Jul 3 - Atl Beat vs Bay FC Gold Pride

Discussion in 'Atlanta Beat' started by AAGunner3, Jul 3, 2010.

  1. AAGunner3

    AAGunner3 Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kind of hard to win when your central defense gets gutted.

    Kia ejected in collision between her 'boot' and the keeper on a CK midway into 1st half. Straight red, of course I feel was a bit harsh but from the start of the game the CR didn't like Kia and was giving her a stern talking to. The play in question went to the far side of the goal area with both the keeper and Kia closing. Keeper went up and caught it in her midsection just as Kia was striking the ball - with her back to the goal and reaching for the ball. Keeper got there first and in the mind of the referee Kia was trying to murder the GK.

    Tina, the other CD, got injured on a play near our goal line to deny a dribbling attack by Gold Pride... went down on a slide and stopped the ball but 'something' happened when the FC GP player fell/jumped/kicked/etc on Tina. The CR was too far from the play to see anything happen and gave a no call. Immediately after the 'mishap' FC GP player started waving for assistance for Tina. Finally the CR strolls over to see what the problem was. Our ladies and FCGP started talking 'at each other' getting a little bit fed up over the incident. I'm sure someone's lineage was determined to be questionable. Tina recovered and was later subbed out at halftime. Yet another of our players on the black and blue list. So, by then we had neither of our starting CDs on the field.

    Hard to win when playing the #1 team for 3/4s of a match down a player.

    And what is it with the refs yet again? Had a violent, let me repeat, violent collision against one of our players on the opposing 30 yd line - think blindside body check into the hockey boards here.... the kind of play you want your team making, but no thought whatsoever of giving a card on that play. In the second half the AR was caught badly out of position and chose to call offside just to cover her arse... honestly couldn't tell you (and neither could she) if our player was truly offside but that's the sort of thing that's happened to us all season it seems. Yamaguchi (I think) got robbed on a miss hit ball that she kicked into her arm... wasn't deliberate but the ref just had to call it - was a nice long ball on a breakaway and she was trying to break through the opposing defense.

    And Marta? She's good. So good she never gets called for playing aggressively with her pushing and pulling. I'm shocked they let her play the whole game, had I been playing I'd have made her eat the turf a time or two. But leaving her in the game gave her more chances to show up our emaciated defensive line. Marte even made Hope Solo give up on a play where our remaining defenders were hopelessly outclassed and the team pushed forward trying to make something happen. Given her speed and our piecemeal defense tonight, I wondered if it wouldn't have made sense to put our speediest middie on shadow Marta duty.

    I 'think' it was 2-0 before we went down to 10 players... FCGP didn't / couldn't score again till the game was almost over.

    Hope Solo had to make some saves (great ones) that she shouldn't have had to make. We had some good opportunities but couldn't finish.

    Was annoyed we played long ball against their superior numbers and size (ie. long ball to a single forward against their 4 taller defenders). But by then we were tired and just trying to get lucky.

    Once again, the other team seemed to beat us to most of the loose balls being either faster or just quicker to react to any given play. Also, our 'telepathy' (knowing and anticipating a fellow player's next move) is not fully developed. We'd hold the ball a bit too long before making that through pass/pass it the wrong direction when our player broke the other way. The midfield did better this game than in others about getting back/forward on transition but I'll never be satisfied enough in that area. ;) Typical expansion team blues.

    - stupid question time -
    what does poor Atlanta Beat forward, #21, Eniola Aluko from Birmingham, England have to do to get on the little roster handed out prior to the game? She's been a team member for a couple of weeks now... kind of sad really.
     
  2. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    Regarding the red card, let me first say I think generally referees overprotect goalkeepers. *Especially* on the youth levels, when offensive players get whistled for being anywhere near the box whenever the goalkeeper even looks longingly at the ball.

    That said, photo #5 at

    http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/photos/Matches/2010 Season/100703-atl-bay.aspx

    does not seem to support what you are saying. Keeper has ball, Kia arriving late coming in hard with studs up. This appears to be an instance when the referee protecting the goalkeeper is warranted. The straight red and possibly additional punitive suspension was deserved.
     
  3. Mimsy Borogoves

    Sep 6, 2009
    The action in Picture #5 is unrelated to the Red Card.

    The Beat player wearing 9 is Mami Yamaguchi.
     
  4. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    you are looking at pic #1. scroll thru to pic #5.
     
  5. Cville K C

    Cville K C Member

    Nov 3, 2008
    Collinsville, IL
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    How can you tell that Kia was arriving late from a still photo? How can you tell she's coming in hard from a still photo? The only thing for sure is that the studs are up, which it would be in most instances when a player tried to kick a ball that was bouncing or higher than knee level. McNeill could have already kicked the ball and it went into Barnhart's hands. As I have been told many times on these forums, you can't really tell anything for sure from a still photo. I'm not saying you're wrong about it (and in fact, you're probably not), I'm just saying you can tell for sure unless you see a full replay.

    I see Seitz reffed the game. A very good referee and a very strict one. But she knows she regarded as one of the best and in my opinion, she has developed a bit of a "god" complex. McNeill also has a WPS target on her, partly deserved, partly not. She is a very physical player and sometimes makes bad decisions as to when she uses it. On the other hand, I've seen her roughed up and fouled and the refs ignore it, because of her size and reputation.
     
  6. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    Did I use absolute language? Did I not use conditional words such as "appears", and "seems"? You can hardly accuse me of being dogmatic. I'm looking forward to seeing a replay also, if WPS ever gets around to posting one. But I have to say the pic does not look good, even if she got the ball first. She is flying laterally at a fair clip, it would *seem*, given the horizontal orientation of her hair. Thus even if she got the keeper with the cleats on the follow thru, most of the time that is going to earn you an early trip to the showers.
     
  7. Cville K C

    Cville K C Member

    Nov 3, 2008
    Collinsville, IL
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, yes, actually you did...."Keeper has ball, Kia arriving late coming in hard with studs up." That's fairly absolute. The seems came in when you were describing what the referee's point of view was. You are 100% correct that it does look bad and as I said "I'm not saying you're wrong about it (and in fact, you're probably not)". And for goodness sakes, hair goes every which way when you're running and jumping. You could be standing still and move your head and it will move laterally.

    Of course, if you looked at the first picture, you could make a case that Buehler was pulling Miyama down with her right hand in the penalty area. Again though, I would have to see a replay because it's hard to tell from a still photo.
     
  8. shlj

    shlj Member+

    Apr 16, 2007
    London
    Club:
    FC Nantes
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Just seen the highlights, the Beat defence had trouble containing Marta.
    I don't blame them, my own team was at the receiving end of a 6-0 spanking for her last game with Umea where she scored 4. Must be giving headaches for a coach to find a solution to deny her space and time.

    Regarding the red card, well it does look bad. In the meantime at 02:13 , there is a hit than could be valuable at American football and he referee does not seem to produce the red card:confused: the player is nowhere near the ball and hits the beat forwards. IMO serious foul play/ using excessive force. Not very fair from the referee after excluding the Beat player.
     
  9. AAGunner3

    AAGunner3 Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    "Regarding the red card, well it does look bad. In the meantime at 02:13 , there is a hit than could be valuable at American football and he referee does not seem to produce the red card the player is nowhere near the ball and hits the beat forwards. IMO serious foul play/ using excessive force. Not very fair from the referee after excluding the Beat player."

    That's the play I was referring to where there was no consideration given to carding the FCGP player for serious foul play in that violent collision. At the very least a yellow was deserved (and expected). Giving a red would have been harsh but no card at all? That's par for what ATL gets on its home field where refereeing is concerned.

    Back to photo number 1, both players were quickly closing on the ball running away from the goal, keeper ended up being faster and got there a split second before Kia. Don't know exactly what Kia was trying to do but it was reckless. Ended up catching the keeper in the hip/thigh iirc when she landed on her foot - I hope trying to pull her boot away from the ball and to the side since at this point in the photo it's clear the keeper has it. Having Kia in the game wouldn't likely have changed things much since Marta's faster than a jackelope on its third cup of espresso.

    I know I'm biased as a home town fan, and despite knowing absolutely that the other teams we've played deserved to win all the games I've attended, I've yet to feel like the refs have given us a fair shake this season.
     
  10. AAGunner3

    AAGunner3 Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    heh, just discovered via another thread that it was a studs up 'mistackle' by Milbrett against Tina Ellertson early in the 1st half. Unfortunately, due to that no call there's no discussion about that incident nor the number of games that will be missed...
     
  11. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    Well, WPS posted the video in question, and I will be absolute now -- that is a straight red. Doesn't even pass the giggle test.
     
  12. Cville K C

    Cville K C Member

    Nov 3, 2008
    Collinsville, IL
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed, definitely a red, but as you can see, still photos can be deceiving. Your contention that McNeill appeared to come in laterally was totally not true. She came straight in. That's why I like to see the film when available.

    McNeill should have been smarter. If she goes in and tries to head the ball, she would have been fine since it was a 50-50 ball.

    On another subject, just how many breakaways did Gold Pride get in this game? It looks like the score could have been far worse. Even when McNeill and Ellertson were in the game, they were getting beat up the middle a few times.

    On the subject of Ellertson, I just read a tweet that her face is pretty swollen, but I almost guarantee you the film of that play will never see the light of day.

    The Beat need to regroup. They still have games in hand against the rest of the league and they play the two teams directly in front of them this week. This is their chance to make up some ground. McNeill will probably miss one or both games, my guess is both. That's the real killer, the game with Gold Pride was probably already lost when she got the red. But now they lose her for some games that they could win.
     
  13. crog1967

    crog1967 Member

    May 5, 2009
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Beat's defense gave up way too many breakaways. If Hope Solo had not come up big on several saves the score would have been hideous.

    I bitched, griped and yelled when McNeill was issued the straight red because I was at the game and that is what fans are supposed to in such a situation. In retrospect I can't say the red card was unwarranted.

    Milbrett's studs-up "mistackle" on Ellertson's face was just as dangerous and wreckless and no less deserving of a red card. Milbrett came up off the ground immediately after the tackle waving for medical to come attend to Tina. Tina lay motionless for what seemed like at least a minute. I was very surprised to see her come back into the game. She did not play well after her return. I was not at all surprised that she could not continue in the second half.

    If McNeill is given any extra suspension and Milbrett is not equally punished I am going to be really pissed off.
     
  14. Snail_ATL

    Snail_ATL Member

    Jul 5, 2010
    Atlanta
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    I was at the game and I managed to take some positives away from it, despite the obvious disappointment. After they went 1-0 ahead in the opening 40 seconds, I knew it was all going downhill, and that was only confirmed with the sending off (it looked bad live, too). Having just seen Marta score at will on Wednesday in the all-star game, I thought we were in for a tough time, and that indeed proved true.

    However, as for the positives, I thought we played very well for the long period after we went 2-0 down (and a player down) where we were fighting to pull one back. Mami did surprisingly well (surprising to me) up front as the lone forward -- she held the ball up well, showed great technique and strength, etc. Prior to that, she was working extremely hard, tracking back to defend and then getting forward to support Eniola, but I thought she was going to really tire herself out by doing that for the whole game. After Eniola was taken off, Mami just stayed up top, and she did well. She was "woman of the match" for me (from the Beat's side), although there were also strong performances from Hope solo and Aya Miyama (whose free kicks and corners were impressive, as was her overall vision). I also thought our central defense looked much better after being reorganized in the second half (Ironically, after our two defenders were removed...?).

    So, all this makes me think that some tactical reorganization is necessary. The Beat are not scoring goals, and we're conceding far too many, especially at home. Yet our players are individually very good. That suggests something's wrong with the system. FC Gold Pride tried out a new 3-5-2 formation (new for them) in the first half, and did well with it. I think some reshuffling is clearly overdue for the Beat.

    Lastly, we missed the intensity and energy of Ramona Bachmann. She was injured in the all-stars game (I saw her come off and get some lower back treatment, but I don't know the full nature of the injury). Any news as to when she's coming back?
     
  15. crog1967

    crog1967 Member

    May 5, 2009
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Definitely missed Bachmann. We also missed Ocampo's play making. AtlBeat GM, if you have a minute can you give us an update on the status of these two? Also, how is Ellertson? Thanks!
     
  16. fire123

    fire123 Member+

    Jul 31, 2009
    I've only seen the replay and the replay says the Beat's defense is sad.
     
  17. Atlanta Beat GM

    Atlanta Beat GM New Member

    Jun 21, 2010
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Ramona is at the U20 World Cup with th Swiss. Monica is still nursing an injury. Tina is out for this game...has a badly swollen face and a concussion...but will be back for the next match this weekend.
     
  18. crog1967

    crog1967 Member

    May 5, 2009
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ouch, ouch and more ouch. But thanks for the quick response.
     
  19. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Will there be any Beat players missing for this Wednesday's game against the Red Stars? What about Bachman? Will she be there?
     
  20. crog1967

    crog1967 Member

    May 5, 2009
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My interpretation of Atlanta Beat GM's comments are that Bachmann, Ellertson and Ocampo will all be unavailable for Wednesday's game.
     
  21. DemitriMaximoffX

    Aug 19, 2006
    Don't forget about Kia as well.
     
  22. crog1967

    crog1967 Member

    May 5, 2009
    Club:
    Atlanta Beat
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Gee, thanks for the reminder. :p
     
  23. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Thanks. Too bad Bachman won't be there. I like her play even though she tries to do too much often.

    I like that Bachman got in O'Reilly's face and tried to retaliate after HAO tried to be slick by trying to embarrass Bachman with putting the ball between her legs. If you ever played the game that's a no-no between players. Putting the ball through someones legs is a blatant attempt to embarrass them and deserves a retaliation, IMO. Friendly or not.

    There is something annoying about Heather O'Reilly that I can't put my finger on and I've been watching her play since she was a freshman in college.
     

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