additional comments: Metros...bad choice taking your foot off the gas with the 2-0 lead. They overwelmed our D for the goal in the 2nd half and never tried to put #s forward afterward...oops. Mathis...gave us a hint of the player he may have to turn into...a hard nosed 2 way middie. He not longer has the explosion necessary to be the floating a-mid...he has to play it straight, and do the defensive work. With us down a player, Mathis worked his a$$ off winning the ball back and showed some nice bite...without losing his cool and fouling. I hope Clint learns that this specific role matches his current skill/athleticism set. The Bulldog...a good sub to bring in...better when he is running at tired players. Remember, he does get exposed when he has to go 90. Watson...the speed up front scares the D...yea! His runs created tons of space in which Mathis could operate. I agree with whomever said that the first half was some of the bast ball we played all year offensively...much of it caused by Watson. All the cheap shots off the ball should be taken as a compliment. The D...hard to lose 2 defenders and get it right. Luckily the Metros stopped pushing forward. Galvan Rey just is not dangerous. Props for Knowles for coming in and getting the job done with the flat back 3. Kammy was getting killed all night...seems to be carrying an injury (yes, that means we will have Ackwari, Knowles, Broome, Behnke for Chivas ) DJ...HORRIBLE rebound...and he knew it. Still way too slow off his line to collect loose balls. Did gain a fan in my wife (and every female within 3 rows of me) when he threw his jersey into the stands . Williams...active with the ball on his feet. Completely spent by the end of the game (still needs to improve his conditioning). Overall: we all knew that ReAL would struggle this year...and we have. The problem has been HOW we struggled (collectively giving only 75% on the pitch). This game they ALL gave everything they had...I could care less if they had lost...the effort was beautiful.
According to MLSnet, Metros dominated. http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050705&content_id=35496&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
According to Scott Macallister, the Metros dominated. He was wrong. Of course, perhaps articles written by supporters should be taken with a grain of salt. (Our MLSnet articles tend to ignore little things like the fact RSL must be leading the league in posts hit by the opposition...btw, none last night, which is definitely a step in the right direction )
... that's funny because the DesNews put out an article today (late last night) that is almost exactly my sentiments of the game - go James Edwards. The morons at MLSNet just tried to tell a story from the scoring summary / stats. DesNews write-up Here's a SLTrib write-up... see about halfway down. http://www.sltrib.com/realsaltlake/ci_2840230
Then he is trying too hard to sound impartial - frankly, I have to question anyone's understanding of the game who could possibly think the Metros "dominated" last night.
Here is another Loyalist/MLSnet write-up: http://real.saltlake.mlsnet.com/MLS...ent_id=35478&vkey=news_rsl&fext=.jsp&team=rsl David Hale is the Loyalist VP.
Conventional wisdom says that the team who had the most corner kicks controlled possession. It doesn't always hold true but it does seem to be a consistent indicator.
Yep... RSL 7 vs. Metro 1 The first 40 min. were heavily in favor of RSL, the Metros were only getting "shots" on occassional counter attacks. RSL kept pressing and pressing with Watson getting hammered several times for no calls... RSL was earning corners and making very nice runs (they had several chances where they couldn't get off the shot but looked very dangerous)... then on one of those "no calls" Metros come back and put on shot on DJ that he should have handled OR punched out. (He's been a good goalie this year and done more good than bad, but too many goals this year have come on the rebound off his initial "save") Then, within a couple of minutes you get Dunseth getting an undeserved red for what should have at best been a yellow. Suddenly RSL is down to 10 men and trailling but they STILL pressured at the end of the first half... The half ends to the crowd jeering the ref as he walks off the field escorted out by stadium staff. The second half begins with RSL getting caught flat-footed and giving up a goal to go down 2-0. This was more typical of RSL's usual first 20 min of a game but it came at the beginning of the second half. Metros never dominated - they had a very fortunate 10 min (5 min on either side of the halves). They never "took their foot off the gas" as some articles stated OR I saw posters on the Metros board lamenting... they never had their "foot" on the gas - so to speak. The Metros failed to take advantage of their good fortune and couldn't hold the lead. From about minutes 50 to 75 the game was fairly even - Metros seemed to have some possession but it was even between the two sides... then in the last 15 min. RSL started to possess the ball again and press the attack with Trembly taking a shot off a dish / deflect from Tiger(? I think) with 11 min. to go. RSL dominated the last 11 min. and kept pushing and pushing an won the PK in this 87th or 88th minute (but it took a couple of min. for the Metros to complain and the shot to be setup, so the actual "score" didn't happen until the 90'th minute). After the PK, RSL didn't let up - it looked like they might pull off an unbelievable 3rd goal but despite pressuring around the box, they couldn't find the last touch or pass for the goal... However, a couple of times Metros tried to counter but couldn't manage any serious threat. Metros TIED this game because of 10 min. of good fortune for them - end of story. I was happy that RSL got at least a point, but they were the better team on the day and but for a couple of defensive blunders and piss poor refing they would have won the game... but that's sports and that's the way it goes. Even down 2-0 I kept thinking how well they had played and how much more they deserved differently. The comeback was tremendous! RSL has put on some barn burners this year - the home opener, the SJ tie at home, the win over LAG with Landon, the Univ. Catolica friendly, and last night - to name a few. 3-2-3 at home has been a fun ride for us season ticket holders and I'm sure it's won a few fans. One thing that didn't get mentioned was the fireworks show after the game - many of the players came out and sat on the field and took in the fireworks with the fans. Kreis spoke a couple of times and it was a very nice experience for fans/players I think... it goes a long way with the fans to see Pros (who in other sports usually can't be bothered because they're so idolized and overpaid) come out and sit on the field to watch the fireworks with the rest of us. Very endearing and classy - in my opinion. Kreis said in one comment how much he and they other players appreciated the fan support and that he hoped he could stay in Salt Lake forever... EDIT - I apologize for the length of the post... but damnit, I was proud of the boys last night!
Heh...c'mon now, considering all the extenuating circumstances we're under, aren't you glad it's Chivas that we're going against this weekend? I'm much more calm about Behncke starting against the Goats than Behncke starting against the Revs, you dig? Besides, and I know he had a good game overall, and I know it was a tough call, but it was Rojas' arm, not Behncke's, that got the Goats their goal last time we went to the HDC to play them.
My thanks to everyone for the write-ups. The last score I saw last night was 2-0 RotMasters. Then this thread for lunch today, with no idea what the result was. Much better this way. I am looking forward to seeing the Chivas match.
NO BENCHKE!!! EVER!!!!, while chivas might not be good, they are good at scoring goals, kinda like benchke he's not good, but he is good at gifting goals to the oppostion. so i'd rather not start behncke, because no matter how well he plays, there's always at least one goal scored on a colossal behncke blunder. and considering that we cant count on our offense for 2 goals on a consistent basis, i'd rather not play him .
OH... I don't know if Chivas are THAT good at scoring goals. The last 3 teams in MLS in "Goals For" category are (drumroll please): Columbus & RSL tied at 12, and Chivas at 15 (not a significant difference in my opinoin)... Colorado is 4th from the bottom with 18. FWIW, RSL has scored 4 goals in the last 3 games - they've also managed to look dangerous (God Bless Watson!).
i guess, but they still like to attack, and playing matt cluster******** benchke is courting disaster dont ya think?
Oh...kay... Pope: Gold Cup Dunseth: Suspended Pierce: Injured? Kamler: Injured? Broome: Injured? So we have Akwari, Knowles, and Behncke as the only for-sure-available guys for Saturday. What, do you wanna toss Flores into a starting role?
Behncke can press forward somewhat. He scored the game winner against the Spokane Shadow a week or two ago; it is possible.
Hey, I wasn't defending Behncke - I was just pointing out that Chivas are no "goal machines"... that's the beauty of MLS and BigSoccer - Chivas strings together some losses with goals scored and suddenly everyone thinks they have a great offense and "attacking style". I think it should be aptly called "losing style" with crappy offense and defense.
Dean: "Good thinking, bro-a-mine! And I thought I was supposed to be the smart one." Hank: "Ma Venture didn't raise no fools!" Dean: "W-We don't have a mom, Hank." [silence]