Real Salt Lake vs. Columbus Crew (live blog)
Well this will be a great test tonight for RSL, but also for me as I am using both my new netbook and MS Word 2010 for tonight’s live blog, so I am hoping no technical issues will pop up.
The first thing I have noticed is that budgets appeared to have been cut as the pregame show is being shot here in Utah and it looks like similar to many matches on FSC, this one will be called live via monitors vs. live at the event.
There were a lot of questions about the starting lineups for both teams as injuries and national team call ups have left both sides shorthanded for the match. Here is the lineup for RSL:
Rimando-Beltran-Borchers-Olave-Wingert-Russell-Grabavoy-Morales-Mathis-Movsisyan-Findley
For Columbus it looks like: Hesmer-Hejduk-O’Rourke-Iro-Brunner-Padula-Oughton-Carroll-Gaven-Garey-Lenhart
0-10 Minutes
It looks like a lot of the prematch rumors were right as Columbus is really shorthanded with 75% of their goals out of the starting lineup and we are playing footy in Ohio. Well at the start the stadium looks to be about half full, but it could be a late arriving crowd, as RSL is used to. RSL’s first possession sees a couple passes connect but a long ball goes back to the Crew but they turn it right back over to RSL and the first foul of the night give RSL a free kick and they are trying to build something in the Columbus half of the pitch. A shot is deflected out and RSL gets a corner kick at the two minute mark, Morales takes it but it is cleared out by Columbus but RSL keeps possession and eventually out for a goal kick.
The ball goes out and RSL get it back and look to start moving forward with the ball by making Columbus chase the ball and RSL get a throw in deep in the Crew end of the pitch but turn it over and eventually it ends up with a bizarre play out for a RSL corner kick. This one is cleared out again and this time it goes back over to Columbus, but early on RSL is looking the more aggressive of the two sides.
Well Lenhart now knows that Olave is faster and stronger than he is, Findley gets a break but the keeper and defenders catch up with him and stop what could have been a real chance to score early. A nice ball by Morales but with Yura on the far post there were too many bodies to get around, but RSL is keeping possession in the Columbus half of the pitch and that could be a good sign for RSL. Mathis takes a shot but it goes high over the goal, and the camera shot shows the cheerleaders and I am reminded on how bad of an idea that is for MLS and soccer in general.
10-20 minutes
Beltran moving up in support and Russell fires a shot that is just a bit wide, but it is nice to see Tony getting forward and helping to create chances. A ball played through but too far for Yura’s run and it goes out for a Crew goal kick. Nick is wearing his lucky blue jersey tonight and so far he hasn’t had to do much so far tonight, just the way we like it. Hesmer on the other hand has been busy during the first 15 minutes of action.
Columbus have their first real chance off a turnover in the midfield but RSL break it up but can’t keep possession and eventually it is back out to midfield but the Crew still have the ball. A nice ball into the area by Columbus broken up by Borchers and then a shot that Nick pushes over the bar as the Crew get their first corner of the night. Padula takes it but it is cleared past midfield by RSL but Columbus keep possession and fire a shot that goes right to Rimando and RSL counters but the Grabavoy shot lacks pace and goes to Hesmer but Findley had a nice chance to really open up the Crew defense and you only have to wonder if they are having flashbacks of his hat trick at Rio Tinto.
The Crew fire a shot from distance but it isn’t much and Rimando cleans it up easily and RSL slow down the pace and look to move forward yet again but they turn it over and then Columbus give it back and RSL is looking for space as Columbus has really started playing a much higher line.
20-30
Yura goes down in the box and it is clear that he was tripped up by Padula, so a missed called robs RSL of a scoring chance. Well as is usual RSL just never seems to get the calls at home or on the road, and tonight appears to be no exception. RSL is still doing a nice job of trying to control the match but Columbus is playing better than they did in the first 15 minutes. A horrible turnover, a missed clearance and RSL is now down 1-0. A bad clearance by Olave ends up right at the feet of Lenhart who puts it past Rimando who likely never saw the ball.
Now that bad call is all that much more important for RSL, it will be interesting to see how they rebound from this? There will be no time to pout about it as there is still plenty of time left to get back into this one. It sure looks like Columbus got a burst of energy from the goal, and they are really playing much more aggressively right now. So far in this match the RSL midfield looks to be off their game just a little bit, passes are a bit off and everyone again seems to be playing out of position and not being nearly as quick and sharp as they did last weekend. A RSL free kick from 35 yards out goes in the box but it is cleared out but RSL keep possession of it, until a foul is called on Javi.
30-40
Lenhart fires a weak effort that rolls right to Rimando and RSL is back on the attack, until they turn it over in the midfield. Rimando comes out for a ball but doesn’t get their as a result of contact from the Crew player but RSL simply didn’t defend but the play likely should have been whistled for the contact by Lenhart on Rimando, but as I said earlier it isn’t like we get calls. What the hell a water break again, nope Nick has a bloody nose from the contact that didn’t get called.
Well two mistakes have put us in a deep hole and now we will need something special to get back into this one, and now a foul and a yellow card is given to Grabavoy on light contact. Well what can we expect, typical MLS officials, I just wish we could get calls at home since it is clear that we aren’t getting anything on the road.
Wow Russell fires a rocket from distance but it goes just wide again, but he had a wide open Mathis in a better position, but you can’t blame him for taking the shot which was wide open. Columbus is now much more deliberate, and Olave makes a great recovery to stop a Columbus attack as they found Lenhart behind our backline. RSL tries the same thing but the ball is too long for a charging Yura, and Grabavoy is down at midfield on a tackle by Carroll, which Abbey had a clear shot of but didn’t even call the foul.
40-halftime
Wow a very, very late offside call, nope a call on Brunner fouling Yura but the free kick goes out for a goal kick as nobody can get to it for RSL. A nice ball from Morales to Mathis but the shot is covered up by Hesmer, and RSL get it right back and are looking to do something before the half ends. RSL has put 3-4 balls into the box but each time it is cleared out and RSL has kept possession until a foul is called and the ball is given back to Columbus. It must be a bit of a change for RSL staff and players going from the high 90’s to the low 60’s as the players on the bench and staff have broken out jackets. Really jackets in the middle of July, come on guys.
Two minutes of stoppage time is indicated as RSL try to build something out of the back, but it goes out for a Crew throw in and a yellow card for Beltran for the foul, but from an official who was half the pitch away. The free kick goes in and out but the Crew keep the ball a long distance shot from Yura goes wide as the whistle blows, just like the RSL defense has done so far tonight.
OK, going to say that I really don’t care for the new version of match tracker, can’t see the stats and the stupid animations are annoying. I have to say this, the match is available on KUTV 2.2 which is Comcast ch. 111, it is also available on direct kick. I have no idea if this is the first match where KUTV have had the announce team stay in Utah or not but it has been clear by the technical issues and miscues that it impacts the quality of the broadcast.
45-55
So I am going to suggest that the lack of possession in the midfield and defensive lapse have put us in a deep hole, could changing to a 3-4-3 be in the future? What can it hurt you need to score at least two to get any type of result so why not try to push the match higher and be a much more aggressive side. I would move Beltran up to the midfield and let Grabavoy play a more attacking role, it will be interesting to see what moves Jason and staff will make.
Columbus has a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal, and for RSL to be effective they need to take more quality shots. It isn’t like they didn’t have chances, but so far they just haven’t been able to finish them off.
Time for the second half to start, Well RSL makes a change and bring in Campos for Beltran and within a minute he has a shot that goes just a few inches wide, so this could be a sign of a much more aggressive attack by RSL. Still in the 4-3-3 but with a more offensive mindset for RSL, as Gavin tries to get around Olave but that is unlikely to happen as it goes out for a RSL goal kick.
Robbie Findley’s first touch lets him down as he turns the ball over but it neither side is able to do much as they play give away, take away in the midfield. Well we know Will Johnson will be back for the match on the 24th as Canada goes down 1-0 to Honduras in Gold Cup play. Wow a nice save by Hesmer to keep the ball out of the net as it was a high ball that Will caught while moving back into his own goal. RSL counters and Yura loses the ball and a great 3-3 chance is shut down and eventually it ends up back at Rimando who resets the formation and RSL try to move forward in attack again.
I am not sure why we are trying to play long balls which give a perfect counter to Columbus and it is now 3-0 as a lack of communication leaves Garey wide open and he puts it past Rimando who had no chance, well folks this one is getting ugly as Columbus is getting their revenge for the 4-1 loss in April.
55-65
Well this match will now be a test of character for RSL, as they have a choice to fight and try to get back into this match or they can tuck their tail between their legs and just try to survive. Well Robbie F. just made a nice run to try to get to a ball that was past him, but it goes out for a Crew goal kick, but you have to admire the fight he showed but Columbus is countering but broken up by Olave but the cross field switch gives it back to Columbus.
So the question is who will step up for RSL? Columbus has had several guys step up tonight in Lenhart and Garey but for RSL it looks like many of us underestimated the value of Beckerman and Johnson in the midfield because in two MLS matches without them, we have looked very, very weak. Olave shoulders Lenhart off the ball and RSL dodged a possible PK call there, but perhaps with a 3 goal deficit we might just get a call or two going out way now. Findley will be leaving the match as Raphael Cox is coming in, so I wonder if Mathis will move back up to the top or will Cox play in a more attacking position.
Mathis fires a shot that makes Hesmer dive to save it, not sure if that was out of frustration or if he really thought he had a chance to make it from long range? Columbus get a free kick from about 5 yards outside and off to the side of the box. Wow a battle in the box as Russell is too much for Lenhart, and the RSL counter sees a Yura shot go just wide and out for a goal kick for the Crew. You can see a number of RSL players getting frustrated, I would rather see them get made and play better as they have had chances but simply failed to take advantage of them, while Columbus have really done a great job taking advantage of the chances they have been given as well as making their own.
65-75
Russell gets a yellow card and will be out for the match on the 24th due to yellow card accumulation, so while we will get Fabi and Will back we will once again be playing with a short bench. Another free kick for Columbus from about 10 yards out and Rimando is there to make the save as Lenhart put a great ball right at Nick who was there and now RSL are again countering. A good ball played in by Cox but cleared out for a RSL corner kick, so far we haven’t created much on those tonight and this one is the same but we keep possession and Hesmer makes a fingertip save on a Mathis shot and he puts it back in play but it goes all the way to Rimando and RSL regroup but a ball loss in the final third by Yura gives the ball back to Columbus.
RSL is showing some heart and trying but Columbus really is keeping a number of guys behind the ball making offensive chances tough for RSL but they are doing a better job of possession and trying to create chances. A wide open Yura hits a shot but it goes off the bar, he was one on one with Hesmer who did a nice job of cutting down the options for Yura but the frustration of the night is clear on the face of Yura at this point of the match.
Campos tries to chip one over Hesmer but it was just a bit tall but it goes back over to RSL who again build their attack from the back, but with just 15 minutes and stoppage time you have to wonder if RSL is going to be able to get on the scoreboard tonight?
75-85
So RSL is really controlling the ball at this point but Columbus is doing a good job of playing behind the ball and keeping the scoring chances of RSL at a minimum, and RSL get one back as Raphael Cox opens his MLS scoring account by being in the right place at the right time and a deflected ball ends up at his feet and he makes Columbus pay by putting it past Hesmer. So we are now 3-1 and RSL is looking for more but the Russell cross goes too far and out for a Crew throw in.
And now we see the stalling tactics begin, as Lenhart goes down but is taking a lot of time to get back up and the ball goes right back to RSL as Lenhart is down again. Didn’t we see a bunch of this a couple weeks ago? At least the Crew have the decency to pull Lenhart and they bring in Burns for him, but everyone in yellow is moving as slowly as they can when the ball is dead. Wow a shot by Ned Grabavoy is deflected out for another RSL corner kick, but of course another guy in yellow is down and slowing the match. Javi’s corner is over everyone and eventually RSL get it back and start moving forward again. Yura played a great ball across the box but it couldn’t find a RSL player as only Campos was in the area but there were too many yellow shirts between them.
RSL again on the attack as RSL is showing some heart but can they find a way to get another goal and make this one exciting in the final minutes? We have seen that RSL can score goals in the final 15 minutes of matches, but with Columbus looking for their 17th straight home match without a defeat it will not be easy. Columbus attack and Olave may have gotten away with one in the box, but RSL is now again building their attack.
85-final
Cox is looking dangerous but just didn’t have the size to match up with the Crew defenders and another change for the Crew as Zayner comes in for Garey, who scored two tonight. So with just 5 minutes and stoppage time left, RSL has a huge hill to climb as they need two in order to get a point out of this match. Getting at least one will at least show some heart but with almost every Crew member playing behind the ball it will be hard to get many looks at goal for RSL. A nice play by Yura but a oncharging Borchers can’t get to it and the ball back to Yura ends up cleared, but RSL are setting up again as everyone is getting forward for RSL but another bad call gives the ball back to Columbus as the clock nears 90:00 and still no indication of the stoppage time yet, but it should be at least 4 minutes.
But only one minute is indicated as again RSL is getting jobbed but when you are down 2 goals, what can you do. Sad that someone could watch this and not think there were more than one minute of stoppage, with 4 subs and Lenhart laying down for over a minute himself, but honestly what does it matter because RSL simply didn’t take advantage and this one will end 3-1 and RSL have lost a golden chance on the road to get points. And in typical MLS fashion the indication of 1 minute was wrong but nobody seems to know how much time really is left but we are at 93:00 and play is still going on. Wow Javi made a good move but couldn’t get his shot off, but RSL is keeping the pressure on as the whistle blows at 94:00 and this one is over.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
This entry was posted on July 18, 2009 at 8:06 pm and is filed under The soapbox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.