Dates To Know:
(MLS) Game 1: Sunday, March 6 @Orlando
BEN CUP 2016: Friday, July 1 vs. DC United (in Sandy!)
End of (Regular) Season: Sunday, October 23 @Seattle
Well, looking back at my 2015 Season Preview, RSL fell squarely into the "worst case scenario" including injuries, signings not panning out, Sabo struggling, and the formation not working out. It was ugly, and by the end of the year, very reminiscent of 2007 era RSL. I think this year's model is better equipped for the 4-3-3, and am hopeful for better results.
Things I liked this offseason:
+Bringing back Chris Wingert. So underrated (I'd still take him over Beltran, but I digress) and he wanted to be here. Glad RSL took the no-brainer and scooped him up.
+Bringing back Yura Movsisyan. I was admittedly not a big fan of his first go round in Utah (he was too wasteful for my tastes), but there was no doubting that the potential was there. I'm hoping the time overseas has honed his skills and mind, and we get him at his peak.
+The removal of the "nacho platter" from the uniforms. That damn yellow stripe thing was an atrocity.
+Saucedo loan to Mexico. He gets some experience in a competitive soccer country. Very shrewd move by RSL, especially for a guy unlikely to play big minutes this year.
+The solar panel installation at Rio Tinto Stadium. Really good move, props to the team for being on the leading edge in this regard.
+This only semi-counts as "offseason," but I really liked the performance (in both legs) against Tigres. Played them very tough and showed some life, unlike much of last year. In a month, with some matches under their belts, RSL wins that 2nd leg going away.
Things I didn't like this offseason:
-The lack of ambition and reach shown. While I like that they brought back 2 good players, the team's continued reliance (and not just this offseason) on bringing back former players and relying on older players is a concern. Unfortunately, my feeling on this is backed up by a Sports Illustrated article ranking MLS teams by ambition. RSL's rank? 17th. Dell Loy Hansen has really shown me very little in this regard since taking over the team. He ran out some of the best front office guys in the league and (semi-)replaced them with cheap in-house options, for example. Speaking of which...
-The keeping of Cassar/4-3-3. Ugh. I do give RSL a little credit here for bringing in some guys (specifically Sunday and Yura) who can actually fit in this formation, thereby trying to make it work, but I'm doubtful. It looked decent against Tigres, sure, but it looked awful all last year. Cassar's insistence on playing the formation despite all evidence, feeling, logic, and results going against it was reason enough for me to want him gone.
-No depth. Supposedly they've been after a couple center backs, with deals that have fallen through. However, the season is now here and CB remains paper thin. Maund looked really good against Tigres, but he's been so mistake prone in the past, that I don't know if I trust him as a starter. We're also thin up front again, with no real replacement for Yura, Javi, or Plata/Burrito. You say, "But, we've got Olmes and Sandoval to play up front!" Yeah, that's my point. And I love Jordan Allen, but he's not ready to take over as a playmaker for this team. Hell, he's still learning the position!
So where does this all leave us? It's an interesting one, as I think RSL will be better, but they are far from the level of LA (how the hell do they fit all these guys under the cap???) or Portland.
The worst case for me would basically be a repeat of last year. Injuries in key positions (Olave is always likely) could be killer, especially with the lack of depth. Guys like Garcia, Sandoval, and the homegrown signings continue to struggle. Yura gets left out to dry by the formation. Guys get upset by playing time/team performance and the locker room turns rotten. They lose the all-important Ben Cup again. RSL misses the playoffs by 5-10 points.
The best case involves Yura living up to his potential and billing and scoring 15+. Morales, Beckerman, Olave, Wingert defy age and have great years. Stephen Sunday is as good as he looked against Tigres. Olmes finally brings back the mojo from his rookie year. Allen continues his upward trajectory. The team destroys DCU on its home turf to return the Ben Cup to its rightful home. RSL hits the playoffs fighting for the 3rd seed.
The Royal Review Prediction:
RSL puts together a solid, but unspectacular season. They bring in a new signing during the season that shows potential, but is uneven. Olave gets hurt, but only misses a couple games. Allen looks good, but doesn't hit stardom yet. Sunday is a good addition. RSL wins the Ben Cup by a goal and RSL fans everywhere rejoice. Yura drops in about 10 goals and over 5 assists. You follow the Royal Review on Twitter (@Royal_Review) because you love me and this blog so much. RSL reaches the playoffs as a low seed and puts up a fight in round 1 before going out.
Showing posts with label ben cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ben cup. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Friday, March 6, 2015
2015 Preseason Thoughts
Man, it has been a looooong time. I mean, look at that old Ben Cup 2013 banner. Never fear, the Ben Cup is still in full effect, it has just gone underground. FYI, this year's model is unfortunately only one game and it is on the road. August 1st, RFK Stadium, all the marbles. Anyway, I just have been thinking about the upcoming season and thought "Eh, what the hell, let's throw up a post!" And so, away we go.
If there's one thing that scares me about RSL this year, it is injuries. Many of our key guys are old and/or injury-prone. Olave, Morales, Saborio, Schuler. It scares the hell out of me. That being said, I do like a lot of what's here.
The offense has a lot of potential. If Sabo and Plata can regain their past form, we'll score a lot. If Olmes remembers how to play soccer, even better! If Jaime adjusts to MLS, look out. Speaking of Jaime, I'm not sure what to expect. Let's be honest, he was a complete waste of a DP slot last year. Yet, a lot of guys that come in mid-season struggle until they get a full preseason under their belt. Long time listeners (first time callers) will recall Morales really wasn't all that great when he first came to Salt Lake either. No, I'm not forgetting Sandoval, but if we're depending on him to drive our offence, we're in a lot of trouble.
Moving to the midfield, we have known quantities, but somehow a lot of questions. Morales still has the vision and the technical ability, but he's getting up there (35 years old). Can he last a full season any more? Is there enough left in his legs for him to track back when needed, or even go a full 90? Speaking of age, Beckerman turns 33 in April. He has been extremely solid when it comes to injury, but when will that start to change? Probably not this year, but then, all it takes is one bad tackle (see: Morales, Javi). The biggest question is Luis Gil. Is this the year he finally consistently shows the brilliance that has always been expected from him? If he can make that leap to stardom (or near it), RSL could be scary good this year. Mulholland looked steady last year, and I expect more of the same now that he has a season under his belt and knows what to expect. In fact, a small bit of improvement this year wouldn't surprise me. Newcomer Pecka is an unknown quantity (for me, and for most, don't lie). The word often used for him upon his signing was "bite," but he's only around 5'6" or 5'7" which doesn't really scream intimidating to me. We'll see how he does.
The defense will be interesting. When they are healthy and on top of their games, and if they can learn to mesh together, I could certainly see Schuler/Olave being the best CB duo in MLS. Scary good. Then again, especially with Olave, but also to a point with Schuler, I always felt that Borchers was kind of the brain behind their brawn. Nat always seemed to get them in the right positions and help them make the reads so that they could react. We'll see how true that feeling was (and more on Nat in a sec). That being said, Schuler seems to have a good defensive IQ and it gets better every year, and Olave seemed to make a good impression in NYC without Nat, so I don't think simple positioning mistakes should be too prevalent. Beltran is Beltran. Workmanlike, steady, won't generally give you the spectacular, but generally won't lose many games for you. Demar Phillips should be a good pickup, coming over from Scandinavia and with over 60 caps for Jamaica. I hate to see Wingert go, but hopefully this will be more than sufficient cover for that loss. The young Guatemalan defender, Elias Vasquez, intrigues me. He comes with a good pedigree, including 25 caps, and he's only 22. I would imagine he'll get some game time this year, as I would think Cassar would rest his center backs, especially Olave, in order to keep them rested and healthy.
We lost a lot this offseason. A great GM in Garth? Gone. Wingert, Findley, Borchers? See ya. There's plenty more, but I don't need to rehash stuff that's been done to death. As you read the defender section, you may have thought, "Man, this guy loves Nat. He must be distraught!" Actually, no. I do like Nat and thought he did a great job here. However, last year you could just see he'd lost...something. He just seemed out of sorts in spots that he never did before. I think age is starting to creep up on him and that this was the perfect time for RSL to cut ties. Wingert, in my opinion, was a bigger loss. I will never understand why he never got a real shot at the USMNT, especially considering the dearth of full back options there. He has been consistently better than Beltran, yet got none of the fanfare. Extremely underrated and his loss hurts. RSL did a great job finding Phillips, however, and I'm much less pessimistic about left back than I was. Then there's Robbie Findley. Longtime RSL fans will know that wasn't the real Robbie out there last year. He just looked rusty to me and by the end of the season, lacking in confidence. His playing time was extremely hit or miss and he could never get into a rhythm. And Robbie needs rhythm. With a full offseason under him, I think he is due for a nice bounceback season and RSL will regret letting him go so easily. That is, if he can get PT in Toronto with Jozy there now.
So what will happen this year?
Worst case: Injuries, Olave goes down for the season. Morales gets hurt. Sabo struggles while dealing with some injuries. Schuler leads the back line for a while but then gets some niggling injuries himself. The new signings flame out. Plata's pre-injury form last year turns out to be a fluke. Rimando, Backerman, and Sabo all take off for the Gold Cup leaving RSL even more shorthanded. The new 4-3-3 formation never really seems to sink in. We limp into a fight for the last playoff seed and fall just short. We lose the Ben Cup.
Best case: Team stays healthy. Sabo/Plata become a killer strike force once again. Jaime figures it out. Schuler and Olave become the pairing they can be, Gil takes the step to the next level. Phillips is a revelation in the back, Grab second in the west, maybe steal the Open Cup, and who knows when you're into the playoffs. We win the Ben Cup overwhelmingly.
RR Forecast: I think some injuries will hit, but I'm hopeful we're not decimated. Schuler and Olave will become a dominant force. The new formation will be a little bit of trouble early, but we'll figure it out. Sabo gets back to his old form (great for a few games, disappears for the next few, repeat) and puts up at least 12-15. Morales will be great again, but his age will start to show by the end of the year. Gil is better, but still not where maybe his potential says he could/should. Perhaps used in a disadvantageous position for him. An early USOC exit, solid CCL play, a 3 or 4 seed in the west. At least one playoff round win. A small step back from last year, but mostly because everyone else seemed to get a lot better, rather than us getting worse. We win the Ben Cup.
GO RSL! Peace,
If there's one thing that scares me about RSL this year, it is injuries. Many of our key guys are old and/or injury-prone. Olave, Morales, Saborio, Schuler. It scares the hell out of me. That being said, I do like a lot of what's here.
The offense has a lot of potential. If Sabo and Plata can regain their past form, we'll score a lot. If Olmes remembers how to play soccer, even better! If Jaime adjusts to MLS, look out. Speaking of Jaime, I'm not sure what to expect. Let's be honest, he was a complete waste of a DP slot last year. Yet, a lot of guys that come in mid-season struggle until they get a full preseason under their belt. Long time listeners (first time callers) will recall Morales really wasn't all that great when he first came to Salt Lake either. No, I'm not forgetting Sandoval, but if we're depending on him to drive our offence, we're in a lot of trouble.
Moving to the midfield, we have known quantities, but somehow a lot of questions. Morales still has the vision and the technical ability, but he's getting up there (35 years old). Can he last a full season any more? Is there enough left in his legs for him to track back when needed, or even go a full 90? Speaking of age, Beckerman turns 33 in April. He has been extremely solid when it comes to injury, but when will that start to change? Probably not this year, but then, all it takes is one bad tackle (see: Morales, Javi). The biggest question is Luis Gil. Is this the year he finally consistently shows the brilliance that has always been expected from him? If he can make that leap to stardom (or near it), RSL could be scary good this year. Mulholland looked steady last year, and I expect more of the same now that he has a season under his belt and knows what to expect. In fact, a small bit of improvement this year wouldn't surprise me. Newcomer Pecka is an unknown quantity (for me, and for most, don't lie). The word often used for him upon his signing was "bite," but he's only around 5'6" or 5'7" which doesn't really scream intimidating to me. We'll see how he does.
The defense will be interesting. When they are healthy and on top of their games, and if they can learn to mesh together, I could certainly see Schuler/Olave being the best CB duo in MLS. Scary good. Then again, especially with Olave, but also to a point with Schuler, I always felt that Borchers was kind of the brain behind their brawn. Nat always seemed to get them in the right positions and help them make the reads so that they could react. We'll see how true that feeling was (and more on Nat in a sec). That being said, Schuler seems to have a good defensive IQ and it gets better every year, and Olave seemed to make a good impression in NYC without Nat, so I don't think simple positioning mistakes should be too prevalent. Beltran is Beltran. Workmanlike, steady, won't generally give you the spectacular, but generally won't lose many games for you. Demar Phillips should be a good pickup, coming over from Scandinavia and with over 60 caps for Jamaica. I hate to see Wingert go, but hopefully this will be more than sufficient cover for that loss. The young Guatemalan defender, Elias Vasquez, intrigues me. He comes with a good pedigree, including 25 caps, and he's only 22. I would imagine he'll get some game time this year, as I would think Cassar would rest his center backs, especially Olave, in order to keep them rested and healthy.
We lost a lot this offseason. A great GM in Garth? Gone. Wingert, Findley, Borchers? See ya. There's plenty more, but I don't need to rehash stuff that's been done to death. As you read the defender section, you may have thought, "Man, this guy loves Nat. He must be distraught!" Actually, no. I do like Nat and thought he did a great job here. However, last year you could just see he'd lost...something. He just seemed out of sorts in spots that he never did before. I think age is starting to creep up on him and that this was the perfect time for RSL to cut ties. Wingert, in my opinion, was a bigger loss. I will never understand why he never got a real shot at the USMNT, especially considering the dearth of full back options there. He has been consistently better than Beltran, yet got none of the fanfare. Extremely underrated and his loss hurts. RSL did a great job finding Phillips, however, and I'm much less pessimistic about left back than I was. Then there's Robbie Findley. Longtime RSL fans will know that wasn't the real Robbie out there last year. He just looked rusty to me and by the end of the season, lacking in confidence. His playing time was extremely hit or miss and he could never get into a rhythm. And Robbie needs rhythm. With a full offseason under him, I think he is due for a nice bounceback season and RSL will regret letting him go so easily. That is, if he can get PT in Toronto with Jozy there now.
So what will happen this year?
Worst case: Injuries, Olave goes down for the season. Morales gets hurt. Sabo struggles while dealing with some injuries. Schuler leads the back line for a while but then gets some niggling injuries himself. The new signings flame out. Plata's pre-injury form last year turns out to be a fluke. Rimando, Backerman, and Sabo all take off for the Gold Cup leaving RSL even more shorthanded. The new 4-3-3 formation never really seems to sink in. We limp into a fight for the last playoff seed and fall just short. We lose the Ben Cup.
Best case: Team stays healthy. Sabo/Plata become a killer strike force once again. Jaime figures it out. Schuler and Olave become the pairing they can be, Gil takes the step to the next level. Phillips is a revelation in the back, Grab second in the west, maybe steal the Open Cup, and who knows when you're into the playoffs. We win the Ben Cup overwhelmingly.
RR Forecast: I think some injuries will hit, but I'm hopeful we're not decimated. Schuler and Olave will become a dominant force. The new formation will be a little bit of trouble early, but we'll figure it out. Sabo gets back to his old form (great for a few games, disappears for the next few, repeat) and puts up at least 12-15. Morales will be great again, but his age will start to show by the end of the year. Gil is better, but still not where maybe his potential says he could/should. Perhaps used in a disadvantageous position for him. An early USOC exit, solid CCL play, a 3 or 4 seed in the west. At least one playoff round win. A small step back from last year, but mostly because everyone else seemed to get a lot better, rather than us getting worse. We win the Ben Cup.
GO RSL! Peace,
Friday, March 8, 2013
Ben Cup 2013 Preview
2013 is the year of the one-off Ben Cup match as MLS, in its infinite wisdom, is going more and more towards unbalanced schedules (which I hate in all sports, but that's another topic for another day). What this means is RSL will play certain teams 2 or 3 times, while others just once. By virtue of being across the country, we only get one Ben Cup match this year. I'm guessing it's in DC to give United an advantage, since this is a Cup they've only won once. Nice of the MLS schedulers to do that for them. So that means this Saturday, 5pm (Mtn.) is for all the marbles...er, trophy. Game on channel 4 and 700 AM. Here's a few of the bigger stories for Saturday:
Key Players Missing
RSL will once again be missing Javi, Nat, and Wingert through injury. Grabavoy also expected to miss with a lingering family issue (RR sends its best to him!). For DCU, DeRosario will miss the game through suspensionfor being a dumbass for headbutting an opponent during a preseason game. Actually, I think I was right the first time...
The K in RFK is for Kurse
RSL has played 7 games at RFK since coming into the league in 2005 (the REAL RSL 1.0). How many have they won? ZERO. Four losses, three ties. While a tie will retain the Cup for RSL for another year, we don't want to do it that way. But to win the trophy properly, they'll have to figure out the "kurse" of RFK.
Home Motivation
This game will be the home opener for DCU which, when combined with their loss last weekend against Houston, should provide the home side a spark. If RSL can find an early break through (or even just weather the early momentum), they should be in a good position to steal at least a point and the Cup!
Something's Fishy
While Ben Olsen straight up admitted he is not near 100% fitness and will not start, I would expect the Fish, Carlos Ruiz to find his way to the bench. If DCU needs a late spark, he could be a huge one, even at less than optimal fitness.
Confidence Issues
While I thought Robbie Findley showed some flashes last week, something did seem a bit off. I mark it down to confidence issues. I think getting little game time while being continually shuffled between managers, teams, and leagues would do that to a person. If he can grab a goal, look for his play to blossom.
Hi!
While we're playing the big Ben Cup match, RR just wants to give a shout out to DCU's Robbie Russell. Thanks for MLS Cup!
Having looked at both rosters on this great game guide produced by the league (although it is missing all the injuries), I like how RSL matches up here. With the exception of maybe Chris Pontius, no one in that starting 11 scares me. The loss of DeRo is a big one for this United squad. Does this mean that I think RSL will just walk all over them? Quite the opposite. There is still quite a bit of talent on that roster and RSL will be playing its second road game in as many weeks (and on the opposite coast). To be honest, while DCU is no San Jose, RSL was second-best for the first 65 minutes of that game last week and was lucky that poor finishing kept the Earthquakes off the board. If RSL's back line shows up that shaky again this week, it could get ugly. That being said, RSL is the better team and should squeak one out to get their first win at RFK. Better yet, the Ben Cup stays in Sandy!
YE OLDE ROYAL PREDICTION: RSL 2 - DCU 1 (goals to Sabo and DJ Robbie F*)
*I have no idea why I called him that, but you must admit it is awesome!
On a side note, in other DC sports news, LET'S GO ORANGE! Take down those GTown bastards!
Key Players Missing
RSL will once again be missing Javi, Nat, and Wingert through injury. Grabavoy also expected to miss with a lingering family issue (RR sends its best to him!). For DCU, DeRosario will miss the game through suspension
The K in RFK is for Kurse
RSL has played 7 games at RFK since coming into the league in 2005 (the REAL RSL 1.0). How many have they won? ZERO. Four losses, three ties. While a tie will retain the Cup for RSL for another year, we don't want to do it that way. But to win the trophy properly, they'll have to figure out the "kurse" of RFK.
Home Motivation
This game will be the home opener for DCU which, when combined with their loss last weekend against Houston, should provide the home side a spark. If RSL can find an early break through (or even just weather the early momentum), they should be in a good position to steal at least a point and the Cup!
Something's Fishy
While Ben Olsen straight up admitted he is not near 100% fitness and will not start, I would expect the Fish, Carlos Ruiz to find his way to the bench. If DCU needs a late spark, he could be a huge one, even at less than optimal fitness.
Confidence Issues
While I thought Robbie Findley showed some flashes last week, something did seem a bit off. I mark it down to confidence issues. I think getting little game time while being continually shuffled between managers, teams, and leagues would do that to a person. If he can grab a goal, look for his play to blossom.
Hi!
While we're playing the big Ben Cup match, RR just wants to give a shout out to DCU's Robbie Russell. Thanks for MLS Cup!
Having looked at both rosters on this great game guide produced by the league (although it is missing all the injuries), I like how RSL matches up here. With the exception of maybe Chris Pontius, no one in that starting 11 scares me. The loss of DeRo is a big one for this United squad. Does this mean that I think RSL will just walk all over them? Quite the opposite. There is still quite a bit of talent on that roster and RSL will be playing its second road game in as many weeks (and on the opposite coast). To be honest, while DCU is no San Jose, RSL was second-best for the first 65 minutes of that game last week and was lucky that poor finishing kept the Earthquakes off the board. If RSL's back line shows up that shaky again this week, it could get ugly. That being said, RSL is the better team and should squeak one out to get their first win at RFK. Better yet, the Ben Cup stays in Sandy!
YE OLDE ROYAL PREDICTION: RSL 2 - DCU 1 (goals to Sabo and DJ Robbie F*)
*I have no idea why I called him that, but you must admit it is awesome!
On a side note, in other DC sports news, LET'S GO ORANGE! Take down those GTown bastards!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Has it been a year already?
Wow. Getting a bit dusty around here. Hard to believe it has been a year since my last post. Crazy how time flies. Not sure what I'm going to do around here, I'd still like to post, albeit probably not at the prolific rate I did in '09. On a side note, what a great year to pick to cover the team, huh? We're still the home for the Ben Cup, that's not something I will let die (in fact, this year's installment kicks off June 18th). Should be fun with a re-tooled DC United this year. Excited to see RSL take down Dax, Party Boy, and CD9!
Anyway, great start to the season so far. Great CCL results, even if RSL should be up 3-0 instead of 2-0 on Saprissa. I was right there, saw the goal that was called off. There was no call to be made there. That ref was an ass. But I digress. Hard fought win in the slop at San Jose and then the demolition of the Gals last weekend. It's been fun to watch. I'm very excited to see what RSL can put together in what is sure to be an imposing environment in Costa Rica.
And really, that's all I've got for the moment (this was a very spur of the moment post). If you still check in every now and then, thanks! If you enjoy the Review, leave a comment, please. It may inspire me to post more! In closing, I'd like to give a couple virtual high-fives out. First to RSL for signing nationally ranked player Conor Chinn as a fourth string forward. He puts star(kick)s in my eyes (and don't get run over)! And also to Nat Borchers for his sweet "Lambeau Leap" (Sandy Spring? Borchers Bound?) into the supporters end after the Saprissa game. It was a very nice touch!
Anyway, great start to the season so far. Great CCL results, even if RSL should be up 3-0 instead of 2-0 on Saprissa. I was right there, saw the goal that was called off. There was no call to be made there. That ref was an ass. But I digress. Hard fought win in the slop at San Jose and then the demolition of the Gals last weekend. It's been fun to watch. I'm very excited to see what RSL can put together in what is sure to be an imposing environment in Costa Rica.
And really, that's all I've got for the moment (this was a very spur of the moment post). If you still check in every now and then, thanks! If you enjoy the Review, leave a comment, please. It may inspire me to post more! In closing, I'd like to give a couple virtual high-fives out. First to RSL for signing nationally ranked player Conor Chinn as a fourth string forward. He puts star(kick)s in my eyes (and don't get run over)! And also to Nat Borchers for his sweet "Lambeau Leap" (Sandy Spring? Borchers Bound?) into the supporters end after the Saprissa game. It was a very nice touch!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Uh Oh Spaghetti-O's
Crap. Missed all the fanfare around the Ben Cup second leg as my computer has been out with...a computer version of swine flu? I'm not feeling too creative at the moment, can you tell? Anyway, congrats to RSL on a big (and surprising, given recent form) road tie that keeps the cup in Utah for another year. So craziness at home and at work here lately, but I hope to have the site back up to date and fully going again in the next couple weeks (that's not to say I won't possibly get some occasional posts in between now and then). As always, thanks for coming by!
And in honor of the win, here is the beloved cup itself:
Peaceness, kids.
And in honor of the win, here is the beloved cup itself:
Peaceness, kids.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
2009 Game 3: DCU vs. RSL: Ben Cup: Round 1, FIGHT!
(Sorry for the Street Fighter reference in the title, couldn't help myself.)
Anyway, I had planned a big review of the big Ben Cup match but a busy (and strange) week kinda pushed all that to the side. In its stead, a mini-review, starting with some sweet, sweet player grades:
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Not a lot to do, left out to dry a bit on the goal.
Tony Beltran-6 Not spectacular by any means, but serviceable.
(Raphael Cox 59)-6 Too many turnovers, but I LOVE this guy's hustle. Getting on my favorites list very quickly.
Nat Borchers-7 Pretty solid in the back, stymied most DCU attacks that came his way.
Jamison Olave-7 Caught defending no one on the goal, but scored one of his own to atone.
Chris Wingert-6 An average Chris Wingert day.
Clint Mathis-6 Didn't get involved as much as he had in the previous 2.
(Ned Grabavoy 74)-6 Providing some nice depth in midfield.
Kyle Beckerman-7 Best game of 2009 so far, got involved and nearly scored.
Javier Morales-7 Quiet, but came up with a HUGE goal out of nowhere for the win.
Will Johnson-6 Similar to Wingert and Beltran, not great by any means, but solid.
Robbie Findley-5 2 of the quietest assists you'll see. Got beat a few times by Jakovic.
(Andy Williams 89)-6 Very little time, hard to grade, but gets an average 6 for not doing anything wrong.
Yura Movsisyan-5 WAY too selfish; decision making is not there.
Coach grade (Kreis)-6 There were some minor adjustments I'd liked to have seen, but overall, ok.
Ref grade (Stott)-4 Not for any egregiously unfair calls, but for his seeming confusion on whether he was reffing for MLS or WWE. A little too physical for a soccer match.
RSL Man of the Match: Kyle Beckerman
Tough one to call as no one stood out. Olave blew it with poor defense on the DC goal. Javi was close but only seemed to play about 25 out of the 90 minutes. Becks wins it with a solid, full-90 effort.
Assclown of the Match: Mother Nature
Another cold, rainy, miserable day for an RSL match? Why of course! And this week, with RSL on the road? Mid-60s and sunny in Sandy, what else?
Pros:
+RSL is on the verge on winning the Ben Cup yet again.
+Late game winning goal for Javi was a beauty and may provide him with a spark.
+Kyle returned to his proper form.
+RSL was able to answer back quickly after an opponent's goal.
+Did I mention that RSL now has the upper hand in the Ben Cup?
Cons:
-The strikers again looked fairly lost for much of the game (like in Seattle).
-Yura's decision making never seems to improve.
-Until the goal, Javi seemed absent for much of the match.
-DCU always seems to kill us at RFK. Can RSL buck the trend to keep the Cup?
-The weather again messes with a home game. C'mon, it's supposed to be spring dammit!
What we learned:
1) RSL can beat DCU, even when they play their first-string keeper.
2) Will Johnson continues to look good on set pieces, giving the reds another option besides just Javi.
3) RSL may finally have the resiliency needed to carry on after getting behind, rather than throwing in the towel.
Game grade: B
It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't RSL's best effort. But the team recovered from being outplayed at home for much of the first half to deliver a nice come from behind win. Let's make it 3 in a row this week boys!
Anyway, I had planned a big review of the big Ben Cup match but a busy (and strange) week kinda pushed all that to the side. In its stead, a mini-review, starting with some sweet, sweet player grades:
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Not a lot to do, left out to dry a bit on the goal.
Tony Beltran-6 Not spectacular by any means, but serviceable.
(Raphael Cox 59)-6 Too many turnovers, but I LOVE this guy's hustle. Getting on my favorites list very quickly.
Nat Borchers-7 Pretty solid in the back, stymied most DCU attacks that came his way.
Jamison Olave-7 Caught defending no one on the goal, but scored one of his own to atone.
Chris Wingert-6 An average Chris Wingert day.
Clint Mathis-6 Didn't get involved as much as he had in the previous 2.
(Ned Grabavoy 74)-6 Providing some nice depth in midfield.
Kyle Beckerman-7 Best game of 2009 so far, got involved and nearly scored.
Javier Morales-7 Quiet, but came up with a HUGE goal out of nowhere for the win.
Will Johnson-6 Similar to Wingert and Beltran, not great by any means, but solid.
Robbie Findley-5 2 of the quietest assists you'll see. Got beat a few times by Jakovic.
(Andy Williams 89)-6 Very little time, hard to grade, but gets an average 6 for not doing anything wrong.
Yura Movsisyan-5 WAY too selfish; decision making is not there.
Coach grade (Kreis)-6 There were some minor adjustments I'd liked to have seen, but overall, ok.
Ref grade (Stott)-4 Not for any egregiously unfair calls, but for his seeming confusion on whether he was reffing for MLS or WWE. A little too physical for a soccer match.
RSL Man of the Match: Kyle Beckerman
Tough one to call as no one stood out. Olave blew it with poor defense on the DC goal. Javi was close but only seemed to play about 25 out of the 90 minutes. Becks wins it with a solid, full-90 effort.
Assclown of the Match: Mother Nature
Another cold, rainy, miserable day for an RSL match? Why of course! And this week, with RSL on the road? Mid-60s and sunny in Sandy, what else?
Pros:
+RSL is on the verge on winning the Ben Cup yet again.
+Late game winning goal for Javi was a beauty and may provide him with a spark.
+Kyle returned to his proper form.
+RSL was able to answer back quickly after an opponent's goal.
+Did I mention that RSL now has the upper hand in the Ben Cup?
Cons:
-The strikers again looked fairly lost for much of the game (like in Seattle).
-Yura's decision making never seems to improve.
-Until the goal, Javi seemed absent for much of the match.
-DCU always seems to kill us at RFK. Can RSL buck the trend to keep the Cup?
-The weather again messes with a home game. C'mon, it's supposed to be spring dammit!
What we learned:
1) RSL can beat DCU, even when they play their first-string keeper.
2) Will Johnson continues to look good on set pieces, giving the reds another option besides just Javi.
3) RSL may finally have the resiliency needed to carry on after getting behind, rather than throwing in the towel.
Game grade: B
It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't RSL's best effort. But the team recovered from being outplayed at home for much of the first half to deliver a nice come from behind win. Let's make it 3 in a row this week boys!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Traditional Pre-Ben Cup Interview
As has become tradition, here is the pre-game interview with the losing half of the Ben Cup, DCU Ben:
1) Well, here we are yet again with the Ben Cup upon us, and DCU is now 0-3. Is this the year that finally changes?
Yes this is the year that DC United finally claims what is rightfully theirs. The Ben Cup yearns to reside in the greater DC metropolitan area.
2) Do you think United has FINALLY learned from past mistakes and will start their first-string keeper in Utah for once?
They have not learned anything. However, by pure lucky happenstance, the backup keeper appears to be injured. The only problem is that the starter is Louis "I think I have the moves of the young Maradona before cocaine" Crayton, and he will try to dazzle you with his footwork... and he will get burned by Robbie Findley who is not kind to keepers of fancy feet.
3) Do you see Rio Tinto playing a factor in this game? This will be DC's first trip there? May it even help DCU by getting them off the artifical turf at Rice-Eccles?
Rio Tinto and real grass will slow down the game which will benefit the aged United attack with their preference to control the pace of the game.
4) I hear that you are not getting local TV coverage of this one. Is that true? And if so, what the hell? When did DCU start getting RSL-style media coverage?
Local TV has boycotted the United coverage for the first part of the season specifically to spite me because I have Verizon Fios and cannot purchase Direct Kick. I can think of two specific events that ushered in the era of DCU getting RSL-style media coverage, (1) DCU started playing like RSL and (2) when PG County denied the stadium building. Local TV is ahead of the curve on this and can see that this franchise has no marketable future in DC. Is a hint of bitterness coming across? Just checking.
5) Which RSL player are you most concerned about as a DCU fan? And conversely, which probable starter (RSL has used the same lineup in both games so far) concerns you least? Do you think DC will be able to exploit this player?
I think we have to be most concerned about RSL's speed in the attack, which means Findley. It's hard to tell after two games which player does not concern me or if we could exploit that particular player, but I'll go with Olave. I think he has a short fuse and we have some guys that like to get under the skin. I'm hoping for an early straight red.
6) On a scale of 1-10, how pumped are you for some sweet sweet Ben Cup action?
Let's put it this way, I love the Ben Cup so much I wanna take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. (ed. note-quite possibly the best and most appropriate response ever)
7) Finally, I'd like to say that I think fans all over MLS wish you guys the best in getting a stadium. Now that it appears the PG Co. plan has fallen through, where else do you think DCU could settle? Are you concerned they may move the team?
I'm going to go with the esteemed Mr. Soccer Insider and say, Vamos St. Louis United! They can only keep the team in RFK and losing money for so long before wiser business minds prevail and send them somewhere else. I'm still holding out for a Northern Virginia stadium but if I were to put money on it, I'd put money on St. Louis.
In closing, I would just like to say that between insane work hours, technical difficulties with MLSLive.tv, and no local coverage I have yet to watch an entire match this season. I am hoping that changes this weekend as DC takes a big step towards bringing the Ben Cup to its rightful home. Vamos United!
1) Well, here we are yet again with the Ben Cup upon us, and DCU is now 0-3. Is this the year that finally changes?
Yes this is the year that DC United finally claims what is rightfully theirs. The Ben Cup yearns to reside in the greater DC metropolitan area.
2) Do you think United has FINALLY learned from past mistakes and will start their first-string keeper in Utah for once?
They have not learned anything. However, by pure lucky happenstance, the backup keeper appears to be injured. The only problem is that the starter is Louis "I think I have the moves of the young Maradona before cocaine" Crayton, and he will try to dazzle you with his footwork... and he will get burned by Robbie Findley who is not kind to keepers of fancy feet.
3) Do you see Rio Tinto playing a factor in this game? This will be DC's first trip there? May it even help DCU by getting them off the artifical turf at Rice-Eccles?
Rio Tinto and real grass will slow down the game which will benefit the aged United attack with their preference to control the pace of the game.
4) I hear that you are not getting local TV coverage of this one. Is that true? And if so, what the hell? When did DCU start getting RSL-style media coverage?
Local TV has boycotted the United coverage for the first part of the season specifically to spite me because I have Verizon Fios and cannot purchase Direct Kick. I can think of two specific events that ushered in the era of DCU getting RSL-style media coverage, (1) DCU started playing like RSL and (2) when PG County denied the stadium building. Local TV is ahead of the curve on this and can see that this franchise has no marketable future in DC. Is a hint of bitterness coming across? Just checking.
5) Which RSL player are you most concerned about as a DCU fan? And conversely, which probable starter (RSL has used the same lineup in both games so far) concerns you least? Do you think DC will be able to exploit this player?
I think we have to be most concerned about RSL's speed in the attack, which means Findley. It's hard to tell after two games which player does not concern me or if we could exploit that particular player, but I'll go with Olave. I think he has a short fuse and we have some guys that like to get under the skin. I'm hoping for an early straight red.
6) On a scale of 1-10, how pumped are you for some sweet sweet Ben Cup action?
Let's put it this way, I love the Ben Cup so much I wanna take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. (ed. note-quite possibly the best and most appropriate response ever)
7) Finally, I'd like to say that I think fans all over MLS wish you guys the best in getting a stadium. Now that it appears the PG Co. plan has fallen through, where else do you think DCU could settle? Are you concerned they may move the team?
I'm going to go with the esteemed Mr. Soccer Insider and say, Vamos St. Louis United! They can only keep the team in RFK and losing money for so long before wiser business minds prevail and send them somewhere else. I'm still holding out for a Northern Virginia stadium but if I were to put money on it, I'd put money on St. Louis.
In closing, I would just like to say that between insane work hours, technical difficulties with MLSLive.tv, and no local coverage I have yet to watch an entire match this season. I am hoping that changes this weekend as DC takes a big step towards bringing the Ben Cup to its rightful home. Vamos United!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
BEN CUP IS HERE!
Man, I can't believe that only 3 games into the season, we already have the Ben Cup upon us. And, of course, this is a terrible week for it with my schedule, but I will try to have some fuller coverage up in the next couple of days. But as a quick recap, let's take a quick look back to last year:
Leg 1, April 12th, Salt Lake City, UT: DCU 0 - RSL 4
-2 goals for Kyle Beckerman, 1 each for Espi and Robbie Findley
-RR MOTM: Dema Kovalenko; 2 assists and seemingly involved in every positive RSL play.
Leg 2, April 26th, Washington, DC: RSL 1 - DCU 4
-2 (PK) goals for Moreno, 1 each for Gallardo and Quaranta
-Carey Talley salvages the Ben Cup with a late goal off a Tony Beltran assist
-RR MOTM: Chris Wingert; only RSL player with an above average grade on the night.
RSL and DCU tie on record (1-1-0), but RSL wins on aggregate goals: 5-4.
Let's hope RSL doesn't need to take this year's Cup to tiebreakers. Come on ya Reds! Go RSL!
Leg 1, April 12th, Salt Lake City, UT: DCU 0 - RSL 4
-2 goals for Kyle Beckerman, 1 each for Espi and Robbie Findley
-RR MOTM: Dema Kovalenko; 2 assists and seemingly involved in every positive RSL play.
Leg 2, April 26th, Washington, DC: RSL 1 - DCU 4
-2 (PK) goals for Moreno, 1 each for Gallardo and Quaranta
-Carey Talley salvages the Ben Cup with a late goal off a Tony Beltran assist
-RR MOTM: Chris Wingert; only RSL player with an above average grade on the night.
RSL and DCU tie on record (1-1-0), but RSL wins on aggregate goals: 5-4.
Let's hope RSL doesn't need to take this year's Cup to tiebreakers. Come on ya Reds! Go RSL!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Coming Soon: A New Season
2009 is upon us, and with it, a new Ben Cup. There is no logo (yet), but the games are locked and loaded. This year's Ben Cup will take place on April 11th in Sandy at the River and on May 23rd in DC. Of course, the Review (and the Edgell Supporters) will have full coverage as the games draw near.
But before we move on to the '09 season, I have some finishing up to do from last year. I promise I will have the full season grades available for 2008 BEFORE first kick '09. Granted, that's not the November 2008 timeline I was looking for, but at least it is realistic! I will also update the sidebars and everything for the new year.
But for now, thanks for sticking with the Review after the last 5 months of inactivity (although RSL's 5 months of near-inactivity have contributed to that) and we should be back up and running soon, so stay tuned. Until then, and as always, GO RSL!
But before we move on to the '09 season, I have some finishing up to do from last year. I promise I will have the full season grades available for 2008 BEFORE first kick '09. Granted, that's not the November 2008 timeline I was looking for, but at least it is realistic! I will also update the sidebars and everything for the new year.
But for now, thanks for sticking with the Review after the last 5 months of inactivity (although RSL's 5 months of near-inactivity have contributed to that) and we should be back up and running soon, so stay tuned. Until then, and as always, GO RSL!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
We Are The Champions! Ben Cup Leg 2 Review
I'm trying a new format on my reviews to try and cut down the length. Not every game requires the 'War and Peace' treatment. Right now I'm just testing things so this will be a work in progress. If you've got any suggestions, let me know!
1st Half Grade: C-
Judging by the scoreline (and the reaction from people across the internet), I must say I was expecting worse in this one. RSL played pretty well in the 1st half, controlling the first 15 minutes and then outplaying DC over the last 10-15. The 15 in the middle though? All DC, all the time. RSL's defense held up pretty well to only allow one goal. Of course, the goal was on a PK called after a Dema Kovalenko handball in the box. If you haven't seen it, it was called when Dema went in for a sliding tackle and the DC cross hit him in the arm. Intentional? No way. A soft call? Perhaps. If the shoe were on the other foot would I want/expect a PK for RSL? Definitely. So I can't really say too much about that call, I can forgive it. Plus, if RSL's midfield play could lead to an attack, or our forwards could find some seams, perhaps we'd get a shot or two off and maybe even *gasp* score!
2nd Half Grade: F
Honestly, RSL didn't play all that bad as a team for most of the second half, but any time you give up THREE FREAKING GOALS in a half, it's hard to get any other grade. I'm not sure why, but that's two games in a row that RSL has actually improved after going 3 in the back. I know we can't score, so loosening up the defense is probably a bad idea, but if results don't change soon, maybe Jason should look into it. How bold are ya? Anyway, before you ask, let's get to the 2nd PK. This one I'm not so forgiving on. Mainly because the foul that should have been called was the hold outside the box. Emilio never would have been slowed down enough for Talley to catch him if he hadn't been held outside the box. The tackle itself looked fairly clean, but it was from a weird angle and from behind, so I can understand it, even if I've seen far worse go without being called. Talley really was terrible on that sequence, with the turnover that started to DC break and the tackle that was whistled for a PK. Nice job buddy! Either way, I think this was a pretty iffy call, like I said, since the original, blatant foul was outside of the box. The Quaranta volley goal was nice, but too easy. Morales fell asleep and let him go free on the weak side, and with Borchers distracted on the 3-man backline, he never even saw him to pick him up. In fact, RSL's weak side defense was exposed numerous times in this game, including on the Gallardo goal. Borchers missed the header, letting the ball fall to Gallardo near the end line. He then bent the laws of physics and volleyed it into the back of the net. An amazing goal. If you haven't seen it, check out the 'video highlights' link on the MLSnet game recap. RSL did pick up what ended up being the Ben Cup winning goal after they went down 3, with Beltran getting on the scoresheet for the first time as a pro by flicking a header to Talley off of a corner. Talley basically just ran into the ball and bulldozed it into net. And with that, RSL are your 2008 Ben Cup Champs, oh yes!
Pros:
-Olave looks like he could be the real deal.
-Joy at least looked like he belonged on the field for stretches.
-Chris Wingert looks good as of late.
-RSL looked to still be putting in some effort, even down 4-1 late.
-We got to see that goal by Gallardo. Wow.
-RSL are your Ben Cup Champions (by a score of 5-4)!
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Hilarious!
Cons:
-Deuchar and Beckerman were nowhere to be found.
-Movsisyan tripping over the ball, trying to force through 5 defenders, and never, ever passing.
-Weak side defense.
-Complete ineptitude going forward. Can't cross, can't send through balls, can't get shots on net (13 shots with only 4 on goal [31%]! DC had 16 & 11 [69%])
-This RSL team looks like every other RSL team.
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Horrendous!
Game grade: D-
Ouch. RSL's problems in attack are back again. You're telling me that Indra is actually worse than our current strike force? I don't believe it (plus, he'd sell RSL jerseys overseas. Oh well.). Gallardo is the real deal, I can't wait until we "earn" our DP. That'll be sweet.
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Some decent work, not a lot he could do on most of the goals
Chris Wingert-7 Pushed forward, defended well, nice game for Chris
Nat Borchers-5 Probably his worst game for RSL so far.
Jamison Olave-6 Showed some flashes, he could be a good one
Ian Joy-4 Again, positioning problems, but sadly probably his best game for RSL
(Andy Williams 58)-5 Played well, but too many of his patented shots to the moon
Dema Kovalenko-5 Very up and down, let frustration get to him
Javier Morales-3 Nice free kicks, otherwise contributed nothing to the attack
Carey Talley-4 Good game other than the horrendous turnover/PK combo play
Kyle Beckerman-3 Completely absent from the game, we need more from Becks
(Tony Beltran 73)-5 Decent in limited time
Kenny Deuchar-3 I honestly thought that I'd missed him being subbed off at one point
Robbie Findley-4 RSL's best forward on the day. That's not saying much
(Yura Movsisyan 59)-3 PASS THE @!%*$ BALL!!!
RSL Man of the Match:
Chris Wingert - For the second straight game, Wingert has been the best player on the field for RSL. He looked good in the back, in the midfield, and even pushing forward on the wings. He even put a decent corner in. Too bad for RSL that our best production is coming from right back, but well done Chris!
Assclown of the Match:
Luciano Emilio - He must have spent the summer at the "Cuauhtemoc Blanco School of Flopping." Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
1st Half Grade: C-
Judging by the scoreline (and the reaction from people across the internet), I must say I was expecting worse in this one. RSL played pretty well in the 1st half, controlling the first 15 minutes and then outplaying DC over the last 10-15. The 15 in the middle though? All DC, all the time. RSL's defense held up pretty well to only allow one goal. Of course, the goal was on a PK called after a Dema Kovalenko handball in the box. If you haven't seen it, it was called when Dema went in for a sliding tackle and the DC cross hit him in the arm. Intentional? No way. A soft call? Perhaps. If the shoe were on the other foot would I want/expect a PK for RSL? Definitely. So I can't really say too much about that call, I can forgive it. Plus, if RSL's midfield play could lead to an attack, or our forwards could find some seams, perhaps we'd get a shot or two off and maybe even *gasp* score!
2nd Half Grade: F
Honestly, RSL didn't play all that bad as a team for most of the second half, but any time you give up THREE FREAKING GOALS in a half, it's hard to get any other grade. I'm not sure why, but that's two games in a row that RSL has actually improved after going 3 in the back. I know we can't score, so loosening up the defense is probably a bad idea, but if results don't change soon, maybe Jason should look into it. How bold are ya? Anyway, before you ask, let's get to the 2nd PK. This one I'm not so forgiving on. Mainly because the foul that should have been called was the hold outside the box. Emilio never would have been slowed down enough for Talley to catch him if he hadn't been held outside the box. The tackle itself looked fairly clean, but it was from a weird angle and from behind, so I can understand it, even if I've seen far worse go without being called. Talley really was terrible on that sequence, with the turnover that started to DC break and the tackle that was whistled for a PK. Nice job buddy! Either way, I think this was a pretty iffy call, like I said, since the original, blatant foul was outside of the box. The Quaranta volley goal was nice, but too easy. Morales fell asleep and let him go free on the weak side, and with Borchers distracted on the 3-man backline, he never even saw him to pick him up. In fact, RSL's weak side defense was exposed numerous times in this game, including on the Gallardo goal. Borchers missed the header, letting the ball fall to Gallardo near the end line. He then bent the laws of physics and volleyed it into the back of the net. An amazing goal. If you haven't seen it, check out the 'video highlights' link on the MLSnet game recap. RSL did pick up what ended up being the Ben Cup winning goal after they went down 3, with Beltran getting on the scoresheet for the first time as a pro by flicking a header to Talley off of a corner. Talley basically just ran into the ball and bulldozed it into net. And with that, RSL are your 2008 Ben Cup Champs, oh yes!
Pros:
-Olave looks like he could be the real deal.
-Joy at least looked like he belonged on the field for stretches.
-Chris Wingert looks good as of late.
-RSL looked to still be putting in some effort, even down 4-1 late.
-We got to see that goal by Gallardo. Wow.
-RSL are your Ben Cup Champions (by a score of 5-4)!
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Hilarious!
Cons:
-Deuchar and Beckerman were nowhere to be found.
-Movsisyan tripping over the ball, trying to force through 5 defenders, and never, ever passing.
-Weak side defense.
-Complete ineptitude going forward. Can't cross, can't send through balls, can't get shots on net (13 shots with only 4 on goal [31%]! DC had 16 & 11 [69%])
-This RSL team looks like every other RSL team.
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Horrendous!
Game grade: D-
Ouch. RSL's problems in attack are back again. You're telling me that Indra is actually worse than our current strike force? I don't believe it (plus, he'd sell RSL jerseys overseas. Oh well.). Gallardo is the real deal, I can't wait until we "earn" our DP. That'll be sweet.
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Some decent work, not a lot he could do on most of the goals
Chris Wingert-7 Pushed forward, defended well, nice game for Chris
Nat Borchers-5 Probably his worst game for RSL so far.
Jamison Olave-6 Showed some flashes, he could be a good one
Ian Joy-4 Again, positioning problems, but sadly probably his best game for RSL
(Andy Williams 58)-5 Played well, but too many of his patented shots to the moon
Dema Kovalenko-5 Very up and down, let frustration get to him
Javier Morales-3 Nice free kicks, otherwise contributed nothing to the attack
Carey Talley-4 Good game other than the horrendous turnover/PK combo play
Kyle Beckerman-3 Completely absent from the game, we need more from Becks
(Tony Beltran 73)-5 Decent in limited time
Kenny Deuchar-3 I honestly thought that I'd missed him being subbed off at one point
Robbie Findley-4 RSL's best forward on the day. That's not saying much
(Yura Movsisyan 59)-3 PASS THE @!%*$ BALL!!!
RSL Man of the Match:
Chris Wingert - For the second straight game, Wingert has been the best player on the field for RSL. He looked good in the back, in the midfield, and even pushing forward on the wings. He even put a decent corner in. Too bad for RSL that our best production is coming from right back, but well done Chris!
Assclown of the Match:
Luciano Emilio - He must have spent the summer at the "Cuauhtemoc Blanco School of Flopping." Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Game Preview: Ben Cup Leg 2-Full Throttle
I'd have liked to get more Ben Cup content up this week, but work has been crazy. If you haven't already, check out my interview with DC Ben, done after Leg 1. Some good stuff there. Also, on a quick non-BC related note, the infamous 'anonymous' appears to be calling us RSL fans out after last weeks crapfest in Toronto (check the comments at the bottom). Stand up for yourselves and be heard, RSL fans! Do I smell a new rivalry coming on?
Anyway, here's some keys to tomorrow night's game:
1) Abuse Gonzalo Peralta. He was awful in Salt Lake and, by all accounts, awful last week at home in DC. RSL needs to take the game to him and force him to prove that he can defend.
2) Cover Emilio. Yes, he has been worse than terrible all season, I agree. However, one of these days he is bound to break out of it, you don't have a 20 goal season by accident. He got free a couple times at Rice Eccles and luckily didn't make RSL pay. At RFK I see that having a different outcome.
3) Come out with purpose and attack always. RSL has never played well in "bunker mode." Yet, they try to do it all the time. For a prime example of why RSL should not do this, see last week's 1st half. Enough said.
4) Solid defense. Yes, this is an obvious one, but it needs to be said in this instance. Sturgis is out for at least a couple weeks, so it will most likely be Talley back at d-mid. He's been very up and down this season. Hopefully he's up tomorrow. In addition, Ian Joy has been VERY shaky all year. If he's in, we need some better play from him. I say if as there are grumblings that Beltran and Olave may both start this week. If that happens, we need the defense to gel quickly. Can it happen? Let's hope.
5) Remember, it's the Ben Cup, relax. RSL always wins the Ben Cup. They have a 4-0 lead. No worries, just relax and let nature run its course. RSL having the Ben Cup is just the natural order of things.
Lineup I'd use: GK-Rimando; D-Wingert, Borchers, Mantilla (Olave if injuries are too much), Beltran; M-Kovalenko, Williams, Beckerman, Morales; F-Deuchar, Findley (Espi is out injured)
On a side note, I still rate Findley WAY above Movsisyan. Wake me when Movs does something, ANYTHING, productive in an RSL kit.
Lineup I expect: GK-Rimando; D-Wingert, Borchers, Mantilla (Olave if injuries are too much), Joy; M-Talley, Kovalenko, Beckerman, Morales; F-Deuchar, Findley
Royal Prediction:
United will be too fired up. Between the 4-0 shellacking in Leg 1, the 2 game losing streak, the run of bad form for many key players, and the backing of what still looks to me to be MLS's most passionate crowd, I just think there are too many things for DC to use as motivation in this one. Ben Cup stays in Salt Lake, but it won't be pretty. DCU 3 - RSL 1; RSL wins Ben Cup 5-3.
Monday, April 21, 2008
RSL @ TFC First Impressions
Hello all. I am trying to do a full review, but I feel like I should watch the game again before I do that, as I watched most of it the first time in 1x fast forward. That and I kinda faded in and out of it at times. In other words, what an ugly game. One that will make it hard to watch again, but I'll try. So in lieu of a full review (which, like I said, I will try and get up later this week, work permitting), I thought I'd just put down some impressions I got from the game.
First of all, I was as excited as anyone about the signing of Ian Joy. The guy plays with a ton of heart and bleeds his team. Unfortunately, he's not very good. He's consistently out of position and when he is back covering his man, he often leaves a 5 yard cushion between him and the attacker with the ball. The only thing I read from this is that Ian thinks/knows he is too slow to keep up with anyone so he gives himself a cushion so he doesn't get burned. Unfortunately, this leaves a wide open space for opposing players to send in crosses and find other open players on the field. I like the hustle Ian puts in, but I'm not liking his game. Perhaps it's time to get our #3 pick on the field? Or put Sturgis (when not injured, which seems not to be often) back there? Have Forko and Kipre signed elsewhere?
Secondly, this team looks more and more like RSL 2007 which scares the pants off of me. Blowing leads deep in extra time (Chicago), losing games big in which you play fairly even most of the game (TST), beating down DC at home, and now, the "it's 20 minutes in and I can already tell RSL won't find the back of the net" syndrome has creeped back in. You could just tell RSL would never get an equalizer. And they didn't. If there was any doubt, Dema Kovalenko's absolute disgrace of an open volley proved RSL could not score in that one. (Note to Dema, if you're that wide open and can't hit a volley, here's what you do: Settle the ball THEN shoot. You'd have still been open.). The reflections of last year are striking. And the results are, sadly, nearly the same.
Going back to Sturgis for a minute, I really like his game, and when available I would always put him in over Talley (or Joy). However, as I mentioned a few months ago the guy is ALWAYS hurt. The latest injury is being vaguely reported as a hamstring strain, so I'm not sure how long he'll be out, but between this and (if healthy) the Olympics, I don't expect to see much of Nate this season. Too bad, he's a quality player.
Sigh. This was a disheartening loss as an RSL fan. RSL came out looking like they could sleepwalk to a win and it proved to be their undoing. I worry that this team thinks they are a lot better than they are. They ARE good enough to make the playoffs if they really get their minds in the right place and work. But with the same old "We're just unlucky" drivel coming out of RSL-land all season, I'm not sure this team will get in the right frame of mind. I think this next game will prove a lot. RSL will be up against a hungry DC United team in the second leg of the Ben Cup. DC is coming off two straight losses, should be well rested and healthy (and thereby playing ALL their players, like Gallardo), and will be looking to avenge the leg 1 massacre at Rice Eccles. If RSL can get a result on the road in this environment (and keep the Ben Cup a blowout for this year), then there is hope for them still. If they are lethargic and sloppy like they were against TFC, it will get ugly and won't bode well for the rest of '08. Go RSL!
First of all, I was as excited as anyone about the signing of Ian Joy. The guy plays with a ton of heart and bleeds his team. Unfortunately, he's not very good. He's consistently out of position and when he is back covering his man, he often leaves a 5 yard cushion between him and the attacker with the ball. The only thing I read from this is that Ian thinks/knows he is too slow to keep up with anyone so he gives himself a cushion so he doesn't get burned. Unfortunately, this leaves a wide open space for opposing players to send in crosses and find other open players on the field. I like the hustle Ian puts in, but I'm not liking his game. Perhaps it's time to get our #3 pick on the field? Or put Sturgis (when not injured, which seems not to be often) back there? Have Forko and Kipre signed elsewhere?
Secondly, this team looks more and more like RSL 2007 which scares the pants off of me. Blowing leads deep in extra time (Chicago), losing games big in which you play fairly even most of the game (TST), beating down DC at home, and now, the "it's 20 minutes in and I can already tell RSL won't find the back of the net" syndrome has creeped back in. You could just tell RSL would never get an equalizer. And they didn't. If there was any doubt, Dema Kovalenko's absolute disgrace of an open volley proved RSL could not score in that one. (Note to Dema, if you're that wide open and can't hit a volley, here's what you do: Settle the ball THEN shoot. You'd have still been open.). The reflections of last year are striking. And the results are, sadly, nearly the same.
Going back to Sturgis for a minute, I really like his game, and when available I would always put him in over Talley (or Joy). However, as I mentioned a few months ago the guy is ALWAYS hurt. The latest injury is being vaguely reported as a hamstring strain, so I'm not sure how long he'll be out, but between this and (if healthy) the Olympics, I don't expect to see much of Nate this season. Too bad, he's a quality player.
Sigh. This was a disheartening loss as an RSL fan. RSL came out looking like they could sleepwalk to a win and it proved to be their undoing. I worry that this team thinks they are a lot better than they are. They ARE good enough to make the playoffs if they really get their minds in the right place and work. But with the same old "We're just unlucky" drivel coming out of RSL-land all season, I'm not sure this team will get in the right frame of mind. I think this next game will prove a lot. RSL will be up against a hungry DC United team in the second leg of the Ben Cup. DC is coming off two straight losses, should be well rested and healthy (and thereby playing ALL their players, like Gallardo), and will be looking to avenge the leg 1 massacre at Rice Eccles. If RSL can get a result on the road in this environment (and keep the Ben Cup a blowout for this year), then there is hope for them still. If they are lethargic and sloppy like they were against TFC, it will get ugly and won't bode well for the rest of '08. Go RSL!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
DCU Ben Interview
So I decided to do a quick interview with the eastern half of the Ben Cup committee after last Saturday's 4-0 shellacking. Here's the results in their entirety:
Royal Review: First of all, let's get your general thoughts on Leg 1 of the Ben Cup.
DC Ben: I'll try to keep it family friendly, but there is a special curse that Jables (Jack Black) uses when Kage (Kyle Gass) criticizes his inward singing. Initials C.A.. Best curse ever. That's my first thought. Then there is a curse from the film Donnie Darko that I reserve for Tom Soehn. Initials S an F. Second best curse ever. But since I do not use such language I will say that I was quite disgusted and disappointed.
RR: Did you end up watching the entire game or did you give up?
DCB: Of course. I did go to bed at half, but I watched the rest of the game without knowing the result on Sunday morning. I did not abandon ship on Saturday night because of the score so much as 14 hour work days and a newborn. I had to sleep. Although I will say the lack of sleep did soften the blow.
RR: How can DCU turn things around in Leg 2?
DCB: Easy. 4 man back line. And I will be there, which will make them realize that they care about the Ben Cup.
RR: What will be the outcome of Leg 2?
DCB: DC 5 RSL 0 fueled by anger and a DP that got plenty of rest. (editor's note: HAHAHAHAHA!)
RR: Why does DCU have such a hard time in Utah?
DCB: I'll go with altitude, that sounds about right... oh and ALWAYS thinking RSL is a crap team on a crap pitch (ok, that part is true), which they CLEARLY are not. Maybe RSL sucks all season long, but they DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT suck against DC.
RR: A lot has been said about Soehn's decision making in the game (not playing Gallardo, 3-man backline, etc.)-what are your thoughts? What do you think of him as a coach in general?
DCB: I realize I have adopted a frustrated and angry tone for most of this interview but to be honest DC plays a ridiculously crowded schedule for the number of quality players that we have. The coaching staff has to decide to put a lesser team on the field every now and again. I have to believe that Soehn knew he was not putting out his best squad but I'm not sure how to explain the 3 man back. I mean, on the road you should as a rule bunker and counter which means bolstering the defense and going thin on the attack. Maybe it was the best lineup for using the most reserves.
In general I think he is pretty good. I think he is learning and experimenting and I'm ok with that right now. Soehn has the benefit of assuming his squad can win if he puts the first team out there. That gives him more time to try new things without the pressure. Obviously these are all assumptions. And when you assume bla bla bla...
RR: DC has been very up and down so far this year, what are your expectations for the rest of the season?
DCB: I expect to see some more ups and downs for another month or so and then I expect the team to come together and do very well. I don't expect them to lose 4-0 ever again.
RR: How much does this team miss now-gang member Christian Gomez? Is Gallardo going to be able to replace him?
DCB: The team does not miss Christian Gomez version 2007. He disappeared for games at a time and was always so pouty. I wish him only the best but not for him to come back. Gallardo has replaced him. Gallardo is better than Gomez. Is he worth DP money? That is a question for another day... a day that comes after the 2008 season
RR: If you could pick one RSL player and put him on United, who would it be (if anyone)?
DCB: Beckerman. I love his bite, passion, dreadlocks, and those bombs he puts in the net. It's weird that I like him so much considering how much I hated him when he played for the Denver West Sideuhz. Also, he scored 12 points for my MFLS team.
RR: Any other thoughts on anything (Ben Cup, DCU, RSL, MLS, popular music, world politics, the letter H, anything!)?
DCB: The Ben Cup will come to DC sometime in the next 3 years. I guarantee it. Music sucks. Politics, especially those of the world are AWESOME! The letter H is my favorite Spanish alphabet letter.
Good stuff as always from DCU Ben; be sure to check out his DCU blog The Edgell Supporters. And thanks to him for the interview and for tipping me off to THIS (seriously, go here. NOW.).
Royal Review: First of all, let's get your general thoughts on Leg 1 of the Ben Cup.
DC Ben: I'll try to keep it family friendly, but there is a special curse that Jables (Jack Black) uses when Kage (Kyle Gass) criticizes his inward singing. Initials C.A.. Best curse ever. That's my first thought. Then there is a curse from the film Donnie Darko that I reserve for Tom Soehn. Initials S an F. Second best curse ever. But since I do not use such language I will say that I was quite disgusted and disappointed.
RR: Did you end up watching the entire game or did you give up?
DCB: Of course. I did go to bed at half, but I watched the rest of the game without knowing the result on Sunday morning. I did not abandon ship on Saturday night because of the score so much as 14 hour work days and a newborn. I had to sleep. Although I will say the lack of sleep did soften the blow.
RR: How can DCU turn things around in Leg 2?
DCB: Easy. 4 man back line. And I will be there, which will make them realize that they care about the Ben Cup.
RR: What will be the outcome of Leg 2?
DCB: DC 5 RSL 0 fueled by anger and a DP that got plenty of rest. (editor's note: HAHAHAHAHA!)
RR: Why does DCU have such a hard time in Utah?
DCB: I'll go with altitude, that sounds about right... oh and ALWAYS thinking RSL is a crap team on a crap pitch (ok, that part is true), which they CLEARLY are not. Maybe RSL sucks all season long, but they DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT suck against DC.
RR: A lot has been said about Soehn's decision making in the game (not playing Gallardo, 3-man backline, etc.)-what are your thoughts? What do you think of him as a coach in general?
DCB: I realize I have adopted a frustrated and angry tone for most of this interview but to be honest DC plays a ridiculously crowded schedule for the number of quality players that we have. The coaching staff has to decide to put a lesser team on the field every now and again. I have to believe that Soehn knew he was not putting out his best squad but I'm not sure how to explain the 3 man back. I mean, on the road you should as a rule bunker and counter which means bolstering the defense and going thin on the attack. Maybe it was the best lineup for using the most reserves.
In general I think he is pretty good. I think he is learning and experimenting and I'm ok with that right now. Soehn has the benefit of assuming his squad can win if he puts the first team out there. That gives him more time to try new things without the pressure. Obviously these are all assumptions. And when you assume bla bla bla...
RR: DC has been very up and down so far this year, what are your expectations for the rest of the season?
DCB: I expect to see some more ups and downs for another month or so and then I expect the team to come together and do very well. I don't expect them to lose 4-0 ever again.
RR: How much does this team miss now-gang member Christian Gomez? Is Gallardo going to be able to replace him?
DCB: The team does not miss Christian Gomez version 2007. He disappeared for games at a time and was always so pouty. I wish him only the best but not for him to come back. Gallardo has replaced him. Gallardo is better than Gomez. Is he worth DP money? That is a question for another day... a day that comes after the 2008 season
RR: If you could pick one RSL player and put him on United, who would it be (if anyone)?
DCB: Beckerman. I love his bite, passion, dreadlocks, and those bombs he puts in the net. It's weird that I like him so much considering how much I hated him when he played for the Denver West Sideuhz. Also, he scored 12 points for my MFLS team.
RR: Any other thoughts on anything (Ben Cup, DCU, RSL, MLS, popular music, world politics, the letter H, anything!)?
DCB: The Ben Cup will come to DC sometime in the next 3 years. I guarantee it. Music sucks. Politics, especially those of the world are AWESOME! The letter H is my favorite Spanish alphabet letter.
Good stuff as always from DCU Ben; be sure to check out his DCU blog The Edgell Supporters. And thanks to him for the interview and for tipping me off to THIS (seriously, go here. NOW.).
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Game 3: Ben Cup Leg 1: DC United @ Real Salt Lake
Wow. Am I glad that I go to the Ben Cup games. Last year was RSL's first win of the season, all the way in June. This year was an absolute drubbing, resulting in a 4-0 win, RSL's biggest ever. Normally, I'd go through the motions and write a full review, but even though it was not perfect, I'm not in the mood to be critical. You saw it, and if you didn't, do yourself a favor and find it somewhere. Truly entertaining. Anyway, without a full written review, that just leaves us with the grades and the regular "Pros and Cons."
Pros:
-The Ben Cup is basically assured of keeping the Ben Cup, so for the 3rd year (of 3), DCU will not win it.
-FOUR goals. Four. By RSL. Just think about that.
-Beckerman finally came back to life, scoring two goals.
-Sturgis started for Talley and looked good.
-Dema Kovalenko was just great. Aggresive, in control, and always moving play forward.
-Findley. His touch was still rough, but it's hard to argue with a goal and an assist in 20 minutes. Plus, the goal was hilarious. Just a terrible goal from a defensive standpoint. Go watch it and laugh!
-Granted it was when the game was solidly put away, but Beltran looked good in limited minutes.
-The central defense was very strong. Borchers is the new Eddie Pope back there, I tell ya.
-The absolutely dejected "We paid to see THIS?" body language from the little Barra Brava corner.
-The attacking mentality by RSL in the second half. Instead of the usual RSL 'Let's sit on a lead' game, the took the game to DCU and played a full 90.
-Just about everything else.
Cons:
-Joy still leaves guys way too open and seems to lose sight of what he's doing at times.
-Deuchar was out of control in the first half, bad calls or no. He needs to keep his emotions in check.
-There were still a couple of dangerous moments on defense, including a scary 1st half moment where Emilio got an opening WITH THE BALL in the 18. Most of the dangerous plays seemed to come from the sidelines.
1st Half grade: A
2nd Half grade: A+
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Didn't have much to do, but was strong when called upon.
Chris Wingert-7 Another quietly solid game from Wingert.
Nat Borchers-8 Very strong on the back line, stymied DCU all game.
Matias Mantilla-8 Solid game, more under control than usual.
Ian Joy-6 Good for the most part, still a couple lapses.
(Tony Beltran 83)-7 Didn't have time to do much, but looked capable.
Dema Kovalenko-9 Simply brilliant. Involved somehow in nearly every good play.
Javier Morales-7 Played well, occasionally took a touch too many.
(Andy Williams 63)-8 Saw the game well, good passing.
Nathan Sturgis-8 Carey who?
Kyle Beckerman-9 Solid defensively...oh yeah, and two goals...
Kenny Deuchar-7 Missed a header or two, let emotions get the best of him, but when under control was very strong.
Fabian Espindola-8 Put his body on the line repeatedly (including getting kicked in the face), looked good.
(Robbie Findley 70)-8 First touch keeps him from a 9, but otherwise brilliant.
Game grade: A+
4-0. Against a solid DC team. Basically singlehandedly winning the Ben Cup. Brilliant. Possibly RSL's best game.
RSL Man of the Match:
Dema Kovalenko - Yes, Becks had two goals (and it was a VERY close decision), but without Dema, RSL may not have gotten one. Great game.
Assclown of the Match:
The ref was seemingly MLS usual: pretty awful, but this weeks "AOTM" is dedicated to DC fans and goes to Tommy Soehn. You pay Gallardo over $1.5 million and have him sit the bench? I don't care how many games you've played recently, get his lazy ass on the field! Then, you play a ton of reserves and go with a 3-man backline? Without your DP midfielder or your holding mid stalwart (the injured Olsen) to control the game? Stupid.
Pros:
-The Ben Cup is basically assured of keeping the Ben Cup, so for the 3rd year (of 3), DCU will not win it.
-FOUR goals. Four. By RSL. Just think about that.
-Beckerman finally came back to life, scoring two goals.
-Sturgis started for Talley and looked good.
-Dema Kovalenko was just great. Aggresive, in control, and always moving play forward.
-Findley. His touch was still rough, but it's hard to argue with a goal and an assist in 20 minutes. Plus, the goal was hilarious. Just a terrible goal from a defensive standpoint. Go watch it and laugh!
-Granted it was when the game was solidly put away, but Beltran looked good in limited minutes.
-The central defense was very strong. Borchers is the new Eddie Pope back there, I tell ya.
-The absolutely dejected "We paid to see THIS?" body language from the little Barra Brava corner.
-The attacking mentality by RSL in the second half. Instead of the usual RSL 'Let's sit on a lead' game, the took the game to DCU and played a full 90.
-Just about everything else.
Cons:
-Joy still leaves guys way too open and seems to lose sight of what he's doing at times.
-Deuchar was out of control in the first half, bad calls or no. He needs to keep his emotions in check.
-There were still a couple of dangerous moments on defense, including a scary 1st half moment where Emilio got an opening WITH THE BALL in the 18. Most of the dangerous plays seemed to come from the sidelines.
1st Half grade: A
2nd Half grade: A+
Player grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Didn't have much to do, but was strong when called upon.
Chris Wingert-7 Another quietly solid game from Wingert.
Nat Borchers-8 Very strong on the back line, stymied DCU all game.
Matias Mantilla-8 Solid game, more under control than usual.
Ian Joy-6 Good for the most part, still a couple lapses.
(Tony Beltran 83)-7 Didn't have time to do much, but looked capable.
Dema Kovalenko-9 Simply brilliant. Involved somehow in nearly every good play.
Javier Morales-7 Played well, occasionally took a touch too many.
(Andy Williams 63)-8 Saw the game well, good passing.
Nathan Sturgis-8 Carey who?
Kyle Beckerman-9 Solid defensively...oh yeah, and two goals...
Kenny Deuchar-7 Missed a header or two, let emotions get the best of him, but when under control was very strong.
Fabian Espindola-8 Put his body on the line repeatedly (including getting kicked in the face), looked good.
(Robbie Findley 70)-8 First touch keeps him from a 9, but otherwise brilliant.
Game grade: A+
4-0. Against a solid DC team. Basically singlehandedly winning the Ben Cup. Brilliant. Possibly RSL's best game.
RSL Man of the Match:
Dema Kovalenko - Yes, Becks had two goals (and it was a VERY close decision), but without Dema, RSL may not have gotten one. Great game.
Assclown of the Match:
The ref was seemingly MLS usual: pretty awful, but this weeks "AOTM" is dedicated to DC fans and goes to Tommy Soehn. You pay Gallardo over $1.5 million and have him sit the bench? I don't care how many games you've played recently, get his lazy ass on the field! Then, you play a ton of reserves and go with a 3-man backline? Without your DP midfielder or your holding mid stalwart (the injured Olsen) to control the game? Stupid.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
4-0!
Mark it down and put it in the bank. Barring a collapse of epic proportions, the Ben Cup stays in Salt Lake for another year!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Ben Cup 2008 Leg 1 Preview
Well, it is already here. And in less than 3 weeks, we will have a winner. This weekend is Leg 1 of the annual Ben Cup between RSL and DCU. RSL comes in with a disappointing 0-1-1 record, while DC comes in at 1-1-0. DC is a bit of a mystery this year, looking very good in destroying Toronto (although TFC was down a man for much of the game) and looking not so good while getting smacked around by Kansas City. Last year's MLS MVP and golden boot winner Luciano Emilio has looked very awkward this year; let's hope he doesn't turn that around any time soon. I've already predicted a 2-1 RSL victory for the game and I stand by it. DCU does not play well in Salt Lake City and RSL should be hungry for a win, we don't need to lose another season by May 1st. GO RSL! Viva la Ben Cup!
The keys for RSL:
1) Everyone: "Knock, knock"
JK: "Who's there?"
Everyone: "Nathan"
JK: "Nathan who?"
Everyone (frustrated): "NATHAN @!#&! STURGIS!"
I think everyone is in agreement that Nate should get the start over Carey Talley, but even if he doesn't, JK should not be hesitant to pull the trigger and make the sub should Carey falter at all. (Or he could go with my even more crazy idea of putting Sturgis in for Joy and go with a midfield of Dema-Becks-Williams-Morales, but that's a whole different story)
2) FINISHING. Someone on RSL needs to put the ball in the back of the net. Please. I'd like to see a bunch of high crosses this game, trying to get them to the head of Kenny Deuchar. However, I will take goals any way I can...PLEASE! RSL needs to at least put some of these shots on goal, Wells has been shaky so far in '08, so let's test him and make him work!
3) NO MORE EXTRA TIME GOALS!!! I don't care if Esky's goal was meaningless and undefended, it was still deep into 2nd half injury time. That means 2 games, two 90+ minute goals. Completely unacceptable. If RSL wants to win, this needs to stop. Now.
4) Have Robbie Findley come on and score two goals again. That seemed to work last year. :D
BEN CUP LEG 1
DC United at Real Salt Lake
Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Kickoff at 7:00 PM Mountain
TV: Directkick
Radio: 700 AM (still with the wonderful Bill Riley)
PS-Be sure to check out the DCU half of the Ben Cup, The Edgell Supporters and their interview with the creator of the new Ben Cup logo, the newly dubbed "3rd Party Ben." It's worth reading just for my new favorite quote: "It would make sense, as an outside observer, to cheer on the underdog, who, remarkably, in this case would be DCU."
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Ben Cup 2008 is here!
It is that time of year once again. Ben Cup season is upon us. In 3 short days RSL will once again be halfway to glory. 2-1 RSL. I'll try and get some more in-depth stuff going soon (this is a terrible week for the Ben Cup to be coming), but I wanted to get this picture of our official 2008 logo up and running. Major thanks to DCU Ben's friend Ben on the logo. And, as always, check out our Ben Cup partners The Edgell Supporters for more Ben Cup festivities.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Ben Cup 2008
RSLFM has the 2008 RSL schedule up on her site. Looks like the Ben Cup will be decided by late April... Pretty weak. Anyway, look for all new Ben Cup graphics and the like coming soon.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Early Ben Cup Info
Sorry for the lack of content lately, it's been a combination of little news, a busy work schedule, and Donk basically saying what I was going to both here and here (about Lagerwey). However, I am working on trying to get some updated content on here (and contemplating a complete overhaul), but for now, to help get us excited for the season, some early word on the Ben Cup (courtesy of Steve Goff and his tremendous Soccer Insider blog):
"...DCU is tenatively scheduled to play its two matches with Real Salt Lake within a couple weeks of each other early in the season." -source
So it looks like we will be able to crown this year's Ben Cup champion rather early. I'm torn on whether I like this or not. On the plus side, this will give me even more time to rub DCU fans' noses in it. On the minus side, it won't generate the anticipation of last year's series where it was drawn out throughout the year. Either way, some news is better than no news, right?
Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on things you would like (or not like) to see here, let me know! Have a good one, kids!
"...DCU is tenatively scheduled to play its two matches with Real Salt Lake within a couple weeks of each other early in the season." -source
So it looks like we will be able to crown this year's Ben Cup champion rather early. I'm torn on whether I like this or not. On the plus side, this will give me even more time to rub DCU fans' noses in it. On the minus side, it won't generate the anticipation of last year's series where it was drawn out throughout the year. Either way, some news is better than no news, right?
Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on things you would like (or not like) to see here, let me know! Have a good one, kids!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
News and Notes
I want to start by apologizing for the severe lack of content recently. I have had a lot going on, including "good times" dealing with car insurance companies and so I haven't had the time or ambition to update a lot (or watch a lot of games). I'm hoping the clouds will part soon and I'll have more time for the Review once again, but until then, updates, and especially full reviews, will be very hit or miss. Sorry once again.
Having said that, I DO want to throw together a little update while I have the chance. First of all, the second annual Ben Cup has ended in an official tie. Both DCU and RSL finished the season series with a 1-1 record in games between the two. In addition, both games ended 2-1 leaving a goal differential of 0 and an away goal differential of 0. So the Cup will stay with Real for another year by default. Good job guys!...I guess...
Second, reports are saying that RSL has named former MLS goalkeeper and announcer Garth Lagerwey as their new GM. Lagerwey had been working as an attorney at a Washington DC law firm previously. I'm trying to be optimistic about this hire, as he does have MLS experience as well as law experience, but I can't get jazzed about it. RSL hires yet another guy who has ZERO experience at the job for which he is hired (although this means I can also hold out hope for a FO position at RSL, as I have no experience at running an MLS team either). I can't help but think we'd be better off with Pastorino still in there. He at least knew the rules and was good for the team PR wise. Plus, how seriously can we take a guy who is best known for his call of "Sweet creamery butter!" Hopefully, it will pan out, and it's nice that RSL FINALLY hired someone, but I'm not holding my breath.
Also, if somehow you didn't hear (and if you are looking at this site it is unlikely you didn't), RSL has traded its 2009 3rd round SuperDraft pick, its 2009 1st round Supplemental Draft pick, AND a partial player allocation (aka $) to Kansas City for 20 year old striker Yura Movsisyan and a Youth International slot. I'm kind of on the fence on this one. On one hand, you know RSL will have very good draft position in 2009 (barring Christ using his second coming to sign with them by then) so trading away those picks plus money is a risky proposition. On the other hand, you get a great YOUNG forward prospect in Movsisyan who has 5 goals in limited minutes this season (and has recently been granted asylum status in the USA, meaning he doesn't count as an international). In addition, RSL gets a youth international slot to use for a new signing in the future. On balance, I think I like this trade, but we will have to see a) what KC does with their end of the bargain and b) how Yura develops before I can say for sure. Also, does this mean the end of Esky in Salt Lake? I hope not, but reports (on the Bill Riley show) have his contract expiring at the end of the season and him having had no contact from RSL or MLS. If I'm RSL I resign this guy for next season NOW, he really bleeds his team.
Speaking of Esky, what the hell was Kreis thinking putting him all alone on top against Toronto??? If that tactic didn't work with Jeff Cunningham at the beginning of the year, it sure as hell isn't going to work with Esky!!! And then he continues to start Chris Brown over Findley (and Kyle Brown, Jamie Watson, Atiba Harris, pretty much everyone else on the bench who, in truth, is better than him). Play with 2 forwards, PLEASE! I know it's nice to have Robbie off the bench, but he's the only one on the team that scores with any regularity. GET HIM ON THE FIELD!
Finally, we come to the Toronto game. Debacle is too kind of a word. RSL played like crap from the opening whistle and to add insult to injury, the ref let this one get away from him VERY early. The result was an ugly, chippy, horrible mess that, in a strange way, was massively entertaining. The added storylines of Toronto's RSL-like scoreless streak and Cunningham's guarantee of a goal added drama to an otherwise terrible match. I was on edge the whole game waiting to see if Rimando could hold them to a shutout. No one else on the team seemed to want to, the defense was extremely poor and the midfield was non-existent. Toronto played the ball through midfield at will (even when RSL was still at full strength), even though RSL was playing with only one forward. It was pathetic. Just as I was thinking "Nicky could pull this out for us" and it was getting very exciting (around 85 min. in), the FSN feed went out and they went to 10 minutes of PSA's. I was watching the game on DVR so I frantically ran to my computer to see if Rimando had pulled out the shutout. Final score 0-0. Way to go Nick! You deserved it, even if your teammates did not. Some other thoughts:
-Espindola is a moron. Plain and simple. Stupid, stupid red card. That having been said, the retaliation by Wynne warranted a yellow.
-On that note, the refs were very uneven and let too much go early. Poor refereeing helped lead to a poorly played, too-physical game.
-Mantilla has now reached the yellow card limit and will sit tonight. 6 games, 5 starts, 5 yellows. He needs a better role model than Atiba Harris.
-Esky also needs to start thinking a bit more. Yes, he was often being abused, but he needs to know better than to draw stupid yellows like he did against TOR.
-There is no justice in the world if Nick Rimando doesn't win goalkeeper of the year (and he won't). The performance against Toronto was not just all-star caliber, it was world-class. Simply amazing. Toronto should've scored at least 4.
Man of the Match: Nick Rimando (obviously)
Assclowns of the match: Fabian Espindola, Fox Sports, Jeff Cunningham-nice prediction, and basically everyone on RSL besides Rimando, including the coaching staff-great game guys!
ps-This week's RR predictions (from my mfls.com "team"):
LA 1 - RSL 1
CHI 1 - DAL 0
CLB 2 - TOR 1
NER 2 - NYC 2
COL 1 - RSL 2
KCW 2 - CHV 3
DCU 3 - CHI 1
DAL 2 - LA 1
Having said that, I DO want to throw together a little update while I have the chance. First of all, the second annual Ben Cup has ended in an official tie. Both DCU and RSL finished the season series with a 1-1 record in games between the two. In addition, both games ended 2-1 leaving a goal differential of 0 and an away goal differential of 0. So the Cup will stay with Real for another year by default. Good job guys!...I guess...
Second, reports are saying that RSL has named former MLS goalkeeper and announcer Garth Lagerwey as their new GM. Lagerwey had been working as an attorney at a Washington DC law firm previously. I'm trying to be optimistic about this hire, as he does have MLS experience as well as law experience, but I can't get jazzed about it. RSL hires yet another guy who has ZERO experience at the job for which he is hired (although this means I can also hold out hope for a FO position at RSL, as I have no experience at running an MLS team either). I can't help but think we'd be better off with Pastorino still in there. He at least knew the rules and was good for the team PR wise. Plus, how seriously can we take a guy who is best known for his call of "Sweet creamery butter!" Hopefully, it will pan out, and it's nice that RSL FINALLY hired someone, but I'm not holding my breath.
Also, if somehow you didn't hear (and if you are looking at this site it is unlikely you didn't), RSL has traded its 2009 3rd round SuperDraft pick, its 2009 1st round Supplemental Draft pick, AND a partial player allocation (aka $) to Kansas City for 20 year old striker Yura Movsisyan and a Youth International slot. I'm kind of on the fence on this one. On one hand, you know RSL will have very good draft position in 2009 (barring Christ using his second coming to sign with them by then) so trading away those picks plus money is a risky proposition. On the other hand, you get a great YOUNG forward prospect in Movsisyan who has 5 goals in limited minutes this season (and has recently been granted asylum status in the USA, meaning he doesn't count as an international). In addition, RSL gets a youth international slot to use for a new signing in the future. On balance, I think I like this trade, but we will have to see a) what KC does with their end of the bargain and b) how Yura develops before I can say for sure. Also, does this mean the end of Esky in Salt Lake? I hope not, but reports (on the Bill Riley show) have his contract expiring at the end of the season and him having had no contact from RSL or MLS. If I'm RSL I resign this guy for next season NOW, he really bleeds his team.
Speaking of Esky, what the hell was Kreis thinking putting him all alone on top against Toronto??? If that tactic didn't work with Jeff Cunningham at the beginning of the year, it sure as hell isn't going to work with Esky!!! And then he continues to start Chris Brown over Findley (and Kyle Brown, Jamie Watson, Atiba Harris, pretty much everyone else on the bench who, in truth, is better than him). Play with 2 forwards, PLEASE! I know it's nice to have Robbie off the bench, but he's the only one on the team that scores with any regularity. GET HIM ON THE FIELD!
Finally, we come to the Toronto game. Debacle is too kind of a word. RSL played like crap from the opening whistle and to add insult to injury, the ref let this one get away from him VERY early. The result was an ugly, chippy, horrible mess that, in a strange way, was massively entertaining. The added storylines of Toronto's RSL-like scoreless streak and Cunningham's guarantee of a goal added drama to an otherwise terrible match. I was on edge the whole game waiting to see if Rimando could hold them to a shutout. No one else on the team seemed to want to, the defense was extremely poor and the midfield was non-existent. Toronto played the ball through midfield at will (even when RSL was still at full strength), even though RSL was playing with only one forward. It was pathetic. Just as I was thinking "Nicky could pull this out for us" and it was getting very exciting (around 85 min. in), the FSN feed went out and they went to 10 minutes of PSA's. I was watching the game on DVR so I frantically ran to my computer to see if Rimando had pulled out the shutout. Final score 0-0. Way to go Nick! You deserved it, even if your teammates did not. Some other thoughts:
-Espindola is a moron. Plain and simple. Stupid, stupid red card. That having been said, the retaliation by Wynne warranted a yellow.
-On that note, the refs were very uneven and let too much go early. Poor refereeing helped lead to a poorly played, too-physical game.
-Mantilla has now reached the yellow card limit and will sit tonight. 6 games, 5 starts, 5 yellows. He needs a better role model than Atiba Harris.
-Esky also needs to start thinking a bit more. Yes, he was often being abused, but he needs to know better than to draw stupid yellows like he did against TOR.
-There is no justice in the world if Nick Rimando doesn't win goalkeeper of the year (and he won't). The performance against Toronto was not just all-star caliber, it was world-class. Simply amazing. Toronto should've scored at least 4.
Man of the Match: Nick Rimando (obviously)
Assclowns of the match: Fabian Espindola, Fox Sports, Jeff Cunningham-nice prediction, and basically everyone on RSL besides Rimando, including the coaching staff-great game guys!
ps-This week's RR predictions (from my mfls.com "team"):
LA 1 - RSL 1
CHI 1 - DAL 0
CLB 2 - TOR 1
NER 2 - NYC 2
COL 1 - RSL 2
KCW 2 - CHV 3
DCU 3 - CHI 1
DAL 2 - LA 1
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