May 27, 2008
Rapids Lose to Chivas; Preston Wins Hearts
by CVI's Geoff McPherson
Chivas vs. Rapids – May 24th, 2008
We spend our time working on our careers while at the same time questioning why we spend so much time dwelling on it, we read the ‘South Beach Diet’ with the delusional aim to shed some pounds for our summer vaca, endeavor to understand what makes the opposite sex tick and then look around and wonder how everyone seems to do all this with ease while we just feel out of control. Then we realize we’re self centered drama queens when we see the determination of 5 year old Preston who has Hodgkin's disease who looks to has more perspective on life than all of us put together.
Tonight is not about the great defensive plays, the perfect 1-2, goals from 25 yards; it’s about the underlying reason why we love the game, the community, the camaraderie of being of fan, being around people that have a common focus that come from all walks of life for a common cause that is sometimes difficult to comprehend. On this occasion it’s the tireless efforts of Laura & Mark Bodmer and many nameless others to raise money for the St Baldricks foundation fighting for the long term solution for cancer.
Fittingly we come across a team that in its short existence has gone through some very turbulent times with the historical roots of heart, passion of being the people’s team which showed some inspirational soccer at the end of last season that provides a glimpse of what this league can be.
For the Rapid fans’ the questions are did Chivas find their score boots in 10 minutes of play last week or are DC that poor this season? What tactical card will our favorite or not so favorite Uruguayan Clavijo play this week? For me I would imagine we'd resort to 4 at the back this week, but I’m so wrapped up in the smaller things in life what would I know.
Yep what would I know, we stay with a 3-4-1-2 formation, Chivas 4-4-2. The first 20 minutes reinforces why I’m not a big fan of Serie A, 9 guys behind the ball at chess like pace waiting for the perfect 1-2 pass in the final third. Chivas is completely eliminating our strength on the wings, Peterson inability to bet a man one-on-one means we are going to make little in roads on the right.
On 25 minutes Erpen gets a header on goal from the result of a corner unfortunately at this time in the game set plays seems to be the only way we are going to get a break through. We need change it up with some good old full court ‘Sam Allardyce managed Bolton’ press to knock Chivas out of their rhythm as we are not enforcing our fast paced ability on the game at all.
Just before the half we forget two basic elements of defending, attacking the ball and closing down the man with the ball; Marsch is patient and clinically finishes and we are down 1-0 at the half.
The second half is more of the same; we look to change things up by bringing on Gomes and McManus in the 53rd and 58th minute respectively. We continue to push forward which leaves us a little venerable at the back and as a result a well taken header by Chivas on 78 minutes means that they have scored two goals on three chances, 2-0 Chivas. McManus is making some great runs into the final third with space and then just launches a thunderbolt in the 80th minute from 35 yards that would be a goal in any league in the world. 2-1 Chivas and we final get our A into G with the high tempo we been waiting for all game. Chivas do a great job defensively and clear there lines effectively from our aerial onslaught, offensively this 2008 Rapids team is not designed for the long ball. Its great to see Casey get in the game for the first time this season coming on for the last 10 minutes looking a good 10 pounds trimmer than last year. We huff and puff to the end but are unable to obtain the second goal.
Concern about this game is our ability to play slow paced defense minded teams; we struggled the same way against San Jose which ended with the same result. We need to be able to adjust to this style of game because if we make the playoffs this is what the teams will bring to DSG Park.
Our strategy was clinically suffocated by Chivas tonight, the stats tonight will say we lost 1-2 and fall 4&5 for the season, but the most important number tonight is the $3600 plus raised for cancer research and the St Baldricks foundation.
On this glorious spring night the image that will stay with us as we attempt to balance our day-to-day lives is the most inspirational passage of play many of us will ever witnessed on a soccer pitch; the passion, heart, guts and strength of the human spirit displayed tonight all with ‘full of life smile’ by our new hero Preston.
Man of the Match: Preston Kilzer
Posted by mark at May 27, 2008 02:26 AM