blame that one on calabro and riley

Agreed. Leo’s hand was outstretched BEFORE the ball was even struck. That’s a handball 99 out of 100 times.

The no offside on Joseph? Close, but you just don’t let a linesman hold your fate like that. (Riley I’m talking to you!)

NER deserved all three and they got them.

I always have a hard time dealing with the games where we go up early.  There is so much to lose, and yet we don’t continue to play to win.  Or at least we didn’t today. 

At least Chivas and New York came through for us — NY with the equalizer and Chivas by missing a stoppage time penalty.   So yeah, we’re still in the hunt, through no doing of our own.

Montero can’t work 1-2′s or look for the runs of teamates when he is paired with Jaqua. Nate is so utterly worthless it’s unreal. Fredy is left to do it all by himself, which he was able to do once on 3rd and long from the 30 yard line.

Speaking of, FL10 has to be really questioning his life decisions after playing on that “pitch” tonight.

When a lion tastes blood, it becomes crazed.  When Man U., Arsenal, Lyon, Barcelona and even Portsmouth go up a goal, they go for the knockout!  They smell blood and try to put two or three on the oponent.  When MLS teams get a goal in the   
30th minute, they try not to lose the lead or the game.  I never thought the Sounders were like that until tonight.  Even balls that were easily handled for a nice pass to start another run of play, were just booted!  We played not to lose and it kicked us in the ass!  When we had to try to get back in the flow, we couldn’t.  Shows you the mentallity of the MLS teams, when our own announcer (MLS Veteran) is explaining how we need to just tighten it up and if they give us something great.  If not, then we need to go home with the 1-0 win.  Sounds great in the 80th minute.  Try not to lose this one.   Not, go for the throat and make sure they have no chance to win this one.

Artesian, I agree about not letting a linesman hold your fate, but it’s ridiculous that the linesman was standing RIGHT THERE at the end of that ugly football line and didn’t call it.  It isn’t like he was out of position and had a funny angle… he was looking right down the line.

The linesman was in Leo’s grill all night after a chippy tackle before the PK play.  That’s why Leo got subbed out in the final mins, because they were afraid he was going to get carded.  He’s one of the biggest offensive threats we have, so otherwise why do it.

Re: the game– tale of two halves really.  First half, dynamic and controlled play.  Second half, snooze fest. 

We’ll never beat Columbus next week.  They are unbeaten in 24 games.  One point last night would have been nice.  Three would have been great.

FL10 looked pedestrian last night.  Is he sulking about his recent trip to Europe?

LeToux out with the flu?  The last thing we need right now is for the flu to rip thru the team. 

I’m beginning to wonder if we are going to make the playoffs.  We’ve left so many points on the table.

I still need a replay of Leo’s hand ball.  It may have been clear for you… but from my angle in front of the big screen, it looked like it hit his face.  His left hand was up, but it didn’t seem to hit there to me.

My son and I got home from Urgent Care  in about the 17th minute (fortunately his fever is neither regular nor swine flu) and it took us more than five minutes to realize that FL10 was even on the field. 

Everybody who’s talking about the great first half must have been watching before we got home, because I sure didn’t see it.   I thought they played much more aggressively  and connected-ly after the penalty.   (But, as usual, were unable to score.)

The first 20 mins we were dominant.

I ranted in my column at http://www.publicola.net about Evans: was he even there? Did he ever touch the ball?  (Ever? Yes.  More than that? Not much).  We may not be 100% satisfied with Montero, Jaqua, or Ljungberg, but at least they have moments -minimally- of brilliance.  I didn’t see Evans do anything at all.  I tried not being hyperbolic, but… can anyone prove me wrong?

and yes finally someone beside me thinks montero is a ball hog (aka massaging plays).
i sure did miss seba in roxbury or where ever they were.
and hullo laurie – in the other blogs i thot i was the only female.

LAD

Lee, always nice to see another female in the soccer sisterhood. 

Ok i like your writings, but come on man, your out of control, do NOT say another bad thing about Montero again. I am so sick of it. People are on him non stop and he is our best player. Our best player. So you know whatever, but one more thing like that and its over, I am divorcing these site .

yamsmos Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 8:14 am

ty, you are not the first person i have upset with my montero frustration. but i will say to you, like i say to them, please realize that much of my frustration stems from the fact that he could be even better than he is. 12 goals is a great return, but he has the skill and ability to have 17, PLUS 5 more assists.

maybe i have a case of “never satisfied” but montero clearly has more room to grow, and i want to see him make that growth.

i would sign up for any of the following. 
- our most talented player
- our best finisher
- worst passer
- most immature (as far as soccer decisions go)

but not the best. he has a lot of learning  before he gets into that category.

i am not comparing the two, but look at C Ronaldo when he joined ManU vs when he left.   when he joined he was stepover happy, never made the right pass, scored some great goals but had a lot to learn. when he left he was arguably the best player in the world. he cut out much of the showmanship, learned how to make that deadly pass, and in return boosted his goal scoring dramatically.

while montero is not on the same scale as ronoldo, i think that type of transformation in montero is what needs to happen.

montero didn’t lose this game. neither did riley. sigi did. he had the team playing for a tie from the very beginning. even after we went up 1-0, he still had us playing for the tie. i think sigi’s done a great job with what he’s had to work with this year, but he lost us this game.