayern Munich's massive changes this year are focused on creating a Champions' League winning side next year. Why do I mention this? Well, I know of another team that underwent a pretty sizable overhaul in the offseason. We've all heard off the front office's repeated stance that they're building a side that can succeed in international competition. Gallardo said that one of the things that convinced him to come to DC was the ambition of the club on the international stage.
It's hard for so many new pieces to fit together immediately, so I'm wondering if the United staff was looking at this competition as a test run. I know they want to win every competition, but did they realistically expect the team to gel quickly enough to be a force in this competition, or was this just a teaser? We've got that extra DP slot just floating around, and we've got ownership that's willing to invest in the team's success. Now we've got 3-4 months for the team to knit together, and for the front office to address any weaknesses that they see in the roster before we're back on the international stage. I'm just sayin' . . .
So, all in all, disappointment reigns over the Fullback household for what might have been. We've been tripped up in our first competition, but it was against a better side, and I was encouraged by the fight that we displayed. At this time last year, we were in a similar situation. Out of the continental cup one step too early and not exactly setting the league alight. But the difference is that last year's early season was marred by worrying signs from the defense and a one-trick-pony attack. So far, this year's edition has generally looked a more impressive beast. Let's hope that the beast finds its footing and starts to dish out some real punishment.
Showing posts with label Match Recap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Match Recap. Show all posts
DC United Reaction - 9 In 2 At Home, Sweet Home
Now that was exactly what we needed! Take the initiative early and kill any hope that TFC ever had of snatching a result. Despite the goals and despite most of the important attacking cogs sticking the ball in the net (God, I really wish that the dwarf could have bagged one!), there were a few worrying moments and things that need to be ironed out. In the end, 4-1 is the type of result that we needed to get some momentum building. So what did I see?
* Emilio got the first and his long-range blast set the stage for the second, but he continues to be somewhere South of sharp on breakaways. Here's hoping that he rounds into form as the season marches on. Quaranta also impressed. He re-opened his account for the club, and showed a lot of heart and effort to boot. Up 3-0, I saw him lunge for a ball and tap it back to maintain possession. Warms the heart, it does. Niell really showed what he'll bring as a late game sub, splitting defenders and dashing in behind for balls over the top. Unfortunately, he still can't finish the chances he finds on his plate. Unlike, say, the Godfather of Goals, who shows up as Niell is scampering frantically around the box, takes the ball off his foot, drags it across his body, and dumps the slow roller into the corner past a despairing Sutton. Hope the little guy was taking notes.
* Gallardo opened his account as well, and I'm really hoping that the goal will settle him down a bit. I just have this feeling that he's trying too hard to hit the killer ball, and it's hurting DC's possession game. How many times did he give the ball away when we're up 2-0 with a man advantage and just need to work it around and make the Canucks chase us a bit? But hey, I did get to hear for about the thousandth time already this year that he played for Argentina at the '98 and '02 World Cups!
* There were times when I was freaking myself out by anticipating Soehn's moves. I almost felt like I was playing Football Manager. At the half, I'm bemoaning the fact that we're giving TFC too much possession and wondering if we should go to three in the back and pack the midfield since TFC isn't attacking with more than 2-3 and isn't getting wide at all. Lo and behold, we come back from halftime in a 3-5-2 with Burch (prone to stupid cards and already on a yellow--smart move Tommy!) taking a seat. My other halftime thought was that we should yank Gallardo after an hour to rest him up for Pachuca on Wednesday, where he'll be key to whatever effort we can mount. And, hey presto, the late fifties come around and out comes Gallardo (to be fair, I though that it would be Stratford instead of Dyachecko). Shortly after Gallardo goes out, and we're sitting done and dusted at 3-0, I'm pondering the havoc that Niell might cause against a worn out TFC defense. And yet again, Tommy hears my psychic call. Weird!
* Thanks to MLSLIVE.tv, I got to enjoy this one in Maple Leaf Vision. Of course, right off the bat, I'm thinking that this is going to go really badly as they've identified Los Gonzalos as both being from Argentina (I blame Caligiuri and his "hey, they've got the same first name, they must be related" nonsense from the Harbour View first leg). I can't say that the Canuck commentary crew ever made up for that in the meaningful insight sweepstakes, but holy crap were they honest! It took a second look, but they completely agreed with the ref on the Harmse sending off after they got the replay. Then, they go and say that Robinson should see yellow for a bad tackle on Gallardo (he should have, but this is MLS we're talking about), and follow that up by saying that the ref was right to only show Peralta a yellow rather than a red because he wasn't the last man. Who the hell were these guys, and why the hell are Canadians so damn nice and pleasant (when they don't have skates on and a stick in their hands)?
* Giving up that late goal sucked, but TFC deserved at least a goal. They were fairly wasteful with some good chances, and our defense allowed far too much to get through to Wells for my comfort, particularly when we went up a man (or two men as Laurent Robert played his typically useless sort of half-ass game, waiting for free-kicks to arrive so he could exert his dubious "influence" over the match). And TFC were camped in our half way too much in the later stages of the first half. True, we fixed the problem in the second, and were completely dominant, playing some pretty nice keep-away with one- and two-touch passing, but I would have liked to bury the dagger earlier. On a positive passing note, I don't know if it was the extra week or the extra man, but Peralta wasn't doing the long dump upfield this time around, which was nice to see.
* Continuing on with Toronto, I've got a feeling that we're going to be seeing a lot of Jeff Cunningham sulking on the bench like he was at the final whistle. Carver looked none to impressed with Cunningham's efforts on the pitch, and the TFC forward was exceptionally wayward with his finishing for the second week running.
So, all in all, exactly what was needed from the boys in black, though it sure would have been nice to pitch a shutout and hang five on the boys in red. But hey, you can't have everything, can you? We've got some confidence that we can find the net in our house (9 goals in two home matches!), and even if we can't get past Pachuca in the CONCACRAP Cup, at least we're off the mark in MLS.
That's going to possibly be more important than it would seem at the moment. We're going to expend a lot of energy on Wednesday, and we'll have to follow that up on Saturday against an improved RSL on their crappy little patch of fake grass. That field won't play to our strengths, and I doubt the newly arrived boatload of Sudamericanos will figure it out right away. That spells a bit of trouble, so it's pretty important that we got the result we did tonight.
Vamos United!
* Emilio got the first and his long-range blast set the stage for the second, but he continues to be somewhere South of sharp on breakaways. Here's hoping that he rounds into form as the season marches on. Quaranta also impressed. He re-opened his account for the club, and showed a lot of heart and effort to boot. Up 3-0, I saw him lunge for a ball and tap it back to maintain possession. Warms the heart, it does. Niell really showed what he'll bring as a late game sub, splitting defenders and dashing in behind for balls over the top. Unfortunately, he still can't finish the chances he finds on his plate. Unlike, say, the Godfather of Goals, who shows up as Niell is scampering frantically around the box, takes the ball off his foot, drags it across his body, and dumps the slow roller into the corner past a despairing Sutton. Hope the little guy was taking notes.
* Gallardo opened his account as well, and I'm really hoping that the goal will settle him down a bit. I just have this feeling that he's trying too hard to hit the killer ball, and it's hurting DC's possession game. How many times did he give the ball away when we're up 2-0 with a man advantage and just need to work it around and make the Canucks chase us a bit? But hey, I did get to hear for about the thousandth time already this year that he played for Argentina at the '98 and '02 World Cups!
* There were times when I was freaking myself out by anticipating Soehn's moves. I almost felt like I was playing Football Manager. At the half, I'm bemoaning the fact that we're giving TFC too much possession and wondering if we should go to three in the back and pack the midfield since TFC isn't attacking with more than 2-3 and isn't getting wide at all. Lo and behold, we come back from halftime in a 3-5-2 with Burch (prone to stupid cards and already on a yellow--smart move Tommy!) taking a seat. My other halftime thought was that we should yank Gallardo after an hour to rest him up for Pachuca on Wednesday, where he'll be key to whatever effort we can mount. And, hey presto, the late fifties come around and out comes Gallardo (to be fair, I though that it would be Stratford instead of Dyachecko). Shortly after Gallardo goes out, and we're sitting done and dusted at 3-0, I'm pondering the havoc that Niell might cause against a worn out TFC defense. And yet again, Tommy hears my psychic call. Weird!
* Thanks to MLSLIVE.tv, I got to enjoy this one in Maple Leaf Vision. Of course, right off the bat, I'm thinking that this is going to go really badly as they've identified Los Gonzalos as both being from Argentina (I blame Caligiuri and his "hey, they've got the same first name, they must be related" nonsense from the Harbour View first leg). I can't say that the Canuck commentary crew ever made up for that in the meaningful insight sweepstakes, but holy crap were they honest! It took a second look, but they completely agreed with the ref on the Harmse sending off after they got the replay. Then, they go and say that Robinson should see yellow for a bad tackle on Gallardo (he should have, but this is MLS we're talking about), and follow that up by saying that the ref was right to only show Peralta a yellow rather than a red because he wasn't the last man. Who the hell were these guys, and why the hell are Canadians so damn nice and pleasant (when they don't have skates on and a stick in their hands)?
* Giving up that late goal sucked, but TFC deserved at least a goal. They were fairly wasteful with some good chances, and our defense allowed far too much to get through to Wells for my comfort, particularly when we went up a man (or two men as Laurent Robert played his typically useless sort of half-ass game, waiting for free-kicks to arrive so he could exert his dubious "influence" over the match). And TFC were camped in our half way too much in the later stages of the first half. True, we fixed the problem in the second, and were completely dominant, playing some pretty nice keep-away with one- and two-touch passing, but I would have liked to bury the dagger earlier. On a positive passing note, I don't know if it was the extra week or the extra man, but Peralta wasn't doing the long dump upfield this time around, which was nice to see.
* Continuing on with Toronto, I've got a feeling that we're going to be seeing a lot of Jeff Cunningham sulking on the bench like he was at the final whistle. Carver looked none to impressed with Cunningham's efforts on the pitch, and the TFC forward was exceptionally wayward with his finishing for the second week running.
So, all in all, exactly what was needed from the boys in black, though it sure would have been nice to pitch a shutout and hang five on the boys in red. But hey, you can't have everything, can you? We've got some confidence that we can find the net in our house (9 goals in two home matches!), and even if we can't get past Pachuca in the CONCACRAP Cup, at least we're off the mark in MLS.
That's going to possibly be more important than it would seem at the moment. We're going to expend a lot of energy on Wednesday, and we'll have to follow that up on Saturday against an improved RSL on their crappy little patch of fake grass. That field won't play to our strengths, and I doubt the newly arrived boatload of Sudamericanos will figure it out right away. That spells a bit of trouble, so it's pretty important that we got the result we did tonight.
Vamos United!
DC United Reaction - Empty Promises
Just a few things that went bubbling through my troubled brain during and after the CONCACRAP loss to Pachuca . . .
* Gallardo and Fred were magnificent in the first half hour, and we were looking slick--combinations, counters, skill on the ball, even a couple of decent chances that we should have done better with. But as the game wore on, the oxygen fled, the legs got heavy, possession started to fade, the touches went awry, and we pretty much let Pachuca do what they wanted in the second half.
* As impressed as I've been with Los Gonzalos defensively, the Gonzalo of the Peralta variety seems to hit and hope a bit too much, as does Namoff. Of course, if we had a true target forward or somebody not just quick (like Niell), but actually fast (. . . crickets) up top, maybe the long ball works to stretch the opposition. Burch hits the long-rangers as well, but at least he pretends to a modicum of control over them, rather than just blasting away. In the second half, with less possession, an inability to move the ball quite as quickly on the counter, and nobody making Niell's defense-stretching runs up top, Pachuca condensed the field and took over.
* We're still too narrow in attack. As much as Fred seems to get sucked into the middle of the field, we need Burch to start exploiting that space on the wide left more. And forget about it when we get the ball to the forwards and they just turn and go at 3-4 defenders with no support coming from the wide positions to stretch those 3-4. Pull those defenders apart a bit, and Gallardo's passing becomes an order of magnitude more dangerous.
* I'm waiting for a flip-flop on Niell's minutes, as I think he'll prove much more effective coming off the bench to harry defenders and make those testing runs. If Jaime isn't ready for TFC, I'd like to see Quaranta start and Niell for the last 20-30 minutes. Of course, what really worries me most about Niell thus far is that while he's gotten into promising positions, he's done squat with the opportunities--scuffed shots, losing possession, falling over, bad passes, etc. That's got to be a big worry, as last season proved that we must have at least three proven finishers.
* Wells did his level best to top Perkins' brain-fart from last year against Chivas. Not quite the same level of egregiousness present in the mistake this time, but still a basic positioning error nonetheless. As long as he learns from his mistakes, so much the better for DC moving forward, but for now, that's a cold, cold, ice-cold comfort.
* 2-0 is not impossible to recover from, but it's going to take a pristine defensive effort and the sort of ruthlessness in front of net that we just haven't seen from United thus far. At this point, I want the team to really take it to TFC hard, dominate in our crumbling old house, stick some balls in the net, and build some confidence and swagger going into the return leg. Otherwise, we're going in timid, and we're sunk. If the Wiz can exploit us on the counter when we're looking to just get one back, imagine what the likes of Pachuca will do, knowing that we have to attack early and often.
Onward and upward and homeward and such. Here's hoping RFK soothes some troubled minds.
* Gallardo and Fred were magnificent in the first half hour, and we were looking slick--combinations, counters, skill on the ball, even a couple of decent chances that we should have done better with. But as the game wore on, the oxygen fled, the legs got heavy, possession started to fade, the touches went awry, and we pretty much let Pachuca do what they wanted in the second half.
* As impressed as I've been with Los Gonzalos defensively, the Gonzalo of the Peralta variety seems to hit and hope a bit too much, as does Namoff. Of course, if we had a true target forward or somebody not just quick (like Niell), but actually fast (. . . crickets) up top, maybe the long ball works to stretch the opposition. Burch hits the long-rangers as well, but at least he pretends to a modicum of control over them, rather than just blasting away. In the second half, with less possession, an inability to move the ball quite as quickly on the counter, and nobody making Niell's defense-stretching runs up top, Pachuca condensed the field and took over.
* We're still too narrow in attack. As much as Fred seems to get sucked into the middle of the field, we need Burch to start exploiting that space on the wide left more. And forget about it when we get the ball to the forwards and they just turn and go at 3-4 defenders with no support coming from the wide positions to stretch those 3-4. Pull those defenders apart a bit, and Gallardo's passing becomes an order of magnitude more dangerous.
* I'm waiting for a flip-flop on Niell's minutes, as I think he'll prove much more effective coming off the bench to harry defenders and make those testing runs. If Jaime isn't ready for TFC, I'd like to see Quaranta start and Niell for the last 20-30 minutes. Of course, what really worries me most about Niell thus far is that while he's gotten into promising positions, he's done squat with the opportunities--scuffed shots, losing possession, falling over, bad passes, etc. That's got to be a big worry, as last season proved that we must have at least three proven finishers.
* Wells did his level best to top Perkins' brain-fart from last year against Chivas. Not quite the same level of egregiousness present in the mistake this time, but still a basic positioning error nonetheless. As long as he learns from his mistakes, so much the better for DC moving forward, but for now, that's a cold, cold, ice-cold comfort.
* 2-0 is not impossible to recover from, but it's going to take a pristine defensive effort and the sort of ruthlessness in front of net that we just haven't seen from United thus far. At this point, I want the team to really take it to TFC hard, dominate in our crumbling old house, stick some balls in the net, and build some confidence and swagger going into the return leg. Otherwise, we're going in timid, and we're sunk. If the Wiz can exploit us on the counter when we're looking to just get one back, imagine what the likes of Pachuca will do, knowing that we have to attack early and often.
Onward and upward and homeward and such. Here's hoping RFK soothes some troubled minds.
DC United Reaction - The Foul Stench of Inevitability
You could almost smell it wafting in over the crazy angles of the ballpark bleachers, down across the grassed-over infield, caught momentarily in an updraft of hot air from Sean Wheelock, and finally down off Tommy Soehn's brooding glare. The Foul Stench of Inevitability.
The first half was promising, with the defense shutting down KC and the offense not exactly sparkling, but creating a few decent chances. Yet as soon as the Wiz bagged their first early in the second half, it only seemed like a matter of time before they got the second. United started pushing forward, and the gaps duly started appearing. Even when Peralta slammed United's apparent equalizer home, I was unfazed, waiting for the inexorable raising of the linesman's flag. Result? KC 2, DC 0.
So, what went wrong?
* No wide threat. On a couple of occasions in the first half, Mediate and McTavish raced through, only to be either (a) mugged with nary a PK call in sight or (b) flagged offside (though the same linesman did return the favor in the second half--fair play to you, Mr. Ray Charles). But this danger was never consistent. Instead, we tried to force too much through the middle--the standard DC calling card--with predictable results. One has to wonder if this would have been the case had Fred started. That said, I think resting folks for Pachuca is probably a wise move. It's early in the season, and the team still has time to gel and start getting results in the league.
* KC came out of the half with a fire in their bellies that DC couldn't match. Instead, DC looked a bit flat and listless, and paid for it almost immediately. A few minutes after KC's first went in, DC started to push up, and getting hit on the counter began to look more and more likely. Still, United had their chances. And, it has to be said, they did create the better chances in the first half as well. If Emilio is in form or Salazar makes a call or the linesman keeps his damn flag down, maybe the story would have played out differently. Such are the vagaries of fate and MLS officials.
* KC's got a good little team to run about their crappy little pitch. Not sure how deep they are, or how they'll handle teams that actually decide to pressure their fullbacks, but they looked pretty dangerous once things started opening up a bit in the second, and they possessed the ball fairly well, which reminds me . . .
* Whether it's down to not being all on the same page yet, the wind, or the negative nexus of dying brain cells created by Wheelock's disturbingly ridiculous commentary, DC wasn't stringing the passes together like we're used to seeing. Too much hit and hope and too many mishit (or misread) through-balls. Again, I'm not too terribly worried yet. We all knew that Harbour View wasn't MLS quality, and that it would take time for all of the new pieces to settle into place. Once we start connecting the dots a little better, I'm confident that we'll create more chances (and hopefully start finishing them as well). As it was, we had a fair few. There was just a final ball or a solid finish missing from the puzzle.
In other words, take heed the Hitchhiker's Guide, and . . . DON'T PANIC! At least, not yet anyway.
Addendum
On a final note, I had to watch this one on MLSlive.tv, which is an absolute steal at $19.95 for the season, even if the quality is poor and the ABC/ESPN/FSC games are missing. But watching on MLSlive.tv got me stuck with Sean Wheelock. Wow! Sure made me appreciate Dave Johnson all the more. What game was he watching? Every time he noted a "clever play" or "great pass" it ended up being a turnover. And my goodness, every time Emilio touched the ball, it was like the Grim Reaper had showed up for dinner. "Look out! He's got the ball! Hide the women and children!" I know he's a dangerous striker, but sheesh! And please don't get me started on Erin Whats-her-name doing the sideline bits. Give me an A, give me an M, give me an A . . . T . . . E . . . U . . . R. What's that spell? Ouch.
Onward to Mexico!
The first half was promising, with the defense shutting down KC and the offense not exactly sparkling, but creating a few decent chances. Yet as soon as the Wiz bagged their first early in the second half, it only seemed like a matter of time before they got the second. United started pushing forward, and the gaps duly started appearing. Even when Peralta slammed United's apparent equalizer home, I was unfazed, waiting for the inexorable raising of the linesman's flag. Result? KC 2, DC 0.
So, what went wrong?
* No wide threat. On a couple of occasions in the first half, Mediate and McTavish raced through, only to be either (a) mugged with nary a PK call in sight or (b) flagged offside (though the same linesman did return the favor in the second half--fair play to you, Mr. Ray Charles). But this danger was never consistent. Instead, we tried to force too much through the middle--the standard DC calling card--with predictable results. One has to wonder if this would have been the case had Fred started. That said, I think resting folks for Pachuca is probably a wise move. It's early in the season, and the team still has time to gel and start getting results in the league.
* KC came out of the half with a fire in their bellies that DC couldn't match. Instead, DC looked a bit flat and listless, and paid for it almost immediately. A few minutes after KC's first went in, DC started to push up, and getting hit on the counter began to look more and more likely. Still, United had their chances. And, it has to be said, they did create the better chances in the first half as well. If Emilio is in form or Salazar makes a call or the linesman keeps his damn flag down, maybe the story would have played out differently. Such are the vagaries of fate and MLS officials.
* KC's got a good little team to run about their crappy little pitch. Not sure how deep they are, or how they'll handle teams that actually decide to pressure their fullbacks, but they looked pretty dangerous once things started opening up a bit in the second, and they possessed the ball fairly well, which reminds me . . .
* Whether it's down to not being all on the same page yet, the wind, or the negative nexus of dying brain cells created by Wheelock's disturbingly ridiculous commentary, DC wasn't stringing the passes together like we're used to seeing. Too much hit and hope and too many mishit (or misread) through-balls. Again, I'm not too terribly worried yet. We all knew that Harbour View wasn't MLS quality, and that it would take time for all of the new pieces to settle into place. Once we start connecting the dots a little better, I'm confident that we'll create more chances (and hopefully start finishing them as well). As it was, we had a fair few. There was just a final ball or a solid finish missing from the puzzle.
In other words, take heed the Hitchhiker's Guide, and . . . DON'T PANIC! At least, not yet anyway.
Addendum
On a final note, I had to watch this one on MLSlive.tv, which is an absolute steal at $19.95 for the season, even if the quality is poor and the ABC/ESPN/FSC games are missing. But watching on MLSlive.tv got me stuck with Sean Wheelock. Wow! Sure made me appreciate Dave Johnson all the more. What game was he watching? Every time he noted a "clever play" or "great pass" it ended up being a turnover. And my goodness, every time Emilio touched the ball, it was like the Grim Reaper had showed up for dinner. "Look out! He's got the ball! Hide the women and children!" I know he's a dangerous striker, but sheesh! And please don't get me started on Erin Whats-her-name doing the sideline bits. Give me an A, give me an M, give me an A . . . T . . . E . . . U . . . R. What's that spell? Ouch.
Onward to Mexico!
United Recap - Pass the Mouthwash
So which part of United's 1-1 draw with Harbour View was the most vomit-inducing for you: the quality of the play, the quality of the officials, or the quality of the announcers? United looked rough, but you pretty much could have predicted that with the crappy pitch on offer and the lack of match sharpness for United coming in. Regardless, I thought we'd show a little better than that.
Some quick hits:
Some quick hits:
- Los Gonzalos were solid though the center official seemed pretty intent to blow up any United player that dared to challenge for a ball in the air, which pretty much limited Peralta's effectiveness. Interesting to see the speedy Martinez dropping off into almost a sweeper role, though I'd put this down more to United being wary of the Jamaicans' speed than an indication of things to come.
- The wings were not so strong, either in attack or defense, though Fred seemed to come more into the match as it progressed. With Gallardo dropping deeper than Gomez ever did and playing some defense to boot, that should give our wide players more opportunity to get forward, but it just wasn't happening.
- Gallardo wasn't exactly disappointing, but he didn't dominate proceedings either. The one thing I like is that he's not the sort of playmaker to dwell on the ball. His touches are quick and he keeps the ball moving. If we can ever manage to generate some wide play, this could be devastating. As it is, he really only seemed to have a good understanding with Fred and Niell. The pitch probably played its part, but I was a bit worried about the quality of the free kicks--one of the things we'll miss most with the loss of Gomez.
- The striking corps weren't exactly on fire either. Emilio looked lost, and his touch was awful to boot. Moreno didn't have much of a chance to shine before limping off. I thought that Niell was going to be an instant impact as he started out in such a threatening manner, but was only able to make a few darting runs. Of course, he should have drawn a red when he got wrestled down on a dash through the middle, but the typically incompetent CONCACRAP ref did what his ilk do best--fail miserably at the critical juncture.
- 1-1 isn't the best result, but it should do. On a decent surface in RFK, with another week of work under their belts, it shouldn't be too much trouble for the boys to dispatch The View, though the ref could always make the job much more difficult. I'll be looking for a more positive approach from United, with an attacking option coming on in place of McTavish on the right wing.
- Though I was excited to see the Bard get some minutes in Jamaica, it's just the same old song from Soehn--bring on the second d-mid for a striker to protect the lead, just like he did so often with Carroll last year. I can only hope that he's just looking to blood the kid, rather than plodding along in the same old rut we wore down last year. How about a little variety, a little innovation? Or am I just expecting too much from MLS (and American coaches in general)? Is it just me, or does Soehn seem too rigid tactically?
- So what's my answer to the initial question posed above? Let's see--I think I've already gone on about the play--fairly miserable with a dash of choppiness courtesy of the man with the whistle and some pretty horrible looking warts owing to the field. The officials? Yes, the man in the middle didn't seem particularly equitable and wanted to whistle everything, though he seemed to have it in for Burch, Peralta, and Emilio in particular. And yes, that far side official needs to be rendered down into shark chum. What the hell was he looking at on some of those offsides calls against United in the first half? And Burch's "foul" that eventually led to the petulant yellow? Ugh. But top honors must go the the dynamic duo in the booth for FSC. I think I'll be hearing Caligiuri's "low risk" mantra and stunningly vacant commentary in my nightmares tonight. But if Caligiuri is bad--and he is, oh sweet Jebus, he's awful--he'll never hope to approach the Prince of Darkness, the Incubus of Inanity, the Antichrist of American soccer broadcasting--Christian Miles. Of course, I really have only myself to blame for going through about 40 minutes of hell before I remembered that I control the volume on the damn television. Oh, to have those 40 minutes back. Better yet, make it the last couple of hours.
USA Recap - Clásico?
Yes, we were technically and tactically outclassed. Yes, we were blessed once again that los tricolores just can't seem to convert any of their possession into goals from the run of play. Yes, our set-piece defending was nothing short of miserable. Yes, some of our young guys looked to be a bit in awe of the occasion and the crowd. But still . . . but still . . . the future was there to glimpse--what I would consider the "third generation" of a true norteamericano rivalry between the USA and Mexico--and I don't know that I'm terribly disappointed in what I saw.
Now admittedly, some freakish, borderline-Biblical storm activity forced me to miss the opening 27 minutes, which may have been awful watching for all I know, but the rest of the match was pretty entertaining stuff until it petered out about 10-15 minutes from the final whistle as both sides ran out of steam and ideas. Some random thoughts that went pinging through my overtaxed noggin . . .
So that about wraps up my thoughts on what was a pretty good edition of El Clásico Norteamericano. I'm sure I've left out something, so I'll stick in addenda as they cross my weary mind. In the meantime, bonus points for the first commenter to correctly identify the dated lyrics that I so horribly abused in the bulleted points above.
Now admittedly, some freakish, borderline-Biblical storm activity forced me to miss the opening 27 minutes, which may have been awful watching for all I know, but the rest of the match was pretty entertaining stuff until it petered out about 10-15 minutes from the final whistle as both sides ran out of steam and ideas. Some random thoughts that went pinging through my overtaxed noggin . . .
- We need possession, some sweet possession - Mexico dominated possession and won the middle third easily. They're a more technical side, true, but the US needs to do better and not let those forwards get detached from the two deep-lying central midfielders. This may be one of those cases where Bob needs to be making adjustments when things aren't going so well--either pull Dempsey a little deeper or push him wide right and get Donovan inside to provide both a shorter passing outlet and some pressure on the Mexican midfield when they first get possession.
- Where have you gone, Landon Donovan? - I was ready to bite my tongue a bit regarding Captain Kissypants after he looked pretty good on the right side of midfield for the US--pressuring defenders, actually deigning to use some of that vaunted pace and ability to run at them a bit, and generally looking like he came to play. But that was just the first half. Where, oh where, was he in the second? I think we have another case of tactical failure here. The Mexicans identified a threat and took steps to neutralize it, and the US utterly failed to adapt. That said, I don't think Donovan needs to be the focus anymore . . .
- Deuce, feed Deuce, kick it to Dempsey's boots - Dempsey looked confident, quick, and ready to take chances. To be fair, he's always been one of the only American players willing to dare the latter, and as such, is one of my favorite American players to watch. Had he not been fractionally offside on his "goal", that would have been one of the better individual US netters in a long while--good control on the ball over the top, beats two defenders on what was, tantalizingly, almost a Blanco bunny-hop (good God, but that would have sweet!), jukes a third, and tucks the ball in the corner from the edge of the box. I really don't think the Mexicans would have recovered after going down 3-1--you could see it on Ochoa's shell-shocked face. Things would have devolved into a miserable hack-fest. As it was . . .
- Then it turned out, they had a touch of class - For all of the passion and moments of bitterness and brutality on display during the match, it almost brought a tear to my eye to see the exchanges after the final whistle. Márquez--never a contender for Miss Congeniality or Humanitarian of the Year--exchanging smiles and pleasantries with Altidore after they had banged away on each other for 90 minutes. Jonny Magallón, fresh off smoking the hapless Drew Moor for two goals, giving a post-game interview to ESPN with a swapped (hideous) US jersey on. Just a general decent mood in the place, and two sides congratulating each other on a battle well-fought. Now, we'll never know how our amigos en verde would have reacted after a loss, but that was a step in the right direction--a rivalry, yes, but a rivalry founded on mutual respect for the opposition.
- Fullbacks in a coma, I know, I know, it's serious - Ugh. Now, Drew Moor's cross to Altidore was one of the better crosses I've seen from a US in player in a long time, but his marking on set plays was just atrocious. On the other side, I'm still not sure what the hell Corrales is doing in a US jersey again. Whatever--we've got other options who were either injured, not released for the game, or just plain unused. What we do know is that Corrales is not an option against big-time opposition, and Drew Moor isn't either--yet. I still hold out some hope that Moor can grow into the role. His distribution is pretty good, he can cross, and he proved that his excellent moments at Copa America were not a fluke. But, he's not quite seasoned on the defensive side and he might not have the pace to really hack it at international level. Still, he's only just turned 24, so the best years are yet to come if he can learn to mark up a little more soundly.
So that about wraps up my thoughts on what was a pretty good edition of El Clásico Norteamericano. I'm sure I've left out something, so I'll stick in addenda as they cross my weary mind. In the meantime, bonus points for the first commenter to correctly identify the dated lyrics that I so horribly abused in the bulleted points above.
USA Recap - No Alibi
U-G-L-Y,Good God, that was not pleasing on the eyes, now was it? The US eases to a 2-0 victory on the back of a scrappy corner kick goal (Eddie Robinson for target man!) and a Donovan penalty (please, please, please stop with the kissing already!) In the process, Donovan becomes the USA's all-time leading scorer, despite looking only half-interested for most of the match and remaining firmly ensconced in the FBF doghouse.
You ain't got no alibi!
You ugly!
Forget the full-on recap. I'm just going to go with a few talking points.
- Guzan is #2 - El Guzano has the whiff of Europe circulating about his person, and you can tell why. In my mind, he's bypassed Hahnemman to become Howard's #2, and looks like he's ready to push the Everton keeper pretty hard. Took every chance that fell to the Swedes and turned them away time after time.
- Keep calling up Jozy - He caused the Swedish back line more trouble than the other three strikers combined. And it's damn good to see him get the ball and look to take defenders on. You watching, Mr. Donovan? Twellman? Please. Noonan? Whatever. Rolfe? Did he do anything (saying that, I think that Rolfe is quality and deserves more shots as well)? Jozy has to be amongst the strikers getting called into every US camp for the foreseeable future.
- Bretos with the unintentional funny - Bretos is a poor man's (a very, very poor man's--possibly a man in debtor's prison) Ray Hudson--all of the hyperbole with none of the poetry. "Shockwaves around Europe" from this result? Really? He did drop the excellent "Twellman with the comb-over [header] for Donovan." C'mon Twellers, tell Landycakes to just surrender to nature and genetics and go with the Timmy Howard stubble-dome special already!
- Feilhaber is in deep doo-doo - He'd better get himself out of Derby and into some playing time really soon, because Edu and Clark showed pretty well in a game that kept wanting to fling itself back and forth over their heads. Edu is probably stronger on the ball and makes better attacking runs, but Clark is more aware defensively, has his head up for the open man, and showed all of the piss and vinegar that was on display when he introduced his boot to a flopping Fish. Not that I'm justifying such behavior. In fact, he does show a disturbing tendency towards the bone-headed decision sometimes (shades of Mastroeni), but he was wrecking attacks, tracking back, springing the fullbacks with nice balls into space, and even found time to crack one of his trademark blasts from distance. Don't look over your shoulder Benny--there be dragons there!
- Possession, possession, possession - There were a few promising passing moves, but they generally fizzled out or led to corners, rather than solid chances from open play. Too often, the defenders were lumping the ball long or making ill-advised passes. And don't even get me started on the quality of the crossing. This was a game made for Brad Davis, as he got to demonstrate his dead-ball qualities, but not one for the connoisseur. I realize that we only had one sure-bet starter out there, but is it wrong of me to expect more of our scrubs?
U-17's Recap - I Gotta Wear Shades
You know, with the future being so bright and all after that 2-0 spanking of Russia yesterday. Pardon my sarcasm, but haven't we seen this once or twice before--the U-17's looking a real force in international competition, then by the time they're U-20's they've dropped down to merely competitive, and finally they get to the senior stage and it's all modest upgrades here and a slightly better touch there?
Yes, this version of the U-17's boasted its fair share of impressive players and cohesive play--they pinged it about quickly and accurately and weren't afraid to shoot early and often with the side playing a decidedly more impressive brand of futbol under new head-man Cabrera than their predecessors did under Hackworth at this summer's U-17 World Cup. They probably should have netted more than the two that they did, but they were also fortunate not to surrender at least one with a few moments of lax play at the back. From a positional perspective, it was nice to see the fullbacks getting forward in attack and taking on defenders to get into good crossing positions, despite the crosses not being of any particular quality and the US aerial threat in the box being pretty lackluster.
All of that said, this was a friendly being played at the U-17's own stomping grounds in front of a modest crowd not packed into a stadium setting against a Russian side that only put things together in fits and starts, and I don't think too much of that had to do with the US defensive effort. Those major caveats aside, there were some standout performances.
Yes, this version of the U-17's boasted its fair share of impressive players and cohesive play--they pinged it about quickly and accurately and weren't afraid to shoot early and often with the side playing a decidedly more impressive brand of futbol under new head-man Cabrera than their predecessors did under Hackworth at this summer's U-17 World Cup. They probably should have netted more than the two that they did, but they were also fortunate not to surrender at least one with a few moments of lax play at the back. From a positional perspective, it was nice to see the fullbacks getting forward in attack and taking on defenders to get into good crossing positions, despite the crosses not being of any particular quality and the US aerial threat in the box being pretty lackluster.
All of that said, this was a friendly being played at the U-17's own stomping grounds in front of a modest crowd not packed into a stadium setting against a Russian side that only put things together in fits and starts, and I don't think too much of that had to do with the US defensive effort. Those major caveats aside, there were some standout performances.
- Stefan Jerome was my man of the match for the US. Not only did he take his goal well, but he was a constant danger up top, showing a deft touch, great pace, and a decent shot. He seemed to glide while on the ball and was getting around the big Russian defenders with ease. If he could just use his height to add an aerial dimension to his game, he'll really be one to watch. I'll be interested to see what he does against the Brazilian defense on Saturday, who might prove a little quicker than the Russians.
- Carlos Martinez was the other goal scorer for the US, cracking a shot over the keeper from the edge of the 18. Was I the only one who watched his hunched, Neanderthal-esque running style and immediately thought "Juan Toja"? The kid had some decent skill on the ball, showed he could play on both wings, and got back in defense as well.
- Jared Watts had a few questionable decisions at the back, but he is still young. What he did have in abundance were size, strength, good touch for a big man, and excellent distribution out of the back. Distribution out of central defense--wouldn't that be a refreshing change for the senior side?
- Marlon Duran played a linking role in front of the back four, breaking up attacks and then getting the ball quickly forward to the attackers. Big engine, good in tight spaces, and good decision-making and technique in the short passing game.
- Charles Renken showed well in fits and starts despite having to wade through the mounded piles of blowhard flattery and outrageous expectation heaped onto his slender, soon-to-be 14 year-old shoulders by the broadcast crew. He wasn't a world-beater, but he's got a good touch, can move with the ball, made smart decisions, and even belted one off the bar from distance, looking like he deserved that #10 on his back. Now, lets all back away quietly, turn out the lights on the hype machine and shut the closet door--no sense in letting expectation run loose to pillage and burn the mental villages of what promises to be a pretty decent talent.
- Joseph Gyau was an on again, off again choice for me. While he didn't have the biggest impact on the game, he showed in little bursts an ability to blow past whole swaths of the defense with pace and skill on the ball. Now, perhaps that reflects a little more on the glacial nature of the Russian defense, so I'll withhold judgement until I see what he can do against the speedier Brazilians.
- Tyler Polak is our mandatory fullback pick. Though he only got a half, the left back was up and down his wing with regularity and got into dangerous positions quite a few times, though he didn't really accomplish much from those positions.
Fullback's MLS Cup Final Q&A
Coming to you from the gin-soaked, smoky underground lair that is FBF HQ . . . it's the MLS Cup Final Q&A session! Without further ado:
FB: Hey everybody. Great to be here--let's get started.
Q: Overall impressions?
FB: Well, better and worse than I expected. It was really hard to watch an MLS contest in RFK without a healthy dose of black, though the DC supporters were bringing the noise. I think the only coherent chants that came through on TV were United ones. Class! As for the match itself--it was more open than I thought it would be, but every bit as brutal. The two most dangerous men on the pitch, Twellers and DeRo, got their noggins on a couple of nice crosses, but Houston's supporting cast came up trumps with Ngwenya scrambling home his one big chance, while Noonan spurned a couple of golden opportunities for the Revs. In a fine reflection of the regular season, Onstad made the save that had to be made to preserve the win, while Reis couldn't quite make the play to stop the equalizer.
Q: So, did the better team win?
FB: Yes and no. There's no doubting that Houston are the better team, but I though that the Revs controlled enough of the match and created enough chances to come out ahead on this particular day. Unfortunately, it just seems that they're snake-bit when it comes to MLS Cup finals.
Q: Why is that? Why can't they seem to win the big one?
FB: Well--they did win the Open Cup this year (ed - Fullback waits patiently for the general laughter in the room to subside before continuing)! No, I'm not sure. Maybe God just hates the Revolution? Or perhaps the Almighty just can't get enough of the Buffalo Bills references?
Q: Yeah, that was pretty annoying how the Disney crew kept going to that particular well. Any other thoughts on the broadcast crew? Can it get any worse than Wynalda and O'Brien?
FB: I suppose you could have had that crazy leprechaun, Tommy Smyth, show up in a wig and spout off some dubious "European colour". Or maye you could add the inane stylings of Julie Foudy to the mix . . . oh yeah . . . right. She was pretty terrible wasn't she? I almost gave her a pass for the "Holy Shhhhh--" during the replay of Khano Smith's attempted amateur dental work on Craig Waibel, but she couldn't quite close the deal. Not that the Disney Censorship Patrol Legions with their heavy paws on the "silencer" button that killed any potentially interesting on-field "conversation" would have let her get away with it.
Q: Speaking of the Smith incident--how does that dude get away with yellow after headbutting an opponent just a couple of feet away and directly in front of the ref?
Um . . . maybe God hates Craig Waibel more than he hates the Revs? One thing is for certain, if MLS HQ holds to current form, such spectacular judgement by match official Alex Prus pretty much guarantees that he'll be the MLS Referee of the Year next year. And getting back to the announcers for a moment, how ridiculous does Wynalda look for congratulating Prus on not "ruining the match" by sending Smith off? Hello Eric? Smith broke the rules, engaged in violent behavior that could have resulted in serious injury to an opponent (had he connected a little better), and brought the game into disrepute through such unsportsmanlike action. It wouldn't be Prus that would have "ruined" the contest--that particular grand piano would have fallen directly on Khano Smith's Burmudian ass.
Q: So Wynalda is a tool--not exactly breaking new ground there, Mr. Fullback. Hey, what's that stain on the couch over there?
FB: Oh yeah. About that. Hey, you Disney folks, listen up. It's pretty common practice across large swaths of the "Soccer Nation" to consume quantities of alcohol as an Enjoyment Enhancer during the match. So, please, please, PLEASE--stop with that vomit-inducing skycam nonsense! If you must use your fancy toys, just do it during replays instead of cutting to the toy helicopter's-eye view of proceedings without warning during the run of play.
Q: Okay, Let's wrap things up. Any closing thoughts?
FB: There are worse ways to end a year. The final was a pretty entertaining affair, with three goals and a handful of other opportunities that could have lead to goals. The big players made big plays, none of the goals were "gifts", and neither side completely bunkered and destroyed the game. Houston showed the heart and grit that have made them so tough to beat in the past couple of years and the Revs just can't seem to get a break (or create one of their own). The final minutes were nail-biters for supporters of both teams, I'm sure. The fact that Heaps got beaten by DeRo for the winner makes it two years in a row that he gets to blame himself for the Revs defeat and that's a warm and fuzzy feeling for the thug-haters of the world to comfort themselves with during the long, cold winter. Thanks for stopping by. Anybody want a drink?
FB: Hey everybody. Great to be here--let's get started.
Q: Overall impressions?
FB: Well, better and worse than I expected. It was really hard to watch an MLS contest in RFK without a healthy dose of black, though the DC supporters were bringing the noise. I think the only coherent chants that came through on TV were United ones. Class! As for the match itself--it was more open than I thought it would be, but every bit as brutal. The two most dangerous men on the pitch, Twellers and DeRo, got their noggins on a couple of nice crosses, but Houston's supporting cast came up trumps with Ngwenya scrambling home his one big chance, while Noonan spurned a couple of golden opportunities for the Revs. In a fine reflection of the regular season, Onstad made the save that had to be made to preserve the win, while Reis couldn't quite make the play to stop the equalizer.
Q: So, did the better team win?
FB: Yes and no. There's no doubting that Houston are the better team, but I though that the Revs controlled enough of the match and created enough chances to come out ahead on this particular day. Unfortunately, it just seems that they're snake-bit when it comes to MLS Cup finals.
Q: Why is that? Why can't they seem to win the big one?
FB: Well--they did win the Open Cup this year (ed - Fullback waits patiently for the general laughter in the room to subside before continuing)! No, I'm not sure. Maybe God just hates the Revolution? Or perhaps the Almighty just can't get enough of the Buffalo Bills references?
Q: Yeah, that was pretty annoying how the Disney crew kept going to that particular well. Any other thoughts on the broadcast crew? Can it get any worse than Wynalda and O'Brien?
FB: I suppose you could have had that crazy leprechaun, Tommy Smyth, show up in a wig and spout off some dubious "European colour". Or maye you could add the inane stylings of Julie Foudy to the mix . . . oh yeah . . . right. She was pretty terrible wasn't she? I almost gave her a pass for the "Holy Shhhhh--" during the replay of Khano Smith's attempted amateur dental work on Craig Waibel, but she couldn't quite close the deal. Not that the Disney Censorship Patrol Legions with their heavy paws on the "silencer" button that killed any potentially interesting on-field "conversation" would have let her get away with it.
Q: Speaking of the Smith incident--how does that dude get away with yellow after headbutting an opponent just a couple of feet away and directly in front of the ref?
Um . . . maybe God hates Craig Waibel more than he hates the Revs? One thing is for certain, if MLS HQ holds to current form, such spectacular judgement by match official Alex Prus pretty much guarantees that he'll be the MLS Referee of the Year next year. And getting back to the announcers for a moment, how ridiculous does Wynalda look for congratulating Prus on not "ruining the match" by sending Smith off? Hello Eric? Smith broke the rules, engaged in violent behavior that could have resulted in serious injury to an opponent (had he connected a little better), and brought the game into disrepute through such unsportsmanlike action. It wouldn't be Prus that would have "ruined" the contest--that particular grand piano would have fallen directly on Khano Smith's Burmudian ass.
Q: So Wynalda is a tool--not exactly breaking new ground there, Mr. Fullback. Hey, what's that stain on the couch over there?
FB: Oh yeah. About that. Hey, you Disney folks, listen up. It's pretty common practice across large swaths of the "Soccer Nation" to consume quantities of alcohol as an Enjoyment Enhancer during the match. So, please, please, PLEASE--stop with that vomit-inducing skycam nonsense! If you must use your fancy toys, just do it during replays instead of cutting to the toy helicopter's-eye view of proceedings without warning during the run of play.
Q: Okay, Let's wrap things up. Any closing thoughts?
FB: There are worse ways to end a year. The final was a pretty entertaining affair, with three goals and a handful of other opportunities that could have lead to goals. The big players made big plays, none of the goals were "gifts", and neither side completely bunkered and destroyed the game. Houston showed the heart and grit that have made them so tough to beat in the past couple of years and the Revs just can't seem to get a break (or create one of their own). The final minutes were nail-biters for supporters of both teams, I'm sure. The fact that Heaps got beaten by DeRo for the winner makes it two years in a row that he gets to blame himself for the Revs defeat and that's a warm and fuzzy feeling for the thug-haters of the world to comfort themselves with during the long, cold winter. Thanks for stopping by. Anybody want a drink?
USA Recap - Give Cherundolo the #9 Shirt!
Blah, blah, blah, a win on foreign soil against a decent opponent . . . blah, blah, blah, another shutout . . . blah, blah, blah, OMFG! Jozy got a cap (yawn) . . . blah, blah, blah. So there you see--the blahs have it. What the hell team was that that turned out in the second half and dropped such a huge and stinking turd? Bradley better be laying into their collective asses in the locker room.
Yes, yes--we won and played some pretty decent stuff as the first half wore on. Yes, the young 'uns got to taste victory on South African soil to whet their appetites for 2010. Yes, Bradley is blooding the kids in advance of qualifying. Yes, we were playing at altitude.
None of that is an excuse for that abomination of a second half!
So what do I take from this match?
Yes, yes--we won and played some pretty decent stuff as the first half wore on. Yes, the young 'uns got to taste victory on South African soil to whet their appetites for 2010. Yes, Bradley is blooding the kids in advance of qualifying. Yes, we were playing at altitude.
None of that is an excuse for that abomination of a second half!
So what do I take from this match?
- Bench rust - So Feilhaber is rotting on the bench as Derby sink to the depths of the Prem. It showed. He was a step slow and his brain didn't quite seem up to the pace of the game, which is lethal for a player of his particular skill set. That said, Freddy hasn't exactly been logging huge minutes for Benfica, yet he came to play and seemed to have little trouble making a bit of an impact on the game with some good running and a nice through ball that Beasley at least managed to keep on frame.
- You say Adu, I say Edu - While Freddy had his moments, I though that "Some people call me" Maurice Edu was the one who really proved that he's in this team to stay. He was breaking up attacks, playing quick and smart futbol, and delivered the ball that Cherundolo proceeded to roof for the US goal, despite Max Bretos attempting to give the credit to Freddy. While we're on that topic, Bretos wasn't quite as annoying as he usually is. That's not to say he wasn't annoying at all, but maybe I'm giving him a pass because he made my wife and daughter laugh with that pathetic "you've got to be fast to have a name like 'Zuma'" comment.
- No depth at the back - Speaking of the aforementioned Zuma--how did he not see a card for that ankle-breaker on Cherundolo at the end of the first half? One of many things that the ref missed, though a few were in our favor, particularly the penalty shouts that could well have been answered on another day. Regardless, the injury to Cherundolo forced him out of the second half. I'm not sure if Cheatin' Bob was going to sub out Stevie and Boca at the half anyway as a favor to their club sides, but we all witnessed the frightening lack of depth on the US back line once they were gone. Zuma and McCarthy are no slouches, and for all the grief I lob in their direction, Boca and Gooch were shutting them down while Pearce and Cherundolo were doing fairly well in preventing service from the wings. In the second half, Spector (probably also rusty due to lack of playing time for West Ham) and Califf failed to live up to the standards of the starting crew. Spector I still have hope for, but can we please send Califf back to Denmark and just leave him there?
- Jury is still out up top - The long awaited for messiah finally got his shot as Bradley gave Altidore his chance. Unfortunately, we really didn't get any opportunity to see what he could do as the miserable second half performance robbed him of the service he needs to demonstrate his ability at this level. He had a few nice touches, but for the most part, he became the McBride-type target forward that we're trying to shoehorn Dempsey into. I'm not convinced that we really need this type of player any more. Sure Ching and probably Cooper could fill the role, but with the increase in technical skill of our midfield, does launching balls onto the head of a big man up top still need to be one of the top options in attack? Positional tomfoolery aside, there was one damning piece of evidence that maybe Altidore should have contributed more . . .
- More Kljestan please! He's been doing it all year for Chivas, he showed quite a bit in the summer friendlies and the Copa America, and in limited time off the bench, he demonstrated that he deserves more playing time today. It's no coincidence that the US seemed to wake from its slumber when he hit the field. He's constantly looking forward and likes to play on the break--something we were desperately missing without our Fast-Breaker in Chief, Landon Donovan. I think if you bring him on a little earlier, we may even have grabbed a second on the counter.
Gutted
This will be brief and unedited, so forgive any spelling, grammar, or incomprehensible gibberish as the thoughts aren't quite coming clearly at the moment. Can't fault the refs--sure there were some bad decisions, but I think we actually came out ahead in the favorable calls department. Can't fault the heart--United left it on the pitch. Can't fault the house--wonderful noise and color. Some questions about the following:
- Tommy Soehn - maybe a bit too balls out from the start if you're going to have the "slow pair"--Boz and Vanney--at the back. Still wondering about that decision.
- Emilio - don't think he was 100%
- Addlery - bye, bye--thanks for trying, do not pass go, do not collect an MLS paycheck next year, good luck at Real Maryland United Albion Wandering Rovers FC or whatever the hell new USL2 team is.
- God damn what would could been if we could have taken that to extra time with the team they had on the pitch.
- I'm proud to be a United fan after that fightback. Bitter, devastated, wrung out and stiff like an overused dishrag--but proud. I love my team.
United Recap - Welcome to Socc-tober!
Ugh. I know I promised to lay off of Rob Stone a bit, but Socc-tober? Really? And the only thing worse than Rob Stone is Stone plus Foudy. Yuck . . . I think I just puked in my mouth a little. Anyway, on to some match that ESPN decided to time-shift about--good thing I went down to check the DVR before my daughter hit the sack or I wouldn't have been a particularly happy camper tonight. Not that I am one after that result anyway, but enough ramblin', let's hit those talking points.
- Defensive Miscues - If you've been paying attention lately, the one thing that I've been harping on during our recent run of craptastic-ness has been the sudden and insidious return of the sort of brain-dead defensive errors that haunted the United back line during our early season woes. Well guess what? They're baaa-aack! We're lucky we only shipped one, as there were a half-dozen really, really boneheaded plays at the back that probably should have resulted in at least three Chicago netters. And didn't we bring in Greg Vanney for his veteran smarts? C'mon, the only person slower than Vanney in MLS is Blanco . . . so why the hell are you diving in on the hunchback when he's advancing up the wing, Greg? Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick!
- MLS refs suck . . . Part, oh I don't know, infinity? - Here's one thing I never thought I'd say. "I wish Brian Hall had been the ref tonight." What? Yeah, I know, my tongue tastes like a dung heap after uttering that filth, but if Hall went all psycho-killer with the red card for Bobby Rhine's version of "dissent", I can only imagine that Blanco might cause flames to actually shoot out of his ears as he proceeds to turn fire-engine red and rip Blanco's head clean off, showering in the ensuing fountain of gore . . . Sorry, got a bit carried away there, but how does Blanco get away with openly mocking the official to his face and telling him to shut up and not get a card of any hue? It's a bit of a refrain in these parts, but the ref had a bit of a stinker tonight. To be fair, by MLS standards he was actually above par and he did manage to keep everybody on the field, thus refraining from ruining the second leg, though he did miss a number of late, hacking challenges (WTF with Conde's two-footer on Simms going completely unnoticed?), non-deity hands in the box (though only one should have been given a shout and that was 50/50 on whether you call it or not), and very nearly lost control of the match a few times.
- 1-0 isn't the end of the world - All things considered, that's actually a decent result. If we can't paste these clowns in our own house, then we don't deserve to lift MLS Cup. We just need to win over 90 minutes, and if it's only by one goal, then we get another 30 to try and stick the dagger in. A couple of factors in our favor: (1) our starting strike partnership only went a combined 60 minutes last night, whereas they should be ready to go for the full 180 (or 240) next week; and (2) all signs point to Chicago playing deep and looking to counter like they did in the second half. They've already got the lead, and that's been their most effective tactic against us. That should work in our favor, because it means they'll allow us to bring the game to them. We'll get our big guns healthy and get to play some possession ball in front of 20-odd thousand screaming loonies in black, which can't hurt our chances with the refs, given their utter spinelessness in the face of crowd pressure. We dominated the second half tonight, and it should only be more of the same next Thursday. Pile up the possession and you know they'll start hacking; then the cards will come; then the free kicks will come; then they'll have to back off even further; then we'll be in business. Far be it from me to inhabit the Land of Fairy Optimism and Rose-tinted Lenses, but I like our odds given those circumstances. Like I said above, if we can't beat them in our house, then what right do we have to move on? Vamos United!
United Recap - Damn You Murphy!
Damn you and your stinking law to the fiery depths of Gehenna! After a three-goal flurry in the dying moments of the season finale at RFK, DC United felt the bitter sting of a 2-3 defeat at the hands of the Columbus Crew . . . the freakin' Columbus Crew. And thus it comes to pass that the unbeaten run stumbles to a miserable end, United's only two proven forwards feel their ankles twist painfully beneath them, and DC limps into the playoffs not having tasted victory since the halcyon days of September. Oh, you blessed time of five wins and two away draws, how the lingering touch of your sweetness lingers upon my very soul!
Positive points? Hold on a second, let me grab those rose colored shades. Well, at least there weren't any red cards and we didn't lose Perkins . . . yeah, yeah Benny and Gomez, blah, blah--but do you really want to see Nolly in the playoffs? I guess we did get a couple of late goals as well, which is better than being shut out at home by a non-playoff side on the threshold of the post-season. Truth be told, if Hesmer doesn't keep out Benny's point blank strike early in the second, I think we go on to take this game. But on such moments do games turn, and in no sport more so than in futbol.
Absolutely the most terrifying thing for United has to be the return of the defensive breakdowns which haunted us early in the season. The first goal came from a failure to track a run from midfield (though to be fair, the through ball by Schelotto was lovely and Simms probably would have done better than Captain Argyle), while the second was a comedy of defensive errors (again to be fair--great finish on the volley). The third is the type of goal that happens when you're pushing numbers forward late on, though I never thought that it would matter as much as it did after Gomez got his second from the spot.
(As a side note here--what do you think we'd need to shop to Sigi to land Rogers? He can play either wing or as a forward in a pinch and proved he can get the ball in the net tonight. Boswell or Carroll plus picks?)
Now it's just a matter of waiting. Waiting to see how long Moreno and Emilio might be on the shelf, waiting to see who we're going to get in the first round, waiting for victories, waiting for a stadium, waiting, waiting, waiting. Deep, cleansing breaths everybody. Feel the tension relax out of your muscles. Get the picture in your mind. Ben and Jaime lifting the Cup in RFK in a month or so. Ah, there--isn't that better?
Positive points? Hold on a second, let me grab those rose colored shades. Well, at least there weren't any red cards and we didn't lose Perkins . . . yeah, yeah Benny and Gomez, blah, blah--but do you really want to see Nolly in the playoffs
Absolutely the most terrifying thing for United has to be the return of the defensive breakdowns which haunted us early in the season. The first goal came from a failure to track a run from midfield (though to be fair, the through ball by Schelotto was lovely and Simms probably would have done better than Captain Argyle), while the second was a comedy of defensive errors (again to be fair--great finish on the volley). The third is the type of goal that happens when you're pushing numbers forward late on, though I never thought that it would matter as much as it did after Gomez got his second from the spot.
(As a side note here--what do you think we'd need to shop to Sigi to land Rogers? He can play either wing or as a forward in a pinch and proved he can get the ball in the net tonight. Boswell or Carroll plus picks?)
Now it's just a matter of waiting. Waiting to see how long Moreno and Emilio might be on the shelf, waiting to see who we're going to get in the first round, waiting for victories, waiting for a stadium, waiting, waiting, waiting. Deep, cleansing breaths everybody. Feel the tension relax out of your muscles. Get the picture in your mind. Ben and Jaime lifting the Cup in RFK in a month or so. Ah, there--isn't that better?
United Recap - Five Talking Points
Some talking points from last night's disappointing, but somewhat fortunate, nil-nil draw at home to the Fire:
- Is it just me or is Kpene backsliding? The kid was so promising early in the season, but now the touch and the daring, and perhaps a bit of the fire (no pun intended), seem to have faded. I think that has everything to do with confidence. The kid can't catch a break and get one in the net. Last night he was active early, but after he pinged that shot off the post, it was like he took a punch to the gut. It also doesn't help that Soehn keeps yanking him at the half. That can't be good for a young player's mentality, can it?
- There are some worrying signs coming from the back line. Too many times last night, Perkins was called on to clean up some mess in front of him that came from either tentative tackling or putzing about with the ball. I know we're a "possession team", but that kind play at the back has me pulling my hair out. The other big problem was distribution from the back. Sure, some of that has to do with not having Moreno's "sticky" feet as an outlet--Kpene and Emilio have too many "hard" first touches and pathetic flick-on attempts that concede possession from clearances. But the majority of the mistakes were clearances directly to the opposition. Fortunately, Chicago were not able to take advantage like KC did last week, but the worrying trend is still there and does not make for happy viewing with the playoffs just around the corner.
- Osorio has done some nice things with the Fire. They may not have the most talented roster from top to bottom, but, unlike under Sarachan (and unlike a lot of MLS sides to be fair), they now have a definite direction. The team is organized, knows what is expected of them, where the ball should go, and where they need to get back to defensively. Soehn is a decent coach, but imagine what Osorio could have done with United.
- Did United peak too early? As I said previously with the back line troubles, I'm getting a worrying sense that maybe we're past our best for this season. Little niggling problems that may be indicative of a bit of rot setting in at the core. Of course, the last two matches were draws despite some significant hurdles (missing Fred + missing Moreno) and the unbeaten run is still an impressive accomplishment, but we really need a win at home to Columbus next week, not just to wrap up the Supporters' Shield, but also to build some confidence and convince ourselves that we're still a winning side heading into the post-season.
- Dyachenko must have eaten his Wheaties yesterday. He looked pretty damn good out there--enough at least to justify trading away a first-rounder to get him back from the Canucks. Confident, full of tricks, running at defenders--where has that been for this entire season? We saw flashes in the away win against New England, but not much else until now. Is it a matter of being stuck behind too much talent at his favored position, a questionable work ethic, or something else entirely? The one thing that kept popping into my head last night as he started to break out the step-overs and backheels and attack defenders from a wide attacking position was--dare I say it--Clint Dempsey. The size, the moves, the creativity, the willingness to have a go--now if only he could find the finishing to complete the picture!
United Recap - Predictable
United drop a 1-0 result in Guadalajara to go crashing out of the Copa Sudamericana at the first hurdle. Chivas had the overwhelming majority of the play, as was to be expected, but United had a few decent looks at goal of their own. The biggest difference, barring possession and red cards, between this week and last was that DC's strikes from distance were saved or off target.
I can't fault Soehn too much for his team selection or tactics. The injury to Fred and Burch's suspension pretty much dictated the team he put out. Tactically, I thought United's approach was sound given the result from the first leg. Chivas had to come after the goal, so why not absorb that pressure and look for chances on free-kicks and counters? The alternative, to come out and attack, trying for the killer early goal, would have left too much space for the quick Chivas attack, which was already bombing down the flanks. I was concerned that we didn't seem to be closing down the crossers hard enough, but I think the idea was that we could control the aerial game in the box, so avoid diving in, getting juked, and giving up the hard cutback cross for a runner to slam home.
It worked for most of the match, save for one really good chance at the back post in the first half for Chivas. Correspondingly, United got their chance from a free-kick, which Gomez hit well, only to see the keeper make a diving stop. Chivas' goal came from a bit of scrappiness around the edge of the box and a nice hit. The goal came early enough that United had a chance to respond, and they did have several decent chances, though most were driven wide of the net. Worryingly, I thought that Moreno would be key to us in holding up clearances, drawing fouls, and prompting breaks, but after the early knock he took, his control seemed off and he made some mind-blowingly bad decisions for a player of his quality and experience.
So, a tough loss, but United can now focus completely on MLS as claiming the Supporters' Shield will get us back into continental competition to try again next year. The squad has looked fairly comfortable in the three international competitions, despite falling short in all of them, and that bodes well for the future, assuming that we can hold on to key pieces this summer.
Next up are the floundering Wizards on Friday. They'll be without starters Conrad and Arnaud owing to their mysterious hatred of Pete Vagenas. Three points would be a massive result in putting pressure on the chasing pack of Chivas, Houston, and the Revs, all of whom play after United. Don't forget to check if you've got CSN+ to catch the game. DirecTV subscribers should tune in to channel 669. My match recap will be delayed, or possibly non-existant, as I'll be heading to the beach for a last gasp at summer. Thank whatever non-denominational supreme being or beings you opt to place your faith in for TiVo!
I can't fault Soehn too much for his team selection or tactics. The injury to Fred and Burch's suspension pretty much dictated the team he put out. Tactically, I thought United's approach was sound given the result from the first leg. Chivas had to come after the goal, so why not absorb that pressure and look for chances on free-kicks and counters? The alternative, to come out and attack, trying for the killer early goal, would have left too much space for the quick Chivas attack, which was already bombing down the flanks. I was concerned that we didn't seem to be closing down the crossers hard enough, but I think the idea was that we could control the aerial game in the box, so avoid diving in, getting juked, and giving up the hard cutback cross for a runner to slam home.
It worked for most of the match, save for one really good chance at the back post in the first half for Chivas. Correspondingly, United got their chance from a free-kick, which Gomez hit well, only to see the keeper make a diving stop. Chivas' goal came from a bit of scrappiness around the edge of the box and a nice hit. The goal came early enough that United had a chance to respond, and they did have several decent chances, though most were driven wide of the net. Worryingly, I thought that Moreno would be key to us in holding up clearances, drawing fouls, and prompting breaks, but after the early knock he took, his control seemed off and he made some mind-blowingly bad decisions for a player of his quality and experience.
So, a tough loss, but United can now focus completely on MLS as claiming the Supporters' Shield will get us back into continental competition to try again next year. The squad has looked fairly comfortable in the three international competitions, despite falling short in all of them, and that bodes well for the future, assuming that we can hold on to key pieces this summer.
Next up are the floundering Wizards on Friday. They'll be without starters Conrad and Arnaud owing to their mysterious hatred of Pete Vagenas. Three points would be a massive result in putting pressure on the chasing pack of Chivas, Houston, and the Revs, all of whom play after United. Don't forget to check if you've got CSN+ to catch the game. DirecTV subscribers should tune in to channel 669. My match recap will be delayed, or possibly non-existant, as I'll be heading to the beach for a last gasp at summer. Thank whatever non-denominational supreme being or beings you opt to place your faith in for TiVo!
United Recap - Goat Stew
RFK was rockin' as DC United managed a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie with Big Papa Chivas in the Copa Sudamericana. United managed to win despite going a man down in the first half as Marc Burch saw his second yellow under questionable circumstances. At the time, United was up 1-0 on a laser from distance by the Bearded Bombardier. They added a second from Clyde Simms in the second half before the glacial Greg Vanney was beaten on a near post run to give Chivas their lone tally.
Just a few thoughts:
Just a few thoughts:
- I thought Burch deserved his first yellow, though the second was a bit soft. Other than that one questionable decision, the ref was excellent. He did have a bit of the melodramatic touch with his calls and it's true that the Burch sending off was a pivotal part of the match, but compared to the normal array of CONCACAF clowns we have to deal with in the Champions' Cup (not to mention the absolutely stellar quality of MLS officials) I was pretty pleased.
- Chivas must have a touch of that finishing disease that United was suffering from earlier this season. Tons of chances, lots of great set-up play, but no payoff.
- United looked pretty competitive out there, and obviously managed the win, but Chivas are a step up in quality. The big differences - they play one touch when we play two and their team speed and movement are superior.
- Until his sending off, Burch was massive for us - much more effective than Namoff on the right, both in attack and defense. That has me worried since I assume he'll be suspended for the second leg. If we put out a Namoff-Boswell-Vanney-McTavish back line, we're asking to get murdered by speed. And Gros is not the answer at either fullback position. I think we had abundant evidence of that last night.
- Oh, what I would give for Emiligol to have connected on that chance to head past the Chivas keeper late on. A two goal advantage heading south of the border and I think we've got a good chance. At one goal up, we've got to possess the ball a bit, be decisive on the counter, and hope the Goats are wearing the same shooting boots they had on tonight.
- What was up with Perkins' feet? How many goal kicks did he pump out of bounds and how shaky were some of those clearances? Here's hoping that there isn't some creepy Goat-voodoo psychodrama going on in Troy's head after what happened in Guadalajara earlier this season. The last thing we need at this point in the season is for Perkins to start having confidence issues. Here's two words to strike fear in the heart of United fans - Jay Nolly! Ugh.
- How can the Bearded Bombardier not be United's player of the season this year? I know this wasn't MLS, but . . . MVP, MVP!!!
- Oh, and did anybody else catch that Max Bretos thinks we made it to the semifinals of the Confederations' Cup? Sweet, we're our own national team now. Watch out, World Cup 2010! Is it some kind of weird law of broadcasting physics (or metaphysics) that Max Bretos doing a broadcast alone is somehow less annoying that Bretos with a partner? Not that I'm claiming he wasn't annoying, far from it. It's just that he didn't seem to be trying so hard without someone else there for him try and riff off or entertain. It sure is a strange, strange world.
United Recap - Lucky Strikes
Gee, I sure hope we don't need any luck coming down the stretch cause I think we pretty much used it all up to get a result in this one. Whether it was big saves by Perkins, last ditch clearances, terrifying misses by the Fire, or Pickens' complete brain fart, we used it all and we used it hard. Wait, did I say "fart"? More like a Hudson-esque filling of the pantaloons by the Chicago netminder on Moreno's goal. Whatever. I'll take the goal, the point, the unbeaten run going to ten (let's hope this thing goes all the way to eleven - and well beyond - but watch out for exploding drummers!), and get out of Dodge on the first stagecoach that comes along.
When I saw the Simms-less lineup at the start I was getting my fingernails prepped for some serious abuse. A second-string midfield on the road against a team desperate for points and buzzing like a nest of sodomized hornets (wait, is that possible - call the staff entomologist!) after getting buggered by the Little Fish in stoppage time Thursday night? Color me crapping my pants. Well actually - don't. That'd be a bit disturbing and I don't even want to know where you got the picture.
Now, all of that said regarding sweet Lady Luck, I do think Chicago's goal did have a bit of her mercurial touch as well. Great ball from Blanco - no arguing that - but it looked to me like Chad Barrett took a basketball dribble with his leading arm to push that ball down into his path. Credit to him, Rooney's doppelgänger took the goal well enough when it did "make its way" down to his feet, but "Hand of Chad" doesn't really have that great of a ring to it, does it?
Regardless, though I think things would have proved different with our "real" midfield in play, the Fire are not a team I would relish facing in the first round of the playoffs. Their normal thuggish approach to playing us was tempered a bit - possibly by the introduction of new blood at the helm, possibly because we really only had Moreno out there who would be the target of such knavishness.
The lack of creativity in midfield was a real hindrance to the United offense, though we did hit some testers from distance, McTavish proved how valuable his positional adaptability is, and Mediate proved that he deserved getting his roster spot back. I actually thought that not having Wanchope in the lineup hurt us more than Chicago, as Boswell-Vanney is not the speediest combo at the back and probably would have dealt with his physical threat better than the pace of Barrett and Carr (though Carr's complete lack of anything resembling quality does make him a significant hindrance to any attacking force).
As we'll see in tomorrow's Table Talk column, results this week see Chivas narrow the gap at the top, though we do have the tiebreaker advantage over them courtesy of a win and draw in our two regular season meetings. That said, they're now only three points back with a game in hand and DC has a significantly more brutal home stretch than the Goats, if only by virtue of the fixture congestion and travel brought on by the Copa Sudamericana rearing its ugly head. To add further spice to the nasty two weeks ahead, our Sudamericana opening tie brings us a rematch with our Champions' Cup semifinal opponents, the original Goats de Guadalajara! Goats to left of me, Goats to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with U(nited).
When I saw the Simms-less lineup at the start I was getting my fingernails prepped for some serious abuse. A second-string midfield on the road against a team desperate for points and buzzing like a nest of sodomized hornets (wait, is that possible - call the staff entomologist!) after getting buggered by the Little Fish in stoppage time Thursday night? Color me crapping my pants. Well actually - don't. That'd be a bit disturbing and I don't even want to know where you got the picture.
Now, all of that said regarding sweet Lady Luck, I do think Chicago's goal did have a bit of her mercurial touch as well. Great ball from Blanco - no arguing that - but it looked to me like Chad Barrett took a basketball dribble with his leading arm to push that ball down into his path. Credit to him, Rooney's doppelgänger took the goal well enough when it did "make its way" down to his feet, but "Hand of Chad" doesn't really have that great of a ring to it, does it?
Regardless, though I think things would have proved different with our "real" midfield in play, the Fire are not a team I would relish facing in the first round of the playoffs. Their normal thuggish approach to playing us was tempered a bit - possibly by the introduction of new blood at the helm, possibly because we really only had Moreno out there who would be the target of such knavishness.
The lack of creativity in midfield was a real hindrance to the United offense, though we did hit some testers from distance, McTavish proved how valuable his positional adaptability is, and Mediate proved that he deserved getting his roster spot back. I actually thought that not having Wanchope in the lineup hurt us more than Chicago, as Boswell-Vanney is not the speediest combo at the back and probably would have dealt with his physical threat better than the pace of Barrett and Carr (though Carr's complete lack of anything resembling quality does make him a significant hindrance to any attacking force).
As we'll see in tomorrow's Table Talk column, results this week see Chivas narrow the gap at the top, though we do have the tiebreaker advantage over them courtesy of a win and draw in our two regular season meetings. That said, they're now only three points back with a game in hand and DC has a significantly more brutal home stretch than the Goats, if only by virtue of the fixture congestion and travel brought on by the Copa Sudamericana rearing its ugly head. To add further spice to the nasty two weeks ahead, our Sudamericana opening tie brings us a rematch with our Champions' Cup semifinal opponents, the original Goats de Guadalajara! Goats to left of me, Goats to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with U(nited).
United Recap - The Curse of Garth
Honestly! Every time Garth Lagerway started to wax poetic about the disparity in quality between the two sides or about the class of United players and their ability in possession, the ball was inevitably given away cheaply. I know, I know - curse of the commentator and all that. But come on! That was just plain creepy.
Speaking of creepy - how about that officiating? I thought that Jorge Gonzalez got through the first half mostly intact. A few worrying inconsistencies and brutalities that were let go (a scissor-job on the edge of a box is not a yellow?), but that's par for the MLS course. Unfortunately, towards the end of the first half, things started to go more sour than usual. I'm still scratching my head about how Olsen got yellow for going up strong for a header in the box when he had been flattened by an elbow just minutes earlier and didn't even get a call.
In the second half, it went from bad to Graham Poll. To be fair to the official, he was pretty busy screwing both teams hard. In fact, he was so intent on screwing them over in this game, that he went a step further and thoroughly screwed United for next game, where they'll be missing Olsen, Fred, and Gomito through suspension. Despite such a decimated midfield, at least we'll almost certainly have Simms back on the field, where he can destroy things in the middle and prevent the kind of goal that Beckerman, who I thought looked lost for most of the game, stepped up and delivered from distance.
Both teams suffered poor penalty calls after the break, though United's was particularly egregious as McTavish was somehow whistled for allowing himself to be wrestled to the ground. RSL may have a bit less cause for complaint as Gros pretty much fell over an outstretched leg that might have been just outside the box as well. But both keepers came through to make sure that justice was served and the official didn't get away with murdering the game entirely (though he did stab, poison, and shoot it, only to have the game emerge, Rasputin-like, stumbling through the fog towards the Volga...Anacostia....Christ, where has my mind wandered now?). And I'm still not sure how Mantilla didn't walk in this game. Actually, given the number of hard, late tackles McTavish dished out, I'm not entirely sure how he emerged unscathed either.
Regardless, United holds serve at home in Estadio RFK and takes another big step towards the Supporters' Shield. United was tired and RSL is improved and playing with a bit of fire (and desperation). This is the type of game that I would have expected to drop points in early on this the season. But confident teams find a way to win and it's encouraging that despite the royal ref-job, despite RSL's strong play, despite the tired legs, the boys did just enough to get the three points.
Now they'll have a week and a half off to catch their breath before the next round of the chronic fixture congestion that has characterized this season. Late September through early October will be packed as Copa Sudamericana gets tossed into the mix with the playoff run-in. We've already clinched our berth in the post-season, now it's time to cement home-field throughout the playoffs. Vamos United!
Speaking of creepy - how about that officiating? I thought that Jorge Gonzalez got through the first half mostly intact. A few worrying inconsistencies and brutalities that were let go (a scissor-job on the edge of a box is not a yellow?), but that's par for the MLS course. Unfortunately, towards the end of the first half, things started to go more sour than usual. I'm still scratching my head about how Olsen got yellow for going up strong for a header in the box when he had been flattened by an elbow just minutes earlier and didn't even get a call.
In the second half, it went from bad to Graham Poll. To be fair to the official, he was pretty busy screwing both teams hard. In fact, he was so intent on screwing them over in this game, that he went a step further and thoroughly screwed United for next game, where they'll be missing Olsen, Fred, and Gomito through suspension. Despite such a decimated midfield, at least we'll almost certainly have Simms back on the field, where he can destroy things in the middle and prevent the kind of goal that Beckerman, who I thought looked lost for most of the game, stepped up and delivered from distance.
Both teams suffered poor penalty calls after the break, though United's was particularly egregious as McTavish was somehow whistled for allowing himself to be wrestled to the ground. RSL may have a bit less cause for complaint as Gros pretty much fell over an outstretched leg that might have been just outside the box as well. But both keepers came through to make sure that justice was served and the official didn't get away with murdering the game entirely (though he did stab, poison, and shoot it, only to have the game emerge, Rasputin-like, stumbling through the fog towards the Volga...Anacostia....Christ, where has my mind wandered now?). And I'm still not sure how Mantilla didn't walk in this game. Actually, given the number of hard, late tackles McTavish dished out, I'm not entirely sure how he emerged unscathed either.
Regardless, United holds serve at home in Estadio RFK and takes another big step towards the Supporters' Shield. United was tired and RSL is improved and playing with a bit of fire (and desperation). This is the type of game that I would have expected to drop points in early on this the season. But confident teams find a way to win and it's encouraging that despite the royal ref-job, despite RSL's strong play, despite the tired legs, the boys did just enough to get the three points.
Now they'll have a week and a half off to catch their breath before the next round of the chronic fixture congestion that has characterized this season. Late September through early October will be packed as Copa Sudamericana gets tossed into the mix with the playoff run-in. We've already clinched our berth in the post-season, now it's time to cement home-field throughout the playoffs. Vamos United!
United Recap - The Good 4-2
"I don't know. There wasn't a lot of controversy today. D.C. won."
- classy New England forward Taylor Twellman speaks the truth
"...Kenny had won the ball and was about to move on and Olsen kicked his back leg. It was clear as day, but the ref moved on."
- punk-ass Revolution thug...sorry - defender - Jay Heaps (of Manure) making excuses as usual
Just a few things that stuck to my admittedly well-lubricated brain yesterday:
- Run, Run, Run. It was oh-so good to see Josh Gros back hurtling up and down the wings. Depth is never a bad thing and after his injury scare, it's great to have him back for a run at the title(s). Too bad he couldn't shake the rust off to replicate his Rev-killing of a few weeks ago when that early New England snafu in the box presented him with a chance.
- Weakened "D"? Is it just a matter of facing two of the top four in the past week or is the defense finally starting to show some frailty after a month or so of dominating, stingy play? Before the two goals we allowed to Chivas, it had been a good while since we'd conceded from the run of play. Hopefully, two games in a row shipping two goals is not a trend that continues.
- Simms City! Clyde Simms has been massive in the defensive midfield during United's run to the top of the table. Despite Brian "The Argyle Assassin" Carroll's late run and assist, he's just not as tough as Simms, nor can he cover the same amount of ground or be as effective in the air. And while Beninho is plenty tough, he's similarly limited when it comes to the aerial game and covering big patches of turf in the middle. Simms is giving the likes of Fred, Olsen, Gros, and Gomez the freedom to get forward more often in the attack.
- Bombs Away! The Bearded Bombardier strikes again. Despite squandering a big chance after coming off the bench, Olsen gets behind the New England back line to set up the go-ahead goal and continue his unlikely campaign for MLS MVP.
- Jaime, Jaime, Jaime, Jaime - Jaime Mo-re-eh-no! Was it just my ears playing tricks or did I hear Jaime's name being chanted to the Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon"? If not, why not? Sometimes Jaime's composure on the ball results in frustration and loss of possession/chances, but other times it just proves his obvious class. What kind of ice do you have to have in your veins to just dance around a bit and chip it over the keeper and into net from a couple yards out when just about anybody else would have gone for the hammer-strike?
- Keep feeding the Goal Machine. Emiligol is really racking them up on his way to a potential Golden Boot. I thought 15-20 would be an excellent haul for his first MLS season, but Luci seems intent on breaking the 20 barrier. More power to the man!
United Recap - Mistakes Were Made
Well, the happy dance had to come to a close at some point didn't it? United looked to be in the same unstoppable, steamroller form that they've ridden hard through the last month or so as they built a two goal cushion in the early going. But just when things were looking rosiest and Chivas were in disarray, the Perkins debacle gifted them a goal and the wheels fell off. Chivas have never gotten a result against United and the two early goals seemed to have killed their spirit, but getting a goal back renewed their confidence and they proved that their own status as the second hottest team in the league is no fluke.
Despite Chivas' dominance from that point on, they only managed to find one more goal and United held on for a draw. On the positive side for United, Luci's back on top of the Golden Boot race with a brace, United are now in sole possession of the top spot in the league, and they managed a draw away to a team in good form that doesn't lose at home. But what's all this Reagan-esque "mistakes were made" jive I'm on about? Who made those mistakes? Well, just about everybody, as I'll elucidate now . . .
1. DC United - Don't you hate it when cliché's come true? "Most dangerous lead in soccer" my ass, but didn't it just prove true to form last night? Fortunately, while Perkins looked understandably shaky in the aftermath of his howler, he did seem to recover as the game progressed. The same can't be said of United's defending. Not that the blame falls on the back line entirely.
United is a possession team, but when your midfielders are consistently giving the ball away cheaply (Fred in particular had an awful passing night), you set yourself up to fail. This is really galling given that United's players seemed to be aware (in pre-game comments) that Chivas lives on the counter. Then they go and gift them numerous opportunities to do just that. Worryingly, the speed issue that haunted United early this season also seemed to be back with a vengeance. You remember, when the opposition kicks into a higher gear and United just can't keep pace?
2. The Coaches - Before we dismiss United with a severe scolding, let's not spare Tommy Soehn. It's hard to be critical after a six-game win streak . . . who am I kidding? Once again, Soehn fails to make adjustments until it's too late. The pre-game planning seemed to be spot on as United jumped out early and looked to be in control, but when things started to go wrong, he was at a loss for answers or unwilling to pull the trigger on making changes. Speaking of changes - I'm wondering why the starting lineup was unchanged. Tommy admitted that the team looked spent in the first half during the post-game, which leaves me wondering why we didn't trot out some of the reserves either in starting roles or as earlier substitutes when things started to turn sour.
Fortunately for United, Preki pulled a trigger he probably shouldn't have. As soon as Nuñez replaced Razov, Chivas stalled, sputtered, and died, thick black smoke spiraling up from the wreckage. What had been a dangerous attacking force that looked likely to march on to the three points suddenly dried up as the game devolved into a tense, nervous Wild West standoff in the dusty street outside the Toolbox Saloon.
3. The Officials - Stott was his usual, awful, reject from a "Grease" casting-call self. There's something to be said for allowing the game to flow, but not when it means that the undercurrent of violence keeps building until a sudden flurry of yellows isn't enough to stem the tide. You could tell that he was eager to be the center of attention with his mistaken display of the red to Vanney. He was just itching to send somebody off. Or maybe just itching in general? Those greasy locks look like they might harbor a colony of something nasty and gnawing, be it parasite or scalp disease.
Luckily, Stott copped to his mistake, though the Union of Concerned Referees may revoke his membership for daring to do so. Didn't he get the memo that officials are infallible? Also luckily for United, the linesman absolutely blew an offside call late on that probably would have resulted in a stoppage-time winner for Chivas. "Instant Karma" for Stott's incompetence in the rest of the match? "We all shine on" indeed. Well, except for one notable exception . . .
4. ESPN - Okay, let's ignore the intrusion of pointy-ball that nixed the first 10 minutes for a moment. That's de rigueur for these clowns. How about the outage late in the game where we're forced to endure a Bataan Death March of pointy-ball and Beckham till somebody finds the outlet and plugs the cameras back in? Again, frustrating, but rather expected (blah, blah, ESPN hates soccer, blah, blah). But not nearly so egregious as Dave O'Brien's idiotic statement on our return to action - "You haven't missed a thing!" Typical. No goals = nothing happened in the free-scoring minds of the American Sports Nincompoop who can still somehow manage to enjoy a "pitcher's duel". YEEAARRRGGHHH!
Of course, Tommy Smyth, in his crusade to prove that ignorance isn't a uniquely American phenomenon, goes on his little tirade about three points against Chivas being equal to three pionts against New England. In a single table world, yes. But in the Land of Regional Conferences, three points against the Revs are much more valuable than three against Chivas. He said some other equally ridiculous stuff as well, particularly bringing Becks in where he wasn't needed, but by then my "Irish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" filter was in place and I managed to block most of the idiocy. I thought that maybe they were going to put Smyth out to pasture after some recent absences on Thursday nights, but I guess the "Sports and Entertainment Leader" can't see Americans paying attention to soccer without an accent in the booth.
So yes, mistakes were made and boy were they plentiful. Congratulations on making it all the way through this meandering and long-winded post. In general, I'm disappointed with the draw, but all things considered, it wasn't a terrible result. If we can grab a victory at the weekend over the Revs, we'll be in excellent position heading into the playoffs and this result should fade into memory like a bad dream. Like a bad dream of Razov's ass and Irish Ninja Turtles fellating Golden Balls as the Beckham Cam zooms in on a zip line that somehow manages to decapitate Ben Olsen, though the bearded one's head continues to prophesy the impending ruination of the franchise through a combination of the return of Freddy "team-killer" Adu and being forced into miserable exile at the SportsPlex as cackling DC politicians dance around the ruins of a demolished RFK. Now where's my coffee?
Despite Chivas' dominance from that point on, they only managed to find one more goal and United held on for a draw. On the positive side for United, Luci's back on top of the Golden Boot race with a brace, United are now in sole possession of the top spot in the league, and they managed a draw away to a team in good form that doesn't lose at home. But what's all this Reagan-esque "mistakes were made" jive I'm on about? Who made those mistakes? Well, just about everybody, as I'll elucidate now . . .
1. DC United - Don't you hate it when cliché's come true? "Most dangerous lead in soccer" my ass, but didn't it just prove true to form last night? Fortunately, while Perkins looked understandably shaky in the aftermath of his howler, he did seem to recover as the game progressed. The same can't be said of United's defending. Not that the blame falls on the back line entirely.
United is a possession team, but when your midfielders are consistently giving the ball away cheaply (Fred in particular had an awful passing night), you set yourself up to fail. This is really galling given that United's players seemed to be aware (in pre-game comments) that Chivas lives on the counter. Then they go and gift them numerous opportunities to do just that. Worryingly, the speed issue that haunted United early this season also seemed to be back with a vengeance. You remember, when the opposition kicks into a higher gear and United just can't keep pace?
2. The Coaches - Before we dismiss United with a severe scolding, let's not spare Tommy Soehn. It's hard to be critical after a six-game win streak . . . who am I kidding? Once again, Soehn fails to make adjustments until it's too late. The pre-game planning seemed to be spot on as United jumped out early and looked to be in control, but when things started to go wrong, he was at a loss for answers or unwilling to pull the trigger on making changes. Speaking of changes - I'm wondering why the starting lineup was unchanged. Tommy admitted that the team looked spent in the first half during the post-game, which leaves me wondering why we didn't trot out some of the reserves either in starting roles or as earlier substitutes when things started to turn sour.
Fortunately for United, Preki pulled a trigger he probably shouldn't have. As soon as Nuñez replaced Razov, Chivas stalled, sputtered, and died, thick black smoke spiraling up from the wreckage. What had been a dangerous attacking force that looked likely to march on to the three points suddenly dried up as the game devolved into a tense, nervous Wild West standoff in the dusty street outside the Toolbox Saloon.
3. The Officials - Stott was his usual, awful, reject from a "Grease" casting-call self. There's something to be said for allowing the game to flow, but not when it means that the undercurrent of violence keeps building until a sudden flurry of yellows isn't enough to stem the tide. You could tell that he was eager to be the center of attention with his mistaken display of the red to Vanney. He was just itching to send somebody off. Or maybe just itching in general? Those greasy locks look like they might harbor a colony of something nasty and gnawing, be it parasite or scalp disease.
Luckily, Stott copped to his mistake, though the Union of Concerned Referees may revoke his membership for daring to do so. Didn't he get the memo that officials are infallible? Also luckily for United, the linesman absolutely blew an offside call late on that probably would have resulted in a stoppage-time winner for Chivas. "Instant Karma" for Stott's incompetence in the rest of the match? "We all shine on" indeed. Well, except for one notable exception . . .
4. ESPN - Okay, let's ignore the intrusion of pointy-ball that nixed the first 10 minutes for a moment. That's de rigueur for these clowns. How about the outage late in the game where we're forced to endure a Bataan Death March of pointy-ball and Beckham till somebody finds the outlet and plugs the cameras back in? Again, frustrating, but rather expected (blah, blah, ESPN hates soccer, blah, blah). But not nearly so egregious as Dave O'Brien's idiotic statement on our return to action - "You haven't missed a thing!" Typical. No goals = nothing happened in the free-scoring minds of the American Sports Nincompoop who can still somehow manage to enjoy a "pitcher's duel". YEEAARRRGGHHH!
Of course, Tommy Smyth, in his crusade to prove that ignorance isn't a uniquely American phenomenon, goes on his little tirade about three points against Chivas being equal to three pionts against New England. In a single table world, yes. But in the Land of Regional Conferences, three points against the Revs are much more valuable than three against Chivas. He said some other equally ridiculous stuff as well, particularly bringing Becks in where he wasn't needed, but by then my "Irish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" filter was in place and I managed to block most of the idiocy. I thought that maybe they were going to put Smyth out to pasture after some recent absences on Thursday nights, but I guess the "Sports and Entertainment Leader" can't see Americans paying attention to soccer without an accent in the booth.
So yes, mistakes were made and boy were they plentiful. Congratulations on making it all the way through this meandering and long-winded post. In general, I'm disappointed with the draw, but all things considered, it wasn't a terrible result. If we can grab a victory at the weekend over the Revs, we'll be in excellent position heading into the playoffs and this result should fade into memory like a bad dream. Like a bad dream of Razov's ass and Irish Ninja Turtles fellating Golden Balls as the Beckham Cam zooms in on a zip line that somehow manages to decapitate Ben Olsen, though the bearded one's head continues to prophesy the impending ruination of the franchise through a combination of the return of Freddy "team-killer" Adu and being forced into miserable exile at the SportsPlex as cackling DC politicians dance around the ruins of a demolished RFK. Now where's my coffee?
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