The Stars should have scored two. There was an open header in the first half and then Nunez alone with the keeper opened his hips and decided to side foot it under the keeper--way too safe (and it didn't work). But yeah, Illyes was fun to heckle.

Hey bq, maybe you need to look at the game again before you single out 3 midfielders for struggling saturday night. a couple of bad touches does not mean they struggled. many quality passes to set up chances came from the midfield. pretty weak motm pick, willingness to move up in the attack for a reason. what defender wouldnt want to move up, and leave the defense to someone else. lost 2-0

Most every Italian defender worth anything, because they understand their main role on the team and don't need to be the hero who scores goals.

I have no problem with defenders moving up into the attack once in a while to make it confusing for the other teams marking duties near the box, but they do not need to go forward every time the ball moves through the middle third. The biggest problem I see with most teams is that it is not a coordinated movement with the other players and the team ends up unbalanced taking more risk than is necessary when the team has quality players who can score on their own.

A quality team does not need 8 players forward to score goals.

If one from the outside of the back line goes forward than the other fullback and one mid from the center should stay back (exchange positions) and keep the defending area balanced (even when their is only one target player up front to defend against). The Fullbacks can move up further into the open space ahead of them on the outside but their first job is to defend in numbers and take away the key spaces for the other team to transition into.

Sending 8 players forward into the attack works well for teams that do not give up possession in the middle third (and while moving into the attacking third) with poor passes often. It works poorly for teams that do give up possession in the middle third with poor passing. It is kind of a fad right now and many use the tactic poorly.

I don't envy anybody that had to pick a MotM from that game. JD didn't have his worst game in recent memory, so maybe he gets MotM just for breaking his recent run of crappy form.

Just my general feeling talking to the two of them both before and after the game. I have come to realize in this past couple of years that people that stay in sports by coaching are some of the most ultra competitive of them all. They are almost addicted to being competitive. As Colin Clarke told me when I asked him in an audio interview this spring, (previewing the RailHawks) how competitive are you?He answered, "I am the most competitive person I know."

Manny and Eric have had their paths cross many times over the years, as players in MLS, on the Nat. team etc… Eric invited Manny out to dinner on Friday night. Manny doesn't ordinarily do this because he likes to keep a competitive edge. Then Eric tells me after the game in an interview that he kept from Manny purposely that he was going to start Jahbari Willis because he wanted to surprise Manny with that choice to throw him off.

I am also sure that Manny didn't want to be the guy to give Eric his first win. I have been told that these coaches in the league are friends off the field in the off season but during the season, look out.




Wow!That is a great idea. I think I'll try that next time.



As hairygrump said, it wasn't fun choosing on that one. I'm open to hear your pick. It could have been no one or anyone in my opinion. Anyone but Hlavaty, Takada and Ibarra. OH! That's right. Reminder to self, go back and watch that game.

Terry Vaughn was not the referee for the Stars Open Cup match in Des Moines. Landis Wiley was the referee.

Takada struggled the most of the midfielders on Saturday night. A fair amount of his passes were off target (miss hits, behind intended teammate, etc).

There was no clear candidate for MotM. Davis had the best night because he was making his passes, getting into the attack and getting back quickly on defense. He had a good workrate all game. Also, he won, pretty much, every ball in the air that came his way.

Illyes is still my man of the match for both teams. We tried to bribe him with beer to give up some goals and he walked over, took his mouth piece out, put his hands together in prayer, "please, we need this, we've only won one game." That guy is a prince.

I don't know if he quite deserves NASL Defensive Player of the Week, but hey. Let him enjoy it. Fun guy.

Here is a freeze frame of the first Atlanta goal where you can clearly see the Silverbacks player is offside as the ball is being played to him. Its really too bad the ref got that one so wrong. But It probably wouldn't not have changed the results.

too bad the ball kid didn't have a flag in hand, because they were in the right spot and the assistant ref was not.