What did our beloved Claret and Cobalt do the evening of March, 10th? They did what they trained for. They did what they most wanted. They did what they are capable of. They “came to score” (The Aggrolites).
—El Güero,
Under the Crossbar Player of the Month, July 2011: Ned Grabavoy
Under the Crossbar Player of the Month, July 2011: Ned Grabavoy
Monday, August 1, 2011
July was certainly not the worst month in the history of Real Salt Lake, but it’s one that saw our mercurial side come out once again. We started with perceived injustice in a 3-3 draw against New England — and ended with a miserable performance and a 2-0 loss to Columbus Crew. The theme of injustice is becoming a big one this season, and this month serves as a macrocosm of the theme. From the Vancouver rescheduling and the Saborio dive to the Nat Borchers red card and the Olave injury, July has been spotted with controversy.
Several players were in contention for the “coveted” (yeah, I’m sure...) Under the Crossbar Player of the Month award, but Ned Grabavoy edged the rest out — and only by a thin margin. Grabavoy is not a glamour player, and he rarely puts through the killer final ball or smashes in a goal. He’s a different sort of player than those who would typically be named player of the month.
He’s short, darty and not a striker; he’s not going to be found making a vital save or tapping in the final ball to send the side through to penalties. But he will be found, every single match, giving every last bit of energy he has, chasing down every single ball in his range and laying off simple passes when others might over-complicate matters. When we dropped our collective heads — as fans and as a club — Ned’s has stayed up, and his feisty approach has been incredible for our system.
We play as a side that relies on possession to craft out chances, and we need somebody like Mr. Grabavoy to make sure we win that possession back quickly. By winning the ball back in the midfield or higher, it frees up our defenders to concentrate on protecting from long balls and it frees up our forwards to make off-the-ball runs and open up for scoring opportunities. When Grabavoy wins the ball back quickly and lays it off quickly, the side ticks. When he plays well, the side — barring errors at the back — plays well.
He’s no game-changer, but he’s as essential as any to the side. July has been a month where Ned Grabavoy’s influence has shone through more than usual. With the partnership he and Will Johnson have been striking up, and with Kyle Beckerman serving as the anchor, our midfield triumvirate is looking as strong as it ever has.
Honorable Mention: Luis Gil has been coming on leaps and bounds — he’s really starting to look a treat for the side. All eyes will be watching him for the rest of the season as he looks to make a lasting impact on our title chances.
