Dynamo 2008 Season Thread

Keith · #1 07-13-2008, 08:49 AM

Can't believe we don't have a Dynamo thread yet...

Nice 4-0 thrashing of Atlante last night in SuperLiga. Now they just need to find a way Tuesday night to get past Cd Guadalajara without DeRo.

I'm looking forward to seeing Jacqua back with the squad later this month. Seeing Mullan start up top with Ching sidelined last night is all I need to know about how bad this team needs a new forward. I had hoped for more from Caraccio, but maybe he's still young and learning MLS.

I heard Klinsmann asked for Ngwenya to workout with Bayern. Was sorta hoping he'd be back with the Dynamo, too. Without him, I think we need to keep seeing more of DeRo at forward.

papabear · #2 07-14-2008, 08:47 AM

I had really high hopes for Carracio as well. I still think there is a chance he could work out. I wasn't the biggest Jacqua fan in the world last year. His first touch often seemed bad, and I felt he made to many unnecessary turnovers....I've missed him a great deal this year though, and was glad to hear there is a chance he could be on his way back.

I actually really liked having D-ro up top with Ching, and I think Holden did a good job of filling that attacking mid-field role.

The dynamo, especially the offense, has been frustrating this year. They really turned it on later in the year, and hopefully they will do the same this year.

Keith · #3 07-15-2008, 11:28 PM

ugh, that was tough to lose. The Dynamo pretty much outplayed Chivas most of the match, then lose on a counter. I hate to dog any one player, but Ianni... ugh. He has been beaten bad too often this year. So slow.

Disappointing loss especially since a lot of other guys played pretty well without three of the team's better offensive players (Ching, DeRo, and Holden). Heck, I even thought Caraccio had one of his best efforts of the season tonight.

I was shocked when I saw that Atlante beat D.C. tonight as well. Hopefully the Dynamo take advantage of that to move on in the tournament.

Side note... DeRo and Onstad were added to the All-Star game. Nice for a couple Canadians playing the game in Toronto. Deserved, of course, too. I guess maybe I'll watch now

and it wouldn't surprise me to see the Hammers look like a second division squad.

papabear · #4 07-16-2008, 08:35 AM

uugghh.....rough one to lose. I thought Caracio played his best game by far that I've seen. I had high hopes for him, and maybe he will settle in now. I thought Mullin wasted some opportunities by being indecisive. Ianni was just terrible. Not just on the goal, but all night. Waibel did a good job pushing up the flank several times.

Way too many missed opportunities at the end of the day. I still think the ball was across the line on one of the Chivas keeper's saves, but I never really saw the replay....so I'll just be a homer and say we got screwed.

I was amazed at how many good chances we created without DeRo, Ching, and Holden. It seems like we are finally starting to be on the same page offensively.

As much as I enjoy soccer....it annoys the crap out of me to see guys carried off on stretchers only to re-enter the game a few minutes later.

Keith · #5 07-16-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papabear

I thought Caracio played his best game by far that I've seen. I had high hopes for him, and maybe he will settle in now. I thought Mullin wasted some opportunities by being indecisive.

I think some of his indecisiveness though came from Caraccio being out of position. Caraccio seems to be pretty good with the ball at his feet, but he is not mentally all the way there yet about running where to go without the ball. While he had a nice header on goal, I kinda wonder if Jacqua might have been the difference had he been able to play instead.

Waibel looked about as good as I have seen him play this year. And Geoff Cameron's play is worth mentioning, too. I love his hustle and overall play from a number of different positions, plus I love he seems to have no remorse in putting the shot on goal from long distance, too.

I have to say that I am pleased with how SuperLiga seems to be improved this year. I wondered how seriously the Mexican teams took this (preseason) tournament last year, but Chivas seemed into it last night.

papabear · #6 07-16-2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

I think some of his indecisiveness though came from Caraccio being out of position. Caraccio seems to be pretty good with the ball at his feet, but he is not mentally all the way there yet about running where to go without the ball. While he had a nice header on goal, I kinda wonder if Jacqua might have been the difference had he been able to play instead.

You could be right about Caracio being out of position....Him and Mullin might just not be in sync as much as one of them being out of position. There were just a couple of times where he had the ball in an attacking position and he just froze and the ball taken away with seemingly little effort. He played well overall though, I'm just nit-picking a little.

AS far as Jacqua vs. Caraccio. Carraccio is much better with the ball and it seems he has a little more speed and can be a little more dangerous on his runs. Jacqua's first touch was awful on occasion last year. He provides a bigger target in front of goal, and he's shown that he mixes in well with our style of play. I think Carracio has the POTENTIAL to be a more well rounded striker who can score/create in a wider variety of ways. Even though they play the same position I see them as different type players.

Quote:

Waibel looked about as good as I have seen him play this year. And Geoff Cameron's play is worth mentioning, too. I love his hustle and overall play from a number of different positions, plus I love he seems to have no remorse in putting the shot on goal from long distance, too.

I thought Waibel was fantastic last night. Cameroon is one I forgot to mention. Versatile and very solid.

papabear · #7 07-17-2008, 04:05 PM

Holden and Ianni got named to the Olympic squad. It should be a good experience for both of them.

Keith · #8 07-18-2008, 04:14 PM

Well, so much for Caraccio with the Dynamo.

Quote:

Dynamo forward Franco Caraccio has played his last game with the team, coach Dominic Kinnear said this morning following team practice at the Carl Lewis Complex.

If the Dynamo can't trade Caraccio by today, the team will waive 21-year-old Argentine rookie less than seven months after signing him.

http://blogs.chron.com/soccer/archiv..._give_car.html

papabear · #9 07-18-2008, 08:24 PM

That's strange to me. I know they need to clear a spot for Jaqua, and even though Crotch has been a disappointment I would think they would like to hold onto to him and let him develop...especially since we know that Jaqua is just a rental and Ching is 30. I thought he just played his best game of the season....

I guess my player evaluations skills are just as bad for soccer as they are for the NFL

papabear · #10 07-22-2008, 12:41 PM

Keith (since it seems we are the only ones who care)- Has Onstad made you nervous lately? He's always been solid and had a lot to do with our success. It just seems lately he's been coming out on balls a lot and not getting them. That's a cardinal sin for a keeper. The goal DC scored in the Superliga match was a pretty good example. I don't know if he doesn't have as much faith in the defense as he has in the past....or if I'm just latching onto to a few small mistakes and making it something bigger than it is.

Either way, he IS better than Caig.

Keith · #11 07-22-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papabear

Keith (since it seems we are the only ones who care)-

Hmmm... you know, soccer is a wonderful way to make it through the NFL offseason, esp. if baseball doesn't carry your interest long enough. Haven't heard from chuck around here in awhile. I think he followed the Dynamo a bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by papabear

Has Onstad made you nervous lately?

Not really. Yeah, he makes the random mistake sometimes, but it happens. I agree with you that he did look like he had a lack of confidence early in the year, what with Boswell catching on and Ianni sucking. I think he missed Cochrane in the first couple months, but Boswell has really turned it up. Just need to keep Eddie on the pitch now.

Generally speaking, I tend to think the GK in MLS is overrated - it's all about the backline. Caig really sucks though, and it made me long for Wells to be back, but Wells even has been a bit shaky in what I've seen of him this year.

I dunno, just makes me think Pat is still doing a great job all things considered. You just have to wonder how much he has left. I don't really see much of a dropoff from last year in him though, but he can't last forever, can he??

I wish the Pachuca game wasn't starting so late (9pm). I'd love to see it in person, but that's a bit late on a Tuesday for me.

papabear · #12 07-22-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

I wish the Pachuca game wasn't starting so late (9pm). I'd love to see it in person, but that's a bit late on a Tuesday for me.

I've been going back and forth on whether I want to try and go....can't make up my mind.

Keith · #13 07-22-2008, 03:19 PM

sonofabitch! The Dynamo game tonight at D.C. has been postponed AGAIN.

http://www.forever-orange.com/2008/0...stponed-again/

Power outages are to blame. Wtf is up with RFK?? First SuperLiga, now this.

papabear · #14 07-22-2008, 04:02 PM

that sucks. I hope they still show it on TV.....by the way I'm becoming a fan of the Superliga matches in Spanish.....I don't know that I've ever made it through a whole broadcast without getting mad at the announcers for being stupid unless it was in another language. I'm sure the Mexican announcers are stupid too....I just can't understand enough of it to get upset.

KJ3 · #15 07-23-2008, 07:46 AM

no offense meant but how do you guys watch soccer? i've tried, i really have, it's just so agonizingly dull for me. that and hockey. i assume the game atmosphere is different than the t.v. viewing....still, i can't imagine a soccer match would peak my interest very much higher than it does anyway regardless of venue.

what is it? what draws you guys in?

papabear · #16 07-23-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJ3

no offense meant but how do you guys watch soccer? i've tried, i really have, it's just so agonizingly dull for me. that and hockey. i assume the game atmosphere is different than the t.v. viewing....still, i can't imagine a soccer match would peak my interest very much higher than it does anyway regardless of venue.

what is it? what draws you guys in?

I'm not really a hockey fan, but they aren't bad in person. As far as soccer I think it helps if you have played the game. Things that look simple on TV take on a lot more meaning if you have some idea how difficult a play it was...even if it didn't amount to anything. Either way, it's something i think you have to learn to appreciate. The chess match is much easier to see in a football game. In soccer everything is always in motion, and once you learn to appreciate all the little things going on and the strategies at play it really is an amazing game. Scoring chances are so rare that when your team does score, or even creates an opportunity to score, it is that much more exciting. If you really think about it, there are plenty of games in the NFL that end 21-14 or 14-10. That's really not much more scoring than 2-1 soccer game.

Of course I also love to watch a "boring" pitching duel in baseball, or low scoring defensive football games.

One thing I really like is that it's 45+ minutes, plus some injury time, a 15 minute break....and then another 45+ minutes and your done. No commercial breaks. No timeouts to ice the kicker, or to draw up a new play. Just play.

I played Soccer most of my life, but I honestly didn't watch much soccer until the Dynamo came to town. It had to do more with just not having a rooting interest in a team than not liking it. I would watch the World Cup when it rolled around or any US national team match, but I never bothered trying to find a place to watch the EPL or anything like that.

Now that the Dynamo are here I keep up with MLS more, but still rarely watch a MLS game unless the Dynamo are playing...or it's late in the season and the outcome affects the dynamo standing.

I still can't get into any of the foreign leagues. I will watch international matches/tournaments though. The Euro Cup was great this year. I also work for a German company so I'm going to have to listen to them talk about it all anyway. It is kind of fun to root against the Germans so I can give them a hard time when they lose too.

It really comes down to what you get used too. Most of the Europeans(there are a few big fans though) I work with have a hard time understanding how I watch "american football". There argument always come down to "it's a few seconds of play, and then everyone just stands around for thirty seconds". I tell them the same thing, if you learn a little about the game and understand what's going on then you would understand the excitement that can build up while you are watching them stand around.

there's stuff that annoys me about soccer....all the diving, complaining to the ref, acting like you have been shot and then popping up a minute late. Sometimes teams are just content to get a tie to advance in a tournament and they just fall back into shell and do everything possible to slow down the game with no interest in actually attacking. I still enjoy it though....if it's not a good match, I just turn it off just like I do for any other sport.

KJ3 · #17 07-23-2008, 12:53 PM

i have played soccer competitively and i couldn't tell you the first thing about soccer strategy unless the first thing is "score a goal". maybe i'm just missing it but it doesn't seem to be very apparent. i mean 90% of the game is trying to kick the ball around the other guy, oh he got it, now he's trying to kick the ball around the other guy, another intercepted pass....it's more fun to play than to watch, that's for sure.

amount of scoring per game never made a sport any more or less interesting than i already found it. honestly, i'm built like you-i love defense in any sport football, basketball...baseball defense isn't quite what i picture when i say defense but highlight reels are sweet. being at a football game, hollering for the defense to shut it down pumps me up. seriously, i'm typing harder just thinking about it....

the one thing you mentioned that i totally find awesome is the unstopped play. not really possible for baseball or football, though teams are guilty of milking breaks and pauses in-game.

it's harder to access than our other sports, i find it boring, i have no idea where to begin following how a particular team like the dynamo navigates through different leagues, or how their players can have several allegiances and i know next to nothing about soccer specifically or in general. however, if i come across a game i'll watch it for about 10 minutes until i have to do something else.

Keith · #18 07-23-2008, 02:37 PM

I pretty much echo papabear's post on his sentiments which make soccer not only watchable, but enjoyable.

I will say too - - not to slam the Dynamo since they're the shizz of the MLS and all - - but watching North (and Central) American pro soccer is like watching a minor league sport on the global level. It can be thoroughly entertaining (I actually love to go to minor league hockey games when I can), but you're not watching the game at its highest level.

papabear · #19 07-23-2008, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

It can be thoroughly entertaining (I actually love to go to minor league hockey games when I can), but you're not watching the game at its highest level.

I completely agree. MLS is like NFL Europe or AA baseball...I just can't get into any of the european leagues. As more MLS players (specifically ex Dynamo players) move up to the big leagues I'll probably pay a little more attention. It wouldn't surprise me to see Holden getting serious interest....especially if he does well in the Olympics.

KJ3 · #20 07-24-2008, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

I pretty much echo papabear's post on his sentiments which make soccer not only watchable, but enjoyable.

I will say too - - not to slam the Dynamo since they're the shizz of the MLS and all - - but watching North (and Central) American pro soccer is like watching a minor league sport on the global level. It can be thoroughly entertaining (I actually love to go to minor league hockey games when I can), but you're not watching the game at its highest level.

funny you say that because i don't really watch the AA/AAA baseball games that come on OR college football. occasionally i might, especially if the football game is matched up to be a good game but not all that often.