Leg 2 - MLS Playoffs 2018: RSL at SKC, Sunday, 11 Nov 1:00 UST

As rough a game as Luke had, we had zero offensive chances from the moment he came off for Pablo Ruiz.

 

Needed 1 more goal, gifted one to the opponent instead.

 

Herrera was terrible in the last few minutes of regular time and during added time. Ruiz came in too late to find the game. Beckerman was gassed and should have been subbed out instead of Mulholland. Lennon was just too casual with that pass to Rimando at the end.

Even with all of that we were still only a bad referee’s decision from advancing. Portland is going to clean SKC’s clock.

 

Just saw the PK. What a horrible call. I hate FUKC.

 

Re the penalty, it's one I think might not have been called, and one I wish was not called, but I also don't think it was a horrible decision to make the call.

 

Good playoff run while it lasted. Time to clean house starting with the GM and Petke

 

I thought that Rubio's handball just before his dive in the box was red card worthy since it didn't look like it was accidental. But then, maybe the "rules of the game" state that when a handball happens outside the box, it's only a yellow.

 

Awful call by an awful referee.

 

I said on the @MLS pregame show that Petke's decision to play games w/ his backline in such a huge spot – benching Glad – was bold & kind of ridiculous.

And, welp. 20 minutes in and this one's over. #SKCvRSL

— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) November 11, 2018

I know Nick Besler is a popular choice for crappiest central defender, but Nedun wasn't very good either.

 

I thought Nedum played well. I also thought that communication between he and Besler was very ineffective.

 

Unfortunately, if Nick had put away that chance and tied the score at 3-3, we would be singing his praises.

I think our main problem with our back line is that we never seem to be able to get the same CBs game in and game out like back in the day when we had Borchers and Olave. I think if Nick was part of a CB team that played together game in, game out, things would be different, but such is life. There's always next year.

 

That's how I saw it, also.

 

No way Petke goes after the team showing moxie in the playoffs.

 

From the MLSSoccer.com write-up on the game:

"Far from being on the same page, Besler and Onuoha weren't even in the same book on the day. In an away second leg playoff match, already shorthanded, that helped tip the scales toward SKC."

 

Guess I should be happy I missed this one due to work.
Hate to think of what I would've done watching Besler miss that live.

I didn't expect us to win but it really seems like we were a couple line-up choices from going through. Ah well

 

You would be proud of the team if you watch it. In a game I had zero confidence in our ability to win, we came back from a 2-0 deficit 20min in and very seriously could have tied at 3-3. This team can ball. We've got the players to do it offensively (and defensively if they could be on the same page). We just flat out don't play with heart like we did today. If we would have had a healthy pairing of 2 CB's who had spent more than 0 minutes playing together, we may have had seen this through. Alas, injuries held Glad and M. Silva back.

The penalty SKC was awarded was dubious at best. Rubio had already lost possession of the ball and wasn't challenging for it at all by the time he got tangled up with Onuoha. It looked like he stopped his run to instigate contact. As JP said, VAR wouldn't have overturned the call whether it was awarded or not. Sucks to be on the wrong end of this. That's soccer.

It also should be mentioned that plenty of yellows could have been issued in this one which weren't. It would have hurt us more than SKC.

The crappy back pass to Nicky which led to the death knell at the end of the game was a fitting end to our season: full of promises that we pissed away because of bad/lazy decision-making. This team just never seemed to find an identity.

 

This. We lost all the momentum we had the moment Ruiz came on. He was rusty, confused, and didn't have the urgency we needed. Why bring on a player who is returning from injury when Sunny was on the bench? Did Sunny pick up a knock during the last game or this week's practices? I'm not the biggest fan of Sunny, but I would've preferred to have him on the field over Ruiz.

 

Regarding the yellows, that’s another reason I called the referee ‘awful’. Even if RSL had come out on the wrong end, those yellows absolutely should have been given. I can’t think of a reasonable excuse for an enforcer of the rules to not uphold their responsibility the way that guy didn’t. Neither was he consistent...unless consistently bad counts.

 

So, let's hope 15 has the chance to have a coffee before he posts his 15 points...

General thoughts:

- I can only hope that Glad is injured, because then going to the "break glass in case of fire Besler at center d" makes some sense. He doesn't understand his positional responsibilities. He NEVER anticipates where the killer pass is nor how to defend it. I have goals 1 and 2 on him primarily.
- Herrera got panned a bit during the game thread, but I think he was up to his defensive task. Russell is an annoying handful and KC chose to go right at Herrera; and at the end of 2 games, they got 0 goals out of it. Nice job rook. Now learn how to play with your left foot. Your inability to trap, pass or clear with that leg is embarrassing at the U16 level, much less as a pro.
- Plata was the good Plata. Attacking at speed. Solid free kicks and corners. We just have to remember that he still isn't going to pressure or play any help defense. Frankly, Herrera was put on a defensive island for 2 games due to Plata.
- Luis Silva. Um. The only reason I know he played is because he made 2 really smart runs to get behind the defense, and then, because continents shift faster than he sprints, RSL got nothing. Whoever concussed Baird deserves a kick in the boys.
- KC stopped even trying to get at Brooks. If his defensive instincts continue to improve, he's a winner at that spot. The last goal never happens in the regular run of play, Brooks knew that he had to try to get that ball to Rimando, even though it was going away from goal and nearly impossible. His other choice was knocking it out of touch which wasn't possible at nearly 7 minutes of stoppage.
- All Kreilach can do is score; I'm ok with that. Welcome RSL's new #9 for next season. Damir!
- Beckerman did not get faster as the game wore on. I agree with everyone who has him as a 2nd half sub for the rest of his career.
Pablo Ruiz - what the F***? Petke has tried to use him as an offensive spark-plug multiple times this season. He isn't good at it. He is a deep lying, possession based center mid with not much size or bite. Love his skills, but complete screw up to replace Luke at that point.
- Luke is Luke. The best part of his game is his ability and willingness to get in the box and try and make S*** happen. Very little surprise that the attack stopped when he went out.
- Sava was invisible for him, but did put in an honest shift on both sides of the ball.
- At least Acosta made the final 18.

Petke. Well, I am really not sure what to make of him. I don't think he is a total idiot, yet he makes some decisions that are Klinsman-esque. It will be really interesting to see if the new GM buys in to the idea of Petke-ball. At its best, RSL plays a chaotic, intentionally disorganized, 1v1 skill focused attack that causes other MLS teams fits. At its worst, it is a defensively disorganized, undermanned crap-shoot. From an entertainment standpoint, very few 0-0 ties!!

 

Side note to the TV directors - find the replay that shows what the referee saw!

It just so happened that the one they showed was perfect for why there may not have been a foul (which was similar to the angle Petke was on), but never showed any other angle to see what the referee saw. To me, that makes any criticism of the referee's call uninformed.

 

I just don't understand how this happened. Why the heck did Besler feel he needed to trap and control this ball? Just tap it home! Ugh....