Let's get to my random thoughts:
- The Wife wants me to let everyone know that she thinks her boy Zach Scott did everything he needed to do last night. She doesn't think he should be at fault for the own goal. I agree - it was Leo's fault for not marking. What I didn't like out of Scott were his many turnovers once he won the ball.
- Fredy went back to contributing nothing. Ok, he did a few nice things, but overall he seems to be too content to play make.
- What a nightmare night for NY keeper Greg Sutton. He should have done better with Friberg's goal, got unlucky with Ozzie's and obviously effed up on Roger's last. Goalkeeping is definitely going to hurt the Red Bulls come playoff time.
- I never thought badly of Leo Gonzales before his benching, but after seeing him last night, I am appreciating Tyson Wahl so much more. Wow, was Leo terrible.
- I loved how upset Jeff Parke got when DeRo maliciously fouled him in stoppage time. Very poor form by a guy who I normally respect - I don't care if you're frustrated from losing 4-2...you don't take someone out at the end of the game. I'm glad Parke popped up and got in his face -this team needs an edge like that.
- It looked like Mike Fucito has never practiced with Friberg, Rosales and El Flaco before. He was absolutely lost out there, which is a shame because the effort was their. The thing that was lacking was any chemistry.
- Mauro Rosales continues to move up in my pantheon of favorite Sounders. The dudes' motor never stops running.
- You needed to put a tent over the defensive circus that occurred after NY scored their first goal. Parke, Scott, Riley, Alonso and Gonzalez were terrible. The Wife mentioned around the 40th minute that in basketball, coaches would be calling timeout. It was a insightful comment not so much because she was right, but because it really got to the heart of what is amazing about this sport. Coaches can get killed for their tactics (or lack there of), but at the end of the day, they can't do anything to stop momentum andcalm nerves. The guys on the field needed to fight through the adversity - the only thing they had to save them was halftime. After the second goal, it was all about the 11 guys on the pitch and not the large, round guy on the sidelines.
- I think any other keeper might have saved the first NY goal, but Kasey simply doesn't have the lift he once did. That is not an indictment on him, just fact.
- Speaking of fact, I want to reiterate to the woman who sits in front of me that I love Roger Levesque. I love Roger and I love what he means to this team and the Seattle soccer community. The thing is - I also know that he shouldn't be going 90 minutes every game. Hell, he shouldn't even be going 30 minutes. He works his ass off, can play up to 6 positions and is the type of guy every team needs. But...he is also very limited in what he can do. Fortunately most of the time he knows that too and will not try to play outside of himself. It is an admirable trait. When we make fun of Roger it's all in good fun.
- With that being said, I know I speak for everyone in the stadium when I express the utter joy I had when Roger got not 1 but 2 goals. The first one, a header off a corner, was typical Roger. He really had no right scoring off a glancing header, but he put his head in a dangerous situation and hope for the best. It was an amazing goal. Then, the second goal was even more 'typical Roger.' He busted his ass and was able to take advantage of Sutton's gaffe for his second goal. No way Fredy Montero scores that goal - no, he wouldn't even had made that run. Roger not only has a constant motor, but he is also in the position where he needs to fight for minutes. We have come to expect shit like this from him all the time. I agree with my boy East Coast J-Will when I say "I love Roger Levesque"
- I'm a Brad Evans guy, but boy did I love the starting midfield. (Can you imagine what we would be like if Steve was still here? Our depth would be insane)
- Sunday is a trap game if I have ever seen one. We need to be prepared for NE to come in here and take it to us.
- Finally, kudos to the 46k fans who showed up to Qwest (whoops, I mean CenturyLink) last night. I feel honored every time (having myself sat through some tough MetroStars crowds in the last 90's) that I get to be part of the soccer movement that has taken the country by storm.
- An absolutely beautiful move by Friberg to get his shot off
- The College World Series strikes again! The past two years The Wife stayed home on a Thursday night game in June - both times the CWS postponed the Sounders game (2009 - she missed Ozzie's super goal against DC; 2010 - can't remember). Last night The Wife was by my side, but J-Will missed the first goal because of the UVA-Cal game. Sucky
Zach Scott did ok, but like you said, his distribution was horrendous last night which is a problem (although one could argue that Hurtado is no better). I think our defending is a little hit or miss right now, we are getting killed on the left wing (I am purposely not mentioning Riley again for fear of the commentators curse occurring) where Leo seems to be back to his dive-in first, think later school of marking/stopping wingers.
ReplyDeleteAgree on Roger, love him and what he represents for the Sounders, but he isn't graced with sublime skills and intuition (he admits that himself) but works his ass off for us. Great to see him get a couple of goals (although the second has a howler from Sutton).
Poor old Mike Fucito, he does look like a little kid trying to keep up with the big boys. Plenty of effort but little skill, control and balls fizzed by him all game, he's too small to play that role.
So I guess I was wrong last night, we did go to the Chivas game with J-Will last October and win that one 2-1.
No jumping man hugs last night????!!!!??? (probably a good thing too)
yeah, it was exciting, but no need for a jumping man hug.
ReplyDeleteI caught all the goals. CWS ended and ESPN2 cut to the soccer game as the first corner was taken. I love that midfield. But I have been saying that all year. No you won't get any Brad Evan's late run goals from Friberg, but with that midfield you shouldn't have to. I'll defend Riley. He does well, and when he doesn't Parke cleans up for him. I think the left side needs more work. Not saying Wahl or Leo will not be the answer, just not right at this moment. But I would rather see a big named forward signed during the window than a defender.
ReplyDelete-East Coast J-Will