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Quite the finishing kick
After a couple of trials, the Dynamo knew they had a keeper in Jamaican Lovel Palmer, who doesn’t shy away from shooting
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Thomas B. Shea For the Chronicle
It took Lovel Palmer, left, a while to get here, but once he did, the midfielder got involed quickly, including challenging one of the league's best players, Landon Donovan.
Lovel Palmer could hear Dynamo teammate Brad Davis' encouragement loudly and clearly last Saturday at Robertson Stadium. The Jamaican midfielder was about 35 yards away from the goal, and a Chivas USA defender was descending on him, but his teammate wasn't calling for the ball.
No, Davis was encouraging Palmer to unleash one of his rockets.
On a team that loves to work the ball out through the wings before crossing it into the 18-yard box, it would have surprised no one at Robertson Stadium had the Jamaican midfielder worked the ball out. But with Davis encouraging him to shoot, Palmer unleashed a missile into the right corner of the net for what is being called one of the top goals of the young MLS season.
“It made me feel good because I know they have confidence in me,” said Palmer, who is scheduled to make his second career MLS start tonight when the Dynamo face the Chicago Fire. “It makes me feel good knowing they have confidence in my shot.”
Palmer made an impression right away when he went on trial with the club during the Dynamo's stint in Orlando in late February. During that first one-week trial, he ripped a bullet while showcasing his long-range distance with a goal against FC Dallas on March 27.
That first trial earned him another trial in early March with the club training back in Houston. By then, it was clear coach Dominic Kinnear was sold on the 25-year-old Jamaican.
The Dynamo worked out a transfer deal with Palmer's Jamaican club, Harbour View, for whom he had played on the first team since he was 18.
“He seems very consistent at hitting the target right and left,” Kinnear said of Palmer, a holding midfielder. “He's gotten the trust of the guys that if he has a shot and takes it we're not going to berate him for it.”
Considering how impressive he is at finishing in practice, it was surprising to learn that he estimates that his shots have become even better since he joined the Dynamo.
Unlike the Dynamo, Palmer estimates that Harbour View rarely practiced specifically on finishing. For that reason, he credits Kinnear for helping him improve his shooting touch since officially joining the Dynamo less than a month ago.
“Three times a week, we do finishing here,” Palmer said. “They have me practice it here, but I didn't practice it as much before.”
Visa snafu
Although his rights were acquired on March 19, his re-entry into the country was delayed as he waited for his P-1 visa, which caused him to miss the Dynamo's season opener. He finally got his paperwork on March 31, and he was on an afternoon flight out of Kingston, Jamaica, that afternoon to New York.
When he finally landed in Houston at 8 a.m. April 1, his luggage had been misplaced, causing him further delay before he was able to check in to his hotel at around 10 a.m. for a brief rest before joining the team that evening for the home opener.
Perhaps appropriately, Palmer made his MLS debut that night in the 89th minute as a sub for Davis. Nine days later, Palmer was rushed into action much sooner after Richard Mulrooney hurt his right knee.
He was one of the bright spots in a sloppy 2-0 loss to the L.A. Galaxy that April 10 evening, and he was even better on Saturday against Chivas USA.
“I'm professional and I try to settle in as best as possible,” he said. “After two weeks in preseason and trials, they made me feel at home from the first moment. I have to give thanks to them, and I could not have done it without them.
“Coach Dom, he saw something when he brought me here. He has the confidence in me. I thought it would take more time. But unfortunately, Richie got injured and I feel bad for it because he's an excellent player and I learned a lot from him. But I got the nod and am just trying to do what I can do.”
Opportunity awaits
Mulrooney is at least a few weeks away from being ready. Kinnear acknowledged that the club will take it monitor Mulrooney closely because the injury is an aggravation of the knee problem that cost the veteran most of last season.
“We're going slow with Richard because it's a re-aggravation of the area that he had operated on before,” Kinnear said.
In the meantime, Palmer is settling in to Mulrooney's spot.
“He's got a good engine,” Geoff Cameron said of Palmer. “He's calm on the ball. He's relaxed, and he puts himself in good positions. And, obviously, he's got a good strike. He's really calm under pressure.”
After a couple of trials, the Dynamo knew they had a keeper in Jamaican Lovel Palmer, who doesn’t shy away from shooting
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Thomas B. Shea For the Chronicle
It took Lovel Palmer, left, a while to get here, but once he did, the midfielder got involed quickly, including challenging one of the league's best players, Landon Donovan.
Lovel Palmer could hear Dynamo teammate Brad Davis' encouragement loudly and clearly last Saturday at Robertson Stadium. The Jamaican midfielder was about 35 yards away from the goal, and a Chivas USA defender was descending on him, but his teammate wasn't calling for the ball.
No, Davis was encouraging Palmer to unleash one of his rockets.
On a team that loves to work the ball out through the wings before crossing it into the 18-yard box, it would have surprised no one at Robertson Stadium had the Jamaican midfielder worked the ball out. But with Davis encouraging him to shoot, Palmer unleashed a missile into the right corner of the net for what is being called one of the top goals of the young MLS season.
“It made me feel good because I know they have confidence in me,” said Palmer, who is scheduled to make his second career MLS start tonight when the Dynamo face the Chicago Fire. “It makes me feel good knowing they have confidence in my shot.”
Palmer made an impression right away when he went on trial with the club during the Dynamo's stint in Orlando in late February. During that first one-week trial, he ripped a bullet while showcasing his long-range distance with a goal against FC Dallas on March 27.
That first trial earned him another trial in early March with the club training back in Houston. By then, it was clear coach Dominic Kinnear was sold on the 25-year-old Jamaican.
The Dynamo worked out a transfer deal with Palmer's Jamaican club, Harbour View, for whom he had played on the first team since he was 18.
“He seems very consistent at hitting the target right and left,” Kinnear said of Palmer, a holding midfielder. “He's gotten the trust of the guys that if he has a shot and takes it we're not going to berate him for it.”
Considering how impressive he is at finishing in practice, it was surprising to learn that he estimates that his shots have become even better since he joined the Dynamo.
Unlike the Dynamo, Palmer estimates that Harbour View rarely practiced specifically on finishing. For that reason, he credits Kinnear for helping him improve his shooting touch since officially joining the Dynamo less than a month ago.
“Three times a week, we do finishing here,” Palmer said. “They have me practice it here, but I didn't practice it as much before.”
Visa snafu
Although his rights were acquired on March 19, his re-entry into the country was delayed as he waited for his P-1 visa, which caused him to miss the Dynamo's season opener. He finally got his paperwork on March 31, and he was on an afternoon flight out of Kingston, Jamaica, that afternoon to New York.
When he finally landed in Houston at 8 a.m. April 1, his luggage had been misplaced, causing him further delay before he was able to check in to his hotel at around 10 a.m. for a brief rest before joining the team that evening for the home opener.
Perhaps appropriately, Palmer made his MLS debut that night in the 89th minute as a sub for Davis. Nine days later, Palmer was rushed into action much sooner after Richard Mulrooney hurt his right knee.
He was one of the bright spots in a sloppy 2-0 loss to the L.A. Galaxy that April 10 evening, and he was even better on Saturday against Chivas USA.
“I'm professional and I try to settle in as best as possible,” he said. “After two weeks in preseason and trials, they made me feel at home from the first moment. I have to give thanks to them, and I could not have done it without them.
“Coach Dom, he saw something when he brought me here. He has the confidence in me. I thought it would take more time. But unfortunately, Richie got injured and I feel bad for it because he's an excellent player and I learned a lot from him. But I got the nod and am just trying to do what I can do.”
Opportunity awaits
Mulrooney is at least a few weeks away from being ready. Kinnear acknowledged that the club will take it monitor Mulrooney closely because the injury is an aggravation of the knee problem that cost the veteran most of last season.
“We're going slow with Richard because it's a re-aggravation of the area that he had operated on before,” Kinnear said.
In the meantime, Palmer is settling in to Mulrooney's spot.
“He's got a good engine,” Geoff Cameron said of Palmer. “He's calm on the ball. He's relaxed, and he puts himself in good positions. And, obviously, he's got a good strike. He's really calm under pressure.”
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