Pregame hype, Live Aid version
By: Fitz |
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I have been reading numerous Real Salt Lake message boards, and among those that address the game this weekend against Toronto, fans seem to be clamoring for status quo. So here it is:
I didn’t know so many people were still stoked to hear these guys. I know they opened Live Aid, and their 60-plus chart hits in the UK are more than any other band, but I had no idea of their staying power …
Oh. The lineup. As in keep Sturgis at holding mid, and Fabian and the Doctor up top. Got it.
I’m with you. If a lineup produces a 4-0 victory, keep it together. As I said last week, the bench is a great ally. But I can’t think of a starter from last week’s game who deserves to sit.
According to the official pregame release, Fabian Espindola is questionable with a hamstring injury. My hunch — and when I say “hunch,” I mean based on what James Edward wrote — is that Fabian will play if he’s healthy. If not, Robbie Findley (one great game, one horrible outing and one “meh,” in reverse chronological order) looks like he’d start.
Otherwise, look for the status quo. Maybe the same lineup can produce the same score, even if it is Against All Odds …
LINKS
The Deseret News writes about Nathan Sturgis’ path to a starting role.
One normally cynical fan who blogs for Soccer By Ives is all atwitter over RSL’s recent form.
AYL Soccer lists its three keys to the game.
THANKS FOR READING
Goodnight Canada.
Category: Team News
Tags: Videos: Kyle and Javi (Kyle y Javi)
By: Fitz | Add Comments
Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman and Javi Morales have teamed up to do what looks to be a regular feature, “El Javi and Kyle Show.” This video appears to be produced by the team and appears on the club’s official blog.
Through the magic of YouTube, however, we’re able to imbed it here, so you can listen to the interview in all its glory.
Javi: “What do you feel after the game?”
Kyle: “Well, I am sleepy.”
Three more things of note. One, Kyle speaks Spanish and Javi speaks English. Two, there is a naked person who appears toward the end of the video, so watch all the way through.
Here’s the debut episode from March 28 …
Oh yes … the third thing of note is that I was kidding about the naked person.
Category: Team NewsSponsorship news
By: Fitz | Add Comments
Looks like somebody in the blogosphere has produced a scoop on the latest financial venture by Real Salt Lake …
Category: Team NewsPlayer ratings, RSL-United
By: Fitz | Add Comments
So MLS finally gets the archived RSL-United game online, and the first 13 minutes are left out. That’s OK … all I missed was Beckerman’s first goal. No big deal.
Kudos to MLS for its attempt to bring soccer to the masses. But y’all have some bugs to be worked out.
Rimando — 8. Not many difficult saves to make, but always in control.
Joy — 7.
Wingert — 7.
Borchers — 7.
Mantilla — 8. Savvy fellow.
Sturgis — 7. Hardly noticed him. Again, a good thing.
Kovalenko — 7. Deserved to start, despite the wishes of some in the blogosphere (me).
Beckerman — 9.
Morales — 6. Loved the free kicks, though.
Deuchar — 6.
Espindola — 7.
SUBS
Findley — 8. A goal and an assist.
Williams — 6.
Beltran — no rating. Congrats on the MLS debut.
Category: Team NewsHow the hell do you complain about that?
By: Fitz | 1 Comment
RSL’s first victory of the season is in the books — and it’s 4-0 over D.C. United in Utah.
So allow me to indulge you …
It’s the night before the season opener, and you’re looking at RSL’s schedule. Chicago, a legit contender for Eastern Conference champ, is up first. Then it’s off to Chivas USA, which as we know from reading my blog will be the Western Conference champion. Then, it’s 2007 Supporters Shield winner D.C. United at home.
You’d take four points, right?
So would I.
I like RSL’s approach in the second half. They went for the third goal. They weren’t reckless about it, and yeah, United had chances. But RSL wasn’t sitting back. It sounds simple — you have a two-goal lead, so make it three — but human nature prevents some teams from doing that.
It’s also good to see Robbie Findley play so well coming off the bench. He had a rough Olympic qualifying, he was worthless last week, but today I’d give him an 8 off the bench. He helped put the game away with his nice layoff to Beckerman and his first goal of the season. Okay, so United played that ball like buffoons. Still, Findley supplied the pressure and finished off the chance. Good for him.
Those are my initial feelings. I watched the second half; didn’t see the first (yeah, I watched college hockey, sue me). I’ll watch the first by the end of the weekend.
Category: Team NewsOops
By: Fitz | 1 Comment
Thank God I deemed RSL a better attacking team with Dema Kovalenko on the bench.
What has he done so far? Two assists?
There’s a phrase for something like this. It’s called a mea culpa.
Jason Kreis — coach.
Me — blogger.
Understood.
Category: Team NewsThe people’s post: RSL-United
By: Fitz | 4 Comments
I’ll start by providing some links. For your reading pleasure …
The preview in the Deseret News.
The preview in the Salt Lake Tribune.
The preview in the Washington Post.
The official, MLS-sanctioned preview. I wouldn’t trust the RSL lineup, by the way. It’s how they lined up against Chivas and I doubt Jason Kreis will use it.
Now, for my take. I’m reading all this “must-win” stuff and I’m not sure I fall for it. RSL will noty hit its stride until June. I really believe that. There are too many new faces and too many options. I’d like to see a point. But we still don’t know what RSL’s best team is yet. We don’t know if we’re overreacting on Carey Talley’s poor outing, if Nathan Sturgis is really the answer, if Javi Morales is worth nearly a quarter-million … and on and on. So the tinkering continues today, and meanwhile, I’m hoping for a result that’s not a loss.
Post your thoughts before, after and during the game.
Go Red Sox.
Category: Team NewsSimple question: Deuchar and … ?
By: Fitz | 2 Comments
Who should partner up with the Good Doctor when RSL hosts D.C. United on Saturday? Your choices:
– Yura Movsisyan. The people’s choice. Has been active in both games, including at Chivas USA in a substitution role. (And he’s my pick, too.)
– Robbie Findley. Don’t give up on him this early in the season.
– Fabian Espindola. Because he’s Argentine.*
(* — Dave Martinez of Red Bull Offside hacked into my login and wrote this.)
Discuss. Pick a guy, tell me why.
Category: Team NewsWingert to Deseret News: Pay scale ‘a little bit unfair’ toward U.S. players
By: Fitz | 7 Comments
I want to begin with a quote from Real Salt Lake wing fullback Chris Wingert, who spoke to James Edward of the Deseret News for a story in that paper about MLS salaries, and addressed the issue of pay for American players vs. foreign players:
I’m kidding. He said this:
“Personally I think it’s a little bit unfair, the foreigners in general make a lot more money when I feel we have a lot of good players in America. The foreigners on our team are great guys and great players and deserve the money they’re making. Around the league, it just seems that the only way you’re getting paid is if you’ve played somewhere else.”
Every time I ponder the issue of how MLS should treat American players, my brain — all 1.5 pounds of it — goes around in circles. Here’s why:
1. I want MLS to be a league that places a priority on developing American players.
2. MLS cannot survive without a steady, passionate fan base.
3. MLS cannot draw a steady, passionate fan base if the quality of soccer is subpar.
4. To increase the level of play in a growing league, MLS added more spots to foreign players.
5. To draw foreign players, MLS teams tend to offer them higher salaries than American players.
6. By offering higher salaries to foreigners — generally speaking, of course — we piss off mid-level U.S. players.
7. And by pissing off mid-level U.S. players, they go elsewhere to earn more money.
8. And by them going elsewhere, MLS doesn’t cater to Americans as much because of its ridiculous salary cap.
9. So if MLS offered better pay to mid-level U.S. players, that wouldn’t leave enough cap money to lure quality foreign players.
10. And then the quality of play wouldn’t be as good as it is now.
11. And the fan base — a multicultural one, mind you — wouldn’t be as big.
12. So MLS would have to do what it’s doing now — bring in quality foreign players.
13. Etc.
The easy answer is to increase the salary cap to accomodate players at the level of Pat Noonan et. al. who leave for Scandianavia or Austria, yet bring in more players from abroad. But that ain’t happening.
So let’s assume that the salary cap will increase only incrementally over the years (except for the Galaxy, which will receive an exemption for $78 million). What do you think of Wingert’s comment? Is he right? Wrong? Right, but oversimplifying? On the right track? Delusional? Idealistic?
There are many sides to this issue, which is what makes blogs fun.
So, in the words of the great poet Jose Mourinho, start doing it to me online.
Category: Team NewsPlease start Sturgis (and Williams too) …
By: Fitz | 2 Comments
I’d better post this before the topic accelerates from “Pregame Speculation” to “Master of the Obvious.”
I wondered, after he didn’t play in the opener, how Nathan Sturgis would fit into RSL’s plans this season. One answer might come Saturday. Our good friend (and actual reporter) James Edward writes on his Deseret News blog that Sturgis played with the starters during the first of two 15-minute 11-on-11 games. He played with Dema Kovalenko, Kyle Beckerman and Javi Morales. I’d rather see Andy Williams there instead of Dema — more on that soon.
The Sturgis Question has become magnified since Carey Talley struggled at Chivas USA (Turnover leading to Galindo chance at 0:30, the “shrugs off a challenge” you don’t see at 0:43 was Talley’s) …
Granted, Talley was strong in the opener against Chicago. I gave him a 7. But I’d give Sturgis the starting nod for three reasons:
1. We already know Jason Kreis trusts him. He started last season in the system Kreis still uses.
2. He’s coming off a strong Olympic qualifying session.
3. The bench is your ally. John Wooden said that. Steve Spurrier believed it. Two pretty good coaches there. Kreis took great strides in adding depth, so why not use it? Plug Sturgis into a starting role and keep him there if the performance validates it. Then Talley must work hard to earn the spot back. As long as everyone handles the decision professionally, everyone’s better.
Now, about Andy Williams: He arrived in fantastic shape, was RSL’s best player in the opener and is a better attacker than Dema. I wouldn’t protest too hard if Dema kept his starting role. I just think RSL needs a little more flair. Possession’s nice. Goals are better.
My suggested starting midfield: Beckerman, Sturgis, Williams, Morales.
Thoughts?
Category: Team News
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