We did everything we could to give that game away (again). Luckily the team we were playing sucked bad enough not to take it (again). If we can actually start playing well and develop into a good team, we wouldn't be the first team going from bad to good to start with winning ugly.
Yikes that 2nd half was brutal. I really hope the team wasn't bunkering down to protect the lead but knowing the coaching staff it wouldn't surprise me. EJ really needs to get on the board. Its going to be all mental soon. ******** NJ though.
An awesome result on a night where a lot of teams in the East didn't do what we did-namely grab all 3 points. Houston and Toronto settled with Losses, Philadelphia, Montreal and Chicago all settled with Ties. So- early days, and Columbus still has a match vs. SJ, but right now how's a tie for 3rd and 2(may soon be 5) points out of first place sound? And ANY game where we score a GOAL OFF OF A CORNER KICK - It's time to crack a keg of something somewhere! And a nice surprise- Hamid's toe keeps him from playing this match, we start Dykstra and he gets his 2nd straight clean sheet. I liked our first 2 subs this match and the idea of managing Rolfe and Arnaud's minutes, but thought Espindola should have been the 3rd given he just took 2-3 knocks. I also thought the ref had a laughable attempt at controlling a match, often getting 50/50 calls wrong, and missing at least a couple of crucial calls that seemed obvious- to the viewers, to the players, to the nearby crowd. A step diagonally side-wise from last match, hopefully EJ' teammates notice his signs of starvation and do the things needed to figure out how to get him feasting on defenders and belching goals next match.
Great minds think alike. I was telling Mrs. Winoman that Espindola took some knocks, and Doyle should come in to be the hold-up man for EJ, and lay/flick a few out there for EJ to run on to. Oh, well. I thought Rolfe had another great game, even though he didn't score, and I must confess that I did not think that he was going to be a good acquisition. We always seem to bring in a name player, but usually 2-3 years past their prime. It appears to me that he still has something in the tank, but like you say, his minutes will need to be managed. This time we did not get any breaks from the Center or (Loudside?) AR. There should have been at least a yellow card & a free kick just outside the box, in the first half, and EJ was onside (in the second-half) when he made that run and scored past Robles. That should never have been called offside! We'll take the 3 points, any way we can get them, but I do hope that EJ gets on the scoreboard next game.
EJ has been playing better each game. Still not scoring, which is what a Forward is paid to do, but he nearly got a a header or a breakaway here and there. And he consistently occupies at least TWO defenders.We couldn't seem to hold the ball for any significant time in the 2nd half. Too many long balls to him, but every now and then it almost works. They (the team) needs an alternate way to get the ball up to EJ Couldn't hold onto the ball for significant stretches in the 2nd half. I realize bunkering the outside halfbacks in had a lot to do with this, but something needs to be done better within the midfield to make runs out of the defensive third and then put the ball to space along the sides for people to run on to. Espindola (once Rolfe) got off hopeful shots on goal 3-4 times. "Hopeful" because he got off shots from long range that the goalie was sure to cover easily. I realize to some extent you have to keep the defenders and goalie honest, but those kind of shots are tactically sound only in rainy sloppy weather, where you're hoping for a bad bounce. Again, perhaps some of those times, somebody should have made an extra run onto space outside so we could hang onto the ball for a chunk of time.
Ref was bad. Bundled in an early goal. Played a pretty good first half. Second half failed to hold the ball and make them work when we got a chance. But 3 points and beat the MetroDonkeys it's all good in the end.
The second half took several years off my life, and I don't have that many left. The Heifers seemed to be able to work their way right up to the 18 without much difficulty, and we were only saved by misfires, last-minute defensive blocks, and heroics by Dykstra. I've always wanted Rolfe on this team and am delighted that he is making a diffence. BTW, I thought Jeffrey got two yellows - one about two minutes after he came on and the other near the end of the match. The first yellow must have been someone else.
That's what the MLS website says. I can't wait to get a genuine soccer stadium where you (rather, I) don't need binoculars to see who's who.
Wasn't the offsides call the AR's fault, not the ref? But yes, the ref was bad. It wasn't a really harsh match, but it was slightly out of control for most of the 2nd half. Not horribly out of control, but enough that it always looked like something worse might happen next. We were at the far end from the RedBulls goal in the 2nd half, but they had enough good chances that they should have won, or at least drawn. Don't forget a few good chances we had, but damn, we couldn't hold possession to save our lives. I'm glad we got 3 more points, but we have a lot of holds to fill. We need someone other than Arnaud in the advanced CM role. We need Silva back really badly. With Columbus and Dallas coming up... we need to be better if we want more than a point from those two games.
I liked the way DC defended. I didn't like that they spent 95% of the second half doing so. A Red Bull goal felt inevitable but credit to DC for gutting it out. Some of the ref's decisions appeared quite strange. The no call on what looked to be a clear foul/yellow card at the top of the box being the most noticeable.
United was complicit in Red Bulls territorial advantage in the second half with needless and quick giveaways of the ball. It seemed the first twenty minutes of the second half, United could only manage one or two touches on the ball before it was given away. their need for a stud central midfielder to play through is pretty damn evident. That being said, the fact that United still managed to get 7 out of 9 points in this three-game stretch is much more than I or anyone else reasonably expected. However, I'd like to see this team take this improvement on the road and string together some results before I'm convinced. The fact that they got 3 points tonight in a tough situation is something that they deserve credit for. It wasn't beautiful soccer (though some of the combinations in the first half were something we haven't seen around these parts in ages - very good stuff) but it was effective soccer. If you can gain points when you don't play well, it's a hell of a lot better than gaining zero points when you do play well - Red Bull Exhibit A....
We were insanely lucky not to give up multiple goals in that match. Some of the reason we were so pinned back and so unable to hold possession was stupid, desperate decision making. And some of it was laziness on the part of certain highly paid players.
When you play afraid like DCU you won't get the calls. That game didn't even feel like a win for me. This team was embarrassing in the 2nd half.
What was that about? and the smoke? Especially with past treatment, it was obvious and understandable that DU wasn't behind it being in front of their section.
What are you talking about? (not arguing with you -- I honestly don't have any idea what you're referring to)
VCU's pep band was in the section next to La Barra Brava closest to the corner. Along with fireworks before the game and as the game kicked off, there were smoke machines positioned at midfield and in front of the District Ultras. DU had a couple of banners. The first one said "NOT OUR SMOKE" or something like that. I didn't have a chance to read the second banner after there was smoke when DC scored. They went up and came down quickly.
After watching Arsenal squeak by a lower-league opponent on penalties, tonight's game was a crushing display of dominance. Neither game was a jewel but a win is a win and they all count the same in the standings.
Yes, that part I was very familiar with. They were wandering around Lot 8 before the match as well, and were very entertaining. Knew there was a machine at midfield, since it went off just as I was standing next to it, which scared the poo out of me. Didn't know there was one in front of the Ultras. OK. I still don't know what your earlier post meant, though.
Given he's our #3, I'd expect Hamid to be back ASAP. If not, I'd expect Willis and Dykstra to swap spots or something like that. Either way, if it's anything serious, we're pretty well covered at GK.