RSL 2012 News Thread (Regular Season)

must spread rep...

 

Covered.

 

Sabo wins the GOTW. Yeah!!!

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/13/saborios-finish-tops-henry-wondo-goal-week

 

And yet another MLS poll. The most underated player in the MLS. Vote for Grabavoy.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/2012/04/13/most-underrated-players-mls-today

He was leading when I voted....

 

And yet more TMI from Dunseth and Andy Williams......

http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/2012/04/12/dunny-and-bommadog-battle-sexes

 

I couldn't get behind some of the other partisan pushes for goal of the week, but this one has everything. A GREAT assist pass, a solid enough trap, and a really excellent strike.

The competition also didn't feature any screaming benders from Nagbe, so that helped.

GJ Sabo/Beltran/Will and everyone else that made that goal happen (it was well over 10 passes).

 

Classic bait and switch. I was baited with Dunny and Bomma thinking I'm gonna get some serious footy discussion but what I get is full female slumber party pillow talk.

I'm very close to leaving work early to take a shower.

 

Here ya are! I thought that KC simply outplayed RSL in the midfield. The presented relentless pressure and we were not able to handle it at all. That was the game. If that wasnt' going on the goal given up would not have mattered because our defense was otherwise excellent. As it was, we still created many chances. Just not consistently. That's the way they bounce. We'll get them in the MLS Cup finals and crush their souls!

A win this week and we will be at the highest points ever for an RSL team at the 8th game. Let's do it!

 

OK, new discussion point for the day:

So RSL's reserves got their asses handed to them by FC Dallas today, 3-0 at home. That gives the reserves 1 point in 5 matches (0-4-1) and cements them at the bottom of the table.

So here are a bunch of questions up for discussion: If this team truly has great depth as so many have said, why are the reserves sucking hind titty? Apparently there's talent...is there a chemistry issue? But by definition, the deepest team in the league is the one with the best reserve team...right?

 

To a certain extent you could probably equate reserve games with preseason games. Winning the game may not be #1 on the list rather using the games as opportunities to try new things with new players and in different lineups etc.

I hope that is the case here with JK not really looking to win rather looking to find ways to get players experience that will help the A team win in the future.

Sounds good. I'll go with that.

 

this is what i'm thinking as well. JK doesnt give a rats ass about results in the reserve league, it's obvious how he feels about how the league was set up this year (with the schedule and travel, etc). i'm sure he just wants to use it to get guys time, help others recover from injuries and try out some of the youngsters/academy players. the reserve league isnt exactly set up with incentives to get wins and jason is treating it like how our youth system should be treated, coach up the players, get them time, forget about the W's and L's.

 

Interestingly enough, here's an article about this exact thing.

Jason's opinion on reserve team record

 

This quote

“I do think it’s a product of that,” he admitted. “Ultimately it’s still troubling as a coach because even though they’re new I think all of those players have been with us an entire preseason and should be starting to show you signs that they’re getting it. That’s not so much happening.”

is an interesting one. It makes me believe this team is going to be much more active in the summer window than we had previously thought.

How can a team that has had the injury issues we've had suck so bad at the reserve level? Is there that big of a drop from the number 15 or 16 player, in terms of depth, to the rest of the squad?

If I was Jason, I'd consider bringing in a lot more academy players as a message to the current reserve players. If they take advantage of the situation (reserve games) better, then your ass is gone.

 

I think with the move to sign the kid from Vancouver and let diogo go to free up an international slot interesting as well.

I bet that spot gets filled before the season is over.

 

BUY HIM NOW!!!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1050883/raul-to-leave-schalke-at-end-of-season?cc=5901

 

He'll go for oil money. That's the hip thing to do right now.

It's a nice dream though. Even if RSL had to move at least one 200-300k player to make it work.

 

Actually, it would be natural gas money in Qatar......

 

Say hello to the newest member of the L.A. galaxy.

 

which DP did Chivas relieve them of this time?

 

Was not neccesary, because of L.A.'s early struggles this year it was determined, by the league that the new 4 DP rule be implemented now to be fair.

 

Leave it to the gals to address their defensive woes by adding yet another striker...

why stop at 4?
If they are at the bottom of the west any longer I could see the salary cap go up and the DP limit go to 8

Thank god NY is doing better this year or Garbs and MLSHQ would be shitting themselves

 

Surely the rule is written more carefully than that. It certainly says that any team that has 3 DPs and is at 1.2 PPG or less may add a 4th DP for the rest of its existence.

 

Let's be realistic.

LA will add Bocanegra but not as a DP. They have phantom cap space and have worked out a deal that will pay him what he needs and keep them under the cap.

It's scarier 'cause it could happen...

 

I have to say that I thought RSL showed lot of heart in the second half both by coming out aggressively to get the tying goal and by playing their defensive hearts out. But, as soon as I saw Olave booted I said to my wife, "This will end as a 3 or 4 to 1 loss." I was looking wrong and happily preparing to eat my words as we entered the extra time that was given (I was estimating 5 minutes, there had been several longish stoppages and lots of subs).

I hated being right.

We won't have Espy, and I'll be not Olave for the Dallas match. I can't believe that Dallas is only a .500 team and I think we would have had a tough night even with those guys. Time to mentally prepare for 3 losses in a row.

On the other hand, Schuler can hold his own and I think we are likely to see PJ in. It will be interesting to see if they can bring enough fire to put out Dallas.

Graph note: Should we win in Dallas we will get to the highest points RSL has ever had after 9 games.