Saturday, July 14, 2012

Predictions: Crew v. Sporting KC

The Columbus Crew host KC tonight at 730 PM. Forecasters are calling for rain off and on today and temps will be in the mid- to low 70s (in other words, excellent conditions).

GAME NOTES:
• Both clubs are defensive minded and have top MLS goalkeepers in Andy Gruenebuam and Jimmy Nielsen.
• Offensively, KC are middle of the pack (1.28 GF p/GM) while Columbus is more towards the bottom.
• It appears that Crew stadium just about sold out tonight. Crew Stadium is a fortress when large crowds are on hand.

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We'll start with the places that have been most accurate with the Crew over the past couple matches:

365bet.com has the Crew favored to win 13/10 odds. A 0:1 Crew result has 6/1 odds. Last week it correctly favored Montreal.

The fan predictor over all Goal.com was dead on the score last week. This week I see the fan prediction as a 1:0 Crew win.

Now for the others:

Staying on the same Goal.com page, Keith Hickey, has the KC winning easily at 2:0.

The fan vote at windrawwin.com (don't go there) has KC coming out on top.

The dudes over at MLSsoccer.com see it as a Draw (4 picks of 6). Matt Doyle, Armchair Analyst picks the Crew to win.

Drew Epperley over at WV Hooligan has this one down as a Crew win but for all the wrong reasons: "I do see this as a slight trap game for Sporting," he says. Not sure the Crew are bad enough to be considered as a "trap team" but, whatever.

WHAT METHINKS:
Last week I called for a messy game if Marshall, Mirosevic and Jario Arrieta saw time. As it turned out Arrieta didn't see time (because of administrative failures, not due to fitness). It still featured the other two and it contributed to a poor outing for the Crew.

This week looks to feature Marshall and Arrieta but no Mirosevic. Again, makes for disjointedness if Arrieta starts. However, reports are saying the talisman Danny O'Rourke may be back in the starting XI for the Crew. If so, I would expect a Crew win or Draw regardless of what the Crew do with Arrieta.

I've written about what Danny adds to the team before (by the numbers).

There are also some signs that Justin Meram will get the nod today. If so, that bodes well for the Crew. What Warzycha did (sitting him) when he was in the midst of a three goals in three games streak last month was completely unexceptionable and borderline incompetent.

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Bonus thoughts here come from our friendly neighborhood masked Crewsader, beat writer Adam Jardy; "Warzycha has been toying with his back four this week, which could pose problems defending," he says. Jardy mentions Benardo Anor at left back (over Vukovic) and Josh Williams over Sebastian Miranda at right.

If it's true that Warzycha is looking to blow up his back line it could be a long night for Columbus.

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[UPDATED - ACTUAL RESULT]
CREW 0 : 2 KC

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