The Morning After: Rowdies vs. UT

Posted Mar 7, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Mar 7, 2010 at 11:30 AM

So, what did we learn from last night’s FC Tampa Bay Rowdies game against the University of Tampa? here are four things I took away from last night’s 2-2 tie between the Rowdies and Spartans.

1. These are professional players, but it’s still going to take time to become a team.

As well as the Rowdies possessed the ball last night, and the understanding between the players seems good for having been around each other for a week, there are still going to be moments of miscommunication that will need to be worked out. UT was able to capitalize on defensive mistakes to get its two goals, and there seemed to be a slight lack of certainty defensively.

At the other end of the field, while the Rowdies were able to control possession, holding the ball well when they got into the Spartans end, the final product into the penalty area from the flanks wasn’t up to par last night.

“You’ve got to turn possession into chances,” Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish said. “You’ve got to turn possession into goals. I think that’s the thing we’re going to have to work on over the next six weeks. We kept the ball pretty well, if it were 10 passes a goal I think we’d have run that score up pretty high, but there wasn’t much end product, but that’s to be expected.”

2. Trialists Chad Burt and Romain Onteniente did themselves some good in the eyes of the FCTB management.

As I alluded to in this morning’s game report, Burt was a bright spot in the center of midfield for the Rowdies in the second half, drawing praise from Dalglish. While Onteniente didn’t shine quite as brightly, Dalglish attributing it to his lack of playing time due to injuries last season, he showed some glimpses of what he could be capable as a wide player.

3. Pascal Milien did excellent work on and off the field.

Handed the captain’s armband for the game against his former school, Milien was tremendous before, during and after the game, and was thrilled by the fundraising efforts. If the Rowdies are smart, they’ll get him as much visibility as possible because he has the ability on the field and the personality off the field to become a great selling point to get fans in seats.

4. UT is going to be a pretty solid program again next season.

After losing three All-Americans, and seven starters from last year’s team, the Spartans did well to make themselves hard to break down, and Dominic Goncalves goal was very well taken, which should stand the team in good stead for this fall.

Individually, Dalglish was particularly impressed with former Plant City player Brian Fekete, who is still only a freshman.

“The left back looks a good player, the No.10,” Dalglish said. “He was the one that impressed me, thought he was a terrific little player.”

That’s what I’ve got, those of you that were among the estimated 1,500 in attendance, what did you think?