Knowing this is just one more stick of kindling on a bonfire of reports, commentary, rants, and celebration, I’ll (try to) keep this short - and bulleted.
- Dude, can we play Mexico every single day? They’re like the mechanical rabbit to our greyhound. Maybe it’s the green shirts; maybe we should ask all visiting teams to wear green. I don’t know. What I do know is we actually looked like the best team in the region yesterday.
- That quality went down to the micro-level: our guys played faster, smarter, and more crisply than we had in any game to this point. Whether it was a quick lateral pass by our players to get the ball out of danger and ready to head upfield at the half line, or that delightful string of quick passes at the top of the Mexican area that ended with, an admittedly feeble, shot on goal by Landon Donovan. We looked good in nearly every phase of the game to the extent that the exceptions showed as the merest of blemishes.
- Don’t get me wrong, though: winning was the important thing and I would have taken the crookedest of wins so long as things broke our way.
- Turning again to Donovan, c’mon and admit it: when he stepped up to take that PK, all y’all were waiting for a soft shot up the middle and an Oswaldo Sanchez save/shit-eating grin. So, here’s to Landon: way to step up, son.
- My man/men of the match (I have to go with two): Brian Ching and Carlos Bocanegra. The former left Mexican defenders in fits on two occasions with that spin while the latter contributed more timely interventions than any player on the field.
- And, yes, Benny Feilhaber’s goal was simply gorgeous...all the more so seeing as he missed his share of similar/easier shots in previous games.
- A special note to Jonathan Bornstein: all is forgiven; you had me at that shot on goal.
- Both 'keepers had sensational games. Sanchez kept the Mexicans alive more than once in the first half, while Tim Howard's late save on Bofo Bautista just settled onto the memory shelf of great U.S. Men's moments; it's right next to the winner Tab Ramos scored against Costa Rica way back when.
- All in all, we did remarkably well on both sides of the ball: Mexico had their chances, but we kept them down to a few (and Tim Howard mopped up the ones we let in); I’m still recovering from the shock of seeing us take the game to the Mexicans with a combination of grit, athleticism, and intelligence...it’s that last one that’s both big and not a little unusual.
- I haven’t read anything about how the Mexicans viewed the game, but can’t think of any grounds they have to complain. We done good and just beat ‘em.
Apart from noting my nearly-delirious happiness with the win, I’ll close with a couple questions (and, please, do weigh in):
1) Should the team we fielded stand as the U.S. starting eleven for the foreseeable future (allowing an exception here or there)?
2) Anyone think Hugo Sanchez might be looking for work any time soon? If not now, what would it take to lose him the job?
3) To make a bold statement: Clint Dempsey is our best field player. Anyone agree or disagree?
OK, that’s all I’ve got on this one. Can’t wait to read the gloating, moaning, general impressions that everyone else had.
(#########)
Showing posts with label Brian Ching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Ching. Show all posts
Houston Dynamo: 2007 Season Preview
Past
MLSnet.com: 2006 Season Wrap
MLSnet.com: Big Questions after '06
My Thoughts on the Dynamo’s '06 (Know my biases)
Present
2006-07 Off-Season Changes
Soccer New England’s Ins & Outs - not that it matters with this bunch...
Houston Dynamo roster from MLSnet.com
And now, the Future...
Key Men
Dwayne DeRosario - I’ll begin by admitting that his preseason hasn’t been the best - at least not till he sprang Brad Davis down the left flank to set up Houston’s second goal in the 2-0 win over Pachuca. But no one is “on” all the time and I suspect DeRosario’s rhythm will return as the season progresses. Simply put, I count him as the best, current player in MLS; he can dribble, pass long and short, shoot from range, etc. etc. Basically, he does it all. Only Landon Donovan and Christian Gomez share the same class.
Brian Ching - Sure, he’s a classic, back-to-goal big-man, but that he keeps improving his game suggests to me that Ching’s best years are ahead of him. Scary thought for the rest of the league's fans, but he’s not the raw striver who came to San Jose.
Craig Waibel - I rate him highest in a quality Houston defense. Waibel’s solid and not a little intimidating, but he’s another player who continues to sharpen his game. They could do worse than shift him inside - something the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup has revealed - but he’s just as comfortable on the right.
Ricardo Clark (et al.) - Cheating a bit here by slipping the addendum, but, like the rest of the Houston midfield, Clark does the leg-work that allows DeRosario to be all he can be; Mullan deserves honorable mention in that role, plus a bit more, as does Davis. They’re all far better than second-banana journey-man: they all cover a lot of ground, tackle and harass the opposition (Mullan and Clark more than Davis, who’s no slouch either), but also provide something going forward (Davis, especially). But Clark’s the safety net for all of them, covering the most ground, not to mention the other players, when they go forward.
Additional Assets
Happy, Happy - Is it just me or does the Houston squad friggin’ reek of a love-fest? In any case, mutual admiration societies tend to do well in team sports.
That Midfield - I hint at this above, but it’s worth mentioning directly: I don’t see a better, more effective midfield in the league. The longer their starters stay healthy, the better this team will be.
Liabilities
Long, Long Road - In truth, I should have slipped this same note into DC United’s preview (just re-read that as if I did, OK?): Houston not only starts early, they also have SuperLiga on top of U.S. Open Cup and regular season obligations. Does the squad have the depth to handle such a hectic, wearying pace over the next eight months?
Unknowns
Depth? - While there are few, if any, better starting elevens in MLS, it’s not clear that Houston possesses the depth to handle, say, a Columbus Crew 2006-sized injury plague. Recent contributions by guys like Chris Wondolowski, Ryan Cochrane, not to mention Zach Wells’ ongoing star-turn in goal, suggest they’ll be fine, but there’s no test like a long season to identify any pretenders.
Prospects - Using Gambling Analogies
If you know anything about horse racing, you’ll know there’s no such thing as a person who can call the races every time; even the most famous handicappers seem to miss often as they hit. That Houston plays like the best handicapper picks may not sound like much, but it’s actually high praise. It means they’ll walk away with something more often than not - even if it’s breaking even (e.g. those 13 ties from last season) - and nail the big payday from time to time. And that’s what most games are about: minimizing losses and capitalizing on the openings.
They’re a playoff team, to be sure, but I’ll count myself surprised if they return to, never mind win, a consecutive MLS Cup. Everyone has an off-day.
USMNT: The Games, Some Scouting, One Observation
As nearly everyone who could find this site through Bloglines or Soccer Blogs knows, the U.S. Men's National Team (screw "USMNT"; let's call 'em...the "Yanquis") has a pair of games coming up over the next week: Ecuador on Sunday (and damned early....mimosas?) and Guatemala on Wednesday (won't catch this one; bookended between much, much more alluring CONCACAF Champions' Cup games; drool....).
But, for people who don't follow the game (soccer) or this site (title is up top) regularly, I sent a preview of both games to the good people at Write On Sports. It's nothing fancy, but it gives the reader a few names and implies the crucial thing: if you can only watch one of these games, make it the Ecuador game.
Regarding the Guatemala game, this one is likely to tell us only one of two things: 1) that we're still better than most teams in our region and that's only a question of degree on a given day; 2) in the event of a win or a draw, that the Yanquis had a bad day. Anything else we learn - whether we score, or totally fail to score - will carry an asterisk to signify that this was Guatemala, after all. I'm not belittling the Guatemalans for sport, or mocking them; I'm merely saying the reason the Yanquis haven't lost to them since 1988 matches the reason why Liechtenstein freaks friggin' out when they draw, say, the Republic Ireland. There are simply expectations.
Ecuador, on the other hand, promises to be educational. In writing the item for Write On I did a bit of digging on Ecuador, something to refresh my impressions on the team. That digging, which mainly happened on Wikipedia, reminded me of Ecuador's 2006: they made the Round of 16 (where they lost to England) in Germany by beating Poland and Costa Rica. In qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, they topped Brazil in the CONMEBOL marathon. The team they're sending featured a name or two people may recall: Carlos Tenorio, who bagged two goals last summer; Ulises de la Cruz, from Aston Villa and now Reading. I want to pretend I remember more of these guys, but I don't.
What I do remember, though, is that Ecuador looked something solid last summer. Till they hit the hosts (Germany) and England lulled them to sleep in the second round, they looked impressive back-to-front. Their game against a familiar foe, Costa Rica, saw them beat that team by a score the Yanquis attain on a good day.
Based on that, they ought to provide a decent measuring stick for the Yanqui team in terms of where both the trialists (one in particular) and the regulars are. Looking forward to this one...Guatemala...not so much.
I'll close with the observation. Look at the list of forwards called up for these two games:
Where do all these guys earn their paycheck? Does that tell us anything, either about the players themselves or about Yanqui forwards in general? Is there a problem? If so, is there an answer?
For now, I'm willing to say there isn't a problem problem. Like any sane person, I'd rather see the forwards leading my side drawing love from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and so on. But I also take comfort from the fact that Yanqui teams usually field competent defenders and defensive midfielders. And the fact that American teams know how to defend well enough means that forwards playing in our league at least have some educational work in figuring out how to beat them.
So it could be better, but it could also be worse. We're learning at least.
But, for people who don't follow the game (soccer) or this site (title is up top) regularly, I sent a preview of both games to the good people at Write On Sports. It's nothing fancy, but it gives the reader a few names and implies the crucial thing: if you can only watch one of these games, make it the Ecuador game.
Regarding the Guatemala game, this one is likely to tell us only one of two things: 1) that we're still better than most teams in our region and that's only a question of degree on a given day; 2) in the event of a win or a draw, that the Yanquis had a bad day. Anything else we learn - whether we score, or totally fail to score - will carry an asterisk to signify that this was Guatemala, after all. I'm not belittling the Guatemalans for sport, or mocking them; I'm merely saying the reason the Yanquis haven't lost to them since 1988 matches the reason why Liechtenstein freaks friggin' out when they draw, say, the Republic Ireland. There are simply expectations.
Ecuador, on the other hand, promises to be educational. In writing the item for Write On I did a bit of digging on Ecuador, something to refresh my impressions on the team. That digging, which mainly happened on Wikipedia, reminded me of Ecuador's 2006: they made the Round of 16 (where they lost to England) in Germany by beating Poland and Costa Rica. In qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, they topped Brazil in the CONMEBOL marathon. The team they're sending featured a name or two people may recall: Carlos Tenorio, who bagged two goals last summer; Ulises de la Cruz, from Aston Villa and now Reading. I want to pretend I remember more of these guys, but I don't.
What I do remember, though, is that Ecuador looked something solid last summer. Till they hit the hosts (Germany) and England lulled them to sleep in the second round, they looked impressive back-to-front. Their game against a familiar foe, Costa Rica, saw them beat that team by a score the Yanquis attain on a good day.
Based on that, they ought to provide a decent measuring stick for the Yanqui team in terms of where both the trialists (one in particular) and the regulars are. Looking forward to this one...Guatemala...not so much.
I'll close with the observation. Look at the list of forwards called up for these two games:
Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Where do all these guys earn their paycheck? Does that tell us anything, either about the players themselves or about Yanqui forwards in general? Is there a problem? If so, is there an answer?
For now, I'm willing to say there isn't a problem problem. Like any sane person, I'd rather see the forwards leading my side drawing love from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and so on. But I also take comfort from the fact that Yanqui teams usually field competent defenders and defensive midfielders. And the fact that American teams know how to defend well enough means that forwards playing in our league at least have some educational work in figuring out how to beat them.
So it could be better, but it could also be worse. We're learning at least.
MLS Preseason Notes: Comings, Goings, Ratings
Disappointed as I am with the lack of detail in the New England Revolution's preseason schedule, MLSnet.com's interns filled in quite a few preseason dates and details for the rest of the league since I last checked. Perhaps there's a reason I get so very few hits through Soccer Blogs to any post headlined with the word "Revolution" or "Revs."
In other news....
Houston Dynamo
Continuing their reign as kings of local coverage, The Houston Chronicle looks in on the Dynamo's rookie class (gosh, they're positive!) and Brian Ching's new deal with MLS. Color me surprised on this last one: according to the piece, Ching's base salary comes in at only $200,000. Is he worth a Twellman, or what?
Chivas USA
The latest out of the Chivas camp contains some good news for Portland Timbers fans: it looks like Chivas USA will sign the Seattle Sounders' Cuban forward Maykel Galindo; after all, anything that makes the Sounders weaker helps the Timbers, right? There's nothing on the Sounders' site about this yet, but maybe that's down to the future tense used in the Daily Breeze's article....either that, or this is just a rumor. Anyway, from what I've read, Galindo's a decent player; could work OK for Chivas.
Red Bull New York/Toronto FC
Frank Giase's column looks into the possibility of Red Bull using now-superfluous 'keeper Jon Conway as bait for acquiring former-DC United forward Alecko Eskandarian. For what it's worth, Giase makes this sound sufficiently plausible as to make it probable. Then again, Steve Goff slips in a point or two on Soccer Insider that makes one think DC United might be the hunt as well - albeit only in a back-burner kind of way.
Real Salt Lake
Looks like Costa Rican defenders Daniel Torres will arrive quite soon, thereby solidifying RSL's proposed back three. It's an interesting trio: Torres, Eddie Pope, and Jack Stewart.
Colorado Rapids
This was a weird one, given how hard it was to find - I mean, I caught it as a name-only mention on Soccer New England's In & Out feature - but the Rapids acquired Panamanian forward Roberto Brown, immediately doubling the force of the Panamanian invasion. It's also possible I just missed the story: MLSnet.com ran a Rapids press release early last week. And, yes, Colorado coach Fernando Clavijo's eye for talent comes up again...
General - Picking the East
...as it did in the latest edition of Ives Galarcep's "Questions Answered" post on Soccer by Ives. But that's not what I'm passing on here (and you'll have to work to find it anyway). Way, WAY down in this sprawling post, Galarcep takes a stab at ranking the Eastern Conference powers. Here's the question and his take:
That read a little convoluted to me, but this came deep, deep in the post; I was losing track reading it, so I can only imagine what it took to write it. Looks like he's going DC, Chicago, Red Bull.
I figure New England must slip in the top somewhere....probably an oversight.
In other news....
Houston Dynamo
Continuing their reign as kings of local coverage, The Houston Chronicle looks in on the Dynamo's rookie class (gosh, they're positive!) and Brian Ching's new deal with MLS. Color me surprised on this last one: according to the piece, Ching's base salary comes in at only $200,000. Is he worth a Twellman, or what?
Chivas USA
The latest out of the Chivas camp contains some good news for Portland Timbers fans: it looks like Chivas USA will sign the Seattle Sounders' Cuban forward Maykel Galindo; after all, anything that makes the Sounders weaker helps the Timbers, right? There's nothing on the Sounders' site about this yet, but maybe that's down to the future tense used in the Daily Breeze's article....either that, or this is just a rumor. Anyway, from what I've read, Galindo's a decent player; could work OK for Chivas.
Red Bull New York/Toronto FC
Frank Giase's column looks into the possibility of Red Bull using now-superfluous 'keeper Jon Conway as bait for acquiring former-DC United forward Alecko Eskandarian. For what it's worth, Giase makes this sound sufficiently plausible as to make it probable. Then again, Steve Goff slips in a point or two on Soccer Insider that makes one think DC United might be the hunt as well - albeit only in a back-burner kind of way.
Real Salt Lake
Looks like Costa Rican defenders Daniel Torres will arrive quite soon, thereby solidifying RSL's proposed back three. It's an interesting trio: Torres, Eddie Pope, and Jack Stewart.
Colorado Rapids
This was a weird one, given how hard it was to find - I mean, I caught it as a name-only mention on Soccer New England's In & Out feature - but the Rapids acquired Panamanian forward Roberto Brown, immediately doubling the force of the Panamanian invasion. It's also possible I just missed the story: MLSnet.com ran a Rapids press release early last week. And, yes, Colorado coach Fernando Clavijo's eye for talent comes up again...
General - Picking the East
...as it did in the latest edition of Ives Galarcep's "Questions Answered" post on Soccer by Ives. But that's not what I'm passing on here (and you'll have to work to find it anyway). Way, WAY down in this sprawling post, Galarcep takes a stab at ranking the Eastern Conference powers. Here's the question and his take:
"CHRISTOPHER
- If the Delgado/ trade for Esky goes through, are we the best team in MLS, if not how good are we?
IVES
- You can throw pieces together and anoint a team the best in the league. Houston is still the best though DC is my pick to be the favorite in 2007. I think the Red Bulls are behind DC and maybe Chicago are ahead of them right now. If the RB can find a stud with its second DP slot then I put them ahead of Chicago."
That read a little convoluted to me, but this came deep, deep in the post; I was losing track reading it, so I can only imagine what it took to write it. Looks like he's going DC, Chicago, Red Bull.
I figure New England must slip in the top somewhere....probably an oversight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)