Okay, in an effort to make sure I'm not completely mad and on the strict belief that those attending live are seeing a different game from those of us watching on TV, a few points on Mr. Rohan Ricketts, who is currently taking a concerted pounding from certain fans on this board over yesterday's game.

I just watched the first 15 minutes from the MLSLivetv archive of the cbc game (probably still on CBC's site too) and I suggest those who've been saying they're unimpressed by Ricketts go back and take another look.

This is from the first 15 minutes of yesterday's game alone, which is about how long it took to conclusively prove you're full of shit if you think he's not a quality winger. I'll stick the positives on the left, the negatives on the right:

3:33 - Creates the first chance of the
the game with a long through ball to Dichio

4:27 - Gets his head to a loose ball, nods it
into the box, where Dichio feeds Guevara for
the second major chance of the game.

6:27 - Cross to far post is just cleared out by
Schellotto tracking back, almost falls to Guevara
for tap in, DeVos calls Ricketts' cross "dangerous."

9:19 - Pushes in another cross that Guevara almost
gets on and forces three crew back into the box
to clear
----------------------------9:37 - Is caught too far forward as Robinson
----------------------------tries to link up defense and mid, Robinson has
----------------------------to backtrack and switch field instead.

----------------------------10:42 - Switches to left side, first and
----------------------------second passes are both back to defense.

12:07 - Runs a give and go with Dichio
that turns into a switch field and creates
good TO offensive move

-----------------------------12:54 - Is too far wide on left when the play
-----------------------------is in mid-field.

-----------------------------13:02 - hard fouls Hejduk

14:52 - Beats two men in the corner on
the dribble and feeds ball to Brennan
heading into the box for a good chance.

The guy was absolute class until he was switched to the left, at which point he was STILL effective, just not destroying Columbus on the run anymore, because he was being well covered by Hejduk. That's it, that's all. Keep watching the remainder of the game and I guarantee you'll see this pattern continue: three or four really good, productive moments before one bad play.

I'll take that ratio. Yes, he'll never be Laurent Robert. But people are forgetting that at his Newcastle peak four years ago, Robert was considered a world class player; he wasn't joking when he said he's better than Beckham, because in some respects he is (with temperament being an area Becks has, traditionally, had somewhat better control over).

But Ricketts is still a very good winger, and I think we should feel bloody lucky to have him. Andy Welsh he ain't.