Game 12: RSL vs. TST: Some Home (Depot) Improvement

Well, while RSL certainly made it much more adventurous than it needed to be, they did go on the road, to the place where RSL teams go to die, and pulled out a 1-0 victory. The win at Chivas TST was RSL's first road win on the season and will hopefully start the team down the right path for the rest of the year.

First Half Grade: B
No, it wasn't pretty, but RSL played TST even (if not a little better) for most of the half. Neither team looked real sharp, but for a team that has struggled as much as they have on the road, especially in the Home Depot Center, RSL looked pretty good. While both teams struggled to create any definitive chances, it was RSL who was able to bust through. In the 34th minute, Kyle Beckerman played a nice ball forward from the midfield. Robbie Findley ran free and onto the ball, which drew TST keeper Dan Kennedy out of the goal. Robbie took the ball, ran past a chasing Klejstan, around a charging Kennedy, and buried the ball into the back of the net. 1-0 RSL. TST turned up the attack after the goal, forcing RSL into some pressure situations, but never really got anything on net. Halftime score: 1-0.

Second Half Grade: D
Wow. Not just ugly, but OOGLAY! Apparently Jason's speech at halftime was: OK, we got a goal, now everybody sit back in the final third and try to repress wave after wave of TST attack for 45 minutes. I hate this "Let's play not to lose" mentality, and it has cost RSL more times than I can count. In this game, it almost cost them again, as TST attacked again and again and again and again. Credit to Olave and Borchers who repelled TST over and over. Chivas TST's best chance probably came in the 53rd, when Utah native Justin Braun (who couldn't possibly have been onside, but I digress) ran free into the 18 and put a hard shot directly into the arms of Nick Rimando. Little Nicky did a good job cutting off the angle, but credit to Braun for making that one WAY too easy for Nick. Finally, around the 80-85th minute, RSL remembered they were allowed to hold possesion and even move forward in attack and easily killed the rest of the game. Despite facing a deluge of shots in the second half, with the help of some poor TST finishing, RSL was able to "Kansas City" their way to the shutout. Final score 1-0, RSL.

Pros:
-Findley scores again.
-The two center backs look very legit.
-Beckerman seems back to his old active, pestering self.
-Morales was all over.
-Justin Braun can't shoot.
-Rimando was solid.
-Tino Nunez looked pretty good.
-A WIN AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER!!!

Cons:
-Cordoba looks lost out there.
-Second half tactics were, to be kind, atrocious.
-Another card for Olave. He's pulling a Mantilla 2007.

Game Grade: C
I can't really be too harsh, as RSL went on the road, where they are awful, to the HDC, where they are awful, and beat Chivas TST, which is always nice (suck it, Luis Bueno!). A very painful second half, but RSL showed some character in hanging on and earning the win. Now back home to face San Jose yet again, which will be tough. Can RSL beat them again for the 500th time in the last month or will the NTOTB finally have RSL's number?

Player Grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Solid when tested
Tony Beltran-7 Some iffy tackles but good
Nat Borchers-8 A brick wall in the back.
Jamison Olave-8 Big, enforcer style game; I love it!
Chris Wingert-6 Decent game, let "Whiny Sacha" get in his head a bit.
Dema Kovalenko-7 Much more of a factor than he had been recently.
Matias Cordoba-4 Did he play?
(Yura Movsisyan 62)-4 Mostly a non-factor, left injured after 25 min.
(Kenny Cutler 87)-6 Team seemed to settle when he came in.
Robbie Findley-7 Had a goal, and looked good even out of position in the 2nd.
Javier Morales-7 Pestered the goats all over the field.
Kyle Beckerman-7 Nice to see the old Kyle back.
Kenny Deuchar-6 Once again, hustled, but little else. Is he a bust?
(Tino Nunez 80)-7 Limited minutes, but pushed forward well.

RSL Man of the Match:
Jamison Olave - When Kreis decided he didn't want to win, but just "not to lose," it was Borchers and Olave who stepped it up. Both were great, but Jamison gets the nod for a couple well-timed, crucial tackles and clears, but mostly for the tough guy attitude that ran through his game all night long. Well done.

Assclown of the Match:
Jason Kreis - I wanted to give it to "Whiny Sacha" Klejstan for his incessant complaining (what is it about LA and whiny athletes/coaches? See: Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, the rest of the Lakers, Landon Donovan, etc. etc. etc.), but Jason won it with his tactical "brilliance." A not-even-totally-fit Yura Movsisyan at right mid? Robbie Findley seemingly playing left wing back? The complete bunker ball strategy employed the whole second half? As the kids say, "WTF?"