On the way home from work last night I was thinking of the last seven years of watching the Metrostars and what it is that has frustrated me the most (forgetting everything off the field for a moment). In general I’d say that most Metro games could be put into one of three categories: 1. We dominated, clearly outclassed the opponent. 2. We were dominated, clearly outclassed by the opponent 3. We shot ourselves in the foot. Sure, there are plenty of times we got lucky and won, got unlucky and lost, etc, but the large majority of the time I find myself returning from the game thinking one of the three things above. I’d like to concentrate on scenario three for this post, namely our lack of discipline. It seems to me we’re always getting red cards at the worst possible moment, putting us on the defensive, and making the next game all that more difficult without our optimal lineup. So I dove into my MLS Press Guide and came up with the following table, including the 2002 regular season: ...................Games..Red Cards Metrostars.......214......46 Dallas..............214......30 Tampa Bay.......215......29 D.C. United......214.......28 Miami..............150.......27 New England.....215......27 Kansas City......215.......26 Chicago...........151.......25 Los Angeles......214.......25 San Jose..........214.......25 Columbus.........214.......23 Colorado..........214.......19 I guess that confirms it. Metro are the all time league leaders in expulsions, and it’s not even close (we are also the all time leader in cautions). We get a red card every 4 1/2 games! I’m interested in hearing your opinions on the main reason behind this. Is it the players, the coaching, the referees, the environment, the water at the Meadowlands? Or some viscous combination of the above? Of course, Metro had the most expulsions (11) in 2000, which was their best season to date.
When put in that context that is a disturbing statistic. I'm of the belief that habitual sendings off are the product of poor management. Sure you're going to have the odd player now and again (maybe three times a year) who's already on a caution and then get's in to a tackle far too late and is sent off. Or the fellow who's left for dead at the halfway line is just lucky enough to get within tugging distance of the attacker so as to haul him down just outside the penalty area. It happens, now and again. But the never ending conga line of early showers is simply an indication that Metro have never had a manager who made it clear that being sent off is not acceptable. With the exception of Queiroz, about whom perhaps JB can provide a bit more insight, there has never been a manager who has had complete control of this team. To blame even the most ridiculous expulsions in our history on refereeing is grabbing at straws and unjustly deflects from Metro's history-long managerial crisis. Look at the infamous Petke ball kissing Derby Day incident. Metro go 1-0 up on DC after just 9 minutes from a rare Curcic goal (ok, so it was a penalty). DC equalize after 21 minutes (it's 1999, you knew it would happen eventually...). Eight minutes later, Petke is booked for a particularly nasty foul on Moreno. Fair enough; it's derby dar and Moreno is always a threat- a bit of a clatter is always in order to keep him honest. But just then at the half hour mark, Petke is whistled for another foul, and shocked at the call, kisses the ball before handing it over to Kennedy for the restart. Kennedy's pissed that Petke is grandstanding and sends him off and an already awful Metro are forced to defend the DC juggernaut with ten men. Guess how this story ends? DC go on to win 1-4 and Petke is forced to sit out a midweek afair at home to Kansas City, which Metro lose in their own inimitable style (it's 1999, you knew it would happen). Should Petke have been sent off with a second yellow? No way in hell. But he was, and so in retrospect you have to ask, "what the devil was he doing play acting to show up the ref?" It's just not necessary and cost us the match, and the following one as well. You can chuck all that crap about a kid being a "real natural" or "having the gift." The kind of professionalism that keeps the great players mentally focused and physically in check in even the most turbulent scenarios is learned behavior. Guess from whom it is learned? We need a manager immediately who will teach our Mathises and Petkes how to keep their heads while getting the maximum effort from themselves and their team mates within the particular framework of a 90min match.
Lies, damned lies, and statistics! "Who are you going to believe, your own eyes or me?" -- Groucho Marx
Petke 4 Ramos 4 Alvarez 2 Branco 2 Corrales 2 Myers 2 Palacios 2 Rooney 2 Semioli 2 Walsh 2 Zavagnin 2 Addo 1 Caricola 1 Comas 1 Curcic 1 D. Hernandez 1 Da silva 1 Diallo 1 Howard 1 Mathis 1 Paule 1 Perez 1 Serna 1 Shak 1 Sorber 1 Valencia 1 Vega 1 Villegas 1 Ziadie 1 (I know this total of 44 does not foot to the 46 total above, I'm still investigating).
It's not just getting the red card but when we get the red cards. Like the example from Ron Ferguson, we always seem to get them in close games which affect the outcome.
Just from the info it wouldn't seem that Metros have a problem player on reds, its more like a team problem. Of course if I knew more about Petke's 4 he *could* be a problem player.
Is that Byron Alvarez or Pedro? I honestly don't remember Byron getting one but still I'd rather have Perdro in the line up than Byron.
Pedro. In his short time at Metro, he hurt the team in a number of ways. His two expulsions and their consequent suspensions were perhaps just the most obvious. Alvarez knocked our socks of, all right, but in much the same way a pedestrian struck by a taxi loses his footwear...
What this doesn't explain is the 2 games in recent memory where the Metro were up a man due to a red and still lost. Colorado, Columbus. We can have a tie game, go up a man, and lose. We have an occasionally talented team with a major discipline problem. It has many symptoms. Red Cards is one. Losing at home is another. Not being able to exploit an advantage is another. Playing our way out of the playoffs is still another. Hopefully our new coach will be able to solve this. I don't care how. Keep them in a Motel 6 all year if you have to. I don't ask them to be Real Madrid, but they can play consistent, focused and disciplined team soccer. We have enough talent to compete. We need the attitude of a winner to blend with it.
Re: Re: Lack of discipline: the historical problem OK, found my mistake. Branco has three (8/15/97 at Colorado, 8/6/97 at SJ, 9/25/97 vs, Columbus) And add OZ to the list. He got one for ungentlemanly conduct on 5/27/00. Record in matches where we got a red card? 14 wins, 18 losses, 1 tie.
Side note, from SA, only 1 Fair play award winner (lowest discipline total, includes fouls committed, caution points and ejections) ever won MLS cup. MLS Team Fair Play Award Winners 2002: Kansas City Wizards 2001: San Jose Earthquakes 2000: Tampa Bay Mutiny 1999: Columbus Crew 1998: Kansas City Wizards 1997: Columbus Crew I'll take the cards if wins come with it.