After nearly two weeks of waiting, we can continue our search for the title tomorrow when the San Jose Earthquakes will find themselves in the middle of a rip-roaring crowd at the Rio Tinto. They’ll be out for blood (not literally, I hope) but so will we — they’ll be aiming for a lucrative playoff spot, while we’ll be looking to hit the top of the table.
We will, of course, have to worry about this Wondolowski fellow. He seems in good form, putting two past the bottom-of-the-table Vancouver side we should have beaten handily. It remains the case, however, that we have something Vancouver doesn’t: The best damn defense in Major League Soccer.
Sure, we may have five games in hand on LA Galaxy, but we’ve conceded 0.02 fewer goals on average per game than they have, and that has to count for something, right? Honestly, I was hoping that number would be a little larger for the purpose of illustration, but I do believe the point stands that we have something nobody in the league has: Borlave. The great, domineering Borlave, scoring goals and stopping goals, the great swashbuckling defensive duo.
And there you find the sad result of one action taken by a certain Robbie Russell earlier this season. Where once he had a magnificent beard, there is none. The swashbuckling would have carried over to at least one fullback then — but wait, what’s that you say? Aha! Tony Beltran, it seems, is growing out a nice little Van Dyke goatee — three swashbucklers, maybe four, at the back, then. And I could see Chris Wingert as a pirating sort, perhaps in the vein of that lovable Guybrush Threepwood of the Monkey Island adventure games. You know — lovable and mostly harmless, but a solid defender nonetheless. And, of course, who couldn't see Nick Rimando out at sea, fighting for honor and fair maidens?
At any rate, I’ve destroyed my metaphor — that should come as no real surprise to regular readers — but the point stands. We’ve got a strong defense who can really put strikers to the sword (and you thought I was done with it!), and if anybody is to hold Chris Wondolowski scoreless, it’s us.
So, a predicted lineup, but do keep in mind that this will certainly differ. It’ll have been two weeks since they saw action, so most will be returning to full fitness. Three exceptions come to mind, one of them the obvious Javier Morales (wishing you a speedy return, good sir!), the other two being Paulo Jr. and Cody Arnoux, both of whom are still a bit on the mend. It’s been said that they’ll play a reserves match, perhaps in Toronto, before making a first-team return, and if that’s what it takes, I’m more than happy to wait. Arnoux is promising and Paulo Jr. can really help out a team at this level, so it will be nice to have the two of them playing.
The Prediction:
Rimando
Beltran - Borlave - Wingert
Johnson - Beckerman - Grabavoy
Alvarez
Espindola - Saborio
You will notice that I’ve drawn this up a bit differently, with Arturo Alvarez as a lone man behind the forward line and in front of a midfield triumvirate. This, I think, is a slightly more accurate illustration of our system, and while my illustration of it through line breaks is hardly elucidating, well, it’s something.
So, until tomorrow, when I’ll address some more specific match points in a more codified match preview style, but today, you’ll have to get by on some inane rambling. I’m sure you’re used to that by now.
Come on you Claret and Cobalt!
Some other notes:
- I’m just tickled that people — not just RSL fans — are still upset about the friendly situation. There’s no clearer way of reaffirming to those metaphorical men upstairs that we’re interested in trophies, not friendlies, than to continue the crusade against them. If there were to be any chant that traveled the Rio Tinto tomorrow, a hearty “Trophies Not Friendlies” would be brilliant. That would take some brilliant organization, though, and we’re not quite there in our development. (More on that in the future.)
- Bruce Arena’s a terrible, ugly git who cares more about making sure friendlies are competitive than making sure the league is competitive. His side, currently top in the league, is in a precarious position with us stalking. If we win our games in hand, perhaps Bruce Arena will stop complaining about these “World Football Challenge” friendlies being too hard, and maybe he’ll just stop demanding that they change the format to allow only three substitutions. Because, you know, that’s a sure-fire way to keep these friendlies going — tell the English sides they have to be competitive. Not. (http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2011/07/arena-mls-teams-needs-not-addressed-at-all-in-friendlies-.html)
- And finally, I do hope the pitch is in good condition after those damn 80s bands invaded last night. That remains, I suppose, to be seen. We’ve seen it bad after such conditions before, but I do think the stadium crew cares about the pitch. Perhaps rock concerts are our version of friendlies — or something. You know what would be a real spectacle? A band performing behind south goal, with the supporters section standing at the front. Let’s have Rush do that. That should get the players pumped, right?
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