Who: Seattle Sounders (0) vs. (3) Real Salt Lake Where: Century Link When: 7:00 PM, Saturday, 11/2/2011 Watch: ESPN2 Listen: KIRO 97.3, La Gran D 99.3 Internet: Usual suspects In the hole 3 goals, we may get Rosales back, they maybe out both CB's Borchers and Olave. I'm calling it... The Miracle on Royal Brougham Way. Discuss.
At this point there isn't really any justification for "saving" Rosales for a later date. I mean we don't want him injured for next season but him at half strength is probably > most of our players at full strength. We couldn't string anything together without him.
Line-up wise, I'm thinking: [LINEUP-4-4-2]Fucito, Montero, Fernandez, Alonso, Friberg, Rosales, Wahl, Parke, Hurtado, Riley, Keller[/LINEUP-4-4-2] I don't think the defense was that bad, I just don't think they got any relief from the attack because our midfield was absolutely horrible. The possession at the end of the 1st half was something like 67% to 33% and most of that time was spent in our half of the field. Plus side, Olave and Borchers might be out, so who knows.. Better chance for us? Anyways, a three goal hole is a pretty big one to climb out of, but it is hugely important for the Sounders to get the playoff goal monkey off our backs. So I'm thinking scoring a goals and at least coming out with a win in the game will be a huge help for next season, if we don't make it out of the 1st round this season.
I've convinced myself that losing 0-2 at home would be an improvement, Main Man. This is an interesting situation for sure. How will Sigi coach a game when faced with near impossible odds to move onto the next round? We've made 3 goals during plenty of games this season, but not against this caliber of team. I'm excited in a strange way and think it will be an entertaining end. He also HAS to be reminding guys of the fact that the formula hasn't worked in the playoffs for 3 years and that big changes could be made next year.
[LINEUP-4-4-2]Fucito , Ochoa, Fernandez, Montero, Alonso, Rosales, Wahl, Hurtado, Parke, Riley, Keller[/LINEUP-4-4-2] As we had trouble getting through RSL's mid 4, perhaps Montero as CAM to better distribute the ball through midfield? Or, the Attack!, Attack!, Attack! lineup: [LINEUP-3-5-2]Montero, Fucito, Fernandez, Friberg, Rosales, Alonso, Neagle, Wahl, Hurtado, Riley, Keller[/LINEUP-3-5-2]
I could see the 3-5-2 fixing some passing problems we had on saturday, and I don't see how defense could really get any worse than saturday.
Your fans represented well and did their part in the stands... obviously, the same can't be said for the performance on the pitch. I think this type of formation is obviated by the scoreline; however, it will leave your back line exposed and give RSL the ability to counter on... The psychology behind the scoreline is at play here as well- the fact that you know what MUST be done could be daunting. If somehow SEA can just play their game it could be brought back... Lord knows they have the team to do it. the first goal is key for both sides! Finally, props to keller for his performance on Saturday... if in fact seattle is eliminated, he refuses to go quietly.
a lot of them went RSL's way in the first leg, so who knows. If neither Olave or Borchers are capable of playing Saturday, this is the lineup we'll likely use: [LINEUP-4-4-2]Espindola, Saborio, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales, Williams, Wingert, McKenzie*, Schuler, Russell, Rimando[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Williams could easily be replaced by Grabavoy Same with Morales (he was completely gassed by the 70th minute) *McKenzie is our 4th string CB and would be the obvious weak point of the defense. He has played this season in a couple games and not looked terrible. But, at the same time, he is nothing like Borchers or Olave. That 4-1 drubbing we received at the hands of DC United earlier this season featured McKenzie at CB. The first 15 minutes of this game will be key. If you guys can get one back in that time, the game will really be tight. If not, the more you'll have to push. Espindola showed he is capable of finding the gaps your outside backs leave when they push forward a bit (especially on Riley's side). Should be a fun match to watch.
Realistically, the only shot the Sounders have of getting this one back is if Kreis and/or the players phone it in thinking the 3-0 lead is insurmountable. Even with Rosales in the line-up, I don't see the Sounders dominating the midfield like RSL did on Saturday. *shrug* Like I said earlier, as long as the Sounders get some goals and pull out the win, I think it will go a long way to helping the Sounders do better in the playoffs next season. On the plus side, I can go into this game with some very low expectations, unlike Saturday when I was a nervous wreck going in and then got progressively madder and madder as our midfield coughed the ball up left and right.. I don't think anyone in the midfield had a good game. Even Alonso was a turnover machine and that's unusual.
If RSL comes out hoping to shut down Seattle for 90+ minutes, Seattle will have a great chance to advance. If RSL comes out to play and work to control the midfield like they did in Salt Lake RSL will be going to L.A.
I'll be there, and am willing to believe. But what am I prepared to see? - Serious winter wind and rain will make everything sloppy. - Rosales will not play. He won't even be in the 18. - Someone on Seattle's back line will get beat and hack down an RSL counterattack, giving up a PK (which RSL will convert) and possibly a red card. - Montero will go another 90 minutes without a shot on goal that's not a FK. - We will lob impotent high crosses to Rimando every time we're within 25 yards of goal, except when Alonso shoots into the stands from 35 yards. - 1-0 RSL final (4-0 aggregate), unless we get that red card. Then 2-1 RSL. I would love to be wrong, though a 2-0 or 3-1 Sounders scoreline this time around would be even harder to take.
If Rosales isn't playing, then I think it's safe to say Seattle is ****ed. There is a better chance that RSL wins this game than Seattle win it. And Seattle winning by 3? Not happening. Especially if they resort to aimless long balls which I'm afraid will be the case again. I always thought Seattle had a nice passing game, but when I saw the RSL vs Seattle game, I thought I was watching a bad college soccer team vs a professional team. All Seattle did was play long ball, and constantly just lob the ball into the box hoping to get a header goal. No one on the Seattle team is big enough or tall enough to do that. Seattle is a team full of lightweights. They are gonna get bullied around by everyone else. Only counter to that is to take some notes from Barcelona and learn how to pass the ball.
Just getting this out of the way now. If Evans starts in the middle I will go apeshit! He can start on the right or the bench. I still have no idea why Friberg didn't start. We need his passing and ball control.
Keller said it well in his interview with Josh "We didn't come in for the fight". Seattle needs to man up. I don't care at this point what the scoreline will read at the end of the aggregate, although I'm hoping for the miracle. What I will be looking very closely for is character, grit, and teamwork. Despite the thuggishness of the MLS, which I decry, critical games are no time to stand on the vaunted pedestals of no-tackle, super clean, attractive soccer. You would hope that big games could be attractive but you gotta be realistic. Grit counts. Players need to get stuck in. Win 50-50 balls. Come out holding their heads high. I don't care what the scoreline says. Go in there and show the city you care about this team and this town and about winning and that you're not going to be pushed around and out-tactic'd and out-tackled, especially on your home turf. Have some pride! I'm not saying go out there an injure the talented RSL players, just win the goddam ball back if you lose it, don't leave your fellow teammates hung out to dry, and have a frickin' go at the net for god's sake. And for pete's sake, do NOT pass the other team the ball or cross the frickin' ball over the opponents net or into their goalie's gloves.
Just a little inspiration thanks to Josh Mayers. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UX64lUaKHM&feature=player_embedded"]San Jose Earthquakes vs. Los Angeles Galaxy 2003 Playoffs - YouTube[/ame] San Jose went into the second leg against LA trailing 2-0, fell down 2-0 in the first 13 minutes of the second leg, then crawled back to a 5-4 aggregate win. Most amazing thing about that video is that Vagenas scores a goal.. WTF.. Fortunately he made up for it by taking out a San Jose player at the corner of the box which led to San Jose's third goal. Also, the coach for LA at the time was a certain Sigi Schmid.. I wonder whatever happened to that guy.
I am sorta along the same line as you SoundersfanFC our performance this past weekend's performance was just downright pathetic no excuses just bad. I want this team to go out ,at least if it happens, fighting. I am also hoping for a miracle it will be a tall task to ask because RSL isn't just going to lay down to us but anything is possible. Sigi will put out the best lineup possible to win this match and maybe pull the miracle so I am not worried about that one bit I just want this team to do a 180 from this past weekend's pitiful performance.