Very important game to win. Really need some big showings from new signings and some of our kids. I'd think our forward line will click a bit better, but it's the question of the midfield right now.
Dynamo made a big splash signing one of CONCACAFs best players (Hector Herrera). I guess that is a statement of intent but he won't be in MLS until the summer. Their current roster seems mediocre.
So Walter at the 6 with Rosell out a few weeks. Hernandez in his spot in one of the 8s. And probably Espinoza again in the other 8. Everything else probably the same from Atlanta.
Honestly, I typed and deleted that in a previous post. Roger does not cover ground like he used to, has always been a hard tackler, and he's generally the more defensive of the dual 8s. Transitioning to a 6 might be a way for him to prolong his career and provide some more defensive cover. He's not a great passer and I don't think he has the diagonal switch in his arsenal, so he would not be the PV preferred pivot 6, but he would put in some hard tackles. Beckerman without that passing....maybe Alonso light?
PV made some comments yesterday about potentially inverting the midfield from how he's always done it given the injuries and such (I know, I know). So in a world where he actually use a double pivot, him having someone with a little more passing next to him would help.
Double 6's?!?? Is this allowed? In all seriousness, with the defensive issues this group has, I'd love to see that approach. And when Kinda comes back, he would naturally plug into the 10 and give the attack a bit more support and creativity.
I would really like to see T-zone start with Hernandez and Walter. he was quite impressive in his Atlanta cameo. Or Cam in that spot. I'd like to not start the 36 year old two straight weeks
I'm not going to make too much of Tzionis's appearance when Atlanta was comfortable sitting back and absorbing pressure. I also am not sure about him starting out of position. Coming on as a sub, especially when you're chasing the game and playing out of position isn't that big a deal. From the start though there's just different expectations/requirements, especially in the midfield.
Same. I liked the small sample we got of him, but I don’t expect to see him other than late minutes in the game. I hope he gets up to speed quickly so he can give the wingers (Johnny) some needed rest.
Fair enough, though T-zone (and i will continue to push this because i'm old and don't want to do a search for the correct spelling every time) has played a handful of his professional games as an AM, and withdrawn second striker, so he wouldn't be completely out of his comfort zone. Then how about this Cameron Duke we've been hearing so much about in training? he's supposed to have upped his game, which was already pretty good. Esp as the one if we go with a double pivot, I mean, what argues against that? Roger, one of my favorite ever KC players, any sport, is noticeably a step or two slower, last year and this, than in his prime. As an aggressive sort, that means more cards, if we're lucky, as a downside. Against Atlanta, he was made into an irrelevancy. If my count is correct, he attempted 38 passes, connected with SKC players on 27 of them (well below the team average in both touches and percentage, and given his role that's a bad sign). I'd really like to see hernandez get a run of games to see if he looks as good as he did in his cameo. Roger, in that relationship, seems more suited to the 20 minute sub than the 70 minute starter. i've read a bit about Walter's failing v Atlanta, but my take was that he was being asked to do more than he can. Roger the Centurion and Uri do not bring a great deal of speed to the table. Fontas and Zusi make that even more noticeable.
They got a W, but it was not pretty. The team looked worse today than last week. I can't pull many positives out of this game. SKC looked slow and predictable. There were a few good moments, but overall, they just beat a Houston team that looked poorly prepared (sorry Paulo).
I can pull out a positive! I thought Cam added a really needed element. He messed with their minds because of his speed. Johnny was better than against Atlanta. Salloi has to score this season, he's putting himself in spectacular spaces. Despite starting 3 players who total 117 in age, nobody died!
Worse than last week? I don't really think so. Were they miles better? No, but they were better than last week.
Well, maybe. To my eyes, they only may have looked better because Houston was so awful. They didn't give up any goals in this game because the Dynamo had no offense. They couldn't even score when SKC gifted them a couple of ugly turnovers deep in their own end. Melia again looked a bit shaky in goal. I have to admit, when Shelton went out and Tzionis and Duke came in, SKC became a more dynamic and dangerous side. But, that was so late in the game it didn't make much of a difference. And, nobody died.