Fireworks at Real Salt Lake

Well fans that attended last nights match up of the second place teams in the Western Conference of MLS, got two firework shows and both ended with big bangs of one sort or another.

Sanitized MLS version (my comments in red)

Faced with another chance to claim first place in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake saw their efforts to take another step in their evolution end on a red card and a chorus of boos.
Officiating was definitely the sorest spot among RSL’s players, fans and head coach Jason Kreis in a 0-0 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Thursday night.
Chris Wingert was red carded and ejected following a scuffle with Corey Ashe in the 90th minute — a decision that brought a shower of debris from the stands to the turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium. (well no mention of the reality, a light foul on Ashe who was then pushed by DeRo who had not been involved in the play, then Ashe gets up and pushes Wingert, who pushes back. Here watch the video and you be the judge Wingert foul and the aftermath)

Tempers became further inflamed when referee Mark Geiger brought the match to an end after four minutes of added time. RSL argued the allotted added time should have run 4-1/2 minutes instead of four. (well if you consider that the whole foul, red card, and restart of the match took over two minutes- notice the time of Wingert’s booking is 90^th minute and DeRo and Ashe is 92^nd minute- would most people think that an additional two minutes should have been added to the indicated 4 minutes of stoppage time that was displayed prior to the foul? I believe Jason’s issue with the decision is related to the fact that RES did not start the stoppage time indicated on the jumbo tron until after the foul, and it clearly showed 2 minutes and change.)

The time added on and Wingert’s red card pushed Kreis to his boiling point and the second-year RSL coach exchanged heated words with the referee before heading off the field. He was unhappy following the game with what he perceived as a lack of consistency from the referee and the linesmen. (Calls went against both teams, but this will be another match that is examined by US Soccer and the officials will be found at fault for poor officiating and horrible judgement. I understand the desire of MLS and US Soccer to keep matches flowing by reducing the number of fouls called, but if they can not administer matches fairly and equally, then they are simply cheating players, fans, and the game itself.

My version of the match from the highlights

The Match Highlights

So I am watching just the highlights and one thing is clear both of these teams have lost their scoring confidence, and as a result simply are struggling in matches. Take for example the ball played into Beckerman in the 17^th minute (0:15 of highlight reel), a ball played in from the midfield headed to Beckerman in great position by Deuchar, only to have him have a bad first touch and the resulting attempt to recover failed.

A couple of minutes later (0:21 on highlight reel) Beckerman is bring the ball up the west side of the pitch and is held by Waibel (a good no call by the official) and plays the ball in to Deuchar, who heads it over the goal and out of play. It was not a great ball played in but if you can get your head on it, the end result has to be better than this.

At the start of the 24^th minute (0:31) Wingert plays a super long ball to Findley, it takes a bad bounce and Robbie regains it as Onstad is out of the net to harass him and prevent an easy goal. Houston players get on the goal line to support their keeper, as Robbie pass the ball to Beckerman who takes a shot, but because he gets very little on it, the ball is easily played to safety by Boswell.

RSL get another chance in the 36^th minute (0:48) when Morales plays in a ball from a free kick, the initial shot is punched away by Onstad, but it goes to Andy Williams just on the edge of the box, Andy chests the ball down and transfers it to his right foot and fires a low shot that deflects off a Houston player and out of harms way.

The next highlight is from the 48^th minute (0:58) and a ball is played into Andy at his feet while he is in the box, but with defenders rushing towards him, he takes a shot that goes wide of the goal. He misses Kenny Deuchar who is in a better position with just one defender near him, and it looks like a wide open Findley (but a very tough angle.

Just two minutes later (1:02) Findley is one on one with a defender in the east corner of the box and he beats his man and gets the ball on his right foot, but instead of playing it to an open Deuchar who has just gotten free of his man and is in a great position just a couple yards from Robbie, he fires a shot that goes just over and wide of the goal. I won’t fault him for this shot it was a decent attempt on goal.

In the 56^th minute (1:08) a great ball played long by keeper Nick Rimando finds Andy Williams deep in the Houston third of the pitch, but Andy’s shot is deflected out of play by a Houston defender for a RSL corner kick. A good ball played into a very crowded box, results in RSL’s best chance of the night as diving header by Kenny Deuchar is saved by Pat Onstad. The loose ball lands at Andy’s feet but his shot is way high and no threat.

Again just two minutes later RSL is threatening yet again (1:30) a ball played in is cleared by Stuart Holden, but it falls at the feet of Ian Joy (who played very well in his first start in some time) who takes a super shot on goal from 30 yards out and forces yet another great save by Onstad.

Not even a minute later as the clock is just entering the 60^th minute (1:40) a ball is played into Beckerman who looks totally surprised to see the ball, it deflects to Andy Williams who also is a bit surprised and after a horrible first touch, he regains possession and works himself into a position to fire a shot that is deflected off a Houston player for another RSL corner kick, but the corner kick doesn’t lead to anything.

In the 70^th minute (1:50) a Houston foul gives RSL a free kick from a dangerous position, and Morales takes a shot that deflects off the foot of an on-charging Kenny Deuchar and goes high over the goal. If Kenny had not deflected the ball it looked for sure to be heading to the far corner of the goal. At this point we once again know that RSL did not have bad luck, they would have no luck at all.

The first Houston highlight of the night comes in the 84^th minute (1:59 of the highlights) on a great ball played from the midfield to a charging Ching (there is another Houston player who is offside in this play but it is not called, despite the fact that the offside player will be the one who takes the shot), who plays a great ball into Brian Mullan who fires a shot on goal, but Rimando is there to make a great save for RSL. The following corner kick results in a play that very well could have cost RSL the match. A hard body to body shot by Olave to Ianni, which appears to be a very clean but physical play, but RSL is lucky that an official who has made some poor calls in the match did not call a foul on this one. Ianni ended up coming out of the match as a result of this play, but I have not heard of any injuries suffered as a result of the play.

The third highlight in a row for Houston comes in the 88^th minute (2:37) a ball played in by Davis off a free kick is headed over the goal and out of play. I can’t tell if the ball is played off a Houston player or RSL defender, but it went high over the goal and out of danger.

Well now we get to “the incident” I have added my comments above on this play and will mention nothing more about it. (2:41)

Houston has a free kick in the 94^th minute (3:44) that is played over the top of the net.

That is it for highlights the rest of the clip shows the end of the match, you can clearly see RSL players pointing to the screen in the South end, which showed only 2 minutes of stoppage time had been played. The ESPN match clock shows 4:18 of stoppage time had been played; this is clearly an indication of how much time “the incident” took off the clock as I believe RES staff did not start the scoreboard clock for stoppage time until after play resumed after the red card to Wingert. I can understand why both RSL players and coaches were upset at this, but I think the emotions of not scoring despite outplaying the two time defending MLS champions caused many to be upset at earning a draw in a match that could have and should have been another home win for RSL.

Some thoughts

Well we have one more MLS match before the July 15^th transfer window opens, with the departure of Cordoba and trade of Talley it is clear that we need to be looking for help in the midfield, the lack of depth was very apparent last night. I also think that depending on the status of Espindola’s injury that RSL will have to consider finding another forward, we have some very good young players but our failure to capitalize on so many chances in so many matches over the last couple months is a clear sign that a proven goal scorer is needed. I have to say I am happy that RSL refused to work a deal with Toronto for the rights to McBride, I like Brian and he would be a clear improvement and provide some veteran leadership to the squad, but the rumored price of Kyle Beckerman is simply too high for a player what will play one or two years at tops.

Fan Behavior

So I don’t care how bad the officials are, I don’t care the final score, there is nothing that can happen on the pitch that excuses the throwing of stuff on the pitch during or after a match. To the idiots who think throwing smoke bombs onto the pitch was funny, grow up, you risk injuring one of our players and you damage the surface (I am sure that RES will charge RSL for the damage- less money for players, coaches, and other expenses). I can understand the frustration of people at the horrible calls made during “the incident” and wanting a way to vent, but throwing stuff is childish and dangerous. It will accomplish nothing, except to cause the stadium and league to tighten control over fans, if you don’t believe me perhaps you should check with the Crew fans. Despite their “incident” the repeated behavior of throwing stuff (streamers and other items) at players has caused all streamers to be banned from their stadium, do we really want to go into a new stadium with the league writing the rules for us?

I am not sure what happened in the two E38 incidents, the first just prior to the end of the first half, which I believe was an issue over language, an issue that the RCB, FCB and other fans in the section have been dealing with for the last two years. The second incident came in the second half and appears to have started from RES staff trying to find a reason to further the first incident, and harassing people over standing in the aisle. I believe the end result was a couple fans being kicked out of the match. I find all of this to be ridiculous, I have attended a couple University of Utah football matches over the past couple years and I have seen the behavior of the MUSS (the fans who sit in E38) and nothing that the RCB, FCB or anyone else in the section has ever done is even close to the behavior of the MUSS. So the question is why has this issue been ignored for majority of last year and start of this year, only to reshow its ugly head now? You would think with just 4 MLS matches left to be played at RES that all parties would simply try to exist peacefully as they do most of the time. I am sure looking forward to the day when the supporter groups are allowed their own sections away from those who believe that soccer should be played in a sterile environment.
More on this another day.

RSL reserves win

RSL was able to get a small measure of justice this week as the RSL reserves topped Houston in an early morning affair in Park City. Houston had been unbeaten in reserve play this year.
RSL Reserves down Dynamo Reserves
The fireworks started early on this Independence Day for the Real Salt Lake Reserves, who saw FW Yura Movsisyan pour in a second half hat trick to go along with a pair of assists in leading RSL to a 5-3 victory over the Houston Dynamo Reserves at Quinn’s Junction in Park City. The result pushed the Western Conference-leading Dynamo Reserves (4-1-1, 13 pts.) to their first defeat in six games this season, while the RSL Reserves (3-1-1, 10 pts.) moved to within a three-point result of Houston in the standings. The game was just the latest in a series of offensive slugfests at the venue in the Wasatch Mountains, the Utah side having now outscored its opposition by a 17-10 margin in four entertaining affairs at Quinn’s Junction.

OFF MY SOAPBOX

This entry was posted on July 4, 2008 at 8:29 pm and is filed under The soapbox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.