Tell that punk Guevera to keep his hands off zach and he won't get shoved. Running into a goalkeepers goal agter a score to get the ball is just trying to show up the goalkeeper. Also that pk call was horibble. You don't call a pk on a dive when the player has his back to the goal and no chance to score.
Magee and Grafer both had strong games. Magee however tried to make too many moves at times instead of crossing the ball. Grafer I thought should have gotten to the ball first before Damani Ralph on the second goal. But no one's perfect.
6 minutes left in the game, down by three. Metros score, and they're supposed to wait for fat Zach to get the ball out of the net at his leisure? Pass some of that over here, I want a little.
Outside of missing the open headers (yeah, I know that's a big 'outside of...'), I thought Magee showed he's already come a long way as a player. His passing, his holding the ball among defenders, his confidence - by no means is he anywhere near the finished article (at 18, I hope so for his sake) but at least it looks like he's on his way up the learning curve. Personally, I've got a lot more patience for Magee and Gaven missing makeable chances than I do Guevara skying balls into the mezzanine from 15 yards out.
I hope the other 4000 or so posts you made were more intellegent than this one. Guevara wasn't touching the incredible bulk..he went after the ball..he didn't run into the goalkeeper, at least not on purpose, but if you are on his side of the field, it's tough not to hit him. If you think Guevara was doing what he did to "show up the goalkeeper" you are a sorry excuse for a soccer fan.
Wow... always amazes me that fans of one team see things so completely differently from fans of another. Guevara had Zach in a headlock... his arm was around Zach's neck. That said, Guevara probably should have gotten a yellow, and I was surprised that Zach didn't get red for retaliation. However, since Guevara got nothing at all, then Zach's yellow is adequate. However... I don't blame Guevara for not trusting Zach to allow him to get the ball back in play quickly. He did something pretty dodgy to make sure the ball didn't get back in play quickly on a previous play. I really hate play-acting though... and Guevara grabbing his face as if he'd been punched should get him suspended from life. That's the kind of thing people hate about soccer. It's something I hate about it. Of course, I don't know if it happens in other sports.
I guess I missed something, watching it on the field, Hall gave both players a yellow. I was at the game and so I haven't watched the replay yet
Didn't see that on tv... and only yellows for CJ and Zach are listed under "Misconduct" on the MLS game summary.
Neutral observer sez... Replay was clear, Zack is trying to back off of Guevara who had his arm around Zack's neck, before Zack pushed him. That said, I hate when GKers try to keep opposing players from picking the ball out of the net. It always leads to something stupid. I was suprise Zack didn't get tossed but Guevara should have gotten a yellow for his head lock or at least for his pathetic "Oh I'm sooooo hurt" routine Guevara had been sniping with most of Chicago's defense all game long, especially CJ Brown. He went to ground any time Brown came near him. He looked kinda silly scoring a pk picking up the ball, saying something to Zack and then running away like he was scared Zack was going to come after him. Both Guevara & Zack had nice games to mess it up the way they did at the end.
Zach Thornton is a PUNK Since when is retrieving the ball from the net after a goal when you are trailing late in the game showing up the goalkeeper? That is a BS statement from a warped Fire fan who has no clue about soccer. This happens in every league you can name (And I'm sure that idiot Fire fan watches nothing but Fire games). Be it England, Italy, Spain or Akron, Ohio, if a team is trailing and get a goal, they go and get the ball to hurry things up. This is a standard move but you don't see goalkeepers getting in the way of those players, much less shoving them with two hands when they outweigh the player by 100 pounds. It was a punk move by Thornton, plain and simple. I bet Zach's weight in donuts that if it was Clint getting the ball he wouldn't have even thought about getting in his way, but since it was some latin player that he probably has no idea about, he felt like he could pull that bitch move. It was worth watching those first ugly 75 minutes just to see Guevara stick that penalty kick past Thornton and then RUN and get the ball while throwing a few words Thornton's way. That's what you call heart and if that didn't officially make this team his for the next two months I don't know what could. Give him the damn armband. Hall blew it. Thornton deserved the red and if the league had any balls it would give him at least a one game suspension. As for the "headlock", Guevara was trying to get past and put an arm up to show Hall he was being obstructed. Then came Zach's bush league shove. Maybe he was releasing some anger over not being in the national team mix anymore. And I doubt Guevara needed to put much mustard on the end of that shove. What I saw was him getting into a fetal position for fear of getting beaten up by a raging Thornton. Could you blame him? He was in the damn net for crissakes. Fire fans are so great. Hope they enjoy this win because there won't be any wins come November.
I guess even Ray Charles saw this coming. It doesn't say a lot if the nicest comments on this board are on how well the FieldTurf performed under the rainy conditions. My thoughts: 1) On the 2nd goal, DiGi got schooled by Ralph on the play. Even when Pope returns, there has to be a better alternative at left halfback than him. If this game and last week's doesn't prove Pope is the team's MVP, then I don't know what will. 2) Why is Bradley taking Arena out with the score already at 3-0 with only 15 minutes left and substituting him with....ANOTHER defender (Forchetti)? He was crap all game. If you think he's better than Addo and Forchetti, then let him take a beating like a man. The game's already out of reach. 3) LeBlanc's goal was as lucky as you can get. Guevara's cross was deflected by Thornton and LeBlanc, who was making a run to the goal, actually knocked in by accident. 4) The penalty call was an easy one. Whitfield pushed from behind with both arms extended into a Metro player's back. 5) Gaven seems light years ahead of Magee when you compare their first pro games. Magee's runs off the ball are much better and he seems much more confident each week. 6) Not surprising that Zach wasn't red carded on the skirmish. I think the refs are already hip to the fact that Guevara can exaggerate a bit on a foul or shove. The fact that he was shoving Razov and a few others during the game didn't help his cause. Also, let's stop with the excuses about missing players. Chicago didn't have Bocanegra, Armas and Beasley and still won on the road. Without Pope, the Metros are a .500 team at best. I'm sticking with my prediction from last week that the Metros will not win a single game through July 2nd.
MetroFever 1) On the 2nd goal, DiGi got schooled by Ralph on the play. Even when Pope returns, there has to be a better alternative at left halfback than him. If this game and last week's doesn't prove Pope is the team's MVP, then I don't know what will. That's funny considering Steve Jolley is the one marking Ralph. Digi was just trying to make up for Jolley mistake and Ralph had the inside. There was nothing for DiGi to do. You can't get inside on somebody when they’re in front of you. I don't see how he got schooled. Ralph was all alone. You obviously have knowledge of soccer, with your pathetic commits.
1)I thought that Bradley had the Metros playing a very aggressive game. The defense was not good any way you want to look at it but it is tougher with so many players pushing forward. Seemed like ABMOD and Clark were up in the attacking third a good deal of the time. DiGi had many good runs deep up the left. There you wind up with long passes to Razov and Ralph isolated against young defenders. Both looked very good today. 5) Really. I thought Gaven was having some problems with the speed and physical play. That is not a criticism. I liked what i saw of him and love the idea of playing young U.S. players.
My opinions. I thought they played very well offensively and controlled the play most of the first half. Richie Williams got caught on the first goal with his lack of pace. The second goal, Jolley for whatever reason, just lets Ralph get behind him...i know Jolley doesn't have the greatest speed but c'mon. Digi was late to get back on that as well. And it looked like Pants was a little out of position but i don't fault him with the goal. The third, Arena was awful. Everyone and their little sister knows the Razov only stands on his right foot. No reason to let him do that to you. Great goal nontheless. Missed opportunities: THREE MISSED HEADERS by Mike Magee. He was BY HIMSELF ON TWO OF THEM. The finishing by Magee was awful. Ricardo also had a golden opportunity to bury a goal late which could have tied it up or put them within one before the PK. Geauvara should have done better with his finishing as well. Other than that....they played freaking great...
Thorton knew someone from the metros was going to go after that ball. I guess he wanted to be a wiseguy. He should not have been surprised by the opponent wanting to restart play in a hurry.
Re: where's the scoring Those 2 young strikers had to be much more physical especially near their attacking goal. No call and this officials missed making call, you can score. Richie
It does play nice in heavy rain, and there was plenty of rain. I hate when people leave their seat ever time it rains to get under the overhang. Get freaking seats to begin with under the overhang. I don't feel comforable with the "black rubber sand" as you call it in the players face. Who knows what that player will have health wise 20 yrs from now.
------------------------------------- He is not the answer and never was the answer for Howard even in the short term. I could not see the play on the first goal very well but he looked like he stretch out his body on the save attempt. Even though I was far from the play I thought he should have made a reaction colaspe save on that ball. The player was close to him. So it was a bad choice for Grafer from what I saw. ---------- On Arena he is also not the answer for Pope even in the short term and this is long term before Pope can make it back. I was wondering why the Argentine did not get a chance until today. Arena 6' 2" Argentine at center back 5" 6". That had to be the reason. But what he lacks in ht. he almost makes up for in heart, speed and support knowlege. That is enough of a difference to give him another start. Can't play an outside back? I think he would have made a differenc between a loss and a tie on saturday possibly.
Re: Zach Thornton is a PUNK Actually it's a punk move in europe and I have seen goalkeepers get in the way of players trying to retrieve the ball from the goal in europe.You're not speeding up play you have to wait until the opposing team is ready to kick off anyway. Tell that idiot guevera at 150 pounds it's not a smart thing to put your arm around the neck of a 250 pound guy. Also clark should have gotten a yellow for diving. he actually backed into whitfield then fell down.
Re: Re: where's the scoring Or just a bit more crafty? Watching from 101, watching CJ Brown and Whitfield was interesting. They got the best of us, and Magee looked very green when trying to use his arm/body to fight off the defenders-which the ref caught. And on several of the runs into the area, the Fire, easily closed down the space-they don't seem to show a lot of ability to take guys on. I suppose we shouldn't complain considering our record, but let's be honest, these are "Boring, Boring, MetroStars;" a cross between a 1st Div. team and a Devlopmental League team yesterday. (Note to Metro: noting that "Both teams fielded a total of eight starters who were 22 years old or younger" on the front page of the web site-that was nothing to brag about yesterday.) I'm surprised that some people in the thread actually saw the game as entertaining. Even with Mathis, this team has show very little cutting edge-and yesterday they had all of the bite of a butter knife.
Gavan has a future especially when he gets more physical and when he improves his decision making close to his attacking goal. He is considered the second best player on the Under 17 national team just above the left wing mid they have at least by me. -------------------------------------- Geting off Gavan for a second and on his team mate on the national team 14 yr Adu. Watched him in 2 Dallas cup games on tape. There is no doubt in my mind that Adu is a lot better player then Gavan. If somehow we could have started Adu 14 yr old Saturday we would have mostly likely won the game because of his overall game. ------- For those who don't know Adu does favors his left foot. Isolate this kid one on one he beats that player who ever that player is. He has a great and accurate left footed cross that is better then anyone on our national team has today, even with a first defender hanging on him. Better even then lewis I think. Adu will be on 2006 WC in Germany and Gavan will not.
Are you crazy? They were down by two goals with time running! What was he supposed to do, wander back to the other half of the field?