And nobody believed me on Saturday night when I said the Rapids were likely to turn around and blow this golden opportunity. Maybe I'm just on a witch hunt here, but is there any other reason aside from incompetent coaching that would explain the Rapids' performance tonight? It's not that they lost. It's that they were entirely embarassed. I'm really finding it hard to swallow Hankinson's postgame comments on a lot of levels: Black and blue, indeed. Perhaps someone can explain why Beckerman was left on the bench. Or the fact that despite his attempts at subs, both Titus and Stewart will be missing the Burn match because of first-half yellow cards. Are you Myernick, Are you Myernick, Are you Myernick in disguise? Are you Myernick in disguise? How about this gem from Kramer: Hey David, any reason you didn't touch the third goal? Hell, you didn't even touch Twellman. Even Mark Chung manages to find a silver lining: Of course it was a different game! It was THREE TO ZERO! Think maybe that has something to do with the Rapids having the ball more in the second half? Think maybe, just maybe that's why the Revs were playing 9 men behind the ball for 45 minutes? More from Chung: Meaning what, that you should play like you're down by 3 or that you don't give a ************? And finally, back to Kramer: Of course. Why bother learning from these experiences? If we forget these games, it's like they never happened. Right? Seriously, does this team even appear to notice that they're far from hitting any knid of stride as they enter the playoffs, let alone earning a home-field advantage? I attack the comments of Chung and Kramer here, but the reality is that on the field these guys are fierce, hard-ass competitors -- and they're going to have a long, miserable trip back to Colorado after this one. All the more reason that I wonder why they can't seem to get settled and comfortable for two games in a row. Yay.
you took the words right out of my mouth! Hankinson is starting to rub me the wrong way, i'm tired of being embarassed like this. We need a strong coach that will teach our players to learn from these experiences, especially young players. there are other problems that need to be solved too, i'm sure there are. but this is starting to depress me and piss me off...i feel deja vu... this sucks
This is basically the Rapids that we have come to expect over the last few years. Up and down. Was Valderamma in the game last night? I think the Revs did the one thing the most frustrates the Rapids and that is pressure the backline as they try to build the ball out of the back. Every team in the league should do this against the Rapids.
Aimless. It seems like when the Raps are getting clobbered, like last night, they are doing almost nothing good. Kramer, the backline, the midfield, the so called attack, it ALL looks like crap. Geez, they can really play ugly when they want to.
Blame Titus for a terrible tackle on the first goal, and Fraser as well for not shutting Twellman down when he had the chance as well. I thought Kramer could have had the Hernandez free kick. Fraser should have stopped the cross from Ralston on the 3rd goal, Titus let Twellman get away from him, and Kramer made a fool of himself. 3 pretty bad goals. Otherwise, the Raps played okay, as silly as that sounds. This game was predictable though (which I did as well). The Revs are much improved now that they have Kante in the back and are healthy, and they were desperate for the points and at home, coming off a huge win. The Raps are playing for home field advantage, but not for their playoff lives. Trembly looked a chicken with his head cut off the first few minutes, but ultimately played okay. Nice to see him get a few more minutes.
Guys, This team lacks a leader and it comes right from the top: Hankinson. I have always supported him but he is really starting to make me wonder what he does that makes this team play so heartless and without any passion or desire. In two of their last three games, the Rapids had golden opportunities to make up ground on the leaders and start building momentum. Instead, they get crushed by LA after SJ ties DC. Then, they go out and put in a great performance to beat SJ but follow it up with the crap they did last night. It both games, they came out flat and lost the game before halftime. Not to mention the games they played in Dallas and the 4-1 home loss to NE in June. I just wrote my column for tomorrow and in it I found a pretty telling stat: in 9 of their 12 losses, they have been outscored 25-4. That is ridiculous. They have players who look like they don't care and players taking stupid cards when they know they are sitting on potential suspensions. I know Pablo is the best player on the Rapids but what the hell was he thinking taking that card against SJ. There were three defenders back and he still pulls Lagos back. He says he was doing what he thought would help the team but that is just a lack of discipline and awareness. That is something that Hankinson has to address right phucking now. Heartless and gutless and Hankinson has to be held accountable. I'm done ranting. Man, I hope they can bounce back (again) against Dallas.
With so many players on the bubble for suspension by caution point accumulation, one has to wonder: 1. Why start all of these players at the same time? 2. Why aren't they coached to "cool it" a bit when they're on the bubble? 3. Why are so many of them in caution trouble to begin with? 4. When will Hankinson realize that "black and blue" is not a successful strategy in MLS? As JoeyClams says, there are some serious awareness issues at hand. Making sure the team is focused on the proper concerns is the chief responsiblity of the coach.
the players' play and the coach's decisions disgust me. They played last night like they are going through the motion. It looks like they just run around, and then give the ball to someone else. I feel like I am watching a high school game!. Do we really have all stars on this team!!!!Some of these regulars need to sit and let some other players on the bench bring some spark to the team. This type of play has happen too much this season. The starters never have to fight for a position whether they stink or not.... and it shows in their performance...
What bench? Trembly? Shak? Hasn't worked for the defense (Kotschau and Stewart out, Herdsman in) and we don't have an offensive bench (Or maybe our bench is very offensive, to the fans) with Spencer injured. Shannon is non-existant. Our total offense off the bench is Beckerman...
What bench? Trembly? Shak? Hasn't worked for the defense (Kotschau and Stewart out, Herdsman in) and we don't have an offensive bench (Or maybe our bench is very offensive, to the fans) with Spencer injured. Shannon is non-existant. Our total offense off the bench is Beckerman... ______________________________________________________________________________________ well it seems like other teams use their bench throughout the season so they then don't seem like rusty players..Like I said before the starters should be benched when they play like crap..he subbed the same way in this game and the other 4-0 game two games ago. He keeps subbing for the defense. WHY??? Put in new offense and just see what happens. I thought Beckerman should of gone in before the two defensive players. He really is an offensive player but never gets to go in for that. Hankinson is so predictable as to where he will sub!! Only Certain positions get subbed out and other position never get subbed no matter how they are playing and no matter what the score is.
I'll agree that there are terrible coaching decisions and player choices, but this game was lost for 1 reason: Kramer. 2 UNBELIEVABLY soft goals by Kramer. All the stuff you guys are complaining about is valid IMHO, but we lost a point (or more) simply because of Kramer. Play the A-leaguer. Kingsley kicks @$$, so why not the keeper?
Explain exactly how Kramer allowed two softies. First goal was a deflection off his own player. The best keepers in the world are routinely beaten in this manner. Second goal was a free kick lined up nearly straight ahead, from 20 yards out. It dipped over the wall and curled into the side netting. Kramer did exactly what he was supposed to do, which is set up the wall and cover the weak side.
I don't know, Kramer seemed completely turned around by that first gaol, which some keepers still could have stopped. Considering where he was (bad angle on TV, so I couldn't really tell) I'm not sure he would have stopped it had it not been deflected.
FYI Trembly is now a forward......ha ha Beckerman has not been given a chance to shine and, if I were him, I would rue the day I ever signed my name to an MLS contract. MLS has been a black hole for Beckerman, and his career is stagnating in comparison to contemporaries Martino, Davis, etc. Shak sucks. See you and Danny Jackson in the A-League next year. The Columbus Crew should have a forward allocation draft and the Rapids and DC United get picks 1 and 2. In exchange Columbus can have Raul Palacios, Lazo Alvanja, the rights to Daniel Amokachi, and the spirit of Imad Baba
Goal 1 was deflected vertically downward (not side-to-side). A decent/good keeper would've stopped it. Goal 3 was just pathetic (communicate better w/defense, block the ball and feet, etc.). Goal 2 was beautiful and would've gone in on nearly any keeper.
I agree... watced it a bunch of times on Tivo, in slo-mo -- it wasn't that he didn't get TO the ball. It was that, once he got to it, he didn't have his hands in the right place to stop it. The ball went underneath his hands, despite making a good horizontal effort to get there. Yeah, "pathetic" is definitely the right word. Either charge the ball, or don't. In replay, he charged halfway there and then hesitated with his legs apart allowing the shot to go through. As the shot went through, Kramer looked flustered... like someone had just handed him a hot potato. I sure hope we see a different Kramer on Sunday evening.