Starting lineup questions: After the final preseason it seemed sanity had been restored, and Russell was back in the 11. but left or right? I would hope right, which I think would mean Salloi on the left, but is it left so that Shelton (who has looked pretty decent) is on the right?) Is Pulido in sync? I can't imagine holding him out. Here's hoping he's ready Is FelipeG out for a while yet? If so, I'd think Roger, Kinda, Ilie looks pretty much set. Disappointingly, I'm not sure there are any real options. I suppose if we wanted to go completely attack minded we could go with Kinda and Busio, but that doesn't feel like a real option. The back five seem pretty set.
I feel like every year, the preseason makes us wonder who will play. And then the first game of the year is exactly the lineup you would have predicted if you ignored the preseason. Is Gutierrez our only injured starter right now?
Okay, so using 2018 as our template (when Johnny and FelipeG arrived and immediately started) just going off what we would expect without a preseason of confusing games, our starting lineup: Gerso Pulido Russell Roger Kinda Ilie Martens Besler Puncec Zusi Melia That's not a bad lineup. Though I guess if we completely ignored preseason, we'd put Barath in for Puncec, Busio for Kinda and, yeah, no one would replace Pulido, though maybe Salloi for Gerso. Taking preseason into account, the only real change I can see to this group is Shelton for Gerso. I like the idea of keeping Gerso on the bench, because his speed against tired legs is an asset, and Shelton has looked strong. OTOH, Gerso's speed so disrupts a backline that I have no problem seeing him start, even if his numbers don't look great.
And this afternoon, I lost the ability to watch SKC on Saturday. YouTubeTV and Sinclair couldn't agree on carriage starting guess when? Saturday. "Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair to continue to carry the FOX Regional Sports Networks and YES Network. Starting February 29, 2020, you will no longer be able to watch live, on demand, or recorded content from your local FOX Regional Sports Network or YES Network." So no Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports Midwest, or Fox Sports Midwest Plus. eff me. I just switched to YouTubeTV.
Yeah, same. I lost Vue when it vanished, and now I have no ability to watch away SKC games. I am not switching to the other OTT providers because they all really pretty much suck. Out of luck, I suppose. :/
Inca and KCfooty, I feel your pain. After a year of having to VPN my way into the states to see more than a highlights package, someone here offered an MLS package and I bought in, and ... crap, this weekend, they're showing 8 MLS games and of course SKC is not one of of them.
Just want to note for the record YouTube and Sinclair currently trying to work out a deal and the game is on YouTube TV tonight. I’m in same boat as you. A friend just told me today .
As good as Gadi's first goal was, I was also happy to see him get the ball and then turn toward goal and not pass backwards. He is going to be a joy to watch this season.
Can we start a petition to get rid of Buckety? What's with his fascination with debutantes? Would someone give him a dictionary. That means young girls, not new players on the pitch. And it only took him 10 minutes to figure out that everyone that scored in 1996 in the first game was new to the team. For our French-speaking Canadian friends that had to listen to him "Quel idiot!"
Mrs. KCFutbol said something similar. Yeah, Nate is very meh. We had a perfectly good PxP announcer and cut him loose. He now does the Loon's telecast.
I wish I could listen enough to him to complain. I watched a ton of MLS last night on Dazn, but SKC over here is only available in highlights. I really wish there was a way to buy a video season ticket.
One thing to love about the stats from our first game: 4 shots on goal. 3 goals. True, five shots off goal, but I like that efficiency. Overall, we edged, just, the stat battle.Total Audi numbers: SKC 3538 Vanc 3505. That's not a monster right of Audi numbers, which in the past we would have had with a 3-1 win. What we had was 9 players performing above the average MLS player Audi number, thought none with monster nights. Pulido, Puncec and Kinda were among those with better than average nights. Pulido had three passes picked off, with 44 completed. He only won one aerial battle of six, but it counted. He won two tackles. Look at his activity map and it's a crescent around the goal, with a few touches from beyond 30 yards out but most inside that range. Puncec' map looks like half an oreo, and connects perfectly to Besler's, densely active on the defense end on. 3 clearances, an int and three aerials won (two lost), to go with his assist. 27=3 on his passing. Kinda: 57-9 on his passing. He was fouled 4 times (committed four). he won 2 tackels, a take ons and a corner. He even blocked a shot. His activity map when meshed with Roger's absolutely blankets the attacking half, and about 10 yards in the defensive zone (it's bits and pieces after that). There was more good news: Martens was excellent, our best Audi player and his activity forms a perfect angel wing, from end line to end line. Sadly, the other wing was broken. Zusi's activity stopped a bit above the top of the attacking box and on defense included the aforementioned skinning. his Audi score was 8. His passing was 55-13 and he won two tackles, 2 ints, and had a key pass. He lost 3 tackles and 2 challenges. The other disappointment was Ilie. A rousing 20 on Audi. 69-12 on his passing. When he's playing well, he has closer to 100, or more, total passes. 2 ints, but a tackle, challenge and aerial battle lost. This was an encouraging first outing. I assume Johnny will get fitter, and Zusi will have to be restricted a bit going forward.
That agrees with my viewing of the game. Russell did look a bit rough. Really hope he gets back to the right wing soon. Did he or Shelton have notable games, per Audi?
Thanks for this. I made sure to tweet at youtubeTV and voice my switch. I have paused youtubeTV but did not purchase Hulu + Live TV (yet) in hopes Sinclair and youtubeTV could get it worked out. Fortunately, I have a couple of weeks - last night was at a friend's house and next week, I'll be in person at the opener.