Comments on: 2008 Season Grades

By: achin

achin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:21:27 +0000

im not saying i want the other guys behind him and i would be bashing him if he was from the u.s.. he kept us in some games but he also hurt us in other situations too.

By: nanoo

nanoo — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:03:56 +0000

So, for next year:

Sala [Lambo]

Serioux-Moor-Pitch-Wagner
[Dello-Russo, Shea, Wallace]

Rocha-Richetti-Avila-Sikora
[McCarty, Saragosa]

Cooper-Cunningham
[Watson, Oduro]

Where is a new player needed most?

By: G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:11:34 +0000

If Sala had been born in this country, you guys would be hailing him as the best goalkeeper in the league. FYI…our back line is that bad. I would argue that no other goalkeeper had to deal with more 1 v 1 situations than Dario Sala. I would also say that Sala is one of the best in the league 1 v 1. For those of us who know a thing or two about goalkeeping, the only thing right about the defense is Sala. For most of the year Sala was in the top 5 in the league for gaa. The guy reads the game beautifully and has single-handedly kept us in many games with a key save at the right moment. That’s what you want in a goalkeeper, and he has more than delivered. My friends on the inside know that a lot of other teams in the league have requested the services of Sala, so don’t be surprised if Sala ends up in a NYRB uniform or L.A. Galaxy jersey, but then again Lambo needs more time to learn from Sala and Burse has shown he just doesn’t have what it takes to be a starter in this league.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:21:58 +0000

Good job Buzz. Can’t say I disagree with anything.. but man.. tell me how you really feel about Davino

By: Rich

Rich — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:09:47 +0000

Harlan, that the FCD defense was lacking this season is no secret. And I’m fully aware of the add’l pressure that puts on the GK. However, defensive lapses aside, Sala gave up several goals in 2008 that he most likely would have stopped last year. I’m not talking about the “breakaway goals”, or the 1-1 goals. Those I can accept as defensive errors.

I’m talking about goals allowed from set plays (corners, free kicks). My observations are in reference to a change in his “style” of goalkeeping.

Also, when a ‘keeper knows there are problems with his defense (as Sala most certainly should have known), that’s when he has to cover for those issues. One way to do that is to be a bigger “presence” in the 18, and definitely in the 6. That’s where Sala failed, in my opinion. He became less aggressive, less sharp, less “aware” of what was happening when his “turf” was flooded with players from both sides.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I believe he started to get back to his 2007 form there at the end of 2008. And I hope he will continue to improve. I just don’t think he had a very good season.

By: achin

achin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:51:22 +0000

i dont care that there is a captain on the defense, the true captain is the goalie when the ball is on our defensive 3rd, now if those players left him out to dry because they werent listening to him then its not sala’s fault but if its because he didn’t put them in the position he wanted then its his fault which i think it was a combination of both. I dont know how many times we were ahead and gave up a silly goal for the other team to tie becasue the defense had a mishap. but doesnt really matter now.

By: Harlan

Harlan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:09:51 +0000

Rich, Sala “looked” bad because our D was always parting the red sea. From what I remember about this season Dario had a few goals you could put on him. Most of his goals were because he was having to cover up other players mistakes or the player would make a mistake and Dario could do nothing about it.

By: Rich

Rich — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:52:11 +0000

My only main disagreement is Sala. It seemed to me that after he came from injury, he became very hesitant to go out for corners and other free kicks from the outside. He seemed overly relaxed when the ball was in the FCD defensive 3rd and it cost the team several goals allowed. However, the last few games he seemed to be more aggressive in the 6.

I think what made him “look good” is his height and large frame. But for me, he had a long stretch of allowing too many soft goals.

I’d give him a C.

By: big mike

big mike — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:28:43 +0000

man, stop drinkin the hate-r-ade

By: Really?

Really? — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:38:35 +0000

Saragosa – B?
Saragosa – D should be more like it. The guy plays so sloppy and slow. Terrible player.