Sounders Nkufo Did Not Travel to New England
by Dave Clark on Sep 3, 2010 6:48 PM PDT
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
Email
PrintThis is not due to International duty, as is true for the Nyassi brothers and Mansally of New England. But the Sounders FC video preview mentions that Blaise Nkufo did not travel.
So our very recently updated Quick Reference Card is already out-of-date. Though at only one position.
Nate Jaqua is mentioned as likely to start, but considering that he just went 90 on Wednesday, will he go 90 tomorrow?
25 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Fucito or Levesque
With Noonan, Estrada and Blaise out the options are Fucito and Levesque, unless you think that Montano could pair up top?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I can't see Sigi playing Levesque up at the point... Montano would be interesting though.
Karma police, arrest this man.
by wyte_lightning on Sep 3, 2010 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Well, if it isn't Nkufo or Jaqua
It is no longer a point, but two Center Forwards.
It doesn’t matter who is paired with Montero if it isn’t the big men. Remember when Noonan, Levesque and Ljungberg were used up there already this year?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
A facebook comment said the following
Something is not right here with N’Kufo. He did not attend the US Open Cup match on Wednesday, or at least I did not see him there, and when he got subbed at half against against Monterrey, we have not seen him since. Also, when he got subbed at half he did not come out from the locker room, and for the first 20 to 30 minutes of the second half the team just seemed mentally irregular. It would be nice to kknow what is going on, if anything…..
Here’s what we know as quantifiable.
The Team NEEDS a Target Man, as per Graham’s excellent analysis.
Nkufo has been a huge positive for the team – only 3 players with more minutes than Nkufo have a higher team shots for number. He’s at 0.6 Shots Differential, and team goal differential when he’s on the pitch is 4th highest at (1.2) of typical starters that would be 2nd. Fucito and Scott are higher.
Nkufo’s runs have been ignored.
He has not scored yet.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
FB comment is also factually untrue
Nkufo played 83 minutes against Chicago, which was after the loss to Monterrey.
You will hear us.
Nkufo was at Starfire for the semi
With the slight qualification that I was a bit back and my eyes aren’t perfect and maybe the people around me yelling “Blaise!” (that prompted a smile and a wave) were full of it. But he was on the grandstand side of the pitch at the end of the game, in street clothes.
by topbrian on Sep 3, 2010 7:49 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
That is strange
to not see Blaise not travel.
I watched
the video match preview and it was mention blaise didn’t travel due to knee injury
If it's a knee injury...
then it makes sense for him to stay off his feet, right? Hopefully that’s it, he just needs a little time.
But given the FO’s recent experience with the rumor mill flying out of control with the FL10 situation, it would behoove them not to be so stealthy about Nkufo missing from the lineup.
When did the injury take place? Has he been practicing? Anyone covering the team notice a hint of an injury? Why is this video the first we’re hearing of it… AFTER the team has arrived in Foxboro?
Jeremiah was at two practices this week
Monday and Tuesday, so he’ll be able to tell you about those practices
But why would the team make more information than necessary public? What do they gain by giving New England more than 24 hours to prepare?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Fair enough...
And after some thought, I don’t really remember SSFC ever being too forthcoming with injuries. Zakuani’s seemed to come out of nowhere. Fucito was a mystery. Estrada’s fake injury. Ditto on Ljungberg. Plenty of other examples, I’m sure.
But playing devil’s advocate… if keeping the injury quiet is a strategic play, why even release it the day before? Does the travel roster have to be released by then? I’m asking… I don’t know the rule on that.
I know that 20 traveled
rather than the normal 18.
The team normally does not release its travel roster (some MLS sides do).
Seattle is more quiet about injuries than most MLS sides.
As for Fucito’s injury, readers here know that it wasn’t a mystery.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I wasn't suggesting Fucito's injury was unknown
Just that it wasn’t clear at first that he had been injured, having watched the game in which it happened.
I guess I'm just paranoid about injuries after the FL thing, like most here
with pretty recently good reason. I hope paranoia is all it is. I think Nkufo adds a LOT to the team and seems to be fitting in well off the field and increasingly well on it. He looked like much more a part of the offense vs Chicago.
I can assure you he was at practice on Monday and Tuesday
In fact, I was convinced he would start the USOC match and probably sit the NE match. I don’t know much else more than that.
Read me at Sounder at Heart and Dreaming of Wigan
That's good to hear.
Maybe that was even the plan before his injury.
After thinking about this over my morning coffee, there is no way this should be a Ljungberg-esque ‘inury’ situation:
1) I’d bet his contract is guaranteed (at least to the end of the season). Why sit him if so?
2) He’s been affecting the team in very positive ways, despite not getting that first goal. Earning his keep, so to speak.
3) He couldn’t be traded at this point and no one else could be brought in. the rosters are set in MLS for the stretch run now. Since this is the case, why fake an injury?
I'm willing to be the thing we should be worried about
Is the severity of the injury, not whether or not he’s injured.
Read me at Sounder at Heart and Dreaming of Wigan
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 4, 2010 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions
I dunno... this all concerns me...
Hmmm. I personally think Nfuko has had significant, perhaps dramatic, positive influence on attack. He has been a pole of gravity that sucks a pool of defenders (well at least defender attention) which has opened space – especially for Montero. To wit: Sure I wish he’d have a goal or two but nonetheless I think he has been very (very) useful on the field.
What concerns me then is, well, what the heck is going on here. Jeremiah says he is practicing… I presume by that you are saying he appears healthy? OK… There certainly is no transfer brewing here (by rules I mean), right? So am I to conclude Sigi is frustrated with Blaise? Hmmm… my instinct is that what I want from Sigi here is a huge pat on the back and a “keep at it” comment of support. Getting frustrated with the guy, IMHO, is not appropriate or helpful but instead potentially “negative spiral” behavior.
That said In Sigi I Trust… I am not seeing The Big One every day in training… While I reserve the right to worry I will keep the faith!
Jeremiah – care to speculate on why Nufuke seemingly did not even appear at the USOC game (or was he in the press box)? I mean at least the swede showed (late) in support of the team. What gives?
I think he's probably hurt
I clearly remember him practicing on Monday, but I was interviewing Arlo on Tuesday so I wasn’t watching as closely and it’s possible he wasn’t out there. (I’m assuming he was because I think it would have been noted by others if he hadn’t been there.) He’s now listed on the injury report as having a knee contusion and I see no reason to not take that at face value.
Mainly, I see no reason to believe the Sounders are doing anything beyond being careful about using Blaise on the worst field in MLS. I haven’t see any signs of dissatisfaction with him by the coaches, and it would seem out of character for him to be playing the petulant superstar so quickly.
I have no inside information beyond my practice observations, so take this for what it’s worth, but I’m guessing the decision to keep him out of the USOC was based on the desire to give him some time off, or he may have been hurt during practice on Tuesday or early Wednesday. I actually was in the stands on Wednesday — that pressbox is tiny — and don’t know if Blaise was in the house or not.
Honestly, if we hadn’t just gone through the Ljungberg situation, I don’t think we’d be wondering about this.
Read me at Sounder at Heart and Dreaming of Wigan
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 4, 2010 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
This needs to be stated again
Honestly, if we hadn’t just gone through the Ljungberg situation, I don’t think we’d be wondering about this.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Sep 4, 2010 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Zak sitting was a "silly Ljundberg nerves moment" for me...
…as in ‘crud are we about to transfer zak?!?’ when he failed to travel to San Jose a few weeks back… only to realize I was just nervous after the whole Ljundberg incident…
…but this Nfuko thing isn’t so much about lingering Ljundberg thoughts for me – at least I don’t think so….
The comment about the field in NE is indeed a good reminder (and for me FAR more settling than the Ljundberg context reminder) – thanks for that one Jeremiah…
by Kevin Shields on Sep 4, 2010 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Excellent point.
Mainly, I see no reason to believe the Sounders are doing anything beyond being careful about using Blaise on the worst field in MLS.
A few players have complained about Gillette stadium that I’m aware of, including Angel, and Schellotto was held out of the CBus game there (at least he was last season). Good observation.
Whatever the case, it’s too bad because I thought Blaise was combining with the rest of the team better in the Chi game than he had in any previous match. Well, let’s hope that Jaqua continues his USOC hot streak, I guess.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
