Match Preview: Portland visit presents opportunity for RSL to recover form

Match Preview: Portland visit presents opportunity for RSL to recover form

Saturday, March 31, 2012
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match preview

Match day! Is there anything better? In what will undoubtedly feel the longest day in at least a week, we've got a bit of time to kill before our boys in Claret and Cobalt take on those boys from up north-west. It's also the first run of matches this season with a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday feel to them, which will play into things.

Let's just jump right into it, shall we? As usual, I'll go over positions and the lineup and issue a rambling assessment and prediction. We'd have it no other way here, right? (Please say yes.)

As usual, let's start at the back. The very back. You know, so back, that we're talking about the fixture in goal, Nick Rimando. Does anybody expect he won't start? Nobody? Alright, then. Moving on.

In defense, I'd expect Tony Beltran and Chris Wingert to continue on the flanks. They've been two of the best men for men in these first three matches, and I'd reckon they're both fit and raring to go. That's the hope at least, isn't it? In the center of defense, here's our first big question: Who partners who? Nat Borchers might still be a bit too soon to start — he appears on the injury list as a "probable," which is a bit off from the Tuesday edition of the list, in which he didn't appear. But there are continuing concerns about Olave on turf — which I'm certainly no expert on, and this could well play into it. Chris Schuler, save that one vital error, has performed fairly well to start the season, and he has certainly continued his development. But I'd be nothing if I didn't take the occasional risk, so let's go with Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave. Wait, what's that? In the distance! It's a wild Borlave!

In midfield, we've got further questions, but none of them involve Kyle Beckerman, who is undoubtedly starting. While he hasn't put in vintage performances over the last two weeks, a bit of calm should see him improve and keep things ticking over. A renewed performance should help our side out no small amount.

The other positions in midfield are held with question marks over them, so let's go through some of the players. Here's the group confirmed in one way or another to have traveled: Jonny Steele, Will Johnson, Luis Gil, Javier Morales. We can without much trouble assume that Ned and Yordany have gone, as well. A small bit of detective work seems to indicate that Sebastian Velasquez hasn't traveled, and this is likely because Will Johnson has been deemed fit to be involved, but I've got no inside track on that, so I'm really just making it up a bit.

 

 

Where does that leave us? Well, I doubt Will Johnson will be handed a start, as he's still searching for match fitness a bit, and seeing Jonny Steele start a match at this point would seem a bit unusual though perhaps not out of the realm of possibility. Our other option might be Luis Gil, who has been seen there before.

But before I make a decision on the left side, I really should make one for the right side. Ned Grabavoy. There, simple. On the left, I'm going to plump for Luis Gil, who I'm hoping will see more of the ball than he did against Chivas. In the tip of the diamond, I'm expecting to see the one and only Javier Morales. It seems a good lineup to me, and I'm hoping it works well. It's certainly a side that knows itself well, and that's encouraging.

Up front, the mercurial (I do love saying that about strikers, though it's a bit hackneyed) Fabian Espindola should continue, and if he scores a goal, he'll have drawn level with Robbie Findley for all-time leading scorer of league goals at Real Salt Lake. And as much as I'd love for him to get that at home, we'll likely need goals on the road. He can beat the record once he's at home. Partnering him, I'd expect Alvaro Saborio, with Paulo Jr. coming off the bench to make make an impact.

Right, in short form: Rimando / Beltran, Borlaaaaaave, Wingert / Beckerman, Grabavoy, Gil, Morales / Saborio, Espiiiiindola!

Check back on the site later today for the debut of a neat new feature. I teased it yesterday, and I'll launch it today. Anyhow, for more pre-match discussion, I'll undoubtedly be tweeting my little heart out @TheCrossbarRSL. Join me.