I posted 0-2 loss for this game. I'm sure we'll get a goal. But, with Bengtson out on INTL duty..Thank you MLS for having games during WorldCup Qualifying..who's going to score for us? Rowe, Diego, Tierney...Reiss??(Let's hope we get a penalty...Reiss can be official PK taker) Well..at least & we think as of now..Zusi won't be here either for SKC. But they have Benny!! =)
0-0 draw. yes the boring result but without Bengtson the revs are going defensive hoping to get a 1-0 win and heaps will give them a grilling over last week's goal. SKC won't be able to score, i hope.
That is the question. I wonder if JH is planning a surprise. KC hasn't done super-well so far when their midfield has been put under pressure, and they don't really have a replacement for Zusi (Saad?, Convey?). I would expect us to try to clog the midfield, and play a physical, high line again. I'm also expecting more shooting from distance, with Horth or Barrett trying to clean up rebounds. Agree with Dan and Topher that a low scoring game is likely. Maybe we'll see Fagundez at 70-75' to change the look.
After a pleasing win over Chicago, we followed it up with a displeasing, 2012-like loss in Philly. Therefore, I am totally stumped as to which team will show up...and which players will show up. Reis? Cisse? We know Bengtson is out. Hey, maybe "#BeThere323" is more for the players than the fans? Maybe it's time we released "The Kid" on 'em. Just let Fagundez use up all of his 18-year old, "I've just had a full Royal Pastry Shop 18x30 sheet cake all by myself," sugar high energy on them. Wave upon wave of Nguyen, Toja, Fagundez & Rowe going at 'em until they drop & hope to hell that our backline can mark some folks on set pieces.
I think we'll see both Barrett and Fagundez at forward - maybe not together and maybe not both starting. I think we better be ready for a very physical game. Vermes wants his guys to play rough and had good success with it against us last year. Watched he and KC on Saturday and he pretty much freaked out any time one of his players was whistled for a foul. I'm learning to hate the guy.
if only one of Simms/Cisse is available then we've got to go with a diamond midfield and two strikers (Barrett and Fagundez fit the bill). though i would like to see a 4-1-4-1 with Barrett as the lone striker and a midfield of (L to R) Nguyen, Toja, Dorman, and Guy/Rowe.
He is actually a pretty easying going guy. I talked to him before a KC v Colorado preseason game down in Phoenix a few years ago. I don't the he screams any more than Heaps does. then again with MLS officiating they have a quiet a bit to yell at
I think we're in for a season of low-scoring Revs games. Expect a 1-0 scoreline for at least half the games this season.
Is this why we need to get everyone in our vast soccer circles to attend the 42° opener? To sit in a lifeless cavern with 48,000 empty seats witnessing a scoreless draw? Oh good times.
haha, 0-0 games can be great. With a large crowd the revs could snag that last second winner on adrenaline
I'm going with this: GK: Reis (if healthy) RB: Farrell LB: Alston CB: Soares CB: Gonçalves DM; Simms DM: Cissé AM: Nguynen AM: Rowe FW: Toja FW: Fagundez I can see Barrett as a sub later for Fagundez and Dorman coming on for Rowe. Best chances in this match will probably come off of set pieces but if Diego can pull some extra defensive pressure it could open up some space for Nguyen and/or Rowe outside the 18. Gonna be cold...
That's possibly the only advantage to living in MLS 1.0 - lack of nat'l team call ups (except for Bengtson, our entire offense of course)
There is no better chance to get 3 points off SKC than this weekend. They don't have Zusi or Besler, and outside of one half in Philadelphia their play has been pretty poor. Plus, the Revs always get up and take it to a higher level in their home opener - they've won every single one going back to 2008 (and maybe farther, as that was the farthest back I could find game-by-game results). I think the best strategy for this one is to go all out for a goal early before the play has settled. Without Bengtson, put out as much of an offensive-minded starting lineup as possible. Leave Simms on the bench, partner Cisse with Dorman or Caldwell. Put Toja up top (as a strike partner in a 4-4-2) with whoever you feel is the best option out of Diego, Horth or Barrett. Have the other 2 and Imbongo on the bench.
I'm interested in seeing Horth getting a run out as a sub, but really have no idea who Jay will start. I don't think Tierney starting is out of the question - not too thrilled at the prospect.
I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Tierney start and Nguyen and Toja play centrally as two "forwards". In fact, didn't he trot out a similar lineup at some point last year?
My XI ------------Imbongo/Barrett ------------------Lee Smith----------Toja-------Nyassi/Guy/Rowe ---------------Farrell Tierney-----Goncalves---Barnes---Duckett
Unfortunately, on a cold blustery day in March on fake turf, that isn't going to generate jack. I'd rather see a straight-up diamond 4-4-2 with Fagundez and Imbongo/Barrett as twin strikers, with Toja as a true AM so he doesn't have to cover as much space going forward and can be a pain for Nagamura/Rossell. KC's play is much more horizontal this year and goes a lot through Rossell, so narrowing the midfield and forcing them wide is a good thing. If they want to pump balls into Bieler's head all day, go for it. In KC vs. Chicago, you saw Sapong get more and more frustrated and start playing way inboard of where Kamara used to in their old 4-3-3., so the shape broke down and the middle became impossibly crowded. Can't have giveaways in the back this game, though--Bieler will pounce on them and convert efficiently.
i actually really would like to see Duckett get a start. dude can whip it into the box pretty effectively from what i've seen and gathered. put Barrett up top with a CAM like Dorman or Toja to clean up the deflections and such and I think the Revs might be able to make something happen, maybe even a point!
A 4-4-2 diamond (4-3-1-2) may be worth a shot, but by no means is it the obvious solution. It requires fullbacks to cover A LOT of ground, manning the flanks single-handedly . Playing against a team with half decent speedy wingers can overwhelm a 4-3-1-2 quite easily.