My girlfriend watched the game and she noticed that Perkins was really good at jumping at high balls near the top of the goal. Was he a mistake to give up? Montreal improves to 2-0-0.
I don't think there is much that separates the two. I personally like Perkins more, but it is hard to tell who is better. The trade is still confusing to me though.
Perkins is more sure handed, while Ricketts is bigger and more athletic (although slow now in his old age) Both leave a lot to be desired with their distribution. Perkins trade is a hard one to swallow because he "got it" when it came to playing here. And how he was treated on the way out the door. Neither really fit this system (The high back line means the keeper is out further too) With Ricketts' indecisiveness at times, and Perkins' Tendency to get beat from deep, both would struggle here now IMO. That said Ricketts did just as well as Perkins on saturday IMO but one has a much MUCH better defense in front of them (hint, it isnt Rickets)
Last year I thought Ricketts might have been better but now I am not so sure. Ricketts just fumbles the ball a lot... those are going to result in goals... like in the first game when Silvestre doinked it back to him and fumbled it off the to side and the Redbulls scored. BTW... on that play Ricketts shouldn't have been able to touch the ball with his hands correct? It was a deliberate back pass to Ricketts who *tried* to pick it up. The call should have been indirect free kick (or in this case penalty kick) or am I missing something?
NYRB scoring on that play was the best result. It should have been a red card and a pk. But, the blame isn't all on him really. That was a horrible back pass. I've only seen that 1st half though, so I can't really comment on his overall play. But the 45 minutes I saw (even w/o that play) wasn't very good.
Silvestre look really really rusty that first game, and that back pass was just part of it, but if Ricketts would not have compounded the mistake and booted it off to the side... who knows. And as for the official just letting the goal count instead of calling what he should have... very perplexing also.
I thought the trade was more about clearing salary. Doesn't Perkins make much more than Ricketts? Anyone have their salary figures? Where is storyteller for the MLS? I think Perkins is much better and accepted the trade as a salary issue. If that was just a straight up trade, the Timbers lost out on that trade, IMO.
Ricketts makes more than Perkins. I assumed this would be Rickett's last year at this salary and he would be willing to take less after the contract, and more of a "mentor" role for Gleeson and now Kocic. Perkins on the other hand is more in his prime as a Keeper, so was assumed he would make too much on 2nd contract. So salary issue, probably, but not for a year and a half down the road (from time of the trade)
here are last years salaries. Its about a $75K difference in Ricketts and Perkins. Perkins - $190k Base and $201.8K Guaranteed Ricketts - $250K Base, and $275K Guaranteed http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/May 15, 2012 Salary Information - By Club.pdf
Handling the ball on a back pass is actually a free kick, and not a penalty. It's quite rare but this would have been the result if the ref would have called it: [video=youtube;1Y4-_oebQxc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4-_oebQxc[/video] In the comments it is noted that since 10 meters wasn't possible the defensive players should have been on the goal line. I'm not sure if it had to be indirect or could have been a direct FK though.
I was all set to say you're wrong, but then looked it up. I played goalie competitively through HS and never knew that! I always assumed it'd be deemed an intentional hand ball (since it is) and at least be given a yellow. In this case it would have stopped a goal scoring opportunity and would be a red. I guess I retract my earlier statement. Them scoring was NOT the best thing that could have happened. Scoring an indirect FK from a yard out with the wall on the line would have been near impossible.
