Sorry about that! I thought it started this afternoon in Spain. A weekend in Dublin will make you a little SLOW!
I don't know whether this is a Zen-like question, or just the musings of someone who is going slightly wonkers waiting for the season to start...but... Can a game that hasn't yet begun have a score? Can something that does not yet exist have defined qualities? Ponder that.
San Jose vs. Viking [R] Looks like we were pilaged by the Vikings!! Viking 3 SJ 1 http://www.viking-fk.no/ -Richard
The light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a train or not a light at all. Did we get any goals during the run of play? The instrument has not yet been invented that can measure our level of suckage. Welcome back 2000, the return of the doomed season
Well, our trip to Spain was short indeed. Sounds like we were unlucky to earn only one point the first two games, and I'd like to hear a bit more about this one. (My Norwegian's a bit rusty, I'm afraid...) Still waiting for that mysterious big signing. Until then, add me to the list of pessimists for this season.
i still think there's one more game. the Quakes will play the 3rd or 4th (depending on where they finished in their group) place team of teh other group. which is all good. it's just practice. the more games the better, as long as they stay healthy. reinforcements are needed, however.
San Jose vs. Viking [R] "The Earthquakes dropped their second game of the La Manga Cup Monday, losing 3-1 to Norway's Viking Stavangar. Ronnie Ekelund scored his second goal of the tournament for the Quakes in the first half as San Jose finished Group A play in fourth place. The Quakes will next play Thursday against either Russia's Torpedo Moscow or Norway's Lyn Oslo. " You are right, FlashMan!
By virtue of their loss they finish 4th in the group according to the article on the Quakes site. Hopefully Frank was able to use these games to help the team in the future. Sometimes in preseason you can accomplish more by losing that winning. I'll keep my fingers crossed that all will be well when the season starts.
San Jose vs. Viking [R] excellent koan, seahawkdad!!! i'm about as zen as the pope, so i can't help you out....we need bart simpson, who so brilliantly solved "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" -sigh!- it's still too early for me to start despairing about the quakes yet. it IS kind of nice to see a team called "Viking" win though...you sure don't get much of that in MY neck of the woods!!
San Jose vs. Viking [R] There's only 1 thing I'd really like to know about this score line.... who, if anyone, was responsible for the goals scored against us. Specifically were they missed defensive assignments, poor keeping, or just beautiful plays by Viking. Probably no way to find this out. I think that info might be sort of telling in terms of what reinforcements we need most. Beyond that, without Richard, Landon, or DeRo, I'm not ready to worry too much yet. -KMJvet
San Jose vs. Viking [R] You have saved me from the gloomy depression of pessimism. Or is it the pessimistic depression of gloom?
"Viking took the lead 13 minutes into the second half on a counterattack. Kopteff found Berland on the opposite side of the goal and he beat a Quakes defender and then fired a low shot into the near corner of Jon Conway's net." Frank Yallop, on game: "At this point, we are not finishing our chances when we get them. We have been getting punished for little mistakes at the back and that happened again today." Our lone goal occurred when Ekelund scored in the 5th minute on combination play.
Berland had a hat trick for Viking. Quakes stats show we outshot them 14-7 with a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal. (Not sure who's keeping stats and how much they can be trusted. If Viking scored three and we saved one, you'd guess there would have been more than two shots on goal...) Either way, it seems our inability to finish is doing us in. Yallop's quote sums that up rather well. Sounds like this game was certainly winnable.
Oh, and we next play Lyn, recipients of a 5-0 pounding by the Galaxy. Game for seventh place is on Thursday.
No. Remember NE sucked at the beginning of last year and made a run to the final. Let's get our first ten games under our belt before writing off the season...
Why does the writeup cause me to have visions of the '02 world cup dance in my head? Basicly from the writeup it looks like are center backs were torched 3 times (which scares me with Agoos back there, since I know he doesnt have the speed to make up for a mistake, Dayak was also probably back there in the middle). Midfield seems to be holding up well, and forwards seem to be doing ok, if not actually putting the ball in the net. Finishing is worriesome, but its one of those things that at least you have the hope is just going to click. Wouldnt say things are hopeless, but so far this looks like its going to be a frustrating year with a lot of games that are going to have "should of" and "if we had just" kind of conversations taking place afterward.
      And we should let the Earthquakes get their first ten games under their belts as well.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G