Next week's lineup...?

[Rodan]

Well, Griffiths and Marshall are in, Franchino and Heaps are out (at least temporarily). Don't know about Rusty, but I assume he won't be ready to go yet (the MLSnet injury report says he's "questionable", but it also lists Mamadou Diallo as a "probable" for the Revs). Kamler's also still not available as far as I know.

So how 'bout this(?):

-----------------Brown-------------------

---Cullen---Llamosa---Downing---Franchino---
------------------Rooney--------------------
-----------------Hernandez------------------
------Ralston------------------Griffiths-------
---------Twellman--------Harris--------------

Of couse, if Leornard can play center mid, that might move Hernandez to center back and Downing to the bench. Needless to say, with Rusty back, the lineup starts looking more like an MLS-caliber team.

[soren_k]

Kante should be available but Franchino won't be.

Something like:

Brown
Cullen-Llamosa-Kante-Downing
Ralston-Hernandez-Rooney-Griffiths
Twellman Chacon

When everyone is heathy (and if Griffiths earns a spot in the starting 11) I'd like to try Kamler at left back with Rusty on the right.

[Rodan]

Forgot about Kante (and Joey apparently).

I agree that Kante will probably play in the middle, though the thought of Downing on the left scares the beejeezuz out of me.

Funny, now that Fernando is goner than gone, the team seems more configured for the 3 - 5 -2 than it ever was in the past. Still no left back though... Franchino clearly hasn't looked comfortable/satisfied there and the word from DC was that Kamler really never settled in at that position.

[Jim Dow]

We are seriously "leftbackless" and have been so since the days of Chrono and even than it was touch and go. Franchino, on a good day, is the best at the position both on the team and in the Revs sad history but that is serious damning with faint praise. If Joey could be sprung to DMid and a good marking/overlapping leftsider be found a lot of pieces would fall into place for the team. I'm sure that is why they stuck with Semedo for so long, he was a genuine leftsided player.

Anyway, if any of the new folks can help "free Joey" we will be a step ahead of where we were, esp. if Llamosa, Pierce, etc. are back in place. The irony of the return of the 3-5-2 cannot help but be lost on all of us. It seems to be true!

JIM DOW

[soren_k]

Originally posted by Rodan

Still no left back though... Franchino clearly hasn't looked comfortable/satisfied there and the word from DC was that Kamler really never settled in at that position.

When the alternatives are Downing and an out-of-form Joey Franchino, I think it is worth a shot. Kamler has been a steady, unspectacular left mid and if he could bring the same thing to the left back position it would be a big step up.

Agreed about the 3-5-2...it would be interesting especially if it freed up Chacon to be an attacking midfielder/withdrawn forward. Nicol seems to have settled on the 4-4-2 though, and he's not likely to change...

[soccertim]

I don't think that we have any center backs athletic enough to play in a 3-5-2. Didn't Kante also play some left back? If he's capable (meaning as good or better than Joey, who isn't that great in the back) then we could have a healthy back line of either Heaps-Pierce-Llamosa-Kante (playing Heaps at right back is a lot less scary if Rusty is right next to him) or Pierce-Hernandez-Llamosa-Kante. If Carlos could play left back, he could switch with Kante in either lineup. These lineups would move Joey to central mid with Cullen/Cloutier/Rooney. I hesitate to pencil in players that I haven't seen into a regular lineup (Kante), but in any case when Rusty and Carlos are both available you could put Wolde on the back line and they'd play as well as what we've seen. For the next game, assuming no Rusty,

.........................Brown

Downing..Hernandez..Llamosa...Kante

Ralston.....Cullen.....Joey......Griffiths

..................Fuller......Twellman

[JG_Revs]

Brown
Cullen - Llamossa - Hernandez - Kante
Ralston - Rooney - Chacon - Griffiths
Twellman - Fuller

[Soccer Doc]

One thing for sure--we will not be playing a 3-5-2. SN is firmly committed to a 4-4-2. End story.

If I remember correctly Leonard is a left sided player that can play either wing or defense. He's been training with a top club for the past four months so he's in shape and has been getting schooled by some of the best.

Word I heard was that Kamler and Kante would be available for the LA match.

Kante and Leonard are both young and untested in MLS. But so was Rusty as a 3rd or 4th round draft pick. Both these players have the chance to come in and make a name for themselves. Hell we've cycled through so many players this year we may just be due to land another winner or two.

I'm rooting for the rookies to start!!!

[Rodan]

Kante and Leonard are both young and untested in MLS.

Yeah, but so were Adam Eyre and Alan Woods!

There I go again...now I feel worse.

;)

[soccertim]

Originally posted by Rodan

Yeah, but so were Adam Eyre and Alan Woods!

There I go again...now I feel worse.

;)

Don't feel bad, maybe these new guys will also play well enough that we will dump them at the end of the season...

[ManInBlack]

Zenga
Lalas Okaroh Burns Chrono
Gorter Baba Ramos Alvarez
Moore DiazArce

We be kicking some serious ass.

[Soccer Doc]

Hey lets stop all this joking around and get serious. SN needs our input.

LA has a potent offense. This will be a game where our defense will be sorely tested. With Heaps, Rusty and Franchino out it's a going to be doubly hard. Maybe one of our new kids will step up and be a hero.

Goal: BROWN for sure

Defensive Options:
Llamosa, Hernandez, Downing, Cullen, Kante, Leonard.
We play better with Cullen in midfield. Big question is who can play Right Back. If Rusty is back--no problem.
My guess: Downing, Llamosa, Hernandez, Knate/Leonard

Midfeld Options:
Ralston, Rooney, Cullen, Griffith, APC, Kamler, Asad, Leonard, Cloutier.
My Guess: Ralston, Cullen, Rooney, Kamler
Griffith--off the bench at 60'

Forward Options:
Fuller, TnT, Waldi, Fred Kafory
My Guess: TnT and Fuller
Waldi off the bench at 60'

[JG_Revs]

Not a Chacon fan, George?

Plus, Kamler is believed to be injured.

[Jon Martin]

My guess: not even SN knows yet. After all there are 10 days to try things out during which time the players are likely to hear that (most of) their MLS careers - if not the starting positions - are hanging in the balance.

Let's assume that:

* SN would dearly love a road point. LA has an excellent home record, IIRC.

* The major threat continues to be Ruiz, who completely impressed me in his visit to Chap.11.

* LA is a good midfield possession team, that counterattacks well.

* The climate may be brutally hot.

Therefore:

* If possible, a relatively quick line-up, and a line-up that can impose order in the midfield would be ideal.

* This would seem to favor Ruiz being man-marked by perhaps Kante, where Kante has no other job, and is being backed up by Carlos. (I actually have no idea whether Kante has the wheels or the skills to do this.)

* Who plays on the defensive wings is even harder, particularly if speed is crucial. I don't think Cullen, Downing or Leonard can handle it, and Kamler is injured? Take your pick. I vote Cullen and Leonard.

* I would guess that Rooney and Hernandez would try to disrupt the flow in midfield generated by Cienfuegos and Elliot.

* I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Griffiths playing on the left wing, particularly since he may have something to prove.

[soccertim]

Originally posted by ManInBlack
Zenga
Lalas Okaroh Burns Chrono
Gorter Baba Ramos Alvarez
Moore DiazArce

We be kicking some serious ass.

I thought that I had seen my last Revs lineup with Lalas in it. Will the nightmare never end? Oh, the humanity...

[ManInBlack]

Originally posted by soccertim


I thought that I had seen my last Revs lineup with Lalas in it. Will the nightmare never end? Oh, the humanity...

Lalas is having a career year, by most people's estimation, including mine. I wouldn't mind having him back this season. LA has allowed 16 few goals than we have this season, and they have a game in hand on us.

My whole reason for posting that line-up was to point out that, sheesh, we thought we had it bad from 96-01. The joke--once again--is on us.

[skip70]

Originally posted by ManInBlack
Zenga
Lalas Okaroh Burns Chrono
Gorter Baba Ramos Alvarez
Moore DiazArce

We be kicking some serious ass.

Lalas AND Burns- oh dear god!

[Soccer Doc]

Bring on Stumpy, Bring on Stumpy!

[rkupp]

Originally posted by Jon Martin
* This would seem to favor Ruiz being man-marked by perhaps Kante, where Kante has no other job, and is being backed up by Carlos. (I actually have no idea whether Kante has the wheels or the skills to do this.)

I wouldn't want to put a big, raw guy on a quick, little guy. Sounds like a job for "Super-Rusty". Hopefully, he'll be available. If not, it'll have to be team defense to limit the offensive chances.

The full 2 weeks to prepare gives a great opportunity for the 3 newcomers to win a spot, as well as for the injured to return. Trying to pick a lineup, though, is futile. Ony the coaches can see how the new guys and the recuperating are doing.

I'm fairly optimistic, though. We match up pretty well with LA. Other than a few spectacular blowouts, we've generally played them pretty tough and stolen a few games.