Chicago comes back to town, and now they know how to score. Fortunately for KC we learned to score a man down. Maybe Walsh wore out his welcome last week? Taylor looked good for his half last week. Our manager attacked even when he was a man down, which was strange to say the least. I'm not sure what to predict for a lineup since Garcia is injured and Walsh seems to be on his way out. Unless something changes Burciaga is out as well. Here's my guess... Meola Zotinca-Conrad-Thomas-Vuk Zavagnin-Gutierrez Klein-Arnaud Wolff-Taylor Click Here if you are going on the Columbus trip!!!
BenC1357, I agree with your lineup. But I would put Gut out wide left with Klein in the middle with Zags. Davy out on the right. That is closer to how they lined up with a man down against the Rapids. Guti was left back so push him up with Rasovic behind him. Keep Klein toward the middle where he can be a bit more creative. Also, withdraw Woolf a little to let him run at the goal. Ought to be a great match. Unless I get lucky and get some tickets free, I won't be able to make this one. I guess I will match track it and try to listen to the Spanish station's coverage.
I have to go to my wife's best friends wedding and I am more than a little pissed off that I'll miss this one. Should be a great match. Chris, I'll probably call you during the match so you can get snapped on your cell phone again!
Midweek musings Although KC has been shutout in half its' games so far, they did put two in while being a man down last game. It's worth noting that KC's 10-man offense is roughly six times as productive as the 11-man offense so far. Hosting CHI saturday will be KC's 4th home game of 5. That combined with LA and DAL being ahead of KC on points makes this game a must-win in terms of divisional supremacy and the home field for the semi. Not earning 3 points will give KC a huge hurdle to climb in being up to 4 points down with games against those clubs remaining. It isn't dire, but the division is a whole lot easier considerin a loss to DAL exists already. Win now, discuss the options later. This game is big. KC has played a full game a man down and still hasn't allowed a goal at home. They haven't allowed a goal past the 30 min make anywhere. That's represents a big change from normal. Only NE has allowed more chances than Chicago. Ring has been lucky, good, or both - you're choice. I'd say both. Point being the chances will come Usage of those early chances will determine the result. KC and CHI are both undefeated when scoring first and/or leading at halftime. Both are winless when being scored upon first and/or trailing at half. Individually Chris Klein is getting less than 1 in 3 shots on net. This is common in MLS and every other league. The point is, a small increase in skill by Klein delivers 3 points on a platter, such is the manor of his metal. KC goes where he leads them. Razov should be 100% and will start. the 3 they scored last week should have been more. Zags and KC understand that to stop KC is to disrupt the service to the Ra Ra boys. KC will get their chances regardless as CHI is dead last in shots against while KC is first. I have faith KC will shoot on net. The problem remaining is defense. Arnaud leads MLS in both fouls suffered and offsides per minute. There you have a young guy giving effort in a non-directed way (as if you couldn't see that on the field). The second Arnaud contributes with focused effort, KC will explode for 4. In this game it means the difference between CHI posession or KC posession IMO. Breaking down CHI or having to make covering runs backwards. It's huge. KC has improvement to make in this area as they sit dead last in corner kicks by a shockingly large margin. Draw your own conclusions. CHI can be taken advantage of in the offside trap. Additionally collect fouls often leading to abundant cards. I'm going to bet that KC will have 2-3 set pieces all worked out in anticipation. At least one of which will pick on someone in a 2nd yellow situation. At least that's what I would do. KC at home is 2-0-1 with a chance to impart a message to MLS that you can't come to KC expecting points. Also relevant is that CHI is the team that took a point. No better occasion to respond that directly and with an unmistakable message. After watching the Man City game this week and hearing the reference to their stadium as "The Blue Camp" (a proper play on Nou Camp), I've decided Arrowhead should have another name on gameday. I'm fine with stealing Blue Camp. Fans need some idea that they shouldn't come to arrowhead wearing f****** black, etc. That goes especially for front row seat-stealers imported by Cauldron regulars who know better. Why should Kevin press this issue? Because it's the first thing anyone sees in that section. They should see activity. They should see blue. If KCW mgmt are not smart enough to see it then we should be. Do not under any circumstances allow people to attend with you wearing non-blue. Many have several jerseys or shirts, lend one. At the very least send them back to their closet. Anything less is inexcusable and you should be ashamed as you are doing a disservice to KCW and the Cauldron. Beyond that, the last game has proven in many ways why the first x rows should absolutedly be reserved by Cauldron regulars. Let KCW deal with "problems" from soccer moms, etc. It isn't a Cauldron/Mystic problem, it's KCW's - and there are 2 sides to the tunnel. We'll discuss the newbees' criminal non-participation in chants another time. (Just leave them at home or sit elsewhere, you're choice.) KC 3-1
Re: Midweek musings That was a lot of typing to get to the result. I disagree that this game is a "must win". Its our 5th game out of 30 and 8 of 10 make the playoffs. The only true must wins in this league are late in the year if you're in 4th or 5th place, or a playoff game. And you of all people, a proponant (sp?) of the playoff system, should know that. Now if we're talking Supporter's Sheild, every game is a must win.
Re: Midweek musings Man talk about getting carple tunnel. I agree with Ben that I don't think it is a must win just yet. But it would be nice.
Re: Midweek musings (or tan) Kind of a bold statement their Mr Kettle. OK I count 20ish blue jerseys in those first 20 rows. I think "KCW mgmt" is smart enough recognize that privileged/priority GA seating is not worth the hassle at the moment. Your focus on growing the section is working... it's just realistically not time to b!tch in this manner like this yet. If you want the treatment your describing, then buck up and buy reserved season tickets the next section over. I'm sure the unwanted's would move their seats to a new area by the end of the season. Your trying to have your cake and eat it too. Yes we want cheaper GA ticket prices and an open section to grow our group but not at the expense of my seat next to the tunnel on the front row. This is NIMBY thinking. On to the Game: CHIFire still consistently have our number and with their forwards coming into form we may have problems with two defenders unavailable and another with unknown chemistry probably starting. In my opinion our offense is still sputtering to finish as I consider Klein's goal against Colorado more a deflection/keeper screw up than a good finish. Without that finish he was easily my whipping boy for that game. The Zotinca - Beasley matchup will be an interesting area to watch again as Jitterbug likes to hit the turf alot and Zotinca got no problem doing what it takes physically to ensure that it will happen. Card for Alex by the 30 minute mark. Zotinca did a pretty good job on him last game but will need help again from Shavar and Kerry to keep him on the field. I don't mind Guitierrez playing left mid at all and I think his heart and attacking nature make him better suited for that spot over Gomez or Walsh who like to pu$$yfoot with the ball. Diego will take it to somebody if needed. Big question for me is are we going to dump 30 balls over the top again so that MLS' Larry Bird er um... Jim Curtain can easily knock them away without even needing to jump over Wolff? I think this game will have to be won on throughballs to the feet and against the grain passes or overlaps. Probably see more than a few offside calls on us but going over the top isn't an option. Therefore I wouldn't mind seeing a 4-3-3 with the three forwards keeping ChiFires backline spread out. So... -------------Meola -------Thomas---Conrad Zotinca-------------------Vuk --------------Zags ------Klein-----------Guti Wolff-------Arnaud------Taylor Prediction: 1-1 tie
I missed my first game in a 3 year span for my junior prom, then didn't miss another until my senior prom. I know exactly how you feel Alex. Now this college bullsh!t is causing me to miss two weeks in a row. I guess I'll have to get piss drunk here in Lawrence instead of at the game.
stupid weddings. i hate weddings. making me miss a soccer match. oooooo, you fell in love, big deal! oooooo, you wanna show everyone how you feel about each other; you want your friends and family to share in your joy, big deal! how inconsiderate of them to not conduct the ceremony at the arrowhead club. that's it, i'm keeping their present!
Stupid semester abroad, making me miss the first four games of the season at home....... oh wait, I got to go to three EPL matches, and one D-1 match, those I guess will have to replace those 4 games.
ha! i like that...should be a good match this saturday [on the comment about ring] i have been suprised by ring's performance, i didn't know he had it in him...but now that thornton's gone, i guess he's shown he has sat the bench long enough
I'm not sure anyone who made my wedding missed the game, except of course, me. I will however be there this week.
Re: Midweek musings I had my jersey under my coat. You can see it if you look. I didn't start out wearing the coat, but I got cold sooner than expected. So stick your Mr. Kettle. BTW, the reference would be Mr. Pot, but whatever. There should be 20 in the first 2 rows. NIMBY? Your post is mostly off base. For starters, I'm in the corner because it's hard to waive my flag under the big-a@@-flag. To the point, if you want a group to flourish, uniformity of color is the single most effective way to get it done. Everything else is less effective. It isn't bitching unless you approach it that way. CJ thought so little of the "problem" that he didn't even handle it, he just dished it off. If KCW truly cared, there would have been a mandate or action of some sort. Could you tell me more about reserved tickets, please? Game preview finally up http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20040505&content_id=1545&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
i brought a keg of that on opening day, much to the dismay of most people in my group. sure, they complained and moaned about it... but after they had two or three of 'em, they shut up. why pay $20 more for bud when pbr is just as good, if not better? hell, pbr is basically all i buy anymore, not because it's my favorite of all beers, but because it's my favorite of the cheap beers. it doesn't have a blue ribbon for nuthin!
Re: Midweek musings Yes, we need to reaffirm the "Wear Blue" idea. There's too many people not wearing blue. I don't care if you're cold (Dave and Matt are guilty), wear something under your jersey if you have to. Dave you of all people, the biggest voice in the "Wear Blue" campaign should not be caught dead in anything else but blue at a game. And here you are in a tan jacket. If this problem doesn't get better maybe we need to bring blue paint and attack those not wearing blue!
Re: Midweek musings We shouldn't have to worry about anyone being cold this Saturday - the forecast is calling for sunny and a high of 87.
Re: Midweek musings No lo contendre. 'Bout damn time. My hell is about -10 degrees, grey, and windy all the time, that's all I'm saying. I did buy a Wizards pullover last season that's blue. I'll work on layers under that come fall.