This isn't the same team that played the season. Schuler alone makes a huge difference and the effort/fight belief are distinct. Clearly we're hitting a gear that will lead to a wretched crash and an embratsu fueled fireball and shit storm of epic proportions.
G.D, now just hold on a minute. So what you are saying is that we get no karma points for the 7+ minutes of stoppage time we had to endure earlier in the year because our full allotment of starters (including Schuler, Beckerman, Rimando, Sabo and Beltran) didn't get to experience a full on KC facial the first time around? So, what you're saying is that we are going to lose by 1 point for each starter that didn't take part in the first match? At least that's what I think you're saying.
That fact that RSL appears to play better when Sabo is in the lineup, does not mean that it is Sabo's fault or he is not a good player. It just seems to happen, though I can't back that up statistically. However, as the immortal Crash Davis said, "Never f@$& with a winning streak". Which means JK will change everything up, and we will suffer a devastating 0-1 loss circa USOC. EMBRATSU my friends! It is our duty.
Fiorella's Jack Stack = the best smoked prime rib I've ever had. Just fantastic! However, I can't believe you left Ollie Gates' (Gates and Sons?) restaurant off the list. A different style and a world apart from Fiorella's, but delicious just the same.
Has anyone heard if RSL is sponsoring a plane trip/game package for this one? Wound up taking the group bus to Seattle in '09, but I'm not up for that long of a drive.
The team was doing great with Sabo in the lineup as well. Honestly if the stats were to prove anything, it'd likely be that when the midfield actually attacks, we wind up with better results. When you look at games we've dominated, it's usually due to the midfield getting in the attack and getting quality shots in. Look at this last game. Findley scores off of a rebound due to a shot from a midfielder at the top of the box. Having a guy like Sabo helps in that regard, because he's got the best conversion rate on his shots in the team. He'd in prime position to get those garbage rebound goals. The key to the match will likely be how well the midfield gets into the attack, more than who is starting up top. Be fluid. Don't force the game through any one player. Get everyone involved and I'll feel much better about getting a result. You say Sabo sucked all year, but in 16 games played, he had 12 goals and 2 assists. He's racking up .8 goals per 90 minutes. Sandoval on the other hand had played in 17 games, and scored 3 goals 0 assists. 3. goals per 90 minutes. There's just no comparison between the two. If the TEAM plays in the same way regardless of who is in, then you'd be making the safer bet that Sabo will score before Sandoval. Sabo has an aerial presence that Sandoval just doesn't match up to, making him good for set piece offense and defense. I will give Sandoval credit, in that he's good with the ball at his feet, and his short passing isn't too bad either. If we continue with Findley/Sandoval, I'd be ok with it. But to act like we're some terrible team with Sabo in the lineup is pretty far out there. You could easily make the same argument that Velasquez should start over Ned as well. Ned was injured and Velasquez did a good enough job to keep starting. We saw Ned starting in Portland, and he was good out there, despite missing games from injury.
Jason Kreis said young players only have so much in the tank they can give you. I like the idea of going with guys who have experience and have good form as well. Start Sabo and Ned and if we need that spark off the bench then we have a bunch to choose from. Sandoval,Plata,Seba and Garcia.
Stuff embratsu. We want a win we want it now. Tomorrow matters very little more than yesterday and yesterday is gone. Soccer gods - i nutmeg you to score
[quote="DrownedElf, If we continue with Findley/Sandoval, I'd be ok with it. But to act like we're some terrible team with Sabo in the lineup is pretty far out there. You could easily make the same argument that Velasquez should start over Ned as well. Ned was injured and Velasquez did a good enough job to keep starting.[/quote] Yep
But the team doesn't play the same way regardless of who is up top. You are right that Sabo scores way more than Sandoval. There is no denying that. But that is the whole reason that I look at how well the team scores when a particular player is playing, not how much that player is scoring. In my mind it doesn't matter how the ball gets in the back of the net as long as it is getting there. The stats show that when Sandoval plays, RSL scores more than when Sabo plays. Is Big Dev the one scoring the goals? Not necessarily. But if he is doing the little things to help one of his teammates score then who cares if he is not the one actually scoring? Am I saying that I don't think Sabo should start? Not necessarily. I think the most important piece of the puzzle is the combination of who will be starting up top. If you go with Sabo, you have to play him with Plata. You can't play him with Big Dev. That just won't work. And the pairing with Findley is horrible. I don't understand why but they just don't play well together. Here are some numbers for you (hey, it is what I do). When Sabo and Findley play together the team is scoring a goal every 86.3 minutes across all competitions. When Sabo plays without Findley, the team scores every 51.4 minutes. When Findley plays without Sabo, the team scores every 44.5 minutes. I don't know why they just don't work together. But those stats are hard to ignore.
It also seems like the last couple months Findley has really stepped it up. Not sure if it's the pairing, or just Findley finally showing he's worth what we're paying him. That's largely why I said if the team played like they did against Portland, Sabo *should* be the better choice up top, since he'd have better odds of putting some of those shots away. I think what bothers me the most is that when he's in, it feels like we're just getting the ball to Sabo, and hanging back waiting for him to score. I don't know if that's on the team, or if that's on Kreis' tactics when Sabo is in. Play like we did in the Portland series, and I would think Findley/Sabo would be just fine. With the way Ned immediately came back in once healthy, I don't picture it being any different if Sabo and Wingert are good to go on the 7th.
I need 2 tickets to this game like a fat kid needs a twinkie with missing work for the portland trip I can't be as plugged in, if anyone hear's anything, please let me know. Hell, if you buy 2 tickets for me I'll pay you back and then some. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!
How do those stats look when, instead of "across all competitions," we just look at league play? Or even games against MLS teams? Because I think Sandoval's stats may be distorted by the games against Atlanta, Charleston, and Carolina. RSL scored 11 goals in those games. And while you'd never know it from RSL's historical performance against them (including DCU), lower-division teams just aren't as good as the teams RSL plays in the MLS playoffs.
I've been told that the tickets will be available on 12/2 for STH first, and then they will go to the general public. Contact your STH rep for more info.
where are you hearing this? I keep seeing stuff on twiter that makes me think it'll happen today And those STH are 2014 STH's, right? Those of us that haven't renewed yet... well we need to get our shit together
Here are the stats only looking at MLS regular season games. -RSL scored a goal every 103.8 minutes when Findley and Sabo played together. -RSL scored every 52.9 when Findley played without Sabo. -RSL scored every 48.6 when Sabo played without Findley
That's what my cousin told me last night. He got his info from his STH rep. Edit: I remember the same thing happening in '09. Everyone went into a panic mode to buy tickets right after the game, but the tickets weren't released for about a week.
This may surprise some of you, but I want Devon to start. Here is why: Sabo is the better player overall, but Devon is the better matchup to start KC plays a high line of attack with loads of energy, Devon's biggest advantage over Sabo is that he runs more (note that I didn't say works harder, cuz thats not true). Devon covers more ground and is willing to drop in on defense Sabo in the air, against a team that wants to run and run and run, as a sub would be lethal. He's shown in previous sub appearances that he can get into the flow of the game quickly (which is hard to do) and he has the ability to punish a guy who gives him an inch (which is more likely to happen with a tired defender). Lastly, and this ties back into what @JLaw stated perfectly earlier in the season, Plata and Sabo are a partnership like Findley and Devon are. Findley has to start. He's earned that. Similarly, Plata is possibly our very best sub. If you can plan a double sub of Sabo/Plata later in the game - it could pay off huge
This is a bit different, though, as only 1,000 seats are locked up for us and the stadium doesn't have extra seats to open into. This is the problem with having the cup game at a home field stadium. I get that you want to assure that it will sell, but you kill the away support in what should be a neutral local (at least IMO)
I want to say the sale that's happening now, or *soon, is a VISA presale. I assume for people with a VISA credit card? I don't know if that's for a general sale, or if that'd chunk into the 1000 seats available for RSL. And the STH sale is for 2014 STH holders. I really wish I could fly out for this one but I don't think i'll be able to.
That was yesterday and apparently the ~200 tickets were 'gone in minutes' per the KC sales rep. Sounds like the 'Cauldron' (KC supporter section) disappeared in under 30 minutes too
If only there was a way to combine Sandoval and Sabo's powers into one superhuman. I would be soooooooo happy.