Saturday, April 27 • 7:30 PM • Lockhart Stadium • Fort Lauderdale, FL Biggest match of the season so far, and the way things are going, maybe only one of two matches all Spring that will mean anything... Must win for us. Can't afford to fall behind any further in the table and losing the cup to Tampa Bay this year - again - is not an option. Tailgate bright and early at 3PM as usual.
NASL @NASLofficial ahoraRT @ftlstrikers: Tonight's Strikers starting XI Laurendi; King, Thomas, Ståhl (c), Guerrero; Rubens, Pecka; Johnson, Anderson, Foley;... NASL @NASLofficial ahoraRT @ftlstrikers: The @RowdiesSoccer XI: Restrepo; Sanfilippo (c), Needham, Scott, Arango; Mulholland, Savage, Hill, Frimpong, Cox; Hristov
We had a super tailgate and a great TIFO. Those were the high points of the evening. Lost 1-2 in front of 4,563, a significanly lower attendance than the opener despite a beautiful evening for the game and an old school cross state rivalry. We now have won 1 of the last 14 games against TB and they looked to be the better team through most of the game. We never looked to threaten until we were 0-2 behind. Restropo's goal was a gem, but way too little much too late & couldn't be duplicated to give us a tie and a much needed point. Team record now is 0-3-1. Averaging less than a goal a game scored for a -5 GA, the worst in the league. Now in 7th place in a 7 team league with all of the teams above us with at least one game in hand. No Spring Championship for the Strikers. From now until July, and beyond, it is time to build for the Fall Championship. If our "winning" ways continue, expect the attendance to shrink even more. Sadly, it looks like a long, hot summer in Ft Lauderdale as the Strikers start the season with their best Marlins/Panthers imitation.
Yup let the Fall Championship preseason begin. 6 points in the table isn't much to make up, but the way we've played it's just not realistic.
It's not just 6 points, it's 6 points and jumping over every other team, half of which have a game in hand still as well. No chance. This is exactly what I said would happen since they announced this schedule. I didn't expect it would be the Strikers it happened to, but nonetheless it held true. If the Scorpions lose their next game they'll be done as well. Then, you'll have two teams that, one third of the way through their first "half season" who will be already playing meaningless games the rest of the way. At the half way point, expect there to be another one or two teams in our boat. I don't care what anyone says, this is not good for our league or our fans. This is not better than every single team being in the hunt for a playoff birth almost til the end. I know some people don't like the playoffs or think too many teams get in, but it's still better than this debacle. I am very fearful of what this will do to home attendance the rest of the way. Sorry DR, not ranting at you, just in general! LOL
Common sense.... It should be obvious to all that a 12 game schedule means a slow start is a disaster. The Strikers should know by their next game how far behind they will be. All teams will have played 4 games. By May 11th ALL of the other 6 teams could be at least 3 points ahead of the Strikers and a couple could be 10 points ahead. With 8 games to play in the Spring Championship a team that has 1 point in the 1st 4 games, and 3 goals, has very little chance to compete for that championship. Especially when they have not looked that good in those 4 games. All they can hope to do is try to get as many points as possible now while hoping to improve for the Fall Championship and make a run for postseason play then. That is the only way any games the Strikers have in the Spring can count for anything now.
Wouldn't it be just wild if we pulled a Wigan? Terrible form in the league but we make a big run in the Open Cup? At least we have (hopefully) a few Cup games to look forward to in the Spring.