After this game I think we have to realize the off season is time to clean house of all players either injury prone or when they are on the field are invisible, meaning they don't score or assist or meaningful contribute. We need to get people in here who can pass and/or score on a consistent basis and play every game not one or the other.
These last two games show how much we miss josh wolff, but what good is wolff when he can't stay healthy. We give up too many late goals and I'm afraid are not going anywhere in the playoffs playing like this. I know we love our players but this off season is the time to cut loose those who can't stay on the field or look good playing but their play does not actually lead to putting the ball in the net. We need people who can stay healthy, dribble, make precision passes and score.
don't take this wrong anyone, but for loosing a game this was an entertaining one i think... kc deserved the win, the fire played good, but i think the our opposition just went over and beyond. could we have done better? hell yeah!, but watching this game i can't help but think it coulda gone either way. for a loss i'm not cringing, thinking we sucked, i'm thinking of the positives we can take away from this... in 2 of 3 alternate universes or better we woulda won... not a disparaging loss i think, but a game to tweak our playoff run of play. frustrating? yes. but not one to loose too much sleep over...
What game were you watching cuz it sure wasn't the Fire game last night? The Fire were comprehensively outclassed in the first half. KC can consider themselves very unlucky not to have gone into halftime with a 3-0 lead. KC put 6 shots on goal, the Fire had NONE. The Fire sucked less in the second half but aside from Beasley missing a sitter, they still didn't create many quality chances and the midfield was still bereft of ideas of what to do with the ball once we got it. The midfield was disorganized (which is so odd considering we had Nowak back) and our defense was all too often scrambling desperately and with no plan to stop KC's attackers. It's one thing to lose when you play well but just come up against a team that is having a great day. But that wasn't the case last night. The Fire emphatically did NOT play well at all and really should have lost the game by a wider margin. I just don't understand this team. Even factoring in injuries and stuff, the Fire are so inconsistent. They play well one game and then suck the next. If the Fire play like this for their remaining games, we'll miss the playoffs because the Revs are only three points behind us.
Joe's hit this season on the head. I think the Fire have built the franchise around Nowak and Armas, one goes forward, the other keeps the mid solid. Now we're patching it all together and it's not working as well. I hate you RFK pitch. Hate.
I've always though of Armas as an important piece of the Fire, but never the most important, until now.
On the one hand, I don't think there was much we could have done on either KC goal. At least in the immediate vicinity, as you could trace the first goal to players not getting back on defense. By bringing up Armas' absence and ability to get back on those types of plays, you almost have to hang that on Jesse. Even then, Curtin was damn close to stopping the pass, and Brown was a bit unlucky to think Fabbro would one-time that ball. On the second goal, it was that same old lack of focus in the box that we've seen ever since Lubos left us. Don't delude yourselves into thinking this is a new development. As good as our defense can be, we're still lacking the leadership Okaroh and Kubik provided in keeping things sharp for ninety-plus minutes. Still, that was a bit more of a clusterf*** of a play than most of our last-minute breakdowns. If it weren't part of a bigger pattern, I'd even be willing to overlook this one as just unlucky. Even Preki's crossbar was more the result of hard work from KC than any real defensive lapse. While there were some bytes expended on why we've been playing long balls so much this past week or so, you almost have to against KC. And I think Wolff was better at beating the offside trap than Razov is. At the same time, Beasley only had a mediocre game, and Kovalenko was damn-near invisible, as he's been mostly all season. Perez looked decent in the midfield, and had some good crosses. What may be the case is that DMB and Dema need some time to adjust to having #10 back out there, because it DEFINITELY affects their offensive roles. Let's hope it doesn't take too long. All in all, I thought we looked much better in the second half than in the first, but that's not saying a whole heck of a lot. KC took their game to us, and we weren't able to find any rhythm. They play a disruptive style, and as we saw in MLS Cup 2000, that can knock us out mentally unless we can take it to them early. We really coud have used that point, though. I knew Columbus-New England would be a tie as soon as NE strung together two in a row during the week. The three-game curse continues. Later, COZ
You can't expect too much from nowak until he has a few games under his belt.Comments on a few fire players. DaMarcus --- You thrill us with your dribbling but if you want to be successful in europe you have to improve your passing and finishing. Nowak,stoitchkov, wolff, and armas--great when you're fully healthy but we can't succeed if you get hurt every year. Razov--Our leading and only consistent scorer, although you still drive us nuts with your missed chances. Curtin--you seem to take charge in the middle and you are good in the air but your key lapses some times cost us dearly. Gray- you have skill, as shown on that one goal in naperville that you dribbled up the middle and scored. Why can't we see more of that from you. Marsch--I know you stay healthy and you work hard but what actually do you accomplish out there on the pitch. Dema- actually leads the team in assists but 1 goal all year will not cut it. Thornton,cj,carlos ---generally well done can't complain too much about the defense although there are giveaways and lapses.
It's all my fault! Yesterday, I wore my Atlas shirt to work instead of my FIRE shirt. Atlas beat Pumas (and Hugo Sanchez) 6-0 last night. Go figure.
This is two games in a row that we've lost 2-1 because of a late goal. We've had a terrible time closing out games all season. As good as Bocanegra usually is, a lot of how much we sucked in the first half was his pathetic passing. Without Armas we're very likely to lose in the first round of the playoffs, whether the rest of the midfield gets used to having Nowak back or not. I'd rather Kovalenko had been invisible last night, instead, I had to watch him give the ball away over and over. I think the most appropriate comment about this very dissappointing season is that we do tend to win with Gray in the lineup--and he's about the most inconsistent player we have.
Just wanted to say that you that went to the game did an awesome job. The toilet paper or whatever was sweet. Finally the Wizards gave us here something to cheer about. It seems you guys are really missing Wolff, but I'm sure you'll get it together before the playoffs. Good game.
well, good point - and your right. though i did think we looked pretty dangerous on the corners, and given a little more luck we could have made more of a game of it... but not our night, we were outplayed. this inconsistency thing is bothering me too... maybe i'm naive, but i still view this game as a tweaker preparing us for the playoff's... one thing we do have a good habit of is showing up when its necessary... keeping my fingers crossed now
I agree with much of what you said, JP...amazing isn't it? The Fire, in my opinion, played a terrible first half and a "hard" second half, meaning, they really seemed ticked off at the way they were playing and made a conscious effort to fight harder. Even Gansler's comments on the tube reflected that the Fire had "changed the momentum of the game." After the Boca goal, it was the Fire doing all the pressing. The winning goal was KC's only dangerous play of the half. The Fire were a step away about five times... Which gets me to your point about playing "well." The Fire are not making plays. Bottom line. Go back to the 1-0 lead against New England and Stoitchkov is alone on net and decides to pass to Beasley. That has to be a goal. But that's been the story of the 2002 Fire. They play "hard" enough to be in absolutely every game, but not "well" enough to win. The last pass to put a player in on goal, the quick combinations that set up advantages, we've seen far too little of it this year. But, the Fire are FIVE points up on New England, with three games to play. If the Fire get three points in their last three matches, that means the Revs (or DC) would have to run the table to pass Chicago. Only one can run the table since they still have a match left against each other. So, it's virtually impossible for the Fire to miss the playoffs, unless they lose their three remaining matches. Obviously, if they end this season with five straight defeats, they don't deserve to go to the post-season. Metro can take control of the East with a victory at Dallas on Thursday night. But if they don't get three points in that match, look for the East to come down to the Fire-Columbus home-and-home.
Yeah, as much as it hurts, we've got to hope for a Dallas victory on thursday. This is somewhat assuaged by the fact it's against Metro, but it's still difficult for all of us to do. Actually, here's what to do: Pray for a 1-0 Dallas win with lots and lots of injuries and cards. Now that would make things easier to palate.
Well, I just got to watching the game today since I have been out of town. One of the biggest plays that frustrated me was at the very end of the first half when Kovalenko had the opportunity to tie the game. He had three players open and he decided to go with the shot. We desperately need Dema to step up while Nowak is still returning to game shape. I still have hope that we will come out on top if we could just finish games off strong and play a full, strong 90 minutes.
I went back to MLSnet.com where I got the "three points" figure from and they've corrected the points in their "Standings" area. Their bad for having wrong figures, my bad for not doing the math myself after I knew the results. Anyway, I can name plenty of teams that play "hard" but don't win. I don't doubt the Fire players' physical skills or their will to win but mentally it just doesn't seem like they're all there some games. After watching them destroy KC at home I have a hard time believing that it's mostly the same players who played so poorly at Arrowhead. But then, like I said, I just don't understand this team or why they're so inconsistent. Even accounting for injuries, I can't find any pattern to why the kick ass one game and go lame the next. DCU is toast. The Metros get to play DCU twice in the next three games so they'll make the play-offs or Oz should be thrown in a burlap bag and beaten with tire irons. The Revs are who I'm worried about. They've bounced back since we clubbed them at Foxboro and they've taken 2 wins (one against us in our own house) and a tough road draw from their last three games. They should beat DCU and they have a good shot of beating the Mutts. I never thought I'd be rooting for Dallas to whup on somebody... I'd feel better if the Fire were playing better. IF (and that's a big IF considering how inconsistent the Fire have been lately) they play like they did at home against NE and in the first half and parts of the second in KC, then we're toast because we aren't beating Columbus let alone the Galaxy with play like that. Even if the Fire play well, they'll be lucky to beat LA considering they've been LA's bitch all season. If we can play like we did against KC in Naperville, however, then no matter what happens against the Gals the Fire can rip first place out of Columbus's slimy grip and pummel them with it. But which Fire team will show up for the next three games? Might as well flip a coin. Bad news - Chicago's recent play. OK news - Both NE and the Mutts have to play Dallas and then play each other once. But then they both also get to play DCU at least once as well. Good news - Columbus couldn't beat the Revs recently either. Go Quakes!