Rhinos Home Opener- Rhinos v. Charleston Battery
By: alessio | May 17th, 2008Well, ladies and gentlemen, the season has started out….well…..crappy. No other way about it, but we have yet to win one, in five games and are propping up the USL-1 table. We are 0-3-2, not the best start to a season, but there’s a lot of positives to take from this.
#1- I haven’t seen any of the games (have you ever tried to watch a USL-1 away match?) but supposedly we were in all the matches competitively. We twice lost 1-0, unfortunately.
#2- Defender Scott Palguta broke our 450minute goal-scoring problem with a last-minute goal against Seattle. Let the floodgates open!
#3- We’re playing this year…over the winter no one knew for sure with the ownership saga. That’s a victory in itself for the Rhinos, for Rochester, for the USL-1, and for American soccer.
#4- 5/6 next matches are at home.
#5- Scotty Vallow is in goal.
Some person from American Idol will be singing in halftime. I’ll be at the game, it should be a great one with the stands packed. I’ll do a short writeup of it afterwards, maybe with some video from the stadium.
Prediction:
Rhinos 2-1 Battery
We’re aiming for a home win here, which would help the team a lot. The Battery have the 2nd best record in the USL-1 but our desire to win should overcome it.
Category: Rochester Rhinos Team News
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Alessio,
Hello mate!
I watched four of the five away matches on the internet. Including last night’s home match (season ticket holder), in my opinion all our difficulties rest on two men - Delicate and Salles.
Neither have enough speed or quickness over five yards to shed a defender. Delicate cannot jump, which reduces the margin for error on crosses. As well, he cannot run onto balls in the channel - which makes leading him almost impossible.
Salles is just a pile of crap. He trots aound the pitch. He plays only the middle 70 yards. In the five matches he has had significant minutes (he begged off the season opener), there have been plenty of examples where a ball would go over the top to Delicate, whom gets a touch, but Monyanger, Ze Roberto, et al, would beat Salles to the slot in the 18 yard box.
Salles wants the ball at his feat - in a turn and shoot position - but has a limited first touch and if often disposessed. Not to mention, he spends an inordinate amount of time on the ground.
We need one striker to pair with Diallo. I think we will be fine.
Our mid-field controls the game. Everyone of our middies can pass the ball short, one-touch, over the top, into the channel and switch fields. Guppy is precision with goo close ball control. Tiger is a great ackler and sweeps well. Ball, Monyanger and Kremalmeyer have some pace, some quicks and vision. Ze Roberto plays everything at both ends.
We get a striker to pair with Diallo, we are golden.Thanks guys.
Posted from
United States
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I was extremely surprised to see Diallo not play last night. Where did you watch it on the internet, with USL-Live? I haven’t even been to their site, is it good quality?
Appreciate your comments as always!
Posted from
United States -
USL Live is worth the investment if you don’t have a Mac. I watch a ton of games on it. The quality varies from stadium to stadium. Some places like Charleston and Portland do a great job. Others like Puerto Rico don’t. It only costs $50 for every game which I think is quite reasonable.
From what I have seen of Rochester this season, it looks like the team was built hastily without much thought given to how the various parts fit together. There are some talented players, but the team plays at a very, very slow pace. The build up from the backline is extremely predictable. I think the team will be tough toward the end of the season, but they have dug themselves quite the hole, eh?
Posted from
United States -
Hail! Hail!
Yes, I am a happy Tim today. Celtic defeated Dundee United at Tannadice and The Huns tanked at Pittodrie…
Celtic FC 3x Champs of the SPL!
Now, if Rochester could just get that striker, I’d be all set.
As for Carolina, I think Delicate and Diallo up front with the remainder of the side unchanged.
Diallo has had a week to loosen up after that horrid road trip and the missed penalty. He should have the bit in his teeth.
Him, starting up-top, to get in behind the defense and onto any of Delicate’s flicks or balls into the channel, would be a welcome surprise.
Don’t care about Carolina’s record at this point:
Carolina 1-2 Rochester (Diallo & one of the middies)
Hail! Hail!
RyanPosted from
United States -
Hail! Hail!
Excellent draw last night. Carolina controlled much of the match. But the second half addition of Diallo proved fantastic. His pace was clearly evident, as he was called for offsides three times, but it was that dangerous pace which forced Carolina’s defense to puch back their line. Diallo opened up space for our mid-field to do what they do.Excellent goal by Salles. A brilliant piece of skill, great close-ball control. If he goes on to score a goal again for a month, fantastic.
However, did anyone hear Soccer Sam after the game. He said, “[That's what striker's do. They do nothing for 89 minutes and then pop-up and score...]”
This is catagorically untrue, and I have three bits of evidence:
1. Kenny Miller - Scotland International and former Celtic striker. He had a great first season at Parkhead, scoring somewhere around 19 goals in all competitions. His second season he only had six goals, yet he continued to play regularly. Despite Miller’s low goal tally, Celtic FC scored .8 GPG better when he was on the pitch. His speed and ability to run the knife’s edge, forced defenses back and created space for Nakamura, McGeady, et al. His ability to pass from non-shooting positions created offense and he always put in a shift. He left Celtic for the EPL and is still the first choice striker for the Scotland National Team.2. Jan Venegoor of Hesselink - Current Celtic striker and Holland International. His first two seasons at Parkhead have been great for goals. However, it’s his ability to make creative runs drawing off defenders, and his execution of hold-up duties which has created 35 goals for his strike partner, Scott McDonald. JVoH has 20 goals himself, which is why he is a member of the Dutch National team…currently ahead of Ruud van Nistlerooy on von Basten’s depth chart.
3. Salles after the goal - Moments later a ball was played out the right channel, where Delicate got on the end of it. His touch took him away, toward the right touch-line. He retrieved the ball, then took a touch to create space. Delicate lifted a ball back to the left - the far post - looking for Diallo. Where was Salles running up the middle to prevent rolling coverage on Diallo? Where was Salles running up the middle, threatening a near-post run? Where was Salles running up the middle, forcing the central defense pair to converge around the 6 yd box?
This is Salles has played for three teams in three seasons. He does not make creative runs to open space. He does not run the off-sides and push the opposition defense. He does not distribute well enough from hold-up positions.
And, as much as I love SS, he is wrong in his assertion that it is acceptible for a striker to do nothing for 89 minutes and then, when fortune calls and the ball lands at his feet, capitalize.
I hope, for Rochester’s sake, I am wrong about Salles. I hope he goes on a tear and bags a bunch. I will eat my proverbial shoe on The Offside.
I can’t wait for June 1st…get my new home shirt (Guppy 7) and a win!
Ryan
Posted from
United States -
Does anybody contribute anymore?
Posted from
United States
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