Zip It: Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas
May 17th, 2009 . 7:49 am . By: Jay Brownlee
Catching good breaks is part of sport and sometimes separates winning from losing, or even tying as FC Dallas benefitted from numerous blown chances by a suddenly all-too-human Seattle Sounders FC Saturday night in Frisco at Pizza Hut Park. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado’s 18th minute flick for Seattle and Andre Rocha’s sliding volley accounted for all the scoring in a 1-1 result. Seattle will surely return to the Starbucks State feeling let down by an inability to score numerous chances as they thoroughly dominated the Red Stripes until the final minute of the first half. Dallas, on the other hand, may believe they can see the light at the end of the tunnel as the team experienced good fortune for perhaps the first time in the current campaign. Despite mounting injury problems, being dominated and nearly run out of Pizza Hut Park, and frustration of seemingly Sisyphean proportions, the match swung on Andre Rocha’s lovely tally at the end of the first half. Seattle players were clearly stunned while their opposition trotted off the pitch with a renewed enthusiasm. Forced into two early substitutions due to injuries to George John (hamstring) and Jeff Cunningham (hip-tightness), Coach Schellas Hyndman was further compelled, yet again, to make another change at beginning of the 2nd frame to replace Steve Purdy (knee). Goodbye tactical substitutions, right? Not exactly. Hyndman switched Dallas into a 3-5-2 look by inserting Bruno Guarda in the defensive midfield, pushing Pablo Ricchetti into the middle of the back line flanked by Drew Moor and Marcelo Saragosa. Dallas looked like a different team. They looked a better team, at that. In fact, FC Dallas could and most likely should have won the match. They were the better team in the 2nd half as they were able to mostly shut down Seattle’s lightening fast counter-attack and provided sustained pressure on the Seattle defense. Another move that benefitted the Red Stripes was the insertion of Brek Shea after Cunningham came up lame in the first half. Shea was effective in patrolling the center channel high in the attack all evening. His ability to play the ball off his head as well as his willingness to take defenders on 1 v 1 troubled Seattle all night. Shea’s insertion most likely came as a welcome sight to the FC Dallas faithful awaiting his arrival into the first team. If this match was indicative of his ability, Shea should have a bright future, indeed. Unfortunately, he may have to fight for his place once he returns from duties with the USA U-20s. Dallas was fortunate to be in the match, but injuries forced what Hyndman had clearly planned for: a move to a 3-5-2. Hyndman haters aren’t going to enjoy my thoughts, but Hyndman won the battle tonight. Bruno Guarda played with energy and performed well overall. Some of you will gripe that McCarty would have done a better job. Frankly, I am flat-out tired and bored of the know-it-all armchair managers who claim to have all the answers without ever having attended a practice. All I know is Hyndman’s adjustments tonight worked. No, Dallas did not win the match. They also were not run out of the stadium, which seemed a distinct possibility in the first half. Dallas became much more balanced in the 2nd half. Although Rocha’s turnovers and generally poor service was no thing of beauty, he turned in his best match of the year. Dallas actually attacked up the middle and to the right. For the first time in many games, Dave Van Den Berg had room to run on the left. And, yes, Dallas was fortunate on the night. To my eye, Rocha appeared offside on his tally. Dallas dodged bullet after bullet in the first half. Seattle did not get the job done. But breaks are part of the game. Dallas will need many more if they are to turn around what has been a miserable season. Saturday night, they caught a few. But they have something to build on, despite the injuries, and despite the frustrations already thrust upon them. This season just became interesting again. 27 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
yeah, a draw!
One minor correction: When FC Dallas went to the 3-5-2, the backline was Torres – Richetti – Moor. Saragosa was in the midfield with Guarda.
BTW: Saragosa was horrible in the first half. He was burned at least 3 times by Zakuani (incredible quickness). In fact, Saragosa was the beaten defender on the Seattle goal. It was so bad that Moor and Saragosa swapped spots about midway through the 1st half. If John and/or Purdy didn’t get hurt, my guess is we may have finally seen Wallace to start the 2nd half…
It is time to see the youngsters, but the timing is horrible as they head off to US team duty.
Completely different match in the 2nd half. 3-5-2 suited FCD and unsettled SEA. Rocha and Saragosa were poor overall and I don’t believe Ferreria adds anything to the side. Shea clearly added at least two more dimensions to the attack. His lack of experience and recent playing time was apparent by his finishing and play off of the ball. Very impressed with his footwork. With the added MF help combined with Shea adding an offensive threat –VDB seemed to find himself with the space and time to do what he does best. Hopefully a step forward for FCD.
@Rick
Thank you for the correction. My bad.
The rest of your comments were spot on. Saragosa was absolutely awful in the first half. And Ferreira is not adding much right now. It’s disappointing. But I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt as he seems to still be adjusting to the league. But he is looking increasingly frustrated as the season progresses.
Going to the 3-5-2 wrong footed Seatle. They were never able to find their rythme in the second half. To play that formation on some of the larger fields (like Home Depot Center) is difficult and takes 90 minutes of energy and full field pressure.
With the current state of FCD’s back line, SH may have to go with the 3-5-2. As with any formation, there are plusses and minuses. The opposing coaches know how to defend and attack against it. So, as weeks pass, it will come back to execution and intensity. Something FCD did well in the second half last night.
we got so lucky last night and i hope that our guys get better soon. But i’m sick of seeing passes behind the intended target. Saragosa definatly needed to switch with moor as he got burned often by the rookie zakuani.
I agree that Saragosa was horrible in the first half but how much of that should be blamed for Rocha not getting back defensively; Zakuani was his man? Seeing Saragosa get burned on both sides of the defense really made me want to see Wallace back there because even when Saragosa switched with to the left, Moor continued to get beat by Zakuani.
Odd, but I thought that Rocha was onsides.
Congrats to the FC Ds to pulling out a draw, that first half could have gotten away from your club.
The replay clearly shows the far RB kept Rocha onside
On first glance I too though Rocha was offside, but as Emarcel points out, he was played onside by the RB.
FCD was lucky not to lose the first half 3-1 and unlucky not to win the second half 3-1. So I’d reckon 1-1 is a fair result.
Was at the game last night and here are my thoughts-
To Hyndman’s credit (whether the injuries forced his hand or not), good job in the tactacle change in the second half. Funny, I mentioned the other day in a post to play Richette in the back for his expirence and composure, and what a difference it made!
We have some guys with a ton of height on the field, yet we get killed in the air! Play after play we got out jumped.
The continuous long balls out of the back made me want to pull my hair out! It’s a giveaway every single time! Doesn’t Hyndman love the Brazilian style?? If so, why is this team horrible in small spaces? Passes were off the mark all night long. Balls were rarely played to feet. I think a lot of the long balls come from guys not showing to the ball. To many times I saw guys holding the ball way to long because nobody would show, so they were either then dispossed or knocked a low percentage long ball down the field.
Mcarty and Avilla are great at showing for the ball. Get these guys on the field! And stop playing Cunningham. It’s time for the young guys up top.
I watched the replay and Rocha is onside….
I really liked the 2nd half, we played much better soccer. However I wasnt really happy with Shea performance, he had a clear chance of goal in that header, I just dont think he is a striker, he doesnt have the finishing and his positioning is not that good.
VDB is good at attacking but really lackes on the defensive side, so we need to have a better left back to cover him.
Saragosa was bad in the 1st half, really bad however in the 2nd half he played much better. Guarda and Saragosa as CDM and richetti as a CB was an improvement
Pablo organizes, and know how to get the ball off the defense by connecting with the midfielders, thats what we need
Boy, I gotta tell ya… all your eyes must be way better than mine on Rocha’s goal.
But somehow I suspect if that had been Seattle, there would be much consternation and gnashing of teeth over the quality of MLS referees.
brek was a breath of fresh air, even if he should have had two from his headers. kudos to SH- even if by necessity, he made the right moves. i left feeling positive for once…
“Sisyphean proportions”? Wow, I had to look that one up. Wikipedia to the rescue. Thanks for the lesson in Greek mythology.
FWIW, I too thought Rocha was offside on the goal. And I was ready to start spouting off how FCD was lucky to get the draw, etc. However, much to my surprise, the replay clearly shows the Seattle RB kept Rocha onside. No question.
“Frankly, I am flat-out tired and bored of the know-it-all armchair managers who claim to have all the answers without ever having attended a practice. All I know is Hyndman’s adjustments tonight worked. No, Dallas did not win the match. They also were not run out of the stadium, which seemed a distinct possibility in the first half.”
Well yes, because Hyndman is still trying to force a 4-4-2 formation on a set of players that naturally perform better in a 3-5-2. Had the team started in the 3-5-2, I cannot help but think we would have seen a different match, one that Dallas would have been more likely to win.
The difference was Pablo on the back line, not the system.
Look for Richetti to play CB the rest of the year to help make is semi-competent back there and also look for the 3-5-2 to be the formation the rest of the way.
Although we were playing an expansion team we looked like the better team in the second half for the first time this season.
I’m with Justin on why the defense was better in the second half. I counted at least five times (and it was probably more) that Pablo and the team maintained posession instead of just clearing the ball downfield. That difference is very significant.
The replay CLREARLY showed Rocha onside. Just hit the pause button when the ball is passed.
Sorry Zippy but I too come down in favor of the armchair managers. We have questioned why Saragosa and Cunningham have been starting and many have called for a 3-5-2 and for Ricchetti in CD. We we wrong on those? I believe the injuries forced SH into what he should have started off with. I guess I will credit him for making those moves once forced. The big question is what will he do in the next game.
@Rex and Peg
I am surprised it’s taken this long to draw ire for my pointed remarks. Thanks for noticing!
Here is my point: Going to a 3-5-2 might be the fix as you and others have suggested. But here is my question: would moving to the 3-5-2 have fixed Dallas’ most enduring problems on the season, which in my estimation is giving up soft goals and an almost non-existent ability to finish chances?
I don’t believe that an argument can be made that formation would have resolved those issues. Not in any definite sense, in any case.
In my estimation, the true test will be on the field. We’ve already seen Hyndman is not afraid to make changes, even though admittedly he has clung to his favored diamond midfield tenaciously. But then again, I can’t say I blame him- he’s been successful for a very long time clinging tenaciously to his system. Whether or not that is a fault is completely and reasonably debatable.
But Hyndman’s detractors have rarely been anything less than hateful. Sorry to lump you in if that’s unfair, but the hostility and bile cast at Hyndman has been much worse than simple second-guessing. Of course, it is the right of the fan to say or believe anything he wants. But I don’t have to like it either.
Anyhow, thank you so much for your comments!
–Jay
The 3-5-2 did work well in that particular match, but I think the key is to simply have a formation that is agile and adaptable. Perhaps with better left/right backs we would do fine in a 4-4-2.
He was onside by a mile.
Not only was he onside by two yards at the instant the ball was kicked (the only instant that counts in the offside rule), the Seattle RB was lazy and slow in moving up. The Seattle coach and Zacuani should give the same verbal spray to the RB that they unreservedly dished out to the referee. Doesn’t anyone have a high definition TV with a DVR and a pause button in Seattle? And as for the timing of the goal, it was still closer to two minutes than three minutes. If the referees watch read 42min and 31 seconds 45 minutes after kick off, then two minutes left is the correct call, and the goal happened less than 45 minutes of official time.
To Jay,
The answer to the first part of your question…
“…would moving to the 3-5-2 have fixed Dallas’ most enduring problems on the season, which in my estimation is giving up soft goals…”
The answer is based on probability, but it is yes. Why? Because the talent composition of this team is deepest in midfield. If SH is smart, the rest of the year will see Richetti, Moor, and Torres/John in the back. Saragosa playing deep defensive mid (where he does the ONE thing he is very good at…which is disrupting possession). The midfield five looks like this:
——–(AM) Ferreira
(L)VDB—-(CM)Dax/Avila—(R)Rocha/Sanchez
——-(DM)Saragosa
Forwards need to be Cooper and Shea. If Cooper is to be subbed, it should be for Marosevic, but play Shea the full 90 every game if possible.
The reason we will NOT give up as many soft goals as we did in our crappy diamond 4-4-2, is because we will have more possession and will create more chances up top. The 3-5-2 will sometimes backfire, yes….this is the nature of that formation, but as a fan, I would rather lose fighting, scoring, and playing solid football than going back to a formation that does not suit our talent well.
As for the answer to your second quesiton, our ability to finish chances will improve. David Ferriera will improve and we need to keep him in the role he is best at, which is not “relaxed striker” (which was a very stupid Shellas idea). He is very tough to knock off the ball in the deep middle, and his passes on runs have laser accuracy. We just have to play him where he belongs and allow him to adjust to MLS. Cooper is in a slump…it is up to him to break out of it, but having Shea as a striker partner may just be the energy he needs to turn his game around. If for no other reason, because MLS defenses will not be able to triple team Kenny and eliminate our offense. Shea will require double teaming as well. : )
I agree with Robert in that SH has been forcing CD’s that aren’t very good and keeping of CM’s that are. Anyone want to argue that Purdy deserves to start but Avila can’t get a minute?