That is going to really kill us. We can still do well (thanks for injuring their star Abby ), but it will be a bit tougher.
Augustiniak-Goffi has strung together a few strong appearances in row, going the full 90 in a couple of them. Tomecka looks the answer at D-mid which was a huge hole in this line-up for a big part of the season. I like what Mary Frances Munroe has brought to the table in her appearances as well, although the extended commentary by Lori Walker about her making the team on open tryout was a little misleading. She isn't player who just came out of nowhere, she played in WUSA and has been a team MVP caliber player in the WPSL since then. Walker sounded like she had never heard of her.
Can we fire Tony now? How come other teams know how to use their stars but we don't? I just keep getting this image that Tony thinks he's this almighty power and is playing with voodoo dolls of his players and just laughing maniacally.
Well, it looks like Tony may be reaching for his checkbook again. In the Washington Post: "He's over his head. Most of the referees in this league have been over their heads," DiCicco said. "And they can look the part and play the part but that is just a very, very difficult call in that stage in the game. . . . Not only did he change this game, we have to play two days from now in St. Louis, and he's reshaped the whole playoff picture. I just feel for my team because they played their hearts out. And they deserved better, they deserved a better center official." And in the Washington Examiner: “It was foul,” said Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco. “The cleats might have been up. Bompastor, who has a lot of sophistication, more sophistication than the referee, made it look worse than it was, and the referee made a bad decision.”
He should be fined and as a repeat offender, perhaps it'll be a bigger fine than last time. I thought it was a pretty clear call, studs up just above the ankle (and no ball).
I agree with Tony on this one. Bompastor made the most of it and had already been working the ref hard on the two previous plays (as an aside, I thought Lil was going to deck her when she did her little smiley face bit on the endline toward the end of the game). Alex was late on her slide but it wasn't egregious; the consequences do not fit the foul. This is more an issue with the rules of soccer than with last night's ref. It was just another inconsistent reffing outing from what I saw. MF got calls everytime she went down, for instance, whereas Lil can't buy a call these days.
It doesn't have to be "egregious" to be a clear cut call. Studs up the entire way, clear contact on the leg (just above the ankle), and no contact on the ball. Tony has been calling for the refs to tighten things up and this one did. You can't let that tackle go. I thought the yellows were right, too. Yeah, it sucks for Boston both last night and vs STL. But it wasn't an undeserved red.
While it's unfortunate when a referee decides the match in the 5th minute, I cannot argue against the red card. What I do argue is the inconsistent refereeing in WPS. This year I've watched the worst refereeing I've ever seen in my life. They make MLS referees look like World Cup caliber officials. I've seen much better officiating at youth matches. I have no problem with the red to Alex last night...I will have a problem on Saturday or down the road when another player commits a foul as bad or worse and goes without a caution! If a foul is a foul wherever or whenever it happens in a match I want to see the 90+ minute penalty in an even match. I want to see Marta sent off when she goes in recklessly trying to win back a ball that she's lost. I think at this point we're playing for 3rd place. While I think we'll beat St Louis, in large part due to the tough loss last night, We'll need Shitcago or Old Pride to beat them as well...I don't see that happening. In searching for a silver lining in the Alex suspension all I can come up with is that it could be good for us to adjust defensively in her absence as we'll be without her for the playoffs...now we just need to find our way there. I was disappointed in the way we handled Abby on the goal. I can only imagine that Mittsie called off Amy...Why she would do that is beyond me. 2 National Team defenders should have been able to communicate and stop that penetration. I want to hear what was said between Heather and Amy on that play... Mittsie was on a yellow, I understand she couldn't have played Abby as physical as she needed to in that situation. And seeing as Abby went by her rather easily earlier in the match I can't believe she'd have called Amy off the play. Amy on the other hand should have stepped up and taken the ball or fouled hard outside the area. While I like Tomecka, she gave away the ball last night way to often and easily and she's much slower than any professional soccer player should be....maybe it was just the HD idk. She adds nothing to the attack save the occasional set piece. I liked the adjustment switching Mittsie to the right and moving Lil to left back after the sending off...as well as Lil played there I'd expect to see Goffi back in the starting 11 on Saturday... Kelly has to play a full 90 against St. Louis. I wonder who is flying out to St. Louis today from Boston to take Alex's spot in the 16??? Anything but 3 points in St. Louis is unacceptable.
Oh, I agree with you about the terrible and completely inconsistent reffing over all for league play. Although, we both know that 90+ min penalties rarely get called in any league--unless it is completely egregious. You've got the quick turnaround (Sat game not Sun) and you'll have some tired legs. STL gives away late goals so if Boston can keep the pressure up at the end, you'll get some additional chances.
How are you going to rip on St.Louis' name? Breakers vs. FC Hope Solo cryin to refs? LOL! Not that I agree with that. Solo was just pointing out some offsides calls that the line judge missed.
Yeah, what was that about? We saw Bompastor hug Lilly and grin at her and Lilly looked annoyed - I think. Also, would the Wambach goal have happened if Scott was still in the game? Something is missing with Boston, but I don't know what it is. They are the most fun to watch, they have so many good players, yet aren't scoring enough. I don't really get it.
Bompastor first fouled Lil then knocked the ball over the endline and the linesman awarded a goal kick...She knew she got away with one and she was lucky it was Lil she was smiling at...Ang would have tossed her to the ground in a second! IMO, no way that goal happens if Alex is at right back....Mittsie is on the left without a yelllow. In fact, IMO we win that game with 11 players...Alex would have run that right wing...Lil would have been able to stay up on the left side. Kelly would have gotten much better service... But we move on...We've got to learn to play without Alex and Kelly anyway... So this suspension is a good thing right???
Uh, yeah, right! Except we don't get to see Alex make another of her great overlapping runs until 2010....
Here's Alex' tweet- still in shock!! 1st ever red card, my team run themselves into the ground! sorry!!!!!!
I love Alex Scott as you all know... but the red card was correct. It doesn't have to be malicious. She slide tackled in, over the ball, studs showing and got the player on the ankle. Anyway i though Boston played well and the Freedom were anxsious. It was a good goal though. Can i say that LePeilbet played fantastic apart from the goal. If she stays fit she will be at the world cup . Good technical player on the ball for a defender.
It's just that one of those messages seemed to refer to Kelly in the 3rd person which she wouldn't do if it was her typing but I suppose that's just the way she typed the message.
StarCityFan agrees with you. She seems to have an odd habit of saying "is watching LOST" when most of us would say "am watching LOST".
EVERYONE should agree with us because that is incorrect grammar and misleading which makes it look like someone else is typing for her. Kelly's first language is English right?
& txt msgs r alwys good gramr. And of course, the UK and USA are two countries separated by a common language. There are more differences btwn the 2 than you might realize.