Match Preview: FC Dallas at Chivas USA
April 25th, 2009 . 5:12 am . By: Andrew TempleSaturday, April 25, 2009 – 9:30pm CST TV: FOX Sports Southwest FC Dallas Season Record: 1W-3L-1D, 4pt INJURIES: –FC DALLAS– OUT: DF Steve Purdy (R hamstring) –CHIVAS USA– OUT: FW Justin Braun (R knee sprain); DF Bobby Burling (sports hernia surgery); FW Maykel Galindo (sports hernia surgery); DF Ante Jazic (concussion); GK Dan Kennedy (R knee sprain); FW Ante Razov (R ankle surgery); DF Claudio Suárez (L calf strain); DF Lawson Vaughn (L ankle surgery); MF Sasha Victorine (L knee surgery) Ok, so my computer’s busted (Trojan and graphics card problems) and has been for the past four days. I figured I’d get my CPU fixed by the chaps I sent it to in about 3 days. Turns out I won’t have it for another week and my mom dropped off her laptop just an hour-and-a-half ago (it’s 11:35pm right now…) All of these problems make it incredibly difficult to write a match preview in a rush, so there won’t be much of one here except the essential facts… …like the fact that the Red Stripes will look to build on their four points for the season against the top club in the Conference thus far: CD Chiva USA. Look for a lineup that is similar for FC Dallas as last week. That should mean Cooper and Ferreira up front, although newcomer Alvaro Sanchez might fit into Schellas Hyndman’s plans there, as well. Rocha and van den Bergh again on the right and left wings, respectively and McCarty as the attacking mid. If Sanchez were to move up to striker, and Ferreira gets bumped back to CAM as a result, then McCarty could take Rocha’s spot when all is said and done. Pablo Ricchetti sets up behind the central attacker, as usual. Marcelo Saragosa’s lack of placement on the injury list tells me he starts again at right back for Dallas. Joining him in the backline could be a returning Daniel Torres on the left or the incumbent Blake Wagner. John and Moor should continue their run as the center backs for FCD in this match and though Ray Burse’s GA average isn’t getting any better, he should start again in front of the netting. Chivas USA still struggles as far as injury goes, yet the club’s current record are succeeding the expectations of many of their fans with what talent that is available. This type of situation does not bode well for many other MLS clubs and FC Dallas is no exception. Brand new Red Stripe-killer Eduardo Lillingston and counterpart Alecko Eskandarian should start as the strikers for Chivas. The Chivas midfield should consist of veterans Paulo Nagamura and Jesse Marsch, Yugoslavian native Bojan Stepanovic, and rising star Sacha Kljestan. The Chivas USA backline should once again be Mariano Trujillo and Jonathan Bornstein at the corners, and Carey Talley and big Shavar Thomas in the middle. Veteran Zach Thornton should again guard the posts for the Goats. Ok, now it’s bedtime. Haven’t slept in almost 72 hours and all with no computer (tough when you’re a geek at heart…) Let’s all hope next week is better (a little help by three points from the Red Stripes couldn’t hurt…) 4 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
Thanks for the report and hope you get your computer troubles fixed soon! I think George John is out (even if not listed in the official report) since he didn’t train the past two days. Geesh, the defenders need to stop getting injured.
Thank you for the report despite technology challenges. I hope you are not right about the possibility of Dax on the right wing. He does not have the height and pace for that role. He is a pure center mid role player. I do hope to see Tom (Alvaro) Sanchez play.
I also hope the defense does a better job against Lillingston and Eskandarian. Last time Sasha did not play, which means this will be an even stronger Chivas team than the one we faced at PHP. That being said, we too are a better team than the one Chivas faced. Should be an interesting match…here is hoping we can at least grab a point.
hutchtx, thank you for you comment and information. Most appreciated…
Robert, I hope I’m wrong on that as well, yet knowing Hyndman, anything can and will happen. We’ll all find out at 9:30pm, won’t we?
(BTW, I love my mom’s laptop. I wish I had one, myself…
)
Andrew, thanks for the article. Looking forward to the game, about to start…tough one for us. Would be great to steal a point.