With but a few scant hours remaining until our match against Sporting KC kicks off, I thought it might be prudent to briefly preview this potentially scintillating affair by rambling a bit about it. I know, my reasoning might be off a bit there, but what’s new?
Right, so Sporting Kansas City are sitting on 40 points with 28 games played compared to our 45 in 26 (and by the end of the night, 48 in 27.) If we’re to consider the points-per-game measure (which seems a little bit lousy as a way to measure the relative difficulty of a team’s schedule and ignores short-term form completely) we’re well ahead, but that won’t particularly change anything that comes our way.
We do know that Sporting have scored a respectable 43 goals this season, only three fewer than league leaders Seattle in the same timespan. We can take some small bit of delight from the fact that they’ve conceded 36 goals (to our tied-for-league-leading 22 goals let in) and we can take a huge boost from the fact that Kansas City just hasn’t played on the road recently. In fact, they haven’t played away from home since July 15, when they netted a point in a 1-1 draw against Houston. Their away record sees them with but three wins, and they’re coming up against a red-hot Claret and Cobalt side, so there’s much to be hopeful about tonight.
Oh, form, that deceptive beast! It makes the poor look rich and the rich look poor, and despite our poor season, our form has landed us in contention for the Supporters’ Shield. If we’re to make good on the potential we all saw, we’re going to have buckle down, score some goals, and defend like mad men.
I’ll leave you to it, then. If you’re making it out to the Rio Tinto, let’s make it as loud as it’s ever been. It seems it could already be a sell-out crowd in attendance, so I hope we see everyone standing and noisy as they’ve ever been. It’s time to win the league.
Oh, and before I get, my revised (maybe) lineup prediction. The bench is awfully tentative, but I remembered to put Andy Williams in this time, so you can rest a little easier.
Rimando
Russell - Borchers - Olave - Wagner
Beckerman - Johnson - Grabavoy - Gil
Espindola - Saborio
Subs: Melia, Schuler, McKenzie, Williams, A. Alvarez, Warner, Paulo Jr.
Come on you Claret and Cobalt!
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