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Osei Can You See?
Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 09:37 AM by Bill Archer
The morning after a team gets knocked out of the playoffs there's always a good deal of finger pointing, blame seeking and what-iffing.
As dutiful, diligent, longtime fans of the Beautiful Game, we all know perfectly well that blaming a loss on any one play or one call is simply unfair.
What about this or that pass or this or that shot or this or that run that someone did or didn't make? Soccer consists of 90 minutes of opportunities - taken and missed - and the fact that so many games are low-scoring or no-scoring affairs demonstrates just how tenuous the whole deal is.
OK, have I been clinically analytical and dispassionate enough yet? Good.
Here's Emmanual Osei tossing New Englands' season down the crapper:
Everybody who follows the game knows that the obstruction rule is, basically, just there for appearance sake. 20 times a game we see a defender ushering the ball into touch like a Britney Spears bodyguard while some attacker, who at times appears to be frantically attempting to breed with his opponent, tries to get a foot on it.
We can have long, learned discussions about whether the ball was "within playing distance" and all of that officiating minutia, but the basic fact is that the defender had no thought whatsoever of doing anything but acting as a roadblock.
Which is the way the game is played and that's OK I guess, but someone needs to tell Osei that you need to put a little effort into it sometimes. The ball has a ways to go before it gets across the line, but he seems to feel his mere presence in the vicinity will be enough to make Nyarko turn and head up field for the New England throwin.
Nyarkos' pocket picking aside, it still took a nice piece of on-the-ball calmness from our man Cootiemac to send Chicago on to the Conference final, but the fatal error belongs to Osei alone.
Until that moment the game looked almost certain to go into extra time as the Revolution simply locked down the final third of the pitch, although not until they coughed up posession and allowed this lovely bit of ball movement after Jay Heaps seemed more interested in knocking Blanco down than playing, you know, actual defense:
All of which will likely ease Mr mcBrides' pain this morning after Mr. Reis made the point that it was, in fact, HIS area thank you:
Still, it's not like the Revs didn't have their chances, including this early Christmas gift for Pat Phelan:
Phelan, apparently, prefers to wait until Dec 25th to open his presents.
As dutiful, diligent, longtime fans of the Beautiful Game, we all know perfectly well that blaming a loss on any one play or one call is simply unfair.
What about this or that pass or this or that shot or this or that run that someone did or didn't make? Soccer consists of 90 minutes of opportunities - taken and missed - and the fact that so many games are low-scoring or no-scoring affairs demonstrates just how tenuous the whole deal is.
OK, have I been clinically analytical and dispassionate enough yet? Good.
Here's Emmanual Osei tossing New Englands' season down the crapper:
Everybody who follows the game knows that the obstruction rule is, basically, just there for appearance sake. 20 times a game we see a defender ushering the ball into touch like a Britney Spears bodyguard while some attacker, who at times appears to be frantically attempting to breed with his opponent, tries to get a foot on it.
We can have long, learned discussions about whether the ball was "within playing distance" and all of that officiating minutia, but the basic fact is that the defender had no thought whatsoever of doing anything but acting as a roadblock.
Which is the way the game is played and that's OK I guess, but someone needs to tell Osei that you need to put a little effort into it sometimes. The ball has a ways to go before it gets across the line, but he seems to feel his mere presence in the vicinity will be enough to make Nyarko turn and head up field for the New England throwin.
Nyarkos' pocket picking aside, it still took a nice piece of on-the-ball calmness from our man Cootiemac to send Chicago on to the Conference final, but the fatal error belongs to Osei alone.
Until that moment the game looked almost certain to go into extra time as the Revolution simply locked down the final third of the pitch, although not until they coughed up posession and allowed this lovely bit of ball movement after Jay Heaps seemed more interested in knocking Blanco down than playing, you know, actual defense:
All of which will likely ease Mr mcBrides' pain this morning after Mr. Reis made the point that it was, in fact, HIS area thank you:
Still, it's not like the Revs didn't have their chances, including this early Christmas gift for Pat Phelan:
Phelan, apparently, prefers to wait until Dec 25th to open his presents.
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Where was the Rev's entire left side, all I kept seeing was Papa and Blanco having all the time and space to work.Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 10:00 AM by njndirish 
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Crowd looked awesome! I would have loved to be there.
Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 10:03 AM by babieca
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Good post, Bill. Our whole leftside was at fault on Chicago's second goal. Wells Thompson lost possession, Heaps was burned down the wing, Osei was outmuscled badly and allowed the cross into the middle where it slid through Alston's legs for Blanco to put away.
Pick on Osei all you want but that whole side of the field was to blame and Heaps showed all game long why he shouldn't be playing professional soccer anymore.Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 10:41 AM by RevsLiverpool
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As a neutral, that is to say somebody who hates both teams involved, it was a storming match. Sure game of two halves and all of that. In spite of it seeming like it might end up one of those matches where NE shows up as the team that withstands wave after wave of attack only to pip one against the run of play, it was not.Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:06 AM by MeridianFC
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I agree 100%, still cringing when I watch the Osei clipPosted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:09 AM by oneword
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I was there for the game last night, crowd was indeed awesome. Especially the sections behind the north side goal(i.e. you can see them on the background of first clip) were standing and chanting all the game...
Also, with only 21-22K capacity, this stadium has a cozy feeling to it, and you're close to the action wherever you are.Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:11 AM by ArdaBey
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Do Revs fans actually like Jay Heaps? Or do they think he's a douchebag like the rest of us?
Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:40 AM by Mullet&Talon
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Most of us dream of a team without Heaps.Quote:Originally Posted by Mullet&Talon
Do Revs fans actually like Jay Heaps? Or do they think he's a douchebag like the rest of us?Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:43 AM by wolfp10
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new england has alot of injuries fellas....which everybody knows
you guys were exceptional seeing that Twellman and Ralston along with several others were out
Osei made a horrible mistake, but was helpful all year and afterall did score at Gillette Stadium to lead you guys into a winning situation at Toyoto Park
maybe say...."we would have never been in it if it werent for Osei?" its a stretch.....but i applaud the fans, players, and steve nicol for a great season under alot of injuries
Revolution should get a DP if Ralston retires......if he doesnt, maybe a centre back DP?Posted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:44 AM by FloridaFC2MLS
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oh come on!
jay heaps is an average, experienced, reliable defender....yes he is too basic at times, but he can deliver long balls well and is a pretty good tackler, i also honestly dont think anybody on last night's starting line up should be blamed like i said before
injuries, injuries, injuries...its a shamePosted 08 Nov 2009 at 11:47 AM by FloridaFC2MLS
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