Re: Cerritos? They only showed the replay once, because it was gruesome. Cerritos was maybe ten yards inside the halfway line, jumping to win a 50/50 ball and play it inside and towards goal. Akwari was also involved in trying to win the ball. It looked like Cerritos' follow-through on the kick brought both their feet in contact, with Akwari running to his side. The awkwardness of this collision made Cerritos other leg, with he had been preparing to plant, hit the ground at a weird angle. Edwards claimed it was a knee hyperextending, but it looked like either the knee was going at an angle off the plane of the knee joint, or a bone broke. Looked very, very bad.
That's a shame for Cerritos. He was really starting to make his presence felt on the team, and had finally put Rhine on the bench for good it seemed.
One of our problems last night was Defensive Shape. After the Metrostars first goal, Jordan talked to Morrow and the shape improved for a while. But on both of Faria's goals there were only 2 or 3 defenders in position. I understand the need for Suarez and Broome to go forward in the 4-4-2, but one of the outside mids or Dearing needs to stay home when they do. Suarez and Diallo sure gave each other trouble late in the second. The 4th official keep watch closely.
I was tracking the game for DC's playoff chances, we could have used your help! The lack of rest couldn't be helped, but for most of the match it didn't look like the Metro's were any more sprightly in the legs. Suarez had a terrible match. I usually love watching the guy play, but after Jack Edwards pimped him for WC '06 he goes and gets burnt for a couple of goals. Either way, I hope ya'll will get some help with your seeding, so you can lay down for us in the last game and squeak us into the 8 spot. Remember, we can beat the Quakes!
Unfortunately for DC, the Burn are apt to be playing all out in their last 2 games in order to earn 4th seed or better. Ironically, though, the Burn's best shot at reaching the MLS Cup could be to lose both of its remaining games should the expected occur and San Jose finish 1st seed and LA 3rd. If San Jose were 1st seed, the Burn would likely find it difficult to get past the Quakes and reach the MLS Cup should they enter the playoffs as the 4th or 5th seed. Hence Dallas might actually be better off entering the playoffs as the 6th seed and thereby avoid the Quake's side of the playoff bracket. And to have a chance of ending up 6th seed, Dallas would want to lose against both the Revs and United.
yes and no. Mostly I disagree. by finishing at least 4th, the Burn get two home games of the first 3. That means that they travel less, and hopefully can win two straight and not even play a third. If they play a third at home, they won't have to play starters the entire game, and they move on. In contrast, defeating two teams over six games, four on the road, is a very tall order no matter who it is.
Unfortunately, it's all a moot point. No Cerritos, Kreis entering a slump (thank you Jeffries for not giving him the rest he 'really' needs), and being on a downward trend... I'm afraid the Burn are very-well-done for the 2002 season. Oddly enough (and, yes, i am regularly accused of being 'odd' ;-) - I am an optimist. But, I truly see the burn crashing... or crashing and burning... or ... ...
It's definitely too soon for that. Although Jason hasn't scored much, he had a really great game vs. Galactoids last week. EJ always shows potential, and if he can show a little bit, there's hope. It's kind of weird that people are saying there's gloom and doom for this team, when they are only 2 points away from having the best record in the league. Let's at least see how they bounce back from this. What I personally want to see. Since Rhine hasn't played well, and Cerritos is out, let's see what EJ and Kreis can do together. Also, I think Jason has played well late when Oscar goes out and he takes over the QB role. I would almost like to see Jason in MF, believe it or not. Well, should be interesting. Don't give up hope yet. AS much as it is sad to see what happened to RC, I really don't think he's the type of player who would have won us the MLS cup as a striker anyway. I do hope he makes a speedy recovery, however.
Exactly, don't give up hope! There are quiet a few players on this team that can step up and contribute. Last night's game was to be expected. So many fans got all worked up for a win after the previous two loses. The BURN we saw last night was not the BURN we know. Physical and mental fatigue was very evident, especially in the second half. We have 10 days of badly needed rest. Hopely, this team can win the final two games, build up some momentum and then take what the playoffs gives us, as simple as that. It should be an interesting finish...
` Well what you see on tape is Cerritos go for a volley with his right foot which he misses, before his foot comes down, Akwari comes in at full speed and his knee strikes Cerritos' knee and buckles it. It was not deliberate but very, VERY reckless. Akwari should be suspended a few games for this.
Some observations The referee did not help the Red and Black last night, but I think Dallas still should have beat the lowly Metro had coach J managed the game a little better than he did. The pattern of starting Vaca on the right side of midfield and subbing in O'Brien worked well all year. Why mess with that? Both were effective in the first half, pretty much invisible in the second half. Start one, sub in the other and you would have gotten 90 effective minutes instead of 45. Vaca on the left side was a big gamble that did not payoff. He never really opened wide thus eliminating one of the most vulnerable aspects of the Metro defense. Pareja and Vaca were constantly in each others way in the middle of the park. I would have preferred to see either Broome as the left mid with Zarco as the left fullback (or viceversa), or Olivares as the starting left mid with Broome as the left back. Where was Zarco? This is not the time for petty differences. Deering was completely ineffective. Every pass Deering made was a bad pass. This would have been a good game to sit Deering and let either Zarco or Stone play the D-Mid spot. Once again I must question the wisdom of going for the win at the expense of formation. In the second half the team looked very disorganized. Did I see 3 backs, 3 mids, 4 forwards? Unfortunately, the mids were an out of position Vaca, an out of position Kreis, and a gassed out O'Brien. It seems like coach J does not have contingencies built into his game plan, and he makes his decisions during the heat of the moment. If his contingencies look that bad, he needs to spend a little more time developing them. The 3 games in 5 days thing seems to have messed with the player's heads more than it did physically. For two weeks, it was all 3 games in 5 days... 3 games in 5 days. The proof that they got psyched out is that they gave up a goal early in every one of the 3 games before fatigue was a factor. Note to Ryan Suarez: You play defense. You don't have to support the attack on every possession. Stay back every once in a while. If a shot is available, take it. 1 v 1 against a keeper in the box is a great time to SHOOT. No need for an extra pass or two. O'Brien, T-Bone, Cerritos, Kreis were all guilty of the extra pass in the box. Metro on the other hand was shooting every chance they got. Some hit defenders, some were way off target, but then 3 went in. Cerritos going down was the icing on the "Week of Hell" cake. Dallas is going to miss him big time.
Re: Some observations Broome WAS playing left mid ... at least he WASN'T playing on the back line at all. I totally agree on Suarez. Go 352 and have Suarez your holding mid or right winger if you like, but dear God please do NOT call him a defender. He sure wasn't against the Burn at least. I believe the formation played was a 253. You know, Bonseu and Morrow in back with everybody else moving forward. With a weary team that's NOT the way to protect your goal. I disagree with you about Deering though. He didn't contribute a lot of offense, but without him the Metros would have scored 7. Yeah, shooting when you're in the box ... what a concept. That might just catch on. -Tron
Did you see the tape? I really doubt it, as you have misdescribed everything that occurred except for the names of the players. For one, Cerritos hit the volley backwards and to his left, as he intended. You look like a total fool making up "facts" to inflame a situation that everyone clearly knows is just a sad accident. Akwari was running at full speed-- PAST Cerritos, playing defense. There was no challenge, or attempt to challenge, on Cerritos, whose follow-through after his leaping kick went right into Akwari's knee or foot. Cerritos was totally off-balance, and his landing was grotesquely awkward. It's a terrible shame, but an accident of the sort that occurs with athletes play competitively and aggressively-- like Cerritos did in his desperate leap and mid-air kick, and Akwari in, well, running back at full speed to play defense. I'm assuming most Dallas fans are sensible enough to see this, and the people who claim that Akwari is at fault are rare, frothing partisans, who do absolutely nothing for their credibility with utterly misinformed statements.
It makes no difference that Akwari made no attempt to challenge Cerritos. He was TRYING to run past Cerritos instead he clipped him. It takes no skill to avoid running into someone right in front of you. Akwari was reckless and clumsy in his actions. You refer to Cerritos, awkward landing trying to discount the impact of Akwaris' bent knee with Cerritos' extended knee. Lastly, you refer to "frothing partisans", perhaps you didn't notice but I am an Earthquakes fan not a Dallas fan. In addition I am no fan of Cerritos and I am a bit of a closet Metros fan (putting them behind SJ of course). I am not making Nelson Akwari out to be some kind of "bad guy". He had a lapse in concentration which lead to a bad accident. I think Nelson Akwari is a fine young prospect who will turn out to be a great addition to the Metros.
I was referring to a Dallas fan who tried to blame Akwari. And I see you've backed down from your totally inaccurate account. Akwari's run back was in a straight line, and one that wasn't headed for Cerritos, who leapt close to the path Akwari was heading in. There was no inexperience at play-- it was a pure accident, and a fluke. These things happen in soccer. No need to string up a player every time an opponent is injured. So in summary, you're wrong. No foul; no lapse in concentration.