I agree with your comments completely. Before the game, we were downing some adult beverages and hoping that many of the concerns we've had all year did not come and haunt us today....... well they did! Barrett is justgoing to get worse, but what was upsetting today was that he was clearly injured and limping after 15 mins but Dom still kept him in until half time. Same with Davis, who simply pushed inside further to hide when we moved to 3-5-2 in the second half. Words fail me on bringing in Ashe at that point! They had too much pace for us at the back, particularly the full backs, although Boswell held things together as best he could. ERob has had a season to forget and Dom is being too loyal to yet another player who has been with him a long time. Once again, the spark and catayst was Stuie coming on after 65 mins - everything came alight as his class showed everyone what he can do and we were then attacking for the final phase of the match. But Stuie has been messed around by Dom all season long, and now he deserves a rest. And no Cameron, come on Dom?? To all those who vow "In Dom we Trust" I demand you eat it! (along with him!) We were badly outcoached and like OneTerryHurlock, I am livid with Dom.
Soccer, certainly more so than the traditional American sports, can be a cruel game. I think the Houston public just had their first taste of that today. I cannot fault the team. The effort, in the second half in particular, was there, the performance was there, but so too was a seemingly invisible shield along Cepero's goal line to prevent the ball from crossing it. In the end, we fell short in a couple of areas that we knew were a concern before the season began: an ageing defence and the lack of an out-and-out top notch striker (a la Donovan, Cooper or Angel). I'll still be at HDC, and by the sound of things hoping for a Columbus win.
I thought I saw that but then I thought I had to be seeing things. I didn't think that even a Dallas fan would be so pathetic but apparently I was wrong. Hehehe...that guy's patheticness actually has brought a smile to my face. Thanks Dallas fan! Just a reminder to all Dynamo fans. It could always be worse...you could be a Dallas fan.
Did you just craw out from your cave and become a newbie..Why don't you sit you ass down and start learning who is Dynamo before you make your comment..you are one dumb motherf**ker. Brian Ching has proved himself in many games , just because he has a lousy day like today, does not mean we cut him loose..everyone has a sh**y day , he is just as human as you. And you call yourself a Dynamo Fan..what a fu*k ..To be a trustworthy fan - you stick with your team in good day and bad day..
This is interesting..... http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=258360&cc=5901 Kinnear said he didn't like the way the game was officiated, and it started before the game even started. "I think the thing about the center official (Baldomero Toledo), he set the tone of the game," Kinnear said. "When I saw him approach our player (Kei Kamara) before the game and their player (Angel) before the game, where he is having an argument with Kei before the game and he goes up and practically hugs Juan Pablo Angel, literally sprints across the field to shake his hand. "I thought that was kind of odd, and I kind of think that set the tone for how the game was reffed."
If only I knew how to attach pics like nbrooks always does a great job of doing. It cheered me up! Funny thing is, I took a pic of the NY fans before kick-off and he's nowhere to be seen........then when the first goal goes in this guy is hanging about on the fringes of their group joining in the celebrations. I suppose NY need the fans, and FCD needs the glory.
As a neutral observer of this match, I think you guys were extremely unlucky. Soccer (more than any other sport) is a game of percentages. You do the things that give you the best probability of scoring goals. You guys created many many more chances than NY. The first goal you gave up was poor defending, but the PK was just unlucky. The third is typical of what you see when you are committing everyone forward. I felt the officiating really favored NY as well. They clearly came in with the hope of fouling like crazy and trying to finish one or more of their rare opportunities. The ref let a lot of stuff go, and didn't even warn their players about the constant tactical fouling. All-in-all, you guys are clearly the better team. You can always quibble with coaching decisions, but you guys created chances throughout the match, and did not concede a ton of them to NY. You cuys are lucky to have such a strong dangerous team (even when they have trouble finishing like today).
I didn't see Toledo running towards Angel, but just before kick-off Angel did leave the NY side of the pitch and walked a good 15 yards into Houston's half for a chat with the referee which seemed rather odd.
The very worst thing that could happen would be for the folks on this boards to morph into the kind of angst ridden posters who inhabit the other boards and denigrate the very teams and players they claim to support when things don't go the teams way. The Dynamo have had a hell of a run since they've been in Houston - but nothing is ever certain - as they say HSIT happens. Well HSIT happened today, lets get over it and move on (I've already gotten over last Tuesday so this shouldn't be too hard - where's that bottle).
Impressive amount of restraint, optimism and maturity in this thread. The team pressured all game as usual and lost to a one-man counter-attack. Typical 100% effort followed by missed opportunities. De Ro's final touch was off all game, same with the strikers. Lots of great fingertip saves by New York, but so many of the shots were straight at/over him rather than upper 90. Feels like 2004, when the guys were 19-4 with an undefeated streak lasting over half the season then crashing out in round 1 at home. Expansion draft is going to suck. Time to take it out on Zeppo or Harpo or whoever we're playing.
I thought the officiating was questionable but it didn't affect the outcome-Rico's handball was a handball and he's done it before. Let's look at a couple if interesting things, just for thought. Some here are dogging our captain-sure he isn't what he used to be and he got beat badly today but after watching the highlights again I thought wow-imagine if he had put that shot another foot over to the left. That goal would have changed the complexion of the match and I doubt we would be entertaining these notions. Honestly-he got beat, but I can't think of a LB in this league that wouldn't have been beat on most of those plays. I think we should have someone man marking Richards. What about Ching's ballet move and near goal-after watching it again-if he struck that ball first time on the way down after poking it from Cepero that would have 1) been goal of the year (I don't care if it is the playoffs) and 2) completely have changed the game as well. You can tell this from the various NY comments as they weren't even sure they were going to hold on until the scored the third goal. interesting things to chew on.
Before my dissertation on today, I want to thank the squad for their effort for the past 3 seasons and there are some days it just doesn't go your way, and in soccer particularly there tends to be days and results that can seem unfair compared to the entire season but that's the way it goes and this is the way that MLS crowns its champion. Thoughts on today: - I think part of this one is on Dom. He gets the most out of his players but his lineup selection and in-game adjustments/subs were questionable today. Davis was at about 75% at best after his knee twisting in the first half and should have been subbed at that point. He couldn't help Barrett out much for the rest of the half. He went to the 3-5-2 and with Ashe presumably because he has speed (and is a lefty) but to not somehow get Cameron on the field before Ashe when we needed a spark had me scratching my head. And I question Mulrooney at right back over Waibel - that's the ultimate "skill set" vs. fit lineup selection and Waibel is an underrated passer out of the back. Dom seems to make that call every time he can and the last two games proved it may not be the best one. It's a little harder to win when the opposition doesn't implode with red cards in the second half of the second leg. We didn't get the breaks we got the last two years. - Finishing killed us again. Its why we didn't win the supporters' shield - too many goals left on the field early in the year that turned wins into ties and ties into losses. - Ching is not the player he was the last two years. He looks tired, worn out, has no explosion. I will probably get blasted for this but I think his 13 goals this year are an aberration and not indicative of his play - better stats than play. He had a few very good games and more mediocre games. I would have subbed him out rather than Kamara. - Friggin' UH groundskeepers must have taken out a steamroller on the field, the damn thing played like Rice Stadium turf out there. We misjudged more balls than ever at Robertson. - I hate these afternoon games; it seems like the intensity is not the same as the night games and we seem flat for these afternoon games, both home and away. Damn Telefutura - What do we need for 2009? Speed and some youth. This team is starting to look like it is getting old right in front of our eyes. It is good enough to keep the core and sprinkle some guys in but with some fixture congestion and the Gold Cup, WC qualifying, etc, can you really go with this veteran of a lineup and expect to succeed playing 40+ games each year? It was a great run and the organization and team should be applauded.
I was extremely proud of the Dynamo today: - proud of a team that was fighting for a goal in the 92d minute down by 3 goals (so many teams would have stopped playing be then); - proud of TA/EB singing and going on loud and proud down by 3 goals time ran out; - proud of the minimal negative posts in this board despite a heart-breaking defeat. There really is the basis for an exceptional club culture here that I pray is recognized and nourished. If the header off the cross bar goes in it is 2-1 and I think the Dynamo press on a win. Ching's little breakaway that Cepero some how came back and got, same thing. Holden's blast off the corner. DeRo picked out by Mullan at the far post. Those are the breaks though and NYRB capitalized on the breaks, finished their few chances, and defended desperately and bravely. Cepero was Man of the Match. Hats off to Red Bulls. I don't like penalties given when the ball is driven into a defenders arms. I thought Rico's arm was swinging naturally with his run -- a soccer playing position. However, it gets called all the time, about as much as not called, so I'm not going to complain about it. It is something on which I wish FIFA would figure out something better. All strikers go thru fits of not finishing. I remember Ching burying a certain header in Frisco nearly two years ago. I think he had a great season, but has always struggled a tad with finishing. He makes up for it, and was unlucky today and denied by some great goal keeping. This team can salvage allot by beating Firpo. Advancing to the Championship stage of CCL will be a significant feat -- and set the stage for a run at the greatest accomplishment of any American club soccer team. Go Dynamo! Beat Firpo.
Okay, now for some more from this idiot here. I've had a nice dinner and sat down to listen to Led's Houses Of The Holy so I'm a little better now then earlier... Here goes... The officiating was crap, but effected our game only as much as we let it. If we'd played as physically as was being allowed of RB it would have forced his hand in calling the physical play he was letting go against us. Either that or it would have effectively ended his career as a top flight ref. One would have to hope. Wade Barrett wasn't the problem with the defense, the defense was the problem with the defense. Try to remember back in the depths of time, at the beginning of this season, how we'd have trouble covering speedy attacker. (Gamba Osaka anybody?) Then things more or less leveled off, with only the occasional problem with speed, after the unit jelled together. Our defense is built as a team concept loosely related to a zone, not man. If one guy blows it we're usually okay with problems not really coming about until more then two blow it. Today Wade's interior coverage from both central defenders let him down. In this system it's the job of the central to help the outside back contain those runs and that didn't happen. It could have just as easily been Mulrooney getting toasted out there, and considering resent form, it would have been worse if they had a decent left footed speed option to do that burning. I'd say early next year might be a good time to run Chabala and Ustruck out with Boz and ERob to see what happens, as a test of ability to handle this defense not as an answer to a problem. Dom's subs were finally early enough to make a difference, but they were a little off. Waiting until half time was understandable with Barrett, he needed to evaluate his captain before retiring him from the field. Ashe in for him and out on the wing allowed the 3-5-2 to contain Richards much higher then in the first half. It also allowed Davis to roll inside where much less running was needed for keeping our most lethal set piece weapon on the field. I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but I would have subbed in Cameron for Davis instead of Holden. Call it a hunch, but this year seemed to belong to the rookie, maybe there was just a little beginners-luck/magic left in those boots. I know I was still upset when I put my first posts in, but I have to stand by one thing: Jaqua for Kamara was a mistake. Ching, for all his ability to hold up the ball for the rest of the team to play off wasn't able to get that action going today. He was being closed on way faster then normal and couldn't keep the ball long enough to dish it off. Kamara was still cutting through crowds with the ball looking dangerous as hell to get a goal at some point. Have I mentioned I think Jaqua is a waist of space? Finishing was why we lost, period. Cepero had a game to hang a career on, he won't have to do much more for a year or two to stay on the field. But seriously, that only accounts for the freak him and Ching put on with that chip. There were headers just outside the pipes, shots that blistered the paint and a lot of log jams that just didn't go our way. Finish those and we're talking about surviving the first round yet again. So, all you who blame Barrett/Ching/Davis/Kinnear, get over it or get off the wagon, cause this band is and will always be orange. And hopefully those guys will be round next year. Now, GO TO BED!!!! The Sun is still coming up tomorrow and we all have bills to pay!!!!
Our guys have played 55 matches so far with 1 to go against Firpo. That is a sheet-ton of soccer in a season. Our guys fought to the end. It was a great season and now we need to pack the Rob against Firpo to give our guys our support for one more match this season. Dale Dynamo!
Man, I'm still in shock sitting here thinking, "What the F happened " We had offense. I don't think I've ever seen so many shots but one team miss by so little. Their goalie played the game of his life and made some great saves. I wasn't a big fan of the Ref's, but the most comical point came in the second half when the official had a hard time counting off 10yds WITH the football lines for a free kick. I guess I'll be rooting on RSL just for the fact that I would rather a Western Conference team win the West.
Hats off to New Jersey as they must have gotten hold of the Pumas game film and made a plan around it. Their back line stayed composed and their midfield's work rate was something no one has seen from a MetroBull club. Perhaps their franchise turned a corner yesterday cuz I had never seen such unity and spirit from that ball club like yesterday. Even in the Tab or Mathis years. Their goalie had the match of his career as well. Cepero makin' kicksaves like he's a NJ Devil goalie! That is what I was seeing Louie. I just couldn't understand that move by Dom. He's a better right half than target striker. Odd player all around. This is exactly why "resting players" means fuc{ all in professional sports! You rest in the off season and the like. The reserve squad gets sent into action so the first team can focus on the playoffs....err the 4-1 agg loss that sees the club bounced from said playoffs. 0-3 in front of the type of home crowd we had yesterday. Un freakin' believable! It was a dark day for all Houston teams as the Texans got beat down and the Rockets got delt with by the Lakers. The Dynamo losing just wasn't supposed to be in the cards but such is the life of a supporter and this is football. The unlikely is sure to happen. Now the team can really "rest up" cuz that Firpo match is over two weeks from now and me and my buddies will be there to back the Orange! DALE DYNAMO!!!
there was never unity with that team, maybe shades of it in 2000. always been my view too-with that said he is a quality player but I have never seen him as a target striker, isn't that how Chicago used to use him seriously doubt that-this club is the equivalent to a schizo-they are in the dumps (no pun intended) when two of their better guys are suspended-and then are at the top of the world when they take out Columbus and their kid keeper even scores, back down after getting thrashed by the Fire, back up when they back into the playoffs, back down after squandering a lead and giving up the late equalizer in the first leg, then back up with the upset win of lifetime...my prediction-next week they do well against the Salties and then give an own goal late. There is no getting away from the ghost of Caricola. This is Metro soccer, forever Jinxed. i don't understand this either at least in MLS-there are too many examples of teams that "rest" players for the playoff run and then it back fires in terms of sharpness. We seemed to have legs but actually ball skill was lacking. We can always second guess, but I still would have played our first team against Firpo and started SOME reserves for the first leg, playing the bet that they could hold equal-bring in some regulars as reinforcements late. feels worse than yesterday, being a NY fan back in the day it was easy to forget getting eliminated b/c you always thought well we'd F it up anyway. But with these guys, I think we are clearly a better team and that doesn't sit well.