Time to 'Walk' to a Road Draw?
It's not that coach Jason Kreis has grown any more fond of playing conservatively for a draw.
He still pretty much hates it.
But heading into RSL's game at league-leading Chivas USA on Saturday night, he seems to be coming closer and closer to accepting it as a potentially successful strategy for his team, which still has not even scored in three league road games this season that it has attempted to play more aggressively.
“In our game, you honestly have to be happy with a draw,” he said. “I mean, ask the Galaxy. And I think I'm not always happy with a draw, to be honest, no matter where we're playing — at home or on the road — because I believe that our team is too good. I do. I think that we're better than most teams that we face, and so if we play to our potential, we win.
“Having said that,” he added, “after our first three games on the road this season, maybe it's time to say, 'Well, we need to walk before we can run.' And walking, for us right now, would be to get a point on the road.”
The sentiment seems to have found a footing with at least some of the players, including midfielder and captain Kyle Beckerman. After RSL's last-minute draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy the other night, he seemed to step back from the idea that the team necessarily needs to aim for a victory at Chivas.
“We just really have to try to get this road win — or let's get a road result, this weekend,” he said. “That's all our focus is, right now.”
Either way, veteran midfielder Clint Mathis said the team needs to quit worrying about its road problems.
“We need to go in there with a right head on our shoulders and get this — whatever, jinx, or what everybody keeps talking about that we can't win on the road — we have to get that out of our head,” he said. “It's just like playing at home. It's just another soccer game.”
He still pretty much hates it.
But heading into RSL's game at league-leading Chivas USA on Saturday night, he seems to be coming closer and closer to accepting it as a potentially successful strategy for his team, which still has not even scored in three league road games this season that it has attempted to play more aggressively.
“In our game, you honestly have to be happy with a draw,” he said. “I mean, ask the Galaxy. And I think I'm not always happy with a draw, to be honest, no matter where we're playing — at home or on the road — because I believe that our team is too good. I do. I think that we're better than most teams that we face, and so if we play to our potential, we win.
“Having said that,” he added, “after our first three games on the road this season, maybe it's time to say, 'Well, we need to walk before we can run.' And walking, for us right now, would be to get a point on the road.”
The sentiment seems to have found a footing with at least some of the players, including midfielder and captain Kyle Beckerman. After RSL's last-minute draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy the other night, he seemed to step back from the idea that the team necessarily needs to aim for a victory at Chivas.
“We just really have to try to get this road win — or let's get a road result, this weekend,” he said. “That's all our focus is, right now.”
Either way, veteran midfielder Clint Mathis said the team needs to quit worrying about its road problems.
“We need to go in there with a right head on our shoulders and get this — whatever, jinx, or what everybody keeps talking about that we can't win on the road — we have to get that out of our head,” he said. “It's just like playing at home. It's just another soccer game.”
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 4:45 PM |
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