We're creating decent chances against a pretty determined defense. Chivas has been pretty limited. They've had some speed counters on our right (their left) but the CBs have been in position. Enjoyed seeing Salcedo scream at Mulholland to "f'ing pressure" the cross
Wow... Sabo robbed there. So, I guess the score has evened out for those who don't feel the penalty call was legit.
How does the official get that wrong, there's a big white line and everyone is standing right on it... LOL!
Well, it was a yellow, but I was sort of right, sadly. ******** that guy. If you're KB, who do you try to say "hey, if there's no Chivas play here next year" to? (Whatever tampering rules the MLS has be damned).
That, ladies and gents, is what we call a snoozer. Jesus, is this team literally allergic to shooting the ball? It's like we are required to dribble the ball into the net. Hell, even the idiots around me at the game who quite clearly had no clue what the hell was going on were YELLING "shoot the damn ball!" How many freaking times did we get within 18-20 yards and just do NOTHING with the ball? Way more than I care to remember. Just.....just so damn stupid.
I wonder if Bobby Burling has a voodoo doll yet of Sabo? Sabo has dived/simulated on him like 3 times for reds and PKs. He isn't helping Bobby's career. :/
Shots: 16 to 4. But yes, more field goals from Beckerman from 20 yards out would have infused some excitement into the game.
Because shot statistics paint the entire picture.... The reality is that Chivas bunkered hard, they never had any intention of taking any sort of game to RSL. 9-10 guys behind the ball at all times, most within the defensive third, and RSL absolutely struggled to break them down. The strategy of trying to get the ball into the box through crossing was spotty at best and so they decided they had to dribble the ball into the goal. Beckerman's "field goal" was just never going to work, the ball was coming out of the air (HIGH) and bouncing, the world's best players can't hit that shot 9 times out of 10. Having said that, we needed more shots from 20-25 yards out, hell even the free kicks we got from that distance were all just horribly placed into the box by Javi (jesus his free kicks suck these days, another point of emphasis commented on by people around me). Take some ********ing shots from distance, it pulls the defense out and forces them to try and close down that space instead of just doubling up on whatever attacker we have in the box. Also, Wingert's absolute ineffectiveness in the attacking third is borderline comical. That guy couldn't beat a traffic cone one on one. It's actually so bad that it appears that the team has instructed him to basically stay back 90% of the time and let Javi work the channel on the left side with overlaps from whatever midfielder is in the area. So RSL basically attacks up the right side with Beltran and tries to lob balls into the box aimlessly or lets Javi and whatever midfielder/Plata work the left side channels and try to dribble the ball into the goal. Wingerts passing and crossing in the attacking half is utterly abysmal. I would not be sad if he were moved or let go in the offseason.
We actually had a five minute period where the possession numbers showed 97% for RSL and 3% for Chivas. Sheesh! 75%-25% overall, both before and following the ejection (which gives you a good idea about how they approached the whole game).
Finishing has been an issue off and on all season. I really think RSL left about two more goals on the field last night. Granted, Chivas playing an ugly bunker style didn't help at all. Oh well. See you all at the playoff game(s)
Agreed. Despite the bunker, we had Javier's almost wunder-volley, and headers from Sabo and Mulholland, and another shot from Saborio, and the called back goal by Saborio, and the justly called-back goal from Morales - those were pretty high percentage opportunities. That's a half dozen high percentage chances. It's the best we've played Chivas this year, which isn't saying much.
A win is a win but if RSL plays in the playoffs with as little intensity, passion, and desire as they played with last night their season will end soon. Very soon. Let's see if the switch gets flipped or not. I won't be surprised either way they go in the playoffs, out quick or on a run. Hopefully the later.
Maybe this is a post for another thread but here it goes. I feel like this team just plays to get in the playoffs. Granted, they finished second in the West and made a USOC final last season, but I don't feel like RSL is playing with the mentality to get the SS or into CONCACAF CL. Maybe it's me. Granted, I am comparing RSL to Seattle and LA, which have more talent than RSL IMO.