Houston vs. RSL [R] 6/17/06

SokkerNut · 06-17-2006, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the cup

Nolly, please Nolly.

(I don't care if Garlick saved a PK, he guessed the right way. But the second goal?)

I tried keeping an open mind at the game tonight, but I have to agree. RSL needs Nolly between the pipes. Not much Garlick could do one he saved the PK, but the second goal, OMG he should have had it.

montgjules · 06-17-2006, 10:35 PM

This is terrible. KSL starts their sports segment on the news by APOLOGIZING for airing the RSL game!!

I don't know whether or not to be pleased that they're covering the soccer news in this order:

(1. Hockey)
2. USA vs. Italy
3. Ghana vs. Czech Republic
4. RSL
(5. Golf)

I_Believe_In_Kreis · 06-19-2006, 08:19 AM

Match thoughts:

1. It's almost blasphemy for me to say this (given my moniker), but I'm not sure Kreis deserves to be on the pitch right now. He hasn't done anything offensively for several straight matches now.

2. I noticed several of our players (namely Williams, Mehdi, and above all, Cunningham) were having trouble with their first touch. None of them could settle the ball within 2-3 feet, especially in key situations in the attacking third. I don't know how many times a Houston player would slide in to win a ball that was "trapped" 6 feet away from our player. Is this something we need to work on, or was it more a function of the field conditions? It's worth noting I've seen those guys have this issue before on other fields, although not to this degree.

3. Being an ex-ref, I'm usually pretty lenient on them. But that offsides call was total ****. Of course, that just equals out a gift PK we were given at home against Colorado......I believe that all the calls you get screwed on are eventually cancelled out by the gift calls (and vice versa), so by the end of the season it's a wash.

4. One thing that's starting to bother me: We're constantly getting outplayed in the first half, then we come out strong in the second half after making halftime adjustments. While this speaks well to El's coaching ability in making those adjustments, for once why can't WE come out and dominate the first half? Why can't we force our opponents to change it up at the half every now and then? It looks like we're constantly getting outstrategized in the first halves of our games.

clarette · 06-19-2006, 08:41 AM

Regarding the poor touch phenomenon, I noticed that almost the entire team looked flat-footed for large portions of the game. Like trying to delay on defense when standing straight up with all their weight going backward flat-footed.

I was about ready to send my old pointe shoes with the numbers of a few ballet studios to the FO after the first half, and then I decided it was kind of funny, actually...

BroncsBomber · 06-19-2006, 09:02 AM

It was definetely a tale of two halves. That was unattractive soccer in the first half but after the changes at halftime we dominated possession and looked a lot better.

We were plain robbed on the non-offsides offsiedes call.

Hopefully when Douglas gets back him and Talley will be the two mids in front of the backline. That will be an upgrade in both size and passing. That grab of the shirt was bush league in the box.

rabble-rabble · 06-19-2006, 10:55 AM

I think 2 of the most horrible calls I've seen on the pitch in a long time were the offsides call on Saturday (not even close), and the hand ball (1 full yard outside the box) that gave us the penalty against Colorado.

What goes around comes around I guess. Bottom line is MLS officiating can be pretty poor at times.

Our team does seem to start slow and finish strong. We really need to be out there giving our best effort for the full 90 minutes. It's just too difficult playing catch-up all the time and our 5th place in the standings shows it.

In any case, looking forward to finally getting a match at home this weekend against the Revolution. Watching all the WC games is fun, but I need to be in an enviornment where I can chant and sing the entire match and not have my family looking at me funny.

RRRRREEEEEAAAAALLLLL Salt Lake!

SpiffCoug · 06-20-2006, 07:13 PM

Does anyone know what happened to the field? I don't remember hearing it addressed in the broadcast. But the field was in AWFUL condition. I'm surprised RSL didn't refuse to play on it.

HibaIssa · 06-20-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiffCoug

Does anyone know what happened to the field? I don't remember hearing it addressed in the broadcast. But the field was in AWFUL condition. I'm surprised RSL didn't refuse to play on it.

I assume it had to do with the fact that Houston is halfway under water at the moment due to flooding.

SokkerNut · 06-20-2006, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiffCoug

Does anyone know what happened to the field? I don't remember hearing it addressed in the broadcast. But the field was in AWFUL condition. I'm surprised RSL didn't refuse to play on it.

The field was bad but considering all the rain we've had it wasn't as bad as it could have been. They reseeded the field to replace the winter grass that was dying out and before the seeding could take hold the severe rainstorms hit. I was at the game Saturday night and field is bad condition but I don't think it's at the "awful" stage yet. If these rains continue then the field could possibly get there.

Scholesy · 06-20-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiffCoug

Does anyone know what happened to the field? I don't remember hearing it addressed in the broadcast. But the field was in AWFUL condition. I'm surprised RSL didn't refuse to play on it.

We did mention that in the radio broadcast. It was a very strange reason and I quote the staff member at the stadium.

WS - "So what ghappened to the pitch? It was a brilliant pitch when we saw it last time, it looks horrible now, bumps and ditches everywhere."

Stadium staff on the pitch looking at filling up a hole "Yeah, we just don't take care of it, no one really bothers with it, we figured get it ready for the start of the season and then take care of it at the end of the season, looks pretty bad huh, we're trying to re seed it but it's not taking."

WS - "Holy crap."

Coach was told the exact same thing when he asked, even Houston are frustrated by the problem, I spoke to a staff member who said they have requested it be taken care of a number of times only to be met with ... erm .... erm ....

Sad really because that was a great pitch at the start of the season.