Dallas enter the match on a 7 game winless streak, without Brek Shea, who is serving a suspension for being stupid. There is no reason the Fire can't beat this struggling team, then again there was no indication that the Fire would falter at all against Portland, who aren't a very good team. Home match. Brimstone. Hate.
0-1-5 (W/T/L) 5 GF 14 GA For some reason no matter how bad they were and how good we were, we just couldn't beat them here. I hope that this is the year, but I think it's going to end in a 1-1 tie. We haven't scored more than one goal against them, so if somehow we could get 2 or 3 then we will win the game. Any news on Rolfe, we really could use him...... and If we somehow win we get back the Brimstone Cup, unless we somehow meet in the final
I know we're all frustrated that Rolfe is nursing an ankle injury but I decided to go back to his five previous seasons with the Fire just to see how his stats looked and here is what I found: Year GP Rank Minutes Rank Goals Rank 2005 29 5th 1941 5th 9 1 2006 21 9th 1636 12th 7 3 2007 19 8th 1451 8th 6 2 2008 28 2nd 1960 6th 9 1 2009 28 3rd 1854 5th 6 2 2006 was the year he spent sharing time with one infamous Andy Herron which was reflected in his overall minutes played that year. Interestingly, in 3 out of the 5 years he was in the top five in games played while ranking no worse than third in scoring during his entire five-year career. I am just anxious to see him get back on the field. His physical issue in Denmark was tendonosis in his hamstring and the only thing he could do was shut it down for several months. Not much different than an ACL tear or other type of muscle problem which many players have experienced. Based upon the above history with the Fire, overall he has been reasonably durable it seems.
Not the same as a Ring of Fire ceremony, but I hope that the Cup is handed directly to PW after the players have paraded it around the stadium.
If Dallas learned anything from our last game, they'll immediately challenge the ref with syncronized groin kicks at the opening whistle.
Starting 11 Johnson Gargan Anibaba Berry Segares Grazzini Pappa Robayo (holy shit) Pause Oduro Nyarko Subs: Tornaghi Bone Paladini Jumper Pardo Barouch Puppo
Say what you will about the significance of winning the Brimstone Cup, its got the best slogan of any rivalry I know of "The more the kindled combat rises high'r, The more with fury burns the blazing fire." Gives me shivers.
Thanks, dont have. Seems harder to see the Fire this season if you cant make it to the game or have direct kick.
Hey, another set piece goal against..... FC Dallas 1-0 Give up the first goal of the game for the 8th time this year.
Jeebus this is painful to watch. It's like watching the worst of the first half of last year. Johnson maxsuxors. I think he believes he's playing volleyball, not soccer. Frank should be fired at halftime for not starting Tornaghi. Berry is our only decent defender. Grazzini and Robayo are just awful. We have no attacking ideas other than hoof it to Oduro and we stubbornly refuse to attack the Dallas box. Dallas are awful too and missing half their starters and they're still kicking our ass - when they're not being a bunch of diving whiny little bitches. The Fire should be embarrassed because we SUCK.
Grazzini partially redeems himself. Beautiful goal. Totally against the run of play but I'll take it because this is still embarrassing.
I think Frankie has a motivational problem with this team. There is just no intensity or focus when in the beginning of the game. I believe he tries to preach patience to the team, but it looks like they are sleepwalking out there until they give up a goal. I'm really tired of having 4 central midfielders out there at the same time. While it helps with defending during the run of play, it is doing nothing for defending set pieces. I would rather have had Barrouch start for Pardo in this one instead of Robayo. I think Robayo looks lost except when he comes in for Grazzini. He seems to know what he is doing then. Johnson needs to sit again. I think he probably will when Tornaghi starts in the Open Cup match.
I have no problem with setting up the team around the fast break, but as the announcer pointed out, its been a few games since Oduro has been through on goal. When that happens, we need a plan B. And right now there is no midfield linking anything together. Robayo is awful, Pause is Pause (with a shot tonight, no less), Grazzini is frustratingly inconsistent, and Pappa plays basically as a forward, meaning we can't be relying on him for service
This is hardly a Frank Klopas problem, it's gone all the way back to the Chan with most of this team. Every incoming crop of players we have that sticks, simply becomes another set of passive players It's a wonder Seba hasn't gotten someone's leg broken with his lazy hospital balls
Once Rolfe starts playing what if he and Grazzini play up top together. The only problem is who would replace Grazzini in the cam position (Robayo, Pardo or our new DP). Grazzini seems to do better when he's farther up field. We don't have many options if Grazzini played up top. So I think he will stay in the midfield and Rolfe will play up top with Oduro (unless we sign Drogba).