Champions League Without Mauro Rosales
by Dave Clark on Sep 18, 2011 5:03 PM PDT
in Sounders: CONCACAF Champions League
Email
Print
Mauro Rosales won't be getting an MRI until Monday, so how long he won't be in the lineup is still up in the air. But what we do know is that he will not be playing Tuesday night against CS Herediano. Doing a bit of research though, he was unlikely to start anyway. He had only started in one of the previous CONCACAF Champions League matches.
Tuesday's lineup is complicated by two other factors. The first being that Alvaro Fernandez will be out due to Yellow Card accumulation. The second is that Sigi (and us) have no idea what type of roster will travel.
The team that Herediano brings up little bit uncertain of that as to how they are approaching it. Technically they are not eliminated yet because it could go pear-shaped and they could be in there as well. For us, it’s a home game and it’s one that we want to win and need to win.
The Seattle Sounders without their two top wide players creates an interesting situation. Being in a nearly must win game changes things as well. Let's look at the last match down in Costa Rica first.
Seattle struggled a bit with possession, but in all put forward a lineup that won. It wouldn't be one that you would want to see, but it showed a few weaknesses that the Costa Rican side has. They don't deal with height or physicality all that well. Nate Jaqua and Roger Levesque both had solid performances demonstrating this.
When one looks at past starting XIs put out in the CCL there's a distinct note of Levesque and Fredy Montero up top, Fernandez in the middle with Leo Gonzalez and James Riley outside. On Tuesday fans should expect to see all but Alvaro. Things get a little creative though as Brad Evans is still just coming back from injury and reports from camp today are that Erik Friberg doesn't seem likely to be ready.
Past Usage In CCL 2011/12
| Montero 4 | Levesque 4 | |||
| Neagle 3 | Jaqua 2 | Noonan 2 | ||
| Evans 2 | Fucito | |||
| Alonso 2 | ||||
| Gonzalez 4 | Carrasco 3 | Riley 4 | ||
| Wahl | Parke 3 | Ianni 3 | ||
| Hurtado 2 | Scott 3 | |||
Levesque and Alvaro have both been used in RM roles as well.
Lamar Neagle would seem certain to start. The bucket with two defensive midfielders may be forced due to health. Levesque out on the right seems likely with Jaqua and Montero up top. This would leave Seattle with only one offensive threat on the bench (Mike Fucito) and well stocked with players to protect an early lead.
If Rosales is out for an extended time and results don't go in Seattle's favor in the CCL Sigi's lineup juggling will become difficult. A victory or favorable prognosis will make things easier as he can go with the rotational system he's been using for some time.
No matter the lineup, the tactics shift.
24 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'd like to see some of the Reserve squad in the field and on the 18.
My guess it that Herediano phones this one in, and I think we should take the opportunity to rest players in advance of the weekend’s Cascadia Cup tilt and bigger games down the road. So I’d like to see guys like Ford, Estrada and Tetteh get some playing time. Heck, let Taylor Graham play.
We could use a Seamon or Montano now too, but that’s the way it goes.
by The King of Norway on Sep 18, 2011 6:45 PM PDT reply actions
I think they win this one
and we’ll see backline of Tetteh, Graham, Ianni, Estrada with a front line of Ochoa and someone.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Is Ochoa match fit yet?
If so, he will certainly be used to Herediano’s style of play.
by Brougham Hooligan on Sep 18, 2011 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions
I wouldn't expect him to get his first minutes as a starter
Sanyang has been in 3 games now and still not started.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Also, the 23 man roster for the game Tues was due earlier today
It’d be interesting to see who is on it.
by Brougham Hooligan on Sep 18, 2011 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Graham may be the team's best guy...
But I really hope we don’t see him play again until we’ve clinched everything. He was so bad against Kitsap that I shudder to think what veterans might do to him.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 19, 2011 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions
We can’t take foot off the gas pedal just yet
We stumble in this game, and we are in a dog fight for the two spots. And our last two games are tough – Communicaciones away, and Monterrey at home. Monterrey will likely be playing their ‘A’ team at CLink, and we always have trouble playing away in Central America. It’s not unthinkable to walk away with 0 points from these two games. We need to be sure to put this game away, so we can send the Reserves to Guatemala next week and rest our starters for Oct 4th!
I hope we’ll see:
Jaqua/Noonan
Neagle / Alvaro / Levesque
Carrasco
Wahl/Hurtado/Ianni/Scott
Keller
Subs: Ochoa, Fucito, Alonso, Sayang, Graham, Tetteh, Ford
A solid and experienced backline allows flexibility to get more creative in the midfield lineup where we have a bit of a crunch. It also provides some level of insurance that the wheels stay on if there is a quick/fluky Herediano goal. The guys might be a bit tired since 3 of them played on Saturday night, but I’d rather have the experience than the freshness. Offensively, this line-up puts a crafty offensive line-up on the field. Again, we want to put this game away quickly, and this set of players has both skill and experience playing together.
-Wahl is out for Whitecaps on yellow card accumulation, so keep Leo fresh for Vancouver.
-Hurtado didn’t play on Saturday and dominated Herediano last week. He can definitely go Tues/Sat.
-Ianni and Scott are likely subs vs. Vancouver. Sure they may be tired, but suck it up!
-Carrasco knows Herediano since he played them last week, and Ozzie can use some rest.
-Levesque and Noonan are perfect journeymen for this game
-Jaqua – Nate’s done ok the last few games, give him a shot and put some size into the middle. Rest Montero and Fucito for Vancouver.
-Neagle and Alvaro are selected via elimination. Mauro is definitely out. Friberg sounds like he’s out – I’d say questionable for Saturday even. That really leaves Evans, Sanyang and Estrada as midfielders. Evans is coming back from an injury and we’ll need him against Vancouver. Sanyang and Estrada are more defensive players. Admittedly this is not ideal, as we’ll likely want both of these guys to start in Vancouver.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a creative line-up to give Alvaro the night off – perhaps a defensive mid pairing (Carrasco/Ozzie or Carrasco/Sanyang), or Noonan to center mid and Ochoa with Jaqua up top. If we are going go with Tetteh or Estrada, I hope we do one or the other but not both – too many reserves and it screws up the chemistry. Neagle will likely start, but we do have the option of Tetteh at left mid.
by InternetCharlie on Sep 18, 2011 9:48 PM PDT reply actions
Alvaro can't play...
due to card accumulation.
I expect to see Jaqua and Levesque, Jaqua for size and Levesque because of injury and card restrictions… but having those two and Noonan featuring as three of the four starting primary attackers is begging for trouble (imho).
New Line-up
Here’s my revised line-up based on the newest news (and correcting for yellow-card accumulation). Not that anyone is still reading this thread, but wanted to have an ‘official’ record to test my wits vs. Sigi and vs. SAH team (whenever they get their line-up card posted).
Jaqua/Montero
Neagle / Alonzo / Levesque
Carrasco
Leo/Hurtado/Ianni/Scott
Ford
Subs: Ochoa, Fucito, Alonso, Sayang, Graham, Tetteh, Ford
Changes:
Ozzie – Alvaro is out on yellow cards. I don’t think there are many other options. Sigi will tell Ozzie to go 3/4 speed like he did in the Puma’s game.
Montero – I think they’ll put more firepower in than I previously thought, especially since he’ll go with two defensive mids. I wanted to put Fucito, but apparently he has a ‘knock’ from the last game. Freddy’s hot right now too.
Leo – Not my call, but I think Sigi will put him in. It’s his old club, and Sigi hinted at it during some press conferences this week.
Ford – As good as game as any to put him in. Especially if they go with an experienced defensive line in front. I’d rather see Keller, but ok with this change.
by InternetCharlie on Sep 20, 2011 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Sigi might play also play Wahl tonight as Wahl is out on yellow accumulation for Saturday's game.
@ritual605
by Greg Pirkl Lives on Sep 20, 2011 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions
good point
I was leaning that way originally too. I dunno how quickly they can recover from a Saturday to Tuesday game. Scott looked completely gassed after the game Saturday, not sure about Wahl. and then Sigi mentioned Leo, and I remembered that this is his old team. Sigi has a softspot for making players wishes come true (see Manchester United threads). I suppose we’ll see in a couple hours and if I had to bet right now, my money woudl be on Leo.
by InternetCharlie on Sep 20, 2011 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions
I feel like I jinxed it
I was at the game and was literally just having a conversation with a guy behind me about how screwed we would be offensively if Rosales went out with a season ending injury then boom he goes down in the 89th minute…
they traveled
Daniel Cambronero
Ronny Fernández
Pablo Salazar
Marvin Obando
Oscar Díaz
Cristian Montero
Francisco Calvo
Erick Sánchez
Jean Carlo Sánchez
Marvin Angulo
José Miguel Cubero
José Carlos Cancela
José Luis Cordero
Junior Alvarado
Yosimar Arias
Olman Vargas
Anderson Andrade
Jorge Barbosa
(thanks to Josh on twitter.. he said they sent starters)
As in starters for their last two games?
Let’s recall. This is still a team that made a coaching change 4 games into their season.
And then won 4-0 and 5-0
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
well, it's not a ful reserve squad like we were hoping in any case
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 19, 2011 8:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Win Tuesday and no worries.
That would leave us with two games to get a single point if the other game results went wacky.
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Sep 19, 2011 2:49 AM PDT reply actions
if communicaciones wins in monterrey and we win here then we auto advance right?
Cause monterrey would not be able to catch us
by Sandra_R on Sep 19, 2011 6:53 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I believe so
In fact, a tie here and a loss for Monterrey would do the same thing.
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Sep 19, 2011 7:12 AM PDT up reply actions
Better yet
A win here and Monterrey – Communicaciones tie puts us 8 point clear of Monterrey and 5 ahead of Comm.
I hope Communicaciones has a big bus
and they park it early and often in Monterrey. A Communicaciones tie or win would be awesome (not expecting a win, though).
You realize
that by not including Pat Noonan as an offensive threat, you’ve virtually guaranteed he will start?
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. Our yachts are all around you, there is no escape.
As much as I'm not a Noonan fan
He of all people had the winning assist in the Monterrey win and with as great a season as we’ve had I have to trust Sigi at this point.
by Zakuani11Fan on Sep 19, 2011 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Sounder At Heart
Related FanShots on Sounder At Heart
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
