WESTMINSTER, UTAH (LNS) June 26, 2007--Olympique Montreux lost 1-0 this evening to Lazio in the last game before the summer break. Diablos beat Westminster FC 4-2 to move into first place with 30 points, three more that second place OM.
While Lazio buried one of their three chances and rattled the cross bar with the other two, OM created nothing and, other than one Louis STALEY shot, never came close to disturb the peace of mind of the Lazio keeper.
Despite pleas from the sideline to be patient and open up the field of play by using the wings, the OM players ignored the instructions.
At times, they kept the ball in the team's defensive third, making up to seven short passes, unable clear it out while conversely, Lazio's defense booted all balls up field when they suspected any pressure.
The team made poor pass selections and maintained its growing reputation for turnovers without any pressure.
Not the DNA of a loser
Although one player complained about too many substitutions, in reality the manager only had three field players on the bench. It was in despair some players were moved around to look for a goal to tie the game.
Teams see OM as the Real Madrid or Barcelona of this league and want to beat the side. OM only picked up six points from a possible 15 in the last five games. Three teams, Ogden Lobos, Westminster and Diablos were created to beat OM. Some men left the team and join others just for the satisfaction to beat OM. Nobody needs a magna cum laude law degree to understand that. The team does not have the DNA of a loser. Losing has never been acceptable to any Olympique Montreux team over the years. But apparently, just wearing the OM shirt will not win games.
The cream of the crop
If it is not clear to some, it is plenty obvious to the manager that the side needs to add some talents and muscles to its ranks if it is to defend its three titles. After the break, Premiership teams will be vying not only for the division title, but also will contend for the Utah Open Cup and the Daynes Cup. OM now holds all three titles.
“I will be inviting some men to try out for the side. I do not care if the new recruits are white, black or blue, French or Indonesians, friends of existing players or not. They just have to be good soccer players and committed to do their best and follow instructions,” claimed Bel-Ami.
Indeed, from July 31 until the end of fall season, the cream of the crop will rise to the top.
For now at least, Jerry and his Diablos are top.
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STARTING LINE UP
Martin Martinez, Jeremy Jones, Chris Kirkpatrick, Jesse Day, Nate Murphy, Matt Wooley, Josh Kimball, Judd Soderborg, Mike Rogers, David Chevez. Justin Braun.
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OLYMPIAN NOTES:
* Ricky JOHNSON had knee surgery today. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.
* We recognize the sacrifice Judd SODERBORG makes each time he is at practice and in games giving his all in these trying times. We appreciate you and your wife, Judd. Thanks
RIVERSIDE PARK, UTAH (LNS) June 16, 2007--Keeper Aaron BRUDERER was let down big time by a pathetic defense badly missing the leadership of retired central defender Paul WILLIAMS. Pan World took advantage of the absence of John MCQUARRIE (red card) and Louis STALEY to score four easy goals.
The Olympians' offense is not what it should be since the unfortunate injury to Sergio VASQUEZ. The side sorely misses the impressive work rate of injured iron Ricky JOHNSON, not to forget the high class of Tiger FITZPATRICK who returned to his native Trinidad, and the smart play of midfielder Ken BARTON who jumped ship earlier this season.
Fans must now watch the morbid masked dance of a set of slow and unfit strikers who cannot defend on top. When a forward loses the ball, he must track his man back like Sergio used to do and if absolutely necessary gently foul him to stop the counterattack. Defense starts on top.
Striker Jimmy CUADROS is a Pit bull breed at practice but a terrified chihuahua in games.
Combine the forward line with an unpredictable midfield prone to childish unforced turnovers, overcomplicated plays, juvenile speculative passes and aimless crosses, you have the new OM edition.
An incredible arrogance!
The team has no spirit. The side does not celebrate goals and rarely follows advice from the sideline. The players cannot be talked to even at practice. Some of them are very impatient with less skilled players and are darn right overly arrogant.
Most of these men will not even help put up the net, for heaven's sake!
Everybody is a coach here
Almost everyone is a coach at OM and nearly everyone knows better than the next guy. If the manager opens his mouth at practice, four of five guys would just cut in with “a better idea.” Most pitiful, nobody accepts responsibility when they screw up. Never. It is always someone else's fault.
“I have few nice things to say about this team lately. I warned the men that they are not playing like Olympians and that they needed to change their attitude. For the past five or six games, this side has played awful and has only managed providential results over unfit teams often missing their star players,” said an angry Bel-Ami.
"I will not condone mediocrity."
Inabilities to built or finish
The forwards, Jimmy in particular, missed a plateful of scoring opportunities, some of them simple tap-ins. Jimmy thinks that the only way to score a goal is to dribble past everybody and even the keeper although the manager has warned him to kick the ball or pass it sooner.
Philip MENESES, David CHEVEZ and others squandered opportunities that Tiger, Sergio and Ricky would have put away with their eyes closed.
It was not until the 35th minute that captain Todd MILLER, frustrated by the look of things took matters into his own hands, drove up field with the ball to create the first goal when his strike ricocheted off a Pan World defender and into the net.
Thereafter, Bel-Ami made the mistake that would curse the afternoon. He took Todd out, moved Judd SODERBORG inside at central defense and sent in Chris KIRKPATRICK to cover the right side of defense, his putative best position.
A total collapse of the right side of defense
Immediately, the move went very wrong. Chris could not fill the position. He was often too far up field and was beaten repeatedly as Pan World exploited his poor positioning to score three of their four goals to the delight of a pack of ostensibly stewed to the grills Bosnia USA players and fans in attendance.
Pan World's first goal came within two minutes after Todd left the field.
In the 43rd minute, Chris was easily beaten and Aaron found himself face to face with a Pan World striker. The keeper saved the goal.
OM responded as Jimmy was fouled in the area and Josh KIMBALL scored on the ensuing penalty kick. Other than that, Josh was exceedingly ineffective all afternoon and the absence of Justin BRAUN was massively felt on the right wing.
And if Bel-Ami does not have the guts to make the tough decisions, he should step aside before leading the side to shame. He has not been showing much leadership lately after a fine tenure at the helm.
An unseasonably red jerseys
The Olympians complained it was too hot out there and changed into white jerseys for the second half. That did not help as they played even worse. At the 58th minute, Pan World, dressed in heavy blue jerseys, made it 2-2 with a fine header from a corner kick. The defense looked flatfooted and dumbfounded.
Pan World continued to exploit the right side of defense. In the 60th minute, the right side again failed but Aaron made a save.
In the 63rd minute, again the right back was beaten and Pan World took the lead. 3-2.
Soon after that, the right side yielded yet another goal. 4-2. But for Judd SODERBORG bringing his support to the right side whenever possible while also helping out on the eft, it could have been much worse.
“It was the worse performance I have ever seen from an Olympique Montreux team in eight years. We have never allowed four goals in a league game since our formation in 1999. Never,” said Bel-Ami.
“Four goals in one game when last season we only allowed 11 in more than 30 games. That's poor! I am sorry I cannot flatter the players after that pitiful performance. You can lose a game, but not on your knees. You can lose, but fighting.”
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STARTING LINE UP
Aaron Bruderer, Judd Soderborg, Nate Murphy, Josh Kimball, David Chevez, Jimmy Cuadros, Philip Meneses, Brian Dunseth, Todd Miller, Jeremy Jones, Matt Woolley.
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SUBSTITUTIONS
RIVERSIDE PARK, UTAH (LNS) June 9, 2007--Olympique Montreux stomped Park City-New Park FC 7-2 in Utah Premiership action this evening to remain top of the table with three games to go before the summer break.
Before a sizable number of fans supporting both sides, the Olympians started rather poorly, allowing the Snowmen to dictate in midfield. ParkCity took advantage of the Olympians' poor form to open the score only in the 9th minute.
But the advantage was short-lived
Prince Philip to the rescue
For the past couple of games, OM has not looked good for long stretches in first halves of games. Unforced turnovers and speculative passes have made life miserable for the back line and keeper Martin MARTINEZ.
The gloomy start of things announced yet another struggle knowing the quality of ParkCity and the finishing skills of Liam Hanafer.
But new Olympian Philip MENESES was determined to show his worth to the side. In the 24th minute, the teenager from Brazil, took the ball from the right side of midfield, ran solo through a pile of Snowmen, losing one marker after another to score the equalizer. It was an enormous goal.
Still to keep the pressure, ParkCity made it 2-1 five minutes later.
In the 32nd minute, Todd MILLER went on a run of his own only to get whacked inside the penalty area. Unluckily, Brian “DUNNY” DUNSETH'S penalty kick sailed over the bar.
In the 40th minute, Nate MURPHY delivered a great cross to Todd who made it 2-2.
A much better second half
At the break, manager Bel-Ami made it clear to his men that exchanging greetings with Park City was absolutely unacceptable, that they needed to be physical and had to stay calm and play like they practice. The Olympians heeded the advice and ran riot for the next 45 minutes.
In the 52nd minute, Louis STALEY scored on one of his trademark freekicks. 3-2.
La resurrección del Tanque!
David “EL TANQUE” CHEVEZ has been in slump for a while, having scored only on a penalty kick in 235 minutes. In the 53rd minute, Jimmy CUADROS used his size well to hold the ball, passed to El Tanque who did quality work before burying the ball in the net to make the score 4-2.
The Olympians were now lords and masters of historic RiversidePark. In the 60th minute, El Tanque chipped Dunny's sweet pass around confused ParkCity defender Antonio SAUCEDO to deliver a powerful shot into the net for the Olympians' fifth goal.
Nate Murphy refreshed and effective
You cannot deny Nate MURPHY's class. When he has his game going, it is a samba feast of quick stepovers, accurate passes, bending crosses and goals. It is important for Nate to be performing because of his influence at the heart of the team. His second half performance was high caliber.
The Olympians needed to atone for the past two weeks and for the miserable first half today by punishing their opponents. They needed a cathartic win. They had to send a message they are the treble winner and a serious defending champion. Their dominating second half put them in good stead for the next three crucial matches at Pan World, Westminster and Lazio.
In the 76th minute, young Justin BRAUN scored the sixth goal after quick work involving Nate, Josh KIMBALL, and Dunny.
In the 80th minute Nate closed the scoring with an unstoppable ground shot.
I need Mauricio Borba back
“7-2 is only fair after the torments of the past two weeks. We are not starting games well. We need to perform for 90 strong minutes. Someday, some team will score first and park a school bus in front goal and it will be miserable,” said Bel-Ami after the match.
“At some point in July I have to bring Mauricio BORBA back from his loan spell at Utah FC. We need four top strikers to successfully defend our three titles. Period. Mauricio needs to fit in as much as Todd, Jeremy and company need to embrace him and make him feel welcome. I do not want to see Mauricio in a F*** Diablos jersey.
“We have not been able to replace Mauricio despite a handful of players trying out. When Antonio SAUCEDO did his incredible U-turn on us and went back to ParkCity, he definitely hurt our team.”
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MAN OF THE MATCH: Philip Meneses
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CANOCANIONERI RACE
David Chevez, 14 goals
Justin Braun, 10 goals
Jimmy Cuadros,
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STARTING LINE UP
Martin Martinez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Nate Murphy, Josh Kimball, David Chevez, Louis Staley, Justin Braun, Mike Rogers, Jimmy Cuadros, Philip Meneses, Brian Dunseth
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SUBSTITUTIONS
* Matt WOOLLEY is a dedicated player. He walked away from his honeymoon to come help his mates. Jesse DAY should take good notes from Matt.
* Everybody is very impressed with Philip Meneses's play. He is a great addition to the side. We hope to have Philip around through the fall before he jets to a college in California.
RIVERSIDE PARK, UTAH (LNS) June 2, 2007--Playing what was billed a superclassico against Diablos FC, one of the best teams in the Premiership, OM barely managed to name a full roster. Manager Bel-Ami had to pull all the strings to tie the game in the final minutes of regulation and salvage a couple of points from the penalty shoot out phase.
“This was a big game against a big team and too many players were missing. Big players do not miss big games,” said Bel-Ami.
“I only had two reserves and then I lost two starters to ankle injuries early in the match while captain Todd MILLER was forced to play injured. How's that for frustration.”
Diablos was the best team by far
Diablos took control from the start, dominating the Olympians in all aspects of the game. With Alejandro “GUTI” Gutierez, Orlando “PONY EXPRESS” Matunara, El MARAN and Ivan “EL TERIBLE” Zarate showing their class in midfield for the Red Devils, the Olympians looked much too impressed with the quality of their opponents to develop their own game. The midfield committed unforced turnovers an amazing 80 percent of the time in the first half.
A moribund front line
Either it was too hot out there, a mere 90 degrees with zero humidity, or the forwards thought this was going to be another easy goalfest against a bottom of the table team.
Other than Justin BRAUN, the attacking players looked intimidated perhaps by the Red Devils spanking new red jerseys with black sleeves. The forwards created nothing and kept getting swatted away by an alert Diablos defense spearheaded by the impressive KALUCHA.
Since the lanes to goal were toll free, Red Devils' midfielders and forwards ran almost unimpeded toward goal. OM's defense, getting little effectiveness from the middle, stretched out and pushed back, managed to hold under scary circumstances, with left back Jeremy JONES doing an admirable job containing speedy winger Jorge ESTRADA and the versatile PONY EXPRESS.
In the 38th minute, PONY buried a free kick from the edge of the penalty area. Nothing keeper Aaron BRUDERER could do.
Reduced to ten men after right back John MCQUARRIE got red-carded, OM did not respond until late in the 85th minute, when it looked like Diablos manager Jerry and his talented crew were mere moments from bringing out the celebratory beer with their fans dancing in the stands.
The game then went to the dreaded penalty shots. Bruderer saved one to win points for the side.
“This display was far from OM's usual work ethics,” said unhappy OM alum Marcos Melendez.
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MAN OF THE MATCH: Jeremy JONES
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CANOCANIONERY RACE
David Chevez, 12 goals
Jimmy Cuadros, 9
Justin Braun, 9 goals
