Edited my post to show games started. Can't recall Ashe ever starting on the right except after Sarkodie became the full-time starter then Ashe slid over a couple of times when he was not available. Doesn't mean it never happened, mind you, just that I don't remember it.
Some of the stats you bring up sound awful, but: 1. They also shipped out their starting CB after two of those games for someone that you would state would be a big upgrade. 2. 1 out of 12/15 with 3/4 games on the road is no big deal. 3. Our biggest scoring threat is Bruin which is partially the problem in that Barnes is not a great partner with him. 4. 0 shots on goal with no Brad. IMHO it has exposed a roster issue that Cascio + Driver play too similarly in that they aren't going to create much if at all for themselves or there teammates. They will make the run in the box and finish well from midfield, but it puts too much pressure on OBG to have to carry the creativity load. He's a very good solid player who is capable of the creative pass, but he its not like he's a true #10. As for the 2010, the team lost Rico Clark, Stuart Holden, and Brian Mullan (mid-season). Two elite starters that went off to Europe and one solid MLS vet. Instead of blowing everything up, he gave the veterans he relied on previously a chance to see if they could turn it around. It was a mistake, but nothing like this team. Compare rosters and remember that it wasn't Cameron at CB. It was Cameron at a-mid. Mistakes on top of mistakes. Sometimes coaches get it a little wrong.
Your stats have me stumped. I know Ashe occasionally filled in for Davis at left mid and Taylor would play LB. I know that Cameron would sometimes play in midfield, but if that is the year he went to Europe, it was all CB I thought.
First off, I've been accused in previous years of driving the sunshine brigade float while drinking orange kool-aid. I totally get the argument that a slow start is nothing new to this Dynamo BUT this year i believe is different: - I don't think this is the same MLS where you can suck all spring and summer and make the points up in the Fall. - We have limited to no cap room this year so the summer window can come and go and we would be stuck with the same players. We may find ourselves circling the wagons to hold on, but no calvary may be on its way. I imagine the only way to get an upgrade at positions this year is to either trade a major player or sell Boniek after the World Cup otherwise we'll have to wait until December 2014 to receive no-playoffs allocation money and/or not resign players. As-is even when gel-ling I find it difficult to consider this team MLS Cup 2014 caliber.
I'm with Rey and others here. I have never been one to wave the panic flag and I abhor the ignorant statements I see on Facebook and other places. However, I am concerned at this point of the season. MLS has evolved both from the standpoint of the quality of players in the league as well as the tactical side of the game. Roster wise, I am actually generally content with what we have. If I look around MLS, I don't know that there is another roster that I'd automatically want to trade all of our players for. The tactical side of things does have me worried, though. At the moment, from my standpoint the Dynamo are far too predictable and the formula for beating them (or at least gaining a point) is well known. We saw it with Philadelphia in how they played in the 1st half and the 2nd half. 1st half they technically were in a 4-3-3 but really played more like a 4-4-2 with Wenger forward and Maidana dropping back. They did not press. Unlike previous matches, our midfield had time, space and the numbers game was even. Even without Davis, our midfield is good enough in that situation to control play. Controlling play means Sarkodie and Ashe can get forward into the attack more easily, which they did. I scratched my head the entire 1st half wondering why Philly were playing the way they did. All you have to do is watch previous matches and the best approach should be obvious. Maybe they were worried about fatigue setting in. At halftime, they made the adjustment. The midfield started to look more like 5 guys and they began to press. The Dynamo midfield started to get overwhelmed and lost possession easily a number of times. Linkage between the midfield and the forwards was completely broken up. When the Dynamo lost possession, Philly was able to hit them with quick counters. Sarkodie and Ashe were less effective getting forward as they had to be careful to not get caught out of position. By rights the Union should have won that match. What is stopping every team we face this season from adopting the same tactical approach that has worked against us in every match bar the 1st half of the opener? So far we have shown that we aren't going to adjust to what the opposition is doing. Only thing I can think of that will work on our side is the Houston summer. Once the heat kicks in, teams won't be able to press high for 90 minutes. That won't help us on the road, however. If I saw the slightest indication that Dom was adjusting to what the opposition was doing (or that he might sit players who are under performing), then I'd feel a lot better.
Grow up? And the maturity level of xxx is shit is...? Boards such as these are good for: 1. Entertainment 2. Information or 3. Insight Criticism is fine as long as its got one of the above. Lame and classless comments are not the stuff of an exceptional fanbase.
Wait what? did some one mention trading Bruin? done. yes please and thank you. Adios stumbledore & don't let your T Rex arms hit you in the a....... What's that? You said major player?? ahh crap...... never mind
I didn't say a word about tika taka. In fact I think the Dynamo often play BAD tika taka. Attempting a bunch of stupid little possession passes with no final attack. Tika taka works when you can make a bunch of little passes that set Messi free. Our possession passes result in nothing. And I absolutely DO NOT think that Brad Davis is a creative player. Boniek yes, but IMO Brad is a talented role player. I'm not a big Brad Davis fan and never have been.
If you've got an actual criticism about how a player is playing fine. If all you've got is poop - save it.
1. True, and hopefully the other -3 Goal game was truly an outlier and won't continue a trend. 2. 1 point out of 12/15 is not a big deal if you are content with a 4 or 5 hole finish at best, it is a big deal if you ever want to set yourself up to actually host a title game no matter what anyone else does. And if you as an Organization are content with a 4 or 5 Seed what does that say about your actual goals? 3. Our biggest scoring threat should be Bruin, the options as I see it given the continuing struggles are: Swap out his Strike Partner or Swap him out by sitting him and starting Cummings or anyone not named Bruin. Something has got to give here, I'm all for not pulling someone because of one mistake or bad game but this unwillingness of trying something/someone else is a part of the larger problem. 4. I agree but one has to ask, why continue to bring in similar players in style and position that then wind up sitting in the first place? We really needed a Cascio when we have a Lopez that can't get on the field? We really needed to get Driver back into that mix as well? I get depth, but all the depth in the world does nothing for you sitting on the bench while other parts of your team are hurting. The 2010 situation was at least partially due to the Team taking a gamble on another title run and getting nothing for Clark/Holden instead of getting something for them that perhaps could have been used to shore up the team. Easy to say in hindsight that they got it wrong but this is a business and we're generally on the Sellers side of things.
I don't get this. Davis in a lot of ways is more creative than Boniek. I think you could make arguments for both though. Regardless, I'd consider both playmakers.
Yeah, Well Davis froze out Landin!!!! Davis gets more hate from the non-Caucasian group of Dynamo fans than anyone else, forgetting that until Boniek came for about two seasons he was the only player on the Dynamo who could beat a defender 1v1 with skill. But these are the same folks who think Camarago was the best player we've ever had.
You've yet to actually comment on the game in this thread. So far you haven't added shit. Take your own advice.
Never said I hated him, and didn't say he sucked. I just don't think he's as much of a star as everyone makes him out to be. And I'm whiter than Brad, so your "everyone hates the white man" silliness doesn't apply.
The thing is the Dynamo were once champions because they had a monster in the air called Brian Ching. Will Bruin and Giles Barnes are not aerial threats. Mark Sherrod can be. This is the one puzzler concerning Kinnear. People are going crazy because Bruin and Barnes are NOT producing and NOTHING is being done. On the other hand, Brad Davis is WAY too important in this team and scheme, and without him... the whole thing collapses. Just plain collapses. In the last four games Houston only scored on two Davis set pieces to Rico Clark, who is NOT a forward or even an AM. That is a BAD sign.
I just went through all the games and Taylor only played 4 games at RB. The rest were at LB when Ashe played LM or was out, or in CB.
Post of the year for me, Footy, good job! I've secretly said that to myself... I'd even take Oduro's failures; at least he brought out my passion (even if for all the wrong reasons! ja, ja). The rest of the fans are also feeling uninspired this year. One way I measure how attractive the team is would be by selling my Club seats (if I sell them, then i consolidate my family in a different section; if I don't sell them, then somebody in my family gets to sit in the padded comfy seats and pee into the empty luxury bathrooms in the VIP club). My neighbors around me also do the same. Well, this year, seats ain't selling. I was out of the country and couldn't get my family to attend, so i dropped all my tickets below price I paid, but they didn't sell. My lesson learned is that I shouldn't have bought the Club seats, but I guess I wanted to be surrounded by wealthy white people As you pointed out, I make the best out of the experience, drinking and eating with my friends and family before/after the game, but I can just take enough boring stuff. Or "vanilla-ness of the current roster" as you call it. Keep posting!
DManiac, I guess I have to start reading/listening to stuff other than BigSoccer then. I really can't stand Glen Davis anymore (as somebody correctly pointed out, he interrupt callers immediately if anybody is making a slightly negative comment). Glen and other radio shows have turned me off and I prefer to spend my time listening to The Wachiturros and Menudo before I listen to another radio show. Hey, since I don't have a lot of time to search for other stuff, could you give me a link with an example of appropriate criticism? While I really dislike self-promotion, I'll be glad to read/listen to some of your work while I eat a delicious plate of Hydro's pupusas.
You know, *rey* , I do feel like you are not the same person. I find myself agreeing with so many of your posts this year. In my mind, last year, this is how I pictured you: But this year, I picture you more like that most interesting man person:
http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2012/04/video-dynamo-1-chicago-1 Watch the highlight video. At the 25 second mark they show the lineup. This was the first of three games in a row where Taylor played LB and Ashe played LM.
I agree to an extent on Davis. He is critical, but in a more political way. He thoroughly trashed Will Bruin multiple times through the preseason and leading up to week 1. One of the obvious problems is that a lot of the more well known media sources are on the Dynamo payroll more or less. So guys like Davis, Darrell Lovell, Tom Dart, etc. end up being pretty bland and boring. On the flip side, though, Keeper Notes has a close relationship with the organization but manages to be critical and analytical when necessary. I'm always uncomfortable with the self promotion side of things which is why I very rarely post any of my own links here (in general promotion is a fine line - you need to promote to get people to read your stuff with a blog, but at the same time if feels creepy). Generally only do it when the article just fits so perfectly what is being disucssed that it is irresistible or when there is somewhat valuable info in it that people might appreciate having. Otherwise, I confine myself to comments or relaying info in post form. Since you asked so nicely, though, I'll give a mix of a few: From the guys at DT post the New England match: http://www.dynamotheory.com/2014/4/...treak-three-in-a-row-biggest-reasons#comments From me post New England & post Philly: http://houseofhouston.com/2014/04/14/dynamo-lose-revs-takeaways-player-ratings/ http://houseofhouston.com/2014/04/21/dynamo-draw-union-thoughts-player-ratings/ The Generation Orange podcasts (The Ponce, Sean Ringrose and me) can be found on Stitcher and iTunes under "Generation Orange" or on Blogtalk radio here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/generationorange
I stand corrected. Actually the most shocking thing about that was I have zero recollection of Nathan Sturgis starting a match for the Dynamo in 2012.
I was kind of missing Oduro last game as well. Strange how people are thinking the same thing. Grass is always greener though, so who knows?