Frankly, thought the penalty was a little weak. However, how many games have we had similarly weak penalties called against us and Dunny is all, "Very savvy of the player to put himself in a position to force the referee to make a decision." So, in summary, I'll take this W without much regret.
it's a foul. It's a weak foul, but it's a foul. Beasley should know better than most to not stick a leg in like that unless you're certain to win the ball.
Agreed. However, I would argue that type of foul is called 80% of the time outside the penalty area and maybe 5% of the time inside the area. My point is, we've been on the positive and negative end of this sort of call and since it gets overlooked so frequently, somebody is always going to feel as if they've been treated unfairly. I know all the arguments about "flow of the game", but I would like to see some things tightened up. For example, enough with half the team swarming the ref trying to get a call or complaining about a call. A few yellow cards would send a message to knock that off. Same with simulation calls. If the ref signals no foul and tells the player to get up and stop rolling around, shouldn't a yellow be issued?
I thought mass confrontation was something they fined for, no? I've always been annoyed that refs won't card obvious dives and/or embellishment.
I know they fined the team in the past. The owner with deep pockets having to write the league a check may not be much of a deterrent for many players. I'm suggesting individual yellows might hurt more and single out the worst offenders. A little extra leeway for the captain with the armband, but no one else. As far as the embellishment, I think it seriously hampers the growth of the game and opens the sport up to ridicule. You want to be respected as an athlete and as a legitimate sport in the US, then the stuff that Neymar was rolling out to a worldwide audience has to be curtailed.
Yellow cards and reds will solve the mass confrontation problem. Before the start of the game, the ref tells both teams that he only wants to talk to the team captain when there are calls. Swarming around him will result in a yellow for whoever he wants or whoever has the biggest mouth, no warning. Then watch the fireworks as he hands out yellows like candy on Halloween to teams like SKC.
I've said it here before and I'll say it again: mic the ref (like rugby) and you'll see this change, too.
I would agree that is a foul and a bit on the weak side but it's definitely a foul. I think the ref had balls to call it when he did and where he did and if, as Dunny pointed out, Beasley had left his leg in and Bofo goes down easy, as usual, he overturns the call and gives Bofo a yellow. But he didn't and RSL was given the opportunity to take 3 points that they definitely deserved. Also, earlier in the game Lennon is fouled right in front of the box and continues on to take an off balance and weak shot that went right to the keeper. If he goes to ground there RSL gets a call and dangerous free kick. Bofo pulls up the landing gear, foul, Lennon plays through a foul and gets advantage but not much. The soccer gods are weird.
A couple of afterthoughts: 1) I found it interesting that in the Dynamo’s game thread it was observed that all RSL needs is a veteran finisher and and they are set. I, too, think this is the glaring weakness in the roster. 2) The Dynamo posters also observed that RSL was much faster and ran circles around their guys. (Of course this was our lineup that started Sunny instead of KB5, nor did LSilva start). 3) My nephew from Germany is visiting and watched the game with us on tv. It was an education listening to his observations as the game progressed. For example, pointing out several players who always position their bodies to receive the ball with their dominant foot and by doing so block more than half the field from being available to move to or to distribute to. Anyway, his main impression from the game was how slow it was played.
It wont happen, but David Villa isn't likely returning to NYCFC next season. I know he is slow, but with all of the speed working around him in our attack, his ability to place a shot would push him back into the golden boot conversation. Though it would be a very short term solutions. Would be nice to try out a kid from the academy like Soto. Or maybe not wiff on our next attempt at a million dollar striker.