The Morning After: Rowdies vs. Puerto Rico Islanders

Posted Jun 20, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jun 20, 2010 at 11:09 AM

Some thoughts on the Rowdies 1-0 defeat to the Puerto Rico Islanders on Saturday night.

1. DRYING UP: After scoring 15 goals in the span of six games as the team went through the month of May undefeated, since the calendar has turned to June the goals have dried up for the Rowdies in league play with only one in their last three contests.

This, of course, was going to happen at some point. No team scores two or three goals a game consistently throughout a season, and it’s clear that after last night’s performance that opponents have studied the game-tape and have adjusted the way they are approaching defending the team.

The key now is for the Rowdies to adjust and find new ways of creating opportunities. At times during Saturday night’s game the predictability of the long-balls to try and find Aaron Wheeler was there for all to see. In fact, some of the better openings came when the team tried to play the ball on the ground and find overlaps down the flanks, Erik Ustruck doing well in this regard. Conditions weren’t conducive to that style of play, which is why I don’t fault the team for persisting with the aerial route completely, but there needs to be more variation in the way the Rowdies try to break down opposing defenses.

2. BOILING OVER: No-one likes losing, especially when you’re playing in miserable conditions and it seems as though there isn’t a solution to break the cycle you’re in. That’s not an excuse, though, for letting emotions get the better of you and letting your frustration at the situation boil over.

Two of the four yellow cards the Rowdies received on Saturday came as a result of frustration, and while I don’t like to single out individual players, Gordon Kljestan’s in the 86th minute was emblematic of this. When you’re down a goal and facing a defensive free kick that’s about to put you back on your heels again, it’s not the time or place to get into a confrontation with an opponent.

The Rowdies have to find a way to channel their frustration into making an extra run, or winning an extra challenge, or creating an extra chance. If they’re not, then they’re only helping their opponents.

3. LOOKING FORWARD: As with the defeat to Montreal last Saturday, there is again a quick turnaround before Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup game against Miami in Fort Lauderdale. This, on the face of it, is a good thing.

The fact is the sooner this team gets back on the field the better. There’s a lot to be proven in the remainder of this month, and I think they have the ability to accomplish it. But just like a winning streak can build and build and a team can get on a roll as we saw in May, so can a losing streak, and the next seven days are going to be crucial for the team to get back on track.