The Formations Knowing he would be facing one of the premier teams in MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson elected to revert back to his 4-2-3-1 formation for their away match with Real Salt Lake. www.authenticpatriotsshop.com/Dominique-Easley-Patriots-Jersey . Jonny Leveron replaced skipper Jay Demerit in defence, while Kekuta Manneh replaced Pedro Morales; both Demerit and Morales were rested for the match, and stayed behind in Vancouver. Real Salt Lake head coach Jeff Cassar made one change to the team that defeated the Portland Timbers 1-0 the week previous. Joao Plata replaced Olmes Garcia up front, where the diminutive Ecuadorian partnered RSLs top goalscorer, Alvaro Saborio. The Game To suggest the Whitecaps were flat in the opening 45 minutes would be an understatement – they were very poor. They did not make effective use of the space that was available to them (which was in wide areas) and they were half a step slow and half a step late defensively. The result was that the Whitecaps trailed 2-0 after just nine minutes, with RSL getting goals from both Plata and Saborio. RSL very nearly went in at the break up 3-0, but David Ousted did well to deny Plata a second goal just before the halftime whistle. The opening half was a perfect exhibit of the challenge faced when fielding a very young lineup - those players dont yet have the experience to figure out how to fix things when they go wrong on the pitch. Of the six attacking players who started the match, only Kenny Miller (34) can be classified as an experienced player. Matias Laba (22), Gershon Koffie (22), Russell Teibert (21), Kekuta Manneh (19) and Darren Mattocks (23) are young, talented professionals – but when things go wrong, they cannot rely on previous experience to help them turn things around. In the first half, the movement of RSLs midfield caused problems for the Whitecaps. Despite having a numerical advantage, Vancouver struggled to put pressure on the ball. When the Whitecaps did manage to regain possession, they were too often wasteful, giving the ball straight back to RSL, as Teibert did on the opening goal. Offensively, they were never able to use their speed in transition to maximum effect. In Darren Mattocks and Kekuta Manneh, Vancouver had the two quickest players on the pitch. However, neither player was able to use that speed to their advantage, as Vancouver never found their passing rhythm. Both fullbacks, Jordan Harvey and Steven Beitashour, were cautious in their approach when Vancouver had the ball. This was entirely understandable, given Real Salt Lakes formidable home record and their early 2-0 lead. The result was that far too often Vancouver failed to use the only space that RSL conceded to them, which was out wide. This played into RSLs hands perfectly, as their two wide midfielders, Ned Grabavoy and Jake Mulholland, simply dropped slightly deeper to sit alongside Kyle Beckerman when Vancouver tried to build in midfield. The RSL defenders, who compressed the space between lines, supported this tight midfield unit. This meant that there was very little space in which Vancouver could play. Real Salt Lake controlled virtually the entire first half. Robinson and his coaching staff showed their worth once they could sit the players down at the break. There, the coaches were able to correct the mistakes that were being made and give their young players renewed belief in their abilities. The result was a completely different performance from Vancouver in the second half. The Whitecaps aggressively closed space in midfield, pressured the RSL defenders and midfielders into conceding possession, and denied both Plata and Saborio a sight at goal. While Saborio struck the bar with a header in the 80th minute after a quickly taken free kick, the home side appeared content to defend their 2-0 lead. Vancouver showed better control of the ball and much better use of space in wide areas in the second half. There was a confidence in the Whitecaps team that wasnt present in the opening forty-five minutes – a belief that they could not only compete with RSL, but also get something out of the game. Robinson again used his substitutes effectively, bringing Erik Hurtado, Nicolas Mezquida and Sebastian Fernandez into the game. And it was the two Uruguayans – Mezquida and Fernandez – who clawed back a point for Vancouver. Mezquida scored Vancouvers first goal in the 86th minute, knocking home a poor rebound from RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando after great work from Darren Mattocks. Fernandez scored the equalizer deep into stoppage time, ripping a strike from 35 yards past a flat-footed Rimando. The RSL goalkeeper – along with his teammates – will be left to ponder just how they managed to throw away two points after failing to extend their dominant first half performance into the second. The Positives The second half performance from Vancouver was exactly what their fans want to see – positive, confident, attacking play. The pace in Vancouvers team is frightening; Mattocks, Manneh and Hurtado are all likely in the leagues top 10, if not the top 5, in sprint speed. It is really about finding a way for these players to use their assets to maximum effect, which Vancouver did really well in the second half. Good performances from all three substitutes will give Robinson and his coaching staff some decisions to make in choosing their starting lineup for their next match at home on May 3rd against the San Jose Earthquakes (TSN2, 6:30pm ET, 3:30pm PT). It is an enviable problem to have, as every coach much prefers to have too many good players from which to choose than not enough. Real Salt Lake put on the best forty-five minutes of football that I have seen from a team so far this season in the opening half. The concern for Jeff Cassar is finding a way to extend that performance over the course of the game. While they havent found the secret to this yet, RSL is still unbeaten this season. The Negatives Poor performances all around for Vancouver in the opening half, but the silver lining is that this can be used as a teaching moment. With such a young squad of players, the biggest challenge for Robinson is to develop his promising youngsters into seasoned professionals who can solve problems on the pitch, without always requiring the intervention of the coaching staff. This isnt a job that will happen overnight, and the players will now be expected to reflect on what they did differently in the second half that they werent doing in the first. As long as the players are able to learn from their mistakes, the opening forty-five minutes can be looked back on as a valuable lesson. Nick Rimando has been sensational for Real Salt Lake this season, so he can be forgiven for having a 10-minute spell to forget at the end of the game. He should have prevented both of Vancouver goals, and on any other day would likely have done so. The Star Man This was the best performance I have seen from Erik Hurtado. The youngster has incredible speed, but is still learning how to best utilize his prized asset. He made a big impact coming off the bench in last weeks 2-2 come-from-behind draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy, and while he didnt score in that game or against Real Salt Lake, he made a very meaningful contribution on Saturday. His willingness to run in behind stretched the RSL back line and created space for his midfielders to operate, effectively changing the game. He is still very raw and has a great deal of learning to do, so it will be important for him to seek out the coaching staff to carry on that education. But he is certainly showing exciting potential at this moment in time as a second half substitute that can change the game. Bryan Stork Kids Jersey . He certainly did that on Sunday. Browns three-run pinch-hit home run broke open a close game and the New York Mets beat Arizona 9-5 on Sunday. http://www.authenticpatriotsshop.com/James-White-Patriots-Jersey .m. Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Colorado last played at Crew Stadium on Nov. 6 last year, suffering possibly the best loss in club history, as the Rapids won an ensuing penalty kick shootout to snap an aggregate tie in the playoffs. The Texas Rangers first tried to get Tommy Hanson as part of what was a franchise-changing trade seven years ago. Now they have signed the free agent right-hander to a one-year contract in their search for depth in a rotation dealing with injury concerns. Hanson signed for $2 million plus possible incentives Friday, two days before Rangers pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Surprise, Ariz. "Hes a guy we followed for a long time," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Probably back to the Mark Teixeira trade in 07, followed his career and happy to have the opportunity to bring him in and looking forward to seeing him compete." Texas also avoided salary arbitration with first baseman Mitch Moreland by agreeing to a $2.65 million contract for this season, a raise of more than $2 million. The two sides were scheduled for an arbitration hearing Wednesday, but agreed to a number just more than midway between the salary figures they exchanged. The 27-year-old Hanson was 4-3 with a 5.42 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) in a difficult season with the Los Angeles Angels that included a right forearm injury and the death of his stepbrother. "Mentally, I dont think I was where I needed to be last year," Hanson said. "It wasnt only me. My whole family was dealing with that. Its hard to see your family struggle. Its difficult, something I dont really like to talk about. I feel like Im in a lot better place now than I was last year." Hanson said hes glad that is in the past. Physically, he said he feels great after two months of throwing. The Rangers made room for Hanson by putting left-handed reliever Joseph Ortiz on the 60-day disabled list with a broken left foot. He had surgery last month after he was run over by a motorcycle while home in Venezuela. The Angels traded for Hanson after he won at least 10 gamess in all four major league seasons (2009-12) with Atlanta, the organization he was with when the Rangers traded Teixeira in the deal that brought shortstop Elvis Andrus, left-hander Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz -- all since All-Stars and part of two teams in Texas that reached the World Series. http://www.authenticpatriotsshop.com/Jimmy-Garoppolo-Patriots-Jersey. . Daniels and the Rangers also inquired about Hanson in that deal. "But he was a guy that Atlanta rightfully didnt want to give up on," Daniels said. Texas lefty Derek Holland, who had a Rangers-high 33 starts and career-high 213 innings last season, could miss more than half the season after microfracture surgery on the left knee injured when he was tripped by his dog on the stairs at his home. Harrison, last years opening day starter, is coming off a season when he made only two starts before two operations on a herniated disk in his back. Hanson said there were "quite of few teams" interested in him, but that Texas was the best fit for him. "Being able to go in and make the rotation, and be a big part of the team," Hanson said. "Ultimately we thought Texas was the best choice and here we are now." Moreland was displaced as a starting first baseman when Texas acquired slugger Prince Fielder in a trade from Detroit. The Rangers still plan to use the left-handed Moreland as a designated hitter while playing some first base and maybe the outfield. In a career-high 147 games last season, Moreland hit .232 with 24 doubles, 23 home runs, and 60 RBIs. He made his major league debut in the second half of the 2010 season, and was the only Texas player with a hit in all five World Series games against San Francisco, when he hit a team-best .462 (6 of 13) and homered in the only Rangers victory. The Rangers havent had to go a salary arbitration hearing since 2000, against Lee Stevens. ' ' '
