RSL vs The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 8/18/2012 @ 7:00 PM UDT

Barf.

 

I thought the term "massacre" was a hint as to your predicted final scoreline.

 

3-1 us....Sabo with 2 and (hopefully) Espy with 1....

 

Dallas is on the upswing lately. They're also fast as hell.

 

Get ready for the incoming tired excuse since Johnson, Sabo, Beckerman and Rimando all got called to their national teams. I believe they're all supposed to be back for this game, but when we lose it'll be the easy excuse.

 

Grrr! You kinda beat me to it....my question was if anyone knows if Beckerman is traveling to Mehico for the USMNT

 

Our predictable XI will be out there
like against Mattocks, we'll get burned on defense with the speed of Castillo.

I expect a win. They aren't "on the upswing" if you look at their results lately:
w 3-2 vs cRapids
D 1-1 @ Portland
L 0-1 vs LA
W 5-0 vs Portland
L 2-1 @ San Jose

They aren't awful (2-2-1) lately, but saying they are on the "upswing" with wins over two of the worst teams in the league is a bit flattering.

The biggest thing going our way, though? FC Dallas plays @ Vancouver on Wednesday. So it won't just be the guys on international duty that will be "tired" for them - their whole team will be

With that said, I'm predicting a 1-1 boring ass draw in which one of the goals is a pk and the other is an own goal.

 

Meh. I'm going against the concensus here and predicting a draw. 1-1 or 2-2, although I'd prefer to see a bit more action. 5-5 would be entertaining.

 

I'm predicting that I'll have more fun watching the kids play during halftime and see more goals than in the actual game.

 

Looks like both teams a capable of beating the same teams so this match should be close.
I say we win a close one 2-1.
I was surprised to see Paulo back last match,
Anyone with any knowledge on guys like Paulo, Valasguez, Enzo. Kries needs to shake things up or we are going to continue down this road playing crappy soccer.

 

the problem with PJ, Velasquez, and Enzo is it seems like they aren't that big of a change from what we have.
Read: They don't offer speed and like to just play 11 v 11 keep-away

 

I agree with this to an extent, but I don't think it will fix the problem. In the PBP thread for Vancouver, most posters are attributing the change in the energy of the game to when the first goal was scored. I beg to differ. The game changed when Javi was subbed off. The team lost a lot of its rhythm, and Gil was playing closer to a Johnson role (i.e. running around but not making the best passes), rather than a Javi type role. We started trying to play long balls instead of working the ball up. The team lost even more energy when Paulo came on. Sure, he played the cross for the only goal, but other than that he didn't really create anything.

I agree that the younger guys need to get more time, but I don't think they are really the solution to the problem until they can create the same tenacity and threat that the older guys do. The real solution is getting Javi to play a full 90 with the same energy he did in the first 45 of that game. Javi is the motor for the team. He's what makes the team a threat. Sure, Beckerman can fill that role to a degree, but not to the same level that a fully fit Javi does. That's why he is targeted by the opposition in every game -- hack him and get in his head. No one else is as dangerous as Javi when he is on his game.

 

Agree.

No matter what the outcome of this game or if RSL wins the SS, CCL and MLS cup this season changes need to be made. RSL is only getting older and slower. Not a good combination.

RSL is still a very good team.

I see the main problem being mental. Yes, they are old and slow, but experience is a great intangible. This team should have the mental edge in every game and yet it's not the case.

Experienced, championship teams usually have a killer instinct. Not seeing it here.

Not sure what to expect on Saturday.

 

Dallas plays midweek at Vancouver, which is good for us, no? And Shea is off in Mexico City as well. Plus De Guzman plays for Canada in Florida and Rodriguez travels to Portugal to play with Panama.

 

Ha. It's fine if we disagree 15. I used upswing in a relative sense. Dallas was in the tank and they're actually competing now. In an absolute sense - no, but relative, I'd say yes.

 

This team has been able to play pretty well in the past without Javi, I do to think the team is toothless without him on the pitch, it's the coaches job to be able to generate and develope a dangerous team with the talent he has. RSL played well early in the season without Javi, as I recall Valzquez was a very effective and contributed early. What happened to him and why is Kries so reluctant to give some of his young players time?

 

"They aren't "on the upswing" if you look at their results lately...
They aren't awful (2-2-1) lately, but saying they are on the "upswing" with wins over two of the worst teams in the league is a bit flattering."
For most teams, this wouldn't be an upswing, but for FCD this season it sure is! The most heartening thing for you (aside from us being the 5th worst team in the league) is that we only have one away win this season, at cRapids about a month ago. Our ability to find a way to lose really shines on the road - dumb red card, PK to the sky, blown offside trap, etc.

 

change a few words in your post and you just described RSL.

 

Cheers to Mr. Rhine, in your avatar - still missed.

 

the game here earlier this year was a prime example of your teams ability to blow points.
Seconds after scoring a goal and drawing level, your player put the ball in the net for us (and somehow Sabo got the goal... something I still don't understand)

That was the game in which we all lost any confidence in Reynish.

 

This game should be interesting in player selection. We have 4 key players gone on international duty, 2 (Sabo and Will) of them likely to play the full 90, 1 (KB) likely to get some time, and the other (Nicky) questionable to get any. They all will be playing either quite a bit away or at some altitude or both. Then you add in we have a HUGE CCL game on Tuesday, at home, in which if we don't win we're done....

Does Kreis rotate guys in this game?
Who does he rotate is so?

I'd go with this XI, personally, against Dallas
GK: Nicky
- He likely won't get much if any time in Mexico. He should be fine to play here and Tuesday

LB: Mansally
- Rotation at outside back is needed on this squad. Mansally gives us a chance to counter their speed and defend it well.

CB: Borchers
- Suspended for the CCL game so he needs to be used

CB: Watson
- No choice, really, but to play him

RB: Beltran
- I say sit Wingert because he'll likely have to play CB against Tauro. Tony is younger, too, so that should help.

DM: Alvarez
- Yordany hasn't gotten anywhere near as much time as he deserves. KB will likely put in some minutes tonight and has to be at top form Tuesday to get the W there.

RM: Grabavoy
- I don't really want to play grabs, but without Javi we don't have much of a choice (unless you call Steele a choice)

LM: Johnson
- Sub him out around 60, again, but his engine should be able to handle the international game, this match, and Tuesday.

AM: Gil
- Time for the kid to step up and play. I don't expect him to be Javi, but I do expect a bit of flair from him that he seems to be lacking lately.

FW: Espindola
- I'm thinking Kreis has been subbing him out with intentions of using him in this closing stretch a lot.

FW: Braun or PJ
- Sabo needs some rest and can come on as a sub later. Whoever has a better training week should get the nod.

Subs: Reynish, Wingert, Tanaka, Beckerman, Steele, Saborio, Braun/PJ (non-starter)

 

That would be a solid lineup given what we have to work with.

 

Who else is willing to bet we see Steele starting instead?