After this week I wouldn't be surprised if I give the reins back to 15 for this stuff. 3-1 RSL just for fun. The wheels will come off at some point or the magic will wain but lets ride it out none the less. SKC has not started well but could get back some key players. Just like RSL? The intensity for this game might be through the roof either positive or negative. SKC fans have to be ready and probably on edge after how the season ended last year and how it started so far this year. I will be very interested to see if Pablo and the boys can keep up this positive attitude and other chakra thingamajig and keep this season rolling. Burn some incense and set forth positive affirmations. Also, I left out the goobx1 to start the thread so that can't be good. Right?
I hope Cordova is available for this game. He seemed to be in some pain towards the end of the game. To the point that even Dunny was commenting about it.
There is a curious piece on RSL Soapbox relating to the comments Pablo made on the Bill Riley show yesterday on ESPN 700. More or less Pablo doesn't take into account the data taken from the biometric scanners on the players unless he feels like there is a drop in their play. Which... is ass backwards if you ask me.
"The one thing I will say that if my eyes tell me that the players are still going and can still move and run, then I don’t even ask about the biometrics. In other words, our performance will never say, “we’ve gotta be careful with this guy.” That’ll never be said. It’ll always be me, unless they see somebody grabbing their hamstring or somebody slowing down. But we’ll never use the data to validate the eye test until the eye test is observed." Yikes! When you see someone grabbing a hamstring, it's a little late to be paying attention to the biometrics, isn't it? I get the eye test and everything, but I'd be reluctant to ignore everything else, especially if you've got a player who is prone to injury.
This in combination with the NSH postgame stuff should be a little concerning. Maybe Ryan will sit him down (aren't the Jazz heavy into analytics and biometrics?) and show him how he can maybe integrate some things before the eye test tells him what's up. 15, you had some good points in your comments on Soapbox.
Do you know what the eye test has told me... we have a shit ton of injuries and I think I'm starting to see why...
I mean, we literally had a guy (Glad) pull his hamstring in that game. I'm not going to claim the biometrics would have predicted / prevented it, but good lord. I had to listen to the interview to see if Pablo was really that naive and didn't hear the words coming out of his own mouth.
It shows a complete lack of respect for the players' careers and more importantly their health... if I were a player I'd refuse to play for a coach like that...
I see this game going RSL 4 - 1 SKC. Goals by Wood (2), Taters and Menenendenez. I'm usually wrong about this stuff, so hopefully two wrongs make a right this time.
Menendenzino scoring is bold - I mean, him making the field at all is a complete unknown so far this season. I'd love him coming on and scoring within 3 minutes and/or on his first touch.
I think the starting lineup looks like this: Wood Meram Chang Schmitt Ruiz Caldwell Brody Kappelhoff Silva Holt MacMath Bench: Gomez, Herrera, Orozco, Luiz, Loeffelsend, Garcia, Cordova, Menedez I suppose Herrera could step in for Brody, but I don't think Brody has performed in a way that he deserves to lose his spot. I also don't want Herrera in the back 3 group. His best attribute in this setup is getting forward. Something to note that I don't know if I mentioned before: There were a good 10-15 kids from the academy sitting in my section against Nashville. It also included Jude Wellings and Axel Kei. I was geeking out. My wife kept hitting me because I was staring at teenagers and that's troublesome.
Meram is out with the Iraq team, so who starts instead? I like Cordova up top, but he is positionally flexible. Is he ready to play after his knock? I think Pablo forgot that Joni is on the team. Is Silva ready to start? Damir might be on the bench. Rubio should be, too. Davis is available. What are some 4 man backline options? 4-2-3-1? 4-1-4-1? Who is back this week for KC? They've had some injuries, too.
forgot Meram un-retired from Iraq and got called back in Logically that should be Menendez, but I have zero faith in that actually happening Cordova is the next option, but I struggle figuring out how to play him in the road pivot we do to a 3-4-2-1. Maybe Pablo sticks to the more aggressive 3-4-3? I don't want a 4 man backline, honestly. The team has shown shape and awareness in this 3 man setup with wingbacks tracking. Stay with that. It'll honestly play more like a 5 man backline if we're struggling and that's good. Rotate Cordova for Meram in the setup above. I think that actually will pivot Wood to be underneath Cordova, on the same line as Chang. I'd love to see Rubin and Kreilach on the bench, I just don't expect it. Silva being back is me being hopeful the toenail thing is as minor as they made it out to be. Uncomfortable in the short term, but once it grows back enough he's fine.
OUT: Zack Farnsworth (left ankle), Nick Besler (nose), Bret Halsey (right ankle), David Ochoa (right quad), Justen Glad (left hamstring) QUESTIONABLE: Damir Kreilach (left calf), Aaron Herrera (right calf), Marcelo Silva (right toe), Sergio Cordova (right knee), ON ASSIGNMENT WITH REAL MONARCHS: Gavin Beavers, Julio Benitez, Jeff Dewsnup, Axel Kei, Jude Wellings It'll be interesting to see what the back three looks like if Silva can't go.
So Herrera is out again for injury precaution, Wood is out because of injury precaution, and Kappelhof just last minute was removed from the XI (probably due to injury precaution). Like, what. The. ********!