Dallas playing a midweek, very tough CCL game. To prepare, Dallas rested KEY starters against KC and still got a draw. This team is that strong and that deep that we should be very concerned going into this game. At least Lee got an extra week of rest. maybe Koussai too? To me, this is an important game to see how the Revs play and how well Heaps has prepared this team in preseason and during the early weeks. I am still not personally sold on how he is playing Agudelo (wonder how Arena feels about it too)
Dallas may be one of the most talented teams offensively in the league. this will be the firsts big test for the new back 4.
I don't have a great feeling about this one, but I've been wrong before. I hope we can take advantage of our rest vs their over-tiredness and make it work for us...
The front three aren't going to work the way they were setup against Colorado. Get ready for a 2 or 3-0 loss.
Injury Report Out: http://www.mlssoccer.com/injuries OUT: M - Zachary Herivaux (right ankle sprain) OUT: GK - Brad Knighton (Concussion) QUESTIONABLE: M - Lee Nguyen (right ankle contusion)
The winter of our discontent will continue for a while longer. We will wake up Sunday with snow still on the ground, freezing temps, zero points and most likely some team/s will have 9. Life as a Rev's supporter.
Anyone want to guess our lineup? Here's my guess: Cropper Farrell--Angoua--Delamea--Tierney Caldwell Fagundez---Nguyen---Rowe Kamara---Agudelo
He's the reason why we can't have nice things! Kraft sez, "see, every time I buy you guys a DP, he's always injured. Look at Jones, the guy played like 6 games last year! I'd rather get some young guy from the ACC who'll be healthy, can run all day. Plus, he's a fraction of the cost."
Since there's not a lot else to talk about ahead of this game, from a league perspective it was good to see Dallas beat Pachuca 2 1 in the first leg of their CCL semifinal tie on Wednesday night. Pachuca has the best defense in Liga MX so scoring 2 against them then keeping that lead in a major tournament like the CCL is an accomplishment. For the sake of the Revs, I hope Acosta does nothing this game but he scored an absolutely gorgeous free kick on Wednesday night. I am excited about his future from a USMNT standpoint.
Kouassi is fully healthy, just a matter of fitness. He was in the 18 in Colorado and he's with the team in Dallas. He's very close. #NERevs https://t.co/CgnvS15zCe— Jeff Lemieux (@jeff_lemieux) March 17, 2017
Im beginning to wonder if maybe he's not all they had hoped? He's had enough time to get in shape to at least play 1/2 a game UNLESS he's not better than the guy(s) he is supposed to replace. So tonight we either climb up a rung in the standings or start our plunge to the very bottom (we're there right now). Hard to believe you can't be competitive with no major signings year after year isn't it Burns
His statement "He's very close" - where is that coming from?? Is that his own personal opinion or something he knows from Heaps or something he has seen watching the team prepare? Who can retweet to ask him what he meant by that statement? Because if we have a DP who we are banking huge dollars on as the replacement for Jones - and he is fully healthy, but not 100% match fitness, then I would expect Koussai to start tonight against the league's best team because he is fully healthy and he should have some semblance of fitness from all the preseason. Then Heaps will know how much Koussai can give them, and sub him out appropriately for the next couple of games until he is match fit and then he can just play the whole game. Remember, he is supposed to be THAT good! Jones-level replacement good! And Jeff says he is fully healthy. If he is JUST fully healthy, and they are concerned that he might re-injure because his preseason was actually not that great because he was so far behind, so they are going to be ultra careful - then he has been set back more than anyone can imagine and we have to wonder how much he is really going to impact this team, like RevsRule notes.
If he's healthy, then they should definitely bring him in as a second-half sub, regardless if we're behind, tied or ahead. They need to get him game ready. The real issue, as I have said before, is whether Heaps has the skill, acumen, smarts, savvy to manage a front 6 when you have 7 capable, healthy players. He needs to come up with several variations of lineups to be used in different circumstances. And if things aren't working, make a sub and switch to another. Let's see if he has the ability to do this. Given how he managed the formation last year, I have to wonder, but like Burns, I am in a "wait and see" mode.
Good point. I asked him originally on twitter and just retweeted asking him to clarify based on your question.
halftime. the good: All the new guys look pretty solid. Kouassi seems to be the real deal. Back four look in sync. Diego is very solid tracking back. The bad: other than the first 15 mins they put no pressure on Dallas. New season and Tierney continue to launch balls down field to no one