...well... we find ourselves once again saying we must win... for the group..for the percentage...for the pride... Monarcas have 17 points to our 20, but with a game in hand. Following his red card v america Sancho will miss this game.. so I guess Castro back in contention (thats a joke). Also Chupa Lopez is suspended. I would, at any other point in this season, say thats good news, but on balance I thought he was our best player last Sunday... typical.... How has El "Fantasma" Figueroa been doing?..... he has been playing 5-3-2 changing to 4-4-2 like Tuca, is that correct? They certainly seemed to have grown since his arrival...is that fair to say? The ref, Jorge Eduardo Gasso Flores has had eight games this season, 54 yellows (!) and 6 reds (also !), and 2 pens given..., his career average for red cards is 0.6 per game.... i love these stats; they are astonishing! Anyway, need to show some balls to get up off the floor (again)....I have faith.......
...got a good vibe... ...disco, i got a good feeling out this one...i think we will come out clean in the end... ...kinda wanna see some action from morales and maybe reinaldo since the beggining... ...i am not sure what tuca will come up with but i sense the changes will be for the good...
Well, they've scored more goals than us this season (19 compared to our 14) but have also conceded more (21 compared to our 11) so it looks like we may have a slight advantage. But we also have Sancho out with Castro as contencion. Not a move I really like. I think we just need to score early and just counter the rest of the game. The usual strategy. And for heavens sake we need to get Sideshow out. He is crap. Nuff said.
Well, nothing to add really, we should win this one and that's a fact, with some luck we might end the year above Tigres or Tecos and Santos in the relegation table, but we have to win this game and the following two. If we manage to do that, we would enjoy the Liguilla and forget for a little while about relegation.
So what do we think the Lineup/formation will be, simply put Castro as contencion, with Espinosa at right-back, and continue with 5-3-2? If Morelia do start 5-3-2 we showed last week that we cannot break down defense-in-numbers. However the real priority is not to concede first.. that is so important for this team and this system. Do you think he will stick with Gonzalez and Scocco up front? I hope, at least, he sticks Pedro Solis on the bench, I would love to see him have a run out..although not sure he is on the senior teams books, how does that work, we have had players play for both this season?
Many players have played in both divisions this year, what I don't know is if Pedro Solis can do that, it looks like regulation on that subject is more relaxed this season, but then again if he were able to play in Primera Tuca should've tried him out by now. Daniel Alanis, Pablo Barrera, Fernando Morales, Pablo Bonells, Alex Diego, and the goalies Patiño and Palacios have played (or at least sat on the bench) in both divisions. I think Tuca is going to stick to the 5-3-2, and I think he'll do the Espinosa-Castro again, but I just don't see both Scocco and Gonzales playing together again, or at least not like they did on the first half of last week's game. Maybe he'll start both Ariels or one of the Ariels and Reinaldo. But nothing would be more interesting that seeing someone else up there, like Alanis, Barrera, Solis (if possible), I was about to say, "just bring anyone new", but I remembered that I'm not really a fan of Bonells and that Iñiguez has lost his form due to injuries, so I think I'll pass on them.
Thanks, Kapi, I am not a fan Iñiguez at all...I think Chupa Lopez is suspended, so we won't see him. So that leaves us with Scocco and Gonzalez or Scocco and Reinaldo, or maybe Reinaldo and Gonzalez I don't think he will start with one of the young lads. Could always try Pikolin up front...... Record is banging on about how few goals we have scored in last 4 short seasons, and how the strikers had all scored big at previous clubs, and how Marioni scored almost as many this season as all of the pumas put together. It also says that the players have lost faith in Tuca and his system. Some twat in it also says that Chupa's frustration was not really with the ref, but with his teammates. Obviously never played football in his life...the ref gave us f**k all last week, and that does piss players off.
First of all, at the end of Saturday's action, this is what Group 3 looks like: Toluca: 7-5-3, 26 pts. (25/13; +12) América: 7-3-4, 24 pts. (19/14; +5) UNAM Pumas: 5-5-4, 20 pts. (14/11; +3) Morelia: 5-2-6, 17 pts. (18/21; -3) Tigres UANL: 2-5-8, 11 pts. (11/30; -19) Santos Laguna: 1-7-7, 10 pts. (18/29; -11) We have to win this game. Antonio Sancho and Ariel López are both suspended and unavailable. Possible lineup Rogelio Rodríguez Fernando Espinoza Marco Antonio Palacios Darío Verón Héctor Moreno Efraín Velarde Israel Castro Leandro Augusto José Luis López Ignacio Scocco Ariel González By the way, both Leandro and Scocco will have to sit out next Saturday against San Luis if either picks up a yellow.
Pedro Solis played the full 90 mins in todays 1-0 loss for Pumas Morelos (v Atlas), so I guess we won't see him tomorrow.
...yeah!, just tuned in, how is the game going so far?...river, has pumas done enough to take this lead so far?...
...didnt really watch the game this time (having a garage sale) but i had a feeling we were gonna come out with the victory... ...nice, now we are getting closer to other teams involved in relegation...3 away from tigeres, 4 from tecos... ...kudos for our team, we got 3 points and gave the people at CU the victory...nice, nice...keep on going pumas... ...scocco had a yellow...
you always call them, mate!..... very harsh card as well, today, as was the one espinosa got.. little consistancy from this ref.....again All in all a good positive game. started 4-3-3, not a bad idea given the situation... fully expected to see Moreno on for Reinaldo and switch to 5-3-2 at half time, in a sort of reverse of what has mainly been happening. Roro didn't have much to do, but looked a bit more assured on judging crosses Velarde, I thought was man of the match, looked great in defence and going forward Veron, rock like as per usual Pikolin, excellent game, won, I think, every single header, even his distribution better, even if just the simple ball, nothing wrong with that, better than the big hoof. Espinosa, good solid game too Parejita, decent parejita like performance, they kept someone out wider most of the time to cut down his space Leandro, good old fashioned leandro performance, goal saving tackle in our box one minute, testing ball into their box the next minute, charging run the next Castro, solid Scocco, good game I thought, always there, always trying, great, great pass for the goal, a lovely long shot to boot, we will miss him next week played deeper the more the game went on Reinaldo, oo dear, looks out of shape, and decidely wooden again, got a big boo coming off. Gonzalez, once again his first touch is suspect, but hassled a lot, not sure is is obvious, but he really does cause defenses problems, recieved Scocco's whippped pass with lovely control, and buried it good and proper. played wider, and deeper following the subs. Subs, all did ok. Tuca, good tactically to switch to 4-3-3, and points for loyalty to reinaldo, but also points for finally dragging him off. I think the pitch was cut up from the American Football yesterday, so a few miss-kicks and miss-controls on both teams forgivable.... GET IN....... will post group & % after Tecos v america this pm...
...disco, did you go to this one?...how was the athmosphere?... ...i was having a garage sale so i could not really watch this one...the cash i am making is to finance my trip to mexico (if i can get enough) soon...hope i can go to CU and watch pumas as i traditionally do every time i go to mex... ...other than that, hope pumas wins the next games...we can do this but it always gets a lil' more complex at the end of the tourney...tigres is doing bad but you know how it could be tricky when you go against teams like that (example with santos vs atlante)...but san luis comes first and is a very defensive team as well so i dont expect a victory there...our chance to score 3 is against tigres...we see how it all turns out... ...for now, i just enjoy these 3 points...tecate on sale (crappy beer but cheap) so i am juicing it up for the celebration...one more person to come in for the garage sale to pick up some forniture, so just chilling and waiting for them...cool sunny sunday so far in north cal...
yes, good as usual, a good idea of the game was form the fact that we were all in a pretty good mood after the goal... apart from a short period up to 15 mins into second half, when we could have let it slip away, never really felt they would come back into it. I rather like Tecate, although i would say Victoria is the best beer here. San Luis away is never easy, in all my calculations I have had that down as a point, but 3 would be sweeeeet now... So Tecos v America, win/win for us, Tecos lose, its great in %, they win, its good for group, and we alwasy enjoy seeing America lose - in the end, bobw, 0-0, so we are back in ligullia, and within 3 points of Tigres, heres the bottom 6:- Atlas 106 from 83 Veracruz 104 from 83 Tecos 103 from 83 Tigres 101 from 83 PUMAS 98 from 83 Santos 94 from 83
...nada like a Victoria beer...i also like indio, montejo, and leon...besides negra modelo, dos equis dark, and pacifico... cheers!!!
Great, now we have Tigres at the reach of a victory, with a good combination of results in the final weeks we might end above Tigres and even Tecos. But beyond that I like the idea that we might qualify to la Liguilla after a long period with out Fiesta Grande in C.U.
I was watching the game this weekend and noticed the US football lines on the field. Was that game played in the US? Who playes american tackle football in Mexico?
UNAM fileds a very competitive college football team and has a very strong and storied tradition in amercian football. In fact, the football team was established well before the futbol team. the stadium at CU was actually designed and built for the football team, as the majority of the seats are "between the 20s." The football team were called the Pumas first, and then the soccer team adopted the name as well. Needless to say, Pumas has a stroing tradition in both disciplines. The play in the ONEFA (think of it as a "first division" of Mexican College Football) as does the Tec de Monterrey, who play at the Tec, and a team called "los autenticos" from UANL, who were the original Tigres. A few weeks ago, the Tec field was obliderated during the Clasico Regio as the college team played their game before their game the day before. It was raining too!! College Football in Mexico is very popular, and every year the ONEFA all-stars take on a Division III NCAA all-star in the Tazon Azteca XXXVIII(ish), which this year will be played at the Estadio Victoria. I did not get to see the futbol game, but was happy to see the precious points secured. Can anyone tell me if bonus points are given for the porcentaje if liguilla games are won? It only makes sense to me.
No, Liguilla makes no difference to relegated team, except, I think, in the Clausura the relegated team cannot enter the liguilla, even if they are in a position to qualify. The big clasico vs Poli is a massive American Football game here, it was played the same day as we beat Cruz Azul this year...and we won that too! Now all the various sports teams representing UNAM are called "Pumas". The Goya, I think was invented for the American football team. Pumas won heavily oin Saturday, I think that puts them in the play-offs (not very up with American Football). It did cut up the pitch a little, so I am forgiving the miss-kicks and miss-controls we saw Sunday......
Thats great info; I didnt realize the popularity of 'american' football in Mex'. I went to hi-school in McAllen TX and one year our JV team played a squad from Mexico called Monterrey Tech. They whipped us but if I remember right they were of college age and really think they would have been crushed by our 5A varsity squad.
Talking about the Pumas Dorados of American Football, I like to add that we made the playoffs this year, we are playing the Wild Card next week against Tec. de Monterrey of Mexico City, hopefully we can take on them an advance to the semifinal.
just to wrap a few things up here.... from the excellent "krustypuma" here is a video about Dr Luis Rodriguez Palillo, the inventor of the goya... it touches on UNAM's proud tradition of American Football Franco mentioned a lovely evening inn S Cal, well Sunday was a spectacular day in DF, for soem reason I had to get up at 5.30am, so I can truly say from surise to sunset it was a beautiful day, not a cloud, blue skies, burning hot at CU... great stuff... oh, Franco, I hope you sold your garage OK I too am not a fan of Bonnells, its his first run out this season, and so fair enough...... but I hope to see someone else, like Solis come on at 3-0 v San Luis with 20 mins to go..... More good news, I think I really should get to San Luis for the match this weekend... will be on my own for the puente, and the options were 1) go to San Luis, or b) stay at home with a couple of bottles of vodka and watch every match I could find on telly. Leon, Montejo and Pacifico all available in cans nowadays.... in fact there is a great offer of 8 cans (3 x Pacifico, 3 x Leon and 2 x Montejo) for less than 50 pesitos. I find that the Moctezuma beers tend to have a metallic flavour to them. probably back to 5-3-2 for away match.... chupa and gonzalez starting up front, I am sure.....
As far as I can see we have no players suspended for the game v San Luis, despite Scocco's yellow.... FEMEXFUT Discipline PUMAS, however San Luis will be missing Adrian Garcia Arias