It's nice when a loss doesn't really sting, isn't it? I mean, a loss is a loss, but a pre-season loss is certainly not a season loss, and the feeling behind it is a bit different, and that's really kind of nice in its own sort of way. We've had plenty of stinging losses, but this wasn't one of them.
At any rate, that's all been discussed before and is nothing really new. We've got a couple days until the next match — a Leap Day excursion against New England — and then a "championship" match against some other team from the four-team tournament (what's that, you say? We might end up in the third place match-up? Hogwash!) who, if I'm to be honest, will probably end up being Los Angeles, knowing our luck. If that does happen in such a way, we'll face the Galaxy three times in relatively quick succession, what with our season opener at their place. Calm, I hardly knew thee.
WIth the season roaring into focus and our squad slowly but surely coming along with it, we can start to get genuinely excited. Which, I have to say, is a bit silly of me to say, because I've been excited for the season from an hour or so after the final whistle against the Galaxy late last year (Sigh.) and I'm certain I'd not be wrong if I described all of you as also being genuinely excited for some time now.
When it comes down to brass tacks (a phrase I must surely look up before I use it again), we're motoring away on our fitness and sharpness. Barring any additional injuries, I think a first-kick lineup is coming into sharper focus. I'll go through that and discuss it briefly, but then you may go. (Which isn't to say that I think I'm a school teacher, but I always wanted to say something like that and sound like one, so there you go.)
Goalkeeper: Nick Rimando. Are you surprised?
Right Back: Tony Beltran. He's looking fit and raring to go, which is especially nice after reports that he was suffering from injury a bit in pre-season.
Left Back: Chris Wingert. It's strange, but if you take exactly what I've said above about Tony and transplant that here, you don't lose any accuracy. Funny.
Central Defenders: Jamison Olave and Chris Schuler. They make a fine pair, don't they? A one-year-older-and-wiser Schuler will be a force to be reckoned with, and a fully fit Olave is terrifying to attackers.
Defensive Midfielder: Kyle Beckerman. O Captain! My Captain! indeed!
Box-to-Box Midfielders: (Left) ??? (Right) Ned Grabavoy. Ned's a lock for this spot, but if we've learned anything from the first two Desert Diamond Cup matches, we don't yet know who'll partner him. It could be Yordany Alvarez, it could be Jonny Steele (perhaps fitness is yet to come, though — I've no clue) — it could be anybody, couldn't it?
Attacking Midfielder: Luis Gil. Luis Gil's growing up (and he's on Twitter now! @luisitogil21) and that he could well be eligible for a start at the beginning of the season — though we'd clearly love to have Javi start — speaks volumes about the progress he's made as a footballer.
Forwards: Fabian Espindola and Paulo Jr. This is not our preferred forward line, but it's one that's quite fast and tricky. Against a side that doesn't sit back (or, indeed, may not be capable of sitting back effectively,) speedy forwards could well rule the day. Kreis's preferred DDC forward pair, I think, has been this one — or at least it's been one he's wanted to test the effectiveness of. That solitary goal against New York crafted out by the two (and Chris Wingert) is an excellent datapoint but not much else.
'Til tomorrow.
Comments