Its game day, can you feel the excitement or something else. I fully expect a 3 goal loss in this one.
LAFC aren't in the best form right now. They haven't totally integrated Ramirez or Horta, and they do miss Kaye. It is a good time to play them. I'd predict a point if our road form was anything better than "heartbreaking".
we couldn't muster a goal against San Jose on the road. Somehow we tied. LAFC aren't "in form" compared to where they were, but Bob Bradley won't have his team drop these points.
Whiners. There'll be a 3-goal loss all right, but I say we ride roughshod over these bastards tonight, RSL 3 - 0 LAFC, goals by Rusnák, Baird and Glad before 60:00. Petke makes three very savvy subs at about 61:00, bolstering the defense and we sit in and just watch the boys from Tinseltown flail away. Have at it.
One positive thing with this game, hopefully, is that Petke will rotate players. Sunny should be released from the bench, finally. Hell, a good coach would make rotations to players like Glad and Rusnak who have been off and simply don't need a midweek game to kill them. If I'm making the starting XI it looks like this: LSilva Bofo Kreilach Savarino Sunny Ruiz Acosta MSilva Besler Lennon Nicky Bench: Putna, Glad, Herrera, Rusnak, KB, Plata, Baird Look to switch Savarino at half (this is allowed)
I've watched their recent games,and LAFC is indeed struggling more than they were earlier. But they look worlds better than us, have speed to spare, and are at home. If we only lose by two, I will be pleasantly surprised.
Tonight’s the night we get payback for the early home loss/beatdown and talk LAFC into handing their playoff spot to Seattle (like a responsible expansion side). Meanwhile, we show we can cement our playoff position on the road. The only way that doesn’t happen is if I jinxed it.
Any prediction other than RSL being completely overrun is LAFC-able. (sorry, I couldn't help myself.)
Not sure why but I have a good feeling about this one. We finally find some road form and take it to them.
Broadcast shows this: Baird Saucedo Rusnak Beckerman Sunny Herrera Lennon Barry Glad Besler Rimando (EDIT: So much for formatting: Hererra and Lennon are wingbacks in this.)
The names are accurate, but the positions are not. The formation is a 5-2-2-1. Barry will be at Left Center Back. Sunny is mid with Beckerman. Saucedo is left forward. Rusnak is right forward.
If nothing else this formation will make Bradley have to redesign his game plan. Looks like our target is to earn a point tonight.
Lee Nguyen is one of my favorite players. I hate to see him on a Western Conference roster that’s not RSL’s.
They are breaking us down pretty easily early. Rusnak is hanging out more on the left than the right.
Besler does the double face palm after getting beaten simply on the Ramirez non-goal. As he should; he blew that badly. (So did Glad on the missed slide on the through ball for that matter.)