Sunday, Nov 11 730pm EST, FS1 at a non-baseball stadium in New Jersey. 1-0 Crew lead on aggregate. Just win.
Rolling on the Hype Tricycle choice. Someone fix his damn wheels. @KHT_Crew - I see I am already with good company.
Go out and push like hell in the first 15-20 minutes and get that away goal. After that play your game for 70 minutes and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
After letting the Grouchy take over me for the Knockout Round, I decided to jump in on the prop bets for Leg 1. The hype tricycle did not get me to the promised land. Now do I double down on the tricycle to get me there? It should be prime sweater weather but what neck does Ggg wear? Pedro seems due for a goal but I'm not that crazy (maybe if it was worth 5 points). Or do I go with a legit game prediction? I'm glad I have a few days to figure this out.
So I'm actually feeling pretty confident going into the next game. We've not lost to NYRB this year. We tied 1-1 in June, a game where we were missing Steffen and Trapp. We the post two or three times and had a handful of other great scoring opportunities but surprisingly (sarcasm) we didn't put them away. The one goal we allowed was off of a set piece where Kempin misjudged the ball, tried to punch it but missed, and gave them a wide open goal to head the ball into. We beat them 3-2 in the other regular season game where Higuain didn't play a single minute. Our starting formation was actually fairly similar to the first 45 minutes yesterday, with both Mullins and Zardes playing up top. Then, of course we grabbed a 1-0 win yesterday. We seem to match up very well with them and I think we be able to play pretty effectively on the counter attack. They will likely be pushing numbers forward and leaving a lot of space available in their defensive third. I think Santos and Zardes will be exploit this using their speed and Higuain will be able to pick them apart with some quick through balls on the counter attack. I'm guessing we grab a goal on the counter about 25-30 minutes in, and then pack it in for the rest of the game. We probably give up a second half goal during their onslaught as they push numbers forward, but we will sneak out with a 2-1 aggregate win.
Our first goal is worth 1.5, really. I think we'll get one. After that, anxiety fueled chaos and madness. Are we really going to keep BWP scoreless during the playoffs? They've got some big dudes and looked threatening on all of their corners.
BWP hasn't scored in the three games we've played this year, although the OG Mensah scored in NY was largely due to BWP's play. I agree though, I don't think we can manage another clean sheet. We need a goal if we want to advance. I like our chances in a shootout, but I'm not sure we will be able to go 120 minutes only allowing 1 goal.
One Crew goal in New Jersey kills this tie. If NYRB play even a little bit like they played yesterday -- gutless and unfocused -- then this is our semifinal to lose. I agree with hang. Start hard, get the goal, then play safe. To that end, starting Higuain this time should be a no-brainer.
We "lose" 2-1, which means we play Atlanta, and Garber smiles but privately seethes because neither New York team gets to the conference finals.
I do not mind going for it early in terms of an early high press. I think it is a great idea. Though I doubt Meram can pull it off. He cannot start if that is the plan. MAYBE if the idea is an early hook. In terms of the attack, I think discretion is the better part of valor early on. Last thing we want is to give one up early, especially on a counter resulting from too many guys forward. Steffen; Afful, Mensah, Sauro, Valenzuela; Trapp, Artur; Hansen, Pipa, Santos; Zardes. Bench: Kempin; Jimenez, Williams; Clark; Meram; Mullins + 1 (Opoku/Argudo/Sosa/Martinez). Don't know if sitting Meram lights a fire or crushes his soul. If 3G thinks the latter, go ahead and start him.
Garber should be happy that his favorite team would play (as the folks on FS1 said) a team with lesser talent.
I'd bunker early and try not to give up an early goal. As the game goes on, New York will get more desperate, which will open up opportunities. If New York gets an early goal, they can bunker, and hope to steal a late goal. I'd expect New York to want to score early, so, they'll be pressing high. Our best hope early should be getting a goal off a quick counter.
Hasn't been our strong suit this year. I'm worried if we bunker early we'll stay like that all game. Sitting back for ninety minutes will be a guaranteed loss.
Are any of you folks traveling for the trip? Crew supporters have a bus going. I am very jealous. Tim teases me that I am going to have plans made by the end of the week for us to go. Unfortunately, he is wrong. I need a weekend off. I do not know the last weekend we were able to stay home. Also I told him that if Crew make MLS Cup, then we are going. No matter where.
Before about 20', New York are going to be pressing high. After that, they will start to slow down. Don't give up a goal in the initial onslaught. Between 35' and 70' would be when I'd look to stretch the field and get a goal. Bringing Higuian in at the half put fresh legs in mid field at the start of the second half and led to a goal Sunday. Might not be a bad idea for this game. BWP likes to head to the penalty arc when opponents turn over the ball. Bad things happen when BWP and the ball are together in the penalty arc.
I don't know if we'll come out of Harrison with the result we need. But as much fun as it is as fans, tossing out our half-baked ideas about what we should do versus what the MetroStars will do, after witnessing the last couple of matches and taking into account quite a bit of success in post season play over the last few years, I have to say that I'm totally okay with Gregg and staff making all of the strategy decisions for Sunday. Obviously, over the years the MLS playoff structure has changed and expanded dramatically, which can skew the numbers. But when you tally up our performance since '96, you'll see the Crew have been in 26 total MLS playoff series. Pre-Gregg, we won 7 series, and lost 10. In the Berhalter era, we've won 5 series, lost 3 and hold an advantage going into the second match of this, our 26th playoff series. Berhalter has a shot, this season, of winning as many playoff series as every other coach in Crew history combined. That doesn't take away from the frustrating way his teams sometimes play during the regular season, or the memories of that horrendous 2015 MLS Cup Final. But if you see national team play as being a whole lot more like a collection of various kinds of "playoff" tournaments, it does give you a greater understanding of why the guy has been to closely linked with the USMNT job.
I'm bussing as well. I'm already a wreck. Playoffs make me nervous..I'll scream like a 2 year old the entire match. The police with machine gun escort is worth the trip.