QtrFinal2: Sounders @ RSL

Discussion in 'Seattle Sounders FC' started by Yoshou, Nov 5, 2012.

  1. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who: Seattle Sounders vs Real Salt Lake
    Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT
    When: 7:00 PM, Thursday, 11/8
    Watch: NBCSN, KONG 6/16, ROOT Sports
    Listen: 97.3 KIRO FM

    Well, I think this game is on KONG, the Sounders site doesn't have any media listed for the game, but KONG lists it on their channel line-up, so I'm going with KONG. I also checked Root and they didn't the game listed on their site, so sucks to live outside the Seattle TV market, I guess. *grumble*

    On to the game... The Sounders have dug themselves another hole going into the final game of the series after failing to score a goal in the home leg. On the good news front, at least we didn't lose the game, so all we have to do is go into Sandy and win... Totally doable, right? The Sounders have a 1W-2D-2L record in Sandy, so we've done it before. The good news is that the only reason we didn't score a goal was Rimando putting in one of the best performances in his already stellar MLS career. Hopefully he won't have a repeat of that performance on Thursday. Additionally, the Sounders were without their lead goal scorer, Eddie Johnson, and he will hopefully be ready to go on Thursday. That should make the Sounders attack a lot more potent than it was on Friday.

    In RSL's case, they'll be at home, where they 11W-1D-4L record, but it has been 4 games (all competitions) since they last scored a goal and they have a history of failing to closing the deal at home. They've never won a series when they've been the top seed, failed to defeat Monterrey in the 2011 CCL finals after getting a 2-2 draw in Monterrey, and laid down a goose egg two weeks ago against Herediano when they needed a win to advance to the CCL group stage. However, for all their offensive woes in the last 4 games, they've also held their opponents to zero goals in those four games.

    If this game does end in a draw after 120 minutes, this could get very scary for the Sounders. Rimando is a beast in penalty shootouts and seems to have an uncanny ability to predict which direction the ball is going and stopping the ball. Couple that with the Sounders... Shall we say.. Sucking gigantic donkey balls in penalty shootouts, this game going to a draw definitely gives RSL the advantage.

    I am certainly expecting this to be a close game and whichever team scores first is nearly guaranteed a win. Hopefully the Sounders come out hot and pepper Rimando with shots and are able to get one past them before RSL does the same with Gspurning. This is a winner take all game, there is no reason to leave anything on the field and, hopefully, the team goes in with that attitude.
     
  2. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anything less than the ideal Starting X (no Gonzo again), is going to be disappointing. Hell, I'd love it if we had the ideal Starting XI, but I haven't heard any good news about Gonzalez, so I'm predicting he's out again. The good news is that I don't think Burch had a horrible game in Gonzalez's stead, so there is hope! So, for the final Quarterfinal match where, hopefully, the Sounders advance for the first time in their four season MLS history, Yoshou's Guaranteed to be Wrong Predicted line-up is:

    ------- Johnson ---------- Montero -------
    Evans-------Tiffert/Alonso-------Rosales
    Burch-------Parke/Hurtado------Johansson
    -----------------Gspurning-----------------
     
  3. Neemtree

    Neemtree Member

    Jan 11, 2003
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Any word on Rosales ? Last I heard Sigi declared he was "Fine" with Eddie coming back this could be a decent game for us. On the RSL side I know Rimando has a broken nose but will probably play Olave looked creaky out there when he came in if Eddie can run from wide I think he can beat either Olave or Borchers to the spot. The only problem here is if Rosales can't go Eddie is not going to get the service he needs those two have a great understanding and we'll need both on the field to win IMHO.
     
  4. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    While the offense won't be as potent without Rosales, Tiffert has a pretty good service. As long as he doesn't have a repeat performance of Friday, Tiffert could do an admirable job of covering for Rosales... And, who knows, maybe we'd actually see Super Mario on the field as a starter. *snicker*
     
  5. edwardgr

    edwardgr Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 6, 2006
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What the hell is up with keepers having the game of their lives against us at precisely the wrong time?

    Thursday something has to give, the Sounders will finally advance, or RSL will finally win a series as the top seed. I just pray it does not go to penalties, and I am not a praying man.
     
  6. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do you burst into flames like I do? :) Very dangerous if you're a Sounders fan.. Much like there are no atheists in foxholes, I'm sure there are no atheists during PKs.
     
    Sabra, Sounders78 and edwardgr repped this.
  7. Neemtree

    Neemtree Member

    Jan 11, 2003
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I agree Tiffert has great delivery but I don't think he has the same sort of relationship that Eddie and Rosales have. I think anything less than our ideal starting offense and I'm going to have a hard time envisioning a win. I also think that if Rosales is down they should go with Mario out wide the other option it pushing Tiffert to the wing and bringing in Rose and I like what Mario brings to the table offensively versus Rose.
     
  8. Seaball

    Seaball Member+

    Oct 12, 2008
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    well at least we haven't put ourselves in an all but impossible hole this time around.
     
  9. JoeCelt

    JoeCelt Member+

    Jul 7, 2012
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    Game is listed also on ESPN2 @today Seattle Times?!

    Friday night I left the stadium with feeling that this is not last game for Sounders CLink this year! ;)
    RSL are struggling to score against us also! I feel optimistic about advancing to WC Finals! :)
     
  10. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Really? Hmm.. I wouldn't be surprised if it is on ESPN2, but WTF do I know. The Sounders and MLS websites weren't helpful. Heh.

    Heh. I'd much rather be the away team struggling to score a goal in the first leg than the home team.. The hole certainly isn't as big as we dug last year, but Rio Tinto is a real bitch to get a win in.. It might not be a crater like last year, but it's at least a ditch. ;)
     
  11. Vander Decken IX

    Feb 13, 2011
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    That's how good BigG is. His aura not only makes our defenders look good, but also the opposing keeper.
     
  12. edwardgr

    edwardgr Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 6, 2006
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It predates big G though. For instance see Perk, Brian
     
  13. edwardgr

    edwardgr Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 6, 2006
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nah I am more agnostic than atheistic.
     
  14. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    See Keller, Kasey vis a vis "The Keller Effect". Perhaps the only GK effect stronger than the Gspurnator Effect.
     
    edwardgr repped this.
  15. FuzzyForeigner

    Oct 29, 2003
    WA
    Club:
    Seattle
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    not just a big game, THE game. our boys need to step to the plate.
     
  16. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Sounders have updated the Matchday for this game with the TV and radio information. I have updated the first post accordingly.

     
  17. PassionOfTheFoot

    Feb 12, 2002
    Incheon, South Korea
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Rumor has it that for all traveling Sounder fans to get into Rio Tinto, they must have ready a 5 page typed apology (but it's double-spaced so that helps) for the RSL FO concerning the booing that took place on that fateful night. If approved by the FO, it can only be finalized by Rimando himself. May God help you all.
     
  18. Cethe

    Cethe Member

    Apr 26, 2011
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I pray to anything that will listen during PKs


    and mauro is officially "questionable" for thursday.
    seriously, can we catch one f#cking break in the postseason?
     
    FuzzyForeigner and edwardgr repped this.
  19. JoeCelt

    JoeCelt Member+

    Jul 7, 2012
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    Mario for Mauro!
     
  20. JoeCelt

    JoeCelt Member+

    Jul 7, 2012
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina


     
    Yoshou repped this.
  21. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My post in the other thread got removed for my obvious RSL bias, so I'll try to keep this one more moderate (how fitting for today).

    The XI you'll likely see from RSL in this one is as follows:
    [​IMG]
    A few notes/possible changes
    1. Espindola, who left the 1st leg at half, is questionable for this game. Right now I'd call him a game-time decision. Kreis will push him if he is close to good to go. He is the only guy to get on the score sheet in the 4 games we've played, so RSL hopes he is on the pitch - obviously.
    2. The midfield is a guarantee. Unless one of those guys picks up a knock in the few remaining training sessions, that will be our midfield. Translation - our midfield is slow as tar.
    3. The CB position next to Borchers is a giant question mark. Borchers is questionable, himself, but he always seems to get just healthy enough to play, so count on him. That other one, though, seems to be a battle of who is the least injured (not most healthy). Watson-Siriboe had a hell of a game up at your place in the first leg, so he'll likely get the nod
    4. The one thing that back 4 will be susceptible to, though, is speed. None of those guys is known to be able to just flat out run. So having Johnson back, for you guys, couldn't come at a better/worse (POV) time.
    5. Rimando does demand an apology ;)
    All in all, this game looks destined to end in a draw and eventually go to pk's. I don't think my heart could handle that, so I might just say ******** it and leave once we get there (totally kidding). May the best team win and beat whatever team advances from that LA/SJ series.
     
    Sabra repped this.
  22. Cethe

    Cethe Member

    Apr 26, 2011
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeah, i'm pretty optimistic of our chances. but i'm afraid it will go to PKs and i don't like that much
     
  23. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If we do go to PKs, I want EJ shooting second. Heh. That way he doesn't have the pressure of being the first shot, or of being the second shot. That PK in KC was horrible.
     
  24. JoeCelt

    JoeCelt Member+

    Jul 7, 2012
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    15 to 32 repped this.
  25. JoeCelt

    JoeCelt Member+

    Jul 7, 2012
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina

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