RSL 2-0 Everton

Granted...Everton is in preseason and their players are not match fit. Granted...Everton played a match Wednesday vs. Preston and then had to fly to the States to play on Saturday. Granted...the match was played at 3am England time.

My impressions on Everton:

Andy Johnson is a good player. For a little guy...it's amazing how he can hold the ball up with a defender all over his back and not get shoved down...plus he brings it under control very nicely and drops it right off to wingers as they go by.

Lescott is a very good CB. He only played the second half when it was already 2-0 but he was a fortress back there.

Tim Howard is worth every penny. He made some class saves and kept the match close.

Arteta is a dirty player. It's easy to get under his skin and I think Fulham should do it when they play Everton, cuz it took him out of his game.

I'm disappointed that Cahill wasn't there. Surprised by the contigent of Everton fans that were there. Everton looked weak in the midfield (remember no Cahill) and RSL has been atrocious in the midfield all year long, so I'm optimistic for when we play the Toffees.

 

Regarding this match and the other preseason friendlies, I really don't put any weight into them result wise. The bottom line is this.....to MLS teams these matches are their Super Bowl. To the English teams coming over, these matches are........well....preseason matches and nothing more.

Thus, the MLS sides are always trying their hardest to prove they are capable and worthy while the English or European side is simply going through the motions of their preseason.

I am NOT trying to take anything away from Real Salt Lake or even Chicago yesterday with a draw against Celtic, but the level of intensity between the teams is much different and it is quite eveident that the European clubs are treating this like a preseason match rather than treating it like the biggest match of the season as the MLS sides usually do.

 

Good point ChiTom and i agree completely, but still Real Salt Lake?

 

no question...i just wanted to point out some observations on Everton. But at the same time, they were completely dominated by RSL who are the worst team in MLS. Should have been like 5-0 if not for Howard...which gives me hope as a Fulham supporter and makes me wonder how in the world Everton finished 6th in the EPL.

 

RSL is like a League One club, their crap. How the hell did they beat a preseason-form Everton? I would expect that scoreline to be switched.

 

I'm gonna disagree with Tom... I saw a good bit of the Celtic Fire match and Fire were handing them their asses.

OBVIOUSLY the result would be a little different if both were season in-form but it was NOT that Celtic werent trying it was that they were caught out too many times by mistakes that really should be second nature to avoid.

And Celtic aint all that good, anyway.

.. time for MLS to get with FA and do a home and home at the end of the MLS season.

OR.. let one of the MLS teams do a preseason game in the UK

 

As an RSL fan I loved every second of it, and it made me really want to see what pettyfog suggests. I'd like to see RSL (or any MLS team) go play an EPL team or a Coca-Cola Championship team after the season. Would be interesting.

 

Theres been talk that LA will be going to play Chelsea in London at the end of the MLS season. I'd rather we sent a decent side.

These friendlies are impossible to gauge. ManU seem to lose half their games against Asian teams so whats that mean? Well done to MLS though, RSL, Chicago, and LA are the three worst teams in the leauge right now and they all fared well.

 

Must beg to disagree with you there, Don, I think that an American side would draw interest -- for the novelty of it and for the chance to see a new side that won't come around again until who-knows-when.

But I agree with the rest of your comments, including the capitalized finale.

 

How in the hell did this happen? I still don't know...