Thursday, May 10, 2007

For the Crew

Chivas USA is playing at Columbus this week. The team has been gone all week so I haven't seen them train since before they left for D.C. I've only seen what you guys have all seen from Paulo Nagamura so I don't know how exactly he will fit in the midfield. But I talked to Jesse Marsch and Sacha Kljestan today and I think I have an idea of how they'll line up.

I'm writing a story up for MLSnet.com on the midfield and another on the Crew match but since we have a lot of readers from Ohio who are more than likely Crew fans, I figured I'd give you guys a bit of a jump start.

It probably will be a 4-4-2 that Chivas will come out in. Last week, John Cunliffe started and it was a 4-3-3 formation with Ante Razov in the middle and trying to be the creative guy. I can't imagine Preki going away from the Razov-Galindo pairing up front; they have combined for five goals so why mess with that?

Defensively, it probably will be Bornstein-Suarez-Vaughn-Zotinca. Again, I can't imagine Preki straying from that, at least not yet. They've allowed five goals in their last two games but some of those goals were breakdowns in the defensive midfield. If the Crew drops three on them, though, there may be changes especially with Shavar Thomas now a part of the team.

In the midfield is where there will be some changes. Sacha Kljestan returns and he told me he is anxious to take on more of a creative role. He was a guy who was known for his offense at Seton Hall but was kind of groomed a bit more on the defensive end last year. Now, he's probably going to have to play more of an attacking role on the team. That was expected with him all along but it's going to have to come at an accelerated rate now that Amado Guevara is gone.

He'll probably line up out on the right side but I don't think he will be expected to stay out there. He'll have freedom to roam especially if and when Zotinca makes his runs. Francisco Mendoza plays a similar style out on the left with Bornstein making runs on the left flank.

As far as subs go, look for Matt Taylor, John Cunliffe and Laurent Merlin to be the guys Preki sends in off the bench, even if Chivas is ahead. Their defensive subs right now aren't great options because Orlando Perez has been hurt and Thomas is new.

Well, there you go Crew fans. A bit of a scouting report on what to expect from Chivas USA.

1 comment:

Crewcat said...

Don't expect any trade secrets from this end, LB.

P.S. Guille may get his first start this weekend and Moreno is into training and likely will see time as well. Thanks for the early update.