MLS Week 10: Observations on Games I Didn't See

First of all, I can't believe it's already Week 10. Where does the time go?

As all y'all know, Major League Soccer's (MLS) Week 10 is already two games old. Andd here are the two results, with some quick-and-dirty notes on each:

Toronto FC 1 - 2 Red Bull New York

- Try to ignore another "angel" pun in the headline. I know...just do your best.
- I'm not sure what to make of Juan Pablo Angel - and I don't mean as to whether he's a good player or not because, clearly, he is. My concern is whether he's exposing the level of play...or maybe he's just that sneaky. Whatever it is, the guy has six goals in five games...he's starting to make the league look bad.
- Even if they rode Angel's back to the victory, I'm still impressed by teams winning in Toronto.
- The previous line looms large because, at least judging by the Quick Kick highlights, Toronto looked like the stronger team on the day. And how close to Ronnie O'Brien go to equalizing right at the end?
- Andy Welsh is growing on me. He seems tireless out there.

Houston Dynamo 2 - 1 Colorado Rapids
- It wasn't till I realized this game played in Houston that I could stop thinking about how low I would have to move Colorado in the ol' power rankings. A road loss to Houston ain't that bad.
- On the flipside, though, does this mean Houston is finally waking up.
- If Stuart Holden can crack a goal like the winner, hey, it could be.
- As admitted above, I didn't watch this one - and I only caught the short(-bus) version of the highlights. As such, there wasn't a lot I could gleen about Colorado's performance. It's significant enough that they lost, but, still...it feels a little thin for passing judgment.
- In truth, the same goes for Houston.

(########)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, if Angel is making the league look bad with 5 in 6, what do you call what Eddie Johnson is doing to it with 9 in 9?

Just saying...

Kelly

The Manly Ferry said...

Fair point, Kelly. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to a little man-crush on EJ.

To chuck out a counter-argument, though, the 9 and 9 is somewhat skewed by the two hat-tricks; Angel has been consistent in, I think, every game, while EJ has some lulls. Also, we all know about EJ's, um, "years in the wilderness." Angel doesn't have that track-record in MLS.

Anonymous said...

I was talking with an Eurosnob from work, big ManU fan, and he seems to think that Angel will get the sulks and implode, a'la Amado Guevara, something he's done with consistency through out his career.

Now I don't know if Angel will or if he won't, or even if he did. (And lord knows EJ is capable of completely dropping off the map with no provocation.) But right now both are tearing the MLS universe a new black hole, and making it look easy. I'm not sure if this bodes well for the league (Lookie what we got Ethel!) or ill (Can't anybody here defend?).

Kelly