Additional note: The commentator on the streaming broadcast was ex-Stanford player Carson Vom Steeg, who was a frosh at Stanford in 2017, but then transferred to UCSB, where his father is the coach, after that year. He played for UCSB last year, but has not this year, so I assume he is injured. He also commentated during the Stanford-UCSB women's game a couple of weeks ago. He does a real nice job, especially considering his youth. He is well-informed about soccer, of course, and he shares useful insights and opinions. Has been very complimentary of Stanford during both games. And he never brings himself into the discussion; he gives no indication that he has played or that his father is the coach. (Refers to coach Vom Steeg in the third person.)
He was very highly regarded recruit -- I recall that Jeremy Gunn said that he was like a man among boys playing as a youth. I wish I knew what prompted him to leave Stanford: was it dissatisfaction about playing time, homesickness, desire to play for his dad, or other. Of course it's none of my business, but I feel a bit sad that he's not still with Stanford.
(09-28-2019, 10:44 PM)Viking_Guy Wrote: Sorry, Chrome crashed as I was writing up a final report full of wit and repartee.
As I said, the injury delay, which was probably at least 15 minutes, completely neutralized what had been a of immense proportions amount of momentum in favor of Stanford. The very play the injury happened was the third corner in the first 8 minutes of OT by Stanford, and Beason got a header in front of the player (Andruzzi?) who got injured coming down after trying to defend Tanner. Beason's header hit the inside of the right post and came away.
The best chance after that was after a horrendous turnover by Waldeck, who didn't have a great game. In OT, he hit a lazy cross out to Beason on the left after a restart, directly into the path of the Gaucho's most dangerous player. The end result was a shot that Thomas parried away, giving up the last good chances of the game to a Gauchos corner.
Waldeck also got burned badly by Michael, the Gauchos' big threat, on the third UCSB goal. Marking about 25 yards out, bites on a move inside, then pulls up and relaxes, beaten, as Michael hammers a wide-open 22 yarder that wrong-footed Thomas and snuck under the bar.
Thomas, by the way, had several spectacular saves. He gave up a bad first goal, not coming out to go after a ball that ended up squirting between him and the post on a backheel from about four yards out. The second he could do little about. But he stoned a breakaway, and had several other point-blank stops.
All in all, a disappointing, if not undeserved, result. Yes, they came back twice, but they also went down twice. And they came so close to pulling it out until an opponent injury completely stopped the game in its tracks, and never had a chance to develop much rhythm again.
VG
VG, you watch the game with more insight and discipline than I, so I defer to your opinion on Waldeck this game. Still, I think you'd agree he's been invaluable this year (and the previous ones as well).
Being critical of any particular player makes me cringe, as I regard them all as warriors for the Stanford family, but I wonder about your thoughts on Jared Gilbey. He seems to not provide as much impact as his position on the field would suggest he should, and he's been prone to a lot of giveaways, per my observation. It's got to be challenging to be the link between defense and offense, as well as the left and right side of the field, as you can be attacked from any direction, but I can't help but wonder if there is someone else who could do more in that position. (BTW, it looked like freshman Cam Cilley played some critical minutes in that role in tonight's game.)
