RSL heads out east and to the north to visit the surprising top of the Eastern Conference Montreal Im... oh, wait. Whatever they're called now. Montreal is good this year. Really good. They have 20 points through 11 games. They're the third highest scoring team in the league with 22 goals. They also give up a lot of goals, though, having given up 19. They haven't lost a game since March 12 when they got routed by NYC - granted, that game was between their CCL games with Cruz Azul. One thing on the Montreal side of things that should help RSL, though, is their midweek game (May 18) at Nashville. That will be a very good game, at least on paper, and gives us some hope that maybe Montreal will have heavy legs against us. Still, a single point in this one would be considered a huge success, for me. A lot of factors that RSL struggle with are involved here: Canadian team, East "Coast", and midday. Include the quality of the opponent and I fully expect a loss here. That said, I expect Pablo to do his "get to half at 0's" approach on the road. If the game is still there, maybe he opens it up a bit in the 70th to go for a win, but otherwise a 0-0 here would be massive success. I don't think it'll happen, but it's MLS and weird shit happens weekly. XI I expect: Wood Cordova Meram Ruiz Caldwell Chang Brody Silva Glad Herrera MacMath
This should be a great test for RSL. Very much like Austin. Montreal is on top in the east scoring goals and giving away goals like Halloween candy on November 1st but they, like Austin, have played a somewhat easier schedule than RSL to date. I would take a result for sure and I'm hoping that maybe this is a game that RSL plays a bit more on the front foot but who knows. 3-1 RSL over the Montreal Ski and Summer Resort.
I'm not seeing Montreal's schedule to date as particularly easy. Sagarin has it as the 2nd most difficult in the league. RSL's is 7th, using his methodology.
yeah of the 8 teams in the playoff picture in the East, they have played all of the other 7. Some of those teams more than once. They obviously can't play themselves. They lost their first 3 games (Orlando, Philly, and NYC) and then haven't lost since. 6 wins, 2 Draws, 0 Losses since that NYC loss. That's crazy good.
I mean, they're all in the East and, from what I can tell, the East just isn't as good as the West this year
They lost, but very much should have got a point out the game. They utterly dominated the game after Nashville went up 2-0. In fact they scored within minutes of that and then for the last 30+ kept going at the Nashville goal. It will have certainly exhausted them, but I worry we're going to get a very frustrated team on the offensive side of the ball looking for blood. I have a bad feeling it's a NYC repeat.
I was reminded that Caldwell is out for this match. Somehow his availability/not starting is a fairly big indicator for the club performance. Everyone s**t the bed against NYCFC, but he didn't start the Portland or Nashville matches, the most recent bad results. I don't think his play against Austin got enough mention. I thought the team looked more like a 4-1-3-2 against Austin. Hard to believe he's the only #6 on the roster. Does Besler start? Formation change or just hope Ruiz/Luiz finally works? No Julio either. Kreilach may return though. Pablo should be back, but I don't like the Ruiz/Luiz combo in a 4 man backline lineup. Sounds like Menendez is getting close, so is Holt.
A couple things on this The Ruiz Luiz duo will start. No doubt in my mind. Loeffelsend possibly too if Pablo wants to try that 4-3-3 he did in the past with 3 cm's clogging things up centrally. I'm not opposed to it. Just wish we had better front 3 to hit on the break Caldwell has been a solid addition. Well done by Fall to pick him up. Kreilach, if he returns, should not start. He hasn't played a game in a month(ish). Asking him to be a starter would be moronic. Have him take a bench spot and hope we can get 30 or so mins from him Menedez being close is good. He should be playing over Meram/Chang (Savarino the other) I thought Holt was going to be out like 6 months? He tore is plantar...? Or has that changed? 4-3-3 I'd try (plays like a 4-5-1) Meram Cordova Chang Luiz Ruiz Loeffelsend Brody Glad Silva Herrera MacMath That should give enough cover for Brody and Herrera to get forward since we're not doing the 3-man backline apparently
Also our only attacking "reinforcements" off the bench are Rubin and Schmitt. Let's hope Pablo's plan A works because it looks like there is no plan B.
The plan appears to be go up a goal and bunker, time waste with defensive subs. I'm not sure if there's enough defense in the starting lineup to make it happen though. I'm hoping I'm wrong.
Remind me why they don't call off-sides when it happens? Also, why do RSL continue the long ball only offense?
Pablo speaking the wrong kind of French on broadcast TV was the highlight before Bobby puts that header on frame.
Outside of the first 45 seconds, RSL has played pretty well and created some good chances. But finishing is just not there.