Let's face it, the Sounders aren't just bad at this point of the season, they are a crisis club. The worst part of the 1-0 loss to Colorado wasn't the lack of points for the division table (though, all those zeros are starting to add up), it was the uninspired effort, the disjointed and (at times) panicked play, and the insipid, unprofessional finishing.
Thing is, I don't believe the team is this bad. The team chemistry is terrible, and their self-confidence is shot, and there is at least one cancer on the team...
...which brings me to Freddie "Yappy Lips" Ljungberg. His behavior is so obviously hurting the club, and his play and production are so poor (no goals since june '09, no assists this year), that he has to be the focal point of the club's efforts to right the good ship Sounders. Do they have the cajones? I doubt it.
As long as I'm talking about Yappy Lips, his miss at the end of the first half has to count as one of the worst attempts to strike on goal since...Brad Evans against Boca. Although Evans had a wide open net, Ljungberg had the space, the position and time to juke the defender, and pull the ball back onto his right foot for a shot on the keeper. Instead, he just lamely panic-kicked with his left foot from a difficult angle.
Given that the Sounders don't look likely to score more than 10 goals this season, their end of year DVD will have to be "Sounders Best Clankers and Whiffs of 2010" and Ljungberg's attempt will be top five, for sure.
One final thought, Leo Gonzalez really struggled in this game. He is one of those offensive fullbacks, who does more for the team going forward than he does with defensive abilities. He is a decent defender, and can stop attackers with average pace. He struggles mightily, however, with pacy players like Colorado's Norm Cummings. The speedy striker blew past him all night long. Leo looked to be struggling with the Colorado altitude, as well, but we will likely see more teams expose this weakness in our back line.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
I Detect A Pattern
And the pattern is losing. Another home game, another loss...and another sloppy, indifferent game, as the Sounder drop a 1-0 game to San Jose on a sunny, Seattle afternoon. The team is clearly a crisis club at this time. There's something wrong in the lack of belief, the lack of spirit players show on the field, particularly in front of 35,000 people who shelled out real money to cheer the Sounders on.
The Rave Green are becoming the Paved Green (Patrick Ianni, to the right, demonstrating the Seattle game), getting rolled over by bigger, hungrier teams who come in ready to soak up any pressure Seattle can create, then strike on the counter-attack, or set piece and wait for Seattle's Houdini Defense (Now you see it, now you don't) to fold.
It took Seattle 11 minutes to shoot themselves in the foot. For the first 10 minutes of the game, they looked like they were playing in front of San Jose's 35,000 fans, not their own. They were nervous, panicked in their passes, surrendered possession like they'd never played with a round ball before, and ultimately couldn't figure out how to mark in the box on what became an easy San Jose goal.
I've reviewed the goal several times and I'm still unsure of what the defense was up to. The center backs were both sitting back waiting for an Equake to come to them. Riley had the far post attacker Wondolowski marked, but when Nyassi (who looked like a lost, little boy all game long) lost his man, Riley shifted in to cover. No one shifted out to mark Wondolowski who recieved the headed pass and smashed home an easy open shot on goal.
That was it. Thank you very much, ladies and gentleman. Game over. They'll be 80 more minutes of cheering and singing, but we all know the Sounders can't score at home. It's been 236 minutes since the last Qwest Field goal by the Sounders. 236 Minutes? At Home?! That's enough to watch eight episodes of The Simpsons. Doesn't it seem like any MLS team ought to be able to score a goal at home in less time than it takes Home Simpson to say "Doh!" 20 times in season 5?
As much as scoring and defense are problem areas for the team, I have to focus much of my ire on Seattle's inept midfield. I think we have a photo of the four midfielders...
Actually, Bea Arthur would've provided better cover for the defense and would've undoubtedly played with more testicular fortitude than our guys who were routinely just brushed aside by the San Jose'ers. Plus, no one delivers a cutting remark like Maude!
I digress. The Sounders are learning a new word: Kraftan. That's Swedish for cancer and I think it's time we admit that the team has a little malignant mole in the heart of the team, Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg. He spends more time bitching at the refs than he does playing. Several times, while the game was still being played, he stopped playing to jaw at the refs. And this is our veteran leader?!
You can see that this chirpiness and lack of focus has spread to other players. Aside from that, look at his onfield production. What has he done for the Sounders? No goals since August of last year. He doesn't seem to be creating great attacks consistently. And it looks like he's starting to spat with Sigi Schmid.
On the positive side, with the team's new refund policy, at this rate, I'll get all of next season's ticket free!
It took Seattle 11 minutes to shoot themselves in the foot. For the first 10 minutes of the game, they looked like they were playing in front of San Jose's 35,000 fans, not their own. They were nervous, panicked in their passes, surrendered possession like they'd never played with a round ball before, and ultimately couldn't figure out how to mark in the box on what became an easy San Jose goal.
I've reviewed the goal several times and I'm still unsure of what the defense was up to. The center backs were both sitting back waiting for an Equake to come to them. Riley had the far post attacker Wondolowski marked, but when Nyassi (who looked like a lost, little boy all game long) lost his man, Riley shifted in to cover. No one shifted out to mark Wondolowski who recieved the headed pass and smashed home an easy open shot on goal.
That was it. Thank you very much, ladies and gentleman. Game over. They'll be 80 more minutes of cheering and singing, but we all know the Sounders can't score at home. It's been 236 minutes since the last Qwest Field goal by the Sounders. 236 Minutes? At Home?! That's enough to watch eight episodes of The Simpsons. Doesn't it seem like any MLS team ought to be able to score a goal at home in less time than it takes Home Simpson to say "Doh!" 20 times in season 5?
Actually, Bea Arthur would've provided better cover for the defense and would've undoubtedly played with more testicular fortitude than our guys who were routinely just brushed aside by the San Jose'ers. Plus, no one delivers a cutting remark like Maude!
I digress. The Sounders are learning a new word: Kraftan. That's Swedish for cancer and I think it's time we admit that the team has a little malignant mole in the heart of the team, Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg. He spends more time bitching at the refs than he does playing. Several times, while the game was still being played, he stopped playing to jaw at the refs. And this is our veteran leader?!
You can see that this chirpiness and lack of focus has spread to other players. Aside from that, look at his onfield production. What has he done for the Sounders? No goals since August of last year. He doesn't seem to be creating great attacks consistently. And it looks like he's starting to spat with Sigi Schmid.
"We have to look at ourselves as to why we spend game time to argue insistently with referees. We've got ask ourselves, if a guy hits a bad pass, why we throw up our hands and stop playing for a second?" Sigi asked after the game.Improving Ljungberg's attitude and performance, or shipping him, is a long-term project and won't save this season. It's starting to look like the Sounders faithful will experience their expansion season in this, the team's second official season. there will definitely be more losses home and away with the performances Seattle has so far been able to muster.
The last couple rhetorical questions appeared to be pointed at star midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who is known for his open displays on emotion on the field.
Ljungberg, however, disagreed with Schmid's feelings and fired back.
"I've played in the biggest teams in the world," he said, "and you need to get upset if the ref isn't doing the right thing as you think. And if you lose your passion, you won't play."
On the positive side, with the team's new refund policy, at this rate, I'll get all of next season's ticket free!
San Jose Match Player Performances
I found myself thinking of rationalizations for being at the game. Qwest Field isn't a bad place to be standing on a sunny afternoon...Then I realized this was what many of the players were thinking.
Nathan Sturgis...where do i start?! I'm going to nickname him Ackroyd. He is the original Not Ready for Prime Time player.Painfully slow with the ball at his feet.
Sanna Nyassi had a torrid game. He literally surrendered the first 3 possessions he had. When Montano subbed on for the Gambian in the 70th minute I know I couldn't be the only one thinking Thank God and what took so long, Sigi?
Ljungberg. JSAP. Just Shut up And Play.
Montero. This guy just drives me crazy. He has no concept of work rate. He makes Ammanuel Adebayor look like the hardest working man in football. Get rid of him. It doesn't matter how much ability he has. If he won't work, he's a drag on the team.
Both Keller and Marshall are looking old and rusty.
Nathan Sturgis...where do i start?! I'm going to nickname him Ackroyd. He is the original Not Ready for Prime Time player.Painfully slow with the ball at his feet.
Sanna Nyassi had a torrid game. He literally surrendered the first 3 possessions he had. When Montano subbed on for the Gambian in the 70th minute I know I couldn't be the only one thinking Thank God and what took so long, Sigi?
Ljungberg. JSAP. Just Shut up And Play.
Montero. This guy just drives me crazy. He has no concept of work rate. He makes Ammanuel Adebayor look like the hardest working man in football. Get rid of him. It doesn't matter how much ability he has. If he won't work, he's a drag on the team.
Both Keller and Marshall are looking old and rusty.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Battle By Other Means...
The contest over health insurance reforms continue, though, now largely out of the public eye. Insurers and public interest groups are skirmishing over the definition of up to 40 provisions of the health care reform bill that require federal agency rulemaking.
While we spent an agonizing year with health care reform, and watched as issues became hyper-inflated and distorted regarding the legislation's potential impact, the rulemaking happens largely behind the scenes and often determines whether legislation actually hits its intended target or how wide it misses by.
While we spent an agonizing year with health care reform, and watched as issues became hyper-inflated and distorted regarding the legislation's potential impact, the rulemaking happens largely behind the scenes and often determines whether legislation actually hits its intended target or how wide it misses by.
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