Athletica vs. Freedom-July 18 P/I/P

I didn't touch her except for the elbow in the back.

They just scored to go up 1-0. No real excuse for walking away from this game without at least at tie; someone needs to step up now and make something happen. It's a shame to have missed both those really good opportunities early on.

Gnaa. Why does Sawa has to find the back of the net against St.Louis. Damn.

Shot deflected off the onrushing defender.

Well. My feed died w/ about 3 min left and couldn't get it back. Once I figured out that everything else on my computer needed to be shut down (and the that feed should be in IE) it worked pretty well.

A dire game. I mean, there was some good stuff to appreciate for people like me who like decent defending but the longer it went on, the less it looked like anyone one really wanted to run out there.

WSH 1-0 STL final
DAMMIT

okay, for a reply with a bit more substance than that:

IMO we were noticeably outplayed. Outside of those two early close calls we never got their back 4 busy at all. Way too many bad touches and bad passes. What the hell went wrong? Where was the energy?

The goal was crap. deflected of a defender. but really, STL, save what 3 chances in the 1st half, didn't deserve better. Once Wash is down to the freaking gk coach in goal, why in the world are they not pressing like crazy and taking shots? Well done by Wash. to pretty much shut them down.

The announcing crew was completely correct that STL is poor at switching fields. They also didn't at all look like they wanted to win or even try to tie. and Wash. wasn't all that much better but they sorta swung it around and kept STL in front of them on d and managed to get a goal.

Yeah, if I was an STL partisan, I'd be about their complete lack of urgency or drive. Aluko kinda gets a pass on the energy thing in that she has flown across the ocean and back recently.

I also didn't understand the STL subs. Walsh started to look dangerous but the other two were odd choices. I mean, I liked McNeil's effort out there but down 1 and you bring in a defender? Perhaps McNeil needed to start. Gabarra really got no choices for his subs since 2 of the 3 were forced.

eta: The USA-Panama match better not be this dire. Unless we get a quick goal and control the rest of the game for the win. But I'd like to see more energy from a soccer game.

I'll get this out of the way in one long rant. I was on the road and did not see the first half. But the 2nd half was probably the most pathetic excuse for soccer I have ever seen. Really, by both teams, but especially by Athletica. Can we try any harder not to score? Oh, that's right. We did score in our own net. We can essentially thank McNeill for all three Washington results. In the first game, she heads Whitehills free kick backwards perfectly to Bompastor. In the second game, she kicks the ball into Moros leading to that goal. And this time, she puts it in her own net.

But this goes from the top down. I don't care how well she played in the 1st half, playing a defender at forward is just telling the other team "Well we're really not going to try to score here. We're working for a scoreless tie." You have plenty of forwards, don't start a defender on top. And then, the one other offensive player that is some semblance of a threat, you sub her out first. WTF?

The players looked like they were running half speed most of the time and the only time it looked like they went out of their way to give half an effort was when the ball was in their penalty area. I feel sorry for Loyden. She's the one player that actually deserved to be on the field today. The only one. I could have subbed some high school girls in for the rest of them and while they wouldn't be as good, at least there would have been a better effort. We approached this game like we were playing the freaking University of Missouri in the middle of March. In fact, if they had played this way against the University of Missouri, they would have lost to them, too. And they want people to come out and watch this crap. I hope to hell this was a one time thing, because another effort like that and I may join RFR and not go anymore.

Terrible decisions by the coach. Terrible effort by the team. And you may have just f"ed away a playoff spot. Next time, let's try actually taking the game seriously.

Edit question: I taped the game, but is there really any reason for me to even look at the first half? I listened on the radio and it only sounded like they only had one or two chances, otherwise a carbon copy of the 2nd half.

Rich Gould was saying everyone in St.Louis who follows soccer knows Eric WyLANDA. LOL!

They should've had the camera pan over to the other side of field a few times because for someone tuning in for the first time who doesn't know about WPS they could think there are only a couple hundred people in the stands since we only saw the mostly empty side of the stands on TV.

Concur with the above comments that St.Louis didn't show much urgency but Washington wasn't that much better. Once Washington scored their defense showed quite a lot of urgency and protected their goalie coach so she wasn't really tested at all.

I don't think the first half was much better other than the couple of chances in the first 15; but watching those in retrospect will probably just be frustrating. This is a terrible showing for this team; I don't think it's enough to blame this on the lack of WNT players. The lack of effort, heart, desire was pathetic.

Funny thing is I thought Aluko probably showed the most energy out of all the STL players. But, 1) that's not saying much, and 2) like the announcers were talking about, there's no way 1v3, 1v4, or 1v5 are ever gonna work out for the 1. She had no-one helping her.

I wouldn't say a carbon copy, especially the first fifteen minutes. Also, the last five minutes were really good soccer, albeit only from WSH.

Anyway, I think this is going down in my books as one of our most embarassing defeats. No energy although we shoulda been 3x more rested, WSH on their 4th string goalie, our goal agaisnt was deflected in by one of our own defenders (not that I'm gonna go as far as you, CVille, and really rant against McNeill, since she was trying hard to do what was right on all three occasions and just got bad touches).....
But yeah.... I fully expect BOS to be BAY tomorrow, so it seems the 2nd-place curse is back.... >-(

The unofficial boxscore stats seem to be up now. I find it hard to believe the teams got an equal number of shots; I feel the "shots on goal" and "corner kicks" tell the story much better.
blarg

Well, actually Washington was almost equally pathetic in the half I saw. They did show some inklings of offense, which Athletica did not. Athletica didn't even show a heartbeat. The Freedom just happened to be fortunate to have one of our players deflect it into the net. The passing on both sides was pretty terrible. There really weren't too many instances, especially early in the 2nd half, where either team could string together more than two or three passes.

If someone, though, can explain the logic of starting a defender at forward, instead of trying to exploit the fact that they didn't have their keeper or one of their center backs. That's simply beyond comprehension. Then you take out a attacking mid that has scored two goals in about half a dozen games and replace her with a midfielder that's played a total of 30 minutes for the year. Then you're next big move is changing defenders, although I thought Logterman was just plain awful and couldn't stop anybody from dribbling around her. Then finally, late in the game when you're in trouble, you decide you might actually try to score a freaking goal and put Walsh in.

No stat sheet can show tell the story that the coaching was awful and effort non-existent. Basically, Cooper just wasted a bunch of plane fares and hotel expenses on this team.

See, now; that's a much better way to vent your frustration than to postulate boycotting games in you FB status (and this doesn't get me ticked off more than I already was).

I guess, although from what I saw, the Freedom were in control way more often; it felt like they were in the attacking third way more often than we were, at least. I thought they had many really good passing sequences.

Totally agree with your other two points.

Well I missed the game since I was completely convinced it was at at 6pm. Kinda glad I didn't watch by the sounds of it. After watching Houston vs TFC, Sounders vs Chelsea and then the USMNT tonight I'm soccer'd out tonight.

Should be at the game Wed night though.

Finished watching this absolute abortion of a match. That is without doubt the WORST lineup I have seen Barcellos trot out there. That squad looked like it would struggle against a decent JUCO team. Every weakness about this team was on display. I got so sick of watching Jon Lovitz...er...DeVanna taking Weber's lunch money, I was fast forwarding 10 minutes in. Aside from the unfortunate deflection on a non-threatening Sawa shot (Freedom escape again on a fluke), I have NO idea why she is in there over McNeil. Its the difference in starting an intense physical force...and the sweet little twit that sells the dippin dots ice cream on the mezzanine. Why is Cinalli, one of the precious few offensively capable players on this team, being pulled for Walter? Thats like pulling Lionel Messi to put ME in the game, when the other 10 players are already blind crippled and/or crazy. What a HUGE dropoff. Is Welch dead? Was Walsh still a little sleepy? Was NO ONE but Cross available? Hell, just put the ball girl up there if we don't give a damn.

Did everyone walk to Washington from St Louis last night? This game looked like it took place under water (perhaps it was KPLR's broadcast showing me the game from appx 1/2 mile away). Aluko gets a pass, but how much work does Logterman need before she can make it past halftime without being gassed? By 20 minutes in, this club looked like they decided they could save energy by hanging out in their own end and keeping cool in the shade of Loyden's ass.

Even with all their knowledge about Athletica coming via some notes hastily scribbled on a napkin, I will give the KPLR team higher marks than FSN's worthless Tweedledum and Tweedledee catastrophe of Rogondino/Hildreth. Could do without Wheelocks constant numbers update "ITS 3 V 3!!! ITS 4 v 6!!! ITS 1 V 9!!! ITS PI V JOHN 3:16! ITS GODZILLA V MOTHRA!!" It was refreshing to have Wynalda with some actual soccer analysis....even if he's the only guy to ever be impressed with the staunch well organized Washington defense. That probably says more about the airfare wasted by the Athletica than anything.

Oh, and Rich Gould is a super guy.....but I would rather they see if Gilbert Gottfried, Jeannine Garafalo, Jose Canseco or someone else far less annoying or uninformed than Rich is available for pre-game and sideline reports.

As I was saying the camera shots were from too far a distance. When FSC does games there they get closer in so even on a wide angle shot you can tell who the players are but yesterday you couldn't tell all the time.

That's something I'm sure KPLR can work on in the future.

I know that Comcast Sports Net was broadcasting the game locally here in the DC area and they had cameras right next to the field. I wonder if KPLR was forced to set up cameras in different areas or did they just use the Comcast Feed? Comcast normally airs DC United games so they are familiar with the stadium and judging from descriptions it doesn't sound like KPLR used that feed. Comcast also had different announcers I think. I did notice when looking at my pictures that the Athletica players had KPLR on the right sleeve so I guess that was part of the agreement, but to be honest I didn't notice it during the game (because it was so small) and I sit on the field level.

Its great KPLR stepped up to broadcast the game. This is their first go-round, so I'm certain it will get better. Hopefully no decision makers actually WATCHED that game, or they'll replace future games with The New Scooby Doo Mysteries.

I know for certain sporting events several different media outlets can use the SAME cameras. For example many of the international friendlies, Euros, or World Cup games have world feeds that show up on different networks all over the world.

So KPLR could've probably used Comcast's feed but their own announcers however they would've probably had to pay Comcast an additional fee for that and they must've balked at that.

Regardless I'm sure it'll improve in the future.

It wasn't the best WPS game but it sure beats the hell out of a baseball game where the players' shoes are nailed to the ground 95% of the time and you see so many damn balls, strikes, and fouls it PUTS YOU TO SLEEP!!

Points for humor (5.5 technical, 5.8 artistic presentation, to be exact) - but I actually like that on the play-by-play. It's a radio simulcast, isn't it? And the way the video feed is so choppy over the internet, it might as well be a radio broadcast at times.


I thought Cross looked pretty good early part of the game. 2nd half - St Louis wasn't capable of doing much but, to be honest, I've felt that way about St Louis most of the time I've seen them. How they dominated the Sol a month ago and how they've strung together the results to be 2nd in the league AND break (for 1 game at least) the DREADED WPS 2ND-PLACE CURSE, I have no idea. Well, two ideas - Hope Solo and Eniola Aluko. Still, I think Barcellos may deserve coach of the year guiding this team without its best player.