I almost didn't start this because @ravi said the thread started has to be both creative and lucky. So I am totally eschewing any creativity in favor of adding more luck to the ledger. Must-win game for New England and it's nice to have the lion's share of the pressure on the other team for a change. It'd be nice to get a result and I hope we relax into it.
It's a hodgepodge of a lineup, which is fine with me. Putna Lennon Holt Silva Herrera Rowe Portillo Baird Kreilach Saucedo Sam Bench: Ochoa, Toia, Glad, Everton, Luke, Plata, Schmitt
Holt and Silva have partnered well before, but swapping any two of Beckerma, Luiz, and Besler out for Rowe and Portillo is definitely cause for concern.
Looks to me like we are trading a chance for 3 points tonight, for a better chance at three points Wednesday night. Hope it works out.
We really have not looked to bad early. This team is probably the one that lines up against the first team in practice week in week out. Maybe we get a surprise result.
This might be the game Luke gets his first regular season minutes since New England came to the RioT in 2018.
Three good chances for New England late - Putna was shaky to say the least - all go for naught and we get a really good point on the road.
We got a point, on the road, with a very second team look! Hat’s off! Now let’s hope the rested “first team” gets us three on Wednesday. A very good night!
Holy Cow at that lineup. I’m just starting the recording due to pointy ball games today. Lennon at LB is intriguing, as are Rowe & Portillo at D-mid.
Went to the Royals game with the girls instead of watching this one. I would have been happy with a point even if the 1st team played!
It was a gritty performance. Putna was pretty good in the first half. But, when NE started really piling on late in the second half, he kinda lost it and RSL became quite lucky. We made many mistakes, as may be expected by that lineup. But, we mostly recovered well to stop the threats. But, that flurry at the end was scary. And, we nearly nipped 3. We had enough of the ball and enough chances to do it, too. It's not like we parked the bus or anything. Good job, boys! Now, turn this into what it needs to be, a win against LAG.
For once, RSL comes out on top against a team with a bigger need for a win. RSL leaves the game happy, happy, joy, joy and New England leaves the game with a big frowny face. Boo-hoo.
I wan unable to watch this one and just got periodic updates on my phone. The lineup made me do a quadruple take and refresh my app at least twice. Kudos on getting the point. The next two are massive 6 point games that the top players have to be available for. Smart move by Freddy to rotate as much as he did, especially with turf/travel. All eyes to Wed/Sun as the season is on the line
I thought it was interesting to see Kreilach play 90 with the reserve lineup. Hard to know how to read into it, but to me I just took it as an extreme vote of confidence. It felt like our attitude is that we have a fighting chance with Kreilach on the field, no matter who he's surrounded by.
even with how much I dislike parts of his game (for the love of god stop diving/embellishing) he is very obviously the actual captain of this current team. KB has the armband because of his history with the team. Without that, Kreilach would have it in a landslide. Whats hard about that is how our team is built and where he fits on the field/in that rotation. There is an argument to be made that he's better coming off the bench.