Dynamo v. Sounders: Not To Be Overly Dramatic, But This Game Is Important

by Zach Woosley on Jul 29, 2011 9:12 AM CDT in Match Previews

Saturday evening at Robertson Stadium, the Houston Dynamo play what could be one of their most important matches of the 2011 season. After an embarrassing 3-0 demolition at the hands of Chivas USA, the Dynamo have had a week to stew on that loss and hopefully come to the realization that if they don't start getting points soon, any hopes of making the playoffs are going to sink faster than the US Government's credit rating.

So of course it doesn't help that the generally meaningless MLS All-Star Game was on Wednesday and all four representatives from the Dynamo saw significant minutes. Of course it doesn't help that it will likely rain at some point before the match adn then heat up to the roughly the temperature of the surface of the sun (ie. humidity beyond belief). It does help that Brian Ching and Colin Clark will be available after their questionable behaviour against Sporting KC. It also does help that the Seattle Sounders will be playing their third match in a week, with the middle one being a massive road trip to Panama for a CONCACAF Champions League qualifier.

What I'm saying is simply this: Houston needs to win this game. It's set-up for them to win and since the chances of them getting three points at PPL Park against the Union next week are pretty slim, they really need to get three points tomorrow.

I'm going to say it and some people are not going to like it...THIS IS A MUST WIN GAME. THE SEASON IS ON THE LINE.

I realize this team is only two points out of a playoff wildcard spot with three months (and 12 matches after Saturday) left to go...but allow me to smother some pessimism on that point, like gravy on a couple of open face biscuits.

Only five of those 12 matches are at home and not one of those home matches is easy; the Dynamo will face Portland, Real Salt Lake, San Jose, Chicago and LA. Houston only has one home league match in September, which means an entire month of traveling and playing in less than friendly environments. Still not concerned about the importance of Saturday's match?

Houston needs points and they need them now and there is no better, or more vital, place to get points then at home. I've stressed this point over and over again and I will continue to do so until it's firmly embedded in your psyche...because it's important!

So far this season, the Dynamo are 5-3-3 at Robertson. In 2010, the Dynamo went 6-6-3 at home and missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to Houston. From 2006 to 2009, the team went 34-8-19 at Robertson.

8 losses at home in the first four seasons, 9 losses at home in the last two...and 2011 isn't done yet.

In other words, tomorrow's match against the Sounders is important...no, it's a must win.

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Prediction

Seattle never ever plays well here atRobertson, so why should their final trip here be any different?

Of course, Dynamo can’t seem to play well either in Robertson or anywhere else, so perhaps that’s kind of a wash.

But playtherapy has my tix for this week (Sec 119 must represent!) since I will be at a memorial service, so in the spirit of this week’s edition of Winning Ugly, to which I am listening right now, I am going to predict:

A 2-1 Dynamo victory replete with hard challenges, Seattle complaints, at least one uncalled possible handball going against the green meanies, and, in the end, Seattle frustration as the final winner will be scored via an own goal by none other than Zombie Jaqua himself.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Jul 29, 2011 10:05 AM CDT reply actions

Sounds about right

And not to put too fine a point on it but Ginge is sadly correct in the sense that this really is a make-or-break game for us…if we lose this match we are still mathematically in the hunt but for all intents and purposes we’re out. If our form is such that we can’t win this week (which is already tough) then things don’t get any easier for us. As he astutely pointed out, all the ingredients are there for a win which we actually could steal away, but it’s going to depend massively on our effort. I know Ching had a players-only meeting on Thursday to hopefully smack around the yutes and hopefully get them back on track and confidence back up…let’s just hope it translates to effort and results out on the (presumably) soggy and torrid Cougar Den pitch

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh yeah

2-1 is what I’m going with. I think we’ll finally get a call our way and they’ll moan about it but as long as we come away with 3 I’ll thank karma, we’ve had enough bad breaks this year

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh

I’m assuming its me or a browser issue (cache deletion, anyone?) but this article isn’t showing up on the home page. I happen to see it on the twit feed and went there and found it on my computer through the SBNation feed

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 10:13 AM CDT reply actions

I noticed a problem with this yesterday with an article I had put up and then eventually deleted because Marty is quicker on the draw

But uh…I would say just sign-out, clear cache, restart IE(or Firefox or Chrome or Safari), and then try DT again.

(Rinse and repeat as necessary).

-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog

by Fuzion on Jul 29, 2011 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah I saw that

But got the good ol’ 404. I thought “damn, first we get RickRoll’d by Ginge and then Fuze pulls a 404 on us??”

All good

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions

2-2 Draw

We go up 2-1 at the beginning of about the 80’ and still can’t hold the lead.

-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog

by Fuzion on Jul 29, 2011 10:39 AM CDT reply actions

Maybe this line of thought should be delayed until Sunday, but...

…If this team is truly in a complete rebuild mode, perhaps making the playoffs is not that big of a deal. There are two rookies (Sarkodie and Bruin) starting regularly in two key positions. There is really no solid CAM on the entire squad. And bloodying youngsters (Dixon, Soto, etc.) might just be a solid strategy.

So, remember, if the perspective is to win now, this year, then of course, failure is the summation. However, perhaps the perspective should be wider. What do you think? (Or am I just trying to make myself feel better?)

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Jul 29, 2011 11:09 AM CDT reply actions

What would a 1st rd loss do for us?

Junk the season and plan for 2012. Get rid of Boz’s and Freeman’s salaries for cheaper backups so we don’t have to nickel and dime EVERYTHING or @ least be in a place to seize potential discovery player opportunities (instead of having to do the usual- nada).

Blood youth and also blood vets to make decisions about who stays and who goes.

by playtherapy on Jul 29, 2011 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Exactly

To me its sets expectations that perhaps are an outlier…again, I’ll refer to the Houston Rockets. A couple of years ago they over-achieved in the playoffs and pushed the (eventual) NBA champion Lakers to the brink of elimination, and purely on effort and grit. So what happened this year? The team was still pretty much the same and we had uneven results and missed the playoffs, and fans and players were disappointed. But the issue was that by pushing into the playoffs before we were actually ready to contend, it created the impression that we’re better than we actually are and so therefore most fans (well casual ones, at least) don’t think there should be a need to continue building the roster. But the fact is we needed to do that and now its laid bare. I fear the same fate awaits our beloved Tang’ers if we do make the 1st round. I’d much rather us make an honest assessment and baseline that we’re still rebuilding and move forward from there

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions

Nope

You’re spot on, and if we’re not thinking that then perhaps we’re not being honest with ourselves. I get the suspicion that most of the Naranjariat here feel that it is a tenuous stretch to make the playoffs this year, much less dream of advancing. I’ll be honest in saying that I honestly think doing so would be counter-productive because once you set a precedent of overachievement, you’ve got a milestone (and pressure on the team) that you have to match or beat next year…and if the FO isn’t addressing the areas that need addressing (CAM, FW) then expect a near-repeat of this season and the frustration will grow even more. Let the kids play and cut their teeth and let the rookies continue to grow.

To me, if we start using the Academy kids they get exposure to the rest of the league and we can begin to measure them more accurately. If we don’t see a fit or perhaps if another team sees potential and is willing to give up something significant for that then we remain in the cat-bird seat in that sense. But if they respond positively to playing we can continue to grow them and incorporate them more into the first team…then who knows, maybe we don’t need to go crazy making signings and the like. It just opens our options up.

I’m not wishing for “failure”, I’m just saying that let’s be realistic and see that in “failure” there is actually opportunity. I don’t want us to tank (and to be honest, there’s no benefit in doing so) but if we can let’s make the best of the situation.

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Naranjariat?

That is the single best takeaway from this thread!!!

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Jul 29, 2011 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions

:)

Well I figure at some point we need to label our collective commenting efforts…Orangemen would probably ruffle the feathers of any Syracuse grads (sorry, not that I’d care), Hou-Tang is probably a bit too obscure a pop culture reference (or just plain strange) so why not that?

by Michael_D on Jul 29, 2011 12:37 PM CDT reply actions