Zip It: FC Dallas at Chivas USA
April 26th, 2009 . 9:36 am . By: Jay BrownleeDefensive blunders kill. Confusion on the left side of the Dallas’ back four led to a breakaway for Chivas USA against Dario Sala, who’s handling of the ball outside the box earned him the instant red card and cost FC Dallas the match 2-0 Saturday night in Los Angeles. Dallas would play the next hour a man down after Sala’s ejection as Dax McCarty left so Ray Burse could take the field in the ‘keeper’s role. Dallas looked hardly fazed for the remainder of the first half as they dominated possession. Only excellent reaction saves by Zach Thornton on a Kenny Cooper header and a Dax McCarty sitter kept the home team from trailing as the half came to a close. The Goats would come out in the second half and take over the match. Quicker passing and substitutions of Maykel Galindo for Justin Braun, Alecko Eskandarian for a tiring Sasha Kljestan, and Gerson Mayen for Chukwudi Chijindu would prove to be too much for the Red Stripes to overcome on the night. Atiba Harris found the back of the net at the 68’ mark, while Mayen would find a streaking Eskandarian to end any hopes of an FC Dallas comeback. One look at the box score will show that this was a night that was going to be a physical battle. The non-seeing, let-there-be-blood officiating by Abiodun Okulaja virtually guaranteed this match would be an uncalled foul-fest. Not that many of you would actually see the entire game. My $29.95 subscription to streaming video via mlsnet.com meant I got to see the entire match. What the rest of you did, I can only imagine. But we all learned something very special: that 2 1/3 innings of major league baseball lasts an entire half of soccer. Anyone hate the Houston Astros more now? My only pleasure on the night was that they lost. But I digress… Despite the loss, despite Sala getting tossed and knowing FC Dallas must now play another road match without the Argentine’s services, there were some lessons learned tonight. The most obvious is that Dallas has become a left-handed team. The interplay between Dave Van Den Berg and The Gnat, David Ferreira, is really creating chances. Dallas’ high pressure, especially against clubs that prefer to attack on the right, is causing trouble for them in possession… until they get to the left side of Dallas’ back four. Wagner loves to get forward, sometimes a little too adventurously, leaving Dallas susceptible. The ever-rotating cast of left centerbacks does not help the matter. David Ferreira is still awesome, but he quickly becomes a non-factor if he must play deeper in Dallas’ attack. After McCarty was taken off, Ferreira quickly became less of a factor in the match, especially in the second half when the Goats applied heavier pressure with only Cooper left to provide high release. And what about Cooper? Cooper worked like a dog all night. But his effectiveness was also significantly reduced when Dallas was chopped down to 10 men. That’s not a slam on Cooper. He is doing a much better job of holding up the ball. It’s just not easy for one guy to take on four. A somewhat shocking development on the night was that neither Alvaro “Tom” Sanchez nor Eric Avila saw the pitch. Andre Rocha’s continued confusing run of play along the right wing must be fixed. We already know Avila is capable of providing a spark from the bench. And didn’t we hear that Tom played well in Washington? Indeed, coach Schellas Hyndman’s only unforced move on the evening was to bring on Jeff Cunningham for Rocha late in the match. Did Hyndman do all he could? This match may leave FC Dallas supporters scratching their heads for many reasons. But, at the end of the day, the argument must come back to defense. Defensive blunders have cost this team in every single match they have played. And as we all know, defensive blunders kill. 25 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
It is going to be a long season.
It’ one thing to miss the entire first half for a beginning-of-the-season overtime baseball game. but adding insult to injury, FSNSW then decides to air the Astros post-game show before switching to FCD. And of course, they can’t show the game on tape-delay; heaven forbid we run through the World Poker Tour!
How many of our zero goals scored did the defense cost us?? Basically we suck on both sides of the ball and all over the field so don’t just put it on the defense.
Rich,
I agree that offense is a problem too, but only in terms of finishing. Our offense certainly has been capable of creating chances (we have been at the tops in the league in shots), but our guys cant finish a sandwich, let alone a goal chance. It is frustrating to watch.
The defensive blunders have to be fixed, or else the coach is to blame. The more SH lets this continue (everything from blown marking assignments to Wagner constantly pressing forward, etc.) the more we will continue to drop points.
ON ANOTHER NOTE
Isn’t it possible for Lochran’s to spend $29.99 to guarantee they will have a feed for the game? This is not the first time they have advertised a soccer viewing party knowing that ESPN will preempt MLS for Women’s Water Polo let alone an Astro’s game. That really stunk. They also had some boisterous live band playing during the entire match too. I do not recommend going to Lochran’s for watch parties, especially on a Saturday night.
I really think that this is all about those two defenders on the left. The offense will take care of itself if the team doesn’t have to constantly worry about who’s injured or not holding up their end back there. As soon as I heard that we were on a third string central defender for this game I knew we were probably in trouble.
I also had match center, so I saw the whole game. It looks like we have 2 games that won’t be shown here at all (I hope that’s cleared up), so perhaps it would be a good investment if you haven’t purchased it yet. I have already used it a few times this year.
If anyone is watching the KC vs Tor game right now, did you see what the KC coach did since his club is losing 1-0? He subbed out two defenders and replaced them with two attacking players. This is what you are suppose to do when your down 1-0 in the last 10 minutes of the game. Schellas took out Rocha last night and put Cunningham in, when we were down 1-0. Why sub out an attacker? I just don’t get it, poor coaching decisions.
Going to Locherans sucked. Their game watching set up was bush league. I felt like a second class citizen.
In any post game interview did anyone ask SH about the lack of a third sub, and the late addition of a sub in the second half, once Chivas had our number? I want to hear a real answer – his ass should be put to the fire about this.
Just as most of you, I just got the second half. Saying that, being down a man and on the road, common sense says we should have played for a point. Defense was painful to watch – did Saragosa play? At what point do we mark up – in the 6-yard box? Ummmm Burse, on a break-away, come off your freaking line!!!
On a positive note, the goals will come. “If you shoot it…they will come!”
Isn’t Ronnie O’Brien still sitting on his couch in San Jose? If so, any chance he and FCD kiss and make-up? Instant right side compliment DVB on the left.
Well, I watched the entire game. FCD really lost some amazing goal oportunities that can’t be lost in a away game. Our defense played very well, and I liked Saragosa (if the guy told that he doesn’t know if he played, it’s because he didn’t made a lot of mistakes and won most of the tackles. He neutralized the left-side, especially Bornstein)
What I didn’t liked was Blake-VdB deffensive playing. Moor made an amazing game, and ferreira too. My grades are all in Big Soccer Forum.
brunomarmos7 – funny how we all see the game differently… I, like most, saw only the 2nd half, but in that half I watched Saragosa get completely torched by stabbing in on approaching attackers (more than once), and then the goal, where his defending was horrible…
This team has taken a drastic turn for the worst in less than a year and it seems like it all stems from one ugly loss to LA last year. Question, do you think NE are going to sack Steve Nicol after their 6-0 meltdown?
i hope NE do fire Nicol….so we could pick him up!!
Maybe Klinsi can be our new coach.
hahaha
Klinsmann might have them doing yoga and chanting Buddha chants.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c...bayern-klinsmann.ap/index.html
Welpton–I completely agree and I watched both halfs. Saragosa was getting destroyed all night. He dives in all the time and gets burnt. We need to put Della-russo back there again.
I also cannot believe Rocha started yet again! He is terrible, selfish, and doesnt play hard and give effort on defense.
No one mentioned Burse! Burse really improved this game compared to all the terrible games he played before this one.
Bruno–Dave VDB gets winded and is currently the best player on the team with Fierra. Thats why Schellis has been insisting that Wagner not attack any more. VDB has been my MVP for the team so far. He creates many of our chances and all he does is send ball after ball into the box with tremendous accuracy…..So tell me people, why was Rocha taking the free kicks? Absolutely horrible and extremely selfish.
Finally, Schellis. I thought he did one of the worse coaching jobs I have ever witnessed in soccer history. First, keeping rocha on the field after the red card. THEN, not using more subs when you could OBVIOUSLY tell kenny was gassed and so was VDB. This team however is playing very good soccer and just needs to find the net. If Saragosa and Rocha start again, I will start calling for the Coaches head!
Brother Jay, I’m with you. Saragosa and Rocha were terrible. Does anyone on the FCD staff keep stats on giveaways, screw-ups, and pitiful defensive efforts? If they did, both those guys wouldn’t be playing. It would be a significant upgrade at their positions to have players who simply did not hurt the team. What, I mean WHAT, does Schellas see in them?
What is Hyman’s overall record now? I believe it is safe to say he would be sacked if he were coaching any other club in the MLS? I do not have a good read on the player and whether or not they have bought into the system. Seems to me that too many inconsistent moves being made by Hyman. The fans have left the pizza oven. Is a move back to Southlake in the cards?
Check out Sigi Schmid’s record in 2006 and 2007. Winning isn’t always instantaneous. However, I whole heartily support the bashing of the mediocre foreign talents of Rocha and Saragosa. Send those guys home and start investing the money and the playing time in US equivalents.
Thank you Hermentality…
My brother and his friends are season ticket holders and I am unfortunately right in the lions den of Houston, Texas (AKA: the old-quickly-falling-same-player, highly over-rated dynamo territory)
I watch all my games via live feed from the matchcenter on MLSNET.
I can say how sad I am to be a Hoops fan right now. We get no attendance (if not last, near the bottom), our coach is clueless, we are playing good soccer but cant find the net, and we have just terrible players starting on the right side for our team.
—-I just cant believe in a RICH AREA-not only salary wise but all a hot bed for soccer in the country-that their is no fan support for a fun team to watch.
MY SOLUTION: Winning cures everything! I believe this team can start to put things together. We play some of the best soccer in the league and I am hopeful, but yet extremely frustrated.
Let me know if any of yall will be making the trip to Houston for the May 9th WIN against the Dynamo!
GO FCD!
All the team needs to improve is 2 solid center backs that can cut down on the bone head plays. Win long balls out of the air & just clear the ball. Quit trying to pass from out of the back from the center back position. This would allow us to move Drew to Right Back. This should have been fixed in the offseason when they let Davino go. For that the coach and front office is responsible. It seems we have plenty of capable midfielders. Get rid of some & get center backs.
wow, Carlos are you blind man? No offense but Drew Moore has been absolutely amazing at CenterBack. We are going to have to go through some growing pains with George John but he will get better over time. My problem is that Saragosa is a mid fielder and has not transitioned into a good defender. Thats all.
Drew has been our best back but amazing is a reach. Unless we get a center back that can play then yes he needs to stay where he is, but if we get a center back that can play then we can move him to the right side & lose saragosa. i think we both agree that Saragosa is a fall machine & a set piece disaster.
As far as the offense goes I would be more worried if we werent creating opportunities. I’m confident we will score.