KC’s unbeaten streak ends;post game thoughts. Paul Ward’s video?

By: Herschel | April 27th, 2009

And the streak came to an end. Still, I feel guilty because I’m kind of happy I actually saw some good soccer and guts coming from the Wizards after an abysmal showing Thursday night vs. NY. A break here or a bounce there and Hirsig not giving up an easy ball in midfield would have given KC at least a tie and who knows, maybe a win.

We controlled possession, we had corner after corner, chance after chance and weak crossing after weak crossing but our glaring weakness came to show once again. We have a punch-less offense that when called to answer, sometimes just doesn’t show up. Claudio Lopez can distribute well and Roger Espinoza had some nice runs down the wings that ended up in crosses that were never met by KC players. Josh Wolff and a possibly injured Davy Arnaud were pretty much absent for most of the game which greatly reduced our attack output. All in all, we had guts but no glory; the opposite from last Thursday.

Here are my player rankings:

Kevin Hartman (7), Lance Watson (5), Jimmy Conrad (5), Aaron Hohlbein (5), Matt Besler (6), Michael Harrington (6) , Davy Arnaud (4), Santiago Hirsig (4), Roger Espinoza (5) Josh Wolff (4), Claudio Lopez (4), Herculez Gomez (4), Michael Kraus (5), Abe Thompson (-).

MOTM: Tie- Kevin Hartman and Matt Besler

Here are my post match thoughts. To steal from Peter King from SI: Things I think I might have thought right after the game.

1. Although the Wizards controlled the run of play for most of the game they failed miserably to make that final touch/pass or crossing that would lead to a goal. Also, I would like to point out that they are really lacking when it comes to being able to come up with a dangerous corner kick; Claudio Lopez should not be allowed to take them anymore; I’d also throw a 2 game ban on taking free kicks.
2. I am impressed with Matt Besler. What a gutsy kid! He looked miles ahead of fellow 1st rounder Sam Cronin who looked lost.
3. I still like Lance Watson for his heart, but his defensive prowess is in anticipating the pass not on the one v. one; he got schooled in the Toronto goal and didn’t look to well going against Pablo Vitti, but then again most of KC’s D fared the same way. He is a stop gap but not what KC needs in that position since he gives little to the team on the offensive side of the ball.
4. For a third time this season a midfielder/attacker made a bad pass or lost a ball in midfield that led to a goal vs. Toronto; Lopez and Zusi in game 1 and Hirsig yesterday. Had this been Morsink, Espinoza or Sasha Victorine last year the KC Villagers would be out with pitchforks wanting them banned to the Reserves or off the team. I have seen little to no criticism spewed towards them, even when, in the case of Lopez and Hirsig they have years of experience and losing balls there is inexcusable.
5. Speaking of Santiago Hirsig. I sometimes like his style of play but I think the MLS coaches have started to figure him out. He has very good touch and can hold the ball well, but that sometimes is his weakness, since Toronto yesterday would collapse on him with 2 or 3 players, and because he lacks the one touch (give and go type of play), he allowed them to close him down and dispossess him quite a few times (one of them leading to the goal). There are times for holding the ball and other to just one touch; especially when you are a holding mid and losing a ball can really leave the team flatfooted.
6. Can Chad Barrett miss more goal scoring opportunities? I swear, the guy is a hard worker on the field but just sucks when it comes to the final touch/shot, etc. Be it in Chicago or Toronto, it must be a killer for his teammates to see this game in and game out.
7. Message to referee Paul Ward. Grow a pair or leave soccer forever. The abuse he took from the players yesterday was ridiculous. Everytime I saw every Toronto player jawing at him after every whistle it reminded me of this. Is this you at home Paul?