by Geoff McPherson
There are days where internet just straight out ROCKS!!! With limited coverage from mainstream media it allows us to lose ourselves in our addiction with self minded MLS information deprived fans to the wee hours of the morning. In the big picture it provides the ability for the MLS and the Rapids to grow cost effectively at the grassroots level.
This week while the group of Class VI fans jet to LA for the weekend, I head to St Louis for family commitments. For a town that is trying obtain a MLS franchise finding a MLS friendly pub on Saturday night is nonexistent based on my research endeavors to date but thanks to a quick Visa transaction with MLSLive.tv my Rapids fan persona is quickly back to a peaceful equilibrium in this baseball obsessed town.
The Rapids are providing all the same excitement and frustration that surrounded us in our youth, you know that cute girl at college when you thought you had a chance one weekend was then quickly wiped away the next as she was out on a date with some Eddie Vedder wannabe from her woman studies course. The high low teasing cycle would continue for months similar to this seasons’ Rapids ability to get a great win one week and then stand us up at the bar the following week, maybe this weekend we will get over the hurdle of obtaining two wins on the trot.
We go with 4-3-1-2 formation with Mastroeni in NY for the national team providing LaBrocca a massive task in the midfield. Casey and McManus are upfront, Harvey and Clark get have the honors of canceling out Beckham, Peterson I question on the right. The Donavan less Galaxy go with 4-4-2 with Beckham given the freedom to do what ever he wants on right because he’s David Beckham.
Live internet feed of the game is great…….then bollocks, Beckham delivers a great cross from a free kick in the 4th minute, Casey goes up like a bobble head doll missing the header, Pires reacts quicker than the Rapids defense and we are down 1-0. Where was the defense? Fifteen minutes in and we don’t have the same solid platform coming from the midfield with Mastroeni out.
We can’t get a shot off from inside the box, the Galaxy defense is hold strong in open play but looks ugly defending corners, we are attacking the offensive corners like 5 year old cluster instead of a couple of us holding off for the rebounds. Somewhere around the 25th minute we start playing the Rapids fast pace game, creating holes in the LA half, with three in the midfield we look vulnerable to the quick break.
Jimney Cricket two chances, two goals for LA, defense is pointing fingers of who should pick up whom and Burpo is not exactly a confidence builder, 2-0 LA.
4-4-1-1 may have been better with Casey rested for the game or even 4-4-2 with Gomez on the bench (sacrilegious I know) but Beckham and crew have too much space. Casey is playing too deep, basically because he is not getting any service from the midfield, our midfield transition to Casey and McManus is disjointed like a first preseason game
Just before the end of the half Gordon for LA is rightfully sent off for retaliation against Erpen who should have had a yellow card but gets a red as the ref who is having a good game to this point, suddenly starts implementing the letter of law.
Half time 2-0 Galaxy and time for some proactive Rapids Father's day shopping at www.mlsgear.com to avoid getting some 'what the hell were they thinking' dust collector.
For the second half Ballouchy comes on for Peterson and we go for a more 3-4-2 formation, its 10 v 10 which provides Beckham more space than you can poke a stick at. The Rapids are wearing borrowed blue shorts from the Galaxy due to logistical pant issues from Denver and are on borrowed time if they want to turn this around.
For some reason when the Rapids go down a couple of goals they start believing in themselves, take on more players and be more creative, its like the kids are given the creative freedom they need to express their ability. Is the constant changing formation restricting their ability? Is the liberty to try something different stifled by the culture within the dressing room? Or do the rigid strategies from the coaching staff not blend well with this year’s squad? Questions that are impossible to answer from our vantage point, but when these guys believe in themselves the soccer is fantastic.
Ok enough of my soap box monologue…..now where was I?…..oh yeah Casey, Clark, McManus, Ugo all huff and puff for the second half, with three at the back we roll the dice, go down another to a first career goal by Allen for LA, 3-0. Finally we just relax and have fun which results in the team showing its creative energy which provides glimpses of a possible come back.
Liveliness of Cummings and Herculez are brought on in the 60th and 77th minute respectively and supply the space for Clark who makes Xavier the ‘Poodle hair Donkey’ look comical for the second time this season with a great strike from the edge of the box 3-1 LA. Herculez reacts quicker to a lose ball in the box 3-2 with 8 minutes and time added on left. We throw everything forward, LA Galaxy look exhausted but manage to hang on.
As I finish the rest of this match report from Starbucks in suburban St Louis, tracking my Rapids merchandise purchase that has just left Louisville, KY reflecting back on the game I realize that with the world of the internet, Myspace, Facebook, widgets, it also unfortunately allows the communication of how we got stood up by the Rapids again to be very visible just when we thought this summer was going to be a flirty fun trips across the county like the montage footage of every early courtship seen in a romantic comedy.
Come Thursday after we would have finished the emotional roller coaster of what happened Saturday night; we will text\email\Google the Rapids and see what the plans after this weekend.
Posted by mark at June 12, 2008 12:19 PM