DCU-Fire Post Game (R)

[Winoman]

No flames, no trolls.

2-1 to the good guys.

Wicks is my Man of the Match!

Jaime out at 39' in the first-half with muscle spasms.

This is the best I've seen Christian Gomez look in a long time, and he went almost the whole match.

[r0Be]

Wicks was easily man of the match. Great game, first place, woot!

[JoseP]

I just got back from the game.

A few thoughts:

Midfield is one of the strongest in MLS.

McBride - what happened to you? You were dreadul tonight.

Wicks is better than Busch.

Busch was so amazingly out of position on the second goal. I mean he was right on the post.

The ref was bizarre. Maybe the TV showed something I didn't see, but the PK against DC seemed a bad call to me. And the PK for DC United didn't seem legit.

[HeroicBlackandRed]

Second PK was called on Dejan for grabbing at Nyako.

It felt about as legit as DC's PK.

HBR

[Sanguine]

I just got back from the game.

A few thoughts:

Midfield is one of the strongest in MLS.

McBride - what happened to you? You were dreadul tonight.

Wicks is better than Busch.

Busch was so amazingly out of position on the second goal. I mean he was right on the post.

The ref was bizarre. Maybe the TV showed something I didn't see, but the PK against DC seemed a bad call to me. And the PK for DC United didn't seem legit.

The ref was absolutely awful. Both PKs were complete head-scratchers, and there were about a dozen more completely unexplainable calls all over the field.

Pretty good performance by the team. Wallace played a more traditional role on the inside in this game and performed well again. Having his speed in there really makes a difference.

Wicks was great - I said a few weeks ago we were a solid keeper from being the best team in the league. If Wicks can keep it together the rest of the way, we could be a solid contender for the title.

Nice to see us back in first place. Tough schedule coming up, let's hope we can stay there.

[onefineesq]

This team needs to practice finishing drills for 30 minutes a day, every practice. We blow way too many incredible scoring chances.

[Footer Phooter]

The ref was absolutely awful. Both PKs were complete head-scratchers, and there were about a dozen more completely unexplainable calls all over the field.



Just got back from the game. The first call pk call was bad. The second one was even worse. It was so bad, the place was pretty much quiet for several seconds, until people figured out that a penalty had been called. I don't think it even crossed a lot of people's minds, and no one knew what it was for.

[griffin1108]

Just amazing -- big noisy crowd. Felt like a playoff game.

Wicks is "en fuego." The PK stop was great but his stop earlier on Conde? on a one on one was magnificent. I really like this guy, he clearly has worked hard to get better and he has succeeded. He's big and strong and really commands the box.

Boyzz was a terror. My son said, "don't they know he's in the game? No one is marking him." Set up Tino for a gimme for number 3 -- Tino, Tino, Tino.

Both PK's were puzzlers, glad we wound up +1 on the "dubious" PK's tho. Remember Toledo was the guy who gave Prideaux two yellows in a game and didn't eject him, so he is capable of monumental head scratchers.

The Gomez free kick goal was vintage 2005. He played like he had something to prove tonight.

The flying beer on the PK save was an added bonus.

[Winoman]

The ref was absolutely awful. Both PKs were complete head-scratchers, and there were about a dozen more completely unexplainable calls all over the field.

I thought both PK calls were weak, too. And how Thorrington managed to stay on the field is beyond me. He had a scissors tackle on Wallace, late in the second-half, that should have been either his second yellow or a straight red, IMO.

Pretty good performance by the team. Wallace played a more traditional role on the inside in this game and performed well again. Having his speed in there really makes a difference.

I thought the midfield, especially Gomez looked good tonight. I hope he can keep his fitness and give us 90 minutes/game from here on. Wallace and Pontius are definitely players. It's too bad we didn't improve on shooting during the run of play. Had we finished HALF of our GOOD chances, we would have won 4-1.

Wicks was great - I said a few weeks ago we were a solid keeper from being the best team in the league. If Wicks can keep it together the rest of the way, we could be a solid contender for the title.

Great stop on McBride's PK. I don't know whether he guessed correctly or if McBride telegraphed his placement, but that was what we needed. And the point-blank save on Nyarko (I think) was terrific. I hope he's not injured, since he was limping and looked to be in some pain at the end.

Nice to see us back in first place. Tough schedule coming up, let's hope we can stay there.

Playing at Seattle and Denver, next. Seattle will definitely be a hostile environment and we seem to never do well in Denver. I'm glad we got the full 3 points tonight.

[Sanguine]

Great stop on McBride's PK. I don't know whether he guessed correctly or if McBride telegraphed his placement, but that was what we needed. And the point-blank save on Nyarko (I think) was terrific. I hope he's not injured, since he was limping and looked to be in some pain at the end.


He said in the post-match interview on CSN that it was just a charlie horse, so nothing that will cause him extended grief.

[TrueCrew]

Nice win for you guys tonight, and the best played MLS game I've seen all year.

I was really impressed with your youngsters (especially Wallace) and the upgrades on D (GK and CD).

With the Fire, KC, and NE all having two off weeks in a row, and TFC off 1/2, your visit to Columbus in three weeks could be another battle for first (if we can get some results the next two weeks).

[JeremyEritrea]

That. Was. Awesome.

Crayton is trade bait.

Great game from Wicks - not often you see a saved PK.

Also good stuff from Pontius and Wallace, and of course Gomez free kick goal was very Etcheverry-esque. And I have a major man crush on Jakovic (sp?), who was amazing in central defense tonight. He was not very flashy, but every time the ball got near him, he cleared it and allowed DC to get back on offense. Dare I say his game reminded me of Eddie Pope or Carlos Llamosa?

Fun fun fun

[La Barra Blonde]

Gomez's goal off the free kick was the most awesomest goal I've seen all year. A-maz-ing.

And Wicks stopping that PK - holy crap!! Who is this keeper and what did you do with that afro? You go Wicks!!

But on the down side, I agree that DCU needs to learn how to finish balls as well as not to shoot just for the sake of shooting. There were some dumb turnovers because of that.

But wow, what a game!! Even the quiet side got on its feet several times. Way to go quiet side!!

[jmnva]

I want to see both PK calls again. In real time they looked really weak. I was in the birthday section-- its a weird place to watch the match. I missed the noisy side.

[JeremyEritrea]

I do think both PKs were totally bogus.

[JoseP]

Gomez free kick goal was very Etcheverry-esque.

I really thought Busch was so misplaced on that kick that most anyone would have made it. The goal seemed to be just slightly off the center of the goal.

Then again, I was there. Is the TV view of it different?

[URwormfood]

I do think both PKs were totally bogus.

Bogus or not...end of time only matters!

WIN!

Fire was nothing!

~worm~

[United fury]

I really thought Busch was so misplaced on that kick that most anyone would have made it. The goal seemed to be just slightly off the center of the goal.

Then again, I was there. Is the TV view of it different?I dont think Busch can be faulted for the goal. He had to be prepared for Gomez and Burch, so that makes him have to make a split second decision.

[JeremyEritrea]

I really thought Busch was so misplaced on that kick that most anyone would have made it. The goal seemed to be just slightly off the center of the goal.

Then again, I was there. Is the TV view of it different?
I was there too, haven't had a chance to watch it on TV yet.

[RCadieux]

I'm pretty sure Busch was playing for Burch to take the kick. He was counting on Gomez not being able to get the ball over the wall and under the crossbar.

I think I'm alone here, but I agree with our PK.
Busch A) Missed the ball by a mile. B) Left his feet. C) Slammed into Pontius. That was 100% a foul at midfield, I don't see why that shouldn't be a foul in the box. It's a reckless foul. I know you almost never see that kind of penalty but you almost never see a goalie miss the ball by so much and leave his feet.

Fred was really awful in the 1st half. He was not in sync with anyone else. The Chicago goal was on him. He overran Poppa trying to intercept a pass (which he had no chance to get to), then didn't hustle back fast enough and left Poppa time and space to get the shot off in the box.