Who starts up top? Does Vaca continue to start in the midfield? Does Arena keep his starting job (3-0 with KA in the starting lineup)? Will the real Craig Ziadie please stand up? Can we finally beat these rim-jobbing ********sticks?
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm I think Bradley should start people based on how they perform on games. He sat Ziadie for a game and came around the next. Same thing goes with Vaca. I don't know who else can play right mid at this time though.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm My only worry about this game is that they've not won a game in their last six and Taylor Twellman, who has scored less than most unichs of late, netted 2 against them. They are due for a win, and they have a habit of kicking Metro around. It would be all too predictable to see them break out of their streak against us. BTW, there will be an away match viewing at Nathan Hale's for this game. It starts at 8:30 pm, and there will be a $ 3 drink special. Please show up early, and drink often. Check nathanhales.com for directions. thx.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm With Beasley's transfer to PSV seemingly imminent, will he be in the lineup? Since there is every reason in the world for the Metros to win this game, I'd be shocked if they did so.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm By the way, the Metros/MLS websites have gametime as 8:00 p.m., not 8:30. Same for the MSG Network website.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm The Fire-Metro match is starting earlier because it is the first part of a doubleheader.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm Taylor and Magee up top. Oh, and thx Coach for letting Magee take most of the corner kicks when he's on the field. JW stays on his line or else give Zach Wells another shot. His quick distribution set a nice pace for the LA game and kept the match going. Say what youwill, I like him better for Metro this year than JW. Our best keeps come from the bench. Look for EG and AG to continue to shine. Woly and Glen in at the 65 minute mark. Leave SGR out of the game completely. Give Parke or Pope a string to tie to Zaidie if he plays so they can pull him back on D when they need to.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:30 pm I'm good for Nathan Hales. Will bring others with me. So the start time has moved up to 8 pm ? pregame at 7:30 ?
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET anyone who seriously thinks that wells should take the starting spot over walker either are on crack, or must do a serious soul-searching.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Points that the Metros need to do to win: 1.) Magee has to take all set pieces. Guevara can't do it, and Magee seems to be the only guy who can put a decent bend on it, especially corners. 2.) The defense needs to play tough. That's why they beat SJ. SJ was without some guys, but the toughness from Arena was able to shut down some chances. 3.) SGR, if he starts, needs to shoot...even if it's a 30 yard shot, shoot it. Get something going. 4.) Walker has to dive a little more. That's one thing I remember of Timmy and Walker last year, they dove for saves. JW isn't doing much of that this year and has let some easy (in Metro GK terms) goals go by. 5.) Vaca has to play down the wing that whole game: offensively and defensively. 6.) Guevara needs to show off his dribbling skills. Because of this, the Metros earned that PK. He looked like Maradona out there trying to dribble for 50 yards. On the GK issue with Walker...maybe he does need to sit. Maybe he is a little "over confident." It could be and maybe a day off will help. Wells needs some play time as well. The USOC is right around the corner, but a guy like him needs a little more playing time so he won't get "rusty." Timmy needed the rest (for different reasons of course), and a few games off surely helped him.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Could not agree more. Fortunately Guevara has been making his PKs. I would prefer to see Magee take those too. When he is on the field of course. God I miss Flores. When he is healthy there is no reason to play Vaca. With the number of goals scored against Walker there is no way he is overconfident. He may need rest but ??????
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Markings! Chicago has couple of big guys with speed. And a small guy with speed too. Markings is so important when play against Chicago.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Is this the pre/post match thread? I'm afraid to mention the score...(No "R") Whatever. I'd like to know why Eddie Pope felt he had attempt to kick the you-know-what pass away. All he needed to do was move into it and let the ball hit him on the head or back. Just break the play up. Forget trying an impossible kick.
Very intense and well played match. These are the kinds of games you would see most of the times if only 4 teams made the playoffs. Most MLS games are played at a snails pace. I understand the reasoning behind Arena starting, but most of his passes are going out-of-bounds or to an opponent. Surprised the officials haven't noticed that Walker has the same color jersey as the Fire (apparently his blue one is still at the cleaners).
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET How many f***ing times is the ref NOT going to call blatant fouls by Chicago?
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET This team is so frustrating to watch. We've had chances, but haven't made the most of them thus far.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET There's CJ Brown showing off his crossover dribble in the box. No call. Of course.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Well we more or less owned the game from the Vaca-Magee double sub on. Shame we couldn't find the winning goal somehow, but everyone in the East stays where they were when the day began, thanks to all the ties. Good riddance, Damarcus. Hopefully you can learn how to be a little less wasteful in Holland.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET I was glad to see Vaca fight and bust his ass for everything out there. We looked better aftre the subs because Kenny Arena was no longer on the field. He has no offensive abilities at all. It was painful to watch. I hope that is the last we see of him at DM. Smart play by Guevara - he played well. Pope is obviously bum of the week. That was awful. The A. Williams handball was fortunate, but since CJ Brown clearly handled, I'll take it. We have to beat these guys next week. Have to
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET I was surprised that Bradley used Arena at DM. Arena has improved this year but I didn't like the way he played today.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Goalkeepers can be made or broken by their defense.. Our defense has been hanging Walker out to dry most of the season, including Pope, and most of the goals they are scoring on us are from like 5 yards out! No goalkeepers can save those along with all the one on ones that are getting through. Look at Ring and Meola, they are both playing strong, but their defenses are the best in the league. The shots they are facing are usually from much farther out because they've got very strong defenders - i.e. easier saves to make. Most of the time, we've got more holes in the back than swiss cheese! Obviously Walker has had a couple of tough moments this year, but what other keeper hasn't in their career. And the blunder he had a few weeks ago, Edwin Van der Sar made the same one about two months ago. Everyone has breakdowns and you get over it. I think Walker is back on track now and I agree with MSG that he deserved MOTM tonight against Chicago. I think he'll have a very strong finish to the season and we all need to stand by our players... even more so when they are going through a tough time.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Since there is no [R] my comments will be limited. Woly, as much as I love his work ethic, was not having a stellar evening nor was Glenn. The midfield, particularly after the substitutions did a very nice job. Does anyone know anything about SGR injury? The first I heard of it was during the pre-game show. I had thought he would start tonight and with the natural grass field have a great night. Lisi, Taylor, Gilberto, SGR, shall we go on? With the injuries we are piling up it is very lucky we have the depth we all were thrilled and amazed by at the start of the year.
Metros were the better team today. Defensive lapses were kept to a minimum and they didn't allow themselves to be pushed around like they did in their previous encounters. Metros dominated ball possession, but still can't score against the Fire. Woly had the best chance, but Ring made a nice stop. Glen nearly had a breakaway on one play but then cut back for some reason and lost the ball. MOTM was Guevara for that clever quick-kick, which later resulted in the PK. Metros had a free kick minutes earlier from about the same area, that Magee poorly struck. Seems like no one on the team can reach the goal on those set pieces. If Vaca can put together a full 90 minutes like he played in the 30 minutes today, he'd be an all-star. Some nice crosses and even came back to fight for some balls. If the Metros can put together another effort like tonight, the hex will end next week.
Re: Metro @ Chicago, 17 July, 8:00 pm ET Seems like Vaca has finally stopped reading his own press ("the next Etcheverry" indeed ) and started reading Szetela's. It seems Vaca isn't stupid. He knows that if Szetela comes here, it's likely going to be a three-way toss up for two spots between Clark, Vaca and Szetela. Here's a dream of a lineup. If we get Szetela for Lisi and change, and finally switch to a 3-5-2 for next season, our lineup could look like this: Walker (Toss up between Leitch, Arena or a new signing) Pope Parke Clark Szetela Gilberto Guevara Gaven Taylor Glenn With Szetela, Gilberto and Clark contributing at both ends of the field, and the offense of Guevara, Gaven and the Carribean strikers, that could be the most balanced roster in the league. The only clincher would be picking up a great marking back.