I’m putting together an MLS Regular- Season Review for a soccer magazine and I wanted to get the supporters’ opinions about the Wizards in 2003. I would love it if some folks could answer the questions below. Thanks So Much! MVP: Surprise of the season (player or other): Disappointment of the season (player or other): Game of the season (a few details): Goal of the season (a few details): Young player to watch: 2003 will be remembered for . . . (game, moment, chant, incident etc):
MVP: Hands down is Preki, without him this team is Dallas. Surprise of the season (player or other): The surprises have been few. On the feild the player is Alex Zotinca. It took him a while, but after many yellows he relearned how to play outdoor. He wasn't our first choice as a D/d-mid but he has definitely worked his way into the starting line-up. Disappointment of the season (player or other): Hands down is Josh Wolff. We should have known better, but alot of expectations were riding on him to be the solution of the striker problem we have had since Molnar retired. Game of the season (a few details):The game of the season was the win out in LA. That finally broke our 10 game slump and led us to a 4-0-1 end of the regular season. Right now the Wizards last 7 games record is 4-1-2, not too shabby. Goal of the season (a few details): The goal of the season is the goal of everybody else's, to win the treble. But as compared to last season it was to find the back of the net more often and not give up leads. Last year it was the same game every week. Score early play possesion and go forward. We played attractive attacking soccer but just couldn't find the back of the net and were left open to counters often. This year is pretty much the same story but the ends have been traded. We can find the back of the net, but our defense has let too many goals go through, especially on counters. Our back line isn't particulary fast, or tall. The other goal that has been accomplished but still can be improved on is set peices. With the addition of Jimmy Conrad the Wizards have finally found sucsess in restarting the ball. Young player to watch: Jose Burciaga Jr., although this was to be his third year in MLS he once again was bit by the ACL bug. He was playing very well with the U-23's and will be in contention for the Olympic squad. He is a defender with tremendous potetial, but what sets him aside from any other defender on the Wizards is his skill on the ball, especially when going forward. When Jose return's next year watch for the Wizards to switch to a 4-4-2 instead of the 3-6-1 that is currently being played right now. 2003 will be remembered for . . . (game, moment, chant, incident etc): The playoffs aren't over yet, but the thing to remember in my mind comes down to three events, two on the feild and one in the stands. On the feild was the 10 game slump and then how we clawed, bit, and chewed our way back into second place. The other is when playing the Fire Beasley was diving all night, Chicago had urned a corner kick right in front of the Cauldron. Everybody in Uninson were chanting Dive!!! Dive!!! Dive!!! Beasley comes over and looks me in the eye smiling his acknowledgement, steps up to take the kick and trips on a peice of grass earning himself thunderous cheers. In the stands is the hanging of the fish. LA was in town El Pesicidito "the little fish" is an extremely dispised player here. John Roush brings in a dead Koi Gold fish on a noose earning him lots of points, smiles, and claps from passing player both KC and LA (Ruiz refused to look). The single game was also that same LA game when Simuntekov scored that contreversial golden goal. The Crowd erupted with cheers then turned to boos when the referee went to talk to his linesman (who never raised his flag, as some reports claim) who was staninding in the corner right infront of the Cauldron. The Cauldron was livid, expletives flying every where, there was a mad rush to the front of the section so that everyone could make their voice heard to the referee. Then the referee signaled a goal and the "Oh Hell NO!!!"s turned into "Oh Hell YES!!!"s. I hadn't seen the Cauldron that emotional since Mo Johnston gave his own blood to get the Ball to Miklos Molnar to put the eventual champions into the Cup. My name is Matt Fulton if you want to use any quotes.
(See Matt for reasoning) MVP: Preki Surprise of the season (player or other): Average attendance rising 3000, Davey Arnaud's emergence. Disappointment of the season (player or other): Josh Wolff Game of the season (a few details): Winning in LA, was HUGE. Goal of the season (a few details): I think you're talking about an individual goal, not the ogranizations overall goals. 1) Ahead 1-0 in the LA game mentioned, Preki receives a ball in the midfield and plays a perfect through ball to an onrushing Klein who beats Hartman with one touch. 2) Arnauds bomb against the Metros Young player to watch: Burciaga and Arnaud. 2003 will be remembered for . . . (game, moment, chant, incident etc: a 0-7-2 slump right in the middle of an otherwise great season. Our new offense. Dropping the "most boring team in MLS" tag.
I would tend to agree on most of these picks, MVP: Preki, who else would you pick from the Wizards, without Preki, who knows how bad we would have ended up. Surprise: I'd have to agree with Ben on this one actually, Arnaud has been a very plesent surprise, especially with all the injuries to our other forwards this season. Disappointment: Wolf, no explanation needed past what has been said Game of the Season: Again I have to agree, the win at HDC, that turned the entire season around and started the roll we went on that leads us to having the home field advantage this Saturday for the game against Colorado, without that win, we are third, maybe even the fourth seed. Goal of the Season: Although we haven't had any real "goal of the year candidates", at least according to MLS's website, I'll say the second goal, and eventually game winner by Klein against LA, for the reasons stated above about the game. Young player to watch: While we don't exactly have any stand out youth players that stand out (my personal beef with Bob, he's never really allowed young players to play a lot.) But I'd have to Burciaga or Arnaud, just because of the fact that there is really no other youth that has played this season. 2003 will be remembered as...: an up and down season, being the number one offense in the league for a while, then going like 8 games without a goal in the run of play, the terrible two and a half months from July to Sept, and then finishing hot heading into the playoffs.
MVP: Bob, j/k of course Preki Surprise of the season: Meola. Didn't think he would fall off so quickly Disappointment of the season: Wolff Game of the season: The Dallas thumping, although not as important as the LA home win it was fun watching the mexicans lose and destroy Dallas at the same time. Goal of the Season: Preki in injury time at home against LA. Young player to watch: Arnaud by default. 2003 Will Be Remembered For: Winning our second Cup. But since there is a chance that might not happen...The home game against LA when the cauldron threw that beer on cobi, I had a good laugh at his expense. Nice topic DSFC
And said fish is STILL waiting calmly in my freezer for the elimination of LA... He's got a nice curl to him now. Photos will be posted tomorrow.
That's just wrong... MVP: Preki, duh. Surprise of the season: We all expected Preki to score occasionally, but an MVP season? Please. Also, Lamar Hunt stepping up to personally recruit and save Curt Johnston's bacon was a pleasant happening. Disappointment: Wolff. Burciaga's injury was almost more dissappointing as he was dominating people before he went down. The entire 'Zard Card marketing program. Game of the season: No question. June 21st at Arrowhead. KC snagged a very rare win against Chicago 4-2. The game was over early as Razov scored late to make it respectable. The backdrop was that CHI has dominated KC ever since the 2000 Cup win. Preki also turned 40 within the week. Chicago couldn't cover him. Preki featured in all 4 goals with a pk and 3 assists. The most memorable moment was multiple impromptu choruses of "Happy Birthday" from the entire 17,000 to serinade the former and future league MVP as he left the game. I'll carry that with me for a long time. I'm sure he will too. Goal of the season: Onstad batting in Preki's corner early in the season. KC has scored many good goals and some great ones. None stand out as much as this one. Young player to watch: Burciaga for the potential and the injuries. Arnaud might be, if he learns how to defend at all. 2003 will be remembered for: A great offense without a hint of a feature forward and a 9 game winless streak. Otherwise, jury's still out. The failures of a GM if KC loses Sat. Possibly a Cup final if KC gets by the Rapids and hosts an LA team that has played poorly here in the recent past.
My thoughts MVP: uh......Preki? Surprise: Realizing how much fun standing in the Cauldron could be. Thanks for making me feel welcome. A close 2nd-Klein's reemergence to spark the win streak. Disappointment: I was going to say Wolff, but that is almost too easy. How about our midseason loss of offensive power. The highest scoring offense in the league went out the window and we couldn't the broadside of a barn with a beach ball from 10 feet. Thankfully we are showing signs of coming out of it. Game: This really is tough choice. I think I'll go with the 2nd LA game. Gotta love the fish. Other games that really stand out. The 5-1 drubbing of Dallas and 4-2 win over the Fire as revenge for the horrific trip to Naperville<---which qualifies as my least favorite game of the year. Goal: Again, really tough choice. Since no one has really mentioned either OT winner, I will. Brown's winner against New England in the opener and Igor's "controversial" (at least according to the LA announcers) winner against LA. Wait, not tough at all. I called that one before the OT started. Igor's goal wins. Young player: Does Zotinca qualify as young? He seems to have improved greatly during the season and he hustles. 2003: My remembrance of 2003 would have to be the trip to Tulsa, unless we win the Cup and then of course it would be that
I would like to chime in on only one. Biggest Disappointment: Gansler. With all the talent young and old on this team, he still can't coach a consistent team. As usual, the Wizards are either hot or cold. How can a team perform consistently when the coach himself is not consistent. He is right when he says formations do not win or lose games. But putting the wrong personnel in certain formations will lose you games. Gansler says he has used a 4-4-2 formation this year. If he did, it was the one time he was using Klien as a defender. And don't get me started on using Igor as a midfielder. Please. I will stop there before I babble too much.