Houston Dash

Best playoffs in sports bar none - NHL. Although the playoff race may not have much final weekend drama other than Dallas-Phoenix. Don't care if you are not a hockey fan, if there is a tight Game 7 in the 3rd period, turn it on.

 

Have some stuff going on Saturday night, so can't make it to the opener.. is this game on tv anywhere that I might DVR it or catch the second half?

 

CSN Houston (but on delay, starting at 8pm) or YouTube and presumably through the Dash/Dynamo website as well.

 

I found the archive here too
https://www.youtube.com/user/houstondash

Lindsay Elston, Holly Hein, Osinachi Ohale and Dominique Richardson were signed

 

Thanks everyone. I will DVR the CSN tape delay and watch just a bit behind

 

Should be a pretty good game. Both coaches favor an up tempo, high pressing, play out of the back, attacking style of play. Whichever midfield controls the play the best will probably be the team that wins.

I asked Waldrum after practice if he was going to back off of pressing high given the weapons the Thorns have (even without Morgan, Heath and Boquete given the youth and inexperience in the Dash back line. He said he had no plans to change his style of play. Figured the young back line would learn a lesson one way or the other - either they'd learn how to play well and keep Sinclair under control, or they'd get carved up and learn a lesson that way too.

Hopefully it will be the former. Seems 200 level seating is selling well and additional sections being opened up still, so should be a good atmosphere.

 

Well it seems I ordered my season tickets after they went to print so I didn't get a booklet with my season tickets, my tickets are just generic reprints. Anyway being that I'm a collector of shit like this I was hoping someone who has season tickets would be willing to sell me their hard copy ticket after the game. I have a ticket to get in just want the hard copy ticket for memorabilia. Just tell me what you want for it in a pm. Obviously I'd like it in good condition.

I could even meet you during the game (halftime) and get you a beer as well.

 

Isn't the tape delay like a full day? Or did I read it wrong?

 

Uh, yeah. Looking at the press release on TV schedule that does appear to be the case. Did not catch it the first time as it makes no sense at all to me, but oh well.

 

Yes, Sunday at 8

 

No wonder I haven't been able to find it... I'll try to watch it online tonight.

 

Over 8,000 turned out tonight..not bad.

 

Stephanie needs to finish that sitter (or at least get it on goal) and they at least come away with a point in their inaugural match.

I am not sure what was going on with Ella last night.

 

Seemed like the Dash started in a 3-5-2 and won the midfield battle early, which allowed for an attacking style of play to open their campaign. 2nd half looked like they dropped back to a 4-4-2 and it was more of a battle in the middle. Great atmosphere. But I love my seats a little higher on the pitch to better see the shape of formations, although it was a nice change of pace

 

Waldrum plays a 4-3-3 with fullback overlap so can resemble a 3-5-2 a bit at times I suppose. Bock going off caused some tactical issues as Noyola is not the defender that Bock is.

After the game Waldrum told me that the reason Jackson started over Noyola was better defending skills which he figured we'd need, you can imagine what it did to have to swap Bock out then.

 

that explains it-I could have sworn at a few points that Becky was playing as a sweeper.

 

Went to the game and was pleasnatly surprised how well the coach has drafted / put the Dash together.

Alot of players with good technical ability. Houston seemed to be better in possession than Portland who seemed to be built around defend and counter with set peices thrown in. The right back from Arizona #2 is quick, excellent with the ball, and tough as nails. The center back from Nigeria is great in the air and really graceful on the ball. Ochs missed a good chance at goal but she is a great technical player as well.

Refereeing was poor and there were alot of late, dirty challenges. I don't see alot of these girls making it through the whole season without being sidelined for injuries related to that.

Stephanie Ochs is my favorite though...

 

My thoughts exactly--#22 Ochs, and #2 Romero are going to be stars on this team.

 

Romero for sure, but there were times when I thought Ochs was our worst starter. She lost the ball countless times and it was like she didn't know what to do when she had it.

 

Besides the errant cross in the first half, and the skied shot in the second half, I thought that she showed the best athleticism, and the highest work rate, and seemed to be one of the most most comfortable players on ball. I'll have to pay attention going forward to see if I see what you saw.

 

I agree with you heft. I thought she was pretty good with the ball at her feet and stole the ball frm defender quite craftily but the other forwards seemed to lose possession more frequently. Maybe JC is confusng her with one of the other forwards.

One problem for the Dash is all the attacks ended up going to the wing and then a cross was hoofed in. This favored Portlands defense because they were larger in number, bigger physically, and better in the air than the Dash attacking players.

 

This is a big problem in NWSL. If you think the quality of officiating in MLS is poor, you haven't seen anything yet. Lot of complaints last season and this weekend about physical and even dirty play yet no cards, a lot of things let go, etc.