Lucky Strike
05-09-2009, 11:43 PM
As with Wednesday, sorry for being later than usual as I was watching my Penguins and PVRed the TFC game as it is easier to avoid spoilers from the MLS than NHL. A very wild finish and it feels disappointing, but not as much as I would have thought. Usually, a trip to RFK is an unqualified disaster. Here we go with the ratings:
Frei - 6.5: Yeah, he gave up three goals but still didn't play too badly. The first goal I felt was taken from so close that he had little chance to react (and the defense was at sea), the second seemed savable so I'll place a bit of fault there and the third goal was literally the perfect penalty. There was this piece in the Guardian (I think) which describes how scientists determined what a perfect penalty was. It's a high powered shot 5 feet from the post and 5 feet from the crossbar. Guess where Moreno shot it? Finally, and on a positive note, Frei went all Julian Speroni to get the assist on the first DeRosario goal. If you don't know what that means, Speroni is a GK for Crystal Palace who is reknowned for his long, accurate kicks and gets many assists. I watched him get two once in a 3-0 win over Barnsley.
Wynne - 5: If it weren't for the penalty, which was harsh, but the correct call (there were two DC guys behind him ready to have a go at goal and his hand blocked it), Wynne would evidently get a better score. Aside from that, he seemed more involved going forward but had a few issues at the back. Though it's always entertaining to watch him play because he looks too fast for his own good, his limbs are flailing around. However, this proves to be a liability in the box.
Velez - 6: No major clangers (which is an increasingly good sign) but the defence did let in three goals because of scrambles.
Attakora - 6.5: Quietly effective, I'm looking forward to continued development. Subbed.
Brennan - 5: I don't know, didn't stand out and wasn't shining defensively. Maybe it's just because he wasn't solicited much. Maybe, I'm not seeing correctly. What do you think? :yellow:
Cronin - 6: Didn't see much of him, but when called upon, was good as usual.
Serioux - 7: Had a solid game, despite not looking 100%. Got a goal and was effective due to his physicality.
Harmse - 6: As with Cronin, not overly visible, but effective when needed.
Guevara - 6: A few flicks and tricks to go with an assist, but not a classical performance.
DeRosario - 8.5: He really is a game breaker and I was wrong to believe he wasn't that great when people we're creating zillions of threads asking to get him during the first two years of the franchise *eats hat*. His first goal still amazes me (I'm surprised Forrest didn't call it world class) and the second was simply a great strike. He made it look so simple, my father who doesn't follow football asked me why players don't do that all the time. Pontius deserved to be killed for kicking him twice in the face and almost ripping his shirt off, but restrained himself somewhat. And he acknowledged the travelling support on his first goal. What more can he do? Score a third goal? :yellow:
Barrett - 4.5: Had a rough game and didn't really get anything going. He'll bounce back. Subbed.
Vitti (for Barrett, 46) - 7: No, he didn't get on the scorsheet but looked much more lively than Barrett and chased down an impossible ball, got the free kick which Guevara swung into the box for Serioux. You know the rest.
Dichio (for Attakora, 76) - 5.5: Not really influential tonight.
Ricketts (for Guevara, 88) - NR: Didn't have the time to make his mark on the game.
Cummins - 7: Started with a 4-4-2 which didn't really work and around the 30th minute, changed to what looked like a 3-5-2 with Brennan and Wynne being wingbacks. Props for recognizing it and doing something about it. The extra man in the midfield allowed TFC to take more control and play a better match. Had to shuffle things again when Attakora went off with the cramp and managed that very well.
Referee - 6: A few minor calls were wrong and a back pass by DC went unpunished which I was a bit confused on, but overall, a decent game from the man. It was audacious to call that penalty in stoppage time but I have to admit, it was the right call. Lost a bit of control after the penalty. A more severe referee might have given a red to Pontius for raping DeRosario in the manner I've noted above. It was a brutal play.
MOTM: DeRosario. Two goals, another great performance, a nod to the away fans who made the long trek to DC. He really is a great player. Special mention goes to the travelling support for firstly actually getting there and for (as I'm told) marching with the DC fans in support of them trying to get a new SS stadium. They really do deserve it.
Most impressed by opposition's: Moreno. Like DeRosario, he's a game changer and it showed. I'm always baffled as to why he isn't the first name on the starting XI. But I guess he is 35, so it sort of makes sense. Jakovic also gets an honourable mention for a very neat first half.
Frei - 6.5: Yeah, he gave up three goals but still didn't play too badly. The first goal I felt was taken from so close that he had little chance to react (and the defense was at sea), the second seemed savable so I'll place a bit of fault there and the third goal was literally the perfect penalty. There was this piece in the Guardian (I think) which describes how scientists determined what a perfect penalty was. It's a high powered shot 5 feet from the post and 5 feet from the crossbar. Guess where Moreno shot it? Finally, and on a positive note, Frei went all Julian Speroni to get the assist on the first DeRosario goal. If you don't know what that means, Speroni is a GK for Crystal Palace who is reknowned for his long, accurate kicks and gets many assists. I watched him get two once in a 3-0 win over Barnsley.
Wynne - 5: If it weren't for the penalty, which was harsh, but the correct call (there were two DC guys behind him ready to have a go at goal and his hand blocked it), Wynne would evidently get a better score. Aside from that, he seemed more involved going forward but had a few issues at the back. Though it's always entertaining to watch him play because he looks too fast for his own good, his limbs are flailing around. However, this proves to be a liability in the box.
Velez - 6: No major clangers (which is an increasingly good sign) but the defence did let in three goals because of scrambles.
Attakora - 6.5: Quietly effective, I'm looking forward to continued development. Subbed.
Brennan - 5: I don't know, didn't stand out and wasn't shining defensively. Maybe it's just because he wasn't solicited much. Maybe, I'm not seeing correctly. What do you think? :yellow:
Cronin - 6: Didn't see much of him, but when called upon, was good as usual.
Serioux - 7: Had a solid game, despite not looking 100%. Got a goal and was effective due to his physicality.
Harmse - 6: As with Cronin, not overly visible, but effective when needed.
Guevara - 6: A few flicks and tricks to go with an assist, but not a classical performance.
DeRosario - 8.5: He really is a game breaker and I was wrong to believe he wasn't that great when people we're creating zillions of threads asking to get him during the first two years of the franchise *eats hat*. His first goal still amazes me (I'm surprised Forrest didn't call it world class) and the second was simply a great strike. He made it look so simple, my father who doesn't follow football asked me why players don't do that all the time. Pontius deserved to be killed for kicking him twice in the face and almost ripping his shirt off, but restrained himself somewhat. And he acknowledged the travelling support on his first goal. What more can he do? Score a third goal? :yellow:
Barrett - 4.5: Had a rough game and didn't really get anything going. He'll bounce back. Subbed.
Vitti (for Barrett, 46) - 7: No, he didn't get on the scorsheet but looked much more lively than Barrett and chased down an impossible ball, got the free kick which Guevara swung into the box for Serioux. You know the rest.
Dichio (for Attakora, 76) - 5.5: Not really influential tonight.
Ricketts (for Guevara, 88) - NR: Didn't have the time to make his mark on the game.
Cummins - 7: Started with a 4-4-2 which didn't really work and around the 30th minute, changed to what looked like a 3-5-2 with Brennan and Wynne being wingbacks. Props for recognizing it and doing something about it. The extra man in the midfield allowed TFC to take more control and play a better match. Had to shuffle things again when Attakora went off with the cramp and managed that very well.
Referee - 6: A few minor calls were wrong and a back pass by DC went unpunished which I was a bit confused on, but overall, a decent game from the man. It was audacious to call that penalty in stoppage time but I have to admit, it was the right call. Lost a bit of control after the penalty. A more severe referee might have given a red to Pontius for raping DeRosario in the manner I've noted above. It was a brutal play.
MOTM: DeRosario. Two goals, another great performance, a nod to the away fans who made the long trek to DC. He really is a great player. Special mention goes to the travelling support for firstly actually getting there and for (as I'm told) marching with the DC fans in support of them trying to get a new SS stadium. They really do deserve it.
Most impressed by opposition's: Moreno. Like DeRosario, he's a game changer and it showed. I'm always baffled as to why he isn't the first name on the starting XI. But I guess he is 35, so it sort of makes sense. Jakovic also gets an honourable mention for a very neat first half.