Matchday 12: Seattle Sounders FC vs. Colombus Crew
By: Steve | May 29th, 2009QWest Field, May 30, 2009, 7:30pm
Columbus Crew
5th place, Eastern Conference
2-6-2 Overall, 0-3-2 Away
Away Goals Scored: 5
Away Goals Conceded: 9
Form: D D W D W
Old Friends
Last year Sigi Schmid won the MLS Supporters shield, MLS Cup and MLS Coach of the Year in his third season with the Columbus Crew. He was also the second coach to win 100 games in the league. After the season, Sigi up and bolted to Seattle. Having been to Columbus, Ohio, I do not blame him one bit.
“It was hard because it had taken us three years to put the team together,” Schmid said about his departure from Columbus. “You can see, despite the record, that it’s still a quality team and a quality group. Winning a championship always puts you in a special place. The way things happened, it is what it is. I’m here now and so you move forward.”
It gets interesting as Scmid will face off against ex-assistant coach Robert “The Polish Rifle” Warzycha. How much the two know each others style is unclear, but it could have a big impact on the match.
“I always have a saying that you always want to win when you play friends,” Schmid said. “If you’re playing somebody you don’t know you only hear about it that day. If you’re playing friends you hear about it for a long time. So you always want to get the win when you’re playing friends because it gives you bragging rights for a little bit of time.”
“El Mellizo”
MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto strikes fear into the heart of MLS defenders, and he should. He scored 62 goals in 192 matches for Boca Juniors to go along with a handful of titles and a near diety-status in his hometown of La Plata, Argentina.
Schelotto came to the MLS in 2007 in search for more playing time. In 2008, he recorded 7 goals and 19 assists and put on one of the more impressive MLS cup performances in league history when he recorded 3 assists in a 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bull.
Much like Blanco, there is not much the Seattle defense can do to slow the Argentine ace down. He already has 6 goals this year, good for a tie for the scoring title. The best Seattle can hope for is to keep his back to the goal and make other players try and beat them instead.
Veterans- Good News, Bad News
The Bad News First: Besides Schelotto, Frankie Hejduk, Emmanuel Ekpo, Brian Carroll, Robbie Rogers, Chad Marshall, and Eddie Gaven all have years of experience playing in the MLS (not to mention Pat Noonan, who is struggling with back problems). They are a talented group, built by Sigi, but it was not just Sigi and Schelotto that led this bunch to a championship last year.
The Good News: Hejduk and Carrol are both out, leaving the Crew minus two of their top defenders and their team Capitan.
Somethings Gotta Give
The Crew are unbeaten in their last 6, but have yet to win on the road. The Sounders are unbeaten in their last 5, but with four draws and one win. 10 of the Sounders 16 points this year have come from home. Will one of these teams walk away with a victory, or is ANOTHER draw in order?
Crew Quotable:
We’ve been really unlucky with injuries. To lose BC in the middle of the field, he’s kind of like the heart and soul of this team. We have guys ready to step up. Everyone else on the field is going to have to step up as well but we can do it.
-Robbie Rogers
Injury Report
OUT: MF Adam Moffat (Lhamstring strain); DF Andy Iro (Lquad strain); GK William Hesmer (lumbar back strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Frankie Hejduik (Lgroin strain)
Seattle Sounders FC
2nd place, Western Conference
4-2-4 Overall, 3-1-1 Home
Home Goals Scored: 8
Home Goals Conceded: 2
Form: W D D D D
Tie One On
Anybody else sick of watching the Sounders tie games? No doubt last weeks 2-2 draw against a dangerous Colorado team can be seen as a positive, especially considering the patchwork midfield, but if the Sounders want to get it done in the regular season, it will not be 1 point at a time.
Considering Seattle’s expansion status, the team’s performance to date has been incredible, but we have all seen the way this team can play when it all comes together with great build up and POISE AND COMPOSURE in front of the goal. Fredy Montero has it, so does Freddy Ljunberg and Brad Evans, but Sebastien Le Toux’s pass first mentality, Steve Zakuani’s panic attacks (or just plan bad luck) and Nate Jaqua’s “rapist touch” (Copyright Drake Townes-Witzel 2009) have cost us a lion’s share of goals this year, and with it a fair share of points.
The Midfield
A week removed from losing central defensive middy Osvaldo Alonso, the group should be bolstered by the return of Freddy Ljunberg and possibly Brad Evans. The disparity between Ljunberg/Alonso v. Vagenas/King was very evident last week, as the defense struggled mightily and the midfield failed to have much impact on offense for the Sounders.
Alonso is key to the success of the defense because of the way he makes opposing midfielder’s lives complete hell. However, at least with Freddy and Brad back, the passing out of the center of the pitch should improve.
Sounders Quotable:
They had a lot of guys that can win the game for them. They are the type of team that if you focus too much on what they do, that’s too much to focus on. So you just have to know you’re back home in front of 30,000 fans – just focus on what you can do and come away with the three points.
-Steve Zakuani
Injury Report
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC – OUT: GK Chris Eylander (Lmedial knee bone bruise); DF Zach Scott (lower abdominal pain); DF Taylor Graham (R mid-foot); DOUBTFUL: MF Osvaldo Alonso (R quad strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Brad Evans (Lankle sprain/Ltibial bone bruise); FW Jarrod Smith (L
hamstring strain); PROBABLE: MF Freddie Ljungberg (migraine recovery)
Prediction
At full strength, the match up is a push talent-wise. However, with two of the Crew’s most important players (Hejduk, Carroll) on the sideline, Seattle is at a major advantage. Mental errors, poor finishing, defensive miscues and Guillermo Barrios Schelotto are the only thing capable of stopping the Sounders. This is not a must-win situation for Seattle, but it is a game they can and should win.
Sounders: 3-1
Seattle cruises into halftime with a 2-0 lead and hold on for the 3-1 victory despite Schelotto’s antics.
Montero with a brace.
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Category: Game Preview, Only on Seattle Offside, Players, Regular Season, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Team News
Tags: Analysis, Game Preview, Only on Seattle Offside, Outlook, Player Quotes, Players, Regular Season, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Team NewsSubscribe
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Comments
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I don’t think I realized how short Schelotto is. He looks like a kid dressed up in Dad’s clothes in that picture. Also, Ekpo really impressed me in whatever game I recently watched him in. He kind of worries me.
Posted from
United States
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Lots of Soccer Players are shorties. Suddenly though when you get to College, some players are like 6 foot 5, it’s really strange.
Give it to um Sigi! Ljungbergs back with Montero and Jaqua up front, lets see some goals!
Posted from
United States -
I am at the game right now. the ref is terrible, freddy missed a pk, and we are really missing alonso. oh, and the ref is TERRIBLE.
Posted from
United States -
so not only is the ref calling fouls on players that have tripped over a ball, but then he gives one of our guys a yellow for nothing. he is bad.
Posted from
United States -
bad ref. can we give him a card?
Posted from
United States -
I am tired of going to Sounders games to watch the other teams flop around on the field. Ekpo should give up on soccer if he cant stay on his feet to beat one of our worst defenders (Wahl). Do the other teams in the MLS have any pride at all.
Sad to see the refs ruin another attempt at a soccer game. I think the MLS referees need to address the amount of diving that goes on in these games. I feel some of the theatrics out there deserve a yellow.
On a side note does anyone know why Marshall got ejected? I was on that side of the stadium and I never saw anything. Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see anything meriting a red card or a card at all.
Posted from
United States -
Brian, I read elsewhere that it was elbow to the head. With luck somebody will post video soon.
Posted from
United States -
But why did the ref. have to go over and personally tell the sideline ref to call an elbow? That’s what it seemed like to me! That call came out of no where. One minute it seemed like offsides, kick for us, then after the ref has a 5 minute conference(wasting all of the extended time) with sidelines, it’s a red card and kick for crew. I wanted a card on the ref for stalling!! I’m with Laurie, who has video??!
Posted from
United States -
I thought it was for dissent or something. My take was that the linesman saw a foul and called the referee over to tell him about it. All I know is that we get yet another red – for seemingly nothing.
So, as I was counting there were at least 3 phantom fouls called in favor of Columbus while Freddy was repeatedly drug down by his jersey with no call whatsoever. Plus, that whole circus around the free kick in the box was just insane. Who is this guy and who told him he was qualified to officiate?
Ekpo should be ashamed of himself. All that rolling around like he was in agony only to hop up and take the throw in. He deserved every single one of those 20 thousand sum odd boos he got tonight.
And people wonder why Europeans and Brits dont take the MLS seriously… With officiating like that, it is a wonder anyone can take it seriously.
One more thing, this is my first year watching the MLS. Has it always been this bad or what?
Posted from
United States -
Can we protest any of these cards? Is that allowed in the MLS?
Posted from
United States -
The linesman saw Marshall’s elbow to the head of the Crew player and flagged immediately for the foul and ejection for violent conduct. Since the Crew were playing the ball forward at the time all the players and the center referee thought the flag was for the offside call.
The center ref didn’t see the elbow. The conversation between the linesman and the center referee was to sort out the details on the ejection.
Good work by the referee crew.Posted from
United States -
In regards to the “circus” on the free kick in the box the rule is the players have to be 10 yards from the ball unless the ball is less than 10 yards from the goal. In that case the wall has to be on the goal line. The keeper kept trying to stand in front of the wall. The referee actually did a decent job handling the situation. Every time a wall player or goalie stepped of the line a kicking player would appeal for the distance and the ref would have to put the line back.
Of course the defending players weren’t listening so there was a little bit of a circus.
Posted from
United States -
Jeez Johanna, that’s a lot of complaining for one game that’s our own fault we didn’t put away. If you got the game gift wrapped to you, take it and GO.
Take some of Sigi’s advice; “I thought we got overly concerned about the referee, and weren’t concerned enough at times about our play.”
Posted from
United States -
Kurt’s take on the Red Card and the melee that was the the INDIRECT free kick inside the box are spot on. The linesmen and center ref are able to talk to each other through the mic’s and earpieces each wear and thus the center ref is MUCH more influenced these days then in years past. If the center ref chooses to(he is NOT obligated to) listen to the linesman then he effectively has eyes in the back of his head.
My problem with the match comes from Sigi getting seriously out coached. Choosing Freddie L. to take the penalty was a game changing mistake by the coach. If his migraines make him miss weeks of training and pactically have to relearn to walk and talk, why would you choose him to take the spot kick. Montero is the CLEAR choice. Montero needs goals to boost his low confidence and a PK is just the prescription for that. Now Montero’s confidence is even lower as he has proof his coach has no confidence in him. Rubbish if you think that the player that earned it should take it.
Ruffling feathers I know, but this loss(tie) is all on Sigi.
Posted from
United States -
At the game, it was clear that the ref had completely lost control of the match.
The officiating was inconsistent and very distracting. He was often late to whistle so it was entirely unclear what the problem was. I know that being a ref is hard, but come on, that man was bad. He was a bad referee and would never be on a Serie A or EPL pitch.
That is my point.
Posted from
United States -
And my complaints about the game are not predicated on the scoreline.
Maybe my expectations are just too high.
Posted from
United States -
I’m just sad that the refs continue to play large parts in our games. I know the team should put them away so the refs aren’t a factor but when thats not the case I always feel cheated out of a good soccer match.
Posted from
United States -
Most of the players in MLS are hacks. Typically they can’t string together 5 passes in a row. As a result teams have a tendency to play physical. I think the referees have been trying to tone down the rough play this year.
I think Sigi is right. Worry about beating the other team, not complaining about the refereeing and you will be better off.Posted from
United States -
Johonna, I forgot that you weren’t at the Mother’s Day LA game. I think the rest of us are now jaded to bad refereeing. From here on out, the standard will be, “Well, he wasn’t as bad as Weyland!”
Posted from
United States -
Goalskora… just to let you know Sigi did not choose the penalty taker. They worked it out amongst themselves. STill no excuse for a miss.
Posted from
United States -
Thanks for the link to Talk-Sports. We returned the favor by linking all our Nate webpage back to you. May we ask how we can get a link in your blogroll-sidebar?
Posted from
United States
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