Transcription by PSP
Jim Curtin
Opening Statement
Disappointing obviously, to drop a point that late. I think we had a little bit of — playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday — for a while now, just couldn’t find the extra energy to push and get a goal out of the night.
Not our best night, but still probably did enough to get a point. Difficult place to play, difficult conditions. Obviously, the field is… poor. The weather is hot. Our guys fought hard, had some decent moments, but at the end of the day, credit to Houston. I think [Interim Head Coach] Wade [Barrett]’s done a very good job making them organized and difficult to break down.
You guys had Maidana last year. Is it ironic that he’s the one who scores the goal?
It happens a lot in soccer, where guys who move on to different teams come back and score big goals for their teams. Chaco’s a great player. He’s a guy that got us to two cup finals in Philadelphia, had a great career with Philadelphia. He’s a good player and he has a good left foot, and he showed it tonight.
You guys have scored the most goals in MLS. Today with the weather, the energy wasn’t there. Was there something you could have done to add energy with the subs, was that your intention with the subs?
We’re missing our three strikers. CJ [Sapong]’s our starting striker, he’s just coming back from injury. I thought he did a good job in the short time he played. Fabian Herbers being injured with his hamstring, obviously you miss him. Good young striker. And Sebastien Le Toux got a concussion. So we had to juggle a little big, and I thought Roland Alberg, playing out of position, did a good job for us holding the ball up, drawing some fouls. Not his ideal spot, so we had to juggle some things because we’re a little thin. But again, credit to Houston. They deserve points on the night.
It seemed like Blake almost got you a point with his saves. Can you speak on him?
Andre’s been excellent. He was great tonight, also. I think he’s going to be, probably, the starting goalkeeper in the All-Star game. It’s deserved. He’s done a great job keeping us in games, he’s the reason we’re at the top of the Eastern Conference right now. We look for him to continue his form and push for the second half of the year.
The referee was as corrupt and/or as inept as any I’ve seen. It’s a reflection on this league. That being said the Union had way too many turn overs from poor first touches and ill considered passes. I am also concerned about the obvious lack of ball control with athleticism and speed on this team. Union losing too many foot races.
Do they even push the pace in practice? They didn’t seem prepared for this match up. Don’t blame the weather because this isn’t their first time in Houston and the aren’t the only MLS team that play Houston at home.
No, Jim, honestly you don’t deserve a point when your stud keeper saves 3 times the number of shots as your team took all match. Your “best player” just showed well subbing at striker, but you chose to sit him in favor of playing your hottest attacking midfielder out of position instead. And if you’re not goung to start Gaddis in this kind of game, why is he here? Your defense gave out because there was so little attack all night. Not your best work.
Positives:
– Blake looks back to his usual sharpness after a little dip after coming back from the Copa.
– Did not give up too much from open play defensively, most of Houston’s chances came from corners/crosses
– Transfer window just opened and Edu is getting closer so reinforcements are right around the corner
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Negatives:
– Nothing going forward (though most teams in the league would struggle after their top 3 striking options are out injured)
– The rest of the league’s fitness seems to have caught up to the Union, to start the year the Union’s two-a-days in the preseason had them able to outwork most teams and grind out points
– Union have to get better at keeping possession, even if it is not in dangerous areas, without a natural striker, the tactics should have (and maybe was but not executed) to outnumber and out possess in the midfield, move the defenders around with tight combo play and interchange to open up gaps
– Set piece defense still needs to improve, Houston had too many chances on corners
– MLS refs strike again!
To add to the 3rd negative – Kevin Kinkead’s game review and player grades article at the Voice expands on what I was trying to say.
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Alberg stayed too high instead of dropping into the midfield to create a numbers advantage that could lead to more possession and draw Houston’s CBs out to open channels for Pontius or Barnetta to run into.