RSL 1 – Seattle 0 (match review)
August 11, 2009 by f4denz.
Well it is Monday night and I have a little time so I am going to watch the RSL match from this weekend and do my match review at the same time. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by the lack of creativity in the lineup and I wonder how long will we stick with a lineup that is not putting together solid 90 minutes effort and have to rely on 2nd half heroics to get results at home and mistakes and breakdowns on the road?
0-10 Minutes
Starting lineup for RSL is Rimando-Beltran-Borchers-Olave-Wingert-Johnson-Beckerman-Morales-Mathis-Findley-Espindola, which without Yura who is out due to injury is the standard RSL lineup for most of the season. Well not sure if it was the typical August attendance drop off, people wore out from the All Star week, or broke from buying or trying to buy US vs. El Salvador tickets, but it was a small crowd of about 14,000.
Well Ljunberg was in the starting lineup despite the game guide, and the first minute is typical frantic with limited possession. Well early Fabi tries to dummy to someone but nobody is there but at least he then attacks and tries to get the ball back, which eventually a poor pass is made by Seattle and RSL get possession and earn a corner kick. That means Javi, and the short corner is broken up and SSFC counter as Montero makes a good run but Beckerman catches up to the play and helps Beltran break up the play. Freddie takes the free kick and out for a throw in as Seattle moves everyone up and RSL is lucky as somehow Montero ends up unmarked in the box.
Seattle has a couple chances but so far the RSL defense has been up to the task and a great ball by Mathis to a charging Findley but it is broken up by Marshall. RSL is trying to use possession but Seattle is not chasing but rather keeping their formation, a decent ball by Wingert for Fabi but it is a bit long and goes to Keller.
10-20
Neither side has looked really sharp but Seattle has been doing a nice job of using their possession guys to control the match but unable to do much when they get on the RSL side of the pitch. I really like the energy that both Fabi and Robbie are showing early, so far it is a lot of chasing but at least it is causing Seattle to pay attention to them. A ball just a bit long for Kyle who is getting more forward than he has in recent weeks, that could be a good thing. Clint is fighting for every ball near him in the midfield and Seattle does a nice job of attacking 50-50 balls as well, not pretty but solid so far. Beltran has a great run and a super ball played across the area but Robbie Findley just can’t get to it, just 5-6 inches away from poking it past Keller who was out of position.
A good run by Fabi who doesn’t give up on the ball but eventually it goes out for a Seattle goal kick, I love the signs behind Keller “no means no” and ” I heart Cox” very nice work at Arts and Crafts night. Beltran is really playing high and at times it almost looks like a 3-4-3 at times. Bad pass by Johnson and Seattle counters but Wingert clears it for a Seattle corner kick, and Ljunberg plays a good ball but it is cleared to midfield but controlled by the Sounders.
20-30
Fabi comes from behind and steals the ball right off Ljungberg’s foot, impressive effort. A nice ball to Findley who gets it to Fabi who dances around and gets it to Kyle who fires a shot that is just inches wide but a good effort, Alonso kicks Morales from behind but only a foul is called and no card. Fabi makes a run but a handball is called and he isn’t arguing the call, despite the fans being upset. Beltran is doing a decent job of covering Montero so far in this match. Javi called for a foul and RSL quickly gets the ball back but they turn it over for a Seattle throw in, RSL is looking better as they really are stepping up the way they attack the ball, still some bad passes and we need to stop trying to dummy when there is a lot of other players around.
Another long pass by Johnson but Tony gets it back and Hurtado is too strong for Tony and the ball goes out for a goal kick. Johnson does a nice job of forcing a bad pass by Seattle and RSL are trying to figure how to get it out of their midfield, and a bad ball by Wingert but he quickly gets it back and resets by going back to Rimando to restart the attack. It is a struggle for RSL to get out of their own half, when they get into the Seattle half too often the ball is turned over. Espindola tries to cross the ball but it bounces around and Kyle is drug down just outside of the box but Stott looks the other way.
30-40
I am a bit disappointed with the free kicks and corner kicks so far by Ljungberg, I expected a bit more from him after watching him play in other matches including the All Star match. Some dangerous back passes by RSL, they need to be careful it doesn’t bite us. Wow, the south stands look very empty as I wonder where the Loyalists are, even the RCB looks very thin. Wow Javi gets taken down right in front of Kevin and no call again, a shot by Alonso from distance but Rimando handles it without problem. A good long ball to Findley but his first touch is rough and he has to regather the ball and when he does Seattle has reformed their defense and they get the ball back yet again.
RSL get a free kick and take it quickly and for some reason the whistle blows and they are forced to retake the kick, shame the first one was a great ball to Fabi who had got behind the Seattle defense, but strange calls in this match won’t surprise me. A good ball to Espindola but again we try to dummy and Javi lets a good ball go by him but Robbie can’t get to it and a bad turnover but it ends up with another RSL corner kick, but Robbie heads it wide and out for a goal kick. Seattle organizes an attack but as they get by Wingert and Johnson it is Borchers to the rescue to break up the attack.
40-halftime
A nice ball by Nick as he tries to find a streaking Findley but it is just a bit off and both teams are battling in the middle third a lot and each of them get little attacks but nothing too dangerous from either side as we still sit at 0-0 with about 4 minutes left in the half. Finally a call for RSL as Findley tries to go between a couple guys and he is taken down by Marshall, Javi lines up for the kick from about 20 yards outside the box, and it ends up at the feet of Clint who pokes it just over the goal and another goal kick for Keller as the fans are giving him an earful whenever he touches the ball.
Long ball to Robbie who crosses the ball but nobody is there and Seattle gets the ball back, funny they really think little Tony took down Jaqua who is a foot taller and 80 pounds heavier, bad call but only one of many. Another corner kick for Seattle, and this time the effort by Ljungberg is again not very good and doesn’t get over the first defender and out for another corner and now Freddie gets a decent effort but it goes out off of Fredy as the whistle blows and we are tied at 0-0.
45-55
Well a fairly mediocre first half as neither team was impressive but Seattle did have more possession and have taken more shots 4-3 and have the only shot on goal in the first half. RSL did lead in one category, fouls where they have a 11-7 edge and RSL has the only yellow card in the match as Mathis is carded for a hard foul. One nice thing at halftime as Lindsey wins the free Lasik surgery from Hoopes vision, I picked a winner.
Well neither team made a switch at the half, some nice work from Will to break up a Seattle attack and RSL get the ball back but turn it right over and Ljungbert is making some nice moves but can’t get past the defenders and they end up moving backwards and RSL get the ball and counter and Robbie is one on one with Keller but can’t get it past him, but Fabi was open and a pass to him would have caught Keller out of position.
Another RSL attack off a good RSL effort in midfield stealing a ball but nothing comes of it and the Sounders counter, Zakuani gets past Wingert but Olave intercepts the pass. Wow a horrible offside call as a rushing Espindola is flagged and a breakaway is broken up and then RSL gets the ball back only to get no foul as Johnson is taken down at the midfield and eventually another corner for Seattle. This one is better but Nick punches it out but Seattle keeps possession in the RSL half of the pitch. Eventually RSL gets it, nice pass from Will to Fabi who passes it to Beltran but it ends up going out and Seattle get the ball back yet again.
Freddie gets his feet tangled with Olave and goes down but no call since they just ran into each other and RSL counter but Mathis can’t get his cross into the box and Seattle is countering themselves and wow RSL dodges a bullet as Montero gets the ball behind him but he gets into position but Montero’s ball goes wide and RSL get the ball back again only to have another offside call. RSL is really trying to go long ball on almost every possession now and I think they have to mix it up more.
55-65
Espindola gets fouled but no call, and then he gets elbowed in the face and the foul gets called on Fabi for a jersey pull. RSL gets the ball back in their own end and tries to create something and Clint’s crossing ball goes out for a corner. The fans are making noise but the ball is cleared out but RSL keeps possession. Nice move by Javi and a good pass to Kyle who shoots and it is blocked out by Evans and Seattle is back on the attack but it goes to Nick and back over to RSL. Bad pass by Mathis and Seattle counters but it is broken up by Beltran and another bad offside call, it was close but since Fabi didn’t play the ball it should have been play on.
Mathis with it at the edge of the area but his pass to Kyle is just off and Seattle are back on the attack, but good pressure by RSL as everyone is attacking the ball quickly but it ends up in another corner for Seattle. Ljungberg takes his 7th of the night which clears everyone but Seattle still have the ball and it goes out for a goal kick taken quickly by Nick for an onrushing Findley who gets away from his man and puts it past Keller for the RSL 1-0 lead. Impressive effort by both of them and that is Robbie’s 8th and he is now the all-time leading scorer in RSL history and the first assist of the year for Rimando.
That was a thing of beauty, now what will happen? Well Clint gets mugged at midfield and called for a foul, and Seattle is back on the attack but Will intercepts a pass but the attack quickly is broken up and back over to Seattle and a hard foul by Beckerman on Ljungberg as the teammates from last week are now fighting each and every time they get the ball. RSL is doing a better job of trying to keep the ball now that they have the lead, they need to build like this all the time.
65-75
A nice try by Borchers to go over the backline of Seattle but Evans was there to break it up, and the first change of the night as Mathis is out and Rachid El Khalfi is in with 23 minutes left to go. His first touch is a good pass to Fabi who gets fouled hard, RSL is back on the attack but nobody moves forward and Seattle makes a change as Levesque comes in for Jaqua.
I am noticing that Will is doing a much better job of attacking the ball in this half and Ljungberg just got a close up introduction to Mr. Olave and he couldn’t move him as the ball goes out for a goal kick. Seattle gets it back and it goes out for another corner for the Sounders and last week they cheered for Freddie but this week it is all boos for him and this effort is weak again.
A rough fight as Fabi battles Marshall deep in the Seattle end but Tyrone is too much for Espindola, I do like the way RSL is doing a better job of passing and also attacking the balls in the midfield. A great play by Johnson stops an attack and RSL counters but the pass from Fabi to Robbie is a bit off and it bounces around but no shot, several guys should have shot it. Eventually Will fires a shot from distance but RSL have to be careful as the Sounder counter is working well to get deep in the RSL final third. Ljungberg is getting mad as he can’t get by Beltran and he is getting frustrated. Long ball to Espindola who is taken down but no call and then he gets up and gets elbowed and finally a call and a card for Seattle as RSL will have a free kick from a dangerous position.
75-85
A good effort put Keller is there to punch the ball out, but RSL keeps possession deep in the Seattle end of the pitch and a blocked cross earns a RSL corner kick. Javi urges the fans to make some noise as he takes the kick and Olave heads it down but it bounces back up and over the bar for a goal kick. RSL take the ball back in the midfield and slowing down the match as we get close to the 80th minute.
Morales tries to play a long ball to Espindola but it is too long and Keller gets it but RSL take the ball right back and earn another corner kick. This one is cleared out of the box but RSL keep possession and RSL reset their attack and Findely is fouled but no call as the official once again is calling offside. Seattle is bringing in Sturgis and Nyassi, as Alonso and Gonzalez go out. I am puzzled why Seattle is allowed to have a player go off on the east side of the pitch and walk around vs. going to the 4th official as is expected. Another strange decision by the officials, but as I stated in my match preview when Stott is in charge strange things happen and RSL usually get the short end of those decisions. Seattle is doing a good job of keeping the ball in the RSL end of the pitch but eventually goes out for a goal kick.
85-final
RSL is having a hard time as Seattle is throwing everything they have at RSL but so far RSL is doing a nice job of trying to attack. A great ball in by Rachid and Findley’s header goes out for a goal kick, so far I like what I see from Rachid but another corner for Seattle as Freddie is looking frustrated and RSL is having a harder time of possessing the ball as Seattle is really trying to get something going offensively. So far this will be their 2nd straight match without a goal, but another corner for Ljungberg but Olave clears it and Nyassi’s effort goes off Kyle and out for a Seattle throw in.
RSL makes a sub as Espindola goes off after a good effort but he is still lacking the finishing touch, and on comes Campos. 4 minutes of stoppage and as the clock hits 90 Rimando is forced to make a save on a bouncing ball and the RSL counter ends with Rachid just missing the chance to get the second goal as his effort goes wide. Another no call as Findley is taken down but as Seattle counters it is broken up by Campos who gets called for the foul but RSL gets it back but a good chance is blown as RSL had numbers but Rachid’s pass was just a bit off and Seattle counters and it goes out for another corner as Borchers cleared it out.
Wow the ball was bouncing all over the place and there was a hand ball but Stott either didn’t see it or decided not to call it, and the whistle blows as RSL wins the match 1-0. That was draining to watch on Saturday but even more so tonight, a lot of work by both side but not a pretty match at all.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
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