I'm optimistic about this one. I'm always optimistic though. I was hoping for a 2 goal lead going in but beggars can't be choosers and I'm just happy we aren't a goal down. Assuming Hanki the Soccer Poo doesn't tell Spencer he's benched for the rest of the year and start Blake, I'm going to say we squeak one out 2-1 with our 2 goals coming in the first half, courtesy of our go-to guys Chung and Spencer. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before but maybe someone should think about firing Hanki. Just a thought.
Just to keep with the theme of drama and stupidity, I predict we'll make it to the cup and Hanki will get canned the night before the game. They could start a soap opera about this team. Saturday will be ugly. 1-0 Rapids, Spenny gets the goal mid-second half.
This puppy is going to PKs. The Rapids come out conservative to slow the KC attack ... the game settles down in the 30th minute. At the end of the first half KC is going to score ... and go into the bunker. Colorado is going to come out firing ... get the equalizer in the 82nd minute. It's going to go to the extra 30 .... colorado is going to be the better team due to better fitness and speed. But KC's defense stands tall. PKs are going to be ours!!! We'll be hosting LA ... and we'll all feel a little better.
Garlick did well against PK's this year, I know he saved at least one. Do we know how Cannon is against them? Or Meola for that matter? If I had to bet on Cannon or Meola, I'd probably take Cannon given that he's younger, quicker and more athletic, but who knows. PK's are a mystery, and a crappy way to decide an entire season. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and Colorado takes care of business in regulation. 2-1 Colorado. Goals by Spencer and Chung. Bread and butter.
Meola does a half guess, half react thing where he slides to one side. He didn't stop any this past season (that I recall) but he did make a nice save on Ruiz last year and saved two in a game in DC as well. I'd go with Cannon if it came to that, but the shooters have a lot to do with that as well. Definitely, I want this decided in the first 120 minutes Saturday. PKs would be disapointting and heartbreaking. I understand the reasoning behind a limited OT during the regular season, considering some would say there should be none. But in a competition (specifically the MLS playoffs) where you get a weeks rest between games, why can't the final OT be play until someone scores? Do it NHL style, now thats dramatic.
They would only be able to do it if you got additional substitutions for the OT periods or allowed players who were subbed to return to the game. That would be okay by me and not go to PKs.
trooper, if you are gonna be in minnesota for the game I've got the shootout package and would be happy to invite you over, that is if you are gonna be in the minneapolis area.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Rapids win 3-1 going away. Cannon starts in goal, Garlick replaces CC at '85 minute mark and scores 3rd goal. Everyone's happy.
Be prepared for some Hanki antics come Sat. I am bracing myself for a crazy line-up. So much for his comments on "NOT"changing things up prior to the play-offs. If benching Garlick is any indication of what's to come,then I can hardly wait to see what he pulls this Sat. should be very interesting...
Zi Zi Roberts should crack the starting lineup, and at Carrieri's expense... I saw the Cannon start coming, and didn't really disagree with it from a what's best for the team approach, the way the whole thing played out in the media is what made it stink... I think Hankinson listens more to the outside input than people give him credit. He had simply been waiting for a reason to get Cannon in. I like Garlick, think he's a quality keeper, and I can't believe I'm siding with Hanki on this one... Garlick's play early on in the season was particularly soft, very weak, and I think Hankinson was looking to make a move, maybe Garlick should consider himself lucky for getting as much time as he did... With Zi Zi in the lineup we have a player who can play up top with his back to the goal, and cannot be muscled off the ball like Carrieri. It's no that Carrieri isn't strong, but he can be leveraged off the ball despite being so low to the ground ( ) Zi Zi also frees up Spenny, and Zi Zi also allows the wings to get in the mix more...
Wolde scores in OT. KC 1-0 Rapids. That dude does it to the Rapids every time, no matter what team mr. Goldtoof is on.
I would rather see Carrieri in for Henderson, too many times Henderson could not track down balls that would have easily been controlled with someone with more speed. I think Carrieri is a "spark plug" for this team and does alot off the ball and defensively that helps out. Last year he proved he could score and this year with a "mixed" and at most time ineffective attack from the midfield he led the team in assists. I would start him over Henderson or Beckerman -- As you know I am not a Beckerman fan.. I feel he brings little to the attack--and if he is NOT and attacking mid --then we don't need him in the game --we have Pablo for Defense--we need "dare I say" an "EL PIBE" type mid-fielder
Didn't see the last game personally, but I heard that Beckerman played quite well. Carrieri is a train wreck when faced with the sideline as a second defender.
Is the format for PK's or a shootout this year? I've been reading in articles that it's a shootout. If it's the same shootout that it was a few years ago, it's the ball on the 35, one-on-one with the keeper. Anyone know which it will be? Regardless, I hope that Hanki has been having his team practicing PK's or a shootout for a while now.
I believe that it is kicks from the mark. I think the article in the denver post saying that they just practiced them yesterday. Hanki saying something about not wanting the players to think about it until then. Crazy old coot.
Typical Hanki. If the playoffs could come down to PK's, you should practice them. Look at Germany - they end every practice with PK's. Have they ever lost in a major competition on PK's? Not that I recall. Other teams, like the Dutch, don't think it helps. They lost on PK's in WC '98 and Euro '00.
I don't think you should start practicing PK's yesterday - which is what I inferred from your quote of Hanki - but rather you should have the team practicing them a little bit every day over several weeks. Get the players comfortable with the format and their approach to things.
Germany has never lost a major tournament on PK's. Actually, there was a coach for a local Denver high school who didn't practice PK's either. He didn't think they would get that far. I played there my freshman year in high school (before transfering to greener pastures and pitches...) Not a bad motivational coach, but he doesn't know soccer. You be the judge. http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~92~1719737,00.html Good coaching plans on contingencies, you prepare your players for anything they might face. Practicing PK's is a part of preparing for playoff soccer. Actually, I think it is a right of passage. A way for players to get psyched up for elimination soccer and a good team building exercise. It's gets guys behind the ones who are taking the PK's and trust those guys to put them in.