We have to more or less let this one go, yes? It is part of a five games in fifteen days stretch, and while the travel schedule is friendly to us (Seattle - home - home - home - Los Angeles) and we'll have the World Cup break after the Galaxy game, but those are the points we need. Usually I am all for going for it in the USOC - only five games to a trophy - but this run and our overwhelming need for points to stay in the playoff race suggests otherwise to me. But I am happy to be dissuaded of that opinion! So dissuade away.
I will try to dissuade you by highlighting three points- - - 1) this organization is thirsty for hardware. 2) it’s SKC. I don’t think RSL will just let one go where SKC is concerned. 3) it’s at home. SKC at home? We have to do everything possible to win it. If it was Game One on the road at Atlanta or anywhere else in the East I could see us letting it go and sending a young group to give them the experience. But not against SKC at home.
Heavy legs from both teams to be expected. Hoping we find a way to get Monarch players in this one but they also play tonight (Monday) so that could seriously limit it. Will keep an eye on the Monarchs XI to see if that is the plan
I went to the future and found some footage of the game: https://media.giphy.com/media/l2Sq5zx86guTA8wIU/giphy.gif
There's an odd rule regarding Monarchs players and USOC games in the CBA. It kept Hoffman and Seba out of games last summer: https://www.rslsoapbox.com/real-mon...handler-hoffman-cant-play-for-rsl-us-open-cup Assuming the rule hasn't changed (which it probably hasn't, because the CBA hasn't changed), that would mean that we can't use Seba, Hoffman, Ryden, and Chang from the Monarchs, even though they've all played well. The only Monarchs players I'd think we can and would want to use would be Brody, Portillo, Adams... and maybe Ledezma? I'd start a lineup something like this: Ortuno? Lopez-Espin - Hernandez - Brody Portillo - Ruiz Henley - Horst - Peay - Herrera Sparrow I'd have a handful of first-teamers on the bench if we want late subs.
No one lets things go RSL vs SKC. I know there are new personnel who have no individual grudges, but I have to believe the beckermans, rimandos, beltrans, and the like will mention their animosity. I loathe SKC like no other team in this league. I hope they lose in an embarrassing fashion.
If you could choose between a win against SKC or a win at LA what would you choose? For me I choose a win against LA. 4 straight league wins would make it very easy to cope with an Open Cup loss.
So we play reserves and win 3 to nil with all goals coming from own goals and/or goal keeper errors. Embarrassing enough?
Our chance of winning at Galaxy is not very high either way. I honestly think we have the defense that Zlatan dreams about playing against.
Highest paid player on the team. He is a professional. Time to see what he can do. ... Anybody else having Yura flashbacks and setting expectations reaaaalllllly low?
I may get a little turned on watching him beat down our defense and score on us again and again and again. [emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji91]
I I simply cannot see the organization putting out this team. No way they view the open cup this Poorly.
The scuttlebutt is that Ortuno will be separated from the organization during the summer transfer window.
Also, unfortunately, Ortuno is still our second highest paid player. Though he is our "highest paid currently active" player.
Is the Open Cup even viewed that highly? I've always felt it's something neat if we were to win it, but it's nothing to really view as a priority until maybe the last couple rounds if you make a run. I'd much rather see some of the depth get some minutes. I could understand more of a focus if we were already playing well and had the points to give up for this, but as it stands I'd rather focus on league play and let this game go if need be. Get Ortuno out there and some of the lesser used players.