the 0-4 loss at Philly was our worst, but under the circumstances this was pretty close to the worst performance imaginable. No sign of having learned anything from last year's loss. Just a tactically naive showing all around. Nagamura's absence was noticeable- we just weren't as tight defensively in a game where we needed to allow at most 1 goal. If the return leg was tonight I'd have a hard time getting pumped up, but I think by Wed I'll be ready to give it a go.
Frankly, Chicago looked better against them on Halloween. But no way this thing is done yet. Thats crazy talk.
Technically that's true, but by my quick count we've only had four games this season in which we were able to score 3 goals. I was saying back when the transfer window closed that this team should've added a striker, and it's clear now that our biggest weakness is producing goals. Everybody should've known that Houston would try to beat us at our own game just like they did last year. I was hoping Vermes would have a strategy for to counter that. Either he didn't or the players weren't able to execute it.
btw, was it just me, or did NBC's camera person have a difficult time tracking the ball and figuring out where the near touchline was?
We only need to be +2 after 90 minutes. Im no math major, but all this "three goal game" stuff is a bit misplaced, or out of sequence at the least.
It's hard to read the comments in here. We dug ourselves a hell of a hole, but 2-0 at home is not impossible. Haven't you guys been listening every time a commentator tells you 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in football? I believe that we will win.
I hate to temper the optimism with reality, but in our last 5 games with Houston (which includes the Finals match from last season) we have scored 2 goals. In 450 minutes.
awful performance. and i really want to punch arlo white in the face every time he says "sau pong." if you can't pronounce the players' names correctly, then you shouldn't be calling the games.
A combined 3 shots on goal today. I do not know what is worse. The fact that HOU scored on both opportunities or that we only got one shot.
That and "Hulio" Cesar. Sure, I made the same mistake when he first joined the team, but (a) that was two full seasons ago now and (b) I do not get paid to pronounce players' names correctly.
we've been here before. against kinnear, no less. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=167857&cc=5901
it would have been nice to see more squad rotation during the year so that KC would actually have offensive options off the bench developed.
reason for hope: Houston's recent road performance @ Colorado L 0-2 (not that revealing as it was a reserve-heavy lineup) @ Philadelphia L 1-3 @ Chicago L 1-3 @ New York L 0-2 Unfortunately, their other MLS road game since August 1 was a 1-1 draw in KC.
i've thought about that game numerous times tonight. that's still my favorite game i've ever attended (i was out of town for the playoff game against la in 2000). i remember going into that game feeling like it was possible. can't say i feel the same way this time. if we come back and advance, it'll likely be because of unforeseen events or uncharacteristic errors from houston's defense/gk. it won't be because dom kinnear didn't have his troops ready for what we are going to throw at 'em.
This is a concern with Vermes. I get the whole 'consecutive top finishes in the Eastern conference' thing. I truly do. The issue is when it comes time to really game-day manage a team, make adjustments to win a game...he hasn't shown the capability to do this. Some of it is obvious on game day. Some of it you seen in hindsight, like how he rarely subs and that leads to limited bench strength. I would say this to those who will point to the regular season success...are you satisfied with winning the regular season and falling to a team with a superior tactician every November. I'm not saying Vermes cannot do this, but he has been badly outcoached in memorable games.
Maybe the reason we didn't have more squad rotation is because Dwyer and Saad really aren't ready to contribute a lot. I mean every fan seemed to be calling for us to get a striker before the transfer window closed. We did have that one Spanish striker rumor that Robb posted about right around the deadline. But as a whole I think the team felt ok with our strikers. It wasn't until a few days before the window closed that Bunbury tore his ACL. At that point it would have been a scramble to get a player and we would have probably overpaid. The trade window was still open, but as a whole did we really have enough to offer to get us an impact striker that would have been more than just a bench sub?
I think Vermes is a good GM/technical director. I think he's good at scouting talent and finding guys to fit the style and philosophy. He's also done a great job picking up good contributors at a low cost (Sinovic, Joseph, etc.). I don't think he's a great day-to-day manager or tactician. I'm not advocating he be reduced back to just TD duties, but I wish that KC could at least find a top assistant to aid there.
Sure, it's possible Dom and Soony aren't ready. I guess that's a bit concerning then--- the team has basically landed four first-round forwards (since Saad was generally thought to have been a first-round draft pick had he gone through a normal process) in three years but once Teal got hurt was reduced to pretty much zero offensive options off the bench.