They didn't really scream it. I mean, can you scream through a forum. How do you know how they actually said it?
I will put it like this. It does not matter to me if Saprissa is playing with our "A" team of "D" team, when we play at home, it is expected and mandatory to win in our house. NO ONE should ever come to your house thinking they will get a result. You have different standards then I do and I respect, though.
And... they can't connect. End of match: Saprissa 2 - RSL 1 I'm heading home, but I'll give my post match report in 30. Thanks for the rep everyone. Cheers!
FT Real Salt Lake 1-2 Deportivo Saprissa We beat a team 2nd in their league in their season form and playing at home while we were at preseason. Good game, good night.
I'm really going to miss having you around the board, what with all of your holier-than-thou crap popping back up every now and again.
You can't tell me that I didn't earn at least that when I only wanted to know if there was a link to the game and I got hit with the ruddest and most disrespectful responses around. I only bite when someone pulls my tail. Ask anyone that knows me.
BTW I just got negged rep because I put "GOL!" instead of "GOOOOL!!!". NVM, to be honest, I probably deserved that. Usually I am impartial and even scream the opponents goals even though it might hurt. Pachuca's goal in San Jose left me frozen. On this day, I thought RSL was on their way to a DC United sort of comeback and it kinda pissed me off that we didn't get our clean sheet.
I can. I read the PBP - here on our board, where believe it or not we typically pull hard for our team - and it was not rude to you. Folks were rude in the thread I closed yesterday, but the tone in this PBP has not merited the slams on us. Time to go to the CR board methinks, where you can slam RSL and the fans on our board all you want. And praise Saprissa (which is a good side and well worth your support) with all that you are.
Well, what's done is done. Good luck to RSL. I don't believe on holding grudges and I hope you feel the same way. Hopefully, we can get another rematch next year as you guys seem on route towards the Supporter Shield's runner-up. That is enough to guarantee a place in next year's CCL (if it is still around).
OKAY - home from the match and here's my point of view: Despite what our dear Saprissa1990 thinks, I really don't feel like Saprissa was the better team out there tonight. RSL dominated the match when they had Olave in along with Beckerman, Findley, and Deuchar. Saprissa's first team appeared to be mildly uncreative and couldn't really handle Beckerman's speed or skill - and Olave wasn't troubled by their offense. I honestly felt that if RSL had started their normal squad and treated this like a regular match, they would have won. This isn't blind fan optimism - it's just fair football critique. I will be the first to admit that even if RSL had started their regulars against Santos we would have lost. They were that much better. Saprissa? Eh.... I think this goes to show just how important Olave is, as well as just how badly Deuchar and Findley need to find that finishing touch. Our next acquisition will probably be an attacking player of some sort, though I was optimistic to see Espindola out there, even if it was for only 15 minutes (his control and touch on the ball is bar-none the best on the team along with Morales). So, there you have it. Saprissa was nothing spectacular - got two crap goals based off of bad communication on the back line, and then we deserved the one goal we got. Done and done!
All right, I'll take the troll's bait. Congratulations, you did beat us tonight, but you can't really say that the team you beat is the same one that is among the leaders in MLS. Tonight Coach Kreis experimented with radically different formations, and completely reshuffled lineups - in short, at no point did you go up against our starting 11. It also sounds like you benefited from a great deal of RSL bad luck (Findley and Deuchar in particular just couldn't catch a break - story of the season for Dr. D). That's fine, that's soccer, whatever. As much as I wish we would be more competitive in these matches, the fact of the matter is that these games come at inconvenient times for us, especially as we find ourselves in the thick of a playoff race in a highly competitive conference. I wish it weren't so, but RSL really can't be blamed for not giving 100% in a mid-season exhibition match. The main thing that I am disappointed in is what sounded like some very poor sportsmanship on the pitch. There is just no excuse for any violent conduct in a so-called "friendly."
That's right. It is inconvinient, isn't it? So now you know how we feel when we are trying to play both the CCC and our league's final phase at the same time. The same goes for the Mexican teams. Shit, I wished that our league was in your time period to enter fresh and without injuries international tournaments. As for the sportsmanship, I agree with you on that. I don't really know what happened but Badilla tends to get a bit out of control. Today he was a bit stupid in getting that red card when we had like 10 minutes left, winning, and having our season starting this Sunday.
When is RSL going to realize Mantilla is the worst player in MLS. He is the most clueless defender I have ever seen. The two times he has entered games we have immediately given up 2 goals (Dallas 2 goals in 12 minutes, Saprissa 2 immediate goals upon him entering). Get rid of Mantilla and find someone who can play. There is no reason to keep him. Just awful.
Actually, Mantilla played the full 90 tonight (was I not clear.. my bad if I typed something different) and I think calling him the worst player in the MLS is a massive stretch. HOWEVER, I am willing to agree with you that both goals against Saprissa were in large part due to him - and to a lesser extent Reynish & the red-headed stepchild: Cutler. When Olave was in during the first half, Mantilla was playing left-center - but when Borchers entered, he switched to right-center and was exploited at ever turn.
I understand this game was a friendly match but why did RSL fall apart in the 2nd half? They should have let the reserves start and put the senior roster in the 2nd half.
Perspective: Did you know that RSL beat Everton 2-0 last year? Yes, that is the Premiership team which finished fifth! Wow! RSL must of been a better team back then because they won that friendly. It is hard to get worked up over this. If the MLS would allow teams to have a properly sized team, then I think that a friendly like this will have get a bit more emphasis. I was surprised not to see Clint on the field again.
I think it was obvious to anyone who watched that our "A" team would have beaten this team at least 2-0. So I'm quite unimpressed with this team that "has never lost to an MLS team in cup play" or whatever the nonsensical bravado was.
CCC and a friendly with you = not the same thing. I disagree with this. If anything, I think you let the first team start. They've earned it, and they're who the fans are most interested in seeing. Really, I'm not too upset with the lineups last night. The first was our strongest, and we were clearly the aggressor when they were on the field - and RSL was unlucky not to score several times in the first half.
What if Saprissa had played without the reserves, maybe the goal difference would have been more. RSL used reserves, we used reserves. O and remember, a game is won by which ever team scores more goals, not by the team who dominated the game. RSL may have dominated, but still lost.
I thought overall last night RSL was the better team, but we did lose. No one can argue that. If what we saw was the best from Saprissa then in "real" match with our full normal starting squad we probably win 7 out of 10. BUT, Saprissa is in pre season form and we are mid season (like Everton last year) so comparisons pretty much go out the window. It was a friendly match and as such we can't take a lot out of it with regards to comparing one team to the other. But (again), we can look at individual players and Olave is a monster and he makes one forget my beloved Eddie Pope fairly easily. Some of the others played well too. While others looked out if place, like they have EVERY time they have taken the field. Hopefully we can continue to play well where it matters and have the chance next year to play Saprissa or others when it really matters.....