Playoff Pregame/Postgame Discussion: LA at Rapids Friday (R)

Discussion in 'Colorado Rapids' started by The Legend, Oct 18, 2004.

  1. The Legend

    The Legend New Member

    Sep 13, 2000
    Colorado, Where Lege
    Game 1 of the West Semifinals this Friday night....start the discussion.
     
  2. rapidfan

    rapidfan Member

    May 13, 2003
    Boulder
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Starting Line Up

    How does this look for a starting line up ?

    Cannon
    Kotch Pablo Borchers DLT
    Crawford Chung Cila Henderson
    Spenny & Pedro
     
  3. Quango

    Quango BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2003
    Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    -------------Cannon-------------
    Crawford - Borchers - Kotchtau - Lewis
    --------------Pablo---------------
    Chung ------- Cila -------- Henderson
    ------Spencer ----- Pedro --------

    I think they've moved the rain forecast to Friday from midweek. Bleh...
     
  4. phills

    phills Member

    Nov 24, 1999
    canon
    crawford borchers kotchau lewis

    pablo beckerman henderson chung
    cila

    pedro

    a better lineup.. spencer on the bench
     
  5. smudgeyjoe

    smudgeyjoe Member

    Dec 15, 2001
    Westminster Colorado
    I noticed there might even be a few snow flakes. I bet that would be a surprise for the Galaxites. Does anyone know the real status of our injured players? I have to admit, thought, that the lineup Saturday produced a lot more than I expected. I heard that flopping fish don't like cold weather!!! :D
     
  6. Jeff

    Jeff Member

    Apr 14, 1999
    Alexandria, NOVA
    Snow would freaking rock! I can't wait to see Ruiz's face if that happens. Although it won't make for an aestherically pleasing game by any means, snow would be fun if you ask me.
     
  7. Rapids/Arsenal Fan

    Mar 8, 2001
    Denver, CO USA
    I've never seen the orange ball broken out for a Rapids game. Could be interesting.

    We have to go for the jugular right off the bat. None of this tippy-toe crap while hoping Cannon saves our bacon. Pressure from the first whistle to the last. I get the feeling that if we go to LA with anything less than a two goal lead on aggregate, we're toast.
     
  8. He's In Fashion

    Jan 7, 2000
    Littlefun, CO, US
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We're going up against Sampson, my wish of being able to shower verbal abuse against the coach that totally F****D up France '98 has come to fruition...

    Will we see the vaunted 3-6-1???


    I like our odds...
     
  9. Malaga CF fan

    Malaga CF fan Member

    Apr 19, 2000
    Fairfax, VA
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Talk about a meeting of coaching masterminds....

    Here's hoping Sampson decides that LA's midfield is in need of a shakeup and decides to run a 2-7-1 in the first match. :D

    I would have to agree though, the Rapids need a win, preferably by more than 1 goal to take back to LA. Anything less, and it will be an uphill battle to overcome the Galaxy on their home turf, especially given that the MLS Cup will be there a couple of weeks later.

    Do away goals count this year? I know they didn't last year, otherwise San Jose's miracle finish against LA would never have happened. LA would have advanced 4-4 on away goals (2-0 win at home first match, 4-2 loss in regulation at San Jose) despite San Jose's dramatic victory. There would have been no overtime.

    Obviously, a shutout win in Colorado will mean the Rapids can go into the HDC with confidence (whether away goals count or not). I really all hinges on this first match, if the Rapids can pull off an win, I expect they can get the result they need in the second match and advance to the conference finals.
     
  10. Centennial

    Centennial Member+

    Apr 4, 2003
    Centennial
    The soccer gods have answered our cries!!! Sampson is coming to town!
    Ya better not shout... ya better not cry .... ya better not pout ... i'm a tellin ya why.... Samson ya is coming to town!!!!

    The only coach that is head and shoulders under Mr Hanki!!!

    Prediction Rapids 1 - LA 0
     
  11. Bonji

    Bonji Moderator

    Feb 4, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I like this lineup too. Lewis has been doing fine on the left. Hanki benched DLT before Saturday's Crew game because he hasn't been playing well. If he doesn't improve this week in training look for him in LA next season. Pablo will be able to rule the midfield allowing our fullbacks to run up the wings, hopefully. Cila needs to get more confident in the middle, he didn't have too much impact on Saturday. Hopefully Chung and Pedro are healthy. We can't win with the two Cubans at striker.
     
  12. Bonji

    Bonji Moderator

    Feb 4, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We need a bigger margin than this to win this series. I want a hat-trick out of Pedro. 3-0 Rapids.


    Remember, people used to say this about the Crew's Andrulis.
     
  13. GoRapids

    GoRapids Member

    Sep 1, 1999
    Boulder CO
    Snow would present a bigger problem for the Rapids ... we have a Mexican, 2 Cubans, and a Haitian!!!!

    Our team sure seems to be in the same unsettled state at last year's playoffs ... Possible problems with DLT and Powell ...

    This game is THE game ... we can't go to LA expecting a result.

    One nice thing is that LA is all F'd up now too. This is going to be interesting.

    I feel that is there is a TEAM effort and no mismanaging of the game ... we could certainly walk out of there with a win. The biggest question mark right now is who's available to play.

    I can't wait until Friday ... we either leave with hope ... or we'll be well on our way to having this up and down ride over with.
     
  14. mikebob

    mikebob Member

    Feb 21, 2002
    Denver, Colorado
    Of course numbers and stats do not mean a whole lot in the playoffs, but numbers are what makes the world go round.

    Let's look at the stats against LA...
    Col vs. LA
    0 Wins, 1 loss, 3 ties
    LA scored 4 goals to our 2 goals
    We had 1 loss 1 tie at LA and we tied both at home.
    LA took 6 point to our 3 in the series

    No so good, but look at the stats agains KC...
    Col vs. KC
    1 Win, 3 losses, 0 ties
    KC scored 5 goals to our 3 goals
    We lost both games at KC and split at home (1 win 1 loss).
    KC took 9 points to our 3 in the series.
    Even worse!

    So, what does it all mean... to the pessimist: DOOM AND GLOOM, another first round quick exit. To the optimist: Danged if I know, I'm a pessimist.
    The last time we played LA in the playoffs?
    2003: Lost to KC,
    2002 lost both games 4-0 and 1-0.
    2001: Did not make,
    2000: Lost to KC,
    1999: Lost to LA

    It's time to END the streak of losing when it counts here in Colorado! Let's get as many of our butts to the game as possible and cheer the Rapids to a big victory. (ok that's the end of my positive talk for today, I'm exhausted).

    GO RAPIDS!
     
  15. Sempuukyaku

    Sempuukyaku Member+

    Apr 30, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Update:


    Ruiz AND Cobi Jones are listed as probable for this Friday.
    http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=313635&cc=5901



    That aint lookin good for Galaxy if their top scorer is out of action this Friday. That just means that their offense will look even MORE torrid than it has the last 6 or so games.


    Rapids: 2

    Galaxy: 0
     
  16. Bonji

    Bonji Moderator

    Feb 4, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ruiz on the bench will be good news. Cobi, I'm not as worried about the old man. They have a lot of other weapons. It all comes down to Sampson using them correctly...3-6-1
     
  17. greenie

    greenie New Member

    Feb 6, 2000
    Boulder, CO
    You make it sound like Ruiz is from the Bahamas. Altitude, cold temperatures, ice and even snow are hardly conditions that will shock most Guatemalans.

    Who cares about him, anyway. His production has plummeted this season, there's no guarantee that Sampson would start him even if he were fully healthy, and he's just biding time until he signs on with Chivas USA.
     
  18. Bonji

    Bonji Moderator

    Feb 4, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do you think so? I figured he might be off to a bigger league after this season, but you're right about his numbers dropping. So maybe not.

    At the same time, everyone's scoring dropped off this season.
     
  19. Malaga CF fan

    Malaga CF fan Member

    Apr 19, 2000
    Fairfax, VA
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I noticed that too, the Budweiser scoring champs this year (Noonan and Guevara) had 30 points. Before that, no single scoring champ had below 41 points. 30 points probably wasn't even good enough for second or third place during those years.

    I'd have to blame, at least partly, World Cup Qualifying and MLS stupidly playing their games during those weekends. The best scoring talent wasn't always on the field. Injuries had something to do with it too, but the MLS needs to pull their heads out of their collective asses on this one, no games during WCQ!!!!
     
  20. nowar99

    nowar99 Member

    Apr 14, 2003
    Boulder
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Wasn't Ruiz out for like 6 weeks from an injury? Ruiz only (according to the Galaxy website) played 20 games and only started 18.

    His numbers are off this year when pro-rated over the course of a 30 game season, but I wouldn't take these numbers to think that suddenly Ruiz is not as big a threat as he has been in the past.
     
  21. aaron90025

    aaron90025 New Member

    May 1, 2003
    W.Los Angeles
    As I read through these posts I get an all too familiar sense that yall are fully aware of the danger that LA posseses and that without a home win, you're mighty Crapids are toast. Well, as a Galaxy fan I have to say you might very well be right. I for one feel that we have to come out of Denver atleast 2 up to put yall in the Crapper for good.


    Let's just hope it turns out to be an exiting match for all. We shall see and may the best team win.

    Go G's!
     
  22. Sempuukyaku

    Sempuukyaku Member+

    Apr 30, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    Yes you do.....




































    And no....you won't.

    :p :D
     
  23. GreatZar

    GreatZar Member

    Colorado Rapids
    United States
    Mar 29, 1999
    Denver, CO, USA
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Galaxy at Rapids
    Fri Oct 22 @7:30pm
    Fox Sports World

    Rapids at Galaxy
    Sat Oct 30 @8pm
    Fox Sports World

    Just FYI (I'll be at Friday's match)...
     
  24. gschroeder

    gschroeder Member

    Jun 18, 2001
    Thornton, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Maybe we should take this moment to thank LA, without whom, our playoff games would not be televised. :)
     
  25. Bonji

    Bonji Moderator

    Feb 4, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, that is nice that we'll be able to see the second playoff game.
     

Share This Page