We have a game tonight so ... this is on the backburner for now anyway. For both Eastern Conference supremity, as well as the Shield ... this will be a huge game. LA plays all three of the best teams on the road in their remaining 9 games. If we can take three, and hope that LA at least wins or gets points in the other two ... that gives us a bit of a step up. Not sure yet if Eddie Lewis will be available for them. Here's a potential lineup a couple of their fans like for them: It'll be tough to defend for sure. Plus they haven't played since last Thursday, so they'll be fresh.
Sure hope some of our wounded warriors will be available for this one. Teams looked like they were running on fumes last night. Hopefully some home cooking will revive them---we need three points. I'm not even going to guess at who will be in the starting line-up: too many fitness question marks. Somethings not right with Castro. When is Kenny Smith due back? We need to have a second forward Badilla might be available if they can walk through his P-1 Visa
As I just posted on the LA thread... if Joe Public can make our defense look that pathetic, what will LA's offense do. Anyway, their injury report:
I do not see this match turning out pretty for us... LA does have (arguably) the best offense in the league, its their poop-tastic defense that has kept them so low on the tables. The Revs have one of the least productive offenses, and a scrappy defense. Our strength is our midfield and Matt Reis. No offense to warren, but he defiantly isn't Reis, and our midfield is tired. Oh, and please don't give me the "Travel and fixture congestion shouldn't be the issue, look at the EPL!" responses. Go watch the JP and TFC matches. Our boys are tired, it's obvious, its a fact, and its an issue. End of discussion. If we don't hit LA's weak defense hard, and if we don't control the midfield with lots of possession, we are doomed. We may actually have to score more then 1 goal to win this one. RRRREV IT UP
Since we don't have to gallop all over the western hemisphere for this one and LA does have a long trip in, things will look a lot different. Many athletes in many different sports have said over and over again, that the most misunderstood factor in pro sports by fans is the toll of traveling.
We're flying back from T&T, they're flying here from LA. The 400 miles extra that LA does will make a big difference I'm sure.
OK, I'll nibble.... What is the difference between takign a bus 5 hours from Foxboro to New Jersey to play a game vs. taking a bus a half-hour to TF Greene Airport getting on a plane and flying 4 hours to Houston or Kansas City or Dallas or someplace like that? OK, there is the one-huor time difference, but in the overall scheme of things, it shouldn't be that much different. Premiership clubs often do take the bus, sorry, merter-coach, to away games since, depending on the club, it would often take longer door-to-door to fly. Yeah, it's a pain in the arse to be standing around an airport terminal and in-flight it's never comfortable, but either way you gotta get there one way or another
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION vs. LOS ANGELES GALAXY GILLETTE STADIUM, Foxborough, Mass. Aug. 30, 2008 | 7:30 p.m. ET (HDNet; TV38; FSN-PT) WEEK # 23 | GAME # 149 Fresh off their midweek defeat in Trinidad in the CONCACAF Champions League, the New England Revolution return home to face a Los Angeles Galaxy that last played 10 days ago, in Bruce Arena's first game in charge. The Revolution are facing an injury crisis, yet are still tied atop the Eastern Conference and for the best record in MLS with the Columbus Crew. The Galaxy haven't won in nine league games, their last victory now having come more than two months ago, yet they are still just two points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. REFEREE: Tim Weyland. SAR (bench): Adam Wienckowski; JAR (opposite): Michael Salyers; 4th: Andrew Chapin MLS Career: 83 games; FC/gm: 30.6; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 23; pens: 20 INJURY REPORT: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - OUT: FW Kheli Dube (R adductor strain); FW Adam Cristman (R toe sprain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Chris Albright (concussion/L hip flexor strain); FW Kenny Mansally (R ankle sprain), DF Gary Flood (L ankle sprain); GK Matt Reis (R adductor strain); PROBABLE: MF Steve Ralston (back spasms); TIRED: Everyone Else ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: GK Charles Alamo (L knee); MF Joe Franchino (R ankle); DF Michael Gavin (R foot) INTERNATIONAL DUTY: none SUSPENDED: none WARNINGS: SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NE: Amaechi Igwe SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NE: Jay Heaps, Jeff Larentowicz ... LA: David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon, Brandon McDonald, Alvaro Pires, Greg Vanney http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080827&content_id=183738&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
The experience of air travel, especially in the past couple of years, is mentally exhausting. You have to get to the airport early, wait in line to get your ticket and check your bag in, wait in line to go through security, and then if you are lucky, your plane leaves on time. You then sit in a cramped seat with little leg room, in a seat that can move back 3 inches. If you are lucky you land on time, then are shuttled off to a hotel to sleep in a bed that isn't yours with a roomie you may or may not like. All your belongings are at home and you are living out of a suitcase. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous. There is also the toll air travel can take on your body. Personally speaking, but I have to take some tylenol p.m. to even get a couple hours of sleep. In 2001 I was overseas for the Christmas holiday. I fell and banged my knee pretty hard. The pain lasted for an hour, then went away. 4 days later I took a 6 hour flight across the Atlantic. My knee swelled up as soon as I stepped off the plane, and in 24 hours I couldn't walk on it and had a brace fo 3-4 days. Our players are gassed out. They need some much needed rest. The team knew this was coming, and it is their problem if they didn't plan properly. Hindsight is 20/20, but it doesn't hurt to have some foresight.
Come on Mike--into what roster slot? I'm sure you'd be glad to list a few players you'd like to cut but when you cut them you reduce the depth at other positions. Fact is this team has four good forwards which is what a team with an 18 man roster usually has. That three are injured right now is just tough sh*t. It doesn't have anything to do with having unused Cap space. FWIW, we do have two other players that can play forward_ Smith and Monzo.
SN has his work cut out for him. We have four major areas of concern 1) Attack - No matter what Taylor thinks, he can not do it alone. We need someone fast up there to offset his slowness. Going with a single forward is a recipe for disaster 2) Defense - I'm worried about the speed factor again. IF SN goes with four backs again, with Jeff in the middle, we'll lose. Donovan and Buddle will kill us with speed. Also Jeff on defense means Lead foot Phalen and halfback and that's strike two 3) Midfield - No Ralston means Castro in the middle and that doesn't work 4) Goalie - I'm not impressed so far So there's just a few things to worry about. The more I think of this, the more I'm giving us little chance. Sorry but that's what it's looking like to me
George, IMO, we don't need both Flood and Phelan, and if more than one forward are going to be injured going into the last third of the season, then it wouldn't be bad practice to add another. I don't think Smith counts as a forward since his skill set is restricted to running at players with the ball already at his feet, and Manzonelli doesn't seem to be ready for prime time.
this is gonna be ugly. their defense is their weakness, but we have little fire power right now. their offense is their only strengeth. if we don't play forward thinking football and keep them honest, well spend 90 min defending our own half. like ususal, it's all up to joseph and the midfield I smell a catastrophic disaster. Gals 4- revs 0