RHINO DROPPINGS
July 26, 2006
Last time out: A lackluster performance against a last place team ended in a 1-1 draw for the Rhinos, and frankly, they were lucky to get the point. Toronto should have won by a couple of goals, but only managed to tie it in the second half on Kevin Jeffrey’s first goal as a Lynxster. Rochester was outshot by the basement-dwellers, putting just nine on target after taking 42 over their last two matches. It was a pitiful effort and a loss of two important points.
On the plus side of things, Friday’s match saw the lowest number of cards total between these two clubs since July 6, 2003 (11 games). And Toronto thought better of bringing dirty forward Matthew Palleschi, who was ejected in the May 13 game at Centennial for an ugly tackle on Juninho.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The key to consistent results is a consistent lineup. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the midfield is a mess when there are four different players out there every single game. Unfortunately, Laurie Calloway is a tinkerer. He tinkered in Syracuse, and he’s going to continue tinkering here no matter what anyone tells him.
A quick note on the PA volume this past weekend – it was better, but still too loud (and, of course, it got louder and louder as the game progressed, like we’re too stupid to notice the change). Someone on the RD staff made the following observation about the noise pollution: “It’s like someone poking you in the eye every 30 seconds, but then you complain about it and they start poking you in the eye every 45 seconds – it’s an improvement, but you’re still getting poked in the eye.”
And let’s start calling some people on the carpet about the song selections for the so-called family environment at PTP. Anyone else think it’s hypocritical to move Sheffield Wednesday fans for using inappropriate language and, at the same time, play T.I.’s gangsta rap anthem “What You Know” at 100-plus decibels? That makes it even funnier when someone uses the old “they play music because little kids would get bored without it” defense. I sure hope the D&C doesn’t catch wind of this.
Next up: This year, RD is proud to partner with soccersam.com to bring you Special New Match Previews, which are going to be the same as the Regular Old Match Previews, only in a different location.
Click here for the match preview (a new window will open)
Where have you gone, Andy Restrepo? Team of the Weeker Dusty Hudock stopped a Zinho penalty kick in Charleston’s 2-0 win over Miami FC. The Battery are 4-0-0 in Hudock’s last four starts, but 0-2-2 in their last four with Keith Wiggins in the nets. Ian Fuller picked up a yellow card in this match, his third in five games.
He Who Shall Not Be Named must be suffering under the delusion that Montreal is already in the playoffs, because he hasn’t scored once since returning from an ankle injury. HWSNBN, for the record, had zero goals and one assist for the Rhinos in 17 postseason matches.
Chad Severs scored twice in Harrisburg’s 3-2 road victory over Cincinnati, but he didn’t make the Team of the Week. Jamel Mitchell assisted on Severs’ first strike.
You’d think Chris Carrieri would have been all over the scoreboard in Richmond’s 5-3 win over Western Mass, but one assist and a yellow card is all he has to show.
Pat Onstad has a 0.92 GAA over Houston’s last dozen games, including an own goal allowed last weekend in a draw against New England. The Dynamo are 4-7-1 during that stretch.
Around the (A-)League: Minnesota scored twice in a three-minute span to topple Montreal, keeping the Impact from vaulting to the top of the table. Montreal is still without injured goalkeeper Greg Sutton, and All-League defender Nevio Pizzolitto was suspended for yellow card accumulation.
Seattle topped Portland twice last weekend, with league-leader Cameron Weaver scoring two more goals. The Sounders are on a 5-1-1 tear after starting the season 2-3-7, while the Timbers have dropped six straight, and are winless in their last eight after jumping out to a 5-3-4 start.
There’s more streakiness around the league, beginning in Atlanta (7-2-2 after 0-2-3 start), romping through Charleston (4-1-1) before petering out in Miami (1-0-4).
Did someone mention Miami FC? Goalkeeper Chris Doyle, last seen being carted off the pitch at PTP, is out for the season with a PCL tear.
This weekend’s action: The red-hot Sounders are likely to be cooled off when they play in Montreal tonight, followed by a trip to the decidedly less-frightening PTP, and then a venture up to Toronto.
It’s another one of those weeks where most teams play twice. The lone exceptions are Rochester and Vancouver.
MLS Update: Los Angeles was 0-2-6 when Landon Donovan was away at the World Cup, and are 3-2-0 since his return. The Galaxy tied Columbus 1-1 last weekend, but they also played without suspended defenders Chris Albright and Tyrone Marshall.
Kansas City, a potential US Open Cup quarterfinal opponent for the Rhinos, have lost seven straight matches.
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