This is the image that stuck in my mind from the replay of the Bradley tackle I mentioned. It looks to me like a clear case of studs going squarely into an opposing player. In watching it again, Bradley did touch the ball before catching Bunbury, but the ref made a clear 'play on' motion, meaning he must have seen a foul on the play, because you are not supposed to make such a sign if you're saying there was no foul. Plus, despite what some people say, if you make what is deemed to be a violent tackle, it doesn't matter if you get the ball. The play happened at about 23:55 in the game, was just over a minute after a TFC defender jumped over Bunbury to head a ball, and seemingly intentionally swung his arm beside/behind him, towards Teal, striking him right in the face, and Teal actually got called for the foul. The replay from which I got the image above was shown after about 26 minutes on the game clock, as Lee was getting treatment for a player just barging through him from behind, nowhere close to being able to play the ball. None of these fouls merited a caution in the opinion of the ref.
Ok, I was finally able to watch a replay of the game last night (the vantage point from the fort makes it very tough to read some of the ref calls). Here's what I got: Atomic Asshole, was never touched in the box and so he should have received a yellow for his dive and disgusting antics. What a P.O.S.. The tackle in the box on Bunbury could have been called or it couldn't have been. Tough call, but of course we didn't get it. The second mugging in the box wasn't a penul like I thought it was, as the TFC defender released his hands in time. And the nullified goal at the end was called back because the ball had traveled over the goal line and bent back in. It wasn't the case of off-sides. I can't dispute that one because there was no good camera angle. So, my takeaway was that Giovinco should have been carded for his cynical, dishonest play, and our forwards should have buried their chances and once again they didn't. Other than that, our defense is giving up very few goals lately and with Koffie, we are solid until the final third. Those guys need to figure it out. If they do, we can be competitive.
One way to look at it is that the Revs can control the process but not necessarily the final outcome. They can create great scoring chances but they can't control if a keeper makes a fantastic save (on Nguyen in the 3rd minute) or if a defender simply trips them (on Bunbury) or shoves them over from behind (Davies in injury time). They can't control if the ref blows a call (missed red on Morrow, missed red on Bradley) and can't control if an AR blows a call (over-the-line call against Femi). And they can't control injuries (Agudelo) or exhaustion due to twins in the NICU (Davies). So with the things that the Revs can control, I think they did a pretty good job. Even with Teal as a lone striker, we created a lot of opportunities. We gave up three opportunities (Altidore's missed free header in the first half, Giovinco tripping on the ground, and Giovinco's goal) and one of those opportunities was due to garbage refereeing that left our key defender, Koffie, on the deck. We created a lot of opportunities (2nd minute save on Nguyen, Rowe's goal, both PK shouts, disallowed goal, Diego and Teal's double-chance right after halftime). Despite the result, the game has me feeling good about the next few weeks.
That's pretty much how I feel about it. Let's not forget Toronto blew 2 great chances at goal with Altidore and Giovinco. We certainly played much better than previous games, but we historically play well against Toronto for some reason, maybe its because guys are extra motivated to show that Altidore and Bradley are overrated.
I like your point about controlling the process, not the outcome but ironically, because of that statement disagree about feeling good about the next few weeks. In fact, this game is a microcosm of what I am expecting from the revs in the foreseeable future. Decent defensive performance and garbage finishing. It left me feeling almost depressed about the revs' chances for the season at large. The next game is at Orlando, who just manhandled the MLS Cup champs there, 4-1. At LA next, (expect a big fat loss). Then, home against Chicago and Dallas. If we get more than 4 points from those 4 games, I will be psyched. Not optimistic that will be the case. Unfortunately, the revs are absolutely mediocre. This team will struggle to score goals all year and will probably finish around .500.
Garbage finishing won't last forever. Davies didn't forget how to score goals and neither did Nguyen. Against Orlando, I expect Caldwell and Koffie to smother Kaka as they did Giovinco. I think Teal is actually a great matchup defensively for Shea. And Collin hasn't been red-carded yet this season so he's due.
Kelyn Rowe knocked of Benny Feilhaber in the first round of Goal of the Week voting. Now, he is up against Wondolowski, and currently leading. If things stay as they are for 11 more hours, he will face Giles Barnes and his blind-shot goal in the finals. http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/04/13/att-mls-goal-week-week-6-voting
It's now Wondo 52/48 over Rowe. Quintero is leading Barnes in the other bracket (which makes no sense to me -- Quintero's looks almost like a mis-struck ball).
After 6 games I haven't seen anything to convince me the REVs shouldn't be called, at best, marginally impotent on offense. Have you been watching? Get these guys some footy Viagra! All the possession doesn't seem to generate many shots and very few dangerous shots. I'd love to get a penalty shot per game so we can score but what are the odds? I think at least one of the two plays under discussion could have been called but I also think Bunbury might not have gotten a shot off or would have missed somehow if he hadn't been fouled. I think we're hoodwinking ourselves if we think we have the players to score in this system or the coach to adopt a new system to better fit his players. I guess the good news is that, for now, mediocrity rules in the Eastern Conference.
I think you missed a few games after the trip to Orlando: Apr 23 D.C. United vs 2:30 PM New England ----------------- Apr 27 New England vs 4:30 PM Portland Timbers ----------------- Apr 30 New England vs 4:30 PM Orlando City ------------------ The same players scored in pretty much the same system last year, so why shouldn't they this year? Unless you are giving an out-of-shape and often-missing JJones much of the credit for last year's offense. The basic difference, at this point, between last year and this year, is Koffee for Jones and Watson for Woodbury.
Through 6 games in 2015: 4 goals scored, 6 allowed Record: 2-2-2 Through 6 games in 2016: 6 goals scored, 8 allowed Record: 1-1-4
So let's schedule some games against last year's teams? I remember them being middle-ish pack in scoring. And I don't care because I'm watching the same players strike absolutely no fear in opposing defenses. Scoring isn't their only problem. I do think I mentioned a coach and a system. I stand by what I said. As an opposing coach I'd feel little to no compulsion to make adjustments; I'd tell my defense not to risk a foul if beat because the Revs would likely miss. Pre-JJ in 2014 I think other teams were bothered by our offense, frightened of it with 2014 JJ. 2015, despite only being a handful of goals lower overall, we began our descent into impotence with and without JJ. Why hold back? I suggest, "out of shape, drunk, high, fat, flatulent, Un-shaved, often missing and always mentally absent JJ."