RSL vs Houston

This Saturday RSL will host arguably the best team in the League, the Houston Dynamo. The game will be televised on FSC and is looking like another big test for both teams, especially RSL and any playoff hopes it still has. At first glance, its very difficult to say RSL will win this game. Could they? Surely, its at home, we play quite well here. Will they? You never know with this team who is going to show up and for how long they will show up. With that said, I see this game going in favor of the home side and the fans getting a little more faith in a team that looked like it blew it all in May.

Starting XI's:
For RSL, this is pretty easy. Nothing will change from the team we saw against Seattle:

GK: Rimando
DF: Wingert, Olave, Borchers, and Beltran
MF: Johnson, Morales, and Beckerman
FW: Mathis, Findley, Espindola

The 4-3-3, if used properly, will make Houston play on their heels all night and give RSL the greater possession.

For Houston, the starting XI is a bit of a guessing game. Will the 3 players that made the trip to Mexico City with the national team (clark, holden, and ching) get put into the XI? Houston also has a champions league match just a couple days after this match, do these same players get the rest now? Here is how I see it, a bit of a shocker given the situation Houston faces:

GK: Onstad
DF: Chabala, Boswell, James, Hainault
MF: Davis, Clark, Holden, Cameron
FW: Ching, Kamara

DK is a good coach, and I don't expect him to rest his starters in an important league match for a champions league match. I do, however, expect Holden, Ching, and Clark to be the three players subbed for Houston.

If this is true, RSL needs to exploit these weak spots on the Dynamo lineup. Javi needs to have a good game, Olave and Borchers should have it a bit easier, and Johnson and Beckerman should be able to shut down Holden in the middle. Of course, Kamara is going to be a handful along with Davis and Cameron on the outsides.

In the end, I see this one going the way of the home squad in a brilliant 3-1 victory where RSL goes down in the first half and comes out in the second half firing and finding the net 3 times.

Here is to a great match.

Cheers,
15 to 32