Happy Labor Day to all and lets keep our eye on Gustav.
The DYNAMO took three very important points against Chicago tonite at Robertson Stadium in front of the largest crowd of the year.
This game started off strangely with Chicago scoring first after an akward clear by DYNAMO defender EDDIE ROBINSON deflected to Chicago with BLANCO ultimately finding BRIAN MCBRIDE at the back post for a simple tap in almost.
Could have potentially been a foul called against BOBBY BOSWELL who got tugged and pulled to the ground.
Poor set piece defending from CHICAGO let the DYNAMO tie it up quickly through DWAYNE DEROSARIO and then BRIAN MULLAN scored into the far side netting past JON BUSCH and that would be the final scorline. Now you may have seen it differently but the FIRE were not prepared from the opening whistle despite scoring first and just to me did not live up to the evening. I was surprised how unemotional they seemed in the first half of this game and the DYNAMO should have won the game in the opening 45 minutes if not for the goalkeeping of Busch and indifferent play in the last third of the field. Chicago was organizationally a mess and the team shape was a disaster.
For me they got it all wrong and were not prepared nor motivated. Chicago tactics were all wrong as well and we can watch the tape to prove it ( no width and wide play as repeatedly Justin Mapp and Chris Rolfe came central rendering Brian McBride useless. He is a target man and his lifeline is delivery from wide areas) .
The collective effort and will of the DYNAMO on many a night can win them three points that others might not get. No one stood out yet they produce a huge win over a team that should be around at the end of the MLS playoffs.
Chicago did perplex me on this evening and really had no wide play which to a large degree rendered BRIAN MCBRIDE ineffective. Both JUSTIN MAPP (does he have a fire in his belly? Not this night) and Chris Rolfe both continued to drift central eliminating any width and delivery from wide areas to McBride. With MCBRIDE and BLANCO deep they had no threat in behind the Dynamo ….one would have thought that Rolfe and Mapp would have made some deeper runs out of midfield but it never happened.
Yet the fact that the DYNAMO did not put CHICAGO away kept them hanging around and they put some pressure on in the final few minutes and nearly produce a tying goal that would have left them with a valuable point.
CUAUHTEMOC BLANCO did not live up to it on this evening apart from a few brief moments of brilliance including a backheel as though he had eyes in the back of his head. Limited influence from the AMERICANISTA…..but he put them in the stands. Blanco himself probably responsible for an additional 5-6 thousand fans at this one.
This was about getting it done and the DYNAMO did that to the tune of three points and a five point spread in the Western Conference over RSL. Winning ugly? Maybe a little bit but they can’t all be artistic masterpieces. Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark, Dwayne DeRosario and Pat Onstad all off to WORLD CUP QUALIFYING duty so KEI KAMARA, CRAIG WAIBEL, STUART HOLDEN and TONY CAIG , JEFF CAMERON are all looking at opportunity next weekend it would seem.
*Dynamo banner’s were awesome. The monster orange and black one unveiled by EL BATTALON worked perfectly with the comedic relief provided by the TEXIAN ARMY……What a sight! What an effort!
Happy Labor Day and I want your thoughts on this game……
Danish Inspirations
Fiesta Mart
Houston Web Design
Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute
SportTalk 790
Zukowski, Bresenhan & Sinex, L.L.P.
Hey Glenn,
Just got back from reading B Fallas report and blog of the game. Great win for the Dynamo. Since you played and you report and also commentate, I would like to ask you. Bernardo Fallas talks a good game about when and how the Dynamo should sub, be motivated, defend, attack, start etc. I like it when he reports on the games but dislike when he tells us how HE would coach the team. Please give me your honest opinion. Would Bernardo Fallas be a better coach for the Dynamo than Dominic Kinnear? You know both, what do you think? Fallas seems to know his stuff and also seems to know all that Kinnear is doing wrong and how to correct it! I say BF! what do you think?
Good comment Jay,
I’ve thought the same thing but feel different about it than you. Being able to cull useful information from his well informed opinions increase my Dynamo knowledge and enjoyment! It’s a column so I want opinion. For a non-opined view, stick to the game report.
Great job Glenn, thanks.
Glenn,
Did it just not seem right seeing Blanco and McBride hugging after their goal. It made me very uneasy!!!!
H,
Seeing Blanco and McBride celebrating together was weird considering the rivalry between the United States and Mexico. I think all is forgotten when you are club teammates. They have to be supportive of each other now as they both are valuable to the performance of the team. You know, old guys rule!
blanco and mcbride on the same team was surreal to me but not because of the US-Mexico rivalry. more so that i never pictured blanco nor mcbride playing in the MLS.
that being said its part of being a mature league and a mature soccer country where sooner or later you’re going to have a hated national team rival on your club team. there’s much more hatred between the English and the Argentines but yet i’ve seen Englishmen cheer when Carlos Tevez does something amazing at Manchester United. its all part of the process and as MLS attracts more foreigners there will be a maturity to the US soccer culture and a realization that there’s a distinct difference between club and country.
Well, put, Rey.
What about Blanco’s antics?
He should have gotten a second yellow card for making fun of the linesman…
But you are right Glenn, he puts people in the stands…we love to hate him…
Can any of us deny that the game yesterday before it’s start seemed much more interesting because of El Blanco?
Glenn
It was more interesting indeed
Glenn, jay kay’s suggestion is silly. Why would anyone replace a two time defending champion coach? BF’s comments about his propensity to not sub and then talk about the humidity is just one of Kinnear’s idiosyncises that are his personality. I myself wondered why he would sub for Jaqua after Ching took so much physical punishment from Soumare and Conde. But Dom sticks with his core. they know it and repay his loyalty woth effort. It was clear to see that the Fire had NO intention of running the field from sideline to sideline. We made them pay twice and could have numerous more. The blame there is the coach’s, likewise the credit for having a group which doesn’t quit and pulls it out even when in the midst of a battle or falling behind is the Coach’s. can’t wait to hear from the coach tonight. Had to love his shot to CP before the game when he lept going on about the heat and he said at the end of the interview, “Well hope you are allright in the A/C!” Gotta love the Dom!
The only interest I have in Blanco is in seeing him be as ineffective as he was yesterday! Altho he may still have some skill his antics detract from his game. Further it\’s bad enough that he flops in situations when he might actually have been fouled – but I have no respect for a player who pretends he is the victim when he is clearly guilty of having committed a foul as was the case when he jumped into Mullan yesterday.
I can understand “protecting ” the stars…as in put up with a lot more from them before you run them to the showers, but Blanco’s sheer lack of respect for not only the referees, but also the game itself is astounding. Sure he is good for a couple of dazzling plays per game, but is it really worth it? I particularly enjoyed after his flop in the box, Onstad glanced his way and knew it was poor acting and instead of holding the ball waved everyone forward and kicked. He has clearly risen to the top of my most irritating MLS players list.
I agree with you on Mapp. I have not been that impressed over the course of the last year and a half. Hust does not seem as intense….
It was nice to be amongst the added fans. Regardless if they came to see Blanco or not, it was predominantly ORANGE.
Blanco did put another 5-6 thousand fans in Robertson. That is undeniable….and that is worth it. Doesn’t mean we have to like the way he plays or acts. He is admittedly either liked or hated.
I am sure there are those like me that admire the soccer side of his contributions but not the incessant complaining etc.
Not sure Bernardo is ready for a head coaching job but he may have put his resume in at the Colorado Rapids.
Joking aside, it is hard to be critical of Dominic Kinnear. What coach isn’t second guessed? If when they win?
Two titles in two years, entertaining soccer that has brought fans to Robertson, a shot at a third and a team that has a healthy locker room.
Says it all.
Hey Glenn,
I guess that was poorly worded. Blanco is definately worth the investment of the MLS. I just think when you get into all his semantics and overly acted flops it reflects poorly on the sport in general. Bringing stars in the league might bring extra fans to the game, but if the action is deserving Red them up! As much as I hate the flopping, complaining and poor sportsmanship that comes with Blanco, Pachuca, Chivas and the like…those are the games I look forward to attending the most. Nothing inspires a passionate crowd response like they do!
Thanks for the response,
O