What did our beloved Claret and Cobalt do the evening of March, 10th? They did what they trained for. They did what they most wanted. They did what they are capable of. They “came to score” (The Aggrolites).
—El Güero,
Dive aside, writing was on the wall for San Jose
Dive aside, writing was on the wall for San Jose
Monday, July 25, 2011
An uninspired moment from Alvaro Saborio may have angered RSL and San Jose fans alike, but there was much to praise in the Real Salt Lake tactical setup. While our goals were scored after a player was sent off, Jason Kreis looked to have got one right in the tactical battle on Saturday. The first half was a bit of a stalemate, though the Claret and Cobalt controlled nearly all of the play and had the lion’s share of chances. This first-half control was down, largely, to the passing action of Ned Grabavoy and Will Johnson as well as the lack of attacking impetus on the part of the Earthquakes.
So, going into the second half, the side came back ready to score, and they didn’t just out-pass San Jose — they outclassed them. Until the penalty, the touches were effective, the passing was exquisite, and the vision the players displayed was enlightening. It was encouraging to see Saborio and Espindola working well together, and Saborio was looking significantly less static in his play.
While tactics may have made the biggest difference, they’d mean nothing without the hard work from a team eager to snatch up any points that come their way. Every last player was applying pressure when San Jose were in possession, forcing error after error from the side and, as a result, regaining possession. Capitalizing on those errors gave the game its tone as Real Salt Lake demolished the error-stricken San Jose.
The bursting runs and long shots from the midfield four, packaged with good awareness up front and at the back, sealed the game from the first minute. Saborio’s antics may have seen a player sent off, but the writing, it seems, was already on the wall.
Right, a short one today. ‘Till tomorrow.
