Well, the Dynamo come to town and you'd like to think the Revs (1-3-1) would like some revenge in this one. Houston is 2-2, having won their first two and lost their last two. They've scored 7 goals (4 against us, 3 in the other three games), giving up 6. Revs have given up 8 goals in 5 games, while scoring a whopping 2. You really don't want to start falling too far behind anyone this early in the season, as a Houston win would put them 5 up on us with a game in hand. Long range forecast has showers with a high of 64. For those that are coming out to tailgate, stop by the Riders tailgate. We're having a chili cook-off!
Except for adding Rowe or Alston, I don't see how the team is going to get better from the one that played against DC. Hopefully I'm wrong. Also, is it Woodbine time yet?
I think they have all the pieces in place right now to be one of those teams that can threaten anybody and end up making the playoffs, but they just don't have those final pieces to truly make them a great team. Basically what i'm saying is I do think this team is much better than the one that played DC, but Heaps needs to figure something out. I think he needs to start in the back, with Knighton in goal, maybe Woodbine in with Farrell pushing AJ to the bench. Then he needs to figure something out up top because the the lone teal simply is not going to get us results.
Agree. Our basic roster as it stands is adequate to be a mid table team in the East this year but if we are going to do anything more than muddle through the season we need to add some scoring bite and/or change up the formation. Hopefully we will hear of one or two high end signings shortly I'm soooo ready to sit Bobby Shuttleworth--he can make some great stops but can also flub a simple cross. I don't have enough info about Woodbine but I sure do think this is a different team when Rowe is on the field
Pedantic point, but I don't think the problems start in the back. I'm not a huge fan of Shuttleworth, but he's allowed 1 bad goal, late in a game they were already losing, and since the first game of the season, they've allowed only 3 opponents to score in 4 games, with another own goal coming from one of our best players. I too would like to see Knighton start, as well as see ABT start (Anyone But Tierney), I'm merely talking about my hierarchy of issues. In terms of issues ahead of Shuttleworth, I'd put finding someone threatening to play up front, getting Diego out of his funk, getting something consistent out of Sene besides frowny faces, and I'd much rather have AJ than Tierney on the field if it's a choice between those 2 in the back. Plus, seeing as the outside backs are pushing forward, I'm not sure if anyone can do as much as Farrell can in that dept. More pedantry, referee people here would have to confirm, but I don't think coaches are shown red cards, they're just sent off with no card shown. What that means for suspensions, I don't know.
Who I'd start: Imbongo Bunbury-Kobayashi-Nguyen-Neumann Dorman Woodbine-Farrell-JoGo-Alston Knighton Who I think will start: Same freaking lineup as vs DCU
I'm not an official referee but you are correct, coaches are not 'red carded', they are just ejected. What happens after that is up to the league. Unless the coverage missed Jay getting physical with one of the referees I would be surprised if he was suspended for this one but anything is possible since we didn't actually see/hear what happened.
The only guy who can play target forward is Imbongo, so if we're doing 4-1-4-1, he needs to be up top. If we change to a 4-4-2 Bengston and Bunbury. If we truly try to attack out of the 4-1-4-1, it really becomes a 4-3-3 that Bunbury is comfortable playing in. I'd also say that our outside backs are actually a significant problem on offense. Whats happening now is that teams are allowing the backs to cross, which Farrell either hits to top of the 18 and gets cleared or Tierney will hit a cross directly to the keeper. This has a trickle down effect because 1)nobody bothers trying to make a good run to get on a cross because they have zero confidence it will be a good one and 2)the defense allows the outside backs so much room and basically invite the cross. If the defense was trying to cut out the crosses, they would be more vulnerable to a give and go or leave more space in behind on the outside for the forwards to run into.
Inside MLS @InsideMLS 19m New England coach Jay Heaps confirmed he will miss Saturday's match with Houston through suspension. He was sent off in stoppage time v. DC.
Back in 1997 or 98 Thomas Rongen was suspended for a game. He was sitting in the pressbox for the next one. I also seem to remember Stevie Nicol also in the press box at Seattle, pumping his fist at the game winning goal a few years ago and yelling something that the lip-readers said sounded like "Greet! Fockin Greet!" I don't remember exactly why those coaches were suspended, but what else can it be other than arguing a call a little too strongly?
And a potential replacement, Eric Brunner, just had ankle surgery. I'm okay with Heaps getting a game suspension (since it was off-camera and I haven't heard any explanation, I'll assume it was deserved), but Davies yellow card should be rescinded. That "simulating" call should only be used when a ref is %100 sure and he couldn't have been there, because he missed the foul. Reputations shouldn't be entering into the play - a foul is a foul, simulation is simulation, regardless of who does it. He was clipped on the foot - either its a play on or a foul.
Ha ha! Speaking of Mariner, does anyone have the details on why they removed Jeff Causey? I know he was a bit like a wet dish towel, but I thought he was a spot on analyst. I didn't like him at first -as, of course he came off dull- but I came to really appreciate his commentary and insight.
Probably because he was terrible to listen to. Honestly, he might have had lots of great points, but I couldn't tell you any of them because every time he spoke it practically put me to sleep. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all, but... Mariner is infinitely better suited for the job.
I totally hear you but Mariner -I feel- blows too much sunshine and if he says "Fantastic!" one more time, I'm jumping off the cliff.
I want to see Ray Hudson in the booth for the comedy alone. "Thu laads, they gut haaaarts thu sayze of peggs! Lake a greet beg pegg!" Not an ounce of objective analysis at all, but definitely entertaining.
Brad Davis rolled his ankle last week and is still questionable for this weekend. Revs would catch a huge break if he's held out.