I don't want to spend any more energy on the Fire match---it's over--DONE Any chance Da Bruce will let us have any of our starters next Saturday? Reis Heaps, Parkhurst, Franchino Riley, Joseph, Dorman, Pepe, leonard Smith, TnT
If they draw or beat CR on Wed, they'll be at Gilette Saturday.. If not.. they won't be here the 16th
Do they play them two nights in a row? (the game is on Tuesday ) At this point I just want them back uninjured!
Week in and week out the name Smith keeps appearing up top as a starting striker. The midfield has to play with urgency and pressure. Riley has been horrible the past two matches. Joseph should be fine. Dorman should be fine. Cancela needs to step up and take control. Leonard, well, let's hope he doesn't have to hang around any posts anytime soon. Other than that. They're at home. 1-0 to the Revs let's hope.
Yeah ... if a) he actually gets the ball in a position he can do something with it, and b) if he's actually allowed to stay in the game. Down 1-0 and you take out your best midfielder. Makes tons of sense to me. God, I feel like BigFrank.
Well, with our history of being screwed, it wouldn't surprise me if Il Bruce released your players for the game knowing that Ruiz is still with Guatemala and EJ isn't match fit. Even giving us Vanney wouldn't make much sense - the numbers simply don't match up. That being said, and while I would consider it unfair, the game is played between the whistles, and we've taken bad odds and situations before and fought through it, so no excuses. If you win, you win, no matter who plays. But that goes both ways. If they don't play, no excuses. All of THAT being said, assuming that Il Bruce actually doesn't release the players (and considering that we're talking mostly about field players and they would probably have a game on Wednesday unless we lost, I would be surprised if he lets the guys play), it is still a road game for us. Against one of (if not the) best teams in the league. We're going to have to bring our A game and work for whatever the game gives us. If we can go for the win, make no mistake, this team will go for it. I have yet to see them sit back for a tie. No S. (And no, I really can't believe I just typed that.) But if we're not being effective in attack, then I hope/expect them to possess and try to control the game. I will say that our depth has been bloodied and other than Ramon Nunez, they have all shown well. (Granted, mostly against lesser teams, but results are results.) Let me leave you (for now) with this: has your team had two bad games in a row? Not really. That worries me. This will be quite a challenge for our guys - arguably the biggest challenge of the season - and we've failed two other similar challenges (@ LA and @ Chicago).
Monty, to be fair, the midfield sucked ass tonight. So saying Cancela was the best midfielder is like saying out of the 5 one legged men, the 3rd one is the best in an asskickin contest. He didn't take control of the game, Twellman got one nice pass and did all he could do with it. I was suprised the move was made so early but not suprised it was him.
Quick question: My friend is taking his 2 year old daughter for this game (and Gold CUp quarterfinal). We want to know if she will have to pay full price. Whats the price for a little girl her age? We'll find out for sure tomorrow (Monday) morning, but we'd like to know now to plan ahead. Thanks.
That's not true. The US will be at Gillette on Saturday no matter what now. Both the first and second place teams from Group B (our group) are playing. The 1PM game is A1 vs. B2. The 4PM game is B1 (not me ) vs. A3 or C3. Since the US is already guaranteed 1st or 2nd, they'll be there.
I'm not sure why it's necessary to see things as --all or none. We played a game with a make shift roster and showed how much we missed Noonan, Joseph, Dempsey and Ralston. Latham and Big Luke just didn't have enough ability and Joey and Andy did a reasonable job in the middle. The fact that the only goal we gave up was a sk'wiggler in a crowded box say a lot. Our defense was reasonably good but our ability to create a meaninful attack just wasn't there most of the night. I do think SN made good attacking adjustments at the half and frankly when Pepe went out was when we were most dangerous and we damn near pulled that tying goal back in the last 5 minutes. In short we DIDN'T suck. We lost a close game with a VERRRRY depleted side. Hats off to the guys for a good effort. Now lets talk about the Dallas game.
Thanks Doc for getting everyone back on track. Let's move on and let's attempt alittle positive energy!
How does Cancela "take control" when, clearly, the backs and d-mids have been told to long ball it every time up to the forwards (who can't get to the ball)? I think the TEAM needs to USE Cancela rather than Cancela taking control. I don't know if this is SN or the players but they were just bypassing him.
Ding ding ding ... we have a winner. This was exactly my point. George, you are a wonderful guy but to me, you're way off on this one. Meaningful attack? We barely had any attack. And we weren't all the dangerous in the second half except for about a 5 minute stretch when they realized they needed to get that goal back. We had ONE shot on goal. That isn't a meaningful attack. If we're not going to use Cancela, let him go. See rkane's comment about it ... the ball has to get to Cancela in a position where he can do something with it, and when they got him the ball and his only real option was to either back-pass or a short pass to Riley or Latham ... those aren't options.
Cancela - was he making himself available to those players when they had the ball? The reason I ask is that the central mids I have the most respect for are the ones who are checking back, making themselves available when the defenders and wingers have the ball. It takes a lot of effort to do that, but that is the role of a CM. If he is doing that and people aren't getting him the ball, then yeah, he is doing everything he can. If not.....
You sure ? I thought both quarterfinalists out of our Group play in Gillette on Saturday. http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2005/07/10/us_advances_in_gold_cup/
thats good thinking. we need Foz to get his mojo working! we get Shalrie back on Saturday, yes? someone take it from there.
Yes Joseph is back and I think Heaps has gone three games without a card so he off the sit down risk list. Clearly having Joseph back will help get our midfield organization back.
You know what? This is another week.. Lyric Mojo failed me (it was a reach.. I know).. So we have A WEEK OF PICTURE MOJO! And in honor of the return of the Bully, himself, Shalrie Joseph.. We start the PICTURE MOJO with Sam the Sham.. WOOLY BULLY!
hey folks! I asked some of the photographers at the Guatemala/Jamaica game to supply me some pictures of Ruiz for Picture Mojo, and boy howdy did they come through. Here's El Pescadito in his natural habitat.. on the ground and flopping around!
Both teams from Group B that qualify will make it. The US will be in Gillette no matter what happens in the last game. http://www.us.terra.com/goldcup2005/calendario.html
Well hopefully with Joseph back we can move Leonard back to left midfield instead of starting Latham and if Edozien could start over Smith that would be great (assuming Noonan won't get the start since he will probably play a lot in the U.S. game). Maybe Nicol will let Jose play the whole game if we're lucky.
I seems to me that Cancela isn't usually that far away from the ball. I think the problem last night was that the Fire defenders figured out pretty quickly that none of the other midfielders presented much of a threat. Everytime Cancela had the ball he was under a lot of pressure, and the players he passed it to often weren't able to do much. Presumably, with Joseph back in the middle, Dallas won't be able to blanket Cancela the way Chicago did. Since Marshall was actually half-way decent last night IMO, I wouldn't mind seeing him at left back in place of Franchino. I really don't think it matters whether Smith or Edozien starts, since neither have them has done much as a starter.
I know that other National Teams have let players go to their MLS Clubs this past week but with the lineups being talked about on the USMNT Board I doubt there is any chance of us seeing any of our guys playing for the Revs on Saturday. Anyone see this any differently? Is there any possibility that "The Little Fish" will be available to Dallas?