Al Lang Stadium – 7:30PM
Watch: Locally – Pittsburgh CW, Elsewhere – ESPN+
REF: Mr. David Barrie
AR1: Mr. Walter Heatherly
AR2: Mr. Matthew Osterhouse
4TH: Ms. Janessa Gunn
TAM +175
DRAW +225
PIT +125
If, when last season ended, we had been told that between Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, one team would be a bit of a trainwreck before the tenth game of the season, everyone would have shoved all their cash on the Hounds. But, here we are. The Hounds haven’t lost yet this season and Tampa Bay have just lost in their first Open Cup match, sacked their manager, and replaced him with a important cog of the backline. Crazy, no? If there has ever been a prefered week to pay a visit to Tampa Bay, the Hounds have found it. But, can the Hounds take advantage of Tampa’s small mess, or will the rowdies get the proverbial ‘new manager bump’ and get their season back on track?
For the Hounds, the big issue is a growing list of guys on the injury report. It currently reads:
Kay Banjo – Doubtful (Hamstring)
Mouhamed Dabo – Out (Lower-body)
Ben Fitzpatrick – Out (Lower-body)
Joe Greenspan – Out (Calf)
Kyle Morton – Out (Knee)
This growing list, combined with the fixture congestion caused by the Open Cup means a lot of guy will be seeing a lot of minutes in the next two weeks. Does Kerr, Brett, Vancaeyezeele, and other have the legs to see 120+ minutes in a four day stretch? Depth guys, such as Noah Franke and Bakie Goodman will be looked upon play some big minutes and we’ll have a chance to see the quality of this entire squad. Does Lilley play his typical road strategy of securing the point or does he try and step on the throat of a side that is a little rudderless at the moment, despite having yet to lose at home?
For the Rowdies, its been a hectic three days. They traveled the four plus hours to Jacksonville for their second round US Open Cup match, where they were promptly pushed aside by the Armada, one-nil. The loss capped off four straight losses, all on the road, without scoring a goal. Going back to March 31, the Rowdies have dropped six consecutive road matches, failing to tally a goal, while conceding 11. That poor road form has cost manager Stuart Campbell his job, as he was relieved of duties Thursday morning. Then, yesterday, the club announced that defender Neill Collins will take over as manager, seemingly as a permanent replacement and not in a caretaker role. Collins had played and was named captain in Wednesday’s loss to the Aramada and now finds himself pulled off the pitch and on touchline to manage guys he was teammates with just three days earlier. Maybe the biggest immediate challenge the Neill Collins, the manager, will face is replacing the hole on backline with the sudden loss of Neill Collins, the player. Without Collins, Collins has to find a way to replace someone who has started every league match and leads the side in clearances and aerial duels won while being a very vocal and passionate leader on the pitch. Tampa didn’t pull a depth guy off the team to manage, they pulled a no doubt started off the pitch to manager. Bold strategy, Cotton.
Seemingly, this all should shake out for one of the best opportunities a visiting team will ever have to go into Tampa Bay and escape with a result. The long-suffering Hounds fan in all of us is wondering how this will go wrong. The 2018 Bob Lilley led Hounds fan in all of us can’t wait to see exactly how he cuts the knife deep and never gives Tampa a chance to respond. Again, things we would have never thought or expected back in October. What a ride.
Watch Party
We’re back at Smokin Joes Saloon for the watch party. We’ll be in the private upstairs room for anyone who hasn’t yet attended. You should go, they’re good times. Free Golden Hound beer (its a craft beer) after every Hounds goal, and a good special on wings (They do good wings). Party starts at 6 and kickoff is at 7:30. Tell the friends and family to go to, as long as they mind people using their outdoor voices indoors.
UNLEASH
