What a weird night. After the lightning delay, the weather was actually really nice although a little muggy. We sat right behind one of my favorite player's families, and watching them cheer for their Daddy was an awesome and fun experience. There were lots of moments that had me get out of my seat and yell "oh oh oh!", and soo many breaks in play the game was just choppy and sloppy. The atmosphere was hopping, the crowd was electric at times, and it felt like a HOME GAME.
There were also soo many things from this game that I can't wrap my head around. Some aspects of the night got me really excited but had nothing to do with what I saw on the pitch and just a soul-crushing result that has me throwing my hands up in the air at this team. Seriously, I was shaking my fist in the air and crying out in pain during this game. I can't figure out how we wound up with one measly point (again), I really can't understand how we only managed one goal against FC Cincinnati, and I am completely bamboozled by what Sam Junqua was doing on his way to getting roasted by M.C. McFlopsAlot (A.K.A. The Silver Haired Sissy....) to let an otherwise really good defensive game go completely to waste. I understand that this is who we are, but I don't accept it yet because I'm a hard-headed eternal optimist that tends to have too much faith/hope/belief in my team. After a week away in the bliss of the Colorado Mountainside, it was a harsh return to reality. Let's go back over the whole experience and just wrap our heads all the way around it.
Segal and Rootes are beginning to make their mark.
Don't get me wrong, I am a 100% "Results are the only thing that matters" guy. But it was hard not to notice the steps that had been taken to increase fan engagement at BBVA on Match Day. While I'm most excited about Teenage Hadebe coming and Tim Parker extending, it was nice to see that there were actually some changes that were....well.....kind of cool. The band playing outside the stadium before the game was fun, the light shows during the game were nice, and having a decent crowd that got pretty rowdy was really fun. It would have been a perfect night for three points, but alas....we can't have everything. By the way, when did the lights going out and everyone shining their cell phone lights become a thing? I didn't even know what was going on, and it seemed like I was the only one who didn't get the memo. I'm hoping this wasn't just because of 7-1-3 night, or because we were the only game in town for the 4th of July, but that this can actually become a trend. I'm still hopeful that this team can make a playoff push, and we all know that in the game of Soccer the crowd can be your 12th man. Fingers crossed that this is a routine, and not a grand opening party.
Major euphoria, followed by immediate....what?
From the opening kick, the Dynamo went right after FC Cincinnati. Tab's squad jumped right on Cinci pressing high in the first few minutes, and it only took 2 minutes for it to take effect. After the orange and blue were caught offsides on their first possession, the Dynamo stung with a quick strike that resulted in one of the quickest goals I've ever seen in a Dynamo game. Tim Parker smashed one deep through the middle to a wide-open Maxi Urruti just beyond the mid-field circle. Urruti circled back and had Fafa Picault streaking right down the teeth of the defense. This run opened a gaping hole on the left, where Urruti found Sam Junqua all alone with tons of space. With both Geoff Cameron and Gustavo Vallecilla keying on Picault, Junqua's low cross found the left foot of our Friendly Neighborhood Canadian Tyler Pasher. Junqua hit a wonderful bender to Pasher who was ducking back inside to the space created by Fafa's run. Pasher blasted it into the far corner, and the Dynamo were up 1-0 only 2:18 into the game. The crowd exploded, and it was as loud as I've heard it inside BBVA for quite some time. That soon ended, however, as the man who just created a spectacular chance gave away another one.
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How Geoff Cameron's ball found its way both Junqua and Maynor Figueroa to a wide-open, on-side Álvaro Barreal is simply dumbfounding. How these two defenders managed to play this ball soo poorly is inexcusable. Junqua got completely turned around, and either didn't see the ball coming or simply doesn't know how to turn and find the ball. Figueroa was frozen by Brenner, who was circling back but let the ball go through. Maric tried to cut down the angle, but Barreal slipped it past him to tie the score. While it was far from the end of the action on the night, it was the end of the scoring, and 5 minutes in we had our final score.
The Dynamo won every statistical category and still couldn't push through.....
Time of Possession (52% - 48%), Shots (21 - 11), Corners taken (10-1), Tackles (23-19), Areals won (22-6), and Houston only allowed 17 touches inside their own Penalty box the entire game. The Dynamo reeled off nine straight shots in nine minutes (minutes 18-27) and had nothing to show for it. About the only thing Cincinnati was generating during this time period was nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Seriously, the last time I saw medical teams so often and in such a big hurry was when I was watching a Vietnam Documentary two weeks ago. Somehow, every single time, Barreal (who was the major culprit) ended up running up and down just fine about 20 seconds later. It was a miracle since I believe he found himself being attended to 6 times during the game. I believe it was both eyes, his forehead, his face on a free-kick, his right ankle, his right ankle again, and his left knee. This was seconded only by Edgar Castillo, who found himself needing the MASH unit 3 times during the game. I'm pretty sure Cinci's medical team logged more meters run than their midfield did. It made the game choppy, and BBVA's 20,021 extremely grumpy.
The Dynamo also reeled off 6 of the first 7 shots of the second half from minutes 45-60, none of which even found their way to Keeper Kenneth Vermeer. Despite the disappointing result, there were some positives to be found. The Dynamo looked better in holding possession, they created some good pressure at times with their press, and for 89:55 Sam Junqua was the best player on the field (Seriously, he was the highest-rated player in the game by WhoScored). Maric actually saved the game twice in the last 10 minutes of the first half. The first off a left-footed blast by Brenner, and the second in the 45th minute one a tremendous save after the ball found Isaac Atanga right outside the 6 Yard Box with no one in front of him. Joe Corona headed it away, but Maric stoned Atanga and saved what-should-have-been a goal.
The second half was very back and forth, with both teams creating stomach in throat moments, but no actual goals. Things slowed down as the Dynamo tried to hold possession and build attacks, but Tab Ramos simply has no midfielders that can actually break down a defense through the middle. If we can't break away on a counter down the wings, we really can't create anything of quality. As much as we need Teenage Hadebe to be the player he was in Turkey, we need a central midfielder that can take advantage of space and create 2 v 1 opportunities in tight spaces. Tab is beginning to press in spots during the second half, as you can tell we are wearing down after minute 40. Our passing starts to be less crisp and short, our attacking presents less and less runs and combo play, and Tab doesn't use his bench early or often. Last night we left 3 subs unused and didn't make any subs until the 74th minute. You can watch on a nightly basis Pasher, Urruti, Memo, and Fafa wearing down and sprinting less and less.
Darwin Quintero came on in the 75th minute for Tyler Pasher with lots of energy but little in terms of actual effectiveness. He brought a spark but also gave the ball away far too many times in the attacking third. You can tell that he's a little rusty, and he had some really nice passes that were just a half a step off in timing. He had Urruti breaking with Fafa just to his left that would have created a nice 2 v 1 chance in the 77th minute, but his pass was just a step too far for Urruti and it gave Cameron a chance to slide and knock it away. There was the crazy nutmmeg and drop off to Maxi Urruti in the 86th minute. It was all Dynamo in the final fifteen minutes of the game, but they simply couldn't break through Jaap Stam's defense. When the final whistle blew, you could sense a collective shoulder drop from a rather rowdy crowd. It's the 4th straight draw, and 4 points in 4 games is not the pace or trend we need to be setting. Will Hadebe play Wednesday against Seattle? Can he help us hold a clean sheet? Will he play at all, or will he be like Bajamich and Quintero, just another guy we paid a decent price for, with a tag that says he is important, but he never actually sees the field?
Game Notes:
After the game Tab talked about how Lassiter could have helped in the attack, and while this is true, so could Darwin and Bajamich. Bajamich has only played 42 minutes this year and has generated more offense than Lassiter has in 199. Bajamich doesn't have the straight-line speed that Lassiter has, but is much better with the ball at his feet, is a better passer, and is better at cutting inside and one-touch passing as well. I don't know why Tab refuses to use him, but it seems like he could get a few more looks.
The Dynamo will be without Lassiter, Ceren, Pasher, Boniek, and Maynor for the rest of July, so he better find some depth and quality somewhere in squad. With 4 games over that span to Seattle (July 7th), Vancouver (July 20th), San Jose (24th), and Real Salt Lake (31st), we can't afford to drop 12 points in 4 games to teams that we are fighting for playoff positions. The good news is Seattle will lose both Roldan brothers, Vancouver will be without Lucas Cavellini and Maxime Crepeau, and San Jose will be without Jackson Yueill. Real Salt Lake doesn't have a player on any Gold Cup Rosters.
Sam Junqua is unquestioningly our best Full Back going forward, adds a layer to the attack, but can't have defensive lapses.
He is not only our best fullback going forward, he's one of our best players with the ball at his feet. He's shown that over the last several games. He was mostly solid in defense on Saturday night, and the goal that he got burned on jumps out. There were many times he was quietly right where he was supposed to be, heading the ball away or running step for step with Barreal. But the one big mistake cost us 2 points, and at this level is one you simply can't make.
Derrick Jones has now started 9 consecutive games.
I really like Derrick Jones. He's super long and stretches his legs out like Plastic Man to just snatch balls away from attackers. He's surprisingly fast, and shuts down any attempts at areal attacks through the middle. He's extremely solid at defending corners and set pieces too. He gives up on plays, he sometimes just shuts down if he makes a mistake, and he needs to be more professional in his demeanor, but he's really helped this team this year playing under Tab Ramos.
The Dynamo have held possession in 2 games this year, and haven't won either.
That's right, the only other game the Dynamo have had more than 50% possession this year was the 1-2 loss to Portland on April 24th.
This is the first time we've drawing 20,000+ at BBVA against a team other than the L.A. Galaxy since 2018.
A 4-0 win to Atlanta United was on 3-3-2-18 was the last time BBVA saw this many tickets sold and the Galaxy not gracing the pitch. To sell this many tickets against Cincinnati says something, I'm not sure what it is, but it's something. Also, I think it's fun that there were a lot of FC Cincinnati fans at the game. I enjoy the rivalry that away fans bring in the stadium on game day.
Oh Yeah.....DeRo!
Happy 4th Everyone! Hope you are staying happy and safe.
Thanks again for reading.
#HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange.
Brian
