Another Friday night home game. Chicago are out of the playoffs, so they don't have much to play for and may be doing some lineup experimentation. Our lineup will be interesting as well. Claros is supposedly on a three game suspension for using some colorful (read: homophobic and/or racist) language in the New England game. That information was deleted from MLS's site for unknown reasons, but Claros didn't make the 18 against DC, so... :shrug: Coupled with his Honduras callup, that would mean we won't see him again until the post-season. Sinovic is suspended due to yellow card accumulation. With Collin week-to-week and Claros suspended, we could have a very hard time fielding a defense + a d-mid (Another thing: I could have sworn Nagamura was on four yellows and his yellow he picked up at DC was a suspension. I'm really hoping I'm just misremembering. If Nags, Claros, Collin, and Sinovic are unavailable... Ugh). So there you have it. Chicago should be an easy 3 points at home... if we can find 11 people to take the field. EDIT: The international call-ups are this week. For some reason I thought they were next week. Whoops. That means Claros is out for sure. Besler and Zusi weren't called up, so they are available Friday, thank the gods.
Nagamura is available because he got the 'good behavior' incentive, going 3 games without a yellow, so Nagamura is available. Segaras is suspended for Chicago. They've draw 18 games now this season... So a draw is not unexpected. Also attendance will be interesting. While it may be an announced sellout, Friday is the first game of the ALCS so I expect lots of open seats
Game 1 is in Baltimore. Sporting should announce they'll have it on the Cauldron end video board at all times. Boom, problem solved!
I'd agree except for the fact that we have as many wins on the road vs Chicago (1) as we do at home against them since SP opened. And with all their draws I think this one could be ugly
SKC doesn't know the meaning of easy three points. They sure can win it, though. Chicago likes to show up to play drudgeball, though. If Sporting takes an early lead, it could be a good game. If Chicago keeps it even or god forbid takes the lead themselves, expect this to turn into a horrorfest.
Its a must win, but not an easy win. Johnson seems to always play out of his mind against KC. And Magee only needs one chance on the counter.
I thought Magee's season was done? Though yes I agree it very well could be a tough grind it out type of game, and easily a must win... But Chicago isn't the same caliber of team as us, though Sporting KC likes to find ways to make the game tougher than it is at times
This Chicago team that isn't the same caliber as us is the same one that is 1-0-1 against us this year and have gotten those results when we were in better form than we are now.
I forgot about the Magee injury. Yes, SKC is the better team but Chicago can draw anyone anywhere. They have shown that over and over again this season. And, when they come to Sporting Park, they typically play 10 behind the ball and make it a snooze fest.
5-0 Sporting. Chicago starts out playing drudgeball, picks up an early red, we start pressing and completely exploit them. Dwyer with a hat trick, Sapong with another, Zusi with a goal and two assists.
I saw an interesting statistic on MLS Soccer today related to this game. Chicago leads the league in forward to backward pass ratio at 3.12 and SKC is last in the league at 2.32. So Friday is a battle between the most direct and least direct teams in the league.