the only thing I'm waiting to hear is who Ben decides to start as his goalkeeper. Hamid is a huge liability and seems to punch-first when dealing with crosses.
Yea, I knew he was coming too but I figured it didn't matter. At least he can say he played in Houston in November.
Goff has some interesting stuff in this post. In addition to some DCU injury updates, he also has the new quote from the head of PRO, the organization that manages the refs in MLS, about the Hainault/Salazar non-call. Goff notes that a suspension from the league of Hainault for dangerous play is a possibility. We'll see. Just in case, get well soon, Jermaine. http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2012/11/14/d-c-united-news-notes-7/
Toledo has gotten a lot better in the last year. Not sure if he got more training or what but he's been pretty good by MLS standards (I know, not saying much). I much prefer him over Geiger, Salazar or Marrufo.
I'll just leave this here then. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...clarifies-comments-hainault-deserved-red-card
So apparently if you cry loud enough in the MLS you will get rewarded. Augusto initiated contact. Hainault took advantage of the situation and pinned Augusto's arm, taking them both down. The whole BS about scissoring his legs is just plain silly. Their legs got tangled when they went down. Only a DC United supporter would say otherwise. There was no intent to injur the other player. The only intent was to keep him from scoring. "MLS will end up suspending Hainault for a dangerous tackle." The bottom line is Peter Walton agreed with the ref in real time! If another person at another angle comes to the same conclusion as the center offical how can you blame the center offical for making that call in real time?
Ok, but to get the disciplinary committee involved like Goff is suggesting could happen would set a new precedent for the league, and a dangerous one at that. If we're not going to let the games be refereed on the field in real time, even incorrectly, then what is the point of them giving out any cards at all during the game? I would be really surprised and saddened to see a retroactive red card for something that was not a deliberately dirty play, wasn't unsporting. and did not cause any injury
Suspension of Hainault is a possibility. Of course, so is an asteroid impact in our lifetimes, but only vanishingly small. I don't see anything useful gained from a suspension. Well, not of Hainault, anyway. The damage by the non-call has already been done. If they did that, it would be a move to make the officials feel better after having blowing a big call in a big game.
I'm not calling for a retroactive red. I'm fine just with the admission that they were wrong. Good enough to me. We'll fix it all on Sunday anyway More fodder for the soccer gods...
I call shenanigans on this last bit, excepting the did not cause injury part. The intent of the foul was clear, and even Hainault looks at the ref immediately to see if a call is being made. To claim otherwise in light of evidence is disingenuous.
You really think it was a "dirty" play? Come on now man. He brought him down but there was nothing dirty about it. He was trying to stop a goal-scoring opportunity, but there was nothing malicious in it.
Well, we differ on the meaning of "dirty" then, in that he was clearly beaten and trying to prevent a 1v1 on the keeper by making a play on the player rather than the ball contrary to the laws of the game. I mean, it's no Rafa Marquez play, no, but he knew exactly what he was about, and it wasn't an innocent challenge on the ball.
Apparently. Most people would categorize a "dirty" play as a cheap shot, something to cause harm, sometimes away from the ball, but not always. I don't know, I agree with the rest of the post clearly, but no way a suspension is warranted for this or else they should go back and red card like 10 players from earlier this year. I feel sorry for D.C. for what they have dealt with in these playoffs, I really do, but punishing the Dynamo, and not Salazar, is the wrong way to go about it.
Oh, here I totally agree. Like I said, if they did it I think it would be a move to make the refs feel better about themselves, but is otherwise meaningless. Now, retroactively remove Hainault's goal...