Roots fans, it is already game day again! This would be exhausting (it’s exhausting) but the Roots have five wins from their last six, and this is a chance for a home-away-from-home match win against a midtable rival. The Roots will face little brother Monterey Bay F.C. at 3:00 p.m. at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, California. The match will be broadcast on ESPN2! If you have not made the trip down to Seaside, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s a cozy little stadium in a very pretty location. And you have a chance to contribute to a national audience hearing the 100 Roots supporters over the home fans. Here’s some music from a band from Mont—–
[Editor’s Note: going back to work while still taking care of a newborn finally did Peter in, and while we try to find a permanent replacement, we have employed an AI scab to write the remainder of the preview post. We apologize for any inconvenience and/or inaccuracy].
Monterey Bay F.C.
Monterey Bay’s name is too long and weird. FormerRoot Jesus Enriquez regularly plays for this team and they’re okay? Otter Union are 5 of 16 with 4 ties. Most goals come from Tristan Trager with five, one penalty. Trager used to play for Charleston and also Atlanta United 2 and also sounds like a video game character. Bay Union F.C. are on a two-match losing streak, following loss to (bad) North Carolina at the last weekend.
Roots’ Form
Positive.
Glinton rotated, hopefully for rest and not injuries. Cruz and Camier started and did okay, Camier was quiet, which is what you want. The first goal is just stupid bad luck.
Napo great first goal.
Alekseev winner a thing of beauty, particularly the flawless pass from our MotM Justin Rasmussen. Roots got their shit together and got the win they deserved. 15 points from 18, 16 of 24 since Glinton took over.
Lineup and Score Predictions
Bloom
Glinton showed midweek that he can rotate, that he can cover for injuries, and the system cannot fail. I don’t think this is the weekend when the system will be failed. The lineup doesn’t matter. Dwyer starts. 2-0 Roots.
Jon
I really like this lineup, renewing the attacking combination up top with Johnny, Reid, Lindo, and Cedeño. Koze gets another start with Riley playing alongside him, while I think Glinton goes with his preferred CB combination of Hackshaw and Gagi, who was not on the subs list last game. I like how Rasmussen is playing, can he get three starts in a row?
I’m feeling good going into this one and it might be statement-win territory; Roots, 4-1.
Aaron
If it ain’t broke, mostly don’t fix it, right? I expect more rotation, but mostly to return to the lineup that got this streak going. The last time these teams met, things ended….auspiciously. I expect the on-field ref to keep a firm grip on things, which probably means that Dom Dwyer can get back to his “getting a yellow card” ways. But like Peter I also expect him to score off the bench. 2-0 Roots.