Wow. What a turd RSL laid out all over Giants Stadium last night. They were beaten in every facet of the game by a New York team that had not scored a goal of their own volition all season (their one score coming off an own goal). Apparently all that improvement we keep hearing about hasn't hit yet. The strikers couldn't finish, the midfield couldn't pass, the defense couldn't, well, much of anything. Poor all around. Basically, vintage RSL, and if you've been a fan for any length of time, you know how bad that is.
First half grade: F
From the whistle, NY took control, when David Worst (no, not a typo), in for Olave (for reasons I don't totally get) was outmuscled by Dane Richards who put the ball into the box. Rimando got a finger to it, but it defelcted straight to Kandji who pasted it into the open net. 1-0, 1:30 in. Yes, you read that right, Worst, at 6-4 and 210, was pushed around by the 5-7 and 153 lb. Richards. Yes, he sucks. The bovines kept control for most of the half as RSL feebly sent long ball after long ball skipping across the artificial turf and out of bounds. Blah. 1-0 Energy Bovines.
Second half grade: F
Basically see the first half with the following changes: 1) Worst was now beaten by Angel rather than Richards and 2) Jeremy Hall receives a straight red in the 66th, giving RSL the man advantage. But judging by RSL's play, you wouldn;t have noticed the difference if you hadn't been told.
Game grade: F
Once again, RSL loses 2-0 to a team that had not scored all season (4 games). They look horrible while doing so.
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-5 Made some great stops, but probably could have done better on the goals.
Chris Wingert-5 Not Chris's best.
Nat Borchers-7 Got beat a little on the second goal, but otherwise was tremendous.
Robbie Russell-5 Too quiet.
David (W)Horst-3 Just awful. We are screwed if this is our "depth". Perhaps he'd be better suited for Ogden?
(Luis Miguel Escalada 65)-5 Bad. Did nothing in 25 min.
Clint Mathis-6 Did a lot of running, Not a ton else.
(Ned Grabavoy 82)-6 Made a nice penetrating run, but didn't have time for much else.
Kyle Beckerman-7 All over the midfield. Another nice game for Kyle.
Javier Morales-5 Not one good free kick all night, too much diving.
Will Johnson-6 Up and down, evens to about average.
Robbie Findley-5 First touch was bad.
(Andy Williams 78)-5 WAY too many turnovers for 12 minutes.
Yura Movsisyan-5 I'm sorry, I don't get the Yura love. HE CAN'T FINISH. Another bad game.
Coaching grade (Kreis)-3 Late scratch of Olave was baffling. Did nothing to fire up or organize the team.
Ref grade (R. Salazar)-3 Allowed way too much pushing off (see the first NY goal), cards were all soft. Just awful all around.
RSL Man of the Match: Nat Borchers
Perhaps slightly at fault on the Angel goal, but was basically defending for 4 as he got no help. The only defender, and only player outside of Beckerman and maybe Grabavoy, that looked sure of himself or composed. Without his play, RSL loses 6-0.
Douchebag of the Day (aka Assclown of the Match, I like the alliteration DotD provides): Dane Richards
Did it all. From pushing off defenders all over the field (and getting away with it with help from the awful Ricardo Salazar) to flopping at the slightest touch, Dane was King Douche all night long.
Pros:
+No one got hurt.
Cons:
-David Horst didn't get hurt (JOKING! I don't wish injury on anyone, regardless of how bad they suck).
-David Horst proved once again that he is terrible.
-Thoroughly outplayed by a bad NY team, now without RSL killer Van Den Bergh.
-Is Olave hurt?
-Yura still can't finish. We need a real striker.
-Escalada was also terrible, giving us 3 poor forwards.
-The fact that RSL really couldn't even mount a serious challenge with a man advantage.
-The lack of fire from RSL for much of the game.
-The entire game.
What we learned:
1) RSL still can't play on the road (2 games, 2 shutout losses).
2) The Energy Bovines will still be RSL kryptonite, even without DVB.
3) Once Espi gets to town, Yura should find a nice comfy spot on the bench (won't happen, but should).
Showing posts with label NY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NY. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Playoffs: Round 2-Western Conf. Final : NY @ RSL: Frustration From Defeat
Cue the fat lady. RSL's 2008 season is over. Looked at in the big picture, this season was a massive success, with the team making it farther than I think anyone really expected. However, on the day after, it is tough to swallow. Especially when RSL proved they were the better team and yet had nothing to show for it.
Really, this game boiled down to the fact that our strikers (especially the starters) are not that good. Yes, Yura has scored some HUGE goals as of late, but he still misses way too many easy ones (he also needs to get a new move, the bulls seemed to have figured out his little hesitation stepover thing). Mathis was largely useless and missed an absolute sitter. Late in the game he was hounding the refs as he couldn't get a call and I found myself saying out loud, "Clint, shut up. You missed an easy one that would've tied this game. Yes, the ref may have missed some calls, but you've got to take care of business on your end too." After 3 hit posts, 3 or 4 open net sitters that were shanked (Olave is up for World Shank of the Year after his effort. There's a reason he's a defender.), and numerous other wasted opportunities (when will this team learn to crash the box?) it was an incredibly frustrating evening. And that was just for the fans. I can only imagine how it was in the locker room afterwards. Overall, it was a game the RSL could have and should have won. But they didn't put their (8,000) chances away and the energy bovines put their 1 away. It happens. Unfortunately, it happened in the biggest game of the year. On the plus side, I don't see any situation where the bulls are not absolutely flattened by Columbus. And it will be sweet!
Pros:
-RSL outplayed NYC in basically every facet of the match.
-A true sellout crowd. Not only that, it was loud and boisterous, as it should be. Even the non-supporters sections were standing for the final 15.
-The fact that RSL even made it this far.
-Chris Wingert coming over to the fans after the game to show his appreciation. Unfortunately, he had swapped jerseys with Mendes and 3/4 of the crowd thought he was with NYC. The insults and middle fingers were flying as Chris tried to plead his case. Priceless comedy.
Cons:
-RSL didn't outplay NYC in the one place it counts: the scoreboard.
-That NY gets the Western Conference trophy even though they are in the Eastern Conference. That is messed up. In this case, the trophy should go to the runner-up (RSL) or, my preference, to the regular season conference champ (Houston).
-It was friggin' freezing Mr. Bigglesworth.
-The fact that with such a big crowd, many I'm sure at their first game, RSL couldn't put together a better scoring night.
Grades:
Nick Rimando-8 Very composed in the net. Nice game.
Robbie Russell-3 Horrendous. Contributed to the NY goal, killed our attacks all night.
Nat Borchers-7 Very solid.
Jamison Olave-5 Point(s) off for the terrible missed tackle that set NY's goal in motion.
(Andy Williams 72)-6 Did OK off the bench, would've liked to see him out there MUCH sooner.
Chris Wingert-6 Average game for Chris.
Kyle Beckerman-4 Terrible. Completed maybe 1 pass all game. He has really regressed the past month or so.
Dema Kovalenko-6 Active out there.
(Robbie Findley 59)-6 Tons of effort.
Javier Morales-6 A little too lax at times, but decent.
Will Johnson-5 Had his moments but missed a couple great opportunities.
Clint Mathis-4 Totally useless.
(Kenny Deuchar 91+)-6 Really too late to grade, but made a presence in his short stint.
Yura Movsisyan-5 A little too much diving, a bit lacking results wise.
Coaching (Kreis)-4 Offensive subs needed to come much earlier. It took the whole north and west ends chanting "Andy! Andy!" for 15 min. before he got Williams in the game. Deuchar sub was too little too late. Mathis should not have been in the game 90+ minutes. At the beginning of the 2nd half the team seemed to lack fire and focus.
Ref grade (Jair Marrufo)-5 Let the "beautiful game" turn a bit too much into the "sweet science". Nothing egregious, but he let a bit too much slide.
RSL Man of the Match: Nick Rimando
With the lack of any standouts, "Big Nicky" wins for his steady night in goal.
Assclown of the Match: All the NY players who were suddenly massively injured late in the game, rolled on the ground for 5 minutes, and then got up and walked off the field with no problem.
Seriously, this shit needs to stop. This is worse than the basketball "we're down 25 points with 2 minutes left and can't win, but let's foul every time the other team touches the ball". If you can't win without basically cheating then you don't deserve to win at all. Play some ball and earn your win, don't cry your way to victory. disgraceful.
And now, some pictures from last night, courtesy of El Spam (click on them to view them full size):
Heading in to "The River"
Pregame warmups (from my crappy camera phone)
Leo warms up the crowd with the help of explosions
Ready to kickoff
What passes for a halftime show in Utah (Mt. Crest HS marching band)
Setting up for a corner
Javi gets ready to take a corner
As always, thanks for stopping by. As soon as I get some time, I will have a post-season wrap-up with full player grades and the 2008 Knighthood Ceremony (aka the Royal Awards). And, as always, go RSL (or as some like to say it: Come on ya Reds!)!
Really, this game boiled down to the fact that our strikers (especially the starters) are not that good. Yes, Yura has scored some HUGE goals as of late, but he still misses way too many easy ones (he also needs to get a new move, the bulls seemed to have figured out his little hesitation stepover thing). Mathis was largely useless and missed an absolute sitter. Late in the game he was hounding the refs as he couldn't get a call and I found myself saying out loud, "Clint, shut up. You missed an easy one that would've tied this game. Yes, the ref may have missed some calls, but you've got to take care of business on your end too." After 3 hit posts, 3 or 4 open net sitters that were shanked (Olave is up for World Shank of the Year after his effort. There's a reason he's a defender.), and numerous other wasted opportunities (when will this team learn to crash the box?) it was an incredibly frustrating evening. And that was just for the fans. I can only imagine how it was in the locker room afterwards. Overall, it was a game the RSL could have and should have won. But they didn't put their (8,000) chances away and the energy bovines put their 1 away. It happens. Unfortunately, it happened in the biggest game of the year. On the plus side, I don't see any situation where the bulls are not absolutely flattened by Columbus. And it will be sweet!
Pros:
-RSL outplayed NYC in basically every facet of the match.
-A true sellout crowd. Not only that, it was loud and boisterous, as it should be. Even the non-supporters sections were standing for the final 15.
-The fact that RSL even made it this far.
-Chris Wingert coming over to the fans after the game to show his appreciation. Unfortunately, he had swapped jerseys with Mendes and 3/4 of the crowd thought he was with NYC. The insults and middle fingers were flying as Chris tried to plead his case. Priceless comedy.
Cons:
-RSL didn't outplay NYC in the one place it counts: the scoreboard.
-That NY gets the Western Conference trophy even though they are in the Eastern Conference. That is messed up. In this case, the trophy should go to the runner-up (RSL) or, my preference, to the regular season conference champ (Houston).
-It was friggin' freezing Mr. Bigglesworth.
-The fact that with such a big crowd, many I'm sure at their first game, RSL couldn't put together a better scoring night.
Grades:
Nick Rimando-8 Very composed in the net. Nice game.
Robbie Russell-3 Horrendous. Contributed to the NY goal, killed our attacks all night.
Nat Borchers-7 Very solid.
Jamison Olave-5 Point(s) off for the terrible missed tackle that set NY's goal in motion.
(Andy Williams 72)-6 Did OK off the bench, would've liked to see him out there MUCH sooner.
Chris Wingert-6 Average game for Chris.
Kyle Beckerman-4 Terrible. Completed maybe 1 pass all game. He has really regressed the past month or so.
Dema Kovalenko-6 Active out there.
(Robbie Findley 59)-6 Tons of effort.
Javier Morales-6 A little too lax at times, but decent.
Will Johnson-5 Had his moments but missed a couple great opportunities.
Clint Mathis-4 Totally useless.
(Kenny Deuchar 91+)-6 Really too late to grade, but made a presence in his short stint.
Yura Movsisyan-5 A little too much diving, a bit lacking results wise.
Coaching (Kreis)-4 Offensive subs needed to come much earlier. It took the whole north and west ends chanting "Andy! Andy!" for 15 min. before he got Williams in the game. Deuchar sub was too little too late. Mathis should not have been in the game 90+ minutes. At the beginning of the 2nd half the team seemed to lack fire and focus.
Ref grade (Jair Marrufo)-5 Let the "beautiful game" turn a bit too much into the "sweet science". Nothing egregious, but he let a bit too much slide.
RSL Man of the Match: Nick Rimando
With the lack of any standouts, "Big Nicky" wins for his steady night in goal.
Assclown of the Match: All the NY players who were suddenly massively injured late in the game, rolled on the ground for 5 minutes, and then got up and walked off the field with no problem.
Seriously, this shit needs to stop. This is worse than the basketball "we're down 25 points with 2 minutes left and can't win, but let's foul every time the other team touches the ball". If you can't win without basically cheating then you don't deserve to win at all. Play some ball and earn your win, don't cry your way to victory. disgraceful.
And now, some pictures from last night, courtesy of El Spam (click on them to view them full size):
Pregame warmups (from my crappy camera phone)
Leo warms up the crowd with the help of explosions
Ready to kickoff
What passes for a halftime show in Utah (Mt. Crest HS marching band)
Setting up for a corner
Javi gets ready to take a corner
As always, thanks for stopping by. As soon as I get some time, I will have a post-season wrap-up with full player grades and the 2008 Knighthood Ceremony (aka the Royal Awards). And, as always, go RSL (or as some like to say it: Come on ya Reds!)!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Gameday. Real Salt Lake against the Energy Bovines for the Western Crown
Wow. Think back 12 months ago as RSL fans everywhere sat home and moped while the MLS playoffs swirled around them. Eddie Pope had left. Woe was everywhere. Life as we knew it had ceased to exist. Famine and pestilence spread across the Wasatch Front. Have I made this melodramatic enough for you? Nevertheless, how many of us truly believed that RSL would not only make the playoffs in 2008, but would be hosting the Western Conference Final? I can't imagine too many. (On a side note, how sad it is to have this amazing run happen the year after Eddie Pope hung it up. Thanks again Eddie, you were pure class!) But life is funny like that and here we are.
Can RSL beat this team? Absolutely. RSL outplayed the bulls just a few short weeks ago in the Rio Tinto opener, a game they gave away and that ended 1-1. With a similar effort tonight (and some actual finishing: I'm looking in your direction, Yura), RSL can easily be through to the MLS Cup final. That being said, NYC's dismantling of Houston last weekend cannot be understated. I'll be honest, the thought of RSL going to Texas to face the Dynamo? Kinda scary. So the fact that NYC did it, and with such seeming ease, does give me pause. If Richards and Angel both bring their best tonight, it could get ugly.
So I think the key tonight, and something that is easier said than done, especially for this team, is for RSL to get on the board first and then keep the pressure on. Don't let the energy bovines get the boost from an early lead. If we do get the first goal, great, but don't then go into defensive mode. Keep the pressure on and put them away if the opportunity arises. Take advantage of the home crowd and the altitude and win this sucker!
So now it is time for my prediction. I think the home team factor will be enough to get RSL through if they play smart. RSL 2 - NYC 1.
Other assorted thoughts:
-Who will play tonight? Do we see Dema over Andy again? Will Cleetus roam the field once again? Will Espi be fit enough to play a role?
Here is my starting 11:
GK: Rimando
D: Wingert, Olave, Borchers, Russell
M: Williams, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales
F: Yura, Findley
Top 3 subs: Dema, Espi, Deuchar
Who do I see actually starting?
GK: Rimando
D: Wingert, Olave, Borchers, Joy
M: Dema, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales
F: Yura, Mathis
Top 3 subs: Williams, Espi, Findley
-I am sick to death of hearing of the "massive upset" over Chivas TST. It was a 2 seed vs. a 3 seed! Not a big difference! On top of that, many (especially actual fans, not sportswriters) predicted RSL to beat TST. In fact, RSL was predicted to win by a nearly 2-to-1 margin by Soccer by Ives readers. Not exactly scientific, I know, but it does prove a point. This was most certainly not the giant upset every media outlet wants to make it.
-This is worth a post of its own but can we stop with the "leader of the points table takes the championship" BS. Not going to happen. Nor would I want it to happen. The playoffs are genuinely exciting and there is a palpable sense of tension to them. Anyone who says different is either a) lying, b) a eurosnob elitist who doesn't actually watch MLS, or c) warped beyond belief.
Can RSL beat this team? Absolutely. RSL outplayed the bulls just a few short weeks ago in the Rio Tinto opener, a game they gave away and that ended 1-1. With a similar effort tonight (and some actual finishing: I'm looking in your direction, Yura), RSL can easily be through to the MLS Cup final. That being said, NYC's dismantling of Houston last weekend cannot be understated. I'll be honest, the thought of RSL going to Texas to face the Dynamo? Kinda scary. So the fact that NYC did it, and with such seeming ease, does give me pause. If Richards and Angel both bring their best tonight, it could get ugly.
So I think the key tonight, and something that is easier said than done, especially for this team, is for RSL to get on the board first and then keep the pressure on. Don't let the energy bovines get the boost from an early lead. If we do get the first goal, great, but don't then go into defensive mode. Keep the pressure on and put them away if the opportunity arises. Take advantage of the home crowd and the altitude and win this sucker!
So now it is time for my prediction. I think the home team factor will be enough to get RSL through if they play smart. RSL 2 - NYC 1.
Other assorted thoughts:
-Who will play tonight? Do we see Dema over Andy again? Will Cleetus roam the field once again? Will Espi be fit enough to play a role?
Here is my starting 11:
GK: Rimando
D: Wingert, Olave, Borchers, Russell
M: Williams, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales
F: Yura, Findley
Top 3 subs: Dema, Espi, Deuchar
Who do I see actually starting?
GK: Rimando
D: Wingert, Olave, Borchers, Joy
M: Dema, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales
F: Yura, Mathis
Top 3 subs: Williams, Espi, Findley
-I am sick to death of hearing of the "massive upset" over Chivas TST. It was a 2 seed vs. a 3 seed! Not a big difference! On top of that, many (especially actual fans, not sportswriters) predicted RSL to beat TST. In fact, RSL was predicted to win by a nearly 2-to-1 margin by Soccer by Ives readers. Not exactly scientific, I know, but it does prove a point. This was most certainly not the giant upset every media outlet wants to make it.
-This is worth a post of its own but can we stop with the "leader of the points table takes the championship" BS. Not going to happen. Nor would I want it to happen. The playoffs are genuinely exciting and there is a palpable sense of tension to them. Anyone who says different is either a) lying, b) a eurosnob elitist who doesn't actually watch MLS, or c) warped beyond belief.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Playoffs: Round 1, Game 2: RSL @ TST: How Sweet It Is
Shinkes! I get stuck on a second shift at work and the site goes all to hell just like that! Sorry for getting so far behind so fast, life happens when you least want it to I suppose. Anyway, grades and pictures for game 1 coming after I wade through them all, but in the meantime, here's the grades and a few thoughts on the clinching game 2.
First off, let me just say, it is official: I hate Chivas TST more than any team in MLS. More than Colorado. More than just about any team in any sport that I can think off (they are in the rarefied air shared by the Yankees and the Lakers). I know I am supposed to hate the Crapids the most (and granted, I dislike them plenty), but, to me, there is just something about TST that I do not like. So imagine my joy in watching RSL win the series at the Home Depot Center. And after squeaking into the playoffs by breaking the hearts of Crapids fans everywhere? Sweet sweet icing on the cake. Couple that with the energy bovines' shocking win over Houston on Sunday, giving us home field for the conference final, and I am a happy boy. And now, I implore RSL to smack NY around. Not just for themselves, not just for us fans, but also for our Ben Cup brethren, the DCU fans who would love nothing more than to see the bulls go down in flames (on a side note, props to the Edgell Supporters for cheering for RSL this playoffs, well done). MLS Cup, here we come!
Grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Had some nice moments, but was helped by poor TST shooting.
Jamison Olave-8 Showed a ton of heart.
Nat Borchers-7 Solid in the back.
Robbie Russell-7 Made some big recoveries in this one.
Chris Wingert-6 Fairly quiet, I'd like to see more.
Dema Kovalenko-6 Would be a five, but a bonus point for the beautiful header.
Kyle Beckerman-5 Passing has been TERRIBLE as of late.
Javier Morales-8 Should've had 2 goals, but you can't argue with a goal and an assist.
(Fabian Espindola 87)-5 Looked a bit lost out there.
Will Johnson-7 Do we have this kid locked down long term yet?
Clint Mathis-5 Basically useless.
(Robbie Findley 72)-7 Needs to be getting into games much earlier than he is.
Yura Movsisyan-6 Meh.
(Andy Williams 80)-6 See Yura.
Coaching grade (Kreis)-7 Some of the sub patterns were odd, but we got the needed result.
Ref grade (head ref: Michael Kennedy)-2 Shockingly bad refereeing. Inconsistent on calls, lost control of the game early, missed calls, pretty much anything he could do poorly he did. Just terrible.
RSL Man of the Match: Javier Morales
Up to his old tricks! Scored a goal, got an assist, and helped drive the offense.
Assclown of the Match: Ante Razov
There were many contenders (give honorable mentions to Kennedy for piss-poor reffing and to Atiba Harris for his trademark recklessness), but I give it to Razov for his Oscar-worthy performance while getting the PK call. Dude falls down and pulls Javi on top of himself. Watch it again, it is clear as day. Super duper classless. Well done, ya assclown!
First off, let me just say, it is official: I hate Chivas TST more than any team in MLS. More than Colorado. More than just about any team in any sport that I can think off (they are in the rarefied air shared by the Yankees and the Lakers). I know I am supposed to hate the Crapids the most (and granted, I dislike them plenty), but, to me, there is just something about TST that I do not like. So imagine my joy in watching RSL win the series at the Home Depot Center. And after squeaking into the playoffs by breaking the hearts of Crapids fans everywhere? Sweet sweet icing on the cake. Couple that with the energy bovines' shocking win over Houston on Sunday, giving us home field for the conference final, and I am a happy boy. And now, I implore RSL to smack NY around. Not just for themselves, not just for us fans, but also for our Ben Cup brethren, the DCU fans who would love nothing more than to see the bulls go down in flames (on a side note, props to the Edgell Supporters for cheering for RSL this playoffs, well done). MLS Cup, here we come!
Grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Had some nice moments, but was helped by poor TST shooting.
Jamison Olave-8 Showed a ton of heart.
Nat Borchers-7 Solid in the back.
Robbie Russell-7 Made some big recoveries in this one.
Chris Wingert-6 Fairly quiet, I'd like to see more.
Dema Kovalenko-6 Would be a five, but a bonus point for the beautiful header.
Kyle Beckerman-5 Passing has been TERRIBLE as of late.
Javier Morales-8 Should've had 2 goals, but you can't argue with a goal and an assist.
(Fabian Espindola 87)-5 Looked a bit lost out there.
Will Johnson-7 Do we have this kid locked down long term yet?
Clint Mathis-5 Basically useless.
(Robbie Findley 72)-7 Needs to be getting into games much earlier than he is.
Yura Movsisyan-6 Meh.
(Andy Williams 80)-6 See Yura.
Coaching grade (Kreis)-7 Some of the sub patterns were odd, but we got the needed result.
Ref grade (head ref: Michael Kennedy)-2 Shockingly bad refereeing. Inconsistent on calls, lost control of the game early, missed calls, pretty much anything he could do poorly he did. Just terrible.
RSL Man of the Match: Javier Morales
Up to his old tricks! Scored a goal, got an assist, and helped drive the offense.
Assclown of the Match: Ante Razov
There were many contenders (give honorable mentions to Kennedy for piss-poor reffing and to Atiba Harris for his trademark recklessness), but I give it to Razov for his Oscar-worthy performance while getting the PK call. Dude falls down and pulls Javi on top of himself. Watch it again, it is clear as day. Super duper classless. Well done, ya assclown!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Game 24: RSL @ Energy Bovines: That's More Like It!
Ah yes, RSL has returned. After looking like they may become a competent team and finally make the playoffs, RSL has now reverted to their normal state, completely blowing the second game in a row now. Welcome back, crap team, how we've missed you!
Game grade: F
This is the kind of game RSL needs to win if they want to be considered a good team. In a fairly even match, they take an early lead and then squander it with stupid mistakes. The Angel goal was especially egregious with Olave doing his now-signature half-assed follow the ball routine (perhaps he's been listening to Sherry Bobbins? "Don't pout, don't sob/Just do a half-assed job...It's the American way!"). Angel then did a little swim move past Olave (who inexplicably collapsed as though he'd been hit by a semi truck) got the ball and put it in the net. RSL has to earn some points on the road to make the playoffs and in the last two they have squandered at least 3 (2 to LA and at least 1 here). If the reds can't remove their heads from their rectal cavities, and soon, the season will be over in a scant 6 games... Is an F a bit harsh? Perhaps, but if they can't even pull a tie out of a game like this, they don't deserve any better.
Player Grades:
Nick Rimando-8 Some great saves to help keep RSL in it.
Robbie Russell-5 Not a great night for Russell, too many little mistakes.
(Ian Joy 84)-6 Not really enough time to do anything.
Chris Wingert-5 Was overrun by Richards in the 1st half.
Nat Borchers-8 Without Nat it is probably 6-1.
Jamison Olave-3 Absolutely terrible in every facet. And we let Mantilla go for nothing...
Kyle Beckerman-7 Pretty active, tried to lead the charge.
Javier Morales-4 Too many giveaways, not one good free kick. Not one.
Will Johnson-8 Man, has he been a great pickup. We better make sure he is locked up long-term, and soon.
Andy Williams-6 OK game.
(Clint Mathis 59)-5 Did nothing, as per usual.
Robbie Findley-5 Beautiful assist, otherwise his touch killed him. Should've probably had 2 goals...
(Kenny Deuchar 78)-6 Tried, but was smothered by Bovines.
Yura Movsisyan-7 Nice goal, but like Findley, probably should've had more.
Coaching grade-4 I get the Mathis sub, but when you are down late you put in Deuchar for Findley??? And then Joy for Russell??? How about Deuchar for Wingert or Russell? Where's Tino Nunez? How about looking for the tying goal? How about 'fortune favors the bold'?
Officiating grade-8 Other than a soft yellow or two on RSL the officiating was solid.
RSL Man of the Match: Nat Borchers
Nat is retaking his title as the brick wall in center defense. He stopped everything that came his way (and quite a bit that went other ways). A great performance by Nat.
Game grade: F
This is the kind of game RSL needs to win if they want to be considered a good team. In a fairly even match, they take an early lead and then squander it with stupid mistakes. The Angel goal was especially egregious with Olave doing his now-signature half-assed follow the ball routine (perhaps he's been listening to Sherry Bobbins? "Don't pout, don't sob/Just do a half-assed job...It's the American way!"). Angel then did a little swim move past Olave (who inexplicably collapsed as though he'd been hit by a semi truck) got the ball and put it in the net. RSL has to earn some points on the road to make the playoffs and in the last two they have squandered at least 3 (2 to LA and at least 1 here). If the reds can't remove their heads from their rectal cavities, and soon, the season will be over in a scant 6 games... Is an F a bit harsh? Perhaps, but if they can't even pull a tie out of a game like this, they don't deserve any better.
Player Grades:
Nick Rimando-8 Some great saves to help keep RSL in it.
Robbie Russell-5 Not a great night for Russell, too many little mistakes.
(Ian Joy 84)-6 Not really enough time to do anything.
Chris Wingert-5 Was overrun by Richards in the 1st half.
Nat Borchers-8 Without Nat it is probably 6-1.
Jamison Olave-3 Absolutely terrible in every facet. And we let Mantilla go for nothing...
Kyle Beckerman-7 Pretty active, tried to lead the charge.
Javier Morales-4 Too many giveaways, not one good free kick. Not one.
Will Johnson-8 Man, has he been a great pickup. We better make sure he is locked up long-term, and soon.
Andy Williams-6 OK game.
(Clint Mathis 59)-5 Did nothing, as per usual.
Robbie Findley-5 Beautiful assist, otherwise his touch killed him. Should've probably had 2 goals...
(Kenny Deuchar 78)-6 Tried, but was smothered by Bovines.
Yura Movsisyan-7 Nice goal, but like Findley, probably should've had more.
Coaching grade-4 I get the Mathis sub, but when you are down late you put in Deuchar for Findley??? And then Joy for Russell??? How about Deuchar for Wingert or Russell? Where's Tino Nunez? How about looking for the tying goal? How about 'fortune favors the bold'?
Officiating grade-8 Other than a soft yellow or two on RSL the officiating was solid.
RSL Man of the Match: Nat Borchers
Nat is retaking his title as the brick wall in center defense. He stopped everything that came his way (and quite a bit that went other ways). A great performance by Nat.
Monday, October 1, 2007
9/29 RSL @ New York
A tie. A measly tie. Yes, RSL was outplayed for much of the match, but they also led for much of it, and NY's second goal came on an iffy at best PK call. This is one of those ties that feels like a loss. On with the review...
As the lineups were announced pre-game, two things stuck out at me: 1) Chris Brown, Yura Movsisyan, and Alecko Eskandarian were all in the lineup ahead of Robbie Findley. Did Robbie kill JK's dog or something? He's only our leading goalscorer, I can see why he's sitting...sigh... 2) Forko was not only playing but starting!!! (insert obligatory "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?" joke here) I thought perhaps he had died. Nice to see him back on the pitch. One other realization hit me before the game even started: those white Red Bull jerseys have to be the tackiest things I have ever seen. Those are just atrocious uniforms. The color scheme is ugly and they just look bad. Something I'd expect a U-10 team to be wearing. Blech.
As the game started, RSL came out swinging...and missing. They looked AWFUL early and the defense was nonexistent. Lucky for the boys in Red, NY's finishing was poor. I'm convinced Kovalenko couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 6 inches. He had 2 terrible misses in the first 14 minutes alone. In addition, no one for RSL was getting forward. It was looking to be a long night. Then in the 22nd min., completely out of the blue, RSL pushed some people forward into the box. Wingert hit an absolutely perfect cross to Chris Brown who headed it into the turf and into the goal. What Waterreus was doing on this play I have no idea. He seemed surprised that RSL was actually shooting. Bam! 1-0 RSL, totally against the run of play. The next 10-15 minutes were totally different. RSL played wth some poise and passion and controlled the run of play. Movsisyan was gifted a goal in the 37th, but decided to return it, missing the ball completely on an open net. Was it a tough bounce? Yes. Does a professional striker need to at least get a foot on it? Again, yes. Still 1-0. After this the game went back to the Uglykits for the rest of the half, especially with some questionable decision making (notably Talley) for RSL leading to attacks. Some nice Rimando saves kept RSL afloat. Half score: 1-0 RSL
Half grade: C
RSL played well in spurts, but in truth were flattered by the scoreline. Talley had some iffy moments and Forko looked understandably rusty. Overall, a quick, fast-paced, entertaining first half.
The second half started much as the first, with some poor defending (and especially clearances) leading to Uglykit chances. However, this time, NY finished. Doe took a nice flick from Angel and went one-on-one with "Gimme a card, now!" Mantilla and proceeded to slice and dice him. Or as they say on the playground, he broke Mantilla's ankles. Doe juked Mantilla out of the play and precisely put it far corner past Rimando. Pretty goal. 1-1, 49th minute. The goal energized the Uglykits and their fans and they took control of this game. It didn't help that no one for RSL was getting forward, a consistent problem throughout the year. In relation, the old RSL trick of getting 3/4 of the way up the field and then sputtering out came back. This is partially a byproduct of no one getting forward. Also, the midfielders were playing scared. No holding possession, no trying to advance with the ball. As soon as they touched it, it was a long ball over the top to no one (especially Williams). It was getting ugly. In my notes, I even wrote: "55[th minute] RSL looks bad-need some fresh blood". Finally, in the 60th, Kreis made a change bringing on Espindola for Chris Brown. In the words of Jimmy King, "Praise Him, and all His mercies." I would have liked to see Findley here, but Espindola has played pretty decent and I was glad to see Brown come off (he was non-existent other than the goal). It helped slightly, but RSL was still getting beat handily. The defense was pretty bad, forcing Rimando into some nice saves. Williams was terrible and a liability. Talley continued his bad form in the 72nd by getting beat by Kovalenko on a play that led to a big Uglykit attack that ended with a possible PK not being called on Forko (remember this, it comes back soon). Dumb play by Forko, like I said, he looked rusty. Right after the play we had another RSL sub, Atiba for Williams. Again, cue Jimmy King (for those who don't know, that's a reference to the movie "Ready to Rumble," which is much better and much funnier than it has any right to be). Williams had a bad game, pure and simple. This, combined with the Reyna injury and sub in the 58th minute, finally seemed to be enough to spark RSL. They immediately went up field, got people forward (see what happens?) and scored. Esky put a beauty of a ball through to Espi(ndola), who ran free from the left side into the box, drew the defense, and then passed to a wide open Beckerman dead center in front of the goal (maybe 4 yards out at most) who calmly one-timed it past Waterreus for an easy, yet beautiful team goal. 2-1 RSL, 75th min. New York immediately came back to try and even it up. Mathis got a ball similar to Movsisyan's early in the game and did get a foot on it, luckily, RSL had the play better defended and although Nick came out and dove and missed the ball, Mantilla was there to save it off the line. Chaos ensued with Rimando again coming off his line and Mantilla AGAIN saving a ball off the goal line. RSL was lucky to escape unharmed. Then, IT happened. RSL was called for a phantom PK (I'm still not sure who it was or where the penalty supposedly happened), presumably as a "make up" call for the first. Honestly, refs who call "make up" calls need to not be refs any more (this applies for all sports). If it was a PK on the first play, fine, then CALL IT. You didn't, so it wasn't so don't penalize us later on because you didn't blow the whistle. You didn't blow it, that call is final. Move on. Make up calls are ridiculous. Anyway, Angel hit an absolutely picture perfect PK. Tie game, 2-2. Soon after, JK finally decided it was time to bring in Findley (and only about 81 minutes too late!) for Movsisyan. Movs played hard, but was hamstrung by the refs picking on him all night. Just because he's big doesn't mean he fouls people just by walking by them, but you'd never know it watching this one. RSL played with some spark the rest of the way out and at least played even, if not a bit better than the Uglykits. An ugly foul by Angel on Esky in the 83rd drew a yellow, although at first (and even second) look, it definitely could have been a red. Angel had no chance to get the ball and flew in completely reckless. But Esky's yell on the takedown seemed to be worse than the damage sustained and he was able to finish. In the 85th minute, RSL had a chance to take the lead again as Beckerman ran into the box from the right side (a near mirror image of the Espi run), but this time no one came forward in support-unfortunately, he didn't have himself at the spot to pass to-and the play fizzled out. An easy chance goes unfulfilled by some lazy play by RSL up top. In the 86th, Espindola made a nice run, getting a one-on-one with Waterreus which he promptly choked on and kicked directly into the sliding keeper. Another easy chance goes begging. The 88th saw Atiba Harris get a free header on a corner only to see him put it about 5 feet wide. Those are the kinds of things RSL needs to fix to turn this team around next year. If you have a free header in front of net, at least get it on frame, boys! RSL played decent the rest of the half (including a nice steal by Becks at midfield that led to one last RSL push), but didn't have enough to pull out what could (and probably should) have been a win. Final score: 2-2
Half grade: C
This half had two parts, the first part where RSL was AWFUL and the second part where they looked good and should have won. I guess that's why it was a tie.
Pros:
-Nice to see Willis back on the pitch.
-The hustle oftentimes displayed by Movsisyan.
-Both goals were nice, and there were other attacks where RSL looked like a pro squad.
-RSL didn't collapse after the PK
-Beckerman for Ballouchy. I will love this trade forever.
Cons:
-That PK was putrid.
-Movsisyan being unable to really play because of fouls being called every time he got near the ball.
-Williams and Talley for much of the match.
-The outside and midfield defending left much to be desired.
-RSL now mathematically eliminated from playoffs. Although a pro in that we don't have to hear about RSL's "playoff hopes" any more. I love RSL but let's be realistic, RSL's playoff hopes were dead right around the time they hadn't won a game until late June!
-Something about Max Bretos just annoyed me throughout the game.
Game grade: C
A C plus a C equals a C! ha ha! RSL showed flashes of brilliance but needs to play better over 90 minutes.
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Solid game, but not the superhuman effort we almost expect now
Eddie Pope-6 Solid but quiet
Willis Forko-5 Looked OK, but was definitely rusty after being out so long
Matias Mantilla-6 Marked down for the goal, but the two saves redeemed him
Chris Wingert-6 Got beat a few times, but his cross made the first goal
Carey Talley-4 Played OK, but WAY too many mistakes/mental errors
Andy Williams-3 Did he play? Really?
sub(Atiba Harris 74)-5 Active but missed that gift header
Kyle Beckerman-8 Disappeared early 2nd half, but came back with a vengeance
Yura Movsisyan-6 Hustled, but bad touch and tough refs held him back
sub(Robbie Findley 81)-6 Made a nice run or two, not much time to do anything though
Chris Brown-6 Bonus point for the goal, otherwise non-existent
sub(Fabian Espindola 61)-7 MOTM if he finishes the 1-on-1
Alecko Eskandarian-7 Up and down game, but played some defense and made some nice passes
Man of the Match: Kyle Beckerman
Assclown of the match: I didn't want to do it and was looking for (and possibly had) someone else but with the make up call, referee Alex Prus, you earned it buddy!
As the lineups were announced pre-game, two things stuck out at me: 1) Chris Brown, Yura Movsisyan, and Alecko Eskandarian were all in the lineup ahead of Robbie Findley. Did Robbie kill JK's dog or something? He's only our leading goalscorer, I can see why he's sitting...sigh... 2) Forko was not only playing but starting!!! (insert obligatory "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?" joke here) I thought perhaps he had died. Nice to see him back on the pitch. One other realization hit me before the game even started: those white Red Bull jerseys have to be the tackiest things I have ever seen. Those are just atrocious uniforms. The color scheme is ugly and they just look bad. Something I'd expect a U-10 team to be wearing. Blech.
As the game started, RSL came out swinging...and missing. They looked AWFUL early and the defense was nonexistent. Lucky for the boys in Red, NY's finishing was poor. I'm convinced Kovalenko couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 6 inches. He had 2 terrible misses in the first 14 minutes alone. In addition, no one for RSL was getting forward. It was looking to be a long night. Then in the 22nd min., completely out of the blue, RSL pushed some people forward into the box. Wingert hit an absolutely perfect cross to Chris Brown who headed it into the turf and into the goal. What Waterreus was doing on this play I have no idea. He seemed surprised that RSL was actually shooting. Bam! 1-0 RSL, totally against the run of play. The next 10-15 minutes were totally different. RSL played wth some poise and passion and controlled the run of play. Movsisyan was gifted a goal in the 37th, but decided to return it, missing the ball completely on an open net. Was it a tough bounce? Yes. Does a professional striker need to at least get a foot on it? Again, yes. Still 1-0. After this the game went back to the Uglykits for the rest of the half, especially with some questionable decision making (notably Talley) for RSL leading to attacks. Some nice Rimando saves kept RSL afloat. Half score: 1-0 RSL
Half grade: C
RSL played well in spurts, but in truth were flattered by the scoreline. Talley had some iffy moments and Forko looked understandably rusty. Overall, a quick, fast-paced, entertaining first half.
The second half started much as the first, with some poor defending (and especially clearances) leading to Uglykit chances. However, this time, NY finished. Doe took a nice flick from Angel and went one-on-one with "Gimme a card, now!" Mantilla and proceeded to slice and dice him. Or as they say on the playground, he broke Mantilla's ankles. Doe juked Mantilla out of the play and precisely put it far corner past Rimando. Pretty goal. 1-1, 49th minute. The goal energized the Uglykits and their fans and they took control of this game. It didn't help that no one for RSL was getting forward, a consistent problem throughout the year. In relation, the old RSL trick of getting 3/4 of the way up the field and then sputtering out came back. This is partially a byproduct of no one getting forward. Also, the midfielders were playing scared. No holding possession, no trying to advance with the ball. As soon as they touched it, it was a long ball over the top to no one (especially Williams). It was getting ugly. In my notes, I even wrote: "55[th minute] RSL looks bad-need some fresh blood". Finally, in the 60th, Kreis made a change bringing on Espindola for Chris Brown. In the words of Jimmy King, "Praise Him, and all His mercies." I would have liked to see Findley here, but Espindola has played pretty decent and I was glad to see Brown come off (he was non-existent other than the goal). It helped slightly, but RSL was still getting beat handily. The defense was pretty bad, forcing Rimando into some nice saves. Williams was terrible and a liability. Talley continued his bad form in the 72nd by getting beat by Kovalenko on a play that led to a big Uglykit attack that ended with a possible PK not being called on Forko (remember this, it comes back soon). Dumb play by Forko, like I said, he looked rusty. Right after the play we had another RSL sub, Atiba for Williams. Again, cue Jimmy King (for those who don't know, that's a reference to the movie "Ready to Rumble," which is much better and much funnier than it has any right to be). Williams had a bad game, pure and simple. This, combined with the Reyna injury and sub in the 58th minute, finally seemed to be enough to spark RSL. They immediately went up field, got people forward (see what happens?) and scored. Esky put a beauty of a ball through to Espi(ndola), who ran free from the left side into the box, drew the defense, and then passed to a wide open Beckerman dead center in front of the goal (maybe 4 yards out at most) who calmly one-timed it past Waterreus for an easy, yet beautiful team goal. 2-1 RSL, 75th min. New York immediately came back to try and even it up. Mathis got a ball similar to Movsisyan's early in the game and did get a foot on it, luckily, RSL had the play better defended and although Nick came out and dove and missed the ball, Mantilla was there to save it off the line. Chaos ensued with Rimando again coming off his line and Mantilla AGAIN saving a ball off the goal line. RSL was lucky to escape unharmed. Then, IT happened. RSL was called for a phantom PK (I'm still not sure who it was or where the penalty supposedly happened), presumably as a "make up" call for the first. Honestly, refs who call "make up" calls need to not be refs any more (this applies for all sports). If it was a PK on the first play, fine, then CALL IT. You didn't, so it wasn't so don't penalize us later on because you didn't blow the whistle. You didn't blow it, that call is final. Move on. Make up calls are ridiculous. Anyway, Angel hit an absolutely picture perfect PK. Tie game, 2-2. Soon after, JK finally decided it was time to bring in Findley (and only about 81 minutes too late!) for Movsisyan. Movs played hard, but was hamstrung by the refs picking on him all night. Just because he's big doesn't mean he fouls people just by walking by them, but you'd never know it watching this one. RSL played with some spark the rest of the way out and at least played even, if not a bit better than the Uglykits. An ugly foul by Angel on Esky in the 83rd drew a yellow, although at first (and even second) look, it definitely could have been a red. Angel had no chance to get the ball and flew in completely reckless. But Esky's yell on the takedown seemed to be worse than the damage sustained and he was able to finish. In the 85th minute, RSL had a chance to take the lead again as Beckerman ran into the box from the right side (a near mirror image of the Espi run), but this time no one came forward in support-unfortunately, he didn't have himself at the spot to pass to-and the play fizzled out. An easy chance goes unfulfilled by some lazy play by RSL up top. In the 86th, Espindola made a nice run, getting a one-on-one with Waterreus which he promptly choked on and kicked directly into the sliding keeper. Another easy chance goes begging. The 88th saw Atiba Harris get a free header on a corner only to see him put it about 5 feet wide. Those are the kinds of things RSL needs to fix to turn this team around next year. If you have a free header in front of net, at least get it on frame, boys! RSL played decent the rest of the half (including a nice steal by Becks at midfield that led to one last RSL push), but didn't have enough to pull out what could (and probably should) have been a win. Final score: 2-2
Half grade: C
This half had two parts, the first part where RSL was AWFUL and the second part where they looked good and should have won. I guess that's why it was a tie.
Pros:
-Nice to see Willis back on the pitch.
-The hustle oftentimes displayed by Movsisyan.
-Both goals were nice, and there were other attacks where RSL looked like a pro squad.
-RSL didn't collapse after the PK
-Beckerman for Ballouchy. I will love this trade forever.
Cons:
-That PK was putrid.
-Movsisyan being unable to really play because of fouls being called every time he got near the ball.
-Williams and Talley for much of the match.
-The outside and midfield defending left much to be desired.
-RSL now mathematically eliminated from playoffs. Although a pro in that we don't have to hear about RSL's "playoff hopes" any more. I love RSL but let's be realistic, RSL's playoff hopes were dead right around the time they hadn't won a game until late June!
-Something about Max Bretos just annoyed me throughout the game.
Game grade: C
A C plus a C equals a C! ha ha! RSL showed flashes of brilliance but needs to play better over 90 minutes.
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Solid game, but not the superhuman effort we almost expect now
Eddie Pope-6 Solid but quiet
Willis Forko-5 Looked OK, but was definitely rusty after being out so long
Matias Mantilla-6 Marked down for the goal, but the two saves redeemed him
Chris Wingert-6 Got beat a few times, but his cross made the first goal
Carey Talley-4 Played OK, but WAY too many mistakes/mental errors
Andy Williams-3 Did he play? Really?
sub(Atiba Harris 74)-5 Active but missed that gift header
Kyle Beckerman-8 Disappeared early 2nd half, but came back with a vengeance
Yura Movsisyan-6 Hustled, but bad touch and tough refs held him back
sub(Robbie Findley 81)-6 Made a nice run or two, not much time to do anything though
Chris Brown-6 Bonus point for the goal, otherwise non-existent
sub(Fabian Espindola 61)-7 MOTM if he finishes the 1-on-1
Alecko Eskandarian-7 Up and down game, but played some defense and made some nice passes
Man of the Match: Kyle Beckerman
Assclown of the match: I didn't want to do it and was looking for (and possibly had) someone else but with the make up call, referee Alex Prus, you earned it buddy!
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