ConCaCaf CL thread

The theme is: "Does any MLS team care enough about the CCL Tournament to actually go for a win?"

We'll see Tuesday, 8 PM FSC, when Crew plays PRI at Crew Stadium.

PRI , previously, made monkeys out of TFC then picked up one of TFC's cuts.

It's a good test for several reasons. If Warzycha wants to go for win, GBS and Moreno should get the start and Brian Carroll is also available. Gaven only worked 20 minutes saturday. Oughton is above starter quality on any USL team.
Crew has an MLS bye this WE.
Only HeyDude is questionable of the top 18. But Zayner has been MORE than adequate at RB

Crew Weak spot - Bobby W may start Andy Gruenebaum in goal to give him playing time.
Iro at CB pairing? If so it should be with Chad Marshall.

{my} Strategy: Start tough, build score to 3-0 in first half. Keep attacking in the second.

Bobby's Strategy?: he MAY in fact take a page from the dark horse playbook and keep them off balance by bunker-counter.
Wear their asses out and then go for jugular in the last 30.

Should be interesting and hopefully NOT embarrassing.

 

RE: ConCaCaf CL: Test on Tuesday.

'Fog. Bunker won't work, PRI will be more than happy to go home 0-0. Playing Bunker is how they got to the Semi's last year.

 

RE: ConCaCaf CL: Test on Tuesday.

Columbus may or may not play their full first XI but their second teamers like Ekpo, Garey, Lenhart and Zayner have done well enough in the MLS regular season it would be hard to argue with Warzycha if he decided to play one or more of them. To be honest I am not even really sure at this point if Gaven or Ekpo is the starting right winger.

 

Re: RE: ConCaCaf CL: Test on Tuesday.

If I get you right you're saying PRI played Bunker.. Of course they will.

That's the point. It works best against a team that is going full out attack. If a better team uses the same tactic, then the counter is negated.. could end 0-0, true.. but I'll trust GBS, Rogers, and Moreno, with maybe some brilliant serve-ups by Zayner or Oughton to get us something.

And dont forget, the quality of play in TFC v PRI was freakin atrocious on both sides.

the answer to that is 'Yes.. and No'.

Here's what I THINK will be the 11 an (subs):

Hesmer or Andy G
- Possibly save Hesmer for away match

Zayner, Marshall, Brunner, Padula
O'Rourke (Oughton), Carroll
Gaven (Ekpo), Rogers
GBS, Moreno (Lenhart)

If it were me, however, I think I would rather use Garey as Moreno's sub. Lenhart has become more ineffective with each game.

Note: Oughton. Could be Moffat, but Duncan is ALWAYS match fit. If anyone in the back 6 goes out with injury, O'Rourke will take that spot and Oughton (Moffat) come in to take his.
That would not work if Iro is in CB and the other CB gets hurt. so scratch Iro if Bobby uses his head.

 

RE: Re: RE: ConCaCaf CL: Test on Tuesday.

I will say this. I don't watch many MLS games on TV. I attend 8 or so DCU games each season and try to catch the Gals (w/Becks and Landon) as well as a few Seattle and TCU home games (for the atmosphere), but don't plan my schedule around MLS-on-TV.

For the CONCACAF Champions League, though, I DVR and watch every game.

 

Nah, I'm just one of the couple thousand that THE GUY who is part of the Nielsen ratings represents :wink:

 

If you're ever stuck at work (like me), with no access to a TV, www.concacaf.com has pretty good live game commentary for the Champions League games.

 

Columbus dominated the match, came away with a 2-0 win, and chalked up 3 points in and interesting Group C. IMO Columbus held serve because I fully expect Saprissa and Cruz Azul to both beat the Islanders at home too. Nice way to start the group stage for the Crew.

 

In other game, Marathon hosted DC United and beat them 3-1

Tonight, Houston hosts Metapan 8 PM

 

In the DC match United gave the first goal away on a bad defensive mistake. The score was 1-1 until around hte 84th minute and then DC just seemed to fall apart at the seams.

 

Houston dominated proceedings last night, though the score was not indicative of by how much. This was especially good considering they started a lot of their squad players, completely resting Clark and some other starters and only bringing in Holden at the half and Ching after about an hour.

 

CCL: Crew at Cruz Azul

Crew at Cruz Azul

Heh... well. Same Ol', same ol'. Something about the water?!!!!

I didnt even look up the match report just read the Crew in-game thread... best summed up by a commiserating Houston fan:

 

RE: CCL: Crew at Cruz Azul

Crew can only look in the mirror for the result of this match. They played poorly. I did not think Cruz Azul even looked all that good. Columbus just played poorly. Of course as I type this Cruz Azul was just awarded what looked like a phantom penalty. Geeze I have not seen the Crew look this poor in a very long time.

Full credit to Cruz Azul for pouncing on the Crew's mistakes.

 

RE: CCL: Crew at Cruz Azul

Chad Marshall is not going to enjoy the trip home. Can anyone recall seeing a defender have 2 OG's in a match? Hessmer must be wondering what happened to his line tonight!

 

Saprissa? Whazzat!

Greetings from Monsoonic Albu-qwerky.....

My latent disattention to Crew pays off again... rumor has it the Crew beat Saprissa in their house 1-0.

Go figger.. the MLS is now 1-7 at the hellhole.

 

RE: Saprissa? Whazzat!

And in other news on this FulhamUSA website,....FULHAM play in the Europa League today.

Any thoughts on that 'fog??

 

RE: Saprissa? Whazzat!

Nice win by Columbus - that's not an easy place to play.

I watched half of the Houston game - they had their chances in the first half, but couldn't put any away. Pachuca's first goal was against the run of play. After Oduro's Red (2nd yellow) before half-time, though, I knew it was over.

Nice win by DCU over an admitedly weak Caribbean team.

Still, 2-1 for the MLS teams in away games this week, I think that's a record.

 

Re: RE: Saprissa? Whazzat!

Uh... no. Except I hope they win.

Try to keep up... and practice reading Comprehension, schmuck.
:roll:

 

RE: Saprissa? Whazzat!

I was happy to see this result. After watching some of Houston v. Pachuca, Houston wasn't too far off the mark 'til the red card.

Now, if an MLS club could only win in Mexico...