Real Salt Lake vs. Chivas USA update
Official Game Guide
Well here is the official Game Guide, but I have a lot of doubts about the information provided by both teams. Last weekend Real Salt Lake made one change from the released information, and Chivas made 3 changes from the released information. The lineup for Chivas actually is the lineup they used last weekend, as is the lineup for RSL. I expect that Chivas may be forced to actually go with the same line up due to injuries, and I expect that Jason will shake things up and I have a strange feeling that Clint may be on the bench at the start and despite not being “90 minutes” fit we may see Fabian Espindola in the starting lineup to simply overwhelm the Chivas defense from the first whistle.
One quote from the guide that struck me is “Andy Williams said to The Salt Lake Tribune.”I have a feeling everyone feels if we come out and play the way we did last week, that will be more beneficial to us instead of going for that tie.” … Now six games without a loss, RSL has the second-longest active unbeaten run among playoff teams. Their last loss? Sept. 20, at home vs. Chivas.”
Some Predictions from around the web
MLS Postseason Predictions Second Leg Edition bleacherreport.com
RSL and CHV met in a thriller in that beautiful new stadium in Utah. Real Salt Lake pulled out an unbelievable 1-0 win on a late Movsisyan goal. I commend Preki on his job this year, but RSL is a team of fate it appears, and I expect them to escape to the next round on aggregate, 1-1.
First round playoff predictions mlsfanblog.com
Real Salt Lake is the only team to have a goal advantage going into the final leg of this first round. I think the one goal will be enough to get Real Salt Lake through to the Western Conference final their first year in the playoffs. Chivas will have another disappointing first round exit. No score - RSL wins 1-0 on aggregate.
Playoff Preview: Chivas USA v. Real Salt Lake goal.com
He’s So Hot Right Now: Yura Movsisyan. The striker led Real with seven goals on the season. His biggest two have come in the past two weeks as he scored in the 90th minute to give RSL a tie with Colorado, putting the side into the playoffs, and then repeated the last-minute feat against Chivas last week. With Movsisyan on the field, you can’t count Real out until the final whistle is blown.
Prediction: Chivas USA 1, Real Salt Lake 1
Real Salt Lake advances 2-1 on aggregate
SBI MLS Playoff Predictions soccerbyives.net
CHIVAS USA vs. REAL SALT LAKE
(IVES)- Real Salt Lake has an improving attack and good defense, but RSL doesn’t have Chivas USA’s experience. Look for Ante Razov and Alecko Eskandarian to have big series’ in a Goats series win.
(DYLAN)- This is a tough one for me. I think it will come down to playoff experience and Chivas has that, but this will probably be the most entertaining series of all. Of course, I won’t be surprised if Salt Lake wins.
MLS: West favorites aim to avoid upsets m-l-soccer.blogspot.com
Playoffs in Major League Soccer tend to spill out more unpredictably than perhaps any other U.S. professional sports league. Every year since 2003, at least one of the two top seeds has fallen right away.
Hey Bruce, back the hell away from my team
Four players the Galaxy should be chasing latimesblogs.latimes.com
If Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena shows up at the Home Depot Center on Saturday night to watch Chivas USA in its must-win playoff game against Real Salt Lake, he might want to take along his notebook. Or his checkbook. Real Salt Lake has exactly what the woeful Galaxy lacked in 2008 — a spine.
If Arena could persuade these four players to trade Utah for California, it would give the Galaxy strength from back to front and make it a vastly improved team next season:
Goalkeeper: Chris Seitz, 21
Central defender: Jamison Olave, 27
Midfielder: Kyle Beckerman, 26
Forward: Yura Movsisyan, 21
There is probably no higher compliment that could be paid to RSL head coach Jason Kreis and GM Garth Lagerwey than to try to imitate what they have built. The simple reality is that you all need to read the article and you will see that a writer from LA can see and understand the great job that has been done building this current RSL roster. I do not expect that any of these players will be made available in the offseason, so despite the writers advice for Bruce, my advice is build your own team.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
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