OK, so the Burn didn't look so good for their last preseason game vs. KC... Do you think anything will change come this Saturday? Will the Burn have the same midfield/forward lineup?.. Should they? Columbus got a tie out of their first game with LA, could the Burn manage the same?
The one thing that intrigues me is that L.A. will be playing a CCC game on Wednesday in Fullerton. They figure to play starters most of the way in order to get the home result. Will that make them tired in Southlake? Here's hoping... The Tulsa disappointment will be corrected if Pareja, Broome and Bonseu are all ready to go. The defense let them down a little and thank goodness that wasn't the starting back line. I think Kreis and Rhine can be effective against L.A. and I expect the home result.
I just hope we come out as pumped up as Columbus did in their home opener. LA looked to be the more talented team, but the Crew were determined to take it to them and should have won IMO. Man does Jeffries have bad scheduling luck. Two years in a row with the defending champs on opening day. I hope the "switch" works out better than his 3-5-2 experiment two years ago when we lost to the contraction bound Mutiny on opening day.
And they get to follow it up in week 2 with the polar opposite style of the Revolution. They are going to go from a team that likes to push forward and out to a team that likes to bog the game down and tries to catch a couple of snatches of lightning with Twellman. This could be a discouraging (or euphoric) first couple of weeks for the beloved.
To quote PZ about how tough our season is starting: 1) on the road at the stadium we have our worst record in. 2) home in the Champs Cup. 3) On the road on a plastic pitch in what will probably be a bit warmer than C'bus. 4) on the road in Mexico. _Need I say more? 5) on the road on another plastic pitch this time in weather much like C'bus. And all that in 2 weeks. _If we come out of this with at least 5 points and a spot in the Semis of the Champs Cup, I'll be more than happy. We will beat you... but damn we'll be tired. Tommy Mack
it's simple, if our guys come out and play like they have before against the gals at home then we will beat them, after watching L.A. last week I can say that we can beat them, but only if we really want it. And for god sakes don't let little fish $hit score, I will snap.
We need a forward bad... Rhine isn't going to cut it. Is EJ still injured? Cerritos...don't know if I have much faith in him, but perhaps he'll settle in well this season.
Is Dante still available? I'd take him any day over Rhine...I never thought we should have traded him.
Oscar won't be playing "Big Trouble in little Dragon!" Looks like Oscar won't be playing come Saturday. This could be a very bad omen.
I personally dont think Jeffries wants to get another forward. He had plenty of time to get one and money has never been an issue.
Well you would be wrong about that. I asked him just 7 days ago and he said he is still looking for one. Right now he only has two: Cerritos, EJ, and Thompson are all out. But he has also said he is not going to sign someone just for the sake of signing someone, and that he would not bring anyone in the week leading up to the first game, as he wanted to keep focused on opening day. Jeffries is looking for someone on the level with the player he got hosed on... Earnie Stewart. He has cap room and an open SI slot.
So no chance he brings over some temporary cover until this game-breaker becomes available? I think we all just want to see Dante Washington end up back in black and red, if only for a little while.
But other season's around the world have not finished yet. It would not exactly suck to get a quality striker somewhere along the midpoint of the season to bring in as a reinforcement a la Graziani in 99.
Here are few comments I gathered at the Burn luncheon earlier today. I spoke briefly with Vaca. He will be starting on Saturday in Pareja's place. Morrow thinks that playing with Suarez in the middle will help the defense greatly. He also mentioned that T-Bone looks great on the right. Morrow also said that he has no worries about DJ starting in goal. Cerritos thinks he is about a month away. Ronnie O'Brien thinks that he can provide some goal scoring this year, and that the pitch on Dragon Stadium may become a big home field advantage.
I can't believe all this pessimism. Geez, we have basically our entire returning team who finished 3rd overall. Anyway, the stands should be full. The weather is supposed to be perfect. Get your throats ready to cheer the boys to victory.