With Pablo and Pedro not available, is this what we're does this look at for the match with the Metrostars ? ------------ Cannon --------- Freeman -- Borchers -- Petke -- Kotch Cooke --- Beckmann -- Nkong --- Denton ------- Cunningham & Luchi ---------
Possibly Melamed for Beckerman, but FC may not be too comfortable with that because of Melamed's knack of picking up cheap fouls.
I agree about FC's attitude towards Melamed. Though he, Nkong, and Petke all have essentially the same number of caution points, FC is more likely to use that to justify sitting Melamed and just play Nkong and Petke as usual. I look forward to the time when Guy has had a little bit more experience with the MLS refs so he knows how to play them better. I mean, what we're calling a "cheap" foul now we could see as a "sly" foul or an "artful" foul if he didn't get the card for it all the time. Think about this---why did Mark Chung get so few yellow cards? Was it because he was so nonagressive, or because of something else he'd learned to do?
FC looks for more control and counter capability. I'm with the rest using Freeman over Lewis, but probably Lewis will get the nod. ------------ Cannon --------- Freeman -- Borchers -- Petke -- Kotch Cooke --- Beckmann -- Cullen --- Denton ---------------- NKong ---------------- -------------- Cunningham -------------
With Pablo not playing we probably need Beckerman to start but he should still sit someone as we play best with 10 men. ;>) This is 4th in the East versus 4th in the West but if we were in the East with our 17 points we would be 6th, just ahead of Hankinson's new team ... (I'm just keeding).
Except that Melamed has at least two red cards this year, and Nkong and Petke have, to the best of my knowledge (which may not be all that good , no red cards (at least, Petke with Colorado has no red cards). Its one thing to get a lot of caution points over the season, and take the odd suspension. Its another to get a red card, put the team down a man (or in the case of the LA game, put the team down a second player, even if he slipped on the field, clearly his reputation proceeded his slip). Of course, we do our best when we are down a man, so maybe Melamed is doing us a favor? I don't know...Melamed is much more hacktacular than either Petke and Nkong. Seems like there is a difference in both the skill of the players and the quality of the fouls.
I also see Lewis getting the start (in no particular order): Cannon Lewis-Borchers-Petke-Kotchau Beckerman-Cullen-Denton Luchi-Nkong Cunningham (1) I think that Lewis is Petke's project, and so Lewis will continue to get the starts in an attempt to develop him under Petke's watch. (2) I thought I read somewhere a comment from FC that he did not deem Cooke to be 100 percent match fit. We know from past experience that whereas Hanki rushed players back no matter how ready or not ready, apparently, FC is overly cautious in this area. So I think that Cooke will be subbed in. I hope I'm wrong, but that's my guess. (3) FC (wow, I just typed in Hanki at first! seems to be in love with this 6-or-7 defensive players and 3 offensive player schemes. Cullen adds absolutely nothing to this team, but he gets the start presumably because he fits into FC's Defensive-7 scheme. (4) I think Luchi may start. He will be listed as a forward or midfielder, but I suspect that he'll assume his job is to avoid any physical contact Here's what I'd like to see instead. Someone, anyone, starting instead of Cullen - Hunter Freeman, Guy Melamed, anyone...Cullen is useless to me. Hunter Freeman get the start, or if not ready, get some meaningful sub minutes. One of our rookie forwards get a sub chance (ie, NOT Worthless Wolde). We may be in a similar position as the Metros right now (4th place), but I recall the Metros putting a hurting on us earlier this season here in Colorado (it snowed that game, another alleged advantage to us that didn't pan out - this was one of the worst games I've seen the Rapids play, as I recall). As I recall, AG scored a hat trick on us. Our defense needs to tighten up for this game, and our offense needs to learn how to find the net more consistently.
You recall correctly. The Metro's have a number of very skilled offensive players and any one of them can (as we saw in that game) hurt a defense which isn't playing as a team or makes a stupid mistake. Djorkoff (sp?) didn't play in that game or it might have been 6-1. I was going to put Luchi in Denton's place, but Denton players better defense then Luchi and as much as I hate to say it, the team will be looking to play defense this week first and offense if given the opportunity.
I agree with Nowar99 for the starting lineup. It's the one FC will use. I also would like to see Freeman in place of Lewis or maybe even for Denton as a left wing. Cooke, though he got the game winning goal on the 4th, looked slow and unwilling to challenge defenders. I agree he's no where near 90 minutes right now. I also think Guy would be a good sub for Beckerman or Cullen. With that said, I think the Rapids will remember their awful game vs. Metros earlier in the season and play more as a team. Lets hope the time off has helped bring the team together. And maybe some of the new trialists coming in will make players work harder to keep their jobs.
When the Metrostars won in Denver, 3-1. ------------ Joe Cannon ------------- Freeman -- Borchers -- Kotschau --Denton (Cullen 73) Cooke --- Chung (Pedro 46) --- Mastroeni --- Nkong Henderson (Cunningham 60) & Luchi
"I think that Lewis is Petke's project ..." That begs for a pun but I will resist. IMHO Freeman is an (almost) instant (just add minutes) first class MLS defenseman with midfield potential too. I DID NOT SAY HE IS THERE YET but he just needs more first team minutes and he will be. And yes he will make critical mistakes on the way but they *all* do/have.
Agree with you on Freeman, excellent skills and very consistent for a rookie that's only 20 years old.
I would much rather see Melamed on the field than Cullen. Nothing against Cullen who is probably a decent fella but you know what you are getting with him there is no upside. What you get is nothing. He is Mr. Invisible in everyway. At least with Melamed there is the chance of developing a player for the future. He is overly physical right now but that will improve with experience. He does well in providing energy and decently in winning balls and headers in the midfield. Also if he does get a stupid foul you are then in the same position as if you started Cullen so why not go with Melamed instead?
IMO - Pablo & Nkong should start in the central midfield and Beckermann is first off the bench. Agreed, Melamed has potential and should be developed through the reserve program. On Cullen, it's Law School or an MBA program.
I assume you're looking way past this weekend as Pablo will be gone probably until the August 6th match.
Is it too early for me to predict that he will have an injury or red card within the first two matches back? ;-)
"Is it too early for me to predict that he will have an injury or red card within the first two matches back? ;-)" Well no but all of the 'good' dates have already been taken in the pool by the 20 or 30 people that already wagered.
This is the team that scrimmaged against a team of reserves at Wednesday's practice and could be the starters for Saturday's match. If you look at the website this is also the lineup, other than Joe, that started the second half of the Blizzard scrimmage. -----------Cannon----------- Lewis--Borchers--Petke--Kotch -----------Cullen------------- Cooke-----------------Denton -----------Nkong------------- -----Luchi------Cunningham---
I think you are right here. More Cullen in midfield. I like this line up overall. Cooke, Luchi, Cunningham, Nkong at least we might get some attack out of them and it is good to try and get some consistency in the attacking portion of the line up to try and build chemistry (yes it should have been done much earlier in the season). If no Beckerman does this mean FC has decided he is not the way to go and could be on the outs?