Big Wednesday

RSL travels to Chicago to take on the Fire and the US plays Panama in a revenge match in Houston. It could prove to be a very happy or disappointing day. RSL is in a position of needing to figure things out. US is in the semifinals of the Gold Cup, enough said. It's a big Wednesday.

US v PanamaThe US has the perfect opportunity tonight to extract revenge on their group stage lost to Panama. In a match that will truly have much more meaning on it, they can have the last word. The key will be to keep the attacking mentality the Yanks had against Jamaica and not falling victim to the chaos that Panama will want to impose yet again. Panama is without possibly there best player in Perez. While this hurts their attack greatly, it doesn't diminish it. They will still do their best to throw numbers and, more importantly, big bodies forward in an attempt to disrupt our back-line. The Yanks have to be mentally and physically composed and ready to spring the counter when Panama over exerts themselves.

Against Jamaica Bradley made a quite shocking adjustment to the starting lineup. Dropping Donovan - for fitness issues - and only playing with one forward would sound like a disaster to many. For the Yanks, though, it proved to be the key to success. The biggest factor in this new 4-5-1 lineup is that it gives Clint Dempsey the freedom to move forward more. Instead of having to recover down the wing, he is allowed to be a bit more 'lazy' on defense and play a larger role in our attack. I think this is probably the best formation for the US, especially once we get Holden back off injury.

There are questions of fitness and yellow card peril that have some suggesting a rotation to the starting XI. If this were the last group stage game I would fully agree. It's not, though. It's the semifinals. You can't take anyone lightly in the knockout phases. Even if they are a team much lower in skill and quality than you. Just ask Spain in the Confed Cup of 2009. Because of this, I hope Bradley puts out his best XI. This means those that are not fit get put on the bench (nobody is invincible, see Donovan) but there won't be anybody on the bench because of yellow card peril or because they might fatigue after the 70th or 80th minute. Subs can be made at that point. What I expect us to see is this:

GK: Howard
- Guy has to be big for us again. We will likely call on him early. It seems to be the US way of getting a game started.

LB: Lichaj
- The kid has been quite fun to watch this tournament. He is still very young and raw, but is developing by the minute.

CB: Boca
- The captain has to be sure to keep the gap between him and Goodson to a minimal. The two have a tendency to get stretched apart.

CB: Goodson
- Pushing him forward on set pieces will be key. He has a goal against Panama already this tournament, why not make it two.

RB: Dolo
- Best player of the US this tournament, hands down. Consistent and solid. Can't ask for much more.

LM: Kljestan
- While I would rather see Bedoya in, I understand the rotation for Donovan on the right side. This means Kljestan gets another shot, hope he takes it well like he did against Jamaica.

CM: Bradley
- He is showing fatigue late in games, but he has to be out there. His work rate is incredible and his heart is second to none.

CM: Jones
- Being on yellow card peril will be scary to say the least. He has to start, though. I trust Edu, but with how Jones is playing you can't bench him.

RM: Donovan
- Hopefully he comes out with something to prove in this match. Bedoya showed that some youth can fill his shoes just fine right now.

CAM: Dempsey
- When Dempsey is pissed, he is our best player. Someone slap him or something.

FW: Agudelo
- With Jozy likely done for awhile, Juan has to step it up. He showed, much like Kljestan and Bedoya, that some youthful tenacity can go a long way. Lets hope he keeps it up.

Prediction:
US 3 - Panama 1
- Dempsey, Donovan, and Agudelo with the goals.


RSL @ ChicagoRSL goes to the windy city today in a regular season match-up. Given the recent form of both of these teams, this could be quite the ugly game to watch. Neither are playing top soccer and both have been struggling to find the net consistently. For RSL, I think it's time for a change of formation. The loss of Javi has stung this team quite severely, that goes without saying. One thing that is starting to really show, though, is that Javi made our system work. Without him in there, we simply don't have that creative attacking mid to open up the passing lanes and work some magic. Andy, Warner, Ned, etc. have all failed in their attempts to even sort of fill the shoes of Javi. Because of this, I think it's time to see a bit of change in the way this team approaches the game.

After watching the US game vs Jamaica, all I could think is that something like that needs to be done with RSL. In fact, I came to the conclusion that what was done there is exactly what needs to be done for RSL. A shift from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 (that operates as a 4-2-3-1) would work wonders, I think, for this team. Our diamond has been figured out AND it has been seriously damaged. Stop forcing the issue, Kreis, and make a change.

To do this, I think these players would be best fitted (for today's match) to take the pitch:

GK: Rimando
LB: Beltran (rest Wingerts hammy)
CB: Schuler (Olave needs rest)
CB: Borchers (anchor)
RB: Russell
LM: Gonzalez
CM: Beckerman
CM: Grabavoy
RM: Gil
CAM: Johnson
FW: Espindola

Load the field with midfielders and try to win the ball higher into the Chicago attack. This would also allow Johnson the ability to get forward and allow Beckerman some more freedom as well. Warner and Andy need to find the bench as they have both been pretty terrible lately. Gonzalez should be given one last shot. I know his fitness is terrible, but what the guy does for 60 minutes nobody else seems capable of doing.

I doubt we see it, and thus I doubt we see RSL win let alone score. With the (bogus) suspension of Alexandre, it's going to be really interesting to see who Kreis starts up top. Does he give the new guy, Yura 2.0, the start or does he force Alvarez to start shortly after his departure from El Salvador. Either way, if Kreis sticks to the diamond for this one, it's going to be a low scoring, ugly loss.

Prediction:
RSL 0 - Chicago 1
- Oduro with the goal.

I would love to be wrong, but the way we have been playing lately suggests nothing else.

FORZA REAL
COME ON YOU YANKS

Cheers,

15 to 32

The US Divers: Davies and Jones

In what could have been - and in some ways was - a great weekend of soccer got ruined by two instances. The RSL v DC United game was highlighted by an award winning dive from Mr Charlie Davies. In the US v Jamaica game, Jermaine Jones did his best to imitate. Two games in which players/teams I really liked sunk to the level of blatant cheating to gain an advantage. Instances like these make you scream for some form of 'instant replay' or post game repercussions. As is, though, both were rewarded and have no incentive to not do it again. Quite the opposite, actually.RSL vs DC United

In my pre-game post about the RSL game I said it could have been a great match. That, given the talent on both teams, it had the potential to be a fun match to watch. It wasn't. Neither team played much attractive football. In the rare occasions that either did, the ref was sure to call some bogus foul that disrupted play and returned it to its brutish form. RSL, despite being the home team, did not start the game well at all. DC took control of the match early and was just a pass or two away from finding the goal on a few occasions. RSL, to their credit, did eventually step its game up. Fabian Espindola was essentially the lone man who pulled the team out of its early slump. His hard work rate and tenacity were paying off with chances left a right. Eventually, through some great short passing, RSL worked their way into the box. Jean and KB worked a nice little 1-2 and the DC defender slid to try and stop KB from getting in. The ref could have either called the hand ball or the tackle, in either case a penalty was awarded. Espy didn't let anyone else on the spot as he instantly went and asked for the ball. He burried it and, sadly, RSL slowly let off the gas.

In the second half it got more and more chippy as the game went on. DC was looking for a counter goal, especially with the introduction of Davies, and was trying to get the ball to Pontius when not going over the top. Pontius rung one off the cross bar on a great passing sequence and was unlucky to not get in behind on a few other occasions. RSL looked pretty lack luster in their offensive half as they simply couldn't get anything on goal. Then, in the 83rd minute, the games deciding moment came. RSL had a set piece about 40 yards away from goal. A poor service led to a quick counter by DC. Davies was sent onto a long ball down the RSL left flank. He dribbled his way into the box (dude still has quite a bit of pace) and looked up. RSL had recovered enough that the only real option Davies had was a shot with essentially no angle. He wound up, Wingert slid, then suddenly Davies decided to take an extra touch. At this moment, Wingert pulled out of the tackle (as can be seen on multiple replays). Davies, knowing he had lost the ball out of bounds now, dove. The ref bought it. Upon review, Davies was never touched. Wingert got a piece of the ball, so maybe it should have been a corner, but a pk was just unbelievable.

Most in the stadium were simply in shock. It made no sense. Even the DC bench and players seemed to be a bit caught off guard as they were hesitant to celebrate. Eventually, after much debate, Davies stepped up to receive his award. A well placed penalty beat Nicky even though he guessed the right direction. From there, it seemed things couldn't get much worse, right?

Actually, RSL was lucky not to lose it late. Olave, in what can only be described as completely retarded, fouled a DC player on a break away when Olave had time to pass the ball to Nicky or clear it himself. He was clearly frustrated with the AR on the west side and wanted more words with him. This approach, though, was inches from being very costly. DC ran an impeccable set piece and Pontius put one over the bar, barely.

The game ended, the players were pissed, the fans booed, everyone was frustrated. Everyone except Davies. He had his award and was no responsible for 2 points DC earned this season they didn't deserve. One against RSL and one against LA earlier in the season.

Man of the Match: Nobody
Honestly, it felt as though nobody wanted to put their stamp on this game save Davies. He sure as hell isn't earning MOTM honors for the way he did, though. Espy started on fire, but really fatigued later in the second half. Turns out, after a little reading, that Espy strained his hammy and asked to be subbed at half. Kreis, for whatever reason, pushed him to keep playing. Piss poor management.

Wanker of the match: The 3 stooges (Officiating Crew)While I'm sure many were betting this would be Davies, I just couldn't rob the officials of the wonderful job they did to earn the award. Davies had one moment - though really big - where he was a wanker. Vaughn and his crew had several. And, honestly, they were the only ones who bought the dive. Thats pretty sad.


US vs Jamaica

Over at RFK stadium in DC, ironically enough, Jermaine Jones must have felt jealous. In a game that showed the US is in fact capable of making all other CONCACAF opponents look weak (save Mexico) Jones played an incredibly large role. And I'm not saying this because he scored what proved to be the game winner. It's because his dive shortly thereafter resulted in a straight red for the Jamaican defender and sunk all hopes they had of making a comeback.
Given the whole scope of the game, though, the Yanks were the better team. The adjustments Bradley made paid off huge and, hopefully, were just the beginning of a new mentality of this team. It has been quite awhile since I've see the Yanks play with that chip on their should. It had large part to do with, in my opinion, the youngsters being given a chance. Aguelo, Lichaj, Kljestan, and most importantly Bedoya stepped it up on the big stage.

Panama knocked off El Salvador in the game after so the US will have its chance at revenge. If Bradley can keep that kind of attitude instilled in his players, Panama could get routed. Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, Jones, and Agudelo could all run havoc over a Panama team that simply doesn't have the same skill to keep up.

Man of the match: Alejadro BedoyaHonestly this award could have gone to a lot of different people. Contrary to the RSL game, players and management stepped up when needed. The Bradley's deserve credit, so does Jones (even with the dive), as well as Agudelo, Kljestan, Lichaj, the back 4, Dempsey, etc. For me, though, Bedoya stood out the most. Maybe its because I was really scared to see him in the starting XI, but Bedoya had a hell of a match. Really hope Bradley recognizes that and gives him a go against Panama.

Wanker of the match: Ryan JohnsonThis may seem a bit cruel, but I thought Johnson had quite the temper in the game. He constantly gets into little skirmishes with Olave when RSL plays him at San Jose so it shouldn't surprise me much. He seemed to be pretty harsh on his teammates, though, and that really wasn't a bright thing given he didn't do his job incredibly well, either.

For me, the best starting XI that Bradley could place out there for the Wednesday game against Panama is:
GK: Howard
LB: Lichaj
CB: Goodson
CB: Boca
RB: Dolo
RM: Bedoya
CDM: Jones
CDM: Bradley
CAM: Dempsey
LM: Donovan
FW: Agudelo


The Bright Side of the Weekend
There were positives this weekend.
1. I gotta see the stanky leg back at the RioT.
- Even if I was calling Davies a Tijuana night walker (to put it nicely) during it, it was nice to see Davies putting the ball in the net. For awhile there, I wasn't sure the kid would ever see the pitch again.

2. The US with some fight in 'em.
- Too many fans of the yanks have this sense of entitlement when it comes to CONCACAF. We don't want to give the other teams/countries in this region (besides Mexico) much credit. Truth is, many of them are making great strides forward. Thus, we need to respect them as such. I think this entitlement spread to the team in some ways, as was seen in the group stages.

3. Rory Mcilroy
WHAT?!?! you say... Yeah, after what that guy did this weekend, gotta give him some credit. Love the kid and his attitude. Though he might not be as exciting as Tiger quite yet, he is getting close.


FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

Davies Back at the RioT

RSL hosts Charlie Davies and DC United this weekend in another MLS regular season matchup. I'm just a little (sarcasm) excited to see the kid that could have possibly been, and still might be, the next big thing for US soccer at the RioT. I'll never forget watching him and Jozy against El Salvador doing the stanky leg after Jozy got the second, and game winning US a goal. It was a game that I was incredibly proud to attend and will never forget.

Welcome back to the RioT, Charlie.

As for the RSL game this weekend, it's sure to be interesting. RSL looked really bad for most of their last two games on the road. At Columbus they played the first 10 minutes solid, but nothing after. In Philly they played horribly the first half, but came out in the second half to get a somewhat undeserved draw.

DC, on the other hand, has been Jekyll and Hyde this season. They were the first team to win in Portland (something anyone should be proud of), nearly beat LA (should have beat) in LA. However, at the same time, they just got destroyed on their home pitch against San Jose 4-2. Really, this is a match-up of two teams that are rather lost in terms of form.

With the game being at the RioT, and DC struggling in their most recent fixture, RSL has to be the favorites. Anything less than 3 points is a disappointment. Getting those three points is not going to be easy by any standards, but they are attainable.

Keys to the match for RSL:
- 1) Early attacks.
It is no secret that at the RioT, with a lead, RSL is one scary team. When the opponent has to come out of its shell -- which every team that come here seems to do -- RSL's passing style works best. To get DC out of their inevitable shell, a first half goal (and hopefully within the first 20-30 minutes) is the key. This means starting like we did at Columbus, not Philly.

- 2) Keep track of Najar.
DC is full of a lot of potential weapons. The one that scares me the most is Andy Najar. The kid can be really hot and cold, but I'd rather not play it by chance that he will have an off night. He is a skilled player with a bit of pace and great feet. I'd imagine/hope Tony Beltran gets the assignment on him. Tony did well against Shea in Dallas, this will be a similar responsibility.

- 3) Get the defense back in tune.
The last couple of games have seen RSL surrender quite a few goals. Our defense has to be in top form if we are to get three points out of this one as Najar, Pontius, Wolff, and Davies (off the bench) will be sure to test them. Working as a unit will be key. No stupid fouls.


My hopeful starting XI for RSL:

GK: Nick Rimando
LB: Chris Wingert
CB: Nat Borchers
CB: Jamison Olave
RB: Tony Beltran
LM: Nelson Gonzalez
CDM: Kyle Beckerman
RM: Will Johnson
CAM: Ned Grabavoy
FW: Jean Alexandre
FW: Fabian Espindola

Bench: Kyle Reynish, Robbie Russell, Chris Schuler, Luis Gil, Andy Williams, Collen Warner, Artur Aghasyan

Key Player for RSL: Will Johnson
With Canada eliminated on Tuesday, and Johnson not even going the full 90, I think he can get put back into the starting XI. He could and probably should be one of the subs (60/70 minutes) but our midfield is not the same without his work rate. He is the heart of this team, it seems, so having him back this early is a blessing.

I think it will be a decent game and hope that both teams show up and play their top soccer. If so, RSL should be able to get the win but it will be hard fought.

Predicition:
RSL 2 - DCU 0
- Espy and Grabs with the goals.


FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

A Championship Opportunity

I was out of town this past weekend on vacation and thus was not able to watch the US and RSL games live. Thank god. Both, from the highlights and clips I've watched, looked terrible. The US lost its first ever Gold Cup game in a fashion that has me questioning my support (which is minimal) for Bob Bradley. RSL looked really really flat for the first half in Philly and was lucky not to get blown out in that time. They found an equalizer in the second and held on for dear life. Neither game has much to talk about besides the obvious: pathetic.

Moving on.

RSL has an opportunity in the next 10 regular season games to go on what could be the turning point of this young season. When you look at the next 10 regular season games, only 1 or 2 are questionable as to who will be the favorite. In all the others, even with their recent poor form, RSL should be able to get the full 3 points. Here is the schedule:

6/18 vs DC United
6/22 @ Chicago Fire
6/25 vs Toronto FC
- *6/28 vs US Open Cup Game. Location TBD via coin toss*
7/4 vs New England Revolution
7/9 vs FC Dallas
7/16 @ Vancouver Whitecaps
7/23 vs San Jose Earthquakes
7/30 vs Columbus Crew
8/3 @ Sporting Kansas City
8/6 vs New York Red Bulls

Those 10 regular season games could be the defining stretch of this season. Its a championship worthy stretch if RSL can amass something between 25 and 30 points. Anything short and I'd be curious as to how RSL could win the supporters shield. While other teams, such as LA, haven't been opening as big of leads as they possibly could be, they are still picking up points. If RSL wants to close that gap and open it in their favor, then this is the point in the season where it should be done, I think.

The 3/4 games that could be challenging for RSL are the 3 road games, obviously, and the NYRB game. This is the best opportunity this club has at making its claim as the best team in the league. The stretch is against a mix of mediocre to decent teams and is played mostly at home.

There is the opportunity, its up to RSL if they will take hold of it.

FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

Pathetic and looking worse

Pathetic
That's how I would sum up our game against Columbus yesterday and the outlook of the game this weekend at Philly.I don't want to get too much into the game as, well, it was painful to watch. A few things to note, though:

1) After we got our goal, it seemed as though we thought the game was just going to end. Our offense and even our midfield just stopped working after that. While Kreis is known throughout the league as a guy who demands his players give a high work rate and be really fit, it didn't show last night. Espy, Gonzo, Ned, Kyle, etc. all looked done after 20 minutes. An occasional run would be made here or there, sure, but overall they looked terrible.

2) The only reason we didn't get blown out in this game is our defense. Even then, they weren't the top group we've come to expect. Which, honestly, should be somewhat expected when they are asked to defend so often. I don't care how good your defenders are, if you tell them to defend a 1-0 lead for 80 straight minutes with attack after attack flying at them, they are going to leak one eventually. The pk was somewhat weak (nice dive) but it was long overdue. The second goal was unlucky, but also deserved.

3) Even in the dying minutes, down a goal, RSL didn't look to attack. This irritated me the most. I understand you lose the attacking mentality when up on the road or even tied, but once we went down the switch never really clicked for RSL to attack. This can be partially blamed on Kreis as he sub to bring on Russell for Jean was completely retarded. We were tied at the time of the sub, but it showed that Kreis (despite his comments) was not looking to get the 3 points back.

Really, it was just a poor night from RSL. It scares me to say this, but this might be who this team actually is. While we are missing some key pieces such as Will Johnson (who I think would have made at least an effort last night) I'm starting to wonder if we are just an above average MLS team. If you look back at our last 5 or 6 games, we've never really dominated a team. Even against the worst team in the league, the Whitecaps, we couldn't dominate entirely. This is to be somewhat expected in this parity league, but we are falling from that label of "top team" rather quickly and rather far. Honestly, as of right now, we are about the 5th or 6th best team in this league. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Man of the Match: Justin MeramIn a game that featured very little effort from either team, I had to reward the guy who showed some heart. Meram came on in the second half and instantly was a threat for the Crew. He earned the first goal (maybe a dive, but crafty nonetheless) and continued throughout the match to give us fits down the flank. Good player with a lot of heart and creativity. Deserves a start, honestly.

Wanker of the Match: Andres MendozaHis antics throughout the game were childish at best and his reaction to the goal he scored (but shouldn't have taken) and being subbed were just laughable. Its weird to give both MOTM and WOTM to the same team, but Mendoza full on earned this one. Though, to be honest, I'd love to be complaining about my DP being a drama queen in a game we won and he scored.

Bad match from RSL. Move on. Get better.


RSL @ PhillyGiven my really positive thoughts about the game yesterday, I'm sure you all expect me to predict yet another win for RSL. Ain't happening. Honestly, this game against Philly has everything going against Real. First, its in the middle of the day (4pm ET kick). Second, its in humidity (as of right now, 75% humidity in roughly 80 degree weather). Third, it's on the road (we still have yet to prove to be a good road team). Fourth, it's on really short rest for us and a full week's rest for them. Lastly, we lack any depth to make needed rotations.

If we somehow only lose by a goal, it'd be a miracle.

There is one player, though, if RSL wants to be successful in any way shape or form, that needs to step up:
That's Kyle BeckermanKyle has looked really poor, in my opinion, in the last couple of games. He has given the ball away really cheaply in the middle third and really hasn't held down the middle of the pitch as we expect of him. Both of Columbus' goals originated in the middle of the pitch. We've grown weak in this area, honestly.

Prediction:
Philly 2 - RSL 0
- A goal in each half by the Union will sink RSL.

Talk of the supporters shield for RSL dies more and more each game, as it should, sadly.

I'd love to be wrong, though.

FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

Pre Crew and Post Gold Cup

Though my wife tends to not like it too much, I love this time of year. Summer in the states, especially when we have Gold Cup (or Euro, or World Cup, etc) going on is awesome. I can get a weekly, if not more, fix of RSL and then watch some top notch international football. Its one thing that makes soccer so unique, to me at least; you can watch it pretty much year round and see high quality stuff.

Last night, the Yanks opened up their Gold Cup hopes with a win over a rather impressive, though still not as good as they should be, Canada.
It was rather obvious throughout the entire match which team contained the better players overall and had more experience at a high level. Canada is slowly developing top talent, but anybody that could be linked to the French national team seems to slip away from them. It sucks, but we've had to deal with it in the states, too (Rossi, anyone).

In short, the US looked the much better of the two sides. Canada did well for some short spells, but there was no doubt that the US was going to take the full 3 points in this one. The first goal was sloppy, but to Jozy's credit it was a well struck ball and caught most people, including the keeper, off guard. Should it have been saved? Probably. But you can't score if you don't shoot, so why not. The second half started a bit slow with Canada flying at the US in hopes of getting one back. While they have some very talented players, Jackson in particular, they don't seem to have that final touch or pass to make them lethal. It felt like watching an RSL game in the past couple weeks. Build, build, build, and nothing.

After the initial wave, the US took control and it was only a matter of time til they found the net. Dempsey was robbed of a scorpion kick goal (which would have been just ridiculous) but found the net moments later with a slide off a great cross from Jozy. Once up 2-0, the US was in the drives seat fully and Canada was already looking towards the weekend. It became apparent, though, just how short on decent players we are once Bradley started making subs. Chris Wodolowski and Sasha Klkjasdlkjfstan are not top players. Even against Canada they looked pretty bad. Edu was a great sub that I thought was long overdue, but given the score it wasn't a big deal. You look at the US bench, though, and its scary to think what would happen if we were to get an injury or an ejection in this tournament. We are not deep with good talent. To win this tournament, we have to go without ejections or injury to many, if not all, of our starters.

Man of the Match: Jozy AltidoreWith a goal and an assist, you can't say it was anybody else, really.

Wanker of the Match: Lars Hirschfeld (Canada Keeper)
The Canadian keeper really made a fool of himself in the first half. With his team doing their best to just keep the score level and weather the US attack, he let it a goal that most youth keepers would be embarrassed by. Really poor from the keeper in the first half.

The US should walk through Group C. Anything less than 9 points is a bit of a disappointment. This Saturday against Panama will be a decent match, but it should be a convincing win by the Yanks nonetheless.


RSL @ Columbus
Shifting gears, now.

RSL heads to Columbus today to take on the Crew in a mid-week MLS game. With the two teams already meeting twice this year, this game should be interesting on many levels. I'd imagine the Crew aren't too pleased with RSL knocking them out of CCL and want to seek some revenge. Injuries and national team call-ups, however, have plagued both teams of regular starters. Therefore, the game might lose a little bit of its skill, but I doubt it looses much bite. We've never really "got along" with Columbus, if you know what I mean, both on and off the pitch so this game will be heated.

Keys to the Match
For RSL to gain 3 points, which I think they are capable of doing, they have to build upon what they did against Vancouver. Namely, 3 things:

1) Have a higher line of defense.
- In the Vancouver match RSL didn't allow the Whitecaps to bring the ball too far down the pitch. In fact, they pressured Vancouver before they even left their own defensive third for large portions of the game. While Columbus might have a big more speed, this high line of pressure is key for RSL to get into the attack. This means Espy and Jean have to work as a unit and the midfield behind them has to be sure to not allow easy outlet passes. Hard work, but it can be done.

2) Get Gonzo/Warner the ball.
- Especially in the offensive third, we have been lacking creativity and that lethal pass. Gonzo gave us this, especially the first part, in the last match. If we get him the ball (along with Warner) in advanced positions, they should be able to show some skill and get Espy and Jean in good positions to score.

3) Don't allow Mendoza or Cunningham the ball into space.
- We've really struggled, in years past, with marking Jeff Cunningham. Most of his goals he has scored on us come in similar fashion. He gets the ball in the behind our defense and we are left chasing. If Borchers and, more importantly, Olave can keep Cunningham in front of them and force him to go wide, we will be more successful on the defensive side of the ball. Mendoza has quite the left foot, as we saw here at the RioT in the early part of the year, so pushing him to his right will be key as well.

Player to watch for RSL: Fabian EspindolaWhile Jean won man of the match against the Whitecaps, I think Espy showed that he is on his way back to being a dominant force for us. His hard work and tenacity finally paid off with a clinical finish to seal the deal. If we are to win this game, I'd wager Espy will be part of the scoring action.

Prediction: RSL 2 - Columbus 0
Goals by Espy and Andy

FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

3 Easy, now a Test

Hey, would ya look at that...It's truly amazing what a first half goal, even if it is a bit later than hoped for, can do for this squad. It took a great piece of individual effort, a ridiculous pass (made possible by Kyle Beckerman), and quite the finish to finally get it, but RSL got a first half goal and a career first for Jean Alexandre. I want to preface all of this, though, with a word of caution. Vancouver is a really bad team. Awful, in fact. They will be competing with Toronto this year for who sucks worse, it seems certain. I don't want to damper a fine effort by the boys in red, but it was rather obvious how much that team needs to improve to even compete realistically in this league on a consistent basis. With that said, here are a few brief thoughts on the match and my 2 awards ('man of the match' and 'wanker of the match').

While the final score proved to be one that put RSL in a great light, there were plenty of areas that could be improved upon. The midfield did much better at maintaining possession, but still had moments of stupidity in which they would give it away and allow a quick counter. Had Vancouver actually had a decent striker on the pitch, Nicky would have been forced into some saves much earlier than he was.

The midfield, to its credit, seems to be finding its identity now, though. Without Javi, they aren't anywhere near as creative or fluid. Instead they are realizing they have to work hard and move the ball, via 1/2 touch passes, quicker. With Javi we were allowed to slow it down as he could make that cutting pass or beat a player 1v1. Without him, however, we lack that ability (or at least at the same level). Ned, Kyle, Collen, and Gonzo seemed to really find a bit of chemistry between them. These things take time and practice, we are starting to see the improvements I believe.

The back 4 were solid as ever. Schuler may as well have put on Olave's jersey as he played a carbon copy of our big man. Tremendous match from him with some great individual efforts made to win balls and turn them into the attack. Beltran is our speed to initiate an attack. If he wants to earn himself a permanent spot out there and make Kreis hesitate to rotate Russell in, he has to improve his skill with the ball. He has come a long way, but still has room to improve. His next steps should be to develop a shot that he can cut in from the wing with and let loose. If he does that, as Wingert occasionally does, he will be given more room down the wing as defenders will know they have to play him honestly. Right now, they know he is looking for a short pass or a cross every time he comes up the field.

All in all a good match. Not great, not spectacular, but good. For brief moments you could really see the joy of the game come back over the guys. It wasn't so much a chore but a passion. This was especially true after the first and second goal. This team feeds of each other a ton, both in a good and bad way. When we are on, it seems to get exponentially better. When we start to struggle, though, we have a habit of getting on each other and dragging it down. Its a dangerous thing to possess, but the positive side of it is so great you learn to live with the negative.

Man of the Match: The Jean MachineNot only was his goal incredibly special, but his assist for Espy's goal was quite ridiculous as well. I was ready to give this award to Grabavoy as I thought he had quite the night, but you can't refuse the guy with a goal and an assist. Truly a great night for Jean, but it was just a single night against a horrible team. To prove it wasn't a fluke, he needs to step it up this week with two very challenging road games.

Wanker of the Match: Bilal Duckett (#3 defender for Vancouver)
Really this "award" could have been given to any player on the Whitecaps roster save maybe Demeritt and Canon. The reason I am picking on Duckett, though, is because he especially stood out to me in a sucky way. I couldn't decide if he was Attiba Harris or not, which is not a compliment in any way, and decided he couldn't as he sucked even worse than Harris. He got burned multiple times and hacked away at Espy all night. On a team full of pretty bad players, he took the award for the night. Way to go.


Moving on: Games at Columbus and Philly
As I have said a couple times in this post, this coming week is a true test of this squad. With two road games against decent opponents, RSL can show if this game against Vancouver was a turning point or if it was merely a hesitation of a slowly sinking ship. While I don't expect RSL to walk away with 6 points (not that it wouldn't be fully accepted) I do expect at least some points to be gained this weekend. The Columbus match posses, in my opinion, the best chance for RSL to get points. It won't be easy, especially given the fact we knocked them out of CCL earlier this season, but they aren't tearing up the league. They will be missing Rogers, a player who gives us fits, so we should be about level with them. Being strong on the defensive end is key. We won't be scoring more than 2 or 3 goals this week, I guarantee it.

Wednesday morning I'll post a pre-game article for the Columbus match.

FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

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,
15 to 32