He has a cannon, but its rarely on goal. Generally, his shots turn into a momentum killing change of possession. It's really only useful in games like our Portland game, where everybody else was afraid to shoot. In those circumstances you need someone like Will who is always ready to test the keeper. If he can put the corner service into the box with accuracy and touch, then server is the best role for him. Quality set peices are going to be important for us with Javi's play-making ability. Will's role in making them dangerous will be more important than him being available to stop counter attacks. I'm not as confident in Andy right now as some of you are. He hasn't had the quality touch this season that we are used to seeing from him. I think he is going to be mentally distracted for a while too with the situation at home.
I'm really curious to see how Espy plays this match. The guy has been tremendous this year but has his head all messed up. Now his best friend on the team is out for a long time... This game will tell us a lot about Espy the rest of the season. He also has a habit of getting into it with the Houston db defenders...
We need a statement game. I don't know if that's possible for RSL now, but we need a statement game, an authoritative win that says we haven't gone anywhere, we're back. And this would be the perfect game to do that.
Exactly my fear about Espy, will his head put him in a great place to honor his friend with great play or will his head be so ********ed up his play will suffer? I think we will see a good year from Espy as he puts everything into his game.
If Big Johnson doesn't take the corners, who does? I am not sold on Andy's ability here anymore. Who else? Warner?
I could see Warner taking them, but it will probably be Willie. He takes them for the Canucks when he's on national team duty. In fact, didn't he assist on a goal for them when they played in Greece last month?
Far to much attention to who is taking the Corner's and far to little attention on who will finish the corners
Oddly enough, if this were a one or two game thing, I would expect Ned and Andy to both start, and Collen to be the first midfielder off the bench (I actually believe that Ned played most of the central role when Javi was out with the knee). However, with this being an extended thing, I think that Kreis may turn the reigns over to Collen, and then fill in around him with Andy and Ned. And during Will's Gold Cup days I think that all three will be starting - who is in which position will be the only question. I think Espy will be extremely focused, and will give his all in Javi's absence. If there's one thing that Fabi doesn't lack it's heart. What I worry about is the rapport between him and Javi's stand-in. The two Argentine's have such a good understanding of each other. Sabo, Borchers, Olave. Corners will not be a strong point going forward. I just hope that we can put some free kicks on frame. I think we have some players that can do so.
given what i have witnessed (in person and in compilation of videos), i think this team is more than capable of putting threats on frame. andy (in my opinion) has been the most threatening and dangerous player in our HISTORY. he has scored some of our most impressive goals, both in the run of play and off free kicks. i have little doubt that (given his free kick goal off a free kick against columbus in CCL just a few months ago) that he will continue that pattern. i guess i have watched this team way to much to believe that we will all of a sudden stop producing free kick and set piece goals. it has literally been or bread and butter since the beginning of this franchise.
So the honeymoon period with most of you and AA is over already I assume. I guess I hope he has an impact and soon before he heads off to begin training with ES ahead of the Gold Cup.
I don't know if we have given up on Artie. I just think we are frustrated by a lot of things and AA is a good target. I hope he turns into a scoring machine for us and I think he can. I just don't see him taking the a-mid position that is now vacant. I think most would agree its either Andy's or Warner's.
Clear reason for that: We didn't lose Saborio, Olave or Borchers, the guys who we rely on to finish corners. We lost Javi, the guy who delivers them. That, and we watched a lot of corners sail over the entire 18 yard box in the first couple of years of this team. Javi was a breath of fresh air and raised Andy's game when he was called on.
Look I just do not believe their will be this huge drop off in quality balls put into the box on corners without Javi. Yes it was his job when he was playing but on a professional soccer team I am comfortable with the idea that one of our players will be able to get some quality corners into the box.
Oh come on 4 corner kick goals in those 3 years isn't bad is it? My favorite, was when Esky was taking one against Everton, I was sitting right by the corner flag. I yelled out, "Come on Alecko, lets get our third corner kick goal all time." He laughed. Kicked the ball, and Carey Talley headed the ball into the back of the net. Esky cheered, turned, and pointed right at me. Awesome.
Greatest corner kick in RSL history, by legendary of midfielder Leighton O'Brien... right into the side netting. My U7 son can take them better.
He may have gotten a look as a trialist that year had he been old enough. Honestly, expect to see more short corners being taken for a while. Which can (sometimes) be a good thing, right up until it becomes predictable. I'd love to see more of the short corner -> square pass -> shot from the top of the box-type plays, especially with 3 mids who can hit from there in Kyle, Andy, and Will.
Short corners are good every once in a while, but if we take more than one or two in a game they'll turn into nothing. Honestly I can't understand why more aren't behind Warner taking them and acting as our AM the same as if Javi was on the field. The guy scored more goals than anyone else in preseason which granted, it was preseason but still enough to make one wonder. He did a great job when he was the AM in the Revs game. JK has always done the unthinkable at times and a propensity to be bold when perhaps caution is better adhered to. I think in this instance we'll see that once again. Same play on the field as w/ Javi, just with Warner in his spot.
I would like to see more corners delivered near post. They are difficult to execute but when done well they wreak havoc with the defending team. The ball is delivered with a fairly flat trajectory, just enough to clear any defenders between the corner and the target. The target has several choices: head it to goal, control and shoot, head it to one of several spots where runners are assigned to go, or control and distribute to a player on the near side. It is a redirection play. The defense moves to cover the danger by the target player who sends the ball to an area that was just vacated.
I just want to see an RSL player score the team's first olympic goal ever! Has an RSL player ever even tried it in a match yet?
I want to see goals, period. While we have a really potent offense, we haven't exactly been lighting teams up. outside the LA and CBus CCL game, we have struggled to get goals. This is the kind of game, as canyounvue/traevellor said, where we need to make a statement. That means goals early and often. Houston has had one clean sheet this season, against NE. At the same time, however, they have yet to give up more than two goals. And until the last two games against the cRapids and TFC, they hadn't given up more than one. RSL v Houston games are always entertaining (hence FSC coming to town) so I'm sure we'll all be in for a good show.
This will be a test. Does RSL bounce back after the loss of Morales or not. Houston just isn't that good and RSL should win.
im a pretty superstitious person, always had superstitions in things i did during life...including soccer. anyways, im a firm believer that shit things happen in threes (a fairly common expression), well we just had our third shit thing so hopefully we are in for some smoother sailing. the CCL loss, followed by the loss to portland to end a bunch of records and then the loss of Javi. bam, three, i think we start anew and things start looking up. the FO is handing out 15,000 #11 cards for people to hold up during the 11th minute on saturday. cant wait to see that on tv, im glad this will be on FSC so i dont have to watch on my laptop.
Are they really. That was my suggestion, not that they took it from me, but I did suggest it to them. Good!