Arrived in Houston and have just been training at the stadium and noticed that they have the American football lines on the pitch.
I think it is an absolute disgrace that the League allows this!
They had it once before in New England and I didn’t have a clue where I was because you use the line and midfield line to know where you are on the pitch. When lines is everywhere you don’t know when to shot or do anything, -it is a massive problem!
Anyway, great weather down here and not as hot as last time and they think it will stay around 75 for the game. When we played here during the regular season it was over a 100. Heard that the game is sold out at around 27,000 and that a lot of Sounders fans is supposed to have traveled down here, so I am really excited to see what kind of atmosphere you guys will be able to create.
Houston defended well in the last game but will for sure be coming out being more offensive in this game which will open up a lot of chances for us. We have played well down here before and should have won with a couple of goals but missed a lot, like an open goal chance, so this time we need to play a lot better with more speed in our passes as it is a smaller pitch and get better results on all our chances. If we do this the game will be ours.
I feel great and the whole team is geared up and positive so I hope it will be enjoyable to watch.
// F
Comments (23)
Small talk
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Thank You Fans http://bit.ly/bOHdNw
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New game against Los Angeles Galaxy http://bit.ly/c5PT62
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Let the players decide who will win... http://bit.ly/99lvQM
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Extremely disappointing to draw against the defending champions http://bit.ly/cToOtf
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Big game tonite. Replay of the champions league final http://bit.ly/boPEvg
To Twitter
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Thank You Fans http://bit.ly/bOHdNw
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Preseason training camp in Arizona
Been in training camp in Arizona for a week now. We have been running our asses off and we are all a bit tired, but no pain no gain.
Preseason training camp in Arizona
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"Top 5" stadiums in the world
Started thinking about the five best football stadiums I ever played at and came up with my personal “top 5″ list that I wanted to share with you.
"Top 5" stadiums in the world
RSS feed
Take it to them!
Hi Freddie,
Agreed about the football lines. Throw in terrible concessions (including a deal that doesn’t favor the Dynamo as much as it should) and it’s a terrible place to play.
That said, the fans and players have made it fun and intimate in an urban setting over the last 4 seasons. I hope we can keep that going for us should we ever have a dedicated facility.
Welcome back to Houston. I hope your stay is mildly uncomfortable.
GO DYNAMO!
GO GUNNERS!
Boo Sounders!
James in Houston
I like whatever field ends up with a Sounders victory
My sunday team, Bellingham City FC has a match at ten then will be rallying with a keg to cheer y’all on. I’m hoping I get to make the 3 hour round-trip drive for a Sounders match one more time this season
In Houston and went by the stadium today. They have painted over the gridlines with greenish paint, so they’re not as obvious as they were before. Unfortunately the soccer lines are yellow and not as brilliant as they should be, but at least it will be a lot better than it was in , say New England.
Take ‘em all, Freddie!
Freddie:
Take em all!!! Looking forward to you guys melting the Creamsicles tomorrow!
We are all behind you here in Seattle! The Sounders have all the parts now lets show them what a fine tuned engine can do. GO SOUNDERS!
[...] freddie is a little pissed. you can read about his pissed-offed-ness… here. [...]
Yeah, the football lines issue has been a long simmering one for soccer in the States. In the beginning most teams played in stadiums with the football lines. Now only a couple teams play in situations where the lines impair the game.
So, there is progress, its just slow and begrudging.
Thankfully, the Sounders have done the right thing and played without the lines all year. One of the many good decisions they made.
We’re with you in Seattle!
Go Sounders!!!
Yeah Freddie, tell it like it is! The football lines on the pitch are something that needs to be fixed right away. Good luck today. I want to see you score on a free kick. You can do it! Go Sounders
I agree! It just seems if they are trying to market the mls as a young professional up and coming league, they need to try and make an effort here. Its like playing tennis on a basketball court!
Good luck Freddie! Sorry to hear about the field, that would be really confusing and distracting. I know you guys can bring it! I’ll be cheering you all on
~Chandra
(Seattle, WA)
Thanks for making a home in Seattle. This first season has been great, leaves us wanting more.
Game should have gone to PKs. Chings goal was brilliance! but I guess thats what it takes to beat the sounders. I know you would have burried your PK. Heres to next year!
go Sounders!
Yeah, the football lines have got to go, as does the field turf. You simply can’t play top-flight football on that stuff. It takes too long to settle the ball on turf, I think, giving the defenders too much of an advantage. That being said, MLS has come a long way and the future is bright.
Freddie, thanks for coming to the U.S. and playing with such style and passion. It’s clear you came here to play, not to retire. I hope you are enjoying your stay as much as we are. You’ve really energized the city and league, so don’t even think about leaving
Bryce in West Seattle
Freddie hello …………… …..! happy to greet me in case you wonder if the players do not tend to confuse the lines of soccer “with the football???? my point of view and do not know if I’m ignorant … I think between the two lines are much ESPACION not ?….. the end is their business, but I agree with you that should take care a bit these details. Another thing, do not disappoint you or the team, and that to be a team “package” as they say in my country .. … have great potential ….. and an excellent fan base, I assure you this …. just need a little more than tactics that insurance will get it for next season if they work really hard polishing those details! if you read this I hope you will support! and I hope you read it jaja
much greetings, kisses and loves his biggest fan in VENEZUELA !!!!!!!!!
*Laura Ljungberg
I agree about the pitch. I can’t believe that the MLS allows games to be played on a field that still has the football lines marked…especially for a MLS playoff game! I remember playing on football fields in high school games and the lines were a distraction. Hopefully MLS fans will complain to the league to try to keep that from happening again.
Freddie,
I would say that playing the game on fake grass, which is proven to cause injuries is much worse than dealing with painted lines. I would also say playing the Championship match on turf is damm near criminal and a slight to the game and the teams that will be playing.
Just saying before casting stones, might want to deal with the issues at home.
Hey Freddie! I’m posting this comment here, because if it can’t be accepted here, than I don’t know where else it can be accepted. P.S. YOU kicked butt for Seattle and I’m so happy to see you in the Pacific Northwest!!
Ok, ok, I don’t normally do this…but literally four seconds after L.A. wins the MLS conference I have to wonder how much the MLS comish spent on the trophy vs. how much he spent paying the electric bills. F*&% LANDON DONOVAN! Seriously???? Why is everyone so F-ing pleased with handing this cherry picker a trophy???? When was the last time this piece of trash scored a goal after working a ball down the field? When was the last time this U.S. soccer player of the year decided to come out and play instead of play hide and seek????? I can’t stand the fact, and I know I’m not alone, that the player that gets credit for a team advancing is the one who score a piece of crap PK…A P-FING-K!!! That is not a winning goal. Bruce Arena, keep smiling that sh-*& eating grin. I can’t believe a man that once coached our national team…(well after he f-ed it up by playing convey and beas on the wrong sides) could keep walking around like his S doesn’t stink. HE STINKS! His coaching stinks and the fact that Donovan can get credit off of so many PK’s stinks. F.L.A. That’s all I can think. Houston was robbed of a goal, Deama faked a foul. I know this can be soccer but how can I continue to be a loyal fan of the MLS when the FRANCHISE keeps winning the games????? Donovan and Bruce….just you wait for the FIRE! Sarachan, it was great to see your little tiny elf arse on the sidelines…just you wait until a real team doesn’t take your crap and runs your scared little butts all over the field. That being said, even if RSL meets you in the finals, I will still happily dance on your grave. Anger, frustration…and in the words of Ochosinco SMH. WTF?!?!
Right-on! Speak it loud!
I’m glad to see someone with star power complain and I totally agree that it is a complete disgrace. I won’t even watch the game if I see any American Football “Grid Iron” lines. What is troubling is that some of our soccer specific stadiums, such as Columbus, have even had American Football lines visible on the pitch recently. I think they’re letting their local high school football team use the field.
Houston is what…two time champs(four time champs if you include San Jose days before they moved) and can’t produce a quality pitch?
I don’t think fake turf should be allowed either. There really should be a higher standard set for the quality of the pitch in MLS and we need to start being more vocal about that as fans. It’s time for the next level of standards to be implemented.
I hope you can find someone in chicago who can not only build on my passion but have some of their own, especially where the Fire are concerned. I grew up LOVING Newcastle, and that was something I picked up on my own. I can remember being 16, seeing the Fire play at Soldier Field, it made me the happiest I had ever been. Seeing my favorite sport being played on the big field and goals being scored…stupid Jorge Campos in goal for the Fire…only there for money and publicity…much like Beckham only here for the same things. I miss those days when it was real football fans, you could smell the grass…not hipsters loving soccer because it’s not mainstream, not smelling flares, hearing the players yell, seeing Scott Garlick in goal for DC, Marco Etcheverry, and even John Harkes. I miss the authenticity and the purity of the MLS before it became the “MAJOR LEAGUE SHOW”.
The days of Bob Bradley before he worked for US Soccer, Zack Thorton showing up Compos is a shootout and actually seeing Coby Jone’s dreads flying as he rushed for a goal. I don’t know how many American’s remember the start of the MLB, I don’t know if ANY Englishmen remember the start of the Premiership, but I…ME…MY PERSON…remembers the very first game of the MLS, I remember the first game the Fire played. It was so much more beautiful and so much more pure that the crap…shit…bolluxx…that I am seeing today. I cry, I will keep crying…it’s shameful. I think my helplessness is the worst feeling….I can’t fix it, it’s only going to get worse.
Robertson stadium is owned by the University of Houston, so the Dynamo can’t control what they don’t own.
[...] MLS has two – San Jose and Houston, the latter of which was so bad that Freddie Ljungberg flipped out over it — though he toned it down for his ESPN [...]