Chicago1871
15 Jun 2004, 09:02 AM
Call it the "Revenge of the Nats Fringe" edition. With the USMNT in action, and several of the league's best internationals also engaged in Concacaf qualification, this was the perfect week for Nats past, future, and present B-teamers to dominate. Only a Richie Williams comeback or a Kirovski hat trick could have made this week more annoying to posters who start threads like "Five players I never want to see in a Nats jersey again." Favorite BigSoccer whipping boys found the nets and wins in California, and the top domestic forwards not on the current Nats roster or hurt all added to their tallies. April's doormat Columbus kept its unbeaten streak alive, while May's doormat Dallas is halfway to a perfect June (sometimes it's nice to have no national teamers - well, OK, one). DC played the typical DC game - dominated possession without scoring. Cut and paste that line for future use - it works almost every week. This week the AAXI is fielding a very offensive 3-4-3. This lineup is arguably the most attacking-minded yet, but it’s probably going to be topped sometime this season.
Jeff Cassar (1): One of only two goalkeepers nominated this week, it was apparent from the nominations that it was Cassar who kept the Revs from hanging up a couple extra goals on the Burn. From some accounts it was his play that got Dallas the win. One nomination declared it “the game of his life.”
Chris Albright (6): Had a rough go early on, trying to contain Mapp, but who hasn’t. After making a big mistake on the penalty, he more than made up for it with a beautiful cross for an assist and a nice game-winning goal in late stoppage time. His offense coming up from the back is way ahead of his defense at this point, but he is looking more and more like a real right back, so that counts for something.
Jimmy Conrad (2): This is a guy who is often overlooked as a central defender and as a columnist. He looked dangerous on set pieces, and played a very clean game. There’s something to be said for a defender who has a good game in the back and still finds time to tally a goal (all three nominated defenders put a goal on the board this weekend…interesting).
Jeff Agoos (2): Tremendous game out of the back plus a goal. Jeff scored a beauty off of an indirect free kick, but even more importantly did the veteran's job of reading attacks and snuffing them out. Had a few moments where youngsters like Gaven and Magee out-shown him, but for the most part he played an excellent match.
Cobi Jones (1): A solid performance from the veteran, who still has enough speed to cause problems. Some beautiful passing early on, he spent the second half constantly creating space for shots/crosses in the box with his quickness and cutbacks. Perez was repeatedly victimized by Jones on the right flank, and when LA started their comeback, it all came from that right side. Jones didn't figure in the games biggest plays, but he kept creating chaos - an ideal Jones performance.
Justin Mapp (1): The youngster continues to impress, repeatedly showing the sort of player he has the potential of becoming. To use an overused cliché, “speed kills,” and Mapp’s was lethal the entire time he was on the field. He had a solid first half, but kicked it into another gear in the second half, running wild before beating four Galaxy defenders off the dribble and drawing the penalty which put the Fire up. The kid has amazing speed and great crossing ability; he just needs to run at more people more often. But he's coming into his own. It was no coincidence that Jones and Albright did the damage they did after Mapp went off.
Richard Mulrooney (1): He connected well through midfield and had some strong offensive runs. He’s had better games, but stepped it up with Donovan in C-bus. The role he played was critical to keep the attack pressing forward. San Jose seemingly dominated possession and Mulrooney was a big factor why. Many nominations questioned why he's fallen out of favor with the Bruce.
Josh Gros (2): By all accounts the only bright spot in an otherwise nothing of a game. If Gros hadn’t put in a decent performance this spot would have gone to The Foggy Bottom beer man. One DC fan nominated this brew toting savior because “I’m pretty sure he was American and was the only way I could make it through [the game] without tearing my eyes out after watching that load of ****.”
Brian Mullan (2): If you look up "work rate" in the dictionary, before you can get to the right page, Brian Mullan will have charged in and knocked the dictionary out of your hands. Sometimes he plays like his life depends on it, and that's both good and bad (he's a red card waiting to happen with less lenient refs). A spectacular effort saw him put in a very entertaining goal that had all the hallmarks of a "goal of the year." A truly remarkable individual effort for the goal, and what a “second” effort on the finish.
Ante Razov (1): Had he played in MLS Cup 03 the way he did in this game the Fire might not have been the bridesmaids last year. First he burries the ball in the back of the net following a slicing run, and then converts the penalty on the same field, at the same goal that he missed in MLS Cup last year. You could see he got frustrated a few times with some of the young guys around him, but everyone knows the man’s middle name is NOT “patience.” Razov played like we all wish he would play for the Nats, putting in a very adult performance (you don’t often get to hear those words describing Ante do you?).
Jeff Cunningham (2): He has, without a doubt, been the biggest part of Columbus' return from the dead. Who knew the entire Columbus offense could fit into one yellow jersey. His goal was nothing short of a tremendous effort with a great finish from "an impossible angle." Hard to believe that six weeks ago Andrulis was near-extinction, and saying things like, "We have strikers who are theoretically good on this team, they better start acting like it and score." Two goals enough for you, Greg?
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this weeks AAXI, and to Casper for this weeks intro/header.
Jeff Cassar (1): One of only two goalkeepers nominated this week, it was apparent from the nominations that it was Cassar who kept the Revs from hanging up a couple extra goals on the Burn. From some accounts it was his play that got Dallas the win. One nomination declared it “the game of his life.”
Chris Albright (6): Had a rough go early on, trying to contain Mapp, but who hasn’t. After making a big mistake on the penalty, he more than made up for it with a beautiful cross for an assist and a nice game-winning goal in late stoppage time. His offense coming up from the back is way ahead of his defense at this point, but he is looking more and more like a real right back, so that counts for something.
Jimmy Conrad (2): This is a guy who is often overlooked as a central defender and as a columnist. He looked dangerous on set pieces, and played a very clean game. There’s something to be said for a defender who has a good game in the back and still finds time to tally a goal (all three nominated defenders put a goal on the board this weekend…interesting).
Jeff Agoos (2): Tremendous game out of the back plus a goal. Jeff scored a beauty off of an indirect free kick, but even more importantly did the veteran's job of reading attacks and snuffing them out. Had a few moments where youngsters like Gaven and Magee out-shown him, but for the most part he played an excellent match.
Cobi Jones (1): A solid performance from the veteran, who still has enough speed to cause problems. Some beautiful passing early on, he spent the second half constantly creating space for shots/crosses in the box with his quickness and cutbacks. Perez was repeatedly victimized by Jones on the right flank, and when LA started their comeback, it all came from that right side. Jones didn't figure in the games biggest plays, but he kept creating chaos - an ideal Jones performance.
Justin Mapp (1): The youngster continues to impress, repeatedly showing the sort of player he has the potential of becoming. To use an overused cliché, “speed kills,” and Mapp’s was lethal the entire time he was on the field. He had a solid first half, but kicked it into another gear in the second half, running wild before beating four Galaxy defenders off the dribble and drawing the penalty which put the Fire up. The kid has amazing speed and great crossing ability; he just needs to run at more people more often. But he's coming into his own. It was no coincidence that Jones and Albright did the damage they did after Mapp went off.
Richard Mulrooney (1): He connected well through midfield and had some strong offensive runs. He’s had better games, but stepped it up with Donovan in C-bus. The role he played was critical to keep the attack pressing forward. San Jose seemingly dominated possession and Mulrooney was a big factor why. Many nominations questioned why he's fallen out of favor with the Bruce.
Josh Gros (2): By all accounts the only bright spot in an otherwise nothing of a game. If Gros hadn’t put in a decent performance this spot would have gone to The Foggy Bottom beer man. One DC fan nominated this brew toting savior because “I’m pretty sure he was American and was the only way I could make it through [the game] without tearing my eyes out after watching that load of ****.”
Brian Mullan (2): If you look up "work rate" in the dictionary, before you can get to the right page, Brian Mullan will have charged in and knocked the dictionary out of your hands. Sometimes he plays like his life depends on it, and that's both good and bad (he's a red card waiting to happen with less lenient refs). A spectacular effort saw him put in a very entertaining goal that had all the hallmarks of a "goal of the year." A truly remarkable individual effort for the goal, and what a “second” effort on the finish.
Ante Razov (1): Had he played in MLS Cup 03 the way he did in this game the Fire might not have been the bridesmaids last year. First he burries the ball in the back of the net following a slicing run, and then converts the penalty on the same field, at the same goal that he missed in MLS Cup last year. You could see he got frustrated a few times with some of the young guys around him, but everyone knows the man’s middle name is NOT “patience.” Razov played like we all wish he would play for the Nats, putting in a very adult performance (you don’t often get to hear those words describing Ante do you?).
Jeff Cunningham (2): He has, without a doubt, been the biggest part of Columbus' return from the dead. Who knew the entire Columbus offense could fit into one yellow jersey. His goal was nothing short of a tremendous effort with a great finish from "an impossible angle." Hard to believe that six weeks ago Andrulis was near-extinction, and saying things like, "We have strikers who are theoretically good on this team, they better start acting like it and score." Two goals enough for you, Greg?
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this weeks AAXI, and to Casper for this weeks intro/header.