Sunday, August 30, 2009

I'm Tired

I'm tired. So tired. I'm tired losing. So tired.

Ok, so it doesn't work out as well as Weezer's "Tired of Sex", but the sentiment is the same, I'm plain tired of losing at this point. It's been over 2 months since the team won a game. It's been over a month since the team scored a goal, and that continued last night back at CAB as Real Salt Lake came in and got only their second road win of the season, beating KC 1-0.

The early portion of the game went back and forth with both teams having some chances. Herculez Gomez put an early shot wide of the post, and Kevin Hartman did a good job at stopping Andy Williams as he attempted to turn and shoot a few minutes later. As the half continued, though, it was Salt Lake that took control of the game, and were rewarded in the 18th minute. Salt Lake played it down the Wizards left, before squaring into the middle for Pablo Campos who was open after Jimmy Conrad got caught ball watching. Campos had time to pick his corner and easily beat Hartman to give RSL the lead.

Kansas City tried to come back, but their best chances were mainly from distance or off target. Claudio Lopez did have a few chances, including one where he made a long run from the midfield got into the box and forced Chris Seitz to knock the ball out for a corner. The game changed late in the first half, when Ned Grabavoy was sent off for a tackle on Gomez. Advantage was played at the time and the Wizards should have really equalized before the red card. Lopez played in a great cross to Jack Jewsbury who was unmarked in the middle of the box, but he put his header over.

KC made one halftime change, bringing on Zoltan for Adam Cristman. Zoltan helped the Wizards to continue to push the game for the equalizer, his speed of play and vision on passes should have been rewarded at least once if not more often with a goal, as he set up Gomez in the 58th minute, but he blazed his shot high and wide. KC continued to pressure and Lopez forced a good save out of Seitz in the 62nd minute. The majority of the second half was down in Salt Lake's end, and KC had a few penalty shouts that came more from the Cauldron than from the players on the field, including Gomez going down in the box, and a collision on a corner kick. In second half stoppage time, Zoltan forced Seitz into another good save on a ball headed for the corner. Unfortunately KC continues to struggle finding the net, it's now 4 games without a goal and only 1 in the last 7 league games.

Wizards Man of the Match - Zoltan - Zoltan brought something entirely different to the game in the second half. He was able to find players with passes and was getting into dangerous situations. You could tell he was getting frustrated with the way that many of his teammates were playing yesterday. He did enough in my opinion to earn himself a start next week against New England.

Player Ratings - Hartman 5, Watson 4, Besler 4, Conrad 4, Harrington 4, Gomez 5, Hirsig 4, Jewsbury 4, Lopez 5, Arnaud 4, Cristman 3. Subs Zoltan 5, Myers 4, Leathers 4.

10 comments:

wizardsoffside said...

We finished playing one man up and still had 5 defenders (Bessler, Conrad, Harrington, Leathers and Myers) on the field (I don't care if they were technically "playing in the midfield). Vermes needs to grow some balls and try and go win a game.

A man up and a goal down he brings in a forward for a forward? Pull a defender and bring in a midfielder at least (attacking, holding, etc) so the team pushes up. Is it so hard to try and go out and win a game when we are losing and have a man advantage. I walked out the moment Myers came in for Gomez.

As much as I hated the Onalfo style, he at least would go to 3 defenders when losing, Vermes is so scared. Of course, the fact that Finley beat 3 defenders all by himself in the 87th minute and almost scored while they all watched might have something to do with it.

Time to play the youngsters and sit all the prima-donnas who think that because of their name or because the fans love them they should be penciled in.

dan said...

Most of our youngsters suck. I don't want to see McKenzie starting at center back. I don't want to see Pardo starting in goal, he has no future as a starter. Kraus is never going to be more than a Ryan Pore reserve look a like.

There are a few I'd like to see, Myers, Hohlbein, Harrington, Espinoza, Zusi, Cristman. I also want Zoltan starting he brought more to the game last night than anyone.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see Kraus up front with Zoltan. They both pass well and create for others

Anonymous said...

We don't know they suck since they never get the continuity. Zusi looked good at times but has been relegated to the Reserves. Play them all and see what we got. Our reserves should be at least OK.
That is where Houston and KC are so different; Houston misses players and has a Reserve player ready to step in and they get their chances. We miss a Conrad and Arnaud who currently SUCK and our team falls further apart.

If our reserves suck they shouldn't even be on the team since their place on the team should be that of players ready to step up. If I see them once a year for one game how are they expected to show something. But we keep bringing in Hirsigs and Marinelli that show little if anything. Hirsig's ball handling has helped us how?

Season is done. Play the team and get nothing or play the youngsters and maybe see something good somewhere. One or 2 wins from the "regulars" means nothing at this point.

Anonymous said...

Last Anon:

A win would require our team to score. It seems the "regulars" aren't too keen on that.

Anonymous said...

Kraus is the new Ryan Pore, he doesn't need to be anywhere near the field. If they're both up top " passing well and creating for others" which forward is going to score goals?

Anonymous said...

STOP Playing Lopez! That is where the problem is.

Unknown said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZf9ncOQ2xM&feature=player_embedded

Tug McTighe said...

I can't believe that nobody is talking about how bad Hirsig is. From day one that guy has been a waste of time. He turns the ball over constantly and provides nothing going forward. We haven't had a playmaker since Preki and Hirsig certainly ain't it. Put him on a bus to somewhere else today.

Tug McTighe said...

And consider this ...

Hirsig in 2009
20 games, 18 starts, 1582 minutes
0 goals, 1 assist
13 shots, 2 on goal.

Are you serious? That's 1 measly shot on goal every 8.78 games. Holy crap, it's worse than I thought.