This should be a real test for the Revs. They have been playing well on the road and their aggressive play in KC says that they will not be playing for a tie. My guess is we will see the same lineup that started the second half against the Fire. I also suspect that the Revs will be wanting a little payback for the home opener butt kicking they got from the Crew. Revs 1---Crew 0 George
It will be a real test and, I think, a loss or tie at best. Columbus appeared to have speed and accurate passing the last time through (admittedly the REVs were horrible that day). I also think they will step to the ball alot faster than Chicago did. Altogether, I expect the REV defense to be back on their heels and alot less a part of the offense than against CHI. We'll get a chance to see how good their conditioning is. If they can keep it close and avoid any mental mistakes you are right, they can win by 1. Most likely they'll give up a goal and the fight will be on to get the tie.
Columbus is tough to figure out. Last week I figured a game between 2 of the top defenses would yield a 0-0 draw, or maybe a 1-0 win. I was shocked to see a final score of 4-3 in favor of SJ. So Columbus returns home after getting kicked in the teeth, and will try to take it out on the Revs. I think they will put up a better defensive effort than Chicago, KC and even LA did in the last 3 games. Could go either way, but I'm guessing a 1-1 draw.
the Revs certainly wont get the space v. the Crew that they've enjoyed the last few weeks, so I expect they'll revert to bunker & counter. I'd be pleased as pie if they escape with a point.
If Meterparel weren't such a wanker I'd turn down the sound on ESPN2 and listen to him. Don't know if I can handle another week of Rob & Ty gushing about how talented Columbus are. Will we ever go into a match as anything but an underdog?
Not too optimistic The Revs should be motivated, but I still don't see a 'W' for the local side. Columbus suffocates its opposition (at least they did the Revs) and doesn't allow its opponent a chance to make a clean passing attempt. Of course, that first game vs. Columbus, the Revs certainly weren't making much of an effort off the ball trying to find an open space in which to receive any passes. And don't forget Columbus' offensive firepower, and the fact that the Revs don't play as well when they are behind. So if Columbus scores first, and scores early, it may not be pretty. It shouldn't be a blow-out, but the Crew wins 2-1. I hope I am SO wrong.
Re: Not too optimistic The Rev team that played the first match against the Crew is a far dierent team than has been on the pitch for the past few matches. The bodies may be the same but the fitness level, the spirit and the chemistry which wasn't there for match one is sure as hell there now. The Crew is a good side---so are the Revs. The results of this match will tell a lot about both sides . The Revs will be going for nothing less than a win. George
Doctor George nails it again. I honestly don't know how we can draw a lesson from the last game since the Crew were made to look like supermen by the team dressed to resemble the Revolution. As much as I like Martino, Crew has yet to show they can handle the new Rev midfield pressure (vz. Professor Dow's essay on Revsnet.) Martino is going to be seeing Joseph's 5:00 shadow in his sleep. With luck, the Crew midfield will be so disconnected, the back line will be forced to play the kick-and-run which always failed them in the past. I think the key will be how well Crew can develop quick attacks along the flanks vs. how much stress the Revs can put on the relatively inexperienced Crew defenders.
this shall be quite a game. as i will be attending in person, i will make as much as a ruckus as possible to support the Revs. I forsee a total of no more than 4 goals being scored, either 2-2 or 2-1 crew [ ].
It actually is on WB 56 and FSW not espn 2, anyways I will be in Cow-lumbus at the game hoping for a win
I wouldnt be too suprised to see Cullen start over Hernandez this game in an attempt to shut down Martino in the midfield, and use Joseph to disrupt passes and possesion in the middle 3rd...Just my thoughts.
god the stupid people on this board crack me up. STUPID ROB AND TY AND METERPERAL... classic. it'll be fun to see if theres a difference between the feeds. i believe at the start of the season it was said that FSW would just be picking up debugged versions of the local feed, so the camera angles would be the same. but i'm not sure if that's the case. i'd say this is a toss up. what Revs team is going to show up? what Crew team is going to show up? i'll go with 2-1 revs in OT.
I disagree. The turnaround for the Revs has come when they've stopped being passive and have stepped forward and started pressuring opponents in their own end. It's a common thread in all their wins, as well as the road tie in KC. SN is no fool, he's not going to change from a strategy that has them playing so well. The difference between this game and the first game will be night and day: - since 4/19, Revs are 3-1-1, Crew is 1-2-1 (with the only win against the Rapids, whom everyone beats). - Shalrie Joseph, JMM, Llamosa likely to start this time. - Bigger Foxboro pitch actually favored Crew's speed advantage. - Crew started the season way ahead of everyone else in preparation. League has caught up to them. - Revs, MS are the hottest teams in MLS at this point. I had been thinking 1-1 tie, but I'm convincing myself that it'll be 2-1 Revs (reminiscient of last year's playoffs).
This could go either way, but I like our chances. It's not clear yet if JMM or Rusty are well enough to start, but with Wolde and all of our defenders we won't give much away there. I think this game will come down to defense, and who makes the best last pass in the offense, an area where we really struggled until the last 3 games. This will be no 7-goal shootout like Cbus-SJ. I worry more about Buddle/Cunningham than McB, but McB is making teams pay for that thinking. He and TT are off to such great starts, I think this game should be very entertaining. Hoping for a win, but will settle for a draw. Adin Heaps Kante Carlos Joey Stevie Joseph Cullen/Hernandez Kam Wolde TT
Not that it is terribly reliable...but the MLS injury report has both Martino and Maissonuive out for the game. We have JMM doubtful and Pierce questionable. I for one see a huge drop-off from JMM to Wolde, but at least Wolde is solid and the drop from Rusty to Kante is not too large..though the speed difference is a concern. Bottom line, we have the upper hand in personnel difference between now and we played them last. We are now more 'in form' as a team. I see a very different game than the one we played last against them. I see us able to sneak a 2-1 win here, though the result could go the other way. I wish I could have seen the LA game...what a game that had to be.
Crew fans seem to feel there is some chance KM will be back. If he and Maissoneuve are out, that will help the boys a whole lot. I don't think we would miss Rusty and JMM nearly as much, barring any new injury.
Cullen was spectacularly ineffective at this in the first game - but that might have been Nicol's fault to some extent. Either way, Cullen is really not known for his tackling or man-marking - two things that seem to help slow down Mr. Martino quite a bit (who is, BTW, quite an accomplished diver - good for him). In the first game the Crew outhustled the Revs (because of superior conditioning) and Nicol got schooled for not designing a game plan to nuetralize Martino. I don't see either of these being the case the second time around. Personally I see the presence/absence of Pierce (rather than JMM), Martino, and Maisoneuve as playing large roles in the result.
According to the Herald, Joe-Max and Rusty will be left home for this game. So, Wolde and Daouda get the starts. If the Revs fall behind, I'd expect Ibriham to make his debut as a late sub for Wolde.
Buddle, Martino, and Mais are listed as out on the MLSNet injury update. As for a forward sub, I think we will see Noonan before I. Kante.
I'd like to see I. Kante in for a good target a la a Ralston crosses. His size would add a different dimension the the Rev attack.
This game should be an acid test for our newly effective midfield. In the last encounter Hernandez was a no-show, Ralston was hurt, Kamler inneffective and Joseph just getting started. Also there was little or no interaction between the fullbacks and midfield. While Columbus will certainly have more bite in the middle of the park than Chicago or LA and more speed on the outside Nicol's system has had time to sink in and the Revs should be in much better physical shape. Hopefully, Adin will continue to have a hot hand, since the Crew generate chances aplenty. If he hadn't made a couple of key saves last Sat. the Fire might have caught fire in the goals dept. and the result could have been different. Should be exciting, could be very, very difficult. I'll settle for a draw myself. JIM DOW
Thankfully, you don't have to make that choice. The Revs are on FoxWorld, so you dodge the dreaded Rob & Ty bullet. I'd rather have half of my teeth extracted than listen to Meter.