Practice observations…

A veritable passel of media types was at practice today to check out the new stadium. I will say the venue looks sharp. Apparently some SRO tickets will be going on sale some time today, so if you don’t have a ticket, time is short.

As for the game, expect Yallop to limit his changes to the back and keep the midfield intact. The back line will look like this:

–Riley–Hernandez–Garcia–Denton

Also, Peguero’s knee is “a little sore” according to Yallop, and he’ll start Saturday’s game as a sub. I’m still of the opinion that his insertion into the starting lineup is only a matter of time. Gavin Glinton. You are on the clock.

I managed to have a brief chat with Ryan Cochrane. Incredibly, you’d never know he’d been involved in the incident described by Yallop as one of the worst he’d ever seen. Just a small bandage near the hairline to cover the 21 stitches (over 3 layers according to Cochrane.) Cochrane complained of some headaches, but said he wishes he could play. Sounds like one of those situations where the trainer is - quite rightly - saving the player from himself. Cochrane will be evaluated next week. It sounds like people are optimistic that he’ll return for the Columbus match, but I wonder if even that is premature. We’ll keep you posted.

I did not get a chance to talk to Jay Ayres, although Yallop said he looked like “he’d been in a car wreck,” which in a sense he had. No word either if surgery will be needed to repair the fractures. Yallop stated that Ayres left cheek had multiple fractures while there was a hairline fracture on the right cheek. I’m thinking that surgery will be necessary, but we’ll see. (And if you’re wondering how I became such an expert in this area, it’s because I broke my cheekbone once, so there you go.)