Lack of Offense Cost Dynamo in 2-0 Loss to San Jose, Prepare For Avalanche of Clichéd Excuses

  Enough evidence is in to say this is an average team at best. But those who are calling for Dom’s head will be sorry if they get what they wish for. He has one of the longest tenures in MLS and I don’t want to become one of those MLS teams that go from hack coach to hack coach every year. Having a long-tenured coach helps give a team an identity.

Cameron looked exceptional back there, once again. Once the Gold Cup is over, we need to shop one of our backs to a team who needs a change back there and try to get some extra money or something. Not Cameron though, I still think he’s our future at CB between him and Hainault (cuz Boswell’s getting on up there ya know).

I do agree, we’ve gotta do something. No more excuses, just do it. Period.

The team looked slack out there. They’ve become too comfortable and too patient in waiting for that “perfect opportunity”. They don’t show that hunger out there when they go down, but some would actually point to that as being okay, because they’re “patient”. The problem is at some point you have to stop being patient in waiting for the opportunities to come, and start making the opportunities happen.

The Dynamo won’t make the playoffs as the team stands right now. A change has to be made, and now. And no, I don’t condone getting rid of the Dom. Not at this point.

This team desperately misses an assistant coach like John Spencer. When he was on the sideline screaming at players and cursing at referees the players were terrified and responded. I’ve heard some of the things Dom yells at his players, but his intensity is nowhere near where Spencer’s is/was. I think Wade and Ralston are fine folks and great (former) players, but we need an assistant coach that is vocal and pushes the guys more.

Sorry guys, have to disagree.

Though we lost, I didn’t see us play a bad game. Here’s why:

• The game turned on an slightly offside goal. Freeman was beaten to the ball and Hall couldn’t make a monster full stretch save. Up to then it was a 50/50 tossup, the Dynamo having the edge in the 1st half, the Quakes nipping them in the 2nd.
• Playing competitively in an away game against a probable play off bound team isn’t a bad thing.
• The lion’s share of our goals this year have been the result of set plays, crosses into the box or the chaotic scrum-like madness that ensues from both. Direct football is feast or famine, dependent on a variety of factors- those serving up the ball, the finishers, defenders, and the goalie.
• Davis’s set pieces were a bit off. The finishing left something to be desired, though had a few been converted, the whole tone of the article would be different.
• Busch had a good game as did the SJ defense.
• The stoppage time goal was a gimme and shouldn’t be part of the conversation. We were pushing far up and had to take our chances at the back.
• The Dynamo attack flowed. Boz and Cameron quickly passed to Palmer, Davis or Clark sometimes 10 or 20 yards into the midfield. This completely changed our tempo and if we had a true speedster or a through ball midfield maestro, we would have been much more dangerous. All the same, it didn’t seem like the usual Dynamo buildup which seems to flow like pouring cold honey. Cue the Heinz song, “An-tic-cip-a-sh- shun.”
• Cruz was a bit off and perhaps should have been subbed earlier. I was impressed with Clark- he who I’ve criticized for several games. Clark was coming back pretty far to get the ball, wanting to take more responsibility. He and Davis became pointmen for the attack. Clark took defenders on 1on 1and even was outnumbered several times. Sometimes this resulted in turnovers, but he is trying to be the preop Clark. I am definitely happy to see this. My pregame assessment was he done little aside from timely finishes in the box. This game, he was much, much more. Sometimes it worked, other times, it didn’t. Clark is on his way back and if this continues, we will be very dangerous on the flank.
• Weaver and Bruin worked hard. Remember Ching’s hot and cold streaks? Feast or famine. I’ve been disappointed with Garey, despite his speed, he adds little to the attack. We desperately need other options up top to change the dynamic.
• I think some of the above despair/frustration/anger has more to do with last month than Saturday night’s game.
• While Davis looked okay @ AM, I would have preferred him @ LM, with Clark on the right. Still a void at AM- if Cameron shifts to CB, we have too many central defenders. I can’t think of anyone we could trade for as we need a starter not more bench fodder.

Again, I don’t think we played badly @ SJ. We did have good ideas, we just couldn’t convert them. We played the percentages and this time we lost. I believe if we play like we did on Saturday night, the wins will come and we will make the playoffs.