Goat Killin' Time

The last time this team came to the RioT was not pretty. It was awful. It was possibly worse than losing the CCL Final to Monterrey. It was easily the most hollow win I've ever watched RSL partake in. This year is about revenge. This year it's about taking the Goats out behind the woodshed, telling Robin Fraser to cover his eyes, and smashing this pathetic billboard of a team from "LA" to tiny pieces.

When you look at this match on paper, there isn't much to get excited about. You have possibly the worst team in the league, Chivas USA, taking on what most would consider the best in the league currently, Real Salt Lake. It's at the RioT, where RSL typically dominates. RSL is returning key players. Their on fire. Chivas hasn't scored yet. etc etc. This match is one that, if you were playing in it, you would feel the result was predetermined. The one aspect of this game, though, that blows up a whole lot of those other factors is the manager for Chivas USA. If there was a guy who could devise the best game plan against RSL possible, it'd probably be Robin Fraser. He knows this club, it's tendencies, it's players, and most importantly it's staff. Robin is the wild card, he is what will make this match much more intriguing than it probably should be.

My Predicted Starting XI for RSL
GK: Nick Rimando
LB: Chris Wingert
CB: Jamison Olave
CB: Chris Schuler (Nat Borchers could very easily start)
RB: Tony Beltran
LM: Ned Grabavoy
DM: Kyle Beckerman
AM: Javier Morales (sliding in for the injured Sebastian Velasquez)
RM: Luis Gil
FW: Fabian Espindola
FW: Alvaro Saborio (Could easily be Paulo Junior, but I bet we see Sabo get his first start)

Bench: Reynish (GK), Borchers (DF), Tanaka (DF), Steele (MF), Alvarez (MF), Johnson (MF), Paulo Jr (FW)

Key Player for RSL: Kyle Beckerman

- RSL is going to dominate for long stretches in this game. Chivas will likely pack it in a bit in search of trying to get a 0-0 draw. They don't have much offense, and it looks like they might be without Juan Pablo Angel, so going forward is going to be really tough. Kyle has to be the guy in the middle that dictates the flow of the game. When teams sit in you have to be patient with the ball, but you can't be slow with it. In order to get guys sucked out of position, there needs to be quick 1 or 2 touch passes dissecting their shell. Kyle will be the guy that initiates and, most likely, be called upon to make that lethal pass to the attack far more often than he typically would. I expect Kyle to have a stellar game in this one.

Prediction: RSL 3 - Chivas 0
 - The key to RSL getting a win will be a first half goal, preferably in the first 30 minutes. The longer we go without finding the net, the more confidence Chivas will gain and the more we'll be tempted to force the issue. Forcing them to come out of their shell with a goal in the first 30 minutes or so will do wonders for the game. It's either going to be a blowout win for RSL, or a tight 1-0 or 0-0 affair with Chivas holding on for dear life in the back. I prefer and believe the first will happen.

FORZA RSL

Cheers,

15 to 32

Home Sweet Home

Victory. Two goals. Clean Sheet. Couldn't ask for much more out of a home opener for the 2012 season.

RSL didn't show their seemingly mid-season form like they did in LA during this game, but they did show that they are still a dominant side. Against a team that has loads of talent (just can't seem to put it together) RSL not only was able to get the W, but also do so with their typically "sexy" fashion of football. Loved the game, loved the atmosphere, just a great night. Well done RSL and RSL Nation.

Man of the Match: Paulo Junior

I'm guessing Paulo took my criticism to heart from last week. He looked much much better on, and more importantly, off the ball in this game. His skill on the ball proved to the be difference as he got an assist on the game winner and should get loads of credit for setting up the second. He still lacked that really explosive burst of speed that could have opened up the New York back line, but he made up for it with well-timed runs and passes. It was really hard to pick a guy for MOTM. You could pick probably 7 or 8 guys in an RSL kit (and maybe even Henry) and make a valid argument for them.

Player and Team Ratings:
Rimando: B+
 - When called upon he made the saves. I think there were possibly a few chances for quick distribution from him that he missed. Other than that, I can't think of any criticisms.

Wingert: A-
 - Solid night from Wingert who I originally had at MOTM. New York wanted to put Richards in behind Wingert all night and he simply wouldn't let it happen.

Schuler: B+
 - A very solid night from him as well. He had his hands full between Henry, Cooper, and Ballouchy. He was probably the best player for RSL in the defensive middle.

Olave: B
 - This dude is incredible. My only complaint is that it seemed New York was looking to attack him largely in the second half and nearly succeeded on a few occasions. His shrug on Cooper in the second half was a thing of beauty.

Beltran: B
 - He started the game rather sketchy. His touch was letting him down and he seemed almost a little too jacked up on the emotions of the game. After awhile he settled, though, and proved to be the solid defender we know he is

Beckerman: B-
 - He struggled in this match once New York overloaded the midfield. He'll get the blame for their attacks as they were most dangerous in his "area" but he also wasn't getting the proper coverage from his other midfielders.

Velasquez: B
 - Good night from the kid, again. If there were any complaints it would be that he still struggles to cover for Beckerman (takes time to learn) and that he passed the ball more often to the easy pass rather than correct pass.

Grabavoy: B+
 - Another serious MOTM candidate, Grabs was the solid underrated player again. He prevented more New York counters from happening than any other RSL player on the pitch. He does stuff not many notice, but it is truly some of the most valuable stuff for the team.

Gil: B
 - Luis would disappear in this game for stretches, but when he was there he was lethal with his passes. Playing that AM spot is hard on the guy as it requires run after run after run across the pitch to be the release valve for both the defense and offense. He is still developing game by game and looks better each passing play.

Espindola: B+
 - Espy is an interesting character in that he wants perfection from his teammates but also wants to try things out himself. It is frustrating at times to watch, but then he'll make a perfect run and win the game and you just have to tip your hat to the guy. Solid player. He is going to have a hell of a season.

Paulo Junior: A
 - Listed as MOTM, enough said. Solid night.

Javi: B-
 - When I saw he and Sabo being subbed on I thought we were in store for a grand finish to the match. It turned out I was wrong, New York completely controlled the game once Javi and Sabo came on. The spark the two were supposed to add just never came and it wasn't because the other guys dropped their game. Javi and Sabo both struggled once out there/

Sabo: C+
 - Shanking his shot in the second half instead of laying off to a wide open Espy gets him the lowest player rating. I can't really be too harsh on him for shooting, it was open at the far post, but the pass was so much more the right choice it was frustrating to watch.

Team Rating: B
 - We looked good at times, but really struggled to close the game out. On the road, that will get us punished. At home, that will make a lot of us fans really uncomfortable. Pretty solid start, great end to the first half and opening of the second. But the finish? Really lacked that typical RSL closing.

Wanker of the Match: Roy Miller

I forgot to add this last week. It makes me sad as last weeks was a thousand times easier to pick (that bitching David Beckham). Miller had a pretty off game for New York in this one. The Tico just found himself out of position more often than not and really should have been punished more than RSL did.

FORZA REAL

Cheers,

15 to 32

St Patty's Home Opener

After an extremely satisfying season opener at LA, RSL returns home to open the home schedule against the unpredictable New York Red Bulls.

Once again, RSL is carrying a ton of injuries entering this game. While they showed last game that they have some pretty solid depth to replace those missing pieces, it's still a bit of a worry for the team in this match. New York, on the other hand, is coming off of a road loss at Dallas over the weekend. They really struggled to get anything going offensively and were outplayed in pretty much every position on the field. They'll be looking to bounce back and, like they did when the RioT opened, ruin the special night for RSL.

With Beltran likely out for knee issues, Morales resting his sore legs, Saborio still recovering, and Johnson still on the road to full health after sports hernia surgery - RSL is going to have an interesting lineup for this one. Expect a lot of the same faces as we did in LA with a new, brightly highlighted one, added in.

Starting XI for RSL
GK: Rimando
LB: Wingert
CB: Olave
CB: Schuler
RB: Tanaka
LM: Grabavoy
DM: Beckerman
AM: Gil
RM: Velasquez
FW: Espindola
FW: Paulo Junior

Bench: Reynish (GK) Borchers (CB) Cruz (CB) Alvarez (DM) Morales (AM) Saborio (FW) Steele (MF)

Key Player for RSL: Terukazu Tanaka

 - The Japanese addition will have to prove his worth in this game. I'm not sure if Kreis will put him on the right or the left side of the defense. If he is on the right, that would likely mean Velasquez is in front of him. Two rookies on the same side of the field? Not something I'd be comfortable with. If he is on the left side, though, he'd probably be going 1v1 with Dane Richards a lot. Also something I'm not too comfortable with. No matter what, it's going to be a match up that decides the game. Tanaka will be defending Lindpere or Richards, two guys that have proven to be lethal against RSL.
RSL should be able to win the midfield, will have a huge advantage with Espindola in the offensive third, but will have a huge question mark at outside back. Schuler and Olave will need to be on the top of their games, too, as the starting forwards for New York will likely be Henry and Cooper (another guy who has had success against RSL). This could very easily turn into a shootout of sorts as the offensive pieces for each team have shown to be successful against the opposing defensive pieces.

Prediction: RSL 3 - New York 2
 - I think we see a flurry of goals in the second half after a 1-0 or 0-0 first half. RSL should, with it being at home and being the more superior team, be able to pull this one out. The biggest thing RSL will have going is that if the game is close, they can bring on both Morales and Saborio to swing things their way. Those two, like they did in LA, will tip the scale in RSL's favor for the win.

FORZA REAL!

Cheers,

15 to 32