MetroStars (10-12-2, 32 pts.) at Dallas Burn (11-7-7, 40 pts.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 8 p.m. ET The Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX) TV: ESPN2 Play-by-Play: Jack Edwards Analysts: Ty Keough Sideline: Veronica Paysse Referee: Ricardo Salazar Referee's Assistants: Steven Davidson (SAR), Paul Stott (JAR) Fourth Official: Jasen Anno INJURY REPORT OUT: D Marcelo Balboa (knee bone bruise-R) QUESTIONABLE: F Mamadou Diallo (high ankle sprain-L) PROBABLE: M Tab Ramos (torn hamstring-L) PROBABLE: M/F Clint Mathis (strained groin-R) SUSPENSIONS D Craig Ziadie (Red Card, 62’, 8/31 at Los Angeles) PROBABLE LINEUP: Howard, Akwari, Petke, Jolley, Chronopolous, Moore, Paule, Williams, Davis, Mathis, Faria BENCH: Grafer, Addo, Lisi, Ramos, Diallo 1) Will the Metros be able to overcome both the loss of Ziadie (red card) and Diallo (injury)? 2) Will the Metros be able to bounce back after a horrific 3-0 loss to L.A.? 3) Will Tab be able to fill the leadership void that's desperately lacking? 4) Can the Metros avenge a 3-1 loss to Dallas several weeks ago, giving up all 3 in a 17 minute span? 5) Will Veronica Paysse actually have anything important to add to the match? Stay tuned tonight at 8:00 p.m.............
1) Ziadie is no big loss. We can play Mathis & Faria up top. It's our mid field service that counts. 2) Probably not 3) Of course not. He hasn't in seven years, why should he now? 4)No, but the way Petke has been playing we can probably give up 4 goals in 10 minutes. 5) She adds her T&A to the games which is better to look at than anything these lackluster, doggin' it Metros are gonna do. I'm a Metro man, but I guess: Burn 4, Metros o Red cards: Petke (for something idiotic, I'm sure) Leaves game with injuries: Ramos, Mathis (son of Tab), Klinger (gets injured walking over to the water cooler when he trips on a sleeping Marcelo Balboa).
Oh yeah, and someone on Dallas scores two goals and gets at least one assist and is named MLS player of the week.
Negative? Nah, just realistic. By the way, this game is so big it has not one, but two pre game threads
I'm betting that OZ's new asst. coach forgets to put Tab's name down on the list of eligible players that is handed to the referees. In the 65th minute, with the Metro down 2-1, OZ tries to get Tab into the game and can't. OZ then wlaks over to Clint to reminisce with him on how the same thing happened to Clint awhile back. Then OZ starts laughing and falls down becoming the first coach to have to miss a game due to injury. Actually, I'm hoping that with L'il Mama out the team can do well despite OZ's best intentions.
Faria Mathis Davis Williams Ramos Moore Akwari Jolley Addo Petke At least on paper, it has possibilities.
If Petke receives at least a yellow card in one of the remaining games, he's automatically suspended for the next match, since he'll exceed the accumulated points total.
Paule provides a lot more offense and maturity than Moore. I agree this lineup has possibilities, but I'm not confident it's going to be good enough to overcome a talented and unified Burn team that is coming off a tough loss and playing at home.
fixed your post. since when do we need to "overcome" the loss of a player like ziadie....he's an average defender who's playing at the expense of addo, an experienced quality player....there's a gazillion ziadies in the a-leauge.... addo was brought in for his experience and smarts for a young back line....so what does oz do? keeps him on the bench. now that we have akwari, there is absolutely no reason that ziadie should start, none. jolley, petke, addo, akwari should be our back line. my predicition, mathis plays up top, scores 2 goals...faria adds another....on assists from williams and davis... the defense, led by addo and akwari, gives up only one goal, due to petke assuming that kreis will be picked up by someone else, while he's yelling at deering over a play that happened 30 minutes ago... after a good 3-1 win....oz decides we were lucky and at the next game: 1. starts our iron man ziadie over addo 2. moves mathis to midfield so he can duplicate the efforts of williams 3. uses davis as a sub when we're down 2 goals. 4. spends too much time making sure the knott on his tie is perfect then team strategy and morale.
from the artice... ok...everyone...take a deep breath...and hold. i forgot which season it was (i think it was last year) where tab was expected (questionable or probable) to return every game...for 2 or so months.... same with balboa during the first half of this season...he was alway suppose to be ready to play in 2 or 3 weeks.... reminds of the older bars/diners that have the "free beer/coffee tomorrow" signs.
Extremely unfair to Ziadie, I'd say. It's not like he's a godawful defender - just inconsistent. He's also the ONLY option we have for creating anything out of the back (though it appears that Akwari may have ball skills to match Ziadie's, we'll wait and see). I think Joe Addo is a good guy and a serviceable defender, but his Sliding Scissor Tackle Of Death scares the hell out of me.
michael... i don't think its unfair at all...i'm not trying to be mean, just realistic. ziadie is an average defender...maybe a tad above, nothing more, nothing less. he can be a sub if one our starters gets tired...i'm comfortable with him in that role. i never said he was awful. he just makes some really dumb decisions (ala petke) every game. i don't understand how he's an automatic starter when he's eligible. do you? but as a starting defender? no. he has the speed, but lacks vision and skill. sliding scissor tackle of death....lol...sounds like a wrestling move...
I think Chrono is really our weaest link in the back. Ziadie is average, but if you're going to sub someone out(in this case we have no choice) It will be Chrono.
Man, so much negativity! We're due for a win vs these chumps, i got a feeling its gonna happen tonight. besides im thinking on taking Metros,Chicago and DC 10 bucks pays 267 hehe so they better win...what you guys think?
The biggest reason Ziadie has been an average yet inconsistant defender is because Ziadie is not a defender. DCU tried to play him there, and he was inconsistant. Metro are now trying to play him there and he is inconsistant. When is a coach actually going to play Ziadie in his normal spot as a wide midfielder? JMac
who's the man? although it wasn't good, and i got the dispersal among the two players wrong.....3 points is 3 points...
Smith.... Just read all your posts about last nights game.You are one hell of a fan with keen soccer insight. The Metro's really deserve more guys like you. Please comment again just before we play the Rev's. Maybe we'll get another result like last night's match....adios