Chivas USA travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Revolution Saturday (7:30 ET, Direct Kick/Matchday Live). Chivas are coming off a 1-0 loss to FC Dallas on Sunday, a game that was disappointing but not entirely unexpected considering Dallas is one of the best teams in the league and have been on a roll at home. But in order for the Goats to prove that loss was not devastating, they need to make sure they take care of business against New England. In the last meeting this season between the clubs on April 30, Chivas won 3-0 at the Home Depot Center, and it was a really dominant performance by them. The expectation is that Chivas should get a victory, although of course it will not be easy.
The big news this week from both teams were new signings. New England signed the first designated player in their history, forward Milton Caraglio, a 22-year old from Argentina. For a team that needs upgrades in a variety of positions and have had difficulty in recent years in obtaining players who can contribute, surely they hope Caraglio’s arrival is the start of a new era. It is unclear if he will be starting, but expect to see him on the field at some point during the match. On the visitor’s squad will be French midfielder Laurent Courtois, who signed with Chivas earlier this week and has been training most of the week. Courtois, 32, is expected to provide experience on the field, especially for a very young midfield. He will likely play on the left wing and provide service for the forwards and midfielders. Courtois is available for the match, but since he is not up to full match fitness he will probably come off the bench.
Although he won’t be available for this match, Chivas are also finalizing the signing of Brazilian center back David Junior Lopes, who has begun training with the team but does not have his paperwork complete yet. The additions of Courtois and Lopes in the coming weeks, plus a potential striker that Coach Robin Fraser said the team is still looking for, provides optimism that Chivas are taking this season seriously and are trying to make the playoffs this year. Of course, we won’t know if the additions will be effective and make the team better, but if they do, it may make the difference between playing in the playoffs and watching them on television.
To a large extent, Chivas need to follow the same kind of game plan they had against New England in the previous match. Both teams have difficulty finishing their chances, so the key to controlling the game is controlling possession. A potential advantage for the rojiblanco is that they have been playing as a team and morale is quite high, while New England seems to be suffering from low morale. Despite that, the Revs are having a disappointing season, but that doesn’t mean they will roll over for Chivas. The Goats need to stay focused and make sure they don’t take this match lightly. A win is expected, but they need to work for it.
Chivas have a nearly full squad available for this match as Jimmy Conrad is the only player on the injury report. For the Revolution, Franco Coria and Kheli Dube are out, while Rajko Lekic is doubtful with a broken toe. Stephen McCarthy and Pat Phelan are questionable as well. A nearly full-strength squad is great news for Chivas because it means that players are competing for spots in the lineup, and provides depth in the late-season push. Considering Chivas are in the thick of the hunt for the last couple of playoff spots, they need to pick up three points in order to be in the pole position. This game is a big test to see if Chivas are truly in the top half of the league, so we’ll see if they are up to the challenge on Saturday.
(image courtesy of Gabe Dahl)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
