So, we found our scoring touch. Meanwhile the Wizards' defense is short-handed due to injury/suspension. OTOH, the Wizards were uncharacteristically aggressive last week and ripped Colorado apart while down a man for most of the match. Thoughts?
Re: Wizards v. Fire, May 8, Pregame Thread Crap. Good thinking, I meant to start it two days ago but my computer was freaking out.
If Dave doesn't have the guys playing too defensively, we'll win 2-0 or 3-1. I know that you'll win the league by drawing on the road and winning at home, but we have so much firepower that we need to keep rolling at them in waves. If he holds Mapp & Beasley back as "defensive first" responsibilities, then we may see another 0-0 or 1-1 or maybe squeak out a 1-0 win. The MLS Injury report shows this: OUT: MD Jesse Marsch (R ankle cartilage damage); QUESTIONABLE: DF Evan Whitfield (R lower leg contusion); DOUBTFUL: : M Logan Pause (R ankle grade II sprain); PROBABLE: DF Orlando Perez (lower back pain) So do we see this? ---- Ralph - Razov Beasley - Williams - Mapp --- Armas -- Capano Gray -- Curtin -- Brown ----------Ring Or does Perez play for Gray? Or with Pause out, does Beute get his first start instead of Capano?
"Chicago comes back to town, and now they know how to score." found that on kansas' forum...i predict 2-1 to the fire
I wouldn't mind seeing a repeat of the 7-0 thrashing a while back. However, that's not likely to happen so...lets say 2-0 Fire.
Colorado was also without Spencer, whom they've depended on for too long, and it bit themin the ass. Tony may try and turn in a performance like MLS Cup 2000, but I don't think his defense will let him. Fire 2, Wiz 0
May not have CJ on Saturday. That could hurt. Might see Gray move to the right with Perez or Griffen in on the left. http://www.suntimes.com/output/fire/cst-spt-fire07.html
The Wizards are playing great soccer right now. They are easily one of the most "skillful" teams I've ever witnessed in MLS. I was at their game last week and they really looked good. They are missing an attacking director, but then that's no secret with Preki out. Chicago has always been a tough battle for the Wizards. There'll be no July 4th, 2001 type fireworks this time, though. Both teams are coming into form right now, so this could be one of the best early season games in league history. Regular season history between the two teams has been more than kind to the Fire, but I wouldn't use that history to assume that you'll be bringing back three points from this trip.
Then its Perez in the backline. Maybe he'll pull a Hank and decide to be worth something all of a sudden. Maybe not. If he does start, I'd expect to see Dave order some defense oriented wingplay. I'd also like to see Dipsy again. Maybe not a start, but a half time or 60th min sub. The Fire have three forwards who can all finish, and if we rotate one in later on, it'll keep the KC defenders on their toes. And since the KC defenders are all 2nd stringers, said toes are weak and inexperienced. I'll say 2-0, or 2-1 for the good guys.
Don't be so sure. Apparently our new guy Vuk Rasovic is the shizznit. Looks like we're all going to find out if that's true on Saturday with Burciaga, Jr. suspended and Nick Garcia still nursing a sore foot.
How about a back-up camera for this game? In case the first one craps out or you use it up on Tony M.(wide angle) getting balls out of the net
I have a thought on Dipsy that I will throw out there. It's not a fact or a revelation, it's just a thought. I really think Dipsy is much more effective when he starts. It seems to be the type of player he is. I am certainly not advocating benching Damani or Ante but speaking of when Dipsy is the most valuable it is as a starter. I am not a stats person and I'm not going to bother to go back and look but the performances for Dipsy since he joined the Fire that I can remember have all been better when he started. Didn't he start the game in Columbus last year (the one where he who shall not ever step in a goal mouth again let up all those goals)? I think he scored his first league goal and it was relatively early in the match. He starts last week and he scores early again. In the preseason he was starting (I think) and scoring goals. I know he came in as a sub for the Jabolteh game and scored some goals but that seems to be the exception not the rule. It just seems that Dipsy gets into the flow and performs better as a starter. He does have a little spark off the bench but doesn't play the style of a quick impact player. That's my thought on his situation anyway. I feel similiar to Freddy in DC. I think he should start and they should sub him out at the half if he's not getting the job done rather then vice versa. Anyway, I think we really need to push the offensive game on the road this weekend with CJ probably out and Kelly not playing so fantastic yet (ever?). Our best defense this weekend may be a good offense.
Andy, do you really expect me to come into the Fire forum and say that the rabble in the back of the field for the Wizards is going to be able to stop the Fire and that Wolff will hobble along well enough to score a goal? I leave all my objectivity in FFA, over here there's nothing but Fire Love. Fire by 12 over the Wiz.
Fair enough. Oh, and MDSC, that's our latest Serbian. Defender Vuk Rasovic. I think the Fire and the Wizards have been the entry point into MLS for nearly all the Eastern Europeans in league history.
Andy, the joke was that he was captioning the picture. Hopefully your Serbian is as sharp on Saturday as you are this morning.
Holy crap. I'm in the midst of a massive allergy attack, but still. Maybe I should stay off BigSoccer until my brain comes back online.
Good comeback. That might have applied when Dema and Hristo sported the Fire kit, but the Fire have suffered far more fouls than anyone else in the league this year: 95 total, 20 more than LA and SJ (75). Also, they have committed the 3rd fewest fouls at 62; behind only Colorado, Columbus, and KC. I think Jeff's got the spread tagged just right. In fact (ala Tino) I'm going to put 100 down on the Fire to cover the spread set forth by Jeff.
My bet is that we see Gray on the right for CJ and Perez back on the left. If CJ plays then I expect to see Gray in the defensive midfield spot instead of Capano.