Boy, you read the game threads on the RSL and Red Bulls boards and the comments about officials and you’d think they were about different games. No doubt the officiating had many dubious calls. Fans tend to remember calls against their team than the other way around. For instance there were a few uncalled fouls where RSL could have had a PK that were far worse than the one they finally got the call on (which was at very least very generous). I for one had questions on the non-call on the backpass (haven’t had the benefit of replay but it seemed a fairly obvious call from my viewpoint at the match) and on Cunningham’s yellow card (looked like both players just went for the ball and went down together, certainly a foul on one of them, but no need at all for a caution as it was just a case of 2 players playing hard but fair soccer). I think one thing fans of most if not all MLS teams agree on is that the league’s officiating needs a lot of improvement. The players really have little respect for the officals because of their incompetence. I see way too many players throwing the ball away delaying the restart after they are disgusted by a call and the refs don’t even warn them about it. I can feel for NYRB fans lamenting losing the 2 points in a game that they dominated. In our opener against Dallas, we were all over them and gave up the equlaizer with about 30 seconds of extra time left to play. Have to wonder what is going on with Cletus? He’s playing like a man possessed. His scoring production is already nearly at what he got the entire 2006 season. (I bet Colorado fans are wondering the same thing). Surprised Clint didn’t come over to ‘say hello’ to the support group after he made the great diving header right in front of us in the second half. Anyway, we’ll see you at the rematch in a few months. Hopefully RSL can keep the final margin a wee bit closer than last year’s embarassment. Cheers
Some fans were giving him guff when he was at the corner flag, about to kick the ball. Guess he wanted to be here in the NYC area that bad. Hey, I don't blame him.
That was a bad call, proably felt worse than it was because we are US supporters, but at least that ref could plausably argue Gooch brought him down in the area. Salazar has no defense for the incidential contact in the 50-50 challenge.
Get Real dude. The JC play "could" have been a PK, but it also would have been a little soft given the way he imbellished the contact. Those are not clear cut. The backpass....likely a backpass but that isnt a PK its just an indirect freekick. JC "could have" and IMO wouldnt have been harsh if he had, been sent off for a second yellow after ramming into Watereus on a ball he had no right to challenge for...it casue him to roll his ankle as well. Its not losing the 2 points, i am more than confident we wont miss them much in the long run. Its the manner in which the last 2 goals in stoppage time came about, under extremely dubious circumstances that has us upset. Clint WANTED to be in NY, he dedicate himself to his fitness and training because he didnt want to rot away in this game. And he wanted to play for Bruce. He never "lost" his talent just his desire, now its back and the quality remains.
Haha so did I. He deserves it, even though the goal never would have happened because we would still have possession if talley didn't jump on the field to intercept.
The backpass is so rarely called that many fans don't know it results in an indirect kick instead of a PK. (Many in our supporters were chanting PK PK PK and I was trying to educate them that if called it would not have been a PK) RSL had a backpass called against them last Monday and most of the crowd seemed to have no idea what was going on. Happy for Cletus as I've always liked him. He had a couple of rough years in Salt Lake and Denver. Glad he is starting to find some success again.
I watched it like 3 times during the game (thanks to DVR) and it was a backpass...so that was a non-call. If you think about it...the indirect free kick could have been dangerous since the Walrus was hobbling around but trying to play on it. Only after a couple of poor clearances, did he realize that he couldn't play on it. Also side note--for those who were reading PBP, I just realized that because I was watching it on DVR, my "live" viewing was a couple of seconds behind the actual live telecast---so that's why my posts were always behind the other PBP (that and my attempt to describe things). Any word on the injury to Wattereus?
It wasn't just Waterreus, it was also the midfield (as I and others noted long before this match). RSL must have recognized this, because they bypassed the midfield as much as they could in this game. When Reyna is defending the other teams best striker one-on-one on the by-line, you know your back four have issues.
The first goal is the only actual goal the other 2 well are flukes I don't give credit to a team that gets the most pk's at home in the last minutes of a game nor do I respect the run on to the pitch.
I agree with your point generally, but this statement is false. Kovalenko was completely by himself due to a tremendous play by Reyna. This allowed him to take his time and pick out a completely unmarked Mathis (who was all alone because of a great play by Altidore) with an inch-perfect cross. There was almost no chance Mathis was going to miss the target there. It was probably more difficult to miss the frame in that case than it was to hit it. The ball was not moving that fast, either.
Really? You think fullback is the defensive problem? Not center half? You don't find Freeman and Dunivant MLS-level competent?
I actually think it was worse. While I think Onyewu didn't really foul whoever (Pimpong, was it?), I could see how it might look like it to the official. The Parke/Talley thing didn't even look like a foul.
At the same time, it wasn't only the reffing that has me (at least) upset over the equalizer. Dunivant is as much or more to blame than the officials for that one.
Not sure if this was posted or not. http://rs89.rapidshare.com/files/29925874/RSL-NY_hdnet.wmv Highlights from HDNET, including the bogus PK call and Waterreus save. Edit: Nevermind, Scaryice started the thread already. Good job Scary!
you really think that was a backpass? I had this discussion with my brother watching the game, and we really thought it was a messed up clear. I mean, who lofts a ball to their keeper like that with a forward pressuring him??
Very true but the fact remains, 4th official had no right to tell Talley of RSL to re-enter the field without the proper permission of the head match official. Which means that third goal is illegal.
i was sitting on the side of the field where the SLC goals were scored about 20 rows up and just outside the 18. the SLC goals scored during the run of play were basically unstoppable by the NYRB keepers. they both hit side netting and were curved quite strongly. i wouldn't blame either keeper (Ron or Jon) for those goals. i believe that the penalty call was precipitated from an incident where parke took down someone earlier in the match inside the 18 but no call was made. actually, not bad thinking on the refs part - he probably believed there was hard contact in the box (a second time) that could be a foul, figured the score was 3:1 in or near penalty time and that there wouldn't be much impact on the end result and so he blew the whistle. who would've guessed that another score by SLC would happen in a minute or so after - that was just a defensive let down (along with a very good shot on goal). btw, it got really really cold when the rains came. and yes, the SLC fans whine a LOT. they were very upset with the referee for most of the game - except at the end. i was also surprised how many fans were at the game - there were a bunch of them; very full at the lower level of rice-eccles stadium. hopefully the NY fans will support their team in the same numbers even if there isn't a new stadium yet.