Looks like just like 2 weeks ago, no one is around to start the match thread. So little PG will have to step away from the meat pie tray to comment on the game based on his groovy Yahoo Platinum broadcast. I'll give a few basic comments as time dictates. 5th minute--nil-nil 8th minute--Davis pushes the ball past Onstad on a nice pass from Pareja. But Onstad forces him to make a bad play anyway (this is the way the announcers described it--I haven't seen it yet)
14' 0-0 Kreis gets a great diagonal ball from Vaca down the left side but can't handle it. Damn, UT pulled out a can of whoop ass on those sorry little Her-I-Canes!
18' 0-0 Dallas trying to maintain possession. But they keep giving the ball away. You know the thread about how Suarez gives the ball away? Still apropos. Not a great game so far. The weakened SJ lineup isn't scary, but for the most part neither are we.
No real comment on the game from me, but you're right about one thing, PG... yes, Yahoo Platinum rocks! Got it for my birthday, as a subscription gift from my mother back home, and it is fantastic. OK, back to game commentary...
23' Bonseu with a "Bone" crushing tackle on Mullen. Leads to a dangerous attack down the right side. But Dallas can't seem to solve the SJ defense so far. 0-0
GOL!!! JASON!!! Great pass by Oscar (he's never been better than lately) to Gbandi, who finds an open JK in the goal mouth. Easy goal. (It looked like Jason was in an offside position, but I'll have to see it again). Gbandi for WC 2006.
Jeez, DJ is going to be great. Poor defending by Dallas, the ball squirts through to Dunivant and DJ just freakin' stonewalls him. 1-0 31st minute. DJ for WC 2006
34'DJ is hung out to dry again, as a long throw-in leaves a too-slow (surprise, surprise) Morrow unprepared to prevent a dangerous pass to (Russell?) in the box. But DJ makes the save. They will score on us if things keep going the way they are. BTW, as great as the last big save by DJ was, the ability of Gbandi to block the attempted putback was even better.
39' 1-0 Suarez w/ a world class shoulder charge to save a dangerous opportunity from Lagos down the left side and force it out for a goal kick. Makes up for some of his giveaways
Nice to see the halftime announcement of MLS player of the week--Kovalenko, along with highlights Are you trying to tell us something there, MLS?
49' 1-1 An unmarked (by Morrow, who was caught watching the ball instead of marking someone) Mullan strikes with a header. 50' bobby hits the woodwork Good clearance by Onstad
60' A dangerous cross almost finds Rhine, but Weibull boots it away at the very last second, preventing a sure goal. The Kreis corner kick is wasted as Dallas called for a foul. 61' Kreis hits one off the post. Dallas getting the better chances. Rhine is tiring. time for a sub?
64' 1-1 A cross block by Russell on Gbandi leads to a yellow. Chivas on for Joe Cow. We may not be a great team right now, but Gbandi is going to be a superstar in this league. Our best player out there.
71' 1-1 We have the balance of the possession. But we can't crack their defense. Davis w/ some nice touches. If we can't beat this team at home, we have some 'splainin' to do.
76' 1-1 Ekelund in. Expect a strict counterattacking mode from now on by SJ. But we aren't dangerous enough. How about an attacker out there?
...or... 83', Doritos on for Oscar. Lagos w/ a tarjeta amarilla 84' Gbandi w/ a somewhat dangerous chance hit over the bar. Lagos off, Jamil Walker on. 1-1
Arturo Alvarez, 17 years old, slams into Suarez. He goes down, smacks a posterboard, grabs his wrist. Yellow. The cheesy SJ announcers say they don't think it's a prob. Just moments later, a perfect cross from Mullan to Alavarez headed in past a helpless DJ, and we're down 1-2. It's been that kind of season, folks. 89'
1-2 Final SJ gets the goal and we don't successfully challenge the subsequent bunker D. We are missing something, folks. I think Chivas is partly right when he says we are missing speed up front. They, on the other hand, were dangerous all night, Mullan, esp. They were too fast for our central defenders, and With Donovan they would have massacred us up front. We need a more potent attack. I know EJ isn't popular these days, but why wait until the 90' mark to bring him on? When are we going to get something to really replace Ronnie?
Chivas was right--big changes are needed in this team. UNACCEPTABLE that a Mullan/Lagos frontline beats us at home. Jeffries is a lazy drunk who can't inspire jack. No urgency. Jeffries out NOW. Jeffries out NOW. Jeffries out NOW. Jeffries out NOW. Jeffries out NOW. NO ONE loses at home to the team of rejects the Quakes fielded tonight. Jeffries OUT NOW. And 3rd Degree? *************** you for your As* licking just to get access. You refuse to acknowledge DEEPLY existing problems within this club and therefore I think you are unworthy of being a supposed media outlet or this club. You're a d*ck-sucking access-whore who won't admit that this team is garbage and that the coach is at fault. Purge the lot of you. You've all created a zombie-team that will wander through the season with no purpose. Criticism not allowed. Always the bright side, eh? Jeffries ***************ing out!
I think that the ref probably saw it and deemed it unintentional. Pretty much a microcosm of the game, could just as easily go either way, today it just broke against Dallas. The bottom of the West is tightly bunched. No reason to panic yet, I think you guys will make it to the playoffs.