So we have a game tonight. Fontas is back in KC so Vermes will be forced to make at least 1 change to the starting 11.
I'm hoping Salloi starts and Russell sits. Some minutes of Hurtado but an appearance by Nemeth. I expect Ilie to play 90 because Vermes has no alternative. Croizet or Rowe or maybe both should be on the field, possibly pushing Gerso to the bench so Croizet can take a wing? Or maybe Rowe on the wing and Croizet in the middle. Or maybe some amorphous mishmash because why not. I'm very afraid that Russell, Sinovic, and Ilie will go 90 again.
I reserve the right to complain now and later. Here's hoping for at least two goals and a positive result.
I would already call vermes gamble a failure since we lost in la and looked tired as hell doing it despite PV tryingto tell us otherwise, but if we come out flat tonight I am going to be incredibly upset.
This. I am really hoping for a good performance tonight, but I can't wrap my head around the strategy. we had a chance to get game time for an entire second 10, in the middle of a travel schedule that dwarfs Lisbon to Moscow, the longest distance travelled in the euro version of the champions league. Tonight we need, at the very least, to make this a very tight game and grab a goal or two to have a real advantage when we return home. Okay, pushing the negativity aside, I believe...
I mean, we absolutely have the squad to do this. Toronto's crappiness really flattered Independiente's players and tactics. I think even with a B or B+ squad we can walk away with goals and a result. I'm just very poor at functional optimism.
Yes, this. Before the LAFC game plenty of us were calling for rotation. It made absolute sense. I mean...you almost had to completely disregard the idea that rotation matters to not do _anything_ and our coach did exactly that. After the game the Talkin Touches crew - who have ideas that I generally respect if not always totally agree with - were complete Vermes apologists. There was a comment that it's reductionist to say in hindsight that no rotation was the problem. However, there were many voices proactively calling our for rotation. And now it's more critical...and I fear that Vermes could now show his proclivity for standing pat and that stubbornness will rotate as little as possible (like just Fontas who is injured). So, many people have made clear that the lack of rotation at LAFC was a mistake - and were saying it was necessary well before the season even started. Vermes has been touting his double decker squad and needs to use it. If not, then at least those hear can shake our fists at the sky while Vermes does whatever he wants.
Not to forgive Vermes but I think I understand his reasoning (though I disagree). LAFC is probably our toughest opposition of this stretch (LAFC, CAI, PHI, CAI, CO) so he figured put his best team out against the best opponent and then start some rotation.
I can see that, but the same 11 probably wasn't out best 11 for LAFC. they were exhausted. Also, it puts a lie to the notion that we are all in on CCL, and on squad rotation.
vermes putting out the lineup for this match that he should've put out on sunday, basically. hopefully we can still get a result tonight, but if we don't, then vermes will have managed to screw us on both fronts by making an amateur-level mistake in gameday management.
Let’s keep it rolling, #SKCNation 💪 https://t.co/fles2NtTRo— Sporting KC Communications (@SportingKC_PR) March 7, 2019
And there are the eight changes I wanted last game (although Melia is out here and Roger is in - presumably because he cannot play Saturday). Clearly Peter thought LAFC was more important than the away CCL match at Panama.
good to see vermes wearing his gym clothes for this. maybe i'm old fashioned, but that just seems unprofessional.
We don't look great, but then, I don't think any team would look good on this pitch. Hard to play a clever passing-based game on a field where the ball dies after any two feet of pitch.
Rowe and Hurtado are both mostly invisible. Passing completion percentage must be aweful with the amount of give always.
Out of Rowe, Wallace, and Hurtado, Hurtado was the one I had the lowest expectations for coming into the season. But in their limited minutes thus far, he has shown the best IMO. Has some serious speed and strength and obviously can shoot. Would like to see what he can do on a better field for an extended period.
It's a turf field. What all the kids play on every day. It's not a perfect grass field, but that isn't the reason we look like total dog shit.
Not just a turf field. A terrible turf field. You can't tell the difference between this and something like Portland or Atlanta? The ball keeps bouncing backward. Anyways. One goal deficit with a road goal is pretty okay.