4/9/13 :: Santos : SSFC (CCL) -- KICK 17:00

[Dan McCooey]

Is this that same crappy pitch with the weeds, puddles and small boulders in it, that we played on last year? Or am I confusing it with a different CCL game?

[Llarian]

Is this that same crappy pitch with the weeds, puddles and small boulders in it, that we played on last year? Or am I confusing it with a different CCL game?

Different one. Santos' stadium is actually quite nice.

[JerrarDAtkinson]

Great post, JerrarD. One small observation - you mentioned about doubling up on Santos Laguna's wide players and forcing them inside. If Carlos Darwin Quintero plays in midfield in the second leg, as he did in the first, then he is a guy that you want to keep out wide. Not only does he have that great shot on him, he is also very adept at drifting in and threading through-balls to the frontmen. He's not really a 'get to the by-line, swing in a cross' type of player for the most part. So I think we would be better off playing narrower, try to squeeze the space in the middle. Santos Laguna won't commit a whole lot of men forward, so the focus needs to be on stopping the quick counters..

yeah good point about Quintero. It obviously depends on what part of the field we're defending in. closer to our goal, we'll want to force them wide. I guess the match up matters as well. Yedlin will have a better time forcing him down the line than Leo, since he will be more likely to be able to keep pace.

Other than that, totally agree with everything you say. Keep it tight and don't take too many risks, at least for the first hour. Put yourselves in a position to steal it. It kinda sounds like EJ will be starting on the bench, so probably start Ochoa up top on his own, where he did a decent job in the first leg,.

Agreed Ochoa wasn't bad. He got roasted by supporters for cocking up a good chance, but overall his movement and work rate were very good, and he helped the team a lot. too bad he just doesn't have that extra bit of quality.

So I guess now the spot left open is between Evans and Rosales for the third attacking midfield position As unpopular as the call may be, I'd opt for Evans on the right at this point. He'll be full of running and provide some support for Yedlin to get forward. He won't create much but if Martinez and Joseph can get into a good rhythm we won't need him to.

[inveen]

Reach into your bag a third time JerrarD, Evans didn't make the trip south.

[Llarian]

Any Academy players we can bring with us? :P

[finnfan]

Finally those who have wanted to see Zakuani as a forward get to see it. Will be interesting to see how it works.

[JerrarDAtkinson]

Reach into your bag a third time JerrarD, Evans didn't make the trip south.

ah jeezus who the hell has time to learn these things anyway?!

[YukataNinja]

Anyone have working feed links?

[Ollie Board]

Anyone have working feed links?

http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/179973/2/ ... rs-fc.html

[Ollie Board]

What the hell Eddie. What a half assed finish :(

[finnfan]

The first ten minutes have shown it would have been silly to not even try to win this, like I saw some people suggesting. Still not very likely at all, but clearly we do have a chance here.

[Ollie Board]

The first ten minutes have shown it would have been silly to not even try to win this, like I saw some people suggesting. Still not very likely at all, but clearly we do have a chance here.

Judging by those first 2 efforts we're doing our best not to win this.

[finnfan]

I see positive in chances created, you see negative in chances wasted.

Anyway, the next 5 minutes shows just how unlikely this is.

[Ollie Board]

Balls. Only got ourselves to blame. Should be 2-1 up :(

[finnfan]

We needed two goals anyway, so in a sense the mission hasn't changed. Would be nice to have the ability to concede one though.