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Bob Weiser started playing soccer as a youth and has been following the sport ever since, dating back to days of watching the Bundesliga on PBS on Saturday afternoons.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Goalkeeping woes cured

I was vocal all year long that I thought Chris Seitz was costing the Union games and Peter Nowak finally got around to benching him to play Brad Knighton regularly. I just wish Nowak had pulled an Andy Reid and made this decision two games into the season - the Union could be headed to the playoffs if he had.

One play in Saturday's game against Chivas USA proves my point: It was early, maybe 20 minutes in, and the game was still scoreless. Chivas played a long ball to an open attacker on the left wing. The ball was about 20 yards out from goal and Knighton made a decisive move to come out, slide and try to beat the forward to the ball. He got there about a second ahead of the Chivas player and the scoring attempt was thwarted.

Had Chris Seitz been in goal, he probably would have come out to the 18, then tried to backpedal a bit and watched the forward chip it over his head for a 1-0 lead. His indecisiveness would have cost the Union a goal and may have completely changed the outcome of the game.

Instead, Knighton made the play - and a couple of others - and the Union had another shutout. Knighton has started the last three games and the Union is 2-1. He's given up one goal and posted two shutouts.

Hopefully, he's earned the starting gig for 2011.

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