Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Midweek Friendly Fun

Tomorrow Sporting KC have their second friendly of the season when they host Chivas Guadalajara at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The game was part off the deal that brought Omar Bravo to Kansas City this year. Guadalajara's roster is full of plenty of first teamers with them on the trip including captain Hector Reynoso and vice-captain Luis Ernesto Michel. The game comes between two league games against Toluca last weekend and Tecos this coming weekend. The Goats are currently in 6th place in the overall table for the Mexican league table heading into this weekend's action. It's the 3rd separate trip they've made to the US this year, earlier participating in the World Football Challenge, then coming back in September to play Chicago before this trip to play KC.

I'd originally been extremely against this friendly right before what has become an absolute must win for Kansas City against New York on Saturday. But with what would have been a two week layoff for the majority of the roster without this game, I think it's a good chance to get a run out against an opponent. A chance to stretch the legs and prepare for this coming weekend's game. As long as no one goes out and picks up an injury, like Zoltan Hercegfalvi did against St. Louis last year, this game I think will actually help KC heading into the weekend. The other thing that I'm wanting out of this game has to do with Kansas City's expected starters over the weekend. I don't want Kansas City to have the expected starters making more than a cameo appearance. I expect Omar Bravo will get more than that, considering the opponent, but guys like Matt Besler, Aurelein Collin, Chance Myers, Graham Zusi, etc, I don't want them playing more than a half. With guys on international duty I realize that's going to be a little tough, but hopefully trialists are still in came and can contribute.

Here's the lineup I'd like to see play the majority of the game.

Kronberg
Harrington - Olum - Cardenas - Aiyegbusi
Stojcev - Diop - Lorenz
Bravo - Saad - Ellis

PREDICTION - NO INJURIES PLEASE.

1 comment:

Nathan Martin said...

You came around. Now it's time for Vermes to keep up his part of the bargain by making sure that nobody in the top 14 plays more than 60 minutes.

Also curious to see how the grass holds up. It should be much improved considering the time off and the grass-growing weather.