We're still on the early side of this, but a story on Soccernet which includes commentary on two FC Dallas players who made their debuts last weekend seems most appropriate in a forum about our next game: Impact Players, by Steve Davis. Davis writes about the Crew (with Schelotto), Toronto (with O'Brien), and FC Dallas (with Pablo Richetti and Dario Sala). The addition of the two Argentines to the lineup makes Dallas a markedly diffeent team from the first time we played them. Sala had nine saves on Saturday, and Richetti looked composed and solid throughout. Of course, the Hoops also play this Thursday, so fatigue may be a factor in our favor.
I hate to say it, but I dont see a win here. Dallas is a better team than when we first played them. And it will be at their house. I think we will pull out with a tie and keep that streak going. 2-2 With goals from Cunny and Klein.
FCD nets two early in 1st half (one a dubiously awarded PK involving Forko and/or Stewart). RSL gets one back late in 2nd. Many yellow cards awarded throughout. Pope replaced after back discomfort. In post-match comments, Kreis finds reason for optimism and urges everyone not to panic.
Prediction: Atiba will go cleats-up into Ruiz. Ruiz will be in severe pain, but, due to his reputation, will get a yellow card for "simulation". Ah, sweet irony....
I keep wondering if we hit rock bottom hard enough, we might actually bounce up a bit... but, so far, I'm not sure we've hit total humiliation and despair - even though we're officially bottom thanks to TFC's back to back wins... somehow, I feel we can still go even lower. (They might invent a 14th slot for us in the 13 team league) Team GP W L D PTS GF GA GD NER....7...4.1.2..14..14...7...7 KCW...6...4.2.0..12..11...6...5 NYRB..6...3.1.2..11...8....4...4 COL....7...3.2.2..11...9....9...0 FCD....7...3.3.1..10...9...10.-1 CHI....6...3.2.1...10...7...8..-1 CDC...6...2.3.1....7....9...7...2 CBS...6...1.1.4....7....4...4...0 HOU...6...2.3.1....7...4....4...0 TFC....6...2.4.0...6....4..11.-7 LAG....4...1.2.1....4...6...6...0 DCU....5...1.3.1...4....6...9..-3 RSL....6...0.2.4....4...6..12..-6 We're worst in the league in the standings either by straight points or a less forgiving points per game. We're worst in the league in Goals Allowed. The two teams we're tied with points on have 1 and 2 games in hand. The bright side? ... One win will make a big difference in standings AND team psyche. I don't know if RSL has more of a "must win" situation than Dallas on Sunday. Through 6 games last year we had 1 point but only missed the playoffs by 2 points. This year, we have 4 points through 6 games... However, last year we needed to go on a near MLS best from games #7 to #32 to make it close. RSL needs to find itself pretty fast on the pitch.
Not going to happen unless we figure out a way to be competitive in the midfield. Let's do a little grading if the mids, shall we...I'll grade them on offense, defense, and possession, respectively... Adu: B (no goals yet), D (though he isn't asked to play any), C Ballouchi: C- (almost worthless in the final 1/3), C (not playing D effectively), B- (too many bad giveaways) Talley: B- (would be worse but he seems to be the only player willing to try and win a header on corners and frees), C (completely unsupported on either side and behind), C- (way too loose with the ball). Klein: B (one brilliant strike, but not dangerous often enough), B (at least his mid isn't destroying us every game), B- (not his strong suit)... As a group: C, D, C- ...these grades are lower than individually, because these disparate parts don't make an effective unit. w/ Kreis: B-, C-, B-...the extra player helped with possession, but the lack of any ball winning ended up leaving our back 4 horribly exposed. Long story short...it's all about the midfield, and we don't have anything on the bench to improve it (nice job getting Besagno and Lancos )...good luck JK...
I just realized that my last post could be considered negative...sorry. On the positive side, we may have the fastest back 4 and front 2 in the league.
Great run down. I think if you look at England's international side, much the same could be said, except the names include Gerrard and Lampard.
If Dallas plays like they did against Chicago on Thursday, RSL is going to have a tough fight on their hands.
That is to say the least. My palantir says RSL will win this game. But my palantir always lies. I see a massive defeat in Texas. Massive. A Texas football massacre, to be a little more specific...a slaughtering, if you will. Sad thing is, my glass is half full on this prediction.
I'm not sure. Dallas basically ceded the wings and pinched both the defense and the midfield into the middle and essentially had Cooper meandering from the middle to the wing. Richetti and Toja made it work, but only because Chicage didn't put a single shot on goal for something like 70 minutes. There was plenty of room for a team to exploit. That, and Dallas has now played three of these midweek games - the first two were followed by losses. Here's to making it three!
Nice article on MLSnet from Steve Hunt - sort of a game preview: Dallas icon returns in unfamiliar role.
Here's some more positive. Under Kreis, we have seen improvement from the NYRB to the Colorado games. Now, if we extrapolate this improvement trend to the end of the season, I see us just barely missing the playoffs this year.
The disheartening thing about your analysis is the midfield was supposed to be our strength. We went out and got a lot of talented midfielders the last 2 years. I guess you actually have to have a balance in your midfield between defense, attack and possession. Too bad ours are all attack. As an aside, I wonder if the new MLS is leaving RSL behind. I'm watching the Columbus NYRB game and I see players like Angel and Schelloto (sp?) looking really good. In addition RBNY went out and got that Dutch keeper and Reyna. Other teams are going out and getting multiple foreign playmakers and quality coaches like Schmid, Arena and Bradley (even if it was only for 1 year) So far we have a FO in disarray, a coach with no coaching experience and a lot of smallish players that are continually knocked of the ball and midfield that only know how to attack. In the mean time, we have several player slots open and while others are grabbing decent foreign talent, we seem to be persuing the same type of foreign talent that we have the last 2 years. I'd really like to see us trade our DP spot and try to grab 2 or 3 players in the Shalrie Joseph, Beckerman range talent-wise.
Man, I hate to say it, but I see a massacre as well... even with a short recovery period for FCD. Weird thing is, I'm still very much looking forward to watching this match. Glutton for punishment? FCD is simply too deep, and we... well...
A desirous glutton-like punishment for failure. God knows that RSL fans are "into" punishment. Come on, slap me.