Here's what the NE Revolution's blog has to say about Thursday's game between the Sounders and the Revolution:
Seattle – sorry, Toronto – has the toughest away environment the Revs are going to have to face in MLS this year. 30,000-plus isn’t the whole story, it’s the culture, the vibe, the noise. It really is a twelfth man.
And the Sounders are tough at home. SFC is 4-0-4 in their last eight home games and have lost just once in 11 previous MLS games (6-1-4) at Qwest Field.
Unlike a sharply sloped field, however, the opposing team can do something about a howling mob of home fans…they can take the crowd out of it. There are several ways to do that – an early goal and/or possessing the ball and bossing the match are all good ways to do so.
The Revs have a shout to do that if they have the team on the field that I think they will on Thursday night.
Two keys are, as usual, the big men, Shalrie Joseph and Edgaras Jankauskas. If Jankauskas can go the whole game as the target forward, Shalrie can drop into his preferred midfield destroyer role and there is more front-to-back balance to the side.
Shalrie, as well know, is simply a massive presence in the middle. As good an impersonation of
Jankauskas, who is still trying to get to full match fitness, mind you, has the ability to keep the Revs build-up play flowing. That is so key, not just in terms of overall time of possession, but also as far as the Revs getting into the patterns of play they thrive off of in the build up.
I plead guilty to sometimes taking Steve Ralston’s amazing abilities for granted. Well I shouldn’t – this guy is like a Kung Fu master with so many grasshoppers running around at his feet. And I think he is the key to unlocking the Sounder’s defense in this game.
With Rallie’s vision (and timing), I’m not sure that Seattle’s expected center-back tandem of Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni (Tyrone Marshall is out suspended) is up to stopping Rallie’s wiles over ninety minutes.
Seattle is also likely to miss Freddie Llungberg with what’s being termed “disorientation”. As with any head injury, you gotta just wish for the best and hope that the former Sweden international and Arsenal star is OK, whether he’s out for Thursday or not. He’s been a terrific player for SFC this year.
But the Revs will be just as happy to not see Freddie out there, since the Sounders also have another Fredy…Montero that is. The Colombian leads Seattle with 10 goals and has been one of the revelations of the MLS season. When he’s switched on, his quick feet and finishing ability can kill ya.
Working the big end of the little-and-large act is old nemesis Nate Jaqua. The Revs don’t have the biggest back line, so Jay Heaps & Co. need to respect his strength on the ball. Look for Emmanuel Osei to take marking Jaqua as a badge-of-honor project similar to the way he went at Conor Casey of Colorado.
Seattle also has a real flyer in rookie wing forward Steve Zakuani. The Revs do have speed at the back but Montero and Zakuani will test it. Another player who could be a big factor - Sounders midfielder Brad Evans - is starting to get the notice he deserves, having followed Sigi Schmid from Columbus to Seattle.
The battle on the wings should be a very interesting one all night. There are, I’m told, a lot of Gambians in Seattle so Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi (facing his twin brother, Sanna, of Seattle) should have plenty of motivation to do well.
The Revs should have the edge in the middle of the park with Joseph and Jeff Larentowicz versus Peter Vagenas and Osvaldo Alonso.
Kasey Keller in goal, meanwhile, is a great backstop for SFC, but in my view Matt Reis makes that position a wash.
Hey, at least it’s a level playing field.
