The Daily Wiz: FanPosts

Perfect No More: Sporting KC snaps Houston

2013-05-13T19:40:44Z

Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo showed the true nature of their rivalry Sunday night.

There was no love lost and no lack of excitement as players from both sides left it all out on the field in a heavyweight slugfest that saw Sporting KC come out on top, 1-0.

Everyone knew that these two teams had a special drive to beat each other, but the angst shown on the field Sunday night may have taken the rivalry to a new level.

http://thezoufeed.com/perfect-more-sporting-kc-wins-houston-2/

Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo showed the true nature of their rivalry Sunday night.

There was no love lost and no lack of excitement as players from both sides left it all out on the field in a heavyweight slugfest that saw Sporting KC come out on top, 1-0.

Everyone knew that these two teams had a special drive to beat each other, but the angst shown on the field Sunday night may have taken the rivalry to a new level.

http://thezoufeed.com/perfect-more-sporting-kc-wins-houston-2/

FC Kansas City Women's Soccer Open Thread

2013-05-05T14:20:42Z

I wanted to make a thread pertaining to Kansas City's professional women's soccer club FC Kansas City. In their I natural season so far, they haven't lost yet. They drew their first game and won their next two. They also had a postponed match against Boston during the manhunt a few weeks ago.

They sold out their first home match with nearly 7,000 packing in to Shawnee Mission District Stadium. It seems that they've had great support and a they offer a different experience than Sporting KC.

Are you already watching FC Kansas City? Will you start now that they are winning? Does this league have what it takes to succeed unlike it's predecessors? What could be done to make it better?

The floor is yours.

Are you already watching FC Kansas City? Will you start now that they are winning? Does this league have what it takes to succeed unlike it's predecessors? What could be done to make it better?

The floor is yours.

Sporting Kansas City @ Los Angeles Galaxy Official Gamethread

2013-04-21T02:44:24Z

Sporting KC heads out to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy, three days after beating New York Red Bulls in New York.

A couple of questions to start the thread.

1) How long can the shutout streak last? How much thought are YOU putting into the streak?

2) How does the return of Landon Donovan impact the Galaxy's chances tonight?

3) How will traveling across the country and playing a match in three days impact Sporting's strategy tonight?

4) Should Seattle-Colorado on 4/20 be a yearly fixture?

5) Early season MVP?

Enjoy the match tonight, we'll be updating the thread with every big event, as well as answering any questions you have.

Sporting KC heads out to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy, three days after beating New York Red Bulls in New York.

A couple of questions to start the thread.

1) How long can the shutout streak last? How much thought are YOU putting into the streak?

2) How does the return of Landon Donovan impact the Galaxy's chances tonight?

3) How will traveling across the country and playing a match in three days impact Sporting's strategy tonight?

4) Should Seattle-Colorado on 4/20 be a yearly fixture?

5) Early season MVP?

Enjoy the match tonight, we'll be updating the thread with every big event, as well as answering any questions you have.

State of the Team post Montreal

2013-03-31T20:26:04Z

Sporting played the best game of the season yet, totally dominating in a 2-0 win over previously unbeaten Montreal. It's no surprise that we finally had the best 11 on the pitch. Chance Myers coming back in for Mechack Jerome made a huge difference. And the Besler-Collin pairing looked much better than when Peter played Ike Opara. (In a nutshell, Jerome and Opara may be decent squad players, but both looked out of depth and should only be used in non must-win situations.) I've always been a huge believer and supporter of Benny Fielhaber. He has had many naysayers from the get-go, and, admittedly, his earlier performances were far from sterling. But he has the quality and has proven himself at the highest level, and it was always just a matter of time before he settled in to the system. Kudos to Peter for being patient. Against Montreal, Benny was Man of the Match. Benny is exactly what this team needs and what we've lacked, a player who can open up defenses with that final pass. His defense and work rate were second to none as well.

This will be a long season, with multiple competitions, but below is my two cents on the team, position-by-position:

Goal Keeper: Captain Jimmy is still the best in the league, nuff said... Kronberg has played well when i've seen him, and will need to start a few games, especially if they are not must-wins (e.g., if we are ahead by enough points in our CONCACAF Champs League group).

Central Defense: Matt Besler deserved to be MLS Player of the Year, as he hardly ever put a foot wrong. This technically gifted, cultured defender reminds me of the late great Bobby Moore, Captain of WHU and England's victorious 1966 WC winning team. Aurelien Collin is his perfect compliment, the crazy, hard man to Besler's cultured approach. Together, they are the best central defensive pair in the league. IMHO, Lawrence Olum MUST, MUST be third on the depth chart. Olum played superbly last season when called on, while Opara looked out of depth this year when he played. Why Peter decided to start Opara ahead of Olum I cannot understand, unless Olum was injured.

Fullbacks: Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic are the most under-rated players in the league. They could start for just about any MLS team. When one of them is out, the team suffers. Nothing against Jerome, but he is not anywhere near Myers' standard. Others? Kyle Miller, Josh Gardner, and Kevin Ellis may get some playing time and it will be a matter of seeing how they do when called up.

Central Midfield: Uri Rosell has been our best player thus far this season. Uri will become Peter's best ever find, and should be immediately signed to a long term contract. He has all the tools to become a superstar player for one of the largest Euopean clubs - perhaps even taking over Busquet's role at Barca. Yes, I believe he is THAT good. Fielhaber is an exceptionally cultured midfielder who can find that last final pass (as he proved with 2 assists today) AND he also showed all the naysayers that he can work hard and make some very well timed sliding tackles to break up play. He will also pitch in with a few goals as he can shoot from range. I have also always liked Nagamura - excellent work rate, good passer, and can also hit the frame with some thunderous shots. Not to mention he is Brazilian - has to be good. BTW, Fielhaber was born in Brazil, so the two have that in common and work well together. Those three are the best starting central mids on our books. Number 4 is also an easy choice for me - Peterson Joseph. I'm also a big fan of Peterson Joseph, the Haitian "Xavi." Peterson really slots in well to our system and I love his style of play. Peterson Joseph, along with Uri, had a massive game for us in our last match of the 2012 season against Houston when those two ran the show from midfield. It's going to be difficult for Michael Thomas or Mickey Lopez to get games, but I believe both those youngsters will have bright futures.

Forwards: Zuzi is a must at outside forward, his call up to the USMNT is well deserved. Bieler is our best out-and-out central striker. The final slot for the remaining outside forward will be between CJ Sapong, Joseph Peterson, and Bobby Convey. Each of those bring something different to the attack. CJ Sapong can also be used effectively as a central striker if Bieler needs a rest. When fit, Teal Bunbury will bring another option at central striker: he is much faster than Bieler and will be a good option for a counter-attacking style of play, but Bieler is the better proven poacher and outright goal scorer. Finally, I've always been a big fan of Soony Saad and hope he gets more playing time.

Quite a lot to look forward to this year!

This will be a long season, with multiple competitions, but below is my two cents on the team, position-by-position:

Quite a lot to look forward to this year!

P/Review 03/30&23/2013

2013-03-30T14:19:13Z

I apologize for not getting a game summary from last week up. I've been busy dealing with lots of B.S. at work this week. I thought the game against New England was pretty decent considering the terrible conditions. Vermes said it best when he talked about the high-speed winds and the terrible playing surface being major factors. If you watched the game, it was obvious that it was taking a toll on both sides. There were some great chances for goals in the game, but Sporting weren't able to effectively crack open the Revolution defense to put on over the line. They did have one bounce out of the inside of the crossbar. So close...

I liked the starting line-up that we got to see. I was happy that Vermes went with the "hot" hand and played Sapong and Saad on the wings. I am a big believer that the formation a team uses shouldn't matter that much, but it does seem like a 442 would fit our talent pool a lot better than the 433. The thing about SKC's shape is that they are essentially rolling with 4 CBs so that they can throw their outside backs out as wingers. It helps guys get open for crosses, but those become low percentage chances when you only have one dominant air player on the field instead of throwing three at goal.

Another issue i have with the 433 that Vermes has in place is that no one could control the middle of the attacking third. There were about five or six clearances that went right to the top of the area in front of the New England goal where there was not a single blue jersey. I don't think it should be too difficult to rotate guys towards the ball in those situations and those should have been picked up by either Sapong or Saad to create some better chances on the counter. If Vermes shifted one of his wingers to the middle to create some more chaos there, I think we would get to see some more hurried defenders making mistakes.

The USMNT somehow managed to escape without conceding a goal at Estadio Azteca on Tuesday. The write-ups on the MLS website sure were laudatory of Klinsmann and his side, but they, honestly, looked pretty over-matched. DeMarcus Beasley was somehow the man of the match and the worst player on the pitch at the same time. El Tri were having their way with him the whole first half, but thanks to excellent play by Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez, they weren't able to capitalize. It's about time Besler started getting some international caps. As I mentioned last week, The USMNT needs to take the old skeletons (Beasley) out and retire them. The younger the team gets, the better they will be.

While I realize that Clint Dempsey is probably in the top three best players the USMNT have available, I hate his game. He's an incredibly selfish player. He wasted at least two good chances taking the ball for himself instead of passing. Last week I talked about Sporting needing to pass and bide their time for sure-fire chances. I don't think the USMNT will ever have a weak enough opponent to be able to do that, but they need to not rely on the incredibly low percentage chance that a player like Dempsey will beat three defenders to goal. That's just not going to happen. He's good, but he's not that good.

El Tri looked like some kind of super-natural shadow team. They had a fantastic strategy worked out. Their players all have great touch on the ball and get the ball to one of their guys on every clearance. They played what looked like a 442 which allowed them to suffocate the USMNT whenever they got the ball. The Mexicans were playing miles faster than the Americans. Whenever the Americans got the ball or the Mexicans had the ball on the offensive side, the open spaces closed down almost immediately with black jerseys flying in to fill them. It was a suffocating first half and the US was more than lucky to get out of there without conceding. Azteca would be a truly terrifying place to play. 100,000 people "olé-ing" you or calling you "culo" at the same time is pretty intimidating.

Tonight, Sporting are hosting the undefeated Montreal Impact. I think everyone is surprised by their streak of wins. It's still early in the season, but winning four in a row is tough for any team at any time. The Impact are a scary team for SKC right now because their strength is exactly matched to counter our style of play. They bunker in and play defense and poach easy goals on the quick counter. SKC have shown in this season and the last that the quick counter is their achilles heel. Sporting will have to work extra-hard to maintain possession and to cut out any balls that get away with an Impact player. There will probably have to be some bad fouls committed today to keep the counter off the table. I'm confident in that Colin and Uri will bring it tonight. If they are soft in the middle, tonight could be brutal.

As far as the attack goes, I'm hoping that Sporting can find it in themselves to put passive pressure on the Impact goal. I want to see lots of little nibbling passes and maybe some cheeky give and go instead of the low-percentage cross. And, if they are going to keep just peppering the area with crosses, I want to see Sapong and whomever else is up top lunging at every single one to try and finish one. They need to finish every run at goal having crossed the back touch-line to try and poke or head the ball in.

Tonight's game is going to be a tough one. Don't worry though, I will be in The Cauldron and I will be singing the loudest. The weather may be a factor tonight. As of this writing, It's about to storm outside. There's still about 10 hours to game time, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. SKC always have the advantage at home. Let's hope they can put one in the net to end this scoring drought.

C'MON SPORTING SCORE A GOAL...

USMNT find 3 points in a blizzard

2013-03-23T14:14:18Z

The USMNT v. Costa Rica was one of the craziest games I've ever seen. There were players tip-toe-ing on, like, a foot of snow trying to win balls and score goals. Dempsey scored for the USA early and that was about most of the action. Guzan played in goal for the US and looked in his element. Bradley disappeared at times in the blizzard.He needs to have a wig or something next time they play in snow like that. The game was almost called ten minutes into the second half, but the players got the ref to re-start play. That was a good move because it's probably still snowing in Denver. I'm happy that the USA got their 3 points. Now, instead of being in last place in the Hex, they get to be in second. It really takes the pressure off of the squad. I am a little worried that Klinsman will now us this as an excuse to roll out ever more esoteric lineups and frustratingly lose games, but I won't be as worried that it'll keep them from Rio 2014. Another great part of this game was that Kyle Beckerman didn't come on until the 94th minute. That guy's game is tired and he needs to go the way of Cherundulo and the other old boned bastards. The old guys are old and we need fresh new guys who aren't old. I'm sure the Costa Ricans are pissed that Obama went to Israel to summon a blizzard for this game, but they will have to get over it. USA wins by any means necessary!

USA! USA! USA!

Burn it down again... 03/16/2013

2013-03-20T04:05:01Z

I did make it into the Cauldron for the game on Saturday against the Chicago Fire. It was a pretty frustrating game for several reasons, but there were a lot of encouraging things happening in front of us and I sang my heart off. I was disappointed that Sporting couldn't put one in the goal (Saad's shot was about 18 inches wide of goal and was the best chance all day) but it was fantastic to get back to LSP and rage! Of course, standing directly behind the goalpost isn't the best place to watch the tactical evolution of the game, but it's the best place in the whole stadium. Oh when The Wiz go marching in...

When I was a young man, I loved to play soccer (FOOT!). I was not great it, but the game was always something that quickly learned I loved to watch. I used to get frustrated with the USMNT when I was a kid because their style was so predictable. Play physical defense to win balls that you just blast at the goal or cross over the area to slam a header home. It was brutish and not very effective and it was the way I knew how to play. Don't get me wrong, I bleed red, white and blue like the rest of your dirty dogs, but the American style never seemed like a winner. I have always been impressed by teams with crisp passing ball control, but never really understood how devastating it could be to completely dominate possession. It wasn't until I went to live in España that I got to watch a whole Liga of teams that played that way that I began to understand.

Watching fútbol en España is both edifying and frustrating. I know people don't think it's the deepest league out there, but the competition between teams gripping . Everyone has seen Barça put teams to sleep and then sneak out with, like, five goals, but almost every team is capable of playing that way. Certainly they aren't as talented or well coached, but the style is there. The most absolutely frustrating thing about watching Liga games is that most of the players will not ever, under any circumstances, waste a chance on a long cross or a long shot. It's almost like the goal is completing passes. There are usually a few African midfielders who will blast the occasional screamer on frame, but, mostly, it's guys trying to dribble the ball into the back of goal. They will wait and nibble and back-pass and make 2 yard passes to their teammates in the area and you will be SCREAMING for someone to shoot the ball and then a defender will just smash it away. The teams never stop this. The great thing about it is, though, teams still score a lot and the goals are awesome. I saw a guy score with a rabona from, like, three feet from the goal line. That was cool.

Of course, I'm rambling towards a point, so here it is: Sporting need to learn to be more patient with their chances. I'm tired of reading write-ups of games where I read things like, "Sporting took 20 shots, but only 3 were on frame..." If it wasn't on frame, it probably wasn't a shot. I don't want to see Zusi sky the ball 10 feet over the frame when he's 10 feet away; I want to see Zusi try to shake and bake Sean Johnson and tap it right out of his reach so that it just rolls into the back of the net. If teams are going to bunker in, let them. Just like Spain rode their "False 9" to great success in the last Eurocopa, SKC need to just hang out around the area and nibble until someone finds themselves right in front of goal with the ball. Teams will give Sporting all of the low-percentage chances they want, but, If Sporting can't be patient enough to generate better opportunities, their anemic goal numbers will continue into this season. Bieler is a great player for getting this done as are Feilhaber, Convey and Zusi and Rosell. These guys have the capacity to control their touches enough to combine in the area for some exciting, dangerous stuff.

After the horrible game that Chance Myers had last week I was not surprised that he wasn't in the starting 11. I did not, however, realize that he is injured. That sucks and might explain why he wasn't playing so well in Toronto. I'm wiling to give him a second chance, but there's no way Vermes doesn't ride the hot hand with Mechack Jérôme. Jérôme was awesome all game. I had no idea who he was, but I sure do now. He fielded everything that came his way (even the sloppy balls) and dropped some beauties over top. He and CJ Sapong seemed to combine really well late in the game as well. I totally underestimated how useful the partnership with Orlando would be. I'm looking forward to seeing Mechack start again against New England.

Convey was not in the lineup which I hope was more Vermes wanting to put CJ since he's on form instead of Convey losing trust. I didn't think Convey was great last week against TFC, but he wasn't the worst. CJ played a great game and was tracking back pretty well. He doesn't have the defensive range of Kamara, but who does? The dude is ready to ball and he has to be let loose! I'm glad he got maximum minutes.

Sporting really need to figure out those new tricks for breaking through the bunker. Most teams are going to play like Chicago did in this game. They'll take their chances that their goalie will be shielded enough by the defense in front of him to punch or pick all of the balls that come through the air. Sporting can't dominate the air like they used to. That's old news though... Chicago did exactly what they had to do to keep Claudio Bieler from scoring. He's not the kind of guy who crushes crosses; He's the kind of player who scores like a flash of lighting. He likes to volley and shoot. If he doesn't get balls off of a run, his threat is minimized. The one thing that is great about Bieler in these types of situations is that he appears to be a completely unselfish player. He's willing to put the ball back to the top of the area to give someone else a better shot. Again, this game was frustrating, but there were a lot of great things to be seen.

The midfield looked awesome. Uri Rosell and Mechack Jérôme tied for my men of this match. Uri played with authority and won a lot of balls. He's going to be a special player. I hope Sporting can take more advantage of their Euro-connections. Fielhaber and Nagamura played well. I kind of feel bad for trashing Nagamura last week, but I giving up that penalty was lame. He's got a hard job and it ain't glamorous. It's kind of cool how Vermes has Nagamura and Rosell interchange with Colin and Besler. It's a smart strategy that will only tighter as the season wears on.

Before this game, I wasn't sure that SKC and Chicago Fire were rivals, but now I am sure. It's a rivalry. Chicago played like weenies and wasted a TON of time all game. They knew their best case scenario was a cheap goal or, more likely, a draw. There was a lot of super-lameness coming from both the red and the yellow jerseys. I thought I saw some Chicago supporters at the game, but I didn't hear a thing. I was a little embarrassed that SKC let them get out with a point, but this won't be their last meeting...

I will be interested to see how Sporting line up in Foxborough. I'm personally hoping that they roll out something like: Nielsen, Sinovic, Colin, Olum Jérôme, Nagamura, Rosell, Feilhaber, Convey, Sapong, Bieler. In fact, that's what I'm expecting. Three points on the road would be huge from a squad missing two key players; especially since after New Englnd they are headed back to Canada against at-this-writing-undefeated Montreal.

Oh how I want to be in the Cauldron...

Random thoughts and Optimism

2013-03-10T04:41:08Z

Through two games we are definitely seeing a different SKC team than what we are accustomed to seeing. I really do see some things that make me excited about what this team can become once they put it all together. So in the interest of getting myself a bit of therapy I jotted down some thoughts after the disappointing TFC game.

Claudio Bieler is the finisher that many of us have been begging for! This is something worth getting excited about! I get excited just thinking about how much better he can get once he gets comfortable with the league and gels with the team.
CJ has looked fantastic in his substitute runouts. He has been a handful and made things happen. SKC has looked like a different and far more dangerous team with CJ on the field. CJ should be starting and it should be at the expense of Convey.
Uri Rosell has had some moments but he is clearly learning on the job. He's pretty damn good on the ball and his distribution and switching fields is class. His problems come when we're trying to build out of the back. He is getting marked fairly tight at times and not dropping deep to open space or link up in between Besler and Collin. He'll get this figured out in short order I believe. Nagamura switched with him some in the second half and did a much better job of this.
The whole backline is struggling. As far as playing out of the back, I think a good portion of that is due to Rosell. The defensive lapses are what is baffling. Seth and Chance look completely out of sorts defensively. Chance took his lumps last week and Seth was abused by Bostick. Most of the lapses by Collin and Besler have come as a result of one of them covering after Seth or Chance have been beaten. Last year indicates they are better and we can assume they'll come back in to form.
Benny Feilhaber needs to assert himself. When he gets on the ball he generally looks positive. The issue is he isn't getting the ball much at all. He needs to demand the ball, do whatever he has to do to get on it more.
Backpass Bobby Convey needs to take a seat. I've seen enough, he just doesn't offer enough to justify a spot in the starting 11. This team completely transforms when CJ replaces him. Convey isn't providing much service at all. He sure seems to pass the ball backwards a whole hell of a lot. The only time we see anything positive from him is if he's wide open which can only happen from a defensive error or a quick long ball to switch the field.

Well I feel better just dumping some thoughts on paper. I'm a bit frustrated after today but I'm definitely very optimistic about this team. They definitely have the potential to win a bunch and be better than last year's team. Drop Convey for CJ. Stay in the 4-3-3 but CJ pinches in with Seth pushing higher. The defense rounds in to form as Rosell learns and gels with them. Benny starts demanding the ball and pulling strings. Bieler keeps putting them in the net. That's what I'm expecting to see by June when we'll just start stacking points!

I can't wait to get out to Sporting Park next week and Wiz on the Fire!

Claudio Bieler is the finisher that many of us have been begging for! This is something worth getting excited about! I get excited just thinking about how much better he can get once he gets comfortable with the league and gels with the team.
CJ has looked fantastic in his substitute runouts. He has been a handful and made things happen. SKC has looked like a different and far more dangerous team with CJ on the field. CJ should be starting and it should be at the expense of Convey.
Uri Rosell has had some moments but he is clearly learning on the job. He's pretty damn good on the ball and his distribution and switching fields is class. His problems come when we're trying to build out of the back. He is getting marked fairly tight at times and not dropping deep to open space or link up in between Besler and Collin. He'll get this figured out in short order I believe. Nagamura switched with him some in the second half and did a much better job of this.
The whole backline is struggling. As far as playing out of the back, I think a good portion of that is due to Rosell. The defensive lapses are what is baffling. Seth and Chance look completely out of sorts defensively. Chance took his lumps last week and Seth was abused by Bostick. Most of the lapses by Collin and Besler have come as a result of one of them covering after Seth or Chance have been beaten. Last year indicates they are better and we can assume they'll come back in to form.
Benny Feilhaber needs to assert himself. When he gets on the ball he generally looks positive. The issue is he isn't getting the ball much at all. He needs to demand the ball, do whatever he has to do to get on it more.
Backpass Bobby Convey needs to take a seat. I've seen enough, he just doesn't offer enough to justify a spot in the starting 11. This team completely transforms when CJ replaces him. Convey isn't providing much service at all. He sure seems to pass the ball backwards a whole hell of a lot. The only time we see anything positive from him is if he's wide open which can only happen from a defensive error or a quick long ball to switch the field.

I can't wait to get out to Sporting Park next week and Wiz on the Fire!

Toronto trap 3 points 03/09/2013

2013-03-10T01:39:55Z

Well I did manage to get to watch the second game of the season and it was a stinker. At least I got to hang out and eat some ribs with my dad. The team had a bad start again; a really bad start. There were several key players who had terrible games and Sporting did not look fit today. Toronto Football Club were the better team today and they deserved all three points. Here's what i thought were some important things to note about the game.

1. These players had awful games: Graham Zusi, Chance Myers, Paulo Nagamura. Graham Zusi looked tired. He wasn't completing many passes and he was completely controlled by the TFC defense at times. He did manage to start to have an effect on the game once SKC started to win free-kicks late in the game, but it didn't produce anything tangible for the squad. Chance Myers was out of position a lot. He was also having a bad day passing the ball. The team defense was not there, but Chance seemed to be having the worst time. Paulo Nagamura had a terrible game. He lost a ton of balls and didn't make up for that in any way. Drawing the penalty was a terrible decision. There were five guys around that play and he should have been less aggressive; It was too easy of a call for the ref to make. With Julio Cesar gone, Nagamura may be the weakest player on this squad.

2. Toronto was ready for this game. I mentioned last week that this game looked like it could be a trap game and it turns out I was right. Toronto had an excellent game plan and Sporting played right into it. I realize Sporting were on the road for the second week in a row and they had to go to Canada, but they are professionals and that can't be an excuse. Toronto played a two man press the entire game which Sporting failed to respect. I would have thought after the first goal that they would stop mucking about with the horizontal passing on the defensive half, but they did not. TFC's forwards poked holes in the defense all game. It allowed them to play 9-10 men behind the ball and to have an extra leg up on counter attacks. The other thing that TFC seemed happy to do was allow SKC to control the middle third of the field while keeping a good defensive shape to win back balls before SKC could create any chances. This was made even more effective by the above mentioned three players just losing balls left and right. Feilhaber didn't look great in possession either. I almost put him on the above list, but I he wasn't nearly as bad as the others.

3. Bieler was worth every penny. I was not happy that the broadcast was playing a replay of Danny Califf running his fat mouth when Bieler marked. It was the kind of shot that no one else on the squad is capable of making. Something I like about Claudio is that he is very aware of the other attacking players and puts team goals ahead of Bieler goals. On pace for 34 goals, folks. Silver linings!

4. Kei Kamara was sorely missed in this game. This is the exact type of game that Kei would have dominated. He would have softened up the back-line and he would have terrorized TFC through the air. Kei is great on offense, but where SKC really missed him was on defense. Kei is great at tracking back and winning back balls that are lost or smothering buildups in the middle third.

5. Sapong should probably have started this game. CJ was all over the place in the second half. Part of it could be fresh legs, but CJ isn't a slouch and could definitely have played 90 quality minutes. I thought it was a good decision to sub out Feilhaber for Saad except Saad wasted a great chance with a wild, low-percentage shot. If you are going to come on late in a tight game, you have to make your touches count. It was apparent that SKC were in trouble early and I would have liked CJ to come on earlier. I understand that it can send a bad message, but there wasn't much to salvage after they gave up what might stand as the easiest two goals of the season.

6. Sporting had no respect for Toronto in this game. They came out of the gate too fast again and didn't realize that Toronto were ready to pounce. The lazy pass to Collin that resulted in the first goal is inexcusable and is the kind of mistake that arrogant players make. If you are going to run a system based on possession, each pass counts just as much as the next. You can't be blasé about any single pass. They all count and if you lose focus on just one, it can burn you. It certainly did in this game. It could have several other times and SKC are lucky that TFC aren't a very strong squad at the moment. While I have a lot of respect for possession based soccer, the way that possession teams get beat by losing focus and underestimating their opponent.

Clearly the team was not properly prepared for this game. As always, there are many things that could have been in play (travel, partying, etc...) but none of those excuse the poor performance by the squad today. I would have liked to have seen SKC go home with 6 points but it was not to be. After the dreadful first half, it was clear they didn't even deserve to walk away from this game with 1 point. I was happy that Sporting managed to turn on the offensive pressure in the last 20 minutes, but it was too little, too late. I would not have liked to have been in the locker room when Vermes came in to talk to the team after the full 90...

The important thing to take away from this game is that it is a long season and this is just one game. I don't want to see any more performances like this, but there's always going to be a few bad ones. No team is invincible. Hopefully this game will serve to re-focus the team and get them prepared for taking 3 points from Chicago. I'm hoping to be in The Cauldron for this game and I'm ready to sing my head off and hoping for a gritty SKC Chicago Fire showdown.

Postscript: I don't want to sound like I'm blaming the referee for part of this loss (because it was all Sporting) but the officiating in the MLS is horrendous. The penalty kick was deserved, but there were an awful lot of bad or missed calls in this game and in many that I've seen (I was at the US ~~Salazar~~ Open Cup final). I think the dumbest thing this ref did was giving the teams 5 minutes of stoppage time. Sporting didn't earn the right to get that much leeway to get back into the game and there definitely wasn't enough stoppage of play to merit that. One day the MLS will figure out how to train better refs, but hopefully they fix the post-seson first. smiley face

Our SKC Guys As... (Rap Albums)

2013-03-09T02:47:01Z

I've got a confession to make: I'm not a good blogger. They are a rare and elusive species and we are blessed to have one of the best here in SKC-Land. Don't get me wrong, I love to write. I think I'm decent enough at it. But blogs are content driven and I'm just not prolific enough. I just don't have enough to say to fill up daily (or multiple daily) blog-column-inches; plus my opinion seems so right in my head that it hurts sometimes just trying to explain it. But I'm a bartender and I do SO love to shout about it at the pub.

So when Andy (and Bensa and GrayMatters, etc) got the FanPost ball rolling, I got excited. This is a spot where I can shine, because it fits my schedule!

Therefore, without further delay the first installment of "Our SKC Guys As..."

Rap Albums:

Jimmy Nielsen: KRS-One "Self-titled" 1995

Old school. This guy has been around the block and brings the knowledge at every opportunity. Everyone in the game recognizes his brilliance. Even if his career "tops out" at this level, he will always be highly regarded, and rightfully so.

Chance Myers: Mos Def "The New Danger" 2004

So technically gifted at everything he does, and is always doing the right things at the right time in a quality way, and yet will probably never be "the guy". Unless you're one of those "dig deeper" fans; and then you'll be rewarded beyond belief for getting to know more about him.

Matt Besler: Jay-Z "Blueprint" 2001

Bes is the man. Everyone knows he's the man, has pretty much always been the man, and has now been recognized by the powers that be as "the man". Everything he touches goes gold. Onwards and upwards.

Aurelien Collin: Kanye West "College Dropout" 2004

Pink Polos. Outrageous behavior and fashion. Aviators. Interruptions. Style over substance. And yet.... Once you get past it all, the glitz, the couture... The substance is there. So good at the role he was meant to play. All that other stuff is just so much blowing of steam.

Seth Sinovic: A Tribe Called Quest "Low End Theory" 1991

He just hangs out over there in the corner and is steadily solid. You never have to worry, you don't really ever even pay attention and yet the production is there. The smarts are there. Bringing a lot to the table and never really grabbing the brass ring, but yet, that's strangely okay.

Uri Rosell: Childish Gambino "Culdesac" 2010

Poised and confident and ready to step into MUCH larger shoes in the near future. Doing things on multiple fronts, at a level not seen for awhile. If you don't know yet, you better find out...

Benny Feilhaber: Outkast "Stankonia" 2000

So much creativity. So much technique. So much... head scratching? You might not always understand what he's trying to do, but you know that the journey to his intended destination will be quite a ride. Always confident that the next thing you hear from them will be the best thing you've heard from them.

Paulo Nagamura: Busta Rhymes "When Disaster Strikes" 1997

There's something not quite right here. He's a little off. He looks a little different and approaches the game a little differently. He's not always in the limelight, and some of his attempts kind of flop, but when everything comes together, he can really steal the show.

Graham Zusi: Doctor Dre "Chronic: 2001" 1999

He's there making sure everyone else has the funk. He's there making sure everyone else is producing at maximum capability. He's got some street-cred, some in-game-cred, and mainstream appeal. And when HE decides to show up and take over, everyone else can just sit back and get comfy, because there's really no one else like him.

Claudio Bieler: Eminem "Slim Shady LP" 1999

You heard rumors. You saw some grainy mix-tape freestyle something on YouTube. You want to assume greatness and impact and legitimacy. But you're never sure until the album drops. Boom. Platinum, baby. Plus, Ecuador is kinda like Detroit, right?

Bobby Convey: Beastie Boys "Check Your Head" 1992

A checkered past with flashes of extreme brilliance and critical success, yet the media bags on you and there are gaps and some letdowns on your resume. You have to kind of gauge your style and (not totally) re-invent yourself. Find a new niche and settle in to what you do best. Bring the groove and the creativity and take it to your own level.

---------------------------------

C.J Sapong: Wu-Tang Clan "Enter the 36 Chambers" 1993

Big. Strong. Bigger. Stronger. More bravado. More work. Harder. More "Hy-Yah's" and martial arts sound effects. Yet there is a certain flair and style and grace to be found in the way you present yourself. Disparate fractions make your whole greater than the sum of your parts. Always to be respected.

Teal Bunbury: Snoop Dogg "Doggystyle" 1993

You either love him or hate him, and you know that he makes wherever you find him better by comparison. But the one certainty is that he will always leave a vast majority in his wake with quizzical looks, not even sure why they have the reaction they do, really.

Kei Kamara: Notorious B.I.G. "Ready to Die" 1994

Timeless grace and smoldering rage. Talented physically to a point almost freakishly beyond his peers. Always firing away without care where the bullets land or the wreckage falls. But a winner. Also, though he's gone from us... He's not REALLY dead.

Roger Espinoza: Tupac Shakur "All Eyez on Me" 1996

Red cards, hustle and taken from us much too soon. Truth.

Peter Vermes: N.W.A. "Straight Outta Compton" 1988

Original Gangster. He's been there before and done anything you think you might be able to do, better than you can, and way before you even thought of it. He goes hard and takes no prisoners. Much respect.

Eric Kronberg: Nate Dogg.
Always in the background and never hurts your chances when you call him in to be a part of your situation.

Soony Saad: The Roots "Do You Want More?" 1995

You know they exist. You've heard really amazing things. Talented and tight. Their going to get their chance and have to make the most of it when they do. (Pre-Jimmy Fallon, of course)

Peterson Joseph: 50 Cent "Get Rich Or Die Trying" 2003

His rough exterior and bravado-influenced style get him in trouble with just about everybody, but there's some sort of fun and quality under all the reputation.

Jon Kempin: Jurassic 5 "Quality Control" 2000

Underground and talented. Just waiting to be unleashed.

So when Andy (and Bensa and GrayMatters, etc) got the FanPost ball rolling, I got excited. This is a spot where I can shine, because it fits my schedule!

Therefore, without further delay the first installment of "Our SKC Guys As..."

Rap Albums:

---------------------------------

Roger Espinoza: Tupac Shakur "All Eyez on Me" 1996

Red cards, hustle and taken from us much too soon. Truth.

Eric Kronberg: Nate Dogg.
Always in the background and never hurts your chances when you call him in to be a part of your situation.

Jon Kempin: Jurassic 5 "Quality Control" 2000

Underground and talented. Just waiting to be unleashed.

Rui'd Between the Lines: An In-Depth Look at Sporting KC Goal Kicks

2013-03-06T04:40:22Z

Last weekend was First Kick in Major League Soccer and it was also the primary gathering of statistical analysts in sports from across the county at the Sloan Sports Analysis Conference at MIT. Sportswriters and broadcasters are continuing to use advanced statistics more often in articles and during telecasts. There is no denying it now, sports analytics have become mainstream.

The title of this post honors Sporting Kansas City's own Performance Analyst, Rui Xu. SKC like many other Major League Soccer teams have embraced analytics in soccer and employ a performance analyst on staff. With MLS's partnership with Opta Sports, analytical soccer data is now available to the masses and amateur stats geeks like myself have begun to sprout up. Statistical analysis of soccer has historically been very difficult because only basic stats like goals, shots on goal, fouls, corner kicks and possession have been available. Statistical analysis of sports like baseball and basketball is much easier because there are many more measurable events that occur in a game like two and three point shots or a baseball at bat.

StatDNA's blog The Technical Area took an interesting look at "the statistical argument for using short goal kicks more." In the EPL data they analyzed, 90% of the goal kicks were long aerial kicks. During those kicks the offense retained possession 49% of the time and the defense controlled the ball 51% of kicks. When the keeper passed the ball short to a teammate, the offensive team was able to maintain the ball past midfield at a rate of 93%. In their data set the offense turned the ball over 23 times in their own half, but no goals were scored by the opposition.

During Sporting KC's opener against the Philadelphia Union 7 out of 13 SKC goal kicks were passed short to defenders. Three were successfully passed across midfield and two balls were cleared long and possession was maintained by KC. The Union controlled possession on two balls that were cleared long across midfield by Sporting defenders.

Opta Chalkboard of Sporting KC Goal Kicks vs Philadelphia Union 3/2/13 via twitpic.com

Sporting KC had the first touch (or head) on only 1 of 6 long goal kicks and on the header they won they lost possession. They were able to gain control of 3 of the 5 balls that Philadelphia got to first.

The sample size of only one game is obviously very small, but it is interesting to see that Sporting kept 58% of their goal kicks short. Kansas City was able to retain possession on all five first half short goal kicks. The Union seemed to make a half time adjustment and pressed higher on goal kicks in the 2nd half and SKC was 0 for 2 in getting short kicks across midfield after intermission. It will be interesting to see how Sporting KC continues to use the short goal kick on Saturday against Toronto. No goals were scored or conceded on Saturday in the build up after a goal kick, but we will keep a close eye on this in the next few weeks. Only time will tell if other coaches press high to defend against the short kick or if they will be content to let SKC pass it out of the back.

(Partial credit for my interest and development of this concept goes to @morris6703)

Opta Chalkboard of Sporting KC Goal Kicks vs Philadelphia Union 3/2/13 via twitpic.com

(Partial credit for my interest and development of this concept goes to @morris6703)

SKC on track for all 102 points

2013-03-05T18:46:25Z

"Okay, hold your horses," you're all thinking, and you'd be quite right. It is WAY too early for broad, not to mention impossible, predictions of history-making grandeur. But let's call a spade a spade: this team is good. Really good. How good will only be known over the course of the next 8-9 months, but the pieces are certainly there.

SKC have a loaded back line. When MLS Best-XI Collin is the weakest link in the back five, you know you're pretty solid. Midfield is stacked, though less familiar with each other than other corps on the pitch. Uri Rosell looks like the real deal at DM, and Nagamura and Feilhaber both are capable of performing at a high level. The front line, with Convey, Bieler, and Zusi, is capable of high-quality finishes nearly every time down the pitch. And depth? This team's got plenty, with the likes of CJ Sapong, Peterson Joseph, and others waiting in the wings (and that's not even counting Teal Bunbury and Jacob Peterson as they return from injuries).

What does it all mean? It means expectations are rightly high, and the pressure is on. I'm sure I'm not the only one that was concerned the first 30 minutes of Saturday's opener at Philadelphia, but it's a good reminder that even great teams have poor stretches during a game. In the end, it's the results that matter, and SKC got theirs on Saturday. They were clearly the better team over the full 90 minutes, and took all three points. They'll have to improve to truly contend for all the trophies they're eligible for this season, but the foundation is very much there.

Back to the title...I'm not predicting a 34-0-0 season for Sporting Kansas City. I do think that something like 65-68 points is possible, and anything under 60 would have to be considered a disappointment (for reference, SKC had 63 points a year ago in winning the Eastern Conference regular season). The East is probably a better conference this season than the West, top to bottom. Teams like Montreal, DC, and even Toronto are going to be better. Houston is always out there waiting to dash our hopes once again. But I will say this: I think very strongly that the sky is the limit for this club this season. With any luck, we could be celebrating quite a bit, just not every single game...

Sporting KC v. Union: What I saw

2013-03-04T03:54:37Z

Greetings, Daily Wizzers! I am assuming there are approximately five of you, but what the hell. I love Sporting (KANSAS CITY 'TIL I DIE!!) and I plan on vomiting thousands of words upon this internet professing that love. I don't know a lot about the history of soccer (foot!), but I've got a lot of experience watching the game in Europe and America. I plan on providing my post-game commentary throughout the season in an effort to refine and celebrate my love for the game and this side. Thank you and I hope you enjoy reading.

Full Disclosure: I watched the game at a bar while everyone else in the place watched Kansas have a slam dunk festival in front of West Virginia and then Mizzou play some compelling and dominant basketball against LSU, so I didn't get to hear any commentary. The playing surface didn't appear to be much of a factor in the game either way.* It was pretty easy to tell, though, that it was cold in Philly. I'm sure the Sons of Ben were fired up and the wind was whipping off of the river. A difficult environment, to be sure.

1. Sebastian Le Toux and Keon Daniel owned the first 30 minutes of the game. Le Toux continues to be one of the better players up top for any squad in the MLS. It would have been great if SKC had signed him in the off season (and I thought they might be interested after watching him beat the defense time after time in Vancouver last year) but I am very happy with what I saw from Claudio Bieler. The Farfans did a good job of being physical and allowing Daniel to funnel balls up the middle to Le Toux. It was looking to be a rough night until the SKC defense tightened up after Zusi's equalizer.

2. Sporting let the game start way too fast. If they are going to run the 4-3-3 high-press they need to be able to slow the game down. The Union were able to bring plenty of counter-attacks in the first half because the back four could not maintain their shape. The midfield was losing and chasing balls all over the place. I realize it was the season opener and everyone's got butterflies, but you have to be able to settle in after the first few minutes and not let the opportunistic counter-attacking style beat you. 80% of the MLS squads that SKC will play this year will bunker in and wait for counter-attacks. If they let the pace of the game get too far out of hand, they will concede cheap goals because the defense won't be able to keep its shape.

3. The midfield need to be more crisp with their passing. Again, it's the beginning of the season, but I saw quite a few missed passes and poorly anticipated runs. Jimmy Nielsen bailed the team out a couple of times on bad balls in their own area. These things cannot happen. Against a squad like San Jose, this game would have been a nightmare. SKC could have stayed in their base 4-3-3 if they were connecting on their passes more efficiently since it would have allowed them to keep possession and play a slower game. Slowing the game down and efficient passing are synergistic and they must be a priority for this team.

4. Claudio Bieler looks to be the real deal. He's got a great touch and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He was involved in two of the three goals. I will be surprised if he scores less than 15 goals this year. I read a lot about him not being in the kind of shape that the coaching staff wanted him to be, but he looked great to me. I was talking to a friend during the game and we both agreed that great strikers have a certain quality about them that is greater than athleticism or egoism or anything quantifiable. Great strikers are opportunistic and single minded about putting the ball into the net and they make it happen. I'm not saying El Taca is El Salvador, but he's good and he's got it.

5. Jimmy Nielsen is as clutch as ever. There were plenty of chances for Philadelphia to get back into the game. SKC managed to settle down on Le Toux and Daniel in the second half, but there were still runs at goal that were dangerous. Jimmy came up with several great saves. He's definitely deserving of his honor as GK of the year in 2012. This game was one where you are either very lucky or very good to have only conceded one goal. Luck or skill, I'll take Jimmy all day.

6. This team will score a lot more goals than last year's team. Rosell and Bieler getting scores in this games is fantastic, however, don't look for a lot of goals through the air this year. We aren't looking at the same style of offense where we see Collin, Kamara and Sapong hammering crosses all day. Zusi is still going to be providing great service on free kicks and Besler will be there for the long toss, but I see this team settling in around the top of the box and creating chances through chaos. The better this team gets at controlling the offensive middle of the field, the more dominant they will become.

I'm pretty excited for this season. There are quite a few unknowns in the midfield this year and the depth at forward is pretty exciting. I'm looking forward to being surprised by the kind of personnel groups that Vermes runs out. Saad and Dwyer offer plenty of pace and diversity up top and it will be AMAZING ~~when~~ if Kamara comes back. Unless Kamara is back, I expect to see Bieler starting almost every game. I expect that Zusi will get moved all around up top and in the mid-field, but he may have found a home as a winger. I like Zusi in the middle of the field (making shapes) but he's dangerous wherever you can put him. I expect to see Sapong come off of the bench, but I can also see Vermes trying to get him to learn to play the wing like Kamara did. Those are big shoes to fill, but Sapong is a great talent. He'll need to get fired up and play his heart out on defense to be a starting candidate on the wing, but he will remain a powerful asset regardless of how many minutes he gets.

This was a fun game to watch and I'm looking forward to the next game. SKC should pull off a win next week against Toronto and roll into the home opener against the Chicago Fire with six points. The Toronto game does have a trap vibe about it, so we just have to hope that the boys stay focused on preparation for 03/09/2013.

It's going to be a fun season!

*I don't really get why players blame the pitch for having a bad game. It seems like the USMNT throw this down as an excuse a lot (::cough::Jamaica::cough::) but it's lame when you consider how much of an advantage our athletes have over the other CONCACAF sides. Maybe the USMNT should just practice on some poor surfaces or on the beach or mix it up or do something to get ready for it. Don't complain that you're used ideal conditions and that it isn't fair to you when those conditions aren't met. Essentially, you are complaining that you are at a disadvantage because of your privilege. It's a little bit offensive, but, it mostly makes me mad because USMNT sides tend to be mercurial, at best, and should win those matches. I'd like to see some poise and consistency from my countrymen, instead of excuses. I believe it will come, but I am growing impatient.

It's going to be a fun season!

Cesar, Hedrick, Warzycha, Markovic waived

2012-11-19T21:49:19Z

Here's the press release: http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/11/sporting-kansas-city-waives-four-players

Julio Cesar is far and away the biggest name on the list, and his release from the team tells me two things:

-As the highest-paid player on the 2012 roster (I think only Paulo Nagamura may have been paid as much), releasing Julio frees up a significant chunk of cash to pay Roger to entice him to stay.

-But, if (as I expect) Roger jumps ship for England or elsewhere, that means SKC is out two of their three primary defensive midfielders from this reason, retaining only the injury-prone Paulo. IMO, this speaks volumes about the amount of faith the coaching staff have in Oriol Rosell, and that faith probably isn't misplaced...after all, in what relatively little we saw of him this year, he played very well. But this is basically the team saying that Uri is the man going forward.

In any case, best of luck to Julio, Konrad, Neven, and Cyprian in the future.

Here's the press release: http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/11/sporting-kansas-city-waives-four-players

Julio Cesar is far and away the biggest name on the list, and his release from the team tells me two things:

-As the highest-paid player on the 2012 roster (I think only Paulo Nagamura may have been paid as much), releasing Julio frees up a significant chunk of cash to pay Roger to entice him to stay.

In any case, best of luck to Julio, Konrad, Neven, and Cyprian in the future.

An open letter to MLS.

2012-11-04T23:10:40Z

Hello,

My name is unimportant, but I am a new fan to the MLS. I have followed my team, SKC, for the entire season now and was excited to watch the first leg of our MLS playoff. Imagine my dismay when I realized that the referee, Edvin Jurisevic, was a Houston supporter and wasn't going to blow his whistle for anything in the first ten minutes of the match. I am disgusted. I have followed the entire season, through thick and thin, to watch my team get bullied and beaten with absolutely no penalty called for anything. This is absolutely disgusting, and if I wanted to watch terrible referees call terrible games I would watch high school football, American style. Congratulations MLS, you have made an incredible fan, who was willing to buy merchandise (200$ worth) and quite possibly season tickets next year (to the tune of 2,000$) and you just showed him that it is all a waste of money, because the finals are about how well you flop and how quickly you can foul a man before you get caught. I am absolutely disgusted.

To make my point, because it is obvious I am an SKC fan:

The New York Redbulls (a very important market, if you didn't know) got away with a pass to the keeper that was picked up. Was the referee blind or stupid? Watch the replay and ask yourself?

Are we simply here to make a good foil for the important MLS markets? If so, I am done supporting this garbage. If you don't believe what I am saying, rewatch the first ten minutes of SKC vs Houston. Tell me that the ref didn't let that get completely out of hand. If MLS wants to keep fans (which I am currently in doubt of) why would they let referees control games like this? It makes me sick to my stomach. I have spent real, perfectly good money to watch this as a sport and the league has absolutely no control over their refs to keep the games honest and legal.

Hello,

To make my point, because it is obvious I am an SKC fan:

The New York Redbulls (a very important market, if you didn't know) got away with a pass to the keeper that was picked up. Was the referee blind or stupid? Watch the replay and ask yourself?