By the way, there's a match tonight! Rapids at Portland DATE: Wednesday, August 23 SITE: Providence Park in Portland TIME: 8:30 PM MT TV: Altitude RADIO: Altitude 950 Game 2 of the Steve Cooke era. Will the team recover from last Saturday's debacle? My guess is no. Final 2-0 Portland.
2-1 loss, goal by Badji. Portland has a top 5 offense and a bottom 5 defense. The short rest will keep this game closer than it probably should be but Portland will build up a 2 goal lead before the Rapids get one late to avoid a shutout. http://view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com/2017/08/short-turnaround-as-rapids-head-for.html
I would think we would. Unless Cooke wants Watts to work out his bad experience on the field. Most coaches would make that switch pretty fast.
Being the year has gone the way it has, I was surprised to read they had a game today. My initial reaction was, "This doesn't look good." They were pretty much in disarray on Saturday; now travelling on a short week. Plus, I assume da Fonte is back, so I will not be surprised to see us play with 10 men at some point today. 2-0 loss with Doyle hitting a post.
RSL also plays midweek so it doesn't hurt the guys too much outside of The Rapids being on the road twice and RSL hosting twice.
I really think they will improve from Saturday. They have something to prove tonight. Their honor has been bruised. 2-1 Rapids finally winning on the road. Unfortunately I don't think they will improve enough for the playoffs.
Wow, that this match completely blindsided me says a lot about how this season has gone, I usually have the DVR set a couple days in advance even if I plan to watch live ... which I seem to do less and less ... well ... because Rapids I think ... we may be ... needing to take a 'break' ... I mean its not me its you ... and I still love soccer ... and we'll always have the memories ...but ... maybe the way things are going I'm just not that into you anymore. There I said it. (DVR set now)
Well, this is certainly a lineup: Howard da Fonte - Ford - Miller - Williams Saied - Gil - Azira - Serna Doyle - Gatt With the possible exception of Doyle this is a lineup that says we're going for it....on Saturday. Which I fully support.
But...is it a good lineup? I understand the need to rotate the team due to 3 matches, 2 on the road, in 8 days. Hoping for the best...
Oh Gatt... Gets forward on a counter, loses the ball on his dribble, hustles to get it back and commits a foul. Needs to be better.
Yikes. Rapids back line tonight is very suspect. None of the four would start on better teams. If they don't start possessing more, this will not be a good night.
If there's one criticism of Gatt, it's that he hasn't demonstrated any attacking skills. He can run, sure, but hasn't shown the ability to play a telling ball at the end of it.
oof...1-0 Portland when we lose their best player in the box. Doesn't bode well for the rest of the match.