SBNation.com User Blog: ianua ditis

Jets vs Giants Blacked Out in CT?

ianua ditis — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 03:12:30 -0000

I live in Northern Connecticut, about 20 minutes East of Hartford. This usually means we get the Pats games if there's any conflict with the Jets, which as you can imagine sucks very hard.

The Giants are usually on my9, especially in the preseason.

At any rate, this game was also supposed to be on the NFL network, but when I tuned in around 9, it was Dallas vs. San Diego. I figured maybe since it was like a 17 point Giants lead at that point, they had just switched over to the second game early.

Anyway, the game was supposed to be replayed on SNY starting at 11.

But when I turned to that channel, nothing. And even now, still nothing.

So not that I care that much about this game, since it was a preseason game in which my team looked bad, but should I be worried about missing what few real games I actually get a chance to watch?

I know there's some people on here who know more than I do about the broadcasting rules...

I live in Northern Connecticut, about 20 minutes East of Hartford. This usually means we get the Pats games if there's any conflict with the Jets, which as you can imagine sucks very hard.

The Giants are usually on my9, especially in the preseason.

Anyway, the game was supposed to be replayed on SNY starting at 11.

But when I turned to that channel, nothing. And even now, still nothing.

So not that I care that much about this game, since it was a preseason game in which my team looked bad, but should I be worried about missing what few real games I actually get a chance to watch?

I know there's some people on here who know more than I do about the broadcasting rules...

semi-required reading

ianua ditis — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:18:22 -0000

semi-required reading

NYT article on Henry - obviously not too challenging but an interesting look at his life in NYC, and some insight into his view of his tenure in MLS

several years ago Henry was in a commercial for some kind of razor - alongside Eldrick Woods and Roger Federer. I saw the spot a few times and then noticed that they replaced Henry with Derek Jeter.

It's interesting to contrast the two, occupying the same city, one relatively anonymous, the other instantly recognizable.

'Caps trade Le toux to Red Bulls for Dane Richards."

ianua ditis — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:05:42 -0000

'Caps trade Le toux to Red Bulls for Dane Richards."

I swear I just saw this on the MLS soccer website. I came here, and then when I cllcked back again it was gone. There was a picture and everything, in the 'around the league section...

Three Thoughts on NYRB v. NE

ianua ditis — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:00:29 -0000

The Red Bulls suffered a disappointing loss this weekend in New England, a place where they haven't had a great history of success. A win would have put them ahead of DC and KC, in sole possession of first place in the East, and 3 points back of Supporters Shield leaders San Jose, with a game in hand.

But New York were outplayed for most of the match, and didn't take their chances, while New England took enough of theirs and sealed a 2-0 win.

Thanks to the geography of cable TV, I was able to watch this game in English, which at least made it more palatable to my wife. From my perspective the downside was the homerism of the New England announcing team. While not as provincial as the RSL folks, its still annoying, especially when your team is losing. But not unexpected at least.

The main thing I took away from this game is that turf should just be outlawed as a playing surface in this league. It was clear to me on TV that the ball was bouncing in ways that a soccer ball is not supposed to bounce. An argument could be made that both NE goals would not have gone in on grass, even though Nguyen's was a great strike. That second goal took a couple of bounces that could only have happened on turf. The NE announcers didn't shed any light on where the NY defenders were on the second and third opportunities on that play. My own guess is that they assumed the play would be called back.

The second thing is that injuries seem to finally have caught up with the team. They were missing 5 or 6 first XI players, depending on how you rate Solli and Holgersson. While they've done admirably well for the past 10 games or so without Henry and for the most part without Marquez, how long could they realistically keep it up? This game wasn't a disaster, they played decently enough, and honestly we are lucky this kind of thing hasn't happened more often over the last two months.

This leads to the third thought - where is our 3rd DP? At the start of the year, we needed an attacking MF. For a little while injuries made it seem like a CB was on the cards, and Nesta was rumored to be the answer. The Pearce trade helped to shore up the D, (as long as he's healthy enough to play,) and this game emphasizes the need for some offensive help, either a creative spark or a finisher, as Lindpere and Richards are not getting it done.

Luke Rodgers is still a possibility, but this team, with this amount of money behind it, in this market, in this position in the league, needs to sign a 3rd DP. Tomorrow will be two weeks since the transfer window opened. Teams like the Revs, the Whitecaps, Impact de Montreal, have all added players, some of which require a week or two to get match fit.

Obviously we want the right guy, but what is taking so long? This is the time to gear up for a run, not just at the MLS Cup, but the Supporter's Shield, which, I don't think I have to remind anyone, would be the first major trophy in team history. So get a deal done already!

LAG - NYRB makeshift gamethread

ianua ditis — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:22:11 -0000

Bueller? anyone?

More about Nesta (italiano)

ianua ditis — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:32:34 -0000

More about Nesta (italiano)

This article doesn't have much new information, but in contrast to the one that was linked on the Kick Off, its far more definite on the defender's future plans.

Both include a lame 'Nesta discovers America' pun, but the Sky article I linked here is quite explicit:
"the defender has decided: at the end of the season he will leave Milan...he will play for the Red Bulls together with Henry and Marquez...he will say goodbye to calcio, destination New York...the third (DP) will be Nesta."

Unlike the first article, which was written in much more indefinite terms, the only caveat here is quickly dismissed.
"The agreement is not yet in black and white, but it will be."

So obviously this wouldn't be the first time a sports journalist has gotten things wrong (still waiting on Stephen Ireland,) but this author makes it sound much more like a done deal than the first guy did.

enough already with the tackle

ianua ditis — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:19:48 -0000

Clearly the foul by Rafa Marquez against Shea Salinas is the talk of MLS. Certainly the Red Bulls MF is facing a potential suspension, especially considering the injury to the San Jose player. But there's been a great deal of hyperbole about this play, and I've had about enough of it.

So I've seen this described as a rugby tackle , as an NFL style tackle etc. I say BS. Even allowing for hyperbole, most of these commentators clearly haven't paid enough attention to the old oval ball of late. So out of respect for football's other codes, lets set things straight:

For the record, this is what rugby tackles look like

And here are some from the gridiron. Here are even some from the Australian Rules.

and here, finally is marquez and salinas:

you can't really see the feet in the shot, but the way it looks to me is that Salinas was going to ground to try to draw the foul - as he and his teammates were doing the entire game - and his feet got tangled up with Marquez.

Marquez certainly didn't shy away, and the extra kick at the end is inexcusable, but to read it you'd think Marquez had grabbed him around the waist and thrown him to the ground, and then stomped him for good measure. Yes, he rode him to the ground, but what you see in all the real tackles is leg drive, high impact, heavy upper body engagement, etc.

There was plenty of back and forth in this game, before and after this incident. Salinas certainly got Marquez to cross the line, and he should've earned a red card and penalty for that kick, but the reaction on the internets makes it sound like he jumped Mother Theresa and stole her purse.

The Ref missed a lot this game, including the fact that San Jose was diving like Greg Louganis, which is equally against the rules. And although Salinas was injured, and Marquez will pay for that, you can't point to that incident and say it decided this game (especially since it ended in a draw. ) But SJ has already won at least one game this year by blatant diving.

I started this post a few days ago, and wrote everything above before I saw this story on MLSSoccer.com this morning.

And the fact that its only three games lends some credence to my interpretations. (ill concede that the league office referred to it as a tackle.)

I don't defend Marquez' actions, but would even he lose his head enough to haul off and tackle and guy?

3 games seems about right to me...

Why Henry is the Man, part 2

ianua ditis — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:04:01 -0000

Why Henry is the Man, part 2

The second of what I hope will be a long series...

Nevermind that the team won the game 4-1, and never looked in trouble. Nevermind that he's got 7 goals and 4 assists on the season, that he's been the only player on the team with consistent quality in all 5 games this year.

Forget for a moment that he's a living legend who's won almost every trophy and honor his sport has to offer, and who has a friggin statue of himself outside the historic club where he's the all-time leader in goals.

You should forget all that, because he seems to.

And maybe that's part of why he's great. The great ones make it look easy because they want it so bad and work so hard to get it.

It's not only the individual accomplishments, but the fact that he wants more from himself and everyone else that makes him the Man.

Beckham recruiting Seedorf?

ianua ditis — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:01:36 -0000

Beckham recruiting Seedorf?

I saw this link posted on the MLS website's Kick Off. Although its in Italian, the article credits sources in the American Press: (my translation)

The future of Clarence Seedorf could be with the stars and stripes: according to a report in the American press, David Beckham is trying to convince the Dutch midfielder to join him in Major Soccer League (sic), the American soccer championship. Like many of his teammates, Seedorf's contract expires at the end of June and at the moment the future of the Dutch international is shrouded in mystery. For months now the possibility of Seedorf leaving Italy, mainly for Brazil, has been discussed, but there's also the option of remaing for another year in Milan, with the goal of winning the Champions League, an objective for which the rossoneri are still on course. At the end of the season, the paths of Seedorf and Milan will be made clear, and the Dutch playmaker could be buying a one way ticket for California.

obviously the current league structure wouldn't allow another DP to come to LA, but the rules have been known to change, even in midseason, especially where LA is concerned.

why Henry is the Man

ianua ditis — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:12:35 -0000

why Henry is the Man

Follow this link and play the video of the Henry interview.

You can tell losing just eats him up inside. Definitely the kind of attitude you want from the captain of your team. (not to mention how hard he plays.)

Agudelo to Train with 3rd Rate Outfit

ianua ditis — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:29:36 -0000

I know Jurgen said he wanted US International players to spend the off season concentrating on their training, but is this what he had in mind?

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/30/agudelo-reveals-offseason-training-plans-liverpool

I'm sure Klinsmann would rather see his players work with a legitimate football club, rather than a 2-bit operation cheered on by a bunch of barely literate bums and drug addicts with funny accents (and no, I'm not talking about the New England Patriots.)

I guess there were 19 other clubs that wouldn't have him, so he just bumped his way down the list. Here's hoping a real team wants him next year.

I know Jurgen said he wanted US International players to spend the off season concentrating on their training, but is this what he had in mind?

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/30/agudelo-reveals-offseason-training-plans-liverpool

I guess there were 19 other clubs that wouldn't have him, so he just bumped his way down the list. Here's hoping a real team wants him next year.

a true story, taken from the internets:

A Primary Teacher explains to her class that she is a Liverpool fan.

She asks her students to raise their hands if they too are Liverpool fans.

Everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl.

The teacher looks at the girl with surprise and says, 'Mary, why didn't you raise your hand?'

'Because I'm not a Liverpool fan,' she replied.

The teacher, still shocked, asked, 'Well, if you are not a Liverpool fan, then who are you a fan of?'

'I am an Everton fan, and proud of it,' Mary replied.

The teacher could not believe her ears. 'Mary, why, pray tell, are you an Everton fan?'

'Because my mum is an Everton fan, and my dad is an Everton fan, so I'm an Everton fan too!'

'Well,' said the teacher in an obviously annoyed tone, 'that is no reason for you to be an Everton fan.

You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time..

What if your mum was a prostitute and your dad was a drug addict, what would you be then?'

Then,' she smiled 'I'd be a Liverpool fan.'

Poll

How do you rate the 'club' Agudelo is training with?

poor

1 votes

piss-poor

0 votes

an affront to sport in general

1 votes

2 votes | Poll has closed

Marquez explains comments (en espanol)

ianua ditis — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:25:38 -0000

Marquez explains comments (en espanol)

Rafa Marquez was a guest on Univision's Republica Deportiva this sunday, following NY's win over Portland without him. My Spanish is not so great, but he seems to blame being bood by the fans and there was a mention of something being lost in translation.

At any rate he apparently disavows the comments and the rest is standard pro athlete boilerplate, take it one game at a time etc.

MLS hits the big time with new TV deal

ianua ditis — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:29:49 -0000

Nearly lost in the hubbub surrounding Jurgen Klinsmann's debut in the friendly against Mexico was an announcement that may have as much of an impact on the influence of soccer in this country as the selection of the national team coach. MLS and NBC Sports have announced that they've reached a deal to televise some 43 MLS matches, including three playoff games, as well as four contests featuring the national team, over the next two seasons.

This deal, which replaces the current relationship with Fox Soccer Channel set to end in 2011, will just about double the number of homes receiveing the broadcasts, even though the lion's share of the matches will be broadcast on the new NBC Sports Network, currently known as Versus.

This story has been covered on multiple platforms (links below) but I just wanted to highlight a few things about the deal.

First of all, just as an example, Versus is currently channel 25 on my cable lineup (admittedly, I have comcast, which owns the network,) while Fox Soccer Channel is channel 727, and requires buying a special sports package. Even if i ditch all the upper tiers of my cable package, I still get the new NBC Sports channel with basic service. I know its not like that everywhere, for instance in my old neighborhood, where we had Cablevision, Versus was one of the higher channels and FSC was included in the first tier packages. But based on what I've read, my current situation seems to be more common.

While Fox has certainly made strides in their production values and in their pre- and postgame shows, one would think that NBC would start from a higher baseline. The quality of their hockey telecasts has been impressive, and no one at Fox Sports has the cachet of NBC sports personalities like Bob Costas or Bryant Gumbel. Obviously no announcement has been made as to the lineup for any studio shows or broadcasts yet, but the association of the sport with mainstream presenters like this means not only increased exposure but also respect and credibility for the still-growing league.

If a deal like this turns out to be a success for both parties, it will mean increased revenues as well, as it will increase the amount of money the league can demand for its product. This could in turn help to remove or alleviate the financial strictures, which while necessary to keep the fledgling league from overextending itself, will ultimately keep it from rising to the top echelon of worldwide soccer.

Also of note were two comments from the MLS Commissioner. Garber pointed out that this offer was not solicited by the league, but was NBC's idea. He also remarked on NBC's history of promoting its partners, and mentioned that as one of the factors that led the league to make a deal with them.

I think that the impact of the espn deal signed a few years ago has been huge. Even though espn doesn't exactly pull out all the stops for MLS, they have built a pretty good soccer broadcast team there. I would love it if there was some dedicated show, like NFL live, or NASCAR now, even if it was only a weekly recap, but i guess we can't have it all, and their coverage of the national team has been better than I would have hoped.

As important as the espn exposure has been, I think this NBC deal has the potential to be even bigger. It will raise the level of exposure as well as the level of respectability of the league. This comes at the perfect time, as more and more teams add international players as DPs, generating more interest. It can also create more competition for future contracts and increase the financial viability of the league.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/08/10/MLS.NBC.ap/index.html?sct=sc_t2_a5

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6850055/mls-games-air-nbc-networks-starting-2012

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/10/nbcs-wide-reach-makes-new-mls-deal-olympic-feat

JPA to LA?

ianua ditis — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:40:53 -0000

As most of you probably know by now, New York declined to pick up Juan Pablo Angel's contract option, meaning that the 35-year old striker, and best player in franchise history, is as close as an MLS player can be to free agency. Or he was, until LA claimed him in the inaugural MLS re-entry draft.

This doesn't necessarily mean that he will play for LA next season. The Galaxy still have to sign him to a contract, which may be dicey as it will probably entail a pay cut. The Supporter's Shield winners are still rumoured to be interested in Ronaldinho, who will probably leave the San Siro in January. They have two DPs in Beckham and Donovan, and would certainly need to keep a slot open if Ronaldinho is to play for them. Angel himself has talked about returning to South America to play, so we'll have to see how that works out.

Reviews have been mixed about the move. According to a report, audible groans were issued in the draft room when LA selected Angel, presumably by executives who coveted him themselves. Fanhouse.com counts LA among the losers in the re-renty draft, based on their selections of Angel and Frankie Hejduk. A right back whose legs are starting to fail him is certainly of questionable value, but even at decreased production, LA can get a lot out of JPA. If not for the emergence of Agudelo, I would have said NY were insane to let him go, simply because the value of anyone you replace him with is not likely to be equal to his value, even in decline as it is, especially for one more season.

With NY, he was not only the main offensive option, he was often the only offensive option, from the departure of Altidore until the arrival of Henry at midseason. Since 2007 Angel had 58 goals, the most in MLS in that span, and was well-known for his ability in the air. Some of his best work came when he was partnered with Jose Altidore, a player similar in many respects to his new teammate, Edson Buddle. And he never had anyone to provide the kind of service he should get from Beckham and Donovan.

In my mind it's a great move for LA, and its the one team that I could accept seeing him play for. Thank god it wasnt DC or NE. I hope they get him signed and he has success, except when they play NY, of course.

Poll

How do you feel about JPA playing for LA?

Gutted, they never should have let him go.

0 votes

Excited, they should have a good team.

1 votes

Meh, these things happen.

1 votes

He'll end up somewhere else anyhow.

0 votes

2 votes | Poll has closed

Post Mortem

ianua ditis — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:23:22 -0000

After taking a few days to decompress from that horrific loss on Thursday night, when the DP heavy Red Bulls became the first team to bow out of the 2010 MLS Cup, here's an assessment of the first round.

Colorado-Columbus - Columbus almost made me look good, as I'd predicted that they would come through the series on the back of their playmaker Schelotto. I wasn't able to watch the game, so I dont know how right I was about him, but in the end Columbus could not keep Colorado from scoring as well, and the trip to the Eastern Conference final was decided by Russian Roulette: with the aggregate tied 2-2, Colorado took the series on penalties.

RSL -FCD - I had picked RSL, and was really surprised when they lost the first leg. They'd been steadily great, and FCD seemed like they were on a downward swing after a very consistent run. Even with the loss of the first leg I was reasonably confident they would make up for it at home, which has been a fortress for them. Unfortunately they couldn't get it done. and yet another silly soccer hairdo has seen its last action for the year. Thanks to my lack of FSC, I was unable to watch either game, so I dont have too much to say about either.

NYRB- San Jose - After a comprehensive performance in the first leg that fell short only in the fact that NY was not able to score more than once (thanks to Playoff MVP frontrunner Jon Busch,) NY was poised to trounce San Jose and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in their destined path to their first MLS Cup. Someone should have told San Jose. The Quakes came out and took advantage of a NY side that didn't come to play at first, who played as if their tickets were already booked. Convey's early goal put them on notice, and after that they began to take the game to their opponents, but as I saw soooo many times this year, even with their offensive talents, they were unable to take full advantage of their opportunities.

Part of the credit has to go to Busch, who saved pretty much every damn shot in this game. Part of the blame has to go to Rafa Marquez, who not only failed to mark Convey on his early goal, but also miscued several shots from distance and one or two corners (as an aside, did anyone else notice how much Jon Harkes seems to dislike Marquez? He was killing him all night. He did mention the Coby Jones incident once, I wonder if that's what's behind it.)

New York dominated the game for most of the first half, and most of the second as well, getting a great performance out of the young Colombian Agudelo. Convey's second goal, for which he blew right by Tim Ream, came against the run of play, but NY found itself right back in the game when JPA headed home a cross from Agudelo that brought the crowd back into things. The same crowd was silenced when Convey's ball to Wondolowski was headed in for San Jose's third of the night a few moments later

It was only after this that Backe finally brought on the 5 million dollar man, Thierry Henry, but in his eight+ minutes he was unable to turn the tide, and the Red Bulls were upset by the lowly Quakes.

Some observations on this game: First, after the game, Alexi Lalas said: " this was an MLS result," and I agree wholeheartedly. My agreement is based in some part on the quality of the refereeing. I can't point to too many particular events, just a sense of bemusement that never left me through the match. It seemed like a card or two earlier could have prevented some shenanigans, but it is the playoffs so I guess the theory is to let some things go. The scenario I still don't understand was after NY had tied it, JPA had a break in on goal. Busch basically tackled him, preventing a goal, and was given a yellow card. The announcers said that the whistle had been blown, I am assuming because smoke was blowing onto the field. I dont recall the mention of an offside flag. Not that San Jose didnt deserve the win, but I just had a bad feeling about the officiating all game long.

The second was coaching. NY was not ready to play at first, and lapses like the one that allowed Convey's first goal should never happen in a knockout game. Obviously its the players fault but part of the coaches job is to mentally prepare them. Also, why did Backe wait so long to bring in Henry? Yes Agudelo was playing great, but according to the sideline reporter they were planning to take Angel off for Henry before Angel scored that header. So why not pull the trigger sooner? If you're not winning yet, then bring him in. As Steve Mcmanaman said after the game, if he's fit enough for eight minutes, he's fit enough for 28 minutes. Right after I argue that Backe should be coach of the year, he shows some questionable coaching decisions.

The third relates to DPs and future MLS player acquisitions. You have to wonder what the season would have been like if NY's marquee signings had been able to play at 100 percent for the part of the season that they were here as well as the playoffs. It's clear that European players underestimate the physicality of MLS, and this was made worse this year because the World Cup meant that most of these guys didnt get any sort of break before coming here. Other DP newcomers didnt have the same problems as Henry and Marquez this year, but the athleticism required to be a star in MLS seems to take most by surprise. Hopefully with this seasoning under their belt and a year with their stars at full fitness, next year will finally be the breakout year for NY. But I will be holding my breath, because we've heard that before.

LA - Seattle - LA was just better. They wanted it more, they came to play, they shut down Seattle. There was no one in a green shirt that looked even close to what you saw from Beckham and Donovan, not to mention the rest of the LA team. As the Seattle coach said himself "The game was too big an occasion for a couple of guys on our team."

What more can you add to that? Honestly it looks like LA as a team are on a mission to finally claim the cup for the anointed. Last year that mission was foiled by a PK shootout, and it seems like they are set to make amends this time. The main difference between last year and this year is this year you have an in-form Edson Buddle, to add some punch to the LA attack. His goals, with pinpoint service from Beckham in the second leg, were key to their win. Although anything can happen in this crazy format, you have to like LA's chances if they keep up this kind of play

Late Round 1 Predictions

ianua ditis — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:48:47 -0000

So with the MLS playoffs already begun, and with a host of these predictions already posted on various sites, I thought I would throw my two cents in before the rest of the games get underway this afternoon.

COLORADO - COLUMBUS - I'd picked Columbus to win this one before the series started. I know that Colorado is the trendy pick, and they definitely come in with better form overall, but I'm of the mind that the skill of a class player can overcome, especially over the two legs of a tie like this one. To be honest I wasn't sure if Columbus could pull it off, and I sort of expected Colorado to put it all together and give the Crew a beating at home. Columbus having escaped Denver down only one goal, I can see Schelotto working his magic to bring the Crew a narrow victory. The Crew have been trending down, and I certainly didn't feel great about the pick, but I'll stick with it. In one match, anything can happen.

Leg 1 Colorado 1- 0 Columbus (already played)

Leg 2 Columbus 2-0 Colorado

Columbus 2-1 final

Leg 1 Colorado 1- 0 Columbus (already played)

Leg 2 Columbus 2-0 Colorado

Columbus 2-1 final

FCD-RSL - Two teams I haven't seen a whole lot of this year, especially Dallas. I know that Dallas had that outstanding midseason run that got them into the Supporter's Shield conversation, after an indifferent start, but RSL have been, quite simply, in top form all year long. Their defense has been magnificent, and they have shown outstanding resilience and teamwork all season in a campaign that saw them just miss out to the Galaxy for the league's best record. Two well-coached teams, with underrated players and excellent coaches. It should be a fun tie to watch. Unfortunately for the erstwhile Hoops, they seem to be on a downward trend while RSL has been steady all year.

Leg 1 FCD 0 - 0 RSL

Leg 2 RSL 1- 0 FCD

Final RSL 1-0

NYRB - San Jose - I'm not sure how well qualified I am to pick this game (why this one more than any other?) I think I may have seen San Jose play once all year, on a late-night Espn broadcast during which I could barely keep myself awake. If memory serves that was also before they acquired Geovani, who turned their season around and ignited their playoff run. On top of that, NY is my team, and my ability to be objective is somewhat hampered. The reason I like New York in this tie is that they have been winning, not thanks to their star players like Henry, Marquez and Angel, but thanks to lesser known contributors like Dane Richards and Joel Lindpere, and a solid back line and goalie. Richards in particular has been a talisman for them, scoring all of his five goals in the last 7 games.

San Jose have certainly not slouched in the goal department, and I should probably give them more credit for their strong finish, but what I've seen from New York, even in games they didnt win, was an ability to dominate possession and threaten at their opponent's end for much of the game. They need to improve on their conversion of those opportunities, but I'm confident they can do that in this series. Meanwhile, the Red Bull defense has been very good, with the central grouping of Ream, Mendes and Marquez supported by veteran Chris Albright and (usually) Miller at fullback, in front of Coundoul in the net. How this defense matches up against the in-form attack of San Jose will be the key contest of this tie.

Leg 1 San Jose 1 - 1 NYRB

Leg 2 NYRB 2- 0 San Jose

Final NYRB 2-1

LA - Seattle - This one pits MLS' most famous franchise, thanks to Becks and Donovan, against its most well-supported. Seattle was a team that even its own fans thought were dead in the water around August 1, and they've made a wonderful turnaround under the direction of Sigi Schmid (and with the trade of disaffected Freddie Ljungberg.) LA got out of the gate like a team on a mission, with Edson's Buddle's magnificent scoring rate earning him an invitation to South Africa (although, tragically for US team fans, and inexplicably to most people whose initials aren't BB, not much time on the pitch.) LA faltered a bit during the season, giving up a huge points lead, but recovered in time to win the Supporter's Shield, with the help of the fully fit David Beckham, staving off a serious challenge from the MLS cup holders.

This tie is the toughest to call for me. I know Seattle has had a great run, and LA have shown indifferent form, but once again I'm inclined to choose class over form. Seattle's attack, with Montero, Nkufo et al., has been dangerous, and LA's back line hasn't been as good this year as they were last year, when they turned the team around after a dismal campaign. The question is whether LA has the legs to keep up with Seattle. Beckham is fresh, but Donovan has been playing almost continuosly, and at a high level, for more than a year. Buddle's scoring form had to dip, but does that have to do with fatigue? I think that in the end LA has enough to squeeze by, but it will be an interesting tie, a matchup of two big-market, marquee teams with plenty of star power and two of the league's top coaches.

1st leg - Seattle 1-1 LA

2nd leg LA 1-0 Seattle.

Final LA 2-1

From the Horse's Mouth

ianua ditis — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:24:28 -0000

From the Horse's Mouth

"I know that I won't be part of this team next year, for a fact"

So says the onetime franchise, the best player in club history, the best MLS DP signing ever, etc.

It's a business decision, but does that make it a good one? Has he lost a step? He does have more goals than everyone in the league except for two guys.
Is there a chance we see him in TFC Red, or DC Black, or whatever you want to call the Philadelphia strip, next season?

A few thoughts on last night's game

ianua ditis — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:10:46 -0000

Living as I do in an area owned by a cable company that refuses to carry MSG, (even though every so often they will play a Knicks game on one of their surplus channels,) I relish the opportunity to watch the Redballs on ESPN. Add to that the debut of Marquez, the first national TV appearance of Henry, and the fact that the match was against Chicago, a team I've grown to dislike heartily over the last few seasons, I was looking forward to last night's matchup all week.

Needless to say, I was somewhat disappointed. I never expected Marquez to play the entire match, and 60 minutes was about all you could want from him in his debut. He seemed to have a definite presence in the midfield, providing a link between the defense and the forwards, even if the play from the back seemed a little tentative at first.

Obviously the main source of disappointment, apart from the lack of goals, was the departure before the half of Henry. For most of his 45 minutes, Henry was a man among boys, and you have to think that had he not been taken off as a precaution, he would have found a way to the back of the net. Two sequences in particular stand out from him. The first was a run at the left side of the box, where he followed up a stutter step with a long touch and sprint that led to a shot on goal, saved by Johnson, who absolutely stood on his head in this match to keep New York from scoring. The second was on the right side, just outside the area, where Henry pulled off a series of aerial touches, juggling the ball around and over Chicago defenders, before chipping a pass into the area that Kandji could have done more with.

These were just two moments, there were others, but if this is what we are going to see on a regular basis, I will probably have to buy that Direct Kick package.

The team continued to play well, even after Henry and Marquez were taken off. Stammler filled in well and had a nice shot, maybe not quite on goal, but close enough for Johnson to save and earn a corner kick. Angel had a couple of shots that were somehow stopped by the Chicago keeper, who also got his hand on a cracker from Tim Ream that was heading under the bar.

This is the first time in months that i've gotten to watch a Redballs game, and although I was disappointed by the result, especially considering that the tally for shots was 22(!) to 6, but there was a great deal that was encouraging. Unfortunately, the next game on a channel I actually get may be months away...