Revs/Carolina Post Game Thread [R]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eR5oFHyiIm4

singing "oh oh oh new england"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wZSqmzGyV74

singing "the wheels on your house"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=d7dxCHQIX3Q

flares at the game

http://youtube.com/watch?v=m1NfdDWiSR8

flares and smoke bombs, along with the "new england-gol" song

 

all of my pics from the game, lots of flare pics

 

Well, was at the game in Seattle tonight, hoping to see the way paved for Nicols & Co. to be able to play a match here, but Fate was not kind.
Seattle played solidly and with desire, but squandered the many chances it created. The post, and other missed opportunities, made for a very frustrating evening. But give Dallas its due, it played much better than Chivas, and much much better than Colorado, against the Sounders....So close, damn.
Edilson was interesting. In the first half, playing on the left, he had little effect and was in fact embarassed by Alvarez-Cuellar more than once. In the second half he took on a more free floating role, and was consistently and dangerously creative. The Sounder's backs still held him quite well, and the keeper--who is just quality [better than Dallas' Sala, who looked like Yallop throughout the match, although perhaps not better than Burse] --- stopped almost everything that made it through. But the hapless ref made that pathetic penalty call, and that was the killing bullet.
Would have loved to have seen a Revs vs. Sounders final, here at Qwest. It would have been awesome soccer....damn again.
Anyway, Dallas won and that's it. Go Revs, take fulsome revenge for last year's horror at Pizza Hut Park, and beware of Brazilian 10s with license to free float on the attack.

 

[youtube]gySTw3sPY8[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgySTw3sPY8

That's what lead to Shalrie and Edozian's red cards. Luckily for you guys I'm sick today, can get all the pics and videos up.

EDIT:

Pictures
The Tree Fort
Rev Army
Veterans Stadium
Railhawks (home team...) locker room
The Creamsicles
Ed leading the pack

Videos
First seconds of the game and wipeout (YouTube)
Flares/smoke bombs in the Tree Fort (YouTube)
Leaving the stadium (YouTube)
Free kick/Riders (YouTube)

 

I believe so.

 

It was a bit odd not seeing Wells. Even Heaps was there.

Alright, I'm gonna say this, and I'm preparing for the worst...Nyassi and Khano on the wings *runs*

But seriously, did anyone else notice how NOBODY could stop them? They were just tearing up the wings and had some decent service. Perhaps they could push Ralston to the AM slot and relegate Dorman to Joseph's position for the final? I dunno, I really liked Khano and Nyassi on the wings.

 

Wells was there. He just wasn't on the bench.

 

I think Khano has an interesting super power...he is able to appear on the field as two different players at the same time, one that some people see as good and another whom others see as awful.

My assessment was that every time we were looking to Smith for a cross or a shot he did nothing. Noonan was very disappointing last night as well. When he did come out he got his right thigh iced. I think he just wasn't 100% Here was a match with more that 3 subs allowed, Heaps & Twellman out, Noonan less than fully healthy...and we only make two subs, both untested rookies.

Larentowizc was a monster on his goal. At that moment he put the team on his shoulders and carried them. He kicked the corner flag after he scored (lucky he didn't get a card, his later yellow would have been his second). It seemed clear that we was sending a message that he was fed up with trailing a lower division team. He was my MOTM

Runner-up was Parkhurst who had to save our bacon a couple of times. After John was subbed out, it appeared that it was just he and Riley in the back and we was amazing.

There was very little midfield play last night, so it mostly end-to-end stuff with the Revs showing that they were stronger but either wasted chances or were broken up by fouls. The couple of break-aways near the end were ridiculous. Smith and Cristman made the keeper look good. At least one of them should have been a chip from 40 yards or so, but both took it to goal with the keeper getting back (and neither was a threat, IIRC neither was even on net).

Ralston was amazing, where does he find the energy to play that long and that hard at his age? It was nice to see John involved in a play where the other player got the card. Dorman was pretty absent, though I do remember him taking at least one nice long-distance crack at goal.

In the end it was a hard won win for a trip to another final. I certainly take it.

 

The fact that they were "matching reds" seemed to indicate that it was one of those times when one player was picked from each side in a fight. It was already too late for the ref to get control of the match and this didn't help. It would be interesting to know what the Carolina player (was it #14?) says about why he went down. The video shows what I recall...that he sure looks like he's selling it given how he practically sits down and then rolls over. It could be for the pushing that happened before that player went down. It certainly wasn't clear at the time and it took a verrrry long time for the officials to sort things out and get play restarted.

Also in relation to the officials, a number of the Revs went after them after the match even though they had just won. In fact, they seemed more interested in that and getting to the bus than they did in celebrating. The players were extremely subdued for having just won a semi-final match. The Carolina team gathered at midfield for their post game talk and then did some "warm up" running...was that actually a punishment from the coach or just a cool down? It seemed rather odd.

 

The Refs were awful- but give credit were credit is due- Carolina had some good players- not enough to handle the Revs but not bad....

 

http://mlsinsight.blogspot.com/

My report/analysis there. I do think it shouldn't go without saying that Khano played well last night, but it was hard to fit that in the article.

 

Possibly finally getting that getting to a cup final is not good enough and should be expected.

 

My take on last night's match:

We were totally out of sync at the forward position. Nobody puts in the grunt work like Twellman. Once Joseph was ejected, we played over the midfield quite a bit, and we missed Taylor. Noonan played tentatively and cutesy for most of the evening (kudos on the goal though). Cristman was just OK - had a few opportunities to turn and shoot, and couldn't make much of them. He worked pretty hard though.

I thought Khano's play was a disgrace. He has only rudimentary ball skills, and seems incapable of getting his head on the ball. Squandered the few opportunities afforded to him. The only times he is NOT out of position is when there is enough time for him to use his speed to get back into position. If, as was mentioned in the PBP thread, he was trash talking, the trash matched his game. As far as I am concerned, he failed his USL-1 audition.

Ralston was quietly solid. He didn't seem able to get past the two Carolina defenders that were inevitably marking him, but played his "inside game" effectively.

Dorman and Larentowicz were in the meat grinder most of the match. It was important to keep their cool, and they did. Ginger's goal was great, and came at the perfect time.

The defense played a normal game - some dicey moments to be sure, with Carolina playing desperately. Reilly continues to struggle with distribution. Great header off the line by Parky.

Our new addition looks promising - he at least shows he understands the concept of taking on a defender 1-1. Some good moves, a few nervous touches. May see some time as a late game change of pace.

Reis: long periods of inactivity, coupled with a few brilliant saves. He's master of the universe.

Officials: D-. They had a hard time keeping the game under control, even after three ejections. I've never seen Nicol so angry. The offsides calls were ridiculous.

 

It was probably easy for them to open up the field with Carolina only having 9 players by the time Nyassi got on. ("You're almost out of play-ers!") I saw only a couple good crosses from Khano, but he blew a -lot- of good chances. I brought a friend to the game who had never been to a game before and he said "Who's that guy? He sucks". I replied with "There's only one Khano Smith".

 

Here's one for the LOTG experts here. One of the calls was made when the pass crossed the midfield line and the only players on that side of the line were two Revs attackers and the goalkeeper scrambling back. There was at least one defender between the passer and the attackers, but was on the Revs side of midfield. Is that offside? I don't fully understand the "you can't be offside on your side of midfield" rule. It also may have been the case that neither Rev had crossed the line at the time of the pass. That, I would assume, means no offside.

 

By the way, the PA announcer at the stadium was a total moron. Otherwise, it was a good stadium (would be great w/o the track), a good crowd, overall a lot of fun.

 

I saw Wells, he was in the section right next to me, as well as Brad Knighton, Miguel Gonzalez, Joey Franchino, and Ryan Solle, and then Heaps joined them in the second half.

 

Why would Solle be there, he just got released.

 

I thought it was pretty interesting that at the final/final whistle the Revs didn't celebrate (granted they were tired), but Reis went right for the officials, so much so that the linesmen were blocking him from getting at the Ref.

I was on the opposite side of the field from the Fort, and felt like I was at a HS football game. There were very few people actually interested in the game, and the most excitement during the 2nd half was from the Praying mantis that landed in the stands.

I saw the flares and immediately thought 'Garrett's here'

I loved that the PA announcers thanked the Riders for being "so classy for waving CT flags". Joe L and I laughed, well we are 'New England'

Why don't they serve MOJITOS at Gillette?

I felt like at the beginning of the game, the Revs tried their game, but were getting nowhere with all the fouling and had to degenerate to the RailHawks level of play. I think by 4th minute, I was certain at least one Carolina player was going to get a red.

 

At least he knew not to do his whole strip club DJ routine during the run of play.

BTW, that altercation was nine minutes long. I timed it. How they only had 4 minutes of injury time is beyond me.

 

That PA announcer probably comes with the mojitos.

 

I overheard someone in the fort say that last night was the "best high school soccer game" he'd ever been to (quote is approximate)