Had i jsut stayed where i was the ENTIRE REST OF THE FREAKING GAME. I would have caught igors shirt, instead of my uncle. Ive been trying to get one of those for a while, and I really like Igor. Alot. urgh. BUt, we DID win the game! by far the coolest win of the year.
The Quakes certainly had their shorts around their ankles. Ugly game. KC deserved that. The Quakes were lucky not to have lost by 3 or 4.
So how are the bobbleheads? Do they look like Tony? Anyone got an extra one for a long distance Mystic?
Confirmation of the obvious: http://www.kcwizards.com/news/interiornewspage.asp?story_id=CE95667BXEI7PB6FAC2PARX84W Is the MLSnet scoreboard being a pain in the parts to anyone else?
No kidding! The MLS needs a new server. This one chokes every Saturday... How many people log on to it, for heaven's sake?! I don't think nearly as many as onto ESPN server on big gamedays... Anyway, sounds like I missed a great game. I am happy for the team, but especially for Igor. Looks like he is adjusting, looking better and better every game. Don't want to sound like a smart@$$, but that's exactly what I predicted before he was brought in. Oops, I guess I just did sound that way... Go Russia! Go Wizards!!! Keep it up!
Igor's shirt To Unorthodox Yank: Dude, How much do you think your uncle will charge for a peek at that shirt? )
Well done by the Wiz. The red team was crap tonight, but that is nothing new. Bob was letting the near side linesman have it after some questionable non-offsides calls. The blue team did well all night long. The only problem they have had was in the final 1/3rd. Lack of shots and arrant passes to no one seems to be a continuing problem for the Wiz. Neither of the two goals were crackers by any means, just well placed. Preki had a few shots early but none with any pace on them. So did the two strikers but no real good chances. Cisco hit a well struck one timer on the dump pass that just went over. Then later forcing Joe C. to make a great save off a header in which he tipped over the bar. Then later Cisco was unlucky to get the rebound which was alittle to far awy for him to get a touch to it. In the second half played a nutmeg through the defense but Brownie couldn't finish. Which really should have been banged home. Other than that it was just to damn hot to be a face paced game. Not a bad turnout I haven't seen any offical numbers yet but it looked around 10,000. Oh the John Travolta bobbleheads are money.
Congratulations on your win. We played like shite and made you look like ManU. We could do without the terrific soccer weather though
good game for the wizards. was hot as hell tonight, but more fans showed up than i thought would. donovan didn't do much against us tonight. after his whiffer in the first half, he was a non-factor. i have a feeling the ref didn't give graziana a card when he and garcia were tussling, because he was scared to give out the second yellow. not a good showing by the refs tonight. our goals weren't fantastic, but i'll take them. we need to let our players know that it is ok to take shots outside of the box. we had a ton of extra passes and errant crosses. all in all though, we were the better team throughout almost the entire game. even leading up to their goal, we were the team creating the chances. maybe giving up less corners would be a good idea, though. we hit the post 3 times by my count, so were unlucky not to win by a few. well, those are my rambling thoughts after getting back from the game...
Great job Wiz and Mystics. My first trip to Arrowhead of the year, and first ever trip to the Cauldron. You guys were great, but the most of the rest of the place was too quiet. We missed a lot of chances and outplayed the Quakes, but we were able to sneak a pair in. A great soccer day. The Wizards came from behind, and my over 40 team came from behind to win 4-2, and I had a clean sheet for my two quarters in goal. Our sweeper played keeper the first quarter, but we needed him in the field.
Best game Gomez has played ever. Was unlucky not to have an assist on Brown's miss. The whole team showed how good they are with the exception of Quill who is not back in it yet. If that's boring or uninspiring, then you've got very high standards. Armstrong must be in the game regardless of the injury situation. He controls the ball so well, and he did a good job of receiving long balls, allowing Igor to play his normal role. Donovan was bad tonight, but part of that was putting him at right midfield in the first half where he was invisible. He had a chance to make an impact in the second half, but just played poorly in every part of the game. He did show that he is very fit as he was pressuring everything in the back no matter what point in the match it was. Oh yeah, to anyone who still doesn't get it, Donovan is on the OTHER TEAM, and is NOT wearing a Nats kit. Seems to me we should be able to bash him as we please if those are the circumstances.
It gets hot AND cold in the Midwest. I know a great variance in weather throughout the year is a foreign concept, but deal with it. Even Gazza doesn't seem to be too concerned with the weather.
My match analysis As usual, my match analysis will be crappy due to spending too much time beating on a large drum rather than intensely analyzing the game. That said, a few thoughts: 1. San Jose's big problems were in the middle of the park. Ekelund was crap, Mulrooney was ineffectual, and Lagos was unspeakably awful. The goal was off a set piece; they hardly threatened in the run of play. Too many balls over the top to La Poquena Sirena or Baby Jesus, because they either couldn't or wouldn't get the ball past Cisco and KZ in the middle. 2. Armstrong was the bomb-diggety. Great touch, cheeky moves...boy, he's fun to watch. 3. Igor came through, man. Good game from the wee Russkie...took some hard hits early on, but won out in the end. Would his last shot have gone in if it hadn't nicked Cannon? Maybe, maybe not. 4. Nick and Carey ate the aforementioned whiny biatches up top for dinner. DeRosario was more of a threat then either of them whilst on, getting open on the left wing on the counter. 5. Boo-urns was steady as ever. That guy's just a real pro. 6. As McGinty said, that was Cisco's best game as a Wizard. Solid getting back, solid coming forward, a few good through balls that worked, and some that didn't, but at least I saw what he was thinking. 7. Guys and gals, the Cauldron rocked. Some new blood came in (seems to happen every game nowadays), and it built on itself. Great effort by all, even when Gil plays the snare too much.
Thought the conversation with CJ went quite well. He dodged the questions he had to, but gave satisfactory answers to many others.
Can someone post a short wrap on this convo, so that those of us who couldn't be there (Damn car trouble...) can get the benefits?
Re: My match analysis Despite your drum distractions I think this is very accurate On Burns, he has been asked to play both sides this year, filling in admirably. He had a very strong performance last night. His experience makes up for his lack of speed and he rarely gave the ball away last night. Gomez did play well and without Brown's poor finishing he could have had a well deserved assist. Armstrong was my man of the match. Great skills on the ball. I sound like a broken record but he is more effective playing as a forward that out wide. Not that he isn't good out wide too, but he is so dangerous around the box because defenders can't seem to get the ball off him. And when he does lose it he battles back and wins it again. Igor is a tireless worker, his winning goal proved that. Damn him that he threw his shirt in the crowd. Now there will be two us at the games with Igor shirts I wore mine proudly last night and yeh it is a snug fit!! Igor needs to drink more beer! Talley and Garcia are forming a formidable partnership at the back. I expected more of Talley on set pieces (we have been spoiled by his goals recently). There were a few late on where he didn't even go forward for those corners when it was still 1-1. I found that odd. Making sure we didn't expose ourselves to Landon I guess. One negative: I have to blame Tony for their goal, either come and get it or stay on your line. The Cauldron sounded great last night. I was high up in the shade in GA (protecting my red headed daughters fair skin!!) and many in GA were joining in the clapping parts of the songs. Sounded good.
Here are some general things that CJ said. steps are being taken to form a development squad. Govener graves is looking into other avenues of revenue for a SSS. The fans need to write Goveners, Leuitenant goveners, county commisioners, and other Johnson county officials, and keep the momentum going. He would like to see player acquisitions go faster, an ideally be finished before preseason. He is satisfied with personnel, and coach Gansler. He is very encouraging with the cauldron, happy with the way it is going, overall less complaints. Asks that we keep doing more of what we are doing, and to lay off the Wizard girls. Some type of coverage may happen for the game in Mexico right here on bigsoccer. Any players that will play in the Open cup game and the Home leg of the Champions cup will not play in Rochester. The Johnny on the spot near the tailgate has a good chance of finally getting unlocked. If you notice a ticket rep. not redeeming coupons or anything likewise, get the name and number e-mail curt and he will get the kink worked out. Dave Stewart calls more than any other reporter. Have to balance with the quantity of coverage with the quality of coverage. Something could be worked out for a trip to Milwuakee. We should get an allocation when Preki retires. that is all I can remember. I am sure others will have more.
There were a lot of people there wearin SJ crap and Landon crap...some kid that was sittin on the left side of the tunnel had "Landon Donovan #10" painted on him so when I walked by I made his day and yelled Landon Sucks. I wish all the Landon Teenys in KC would come out and support the Wizards more often...
Armstrong's shot that hit the crossbar and post - wow! Cisco's best pass was the little touch in the box that Armstrong (?) missed.