First game at the Rio Tinto. NYRB opened at home and defeated FCC 3-2, and it was an odd game. New York could have scored five or six very easily, while they just got lazy a couple of times on defense (Cincinnati had only about three chances on goal).
I think our defense will be tighter than both NYRB and CIN, but I really don’t see where the goals will come from for us.
Speculation from those around the club is that Ramirez will be in the 18 for this one. It would be shocking to see him in the 11, so I'm expecting him to be on the 18 for a possible late cameo. I have no idea what to expect from the starting XI. Last week was weird and made me confused on what Freddy really wants to do. I really hope he ditches the idea of Herrera at RW. Move him back to RB and tuck Glad back in. I think Baird is probably 45-60 mins fit, so roll him out to start and go from there with subs. I have no idea who will start at LW. That feels like our weirdest spot on the team
I wonder if you have Baird start at LW and sub Meram in around 60 minutes and I'd be very excited to see Ramirez start at RW or have Illoski at RW and sub Ramirez in during the second half. Just please not Schmitt and Herrera again, anything but that.
Glad at right back just compounds the problems created by pushing Herrera up to wing. We even signed a guy from USL to back up Herrera - Alvin Jones - and pushing him to third string behind Glad is a pretty damning statement.
I, like everyone, am completely perplexed by the Glad/Herrera situation. Are we just trying to get them minutes so they can be ready for national team stuff? Are we trying to get Onuoha and Silva time together at CB? Nothing really makes any sense. I feel for Alvin Jones and for Maikel Chang... Seems like our GM thinks they are MLS caliber but the coach doesn't... I seriously am stumped. Even if we were riddled with injuries I can't see a reason to play those players there. Has anyone asked Freddy and I missed the report? I sincerely hope it doesn't happen again. Here is my starting 11 for NYRB Kreilach (Arriaga, Garcia, Iloski, or Vazquez (anyone but Schmitt)) Rusnak Baird Beasler Everton Toia Onuoha Glad Herrera MacMath Subs- Merram for Baird, Ramirez for the other wing, and Rossi for Beasler
Yeah, Baird made shit happen, he should start. My memory of NYRB last year is that they outclassed us with speed and passing up front. Predict a 2-1 home setback. Fans burn DLH in a big-ass effigy by game 3.
Being the BS crackpot around here, I'm looking forward to Saturday's game. Thankfully, we get to play at noon, instead of at 8:00 like those poor saps in Colorado. Y'all seem to have already written Freddy off but I'm giving him the benefit of doubt to see if he can put the pieces together, and we've got a lot of interesting pieces to work with. I'm hoping Rossi starts, or at least sees substantial minutes. He grew up in the NYRB's backyard and was training with them last year. Don't know if that's a help or a hindrance. Hoping the altitude takes its toll on the NYers. They scored quickly against Cincinnati on Sunday, so it would be nice if we can hold them off through the first half. It'll be interesting to see how MacMath does between the posts, really weird not to see Nick there, though. And I'm just hoping to see some semblance of chemistry among the guys. We had moments of it last year; let's see what comes of this year on our own pitch.
I'm not against Freddy at this point. He's dealing with most of his attack being banged up in one way or another which is likely why we've seen some weird lineups. He's trying to get his best players on the field rather than guys who play the position, which might not be the best way to go about it, but did earn us an ugly road point. Hopefully Baird is able to start as reports are suggesting could happen. If so, we might see a little more normalcy this week.
Rossi looked gassed after like 2 runs against Orlando, he's not starting. And you bring up a point about Rossi that concerns me greatly: he's had looks from other MLS teams. NYRB and LAFC. That they didn't sign him (and they've shown to be two of the better clubs in talent identification) is pretty telling of us hyping him up as our most impactful signing...
Yes, but no... I think the difference is we are trying to upgrade from Kreilach and Johnson, NYRB, and certainly LAFC are not... So Rossi could be a huge improvement for us.
One bit of good news: the game is early and there's plenty of time to recover mentally from anything depressing in this one. And speaking of depressing, there's this from Matt Doyle in his thoughts on the week for each team: "RSL: What’s Freddy Juarez going for here? I have no idea. Aaron Herrera on the wing? Tate Schmitt starting over Corey Baird? Justen Glad at right back? A point in Orlando was just fine, but 0.16 xG was the lowest total of the Week 1, lower than 10-men-for-88-minutes-on-the-road NYCFC. Maybe I’ll understand Juarez’s plan better after this weekend."
My thoughts on that odd lineup last week: 1) Freddy wants Nedum and Marcello to get as much time together as possible. It’s the right move. 2) the idea has crossed my mind that Freddy is contemplating using Glad at RB if Herrera goes down with an injury. We need 3 points today, so I don’t think we’ll see him there today. 3) Schmitt might have started last week because Baird was dinged up or maybe broke a club rule. Or, maybe Freddy wanted to see Baird and Giuseppe work together as fresh legged subs. Last week’s lineup has to be considered to be experimental. Knowing a road win was unlikely, Freddy was only gambling the one point. It worked out and he hopefully got to see what he wanted to see. Today’s starting lineup should be significantly different.
I was in Orlando. It was a party. Just me and the boys in a crowd of purple. We had 8 natural defenders on the field that game. Think about it. Schmitt, Rusnak, and Kreilach were our offense. None of them is a dynamic enough athlete to counter attack. They barely even got a ball passed to them. We definitely had an identity though... stifling defense. We had 3 centerbacks, 2 defensive mids, and 2 defensive wings. Orlando was clearly frustrated. Maybe freddy is trying to establish the team from the back first? Many coaches focus on d before adding the attack. We don't have the players to really lead the league on the attacking side of the ball anyways. It may be a Defend to the death and pray for chances type season. It will be interesting to see how different the lineup is at home.
So: MacMath Herrera Silva Onuoha Toia Everton Besler Baird Rusnak Meram Kreilach (Guessing at the front there) Putna; Glad; Chang, Portillo, Ruiz; Martinez, Ramirez Is Rossi hurt?
Could be he won’t be effective against them since they know what his weaknesses are. I’m more surprised that Ruiz is in the bench rather than starting.
Man. We looked good offensively and then give up the cheap goal. Our defenders are giving up too much space and time in our own box.
So on the goal, it's pretty sloppy defending from Everton, who lunged at a ball he was never going to get and took himself out of a good position, ceding the space for Casseres to run at goal, get set, and shoot.
Good interchange on that chance that fell to Meram, who did poorly with it. The ball into Damir, back out to Albert, and then into Meram at the penalty spot deserved a finish.