No doubt about it, this has been a special week for Dallas/Fort Worth soccer fans of professional soccer. Our local MLS team, FC Dallas, (you might know them as 'The Hoops') have been in a scoring drought of nearly 4 games, and it was nice that they got back to their winning ways.
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FC Dallas | NY Red Bulls | |
| total shots: | 12 | 20 | |
| shots on goal: | 4 | 7 | |
| fouls: | 16 | 13 | |
| offsides: | 1 | 5 | |
| corner kicks: | 1 | 6 | |
For me personally, I find the timing of the drought...during the World Cup...to be a bit ironic. You see, I'm thinking that FC Dallas likely passed up on keeping Eddie Johnson primarily due to his impending "US Men's National Team" commitment. The fact is that Honduras wasn't in danger of going to World Cup 2006, so they probably felt having a 'problem child' named Carlos Ruiz here at home scoring goals for us was preferable to the likely alternative. I'm thinking that only Eddie and his agent were looking forward to having Dallas' primary offensive threat away in Germany, supplementing the Eddie Johnson legend through service to a grateful nation. Too bad that 'The Bruce' had other plans.
So, the dice were rolled, and the soccer gods still turned off Ruiz's scoring spigot. Ironic indeed, particularly in light of the fact that Team USA was sent home early courtesy of Ghana's 30 foul performance.
Just for the record, read over the following clipping to see when poor Carlos finally reclaimed his scoring prowess:
NOTE: So you're thinking that Ruiz's slump is unique? Note that the MLS's all-time leader in both total goals scored and game winning goals scored, Jason Kreis, was experiencing a 10 + match scoring drought during the very same period. Such is soccer.
OK class, everyone close their eyes and quietly recite our mantra:
"play beautiful, play beautiful, play beautiful"
My love of attacking soccer is only exceeded by my disdain for sitting back and protecting a lead, as was documented by Tobias Xavier Lopez later in the above article as follows...
Let me get this straight, Dallas is in 1st place in it's division and is leading the match by 2 goals, Coach Clark converts to a virtual 5-4-1 and then Dallas gets 'burned' like 4 minutes later!?! Sub please! Oh yeah, you can't sub the Coach.
![Image Credit: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 10, 2003, p.7D in an article entitled "A Step Forward for [MLS's Dallas] Burn" by Tobias Xavier Lopez.](5_Defenders.jpg)
Good job Tobias! This is the kid of reality reminder material which keeps me waking up each morning with soccer on my mind, especially if I'd forgotten to take my meds the day before. ;~) And if you think it's unique, check out the example at right, where Lopez earns the moniker "Soccer Insider" by subtly enlightening us to the convoluted conjurings of then Dallas Burn Coach Mike Jeffries:
bookmark here: #Roma_Dallas
Next there was the success of one of our local DFW area amateur teams, the FC Roma Dallas, over one of the MLS' Southern California teams: CD Chivas USA, and this in a significant tournament, the US Open Cup. It's quite the Cinderella story, holding an MLS team to 0-0 after overtime, and then winning on PK's. The article at right says it all, and more can be read about the match at the US Open Cup's site and more about the players and match statistics at wfaa.com.
I'd like to make a small contribution to our new local hero's winning image by recommending that, in honor of the incredible play of their goalkeeper Jesse Llamas, from this moment forward the soccer club known as Roma FC Dallas shall go by the nick name:
"The Fighting Llamas"
Dallas FC Roma's reward for the win is yet another matchup against an MLS team, but this time it's against the reigning MLS Champions LA Galaxy... currently one of the MLS's sorriest sides, who are coming off of a 0-0 scoreless draw against CD Chivas USA in this week's big "Super Clasico", which had to include some classic trash talk. Now how could an LA Galaxy player pass up on the opportunity to issue jabs like:
"I understand those Roma Dallas guys are paid with Taco Bueno Gift Certificates!"
or:
"Juan, mi amigo, could you loosen up on me just a little, por favor? My agent says that a scout from Roma Dallas flew in just to watch me play."
or even:
"Yo Juan, you're gonna look real good in a Roma Dallas jersey?!?"
I'm sure it was hard for Landon and the boys to make their runs while laughing so hard, so there's no need for explanation of the Galaxy's 3 total shots against the Chivas in the 90 minutes, as there's little doubt who the most motivated team was likely to be that evening. Ah, to have been a fly on the wall in the Chivas' locker room just prior to that match:
| Chivas USA | Los Angeles Galaxy | |||
| total shots: | 10 | (Juan Francisco Palencia 4) | 3 | (3 tied with 1) |
| shots on goal: | 4 | (Juan Pablo Garcia 2, Juan Francisco Palencia 2) |
2 | (Landon Donovan 1, Herculez Gomez 1) |
| fouls: | 17 | (4 tied with 3) | 7 | (Chris Albright 2, Troy Roberts 2) |
| offsides: | 5 | (Juan Francisco Palencia 2, Ante Razov 2) |
6 | (Herculez Gomez 4) |
| corner kicks: | 3 | (Juan Pablo Garcia 3) | 5 | (Landon Donovan 5) |
Now, there was a little international soccer action during the last week, and I must admit that one match produced what is hands down the most remarkable 4 minutes I've seen in soccer. Yesterday evening, I locked up my desk and stopped by the water fountain for a whistle wetter before the long drive home, and noticed that fellow soccer dad Ted was watching some soccer action on the client lounge's TV. It's the US Women's National Team playing Sweden, it's 1-1, and there's 2 minutes left in regulation. I'm thinking: "I'll stick around a couple minutes to be sociable." Then what to our wondering eyes should appear...3 goals in 4 minutes. The US took the lead with a shot from 70 yards out by former North Carolina Tarheel Cat Whitehall, giving us a preview of what professional soccer will be like when larger goals come to the beautiful game. Granted, Cat did get a little help from Abby Wambach, who simply brutalized Sweden's goalkeeper to clear a path for the ball into the net. It's worth noting that Wambach already had earned one yellow card earlier in the match. Then Sweden equalizes just 90 seconds later via an incredible shot from the right wing...and I mean just in front of the corner flag. And it's hard to blame the US goalkeeper, because if the effort hadn't gone into the net, it would have been considered a cross, not a shot. Anyway, before Ted and I could settle down from the welcomed boost to our evening, Cat Whitehall throws the ball over something like 50 yards into the penalty area where Wambach's head found the ball, flicking it to the front of the box, where Kristine Lilly stroked it into the back of the net, at like 2:11 in stoppage time. It was pure magic, and I encourage you to read about it on US Soccer's page, where you can find more photos like that one at right where Abby "The Beast" Wambach is scoring the USA's first goal. Here's the match stats, and take time to note the 3 total shots by Sweden in this 90 minute match:
Statistical Summary:
USA / SWE
Shots: 12 / 3
Shots on Goal: 9 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 4
Fouls: 12 / 12
Offside: 0 / 2
Now let's consider the week's larger international story, the Final Match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Tournament in Germany.
Nike's new 'play beautiful' campaign had been sweeping over the planet like some new-wave religion. As is documented in the article at right, pre-tournament press conferences were akin to revivals, with coaches proclaiming that were committed to pressing forward, even Germany and Italy. This was music to my ears.
The pre-Final Match hype was pretty much consistent with the following predictions by The Dallas Morning News' Steve Davis...
...which subtly reminded us of Italy's youth, Italy's extra day of rest, Italy's technical superiority, and oh yeah, Italy's superiority at goalkeeper...featuring Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus.
Image credit above: Champions Magazine, Feb 2004 Issue, p.63.
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The sequence which stands out most in my mind took place well before the matches two goals were scored. The video at right reveals how Italy planned to deal with France, and while it involved fulfillment of the promise to press forward, it had nothing to do with technical superiority. First came an attempt to knock Henry out of the match, then when that didn't work as planned, in the 4th minute Italy throws caution to the wind by sending forward a back line defender to attack the penalty area at full speed, where he accidentally takes out another "Golden Ball Finalist" in Patrick Vieria. Take a look at it, and then you be the judge, keeping in mind that this is Italy we're talking about, a team which historically doesn't ever embrace risk...like taking needless shots, or recklessly throwing a defender forward in the 4th minute. Obviously, Zambrotta was on a headhunting expedition.
Luckily, the very same Steve Davis of the Dallas Morning News reminded us in an article last Sunday that:
"...the game is always one part skill, two parts effort."
In other words: "the team that wants it the most usually wins."
So take a look at the following final match statistics and tell me who wanted it the most:
| Match Length: 120 Minutes | ||
| Italy | France | |
| Shots | 5 | 12 |
| Fouls | 17 | 24 |
The way I see it, Coach Marcello Lippi simply didn't inspire in Italy the desire to play hard. Hey, call me jaded, but a team that picks up only 17 fouls in 120 minutes simply doesn't want it bad enough. Contrast that to Ghana's 32 fouls earned in their victory against Team USA, picked up in just 90 minutes. I hope you realize just how hard players have to work to generate 32 fouls, and skill must also be recognized in the effort when you consider that yellow cards were limited to just 4. Now that shows true heart, putting a big smile on the faces of those hard core "two parts effort" believers out there.
Image Credit Below: Champions Magazine, Feb. 2004 Issue, page 33. Keyword: Juventus
And as far as offensive play goes, chew on this:
5 shots in 120 minutes of soccer by a team which never had the lead
It's proof positive that, even with the above video presenting graphic evidence that Italy was fulfilling their pre-tournament commitment to "push forward," a team still needs to have the basic desire to attack. In other words, it's hard to overcome at least 7 decades of being the planet's most defensively oriented soccer machine. Look over the following video and note that Materazzi, a 6' 4" defender, scored Italy's only goal:
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And the games first goal was via a PK, but it was a very unique PK, so it's worth seeing again:
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It does provide a fine example of just how far many goalkeepers will charge off their line in pursuit of an advantage in a PK, even when the referee warns them against such action just 10 seconds earlier.
Image Credit: Champions Magazine, Feb 2004 Issue, p.63. Keyword: Juventus
Lastly, no discussion of this period would be complete without a mention of the incredible Zidane-Materazzi incident. There, I mentioned it, and that's all it deserves. I've watched enough baseball and basketball and hockey fights to in my life to appreciate that there is a time when getting kicked out of the match is just what the circumstances call for. Whether it's to motive the troops, or maybe just to say "I've decided to leave the match, and guess what freak, you're coming with me", either of those reasons are preferable to the old "a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" line that Z Boy is holding on to.
I'll admit, I think it's kind of ironic that the rhino charge involves the matches only two scorers, plus Materazzi was the defender who earned the foul in the box which put Zidane at the spot in the first place. I am also relieved that it wasn't a black vs. white incident. And true, I'm intrigued by the cultural contrasts: the son of a famous Italian soccer coach vs. the son of African immigrants. And I do appreciate the obvious David vs. Goliath aspect of the incident (tired old geezer with a gimpy arm vs. rested young studly 6' 4" heavily tattooed trash talker), but who really cares that a guy gets the breath knocked out of him in a sports match? Get real. Ever see what a Materazzi elbow can do to a guy? Well just have a look at Marco's attack on Villareal's Juan Pablo Sorin in UEFA Champion's League competition. I'm betting that Materazzi and Zidane had crossed paths before.
Image Credit Above: BBC Sport site, article titled "Mad Materazzi" by Phil McNulty.
I'm certainly not looking forward to soccer's next "vicious attack", like maybe an incident in the next Arsenal vs. Chelsea matchup where Henry sucker punches John Terry's upper arm...giving him a serious "charlie horse." Fortunately the network has the insight to have a lip reader on hand to study the replays and interpret what got Thierry so agitated that he resorted to violence...and we think we have an answer...the words spoken by John Terry just seconds before the blood rushed to Henry's head, precipitating this vicious atrocity...and here it is:
"Yo momma is so fat, she has more chins than a Chinese phonebook"
I'm done on that subject, but if you haven't had enough, go check out the colorful rant page:
"How Zidane's Crazy Rhino Charge Saved World Soccer"
Yes indeed, it was quite a week. And sadly, now more than ever I wish that you would embrace my belief that today's teams--with just a little help in the form of minor rules changes--can provide much more entertaining soccer and score more goals along the way. One thing for sure, the 2006 FIFA World Cup may be just what Mr Blatter needs to get some action by those who really can implement change in soccer, as is hinted at in the following quotation:
President Blatter is looking at the tournament's 'stage 2' average score of
1.56 - 0.31 , thinking how wonderful it would be to increase it to an
incredible 2.0 - 1.0 or maybe a grossly excessive 2.3 - 1.2
average score. But I feel that his efforts are doomed from the start.
Why? Simply because the thinkers of international soccer don't think in
terms of average score. They prefer to focus on average total goals per
match, and in this case that number is 1.875. Attacking the problem
from the total goals per match angle will produce solutions which produce many
3.5 to 0.0 results, while focusing on improving average scores will produce
more 2.3 - 1.2 results. And yes, there is a big difference, and for
an example of the difference get to my page "Soccer
with Bigger Goals."
We have to remove from soccer the statistical fact that any goal scored after
the 1st goal is wasted energy, as it is in the majority of professional soccer
matches today, particularly in major tournament play. Think about it, with
a 1.56 - 0.31 average score, and that included all those overtime periods. Soccer has to evolve to the point that
goalkeepers are now expected to stop every single goal, and it's no longer note
worthy that Jens Lehmann made an error ** in one of his 6 matches (bottom right
article):
But whatever Ole Sepp and his band of merry men come up with, let me assure you that it's going to be so watered down that it's simply not going to be enough to make a difference in the marketability of professional soccer in America. We're on our own if we hope to see a dramatic increase in the incidences of 5-3 soccer matches, which is what American professional soccer needs.
Mike the Apostle***
To return, you could hit the Back Arrow Button, or Mike's Home Page
** In America, mistakes just spice up the sports stew, especially when a team rebounds to win. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Consider that our beloved Brett Farve holds the NFL's all-time record for games with 3 or more interceptions, and he hasn't even retired yet. And talk about error prone, how about Michael Vick...yet we all love these guys.
*** apostle, definition #6 as per the College Edition of The Random House Dictionary: "a pioneer of any reform movement"
PS-For what it's worth, July 2006 turned out to be a very special month, since I saw my very first EPL team play in a live match. It was an exhibition game between England's Everton and Mexico's Club America.
On the way in from the parking lot I noted a man and boy wearing distinctive blue jerseys with the "Chang" logo of Everton's sponsor. I struck up a conversation, and quickly found that they had just drove 10 hours from Colorado Springs, Colorado for an opportunity to see Everton play live for the first time in 21 years. In the 3 minutes shared together I learned that a fan of team Liverpool would likely support Everton that evening, and that some Brits feel that Arsenal doesn't start nearly enough British players. Who knew!?!
The evening was a double header at Frisco's Pizza Hut Park. Our FC Dallas boys started the evening by putting the hurt on the Colorado Rapids 4-1 in the first match, then Everton and Club America played a wonderful match to a 1-1 tie in regulation, and then spiced things up with a quick Shoot Out which Club America won 5-4.
The first goal was an early free kick which was as fine as anything Beckham could produce, but the Everton player who made the run toward the penalty area should get credit for an assist, as his ball handling effort was reminiscent of that now famous 5 seconds early in the WC '06 match between France and Brazil, where Zidane slalomed through 4 or 5 Brazilians. The Everton lad simply wouldn't go down as 3 Club America players made contact as they attempted to strip him of the ball, then just as he was about to enter the penalty area the 4th CA player effectively ran through him as he deflected the ball. A foul was called which set up the free kick and the goal. That was as sweet a 4 seconds of live soccer as I've ever seen. Also of note, this was one of those few matches where a missed goal was nearly as special (in my mind) as the scored goal. Late in the match a Club America player came so very close to scoring on a bicycle kick attempt which just missed the crossbar by a couple feet. There was some good soccer being played that evening.
The evening's only disappointment came when they subbed out Tim Howard at half time. I am the father of 2 goalkeepers, and looked forward to the 2nd half of the match when I'd have my chance to see Howard play up close and in living color right in front of my north end seat. Then Everton subbed him out for the 2nd half...the most famous American on the field, playing in the USA, and they sub him out?!? It made no sense to me at all, subbing the guy who displaced Fabian Barthez in goal at Manchester United. Simply mind blowing!
I'm so worked up over this incident that I've just gotta strike back. Here's a suggestion for a new slogan for Everton's primary commercial partner...
Chang Beer...made from the finest Hersbrucker hops, the best Belgian barley, and select Singaporean fish heads!
Yeah baby, how's that for an equalizer! Gooooooooooooooool! OK, maybe it's a little excessive since the boys from Liverpool were probably just getting back at me for telling those scouser jokes.
PSS - Under the heading: "Heavy is the head which wears the crown", if you think I'm overstating 6' 4" Materazzi's importance in the Italian game plan, take a second and read this page which documents Italy's success during the first two matches of the qualifications for the 2008 UEFA European Championships. Materazzi was suspended from these 2 matches, and instantly Italy was reduced from World Champions to simply average.
Photo Credit: World Soccer Magazine, August 2006 issue, page 12, from article "Juve's world turned upside down" by Keir Radnedge
PSSS - In an effort to show my kinder and gentler side, here's some more cute little Llama pics for your enjoyment, the result of my extensive research for this page. And yes, I do recognize that I need to get a life. Y'all have a good one.
