Niko is ruled out for a while. Week off is huge for Pipa and Santos for rest. I want to see Sauro and Mennsah together for this match. I predict we will score a goal. Will we prevent more than 2? Yes. 2-1 is my pick. We take the best kind of loss.
I am very curious if Gregg is going to go with the empty bucket 4-4-2 again. The advantage it gained as the RedBulls were unable to effectively press (except on Trapp and Artur). The team was just so spread out. If the game goes 45 without a score, I think the RedBulls will pull a FB and add an attacker. I really wish Niko was healthy just to lob balls behind the FB line. Where the hell is Chrisitan Martinez. Some speed would be very nice on the wing to stretch the RedBulls team that loves to compress the field. Playing on the counter would be helpful when the RedBulls press high up.
I think Eddie Opoku will see the lineup as the Hansen replacement. That speed threat is something we will want at some point in this game. CB on for Meram around the 60th minute and Eddie on for Sanch at 75. Third sub is Mullins for Pipa. The question is, does Pipa start? I think he does, and Mullins comes in when we score, or whenever GGG thinks Pipa needs it.
I just want to point out that we could have lost last week 3-1 very easily if it weren't for Steffen heroics. We simply have to play even better in this next leg to survive.
I believe Erickson said it on Twitter during the match. However, he confirmed Hansen's injury is taking him out for the season today, as noted above:
That's certainly fair. I'm not ready to declare Berhalter's coaching/tactics in that game a masterclass or anything, but credit where it's due. He had a team on 2 days' rest after 120 minutes on the road vs the best team in MLS history that was fully rested. It was never going to be pretty. My hope was we lose 1-0 and at least have a chance after not getting blown out to do something special on the road. But the team scrapped it out, clung on for dear life and cashed in the best chance either team got all game, 1v1 with the keeper inside the box. They had a free header on a set piece, hit the post and Steffen came up big 3 times. We had a couple close chances too. We'll all have a wonderful Christmas. The good news is that we absolutely can play better. It's pretty obvious that we didn't have our best 11 on the field to start on Sunday. And the regulars who started both in DC and at home had to be running on fumes all game long. If the cows think they're going to face the same caliber of opponent come Sunday, they'll be sorely mistaken. Let's Go CREW!!
The Crew are going to be playing on the cow's pasture. We'll have to see what kind of business metrics tge top of the table heifers can pull off.
That’s like saying we would have lost if Pipa wasn’t a stud or Zardes doesn’t finish. Our best player was our best player. That’s how it’s supposed to be. I agree we need to be better, but I expect the legend of BMF to keep growing.
I’m thinking about going, babysitter dependent, since it’s only a 45 minute drive. What section are people getting tickets in? Tailgating plans? I said I’d bring Blue Label, either for the playoffs or next season, now that we’re saved, whichever will be best attended. Maybe some local beers if there’s not gonna be an official trip? Czig Meister, Jersey Girl, and Man Skirt are my favorite Hackettstown brews.
I would say bring the local beer. Blue Label is a fine gesture but it tastes the same in NJ as it does in Ohio. Local beer has its own flair and nothing beats local hospitality.
I may be nuts, but -- I think we've got this. I was listening to Extra Time this week, and one of the guys (I can never remember their damn names) said that in the last 13 meetings (the ones where the styles of play of the two teams have really been established), NYRB have only held the Crew scoreless twice, and have only beaten them by two goals ONCE. Think about that. That means the odds of getting a clean sheet are pretty low, and that would force RB to score three goals, because there's no math where the tiebreaker helps them. So any one goal win still sees us advancing. Obviously, it's not out of the realm that the SS winner could pull off a convincing win, but I think our odds are very good here.
I agree we can draw or simply score and lose by 1 goal and advance. Even if they win 1-0 i like our chances on PKs We clearly have a advantage
There are just some teams we match up very well against. I feel like NYRB and NYCFC are two of these teams. I always feel like they are going to be ahead of us in the standings over the course of 34 games. Their depth and consistency over the course of a season just wins out. But playing them head to head, I never feel that Crew is the underdog. I've just seen the Crew get the results too many times to think that we can't beat these guys. I honestly expect an outright Crew win, or at worst a draw on Sunday.
Via Nor On Tour: [Individual Ticket Link for 11/11 2nd Leg Match. This is not for the bus. Only individual tickets. https://oss.ticketmaster.com/…/b985bf1a4c655d89c8d9ffe0ddff… Code: Crew103] [The away section is 220 and the ticket is $31.]
I have heard several reasons why Seattle and Portland are playing on Thursday and not Saturday. Sunday I know the Seahawks are playing so off course a regular season NFL game beats a playoff MLS game against a close bitter rival. Does anyone know the real reason?