Game 1 v. Houston

After a day of contemplation, hand wringing and gnashing of teeth I think I can put a few thoughts down on paper (?).

After a few people came up to me today and gave it the "too bad" or "another game when we didn't score" or "0-0 eh? sounds boring". I found myself replying that I had a great time at the game and enjoyed the match. I didn't have as much pre-game anxiety as I thought I would but that quickly ratcheted up once I walked into Qwest Field. With the crowd was in full voice and the kickoff delayed for the TV start, I found myself getting geeked up past all expectations. "Maybe we can win this! Maybe we are more than an expansion team!"

Well, we are an expansion team and I can't expect everything in the first season, right?

The Sounders played an aggressive game and were obviously the ones taking the initiative. Ianni had two fantastic headers in the first half - one cleared off the line by a defender and the other hitting the crossbar (Marshall who?) and was my vote for Man of the Match. He was aggressive on defense, winning almost everything that came his way. He had poise on the ball and distributed it well. His presence on corner kicks showed that Houston isn't the only team that poses a threat on set pieces.

Houston looked for the counter attack for most of the first half and had a few chances that were close. I suspect that the one drawback to Ianni in the back line was missed communications and assumptions that were made. A couple of times it seemed that the "I got it, no you got it" rule was in effect which led to a couple of blown assignments or missed passes. Luckily Houston couldn't finish their chances.

The second half opened with Houston taking possession of the first 15 minutes and not letting Seattle out of their own end. Only after subbing out Montero for Levesque in the 65th minute did the Sounders find a little *snap* to their game and started to take the game back. The Sounders made a number of chances for themselves but couldn't quite get over the hump.

So no, a 0-0 match wasn't a boring game. I thought it was a good game. Quite entertaining in fact. Enough to make me think we could steal one in Houston.

The tidbits:

Unfortunate officiating. It seems that Salazar was reluctant to get in the way of the game which in turn allowed himself to get in the way of the game. Instead of taking control early he let plays run on that shouldn't have and let fouls go unpunished. (Stat: 18 fouls for Houston, 6 for Seattle). Sometime in the second half Salazar began 'controlling' the game, whistling calls that were not called in the first half. Or just making it up. This frustrated the fans as much as the Sounders. It is somewhat surprising that Ljungberg didn't get his customary yellow for yapping at the ref.

Of all the Houston players, Brad Davis makes me the most nervous. Very nervous.

Of all the Houston players, Luis Angel Landin is the fattest. Why is he their DP? Coming off the bench no less. Has he been hurt? If so I would get him on a treadmill for a few weeks before putting him out on the pitch. Man, what a tub.

Will Brad Evans ever regain his early season form? After a stint with the MNT it seems that Bradley and Co. unlearned everything out of him. This game made me think that he was finally regaining his touch.

Did anyone read Steve Kelley's piece on the game (here)? Christ. Trained monkeys could do better. Am I the only one who finds his stuff tiresome? Like a 'Mad-Lib', just plug in the team name and a hackneyed metaphor or three and voila! Just send to the editor.

Did I mention Ianni as Man of the Match? If he had scored I might have had to bear his child.

I know X-Box paid to advertise everything under the sun but c'mon, open the Hawks Nest!

Will the nick-name "Baby Giraffe" really stick to Nate Jaqua?

So now we wait for nine days for Game 2 v. Houston. I suspect that it will be a little more tense and a more wide-open style of play. We are the expansion team with a great road record with nothing to lose and something to prove.

I am getting geeked up already.