Road to the 5th US Open Cup

Glad we're at home if we get by Michigan. I really hope we don't underestimate Michigan. They're always good and have beaten MLS teams in the past. Really hoping we put most of our 1st teamers out but concerned with fitness with the really busy schedule.

 

A few pictures of where we'll be playing the Michigan Bucks tomorrow night:





http://www.ultimatesoccerarenas.com/photos.html

(Taken from MLS N&A Open Cup thread)

 

Will you be joining us for the trip?

 

I'd love to but can't. Webcast for me.

Bring the HATE for me to yet another 'suburb' of Detroit (quite literally a suburb this time around ).

 

Is that the field the game is going to be played on. If so at least we will be forced to play the ball on the ground.

 

There might be a special ground rule, but I believe the official FIFA rule is a ball that hits the ceiling or other object over the field remains in play.

 

That's the field we're playing on.

 

Wow!

How high is the roof?

 

Put it this way, we should be thankful we do not have Peter Crouch on our team.






Of course, there are probably lots of reasons we should be thankful we don't have Peter Crouch on our team (especially, the one that says we want forwards who actually score)

 

Since this game is being played on the fake stuff, we won't see Rolfe (also June 2 against Patriots).

Next game on grass is a home game against Redballs on June 16th, so might as well hold him out to that game. That gives him another 19 days to rest his ankle and he's had some very good games against the Redballs in his career.

 

We're playing Energy Drink FC on the 17th of June. Oh and New Anal Gland Rubber Lotion AKA as the Bills not the Patriots.

 

Sorry, my bad on both counts.......

So Rolfe has 20 days of rest before we take on the Redballs.........

 

I read that Pause, Pardo and Grazzini won't be playing. Pappa is on national team duty. So I would imagine Robayo and Paladini will start. Not sure who else we'd pick. Anyone have guesses on the lineup tonight? I've been hearing a mix of starters and reserves. Obviously the midfield is completely different. Wouldn't be surprised to see Puppo and Tornaghi start. Really hope our guys come in ready to go. Playing a team even like Michigan makes me nervous. The Open Cup has surprises every year. So hopefully we're not one of the surprises that are likely to occur tonight.

 

____________Tornaghi__________
_Jumper__Anibaba__Berry__Segares_
____________Paladini___________
_Nyarko__________________Bone_
_____________Robayo__________
_Barouch________________Pupp0_

Subs:Johnson, Gulley, Oduro,Dube, Pineda, Viderira, Gargan, Walls, KWS

I know that Alex can't play regular season game to the tranfer window opens, but can he play in US OPEN CUP games. If so I'd like to see him get some minutes, I hope that FK keeps Rolfe off that fake field.

 

I don't believe Alex can play in Open Cup matches either. I don't even think he's officially on the team until the transfer window opens but i'm not certain on that. And I hope Barouch doesn't start. I just don't have confidence in him for some reason. Still hoping Oduro starts up top with Puppo.

 

Chicago takes this cup very seriously which is why most of the subs/reserves should play in this game.
Winning the US Cup is cool. Going to the finals is cool. Ending up near the top of MLS is also cool.

A mostly reserve team might push the first teamers in the league.

GK: Tornaghi
LB: Sega
CB: Berry
CB: Anibaba
RB: Gargan
CDM: Paladini
CM: Robayo
CM: Vidiera
LW: Barouch
ST: Puppo
RW: Bone

 

I wouldn't mind seeing this lineup tonight.

GK: Tornaghi
LB: Jumper
CB: Berry
CB: KWS
RB: Anibaba
CDM: Paladini
CAM: Robayo
RM: Bone
LM: Nyarko
ST: Puppo
ST: Barouch

One question that I have for everyone. Do we even have anyone that qualifies as a left or right midfielder on this team? There were the arguments in the past that Nyarko and Rolfe were being played out of position as was Nate the tall. On the current roster, I'm thinking Nyarko, Rolfe, Pappa, and Bone and you could say that they are all playing out of position (or not their best position) at LM or RM. I don't want to go OT, but I was trying to put together a lineup without putting in Nyarko, who has logged a lot of minutes already.

 

Just got a text from the Fire. Here is the Starting 11
GK-Tornaghi
Def-Walls, Anibaba, Berry, Jumper
MF-Videira, Paladini, Bone, Robayo
F-Barouch, Puppo

Almost all back up squad. Obviously should still beat a PDL team with this. But i'm still nervous. Hopefully we still have Oduro, Nyarko etc available just in case they're needed. Hopefully they won't be though.

 

I'm only nervous because of the weird field we're playing on.

 

Missed the starting 11 by two players, didn't think FK would go with almost all reserves. Like Brad Cox said we still should beat a PDL team with this starting 11.

 

Stream is up.