Game: FC Dallas vs Seattle Sounders FC Date: Sunday, March 18th Time: 4:00 PM [CST] Location: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas, United States of America Weather Forecast: Scattered Thunderstorms; H 77, L 56 Competition: Major League Soccer Last 5 For Opponent: L-W-L-W-L [All Competitions] Live TV: KTXA-21 (DFW) | JOEtv; YouTube (Seattle) | Direct Kick/MLS Live (Out of Market) Radio: KFLC 1270 AM La Voz del Pueblo [Spanish] The team with the Champions League hangover at the team with the week off because they couldn't beat a Panamanian team in the previous round. Still way too early to get too worked about any kind of result but it would be nice to hand Seattle their 2nd straight league defeat and make us all feel a bit better.
This is a growing season, with at least 5 new players in the starting lineup once Nedyalkov is healthy. That includes Jacori Hayes, who looks more than ready to tear up the league. I just hope he gets smart with his aggressive play as the season moves along. With Seattle depleted and that horrible performance in the backs of their minds, I think there is blood in the water. I just hope we have some sharks in this team.
Seriously, if FCD can't beat Seattle at this point -- playing at home with a week off against a team that suffered what should be a demoralizing nut-punch of a game in Guadalajara on Wednesday night -- Pareja really needs to shake up the team big-time. I mean, for ********'s sake, if FCD wants to consider themselves in the league's elite, isn't this the sort of game where they should work out a few issues?
In addition to any mental effects from their loss to Chivas, Seattle has many injuries. Dempsey could be forced to play more minutes than the Seattle staff would like. They are ripe for a beatdown. Let the beating begin.
MotM: Clint Dempsey Over the 90 minutes, I'm pretty sure that FCD was going to be the better team, but Deuce's hijinks helped seal that deal.
For real. Dempsey gave the ball away several times before drawing the red card, too. I think he deliberately drew the red card so he could go take a shower and be done with that game. Pomykal looked really good, to be honest. Even accounting for the fact that he was coming on late against a very tired 10-man team, he looked good. Kid's got a great touch, decent speed, and seems to read the game well. I look forward to more of him.
How Tony Nedyalkov played on his MLS debut? Before two months i said that he will be a class player about MLS
For this team, just finishing off your beaten down, undermanned opponent is a big deal. Other than that its hard to take anything from a game where they are playing with a man advantage. Oh and Kasey Keller is still a POS commentator.
Looked very good and not out of place at all. Great speed and knew when to hang back or go get the ball. You could tell he still wasn't 100%, so I won't be too critical of a little rust. Overall, like his style and toughness.
My only 2 concerns for this game were Mosquera and Gruezo. Gruezo still looks like he has his head up his ass half of the time. Forcing bad passes and not being where he's supposed to be. Hope he shakes it off because we all know how good he can be. Mosquera is an enigma. Looked so promising in preseason/CCL but in both MLS appearances, he looks off. Making all these fancy feet but not running at anyone. Lots of slop too. Just wasn't impressed. He could've came on and run at the tired defense and been a real pest. Disappointed.
I think the game charts showed that Gruezo was the CM that tried to be more of the box to box (Acosta replacement) guy. That's not his comfort zone though but apparently Hayes plays a lot like Gruezo but of course is less experienced. I'd like to see Pomykal get a game in that spot just because he's much more of a linking offensive type. He also played tough defense in his minutes. Good thing to have so many quality players as cards, callups and injuries always happen.
I think the game was about 15 minutes old before I noticed Dempsey get a touch. After our first goal, and just before his red card it seemed like we took the foot off the gas a bit. A couple balls rattled around in our box. Fortunately nothing came of them. Pomykal's dribbling run up the right wing was one of the highlights of the game. He also had a nice recovery run to stop an attack in the right corner. Nedyalkov looked very good to me. Meshed will with the rest of the D, got forward effectively, nice work to spring Lamah for his second goal.
thoughts: Diaz was not having a good game up until he made the pass to Barrios for the opening goal.. At that point he'd been playing very slowly and dispossessed at least four times. After that he looked more engaged and determined. There was something about the conditions as both team's first touch was just miserable for most of the game. Don't even remember Mosquera coming into the game. wow, that is a bad sign. Nedyalkov - when off the ball spent much of the game rubbing the calf of the leg with achilles tendonitis. But when on the ball appeared fine. Lamah and Urruti ultimately had a pair of very nice goals, but throughout the game the team's overall level of finishing is highly suspect. FCD had TWO odd man rushes they should have scored on and utterly flunked both of them. Hayes is a really nice young player - but is a Greuzo clone and not an Acosta replacement Pax is fun Both GK'er were allowed to wear the exact same kits. shameful. the red card made this a hard result to read. Still think Oscar knows he's missing a piece in attack - the Acosta role or "glue" as he call them. If you're not reading Buzz's work over at 3rdDegree.net - you're missing the best coverage of the team by someone who's attending practice, games and talking to coaches on a regular basis.
Second game in a row with questionable goalkeeper attire. Last week, Rimando had red on the center of his shirt. This week was ridiculous with both keepers in the exact same shade of blue on their shirts and shorts. I was kind of hoping for a close game so one of the keepers would go downfield on a corner kick. I thought the league office dictated what both teams wore well before the game to avoid these conflicts.
[QUOTE="Cowtown Felipe, post: 36435016, member: 202273"This week was ridiculous with both keepers in the exact same shade of blue on their shirts and shorts.[/QUOTE] it was actually the identical kit. the only difference was the sponsor and club logos. total shame and major kit crime.
I nominate Hitman to be MLS uniform Czar! And he's right, Buzz is killing it with his practice and game reports. He has a real ability to distill all of his observations into useful info for us. I wonder if he's getting into the position to be banned for giving away too much or whether there has been some sort of agreement on what can be covered? For you newbies he was asked not to cover certain things by the incoming Jeffries coaching staff because they used his reports as scout material when they were in Chicago.