Pre-match: USOC Third Round: Crew v Dayton Dutch Lions TUESDAY MAY 29

cleazer · May 25, 2012

Not a fan of starting a pre-game thread just 48 hours before the match, especially since this match needs all the publicity it can get. So here we go.

VS

Location/TimeColumbus Crew Stadium
7:30 PM ET

Tickets
$15 for any seat in the stadium ($12 if purchased in advance)

Video/Audio
Good luck. Best advice is to get your ass to Mars Crew Stadium!

Outlook
We'd better win! If so, we'd go on the road to play the winner of the Chicago Fire/Michigan Bucks game next Tuesday, June 5. Usually we see lots of reserves in USOC games, but with MLS taking a break for World Cup Qualifying action, we could see a few more starters than usual in the USOC this year.

cleazer · May 25, 2012

For anyone wondering, Dayton hosts Rochester Saturday night at 7:30.

chr1st · May 25, 2012

Uh... there's no option for Canadian Win.

eboe · May 25, 2012

Cause you can't tie in a knockout tournament...

chr1st · May 26, 2012

eboe said: ↑

Cause you can't tie in a knockout tournament...
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cleazer · May 26, 2012

You're all a bunch of sheep!

I want to officially change my vote to "win by 3 or more".

eboe · May 26, 2012

chr1st said: ↑

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Sorry, there was no reason to believe you were being sarcastic

HardHatMike · May 26, 2012

Lose by two.

American Brummie · May 26, 2012

Win in PKs, because that's how Andy Gruenebaum does it.

cam5fc · May 26, 2012

chr1st said: ↑

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Must say I laughed myself retard on that one.

Anyone have any ideas why they have stars over their crest? Are they on loan?

NUFCBayern · May 27, 2012

cleazer said: ↑

Tickets
$15 for any seat in the stadium ($12 if purchased in advance)
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Does "any seat in the stadium" include the Nordecke?

Kryptonite · May 27, 2012

NUFCBayern said: ↑

Does "any seat in the stadium" include the Nordecke?
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In the past, USOC games have featured open admission, as well as the traveling to section 112 (or thereabouts) for the creation of the Surdecke.

cleazer · May 27, 2012

In Dayton tonight, the Rochester Rhinos scored a goal in the 90th minute, and came out with a 2-2 tie.

After tonight's big Crew game, I'm guessing:

Lampson
Perry Gehrig Veeder Francis
Finlay Grossman Birchall Meram
Vargas Horton

bench: Gruenebaum, Mendes, Vukovic, Anor, George, Renteria, Balchan

I think Williams, Miranda, Gaven, Tchani, and Duka will all get the night off. We'll see, I certainly wouldn't complain if those guys played, Gaven is the type of guy who'll go out there and put in another 90 minutes on Tuesday. They seem like the guys most in need of a break though, they've all put in a lot of minutes lately (or are recovering from injury). Mendes might need the night off too. It'd be nice to see another 45-60 minutes out of Duka if he's up to it, no need to push it if he's not though.

Regardless, if Finlay is ready to play as has been suggested, we could have some solid offense out there. I hope Meram goes out and keeps his goal-scoring streak intact. And it would be nice to see Vargas get back in the groove too.

JB the First · May 27, 2012

cleazer said: ↑

After tonight's big Crew game, I'm guessing:

Lampson
Perry Gehrig Veeder Francis
Finlay Grossman Birchall Meram
Vargas Horton

bench: Gruenebaum, Mendes, Vukovic, Anor, George, Renteria, Balchan
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What you'll get:
Tchani x 11

POdinCowtown · May 27, 2012

Veeder played us out of the USOC last year. What's he done since to earn playing time? This isn't a reserve match.

NUFCBayern · May 27, 2012

Kryptonite said: ↑

In the past, USOC games have featured open admission, as well as the traveling to section 112 (or thereabouts) for the creation of the Surdecke.
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technically it would be Suedecke, or "Südecke"

WTAMUCrew · May 27, 2012

2-1 Crew win. Hopefully we meet the Fire again the week after!

DAFCrew · May 27, 2012

HardHatMike said: ↑

Lose by two.
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If I recall correctly, the current run of acceptable play began when I went to the dark side and began voting lose by two. So my vote is based upon superstitioun rather than expectation.

CrewDust · May 27, 2012

Optimistically picking the Crew by two over the Dutch Ovens

bergbros · May 27, 2012

I will be at the match. I really enjoy these US Open matches because of the small crowd you can sit anywhere and hear everything on the pitch. That being said, the Crew are fortunate to have the Dutch Lions for their initial opponent. The DL are just a terrible soccer team. Bottom of the USL-Pro table after eight matches, they have not won yet and have scored only four times with 12 against, yet somehow scored two on the road to beat Fire's PDL team. It is pretty much certain that the players that went 90 against the Fire won't play, especially Tchani who was so gassed that he laid out in the middle of the pitch after the game for a few minutes. Even with the reserves playing, I don't think we will have a Richmond Kickers type letdown last year. I fully expect a 3-0 result.

kgilbert78 · May 27, 2012

Do we have enough players healthy to field an 11 who did not play the whole game on Saturday?

eboe · May 28, 2012

I'm calling it right now. Meram hat trick. Vargas adds one. Lampson makes a couple of boneheaded moves and we win 4-2.

MFRONE · May 28, 2012

Just saw on Twitter that Julius James says he should be able to play on Tuesday, if so that is huge for the Crew.

DAFCrew · May 28, 2012

MFRONE said: ↑

Just saw on Twitter that Julius James says he should be able to play on Tuesday, if so that is huge for the Crew.
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It also seems like the perfect setting for his reappearance. It's a meaningful game, and one in which we get an extra sub, I believe. He also gets plenty of extra time for conditionaing afterwards. This team's options on defense are getting better by the day.

As for predictions, I think that eboe is way off. I'm calling for a 4-1 win. Scoring compliments of the firm Meram, Vargas, Meram & Anor.

Own goal by Tchani, but it'll be a scorching header.

cleazer · May 28, 2012

DAFCrew said: ↑

It's a meaningful game, and one in which we get an extra sub, I believe.
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I'm pretty sure US Soccer changed the rule 2-3 years ago, and teams in USOC games now only get 3 subs.

Finlay was available to play on Saturday supposedly, and he didn't even make the bench. Who knows how fit James is (and Finlay too). After looking at how our subs were forced on Saturday, I don't think we should risk playing multiple guys who we know in advance can't go 90 minutes. So it might be better to save at least one of Finlay or James for a 2nd half sub.