Rebirth

Its been quite awhile since I last posted an article on here. Life got rather hectic (school, family, soccer, etc.) in the past few months but now seems to be slowing down to a normal speed (though anything but slow). My love of RSL, though, was never in question. The last 8 games have been a roller coaster. Each a rather unique and incredible, though not always great, story in and of themselves. So, just as a quick recap and to get my feelings on how things are going, here is my thoughts of the previous 8 RSL matches.

RSL v cRapids. 4/13/11. W 1-0
In typical RSL v cRapids fashion, the game was decided late. It was a heated battle that looked destined for a draw. RSL simply couldn't find the goal and the cRapids were more than pleased to take a point from the RioT. Then came the late game heroics. Javier Morales stepped over a set piece, bent it over the wall. The rebound found Paulo Junior, who couldn't hammer it home. But sure enough, Fabian Espindola did and put his name on the list of RSL cRapid killers. Was he off? Without a doubt. But this game is full of missed calls, lucky bounces, and just full on flukes. We seemed to get all 3 in that sequence.

RSL @ Monterrey. 4/20/11. D 2-2
It was just as good as we could have asked for. RSL goes on the road, in its biggest match in club history, and gets a draw in Mexico. 2-2 coming back to the RioT. Things were shaping up very well. 90 minutes from a spot in the Club World Cup because of, once again, the late game heroics of Javier Morales and co. His goal should have been one of the biggest in the clubs history. It should have been...

RSL v Monterrey. 4/27/11. L 0-1
Though it has been weeks now since this match, it still stings a bit to think about. I think it will for quite some time, if not forever. It was a night perfect for history to be made. The RioT was rocking more than I had ever thought possible. The weather was sublime. The setting was simply perfect. The result, however, was heartbreaking. Humberto Suazo and Monterrey showed just why they were the best team in CONCACAF. I've never seen a team come to the RioT and play that way. They were composed and lethal. Their one true chance was all they needed. Though RSL dominated possession and looked to maybe find the net late, once again, it was not to be. And thus, in my mind, the confidence began to fall. I have yet to see RSL play like they did in this match or in matches prior since this loss. The emotional letdown of such a gigantic opportunity is still, and forever will be, stuck on this team. As they say, though, there ain't no rest for the wicked...

RSL @ Portland. 4/30/11. L 0-1
My wife and I made the trip up to this game so that I could look at Lewis and Clark's law school (really nice, by the way) and have a good little vacation now that I was done with my last true semester of college. The vacation, city, people, weather, etc. was all great. The Timbers Army was all and even more than they had been hyped up to be, which was quite a lot. It was a game I will never forget; yes, that makes 2 in a matter of days that will be put in my book of "most memorable matches". RSL seemed quite confused, as any team would be so shortly after such a monumental game. Trying to focus on the game at hand, and nothing else, is far easier said than done. You could tell a lot of the players, even those that didn't play in the final just days prior, were still coping. They wanted to get the bad taste out of their mouths, it was evident, but the confidence was already sinking. A first half goal that was, in all honesty, really sloppy just made matters worse. Try as they might, RSL just couldn't muster up the heroics to find the net. Chances went begging, but in the end it felt like I'd seen lightning strike twice. RSL, again, left the game without a goal and a loss to their name.

RSL v Chivas USA. 5/7/11. W 1-0The image most will associate, as I do myself, with this game is not posted above. That is because I don't have the stomach to look at it much more. While RSL walked away, again with some late heroics, with the win, this game hurt more than any. Javi was down, and likely done for the season if not more. A horrible tackle that went all wrong left our maestro with his leg snapped. Not much can be said of this game except that it further dragged the RSL confidence down. A win means nothing when you lose such a valuable piece of the squad. Looking back, I would take a 20-0 hammering by the Goats if it meant we could keep Morales. That would be just one game, not a season.

RSL v Houston. 5/14/11. D 0-0
The "story" of this match was, as to be expected, "how do we do this without Javi?". Collen Warner was given the first go. Honestly, he did nothing to impress. This isn't to say he had a bad match, but, like Kreis said in the post game show, he did nothing to stake his claim on the position. Once again, RSL was unable to find the net. Try as they might, the late game heroics didn't come. RSL was left with a point and wondering, though not as severely quite yet, why can't we score?

RSL @ FC Dallas. 5/22/11. D 0-0This game, especially shortly thereafter, looked to be the turning point. RSL did something they couldn't do in its entire history: get a point at Dallas. While Dallas was, on the whole, the better side on the night, RSL held their own. The defense was proving to be in top form, the offense was incredibly out of sync. Regardless, this was, in this big bunch of games, probably the most promising. While it wasn't pretty, it was a result that we needed. If only we could score, though...

RSL v Seattle. 5/28/11. L 1-2
Having just gotten a point where we simply couldn't before, RSL looked poised to take 3 points at home against the Sounders. We always seem to struggle with Seattle, for whatever reason, and it finally bit us at home. Though we were knocking on the door for 15 straight minutes to open the second half, Seattle benefited from the defining moment of the game. A bad marking job by Borchers, a few strange bounces, and a awkward tackle put Olave out of the match. It was a red, no argument from me. Seattle, to their credit, took the opportunity perfectly. Striking twice in the next 20 minutes to seemingly win the match. The second goal was truly spectacular. A fitting way for RSL to lose its unbeaten streak, really. Though we injected some late speed with Gonzo and Gil, it was too little too late. We had a few chances, but it would have seemed a bit of a robbery for us to take a point in that fashion. The streak had ended. It was cold and rainy, and not a person there in claret and cobalt was happy at all.

All this leads us to the next RSL match: 6/4/11 vs Vancoucer.

The biggest key to this match is to treat it just as that, like a match. Every game for the past while has seemed to have some alternative and extra story to it. Its always more than just a game. For this one, though, it needs to be just that. While it may sound like a strange tactic in terms of motivation, I think its what the team needs. For the past few months they have been taken to some incredible highs followed, rather shortly, by some really bad lows. A return to normalcy is in need.

My hopeful starting XI:
GK: Rimando
LB: Wingert
CB: Schuler
CB: Borchers
RB: Russell
LM: Gonzalez
CDM: Beckerman
CAM: Grabavoy
RM: Williams
FW: Espindola
FW: Gil

Two players on there should really jump out: Gonzalez and Gil.
With Johnson, Saborio, and Alvarez gone (and Paulo Junior injured) it is time for the young guns to step up. I liked out attack in the last game prior to the red, and that is the reason I'm ok with Grabs and Andy retaining their starting positions. I think Gil and Gonzo did more than enough at the end of the match to gain starting positions. I know Gil is typically a middy, so really this is more of a 4-4-1-1, with him being a withdrawn forward (or switching off with Andy).

Its time to just go out and have some fun. Its time for these guys to enjoy their job for what it is and not have so much added pressure. Throw the standings, stats, rankings, etc out the door. Just have fun playing the game you are bloody well paid to do.

If we do this, I honestly think we might see RSL show off some offensive firepower despite its many missing pieces.

4-0 RSL.
Happy faces all around

FORZA REAL

Cheers,
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