Wells is starting over Nico, Summer is standing in the front row in no blue and the drum, and GBS is rested. When we lose tonight can we finally give up on the season?
If you squint really hard you can pretend Columbus is Villareal and therefore losing is justified. Is that Iro or Altidore? Attn Revs: DO NOT pass to the yellow team. Cheers, Incomprehensible Scotsman
Revs look lively and in the game in the first ten, Osei is being very physical early on and looks to get a red if he doesn't calm down. Wells seeing limited possession, lots of good early signs, just keep with it.
15th minute - opportunity for Columbus, Gaven gets away for a free header from the 6 but puts it over.
Good effort by Heaps from distance in the 22nd minute. The Revs have got to start winning more midfield battles - we haven't been able to penetrate the final third too many times yet. Also, they can't let Gaven have that much space, he nearly burned them on a bad Nyassi giveaway.
30th minute - Revs' calls for a handball go ignored. The Revs need to play the simple pass, they seem to have lateral movement but there's a lack of movement off the ball or any type of intelligent runs being made by the forwards, Dube and Mansally.
Are you f'ing kidding me??? Goal Columbus. Miscommunication between Reis and Osei results in the yellow team scoring on a 40? yd free kick. Un f'ing believable. SOMEONE needs to take charge there!!! Reis that's on you. We suck. Yellow for Joseph on a hard tackle on Columbus' Renteria.
Bad goal, Shalrie on a yellow now. There was plenty of attacking play but no one took their chances, can't score without shooting....well Columbus can.
I can't say I'm disappointed in how the Revs are playing. On both ends of the field they're getting the job done. The one thing that continues to bit us is that no attacking players want to take the shot. I'm worried about en ejection. The ref isn't necessarily calling a bad game, just making sure everything the Revs do in a physical game gets called. At the half I'd like to see Nico for Wells, who hasn't really been poor, just not been involved enough. Push Mansally to the left wing and get Nico up top to give the pace and liveliness we need right now.
Halftime, 1-0 Columbus. Dube for the Revs and Burns for Columbus both picked up yellows shortly before halftime. Revs have zero offense right now. On the rare occasions they maintain any type of possession Columbus snuffs out their attack in the final third. Columbus looks like the Varsity scrimmaging the JVs - bigger, stronger, better passing and more confident on the ball. The Revs need some luck in the form of a pk or a slip up because they sure as hell don't have any offense to speak of.
I'm not in complete disagreement, but Osei did run through and miss the clearance, and without communication Reis wouldn't know to back off. I think both parties combined for the goal, can't put the blame solely on one or the other.
Yeah, in the replay it appeared Osei actually ducked - so he deserves some blame because you don't do that unless you hear an obvious "KEEP" or something else verbally that indicates your goalie's got it. It's still your job as a central defender to head it clear or at least make it more obvious you're conceding control to your goalie some way other than ducking at the last possible second. Then on Reis' side (who I'd agree with Doc should get the lions share), he should've called for it. You're in the 18, Reis is vocal and punches through those types of balls. Osei knew this and reacted accordingly. Reis should've gone clean through. Oh well, hopefully attacking the Fort end we have an equalizer in us tonight.
Revs putting on a dump and chase clinic tonight. 58' sub: Videira on for Mansally. I hope I'm wrong about this guy and he does something for once. Revs looking solid in the back in the 2nd half with the exception of a horrible miss by wideopen Lenhart. The back four are having a good game for the most part (with Osei's flub on the goal being the exception).
64' Red card on Columbus' Ekpo. Revs get a break when an inadvertant elbow catches Alston in the face and the ref ejects Ekpo. Tough call. Watching the replay I didn't think there was bad intent there but you're supposed to keep your arms tighter than he did. This is the luck the Revs need. 68' Nico on for Osei. Interesting sub. Nicol's going for the win.
Beautiful counter from the Revs which Shalrie uncharacteristically botches. Nicol converts to the 3-5-2 and subs on Nico, are we playing for the win!?!?
Castro on in the 79' for Nyassi (?). I missed who he took off. The field is tilted towards the Columbus goal - we gotta get one here. Wells is making a nuisance of himself tonight, reckless fouls aplenty, but he's not doing bad actually. Come on you Revs!
That's the game, 1-0 Columbus. Good grit by the Revs taking it to them in the second half. Much better than the first half. Apart from the Reis/Osei mistake and we walk away feeling good with a point. This is deja vu from a year ago when the Revs lost by the exact same scoreline playing up a man as well. Tough 3pts to drop tonight but it's encouraging to see Castro back on the field.