Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame/during-game thread [R]

I know that the last time Chicago advanced to the MLS Cup final, after the 2000 season in Washington, D.C., they had to wear their away whites and Kansas City wore their home blues.

And Hristo Stoitchkov raised a stink about it (not that that's all too unusual ). But in his whinge, he was right about tradition, and that red and blue should be displayed.

I think in the days after the fact, something was said about one team being required to wear white was necessary for TV, and for the guys in the TV truck in particular. Which I never necessarily believed.

As long as it's red versus blue, and one of the few direct colour clashes in the league itself, these teams should be allowed to wear their first-choice strips.

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Agreed, it would be outstanding to see each team wearing their colors for this match but I doubt it will happen. Like so many other aspects in life, TV will dictate. So, I'm bring both jerseys down and will be prepared.

As for the Dunivant note, I'm with you that I was somewhat surprised Todd wasn't playing in these latest matches. Two thoughts occur...

1) Todd is in his first full professional season and while he did play outstanding, he started to show some fatigue in the last weeks of the regular season. Perhaps, just not yet accustomed to the longer pro season.

2) When it came playoff time, FY wanted to go with experience. However, starting Jamil shoots a noticable hole in that theory, so if I had to stand up at a podium and profess, I'd go with theory #1.

 

Franky said he was looking to shake things up with the lineup going into LA. He said he wanted to put a team out there that they weren't expecting. Thus, I think, Hott Toddy was left out. And it worked. So as Franky does, what worked is what he continues to play. Makes sense to me. Though, I could also be completely wrong too.

Another thing to consider, Todd had to have cortisone(sp?) shots in his knees very early in the season. Perhaps they continued to bother him and he just needs the rest. Maybe he's being rested for the playoffs.

In any case, who really knows? Wish I had thought to ask him after the game, but I was too worried about something else.

 

Forza San Jose. Wish I could make it next Sunday.

 

Psst! MLS Cup... Pass it on!

(this is a copy of an email I'm sending to everyone I know personally... and I'm cheating by sending it to a couple of relevant mailing lists. Please copy the email text below and send it to your friends and family.)

Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 23:08:44 -0800 (PST)
From: porkrind
Subject: Psst! MLS Cup... Pass it on!

Many of you receiving this will already know about the San Jose Earthquakes appearance in the MLS Cup final on Sunday, Nov. 23, 12:30pm PST/3:30pm EST, on your local ABC station. Many of you will not. Being an Earthquakes fan and doing my part for MLS Cup publicity, I've decided to send this note to everyone I know.

I want this Sunday's telecast to be the most-watched soccer game in US history. If each of you forward this note to everyone that you know, and then they forward it on, we just might do it.

If you want to watch the game on Sunday, be sure and add a comment at this URL: http://www.clubquake.org/cq/?q=comment/reply/201

In your comment, list your general location, your favorite soccer team, and anything else relevant to soccer in the US.

Now forward this to your friends and family and tell them to do the same!


Woohoo! Let's see how many soccer fans we can get!

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

I talked to Todd at the practice on Vet's Day about not playing, he said it was just the coach's decision. He left it at that and I was afraid to ask for further details.

PS...forget which mid Beasley will be up against, who's going to defend that speed!? Roner vs Waibel... we don't even have a decent right back. Waibel isn't fast and there is no such thing as subtle passes when it comes to him, and Roner is so unpredictable. Scary... I'm so excited!! I get to go to the MLS Cup!! I hope they win... ROAD TRIP!!!

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Dude! What just happened to the rest of my posts!? I had like 50 with this other dude who was sympathizing my density!! Very uncool.

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Oooo...smart...If I only had a brain....
Sooo about this game. Predictions anyone? With all these crazy come backs I'm feelin we're 2 down by the 30th then we come back and DeRo will score in the 40th to make it 2-1 goin' into half time. Then in the 60th I'm feelin' a goal from one of the mids...Ekelund/Mullan...doubtfully Mulrooney?? Then of course, my hubby Donovan will score a winner in the 80's and that'll be it.

Frank if you ever read this, you need to play Toddy...

WE BELIEVE!!

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

But that's if we're still in comeback mode...

DeRo in the 10th if we're not, then Donovan on his first goal in the 20's/30's. Ralph will get a goal in the late 30's 2-1 into half time. Razov steals one in the 55th, (hopefully not a loser lob over the keeper that was just a goalie mistake, nothing spectacular on his part) then it'll be Donovan saving the day again. Woooweee Franky you're the best. Anyone know if the Blue Crew'll be there!?

Vince! You're the best! Thanks for the popcorn bro!!

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Hey Goodsport, do you stay on these boards all day and all night moderating, or do you have shifts with the other moderater men/women.

To keep this post on this board....

Chicago is a heap of poo. Just kidding. Good team, they stink. The Quakes deserve it a hundred billion times more.

Anyone else have the Our Way DVD? I watch that thing all the time. I memorized all the words to it.

 

We've basicly been playing 3 in the back with Agoos as a left sided midfielder. If I were to draw it up it would be something like:

------Walker-----Donovan-----
---Lagos---Mulrooney---Mullan-
Agoos------Ekelund------------
---Robinson---Dayak---Waibel--

I think the change was waranted because teams were finding too much space between Dunivant and Agoos, while Roner was caught up field too much. Personally I attribute that to Agoos as much as to Dunivant, as he just doesnt have the footspeed to cover for the aggressive outside back that Yallop wanted, but hes the captain and a winner, so I wont complain about sitting Dunivant. Even without taking into account it was wildly successful.

They key to this game I think will be our ability to pass the ball. If we can move the ball around like we are capable of, I think Chicago will have a very hard time winning possession like they are used too. The big field at HDC should help. On the other hand, I am a bit worried about Beasley, Williams and Ralph (not so much Razov). I think we may leave a lot of space back there, and we really need Robinson Dayak and Waibel to play well if we go with the same lineup. Another reason we want to play good solid possesion ball, as we want Williams and Beasley to worry about defense, not offense.

If we have Walker and Donovan in their, I think that will also help, as their pace should keep the Chicago back line from trying to creep up and collapse the midfield. If we get either of those guys in a footrace with Boca or Curtin, I think we get their defense out of their comfort zone.

Mulrooney and Ekelund must also play well, distributing the ball well and getting back in defensive transition.

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

I think the Blue Crew deserve to go because next to the Casbah, the Blue Crew really did a great job of getting Spartan Stadium as loud as possible. The Ultras did a great job also, I was happy to see that they increased in membership.

Bring your family and friends to HDC and lets try to make it as BLUE as possible.

I hope to see a loud Casbah and Ultras group at the game. Oh yeah, the Blue Crew DESERVE to be there.

GO QUAKES!!!

 

ticket MLS CUP

I have one ticket in section 110 row A for the face value and whatever it costs to get the ticket to you

 

Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Walker is not in game shape still, and I think the last two games have taken a lot out of him. You could see in the way he played that he was happy he started, and he made it worth while. But I don't think he'll be starting again. If DeRo is back from the hamstring strain, which I am in no doubts that he is, considering he was subbed in on Saturday...I think DeRo will be starting up top with LD. Although he isn't AS fast as Walker, he is still fast and his sequences with Landon have been absolutely lethal to defenders in the past. Walker will probably be subbed in for DeRo late in the second half.

As for Waibel, he has had two great games and I see a handful of reasons he should play, but if Beasley takes that ball down the left side and gets passed Mullan, there is no way Waibel can match up with Beasley...or Ralph...or Razov...I think it should be Roner and sometime in the game Toddy should get to play!!! I feel we would be safer with Agoos and Dayak in the middle and Todd on the left. I think we are still yet to score off of Agoos' left footed crosses? I might be mistaken, but Todd has played all season in every game, why take him out now. That just isn't fair to him.

 

Re: Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

I heartily agree. Since they've had Kate with them, that has been a powerful organization.

 

Re: Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

May I answer that?

 

Re: Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

I can't believe nobody caught this. Bob Bradley, anyone? how quickly they forget. Sarachan, who is probably right now poring over game film of LA v. SJ and SJ v. KC for ideas, would be #4.

I went over my tapes of the previous Fire-Quakes games this season. They're nigh well useless in analyzing Sunday's game because both teams are so different from what they were back then.

The size of the field won't matter. DCU and Revs fans both tried to see a bigger-than-Naperville field at RFK and the new SF as a positive for them and it wasn't. It just gave our speed players more space to use that advantage.

The fact that both teams will want to play attacking soccer and have the players to do it should make this a very exciting game.

See you in L.A.

 

Yeah, now that I'm almost recovered from that emotional win Saturday (I wonder how in the world the players do it! I'm absolutely mentally drained ) I'm beginning to look forward to the game on Sunday. I'm especially keen on the matchup between DMB and Mullan. I don't dare want to start any kind of fight with anyone, but I actually think Mullan is a better ball handler than DMB, maybe even a better crosser. But DMB does have that X factor going for him (just something about him) and so it looks to be quite a matchup.

 

But, we've got Jamil who has been cited by one critic as "DaMarcus Beasley without the falling."

 

Re: Re: Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

Bob who?

 

Ha, I haven't heard that one. That's priceless.

 

Re: Re: Re: Chicago - San Jose MLS Cup 2003 (Sunday, 11/23) pregame thread

the silent one, you know, jay's sidekick.

 

Mullan is a great matchup with DMB. A key to the Quakes stopping the Fire's attack.

Mulrooney and Ekelund should be able to match Armas and Marsch, though it will be tough.

It's on the left I'm worried about, particularly if the Fire play Mapp ahead of Williams. I think Lagos or Corrales or Russel can handle Williams.

The Fire have a great back line but they're a tad slow. I think we should stick with Walker and LD up front to stretch their defense until it breaks.