Brazilian Newcomers Finally Training
By: jen |
3 Comments
From the official Galaxy blog.
The Brazilian trio of Alex, Juninho and Leonardo have arrived at The Home Depot Center and are cleared to begin training with the club. The three players, who were acquired on loan from Sao Paulo in December, officially received their visas over the weekend and flew to Los Angeles in time for today’s training session.
Glad to have them. I can’t wait to see what they bring to the team. Ooooh this season promises to be exciting!
Category: Player News
Video of Donovan’s First Goal for Everton
By: jen | 3 Comments
Category: Player NewsWe-hell, Look Who Scored
By: jen | 9 Comments
And it was a nice one. (That’s Landon celebrating Tim Cahill’s opening goal over there on the left).
Donovan scored the second goal in Everton’s 2-0 defeat of Sunderland earlier today in Premier League action. Cahill nodded the ball down to Landon in the box where he got perfect control of the ball and placed his shot just out of reach of Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon.
Video of the goal here at the official, snark free Galaxy blog.
It has been hinted at by several in the media that Landon may hope to make his loan to Everton permanent. I’ve told you how I feel about it. As much as I’d miss him as part of the Galaxy, I hope to see him go. If he does, I may have to cough up the money for Setanta so I can watch him play on the big(ger) screen. I’m already tired of streaming faulty feeds on my laptop from the soccer viewing underground. Andrea Canales has the best write up of Landon’s permanent move possibility.
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In other Galaxy news, preseason training began on Monday. Not as many new faces this year as, well, the past three years as Bruce Arena has dismantled the revolving door entrance to the HDC.
But look who’s back!
(photo courtesy LA Galaxy blog)
Aww yeahhh, Clint Mathis baybee!
Not a Clint Mathis fan? That’s okay, you can tell me all about it in the comments.
I love the guy. I remember when he was a young hot head playing with the Galaxy in 1998 through 2000. Hell, even my husband remembers him as I would drag him to the games at the Rose Bowl when we were engaged. (For those who don’t know, we’re the typical American soccer couple, in reverse. He watches the kids while I play on Sundays. He finds something else to do while I watch matches on tv. He’s a pretty great guy!)
And look who else is back? Yes, Mr. Eskandarian himself. It looks as though his head is good for one more season at least.
For a complete list of who has come and gone check out the Galaxy blog.
I’ll be back soon with some more preseason musings and updates on Landon’s spell at Everton.
Share any news with me in the comments or by emailing at lagalaxy[at]theoffside[dot]com.
Catch Landon’s Everton Match on FSC
By: jen | 9 Comments
For those of you who get FSC, the Everton FC vs. Manchester City match will be televised tomorrow (Saturday the 16th) at 9:30 Pacific.
I figure more of you have FSC than Setanta or the other premium channels, so this is your shot to watch LD at his home game debut. In the UK Donovan is receiving 14:1 odds of scoring in his first home match.
I will not be live blogging the match, but I will come back with comments after the game. You can see Landon’s interview regarding the Man. City game here as well as the previous link.
Category: Player NewsDonovan’s Passing Percentage
By: jen | 5 Comments
This is pretty cool. The link below shows the passes that Landon made, the time he made them, who he passed to, and his success rate. He success rate is great!
In addition, I hope to be live blogging several of Everton’s matches in the coming weeks. Check back here for more on LD and his loan with Everton.
Category: Player NewsArsenal v. Everton LIVE BLOG
By: jen | 3 Comments
I’ll be updating here as the match continues . . . Forgive the very choppy live blogging, I’ve got the girls with me with no hubby today.
Donovan has the start! Go Landon!
Current Score: Arsenal 1. Everton 1
*It’s snowing at Arsenal.
3′ Arsenal player down.
*Landon is playing up top, on the right ** correction, he is playing wide right
7′ LD making great slashing runs, hasn’t been found yet
8′ Corner Everton . . .
8′ Saha receives great pass over final defender, shoots high
9′ Arsenal’s second run into Everton’s final third . . . shot across goal mouth doesn’t connect — Go Timmy!
9′ Taken short, shot on goal easily handled
12′ Another Saha shot deflected for corner . . .
12′ DONOVAN TAKES CORNER — EVERTON GOAL!!!!!
13′ Arsenal pressing around Everton box
14′ Good Arsenal possession . . . Everton tightening defense
(What a joy to see Landon’s defining tight little jog on the field with these players, with these teams, in this league)
16′ Arsenal pressing, Everton breaking up, Arsenal pressing, Everton breaking up . . .
17′ LD strips Arsenal player and passes, leading to Everton possession deep in Arsenal territory
19′ Arsenal pressing with good possession — Everton keeps breaking up the play but is having trouble maintaining possession on the counter
21′ Physical challenges all over the field . . . Arsenal winning most
23′ Everton having trouble finding Cahill and LD on the right
24′ Gallas (Ars. center back) pulled muscle — but back on the field
25′ Howard, easy save
26′ Saha offside
28′ GOAL ARSENAL! on deflection
30′ Chasing back and forth, LD forces ball out on Arsenal for Everton throw in
31′ Poor clearance from Howard — Arseanl possession
(Arsenal has had the better possession, but Everton is all over them like white on rice)
32′ foul on Ramsey, Everton free kick at 50 yard line
33′ good Everton possession, Everton fouled again
33′ Long ball into Arsenal box cleared — Arsenal possession
34′ Arsenal’s Eduardo beats 2 defenders into box then dives into the box on the last challenge — no penalty
36′ Cahill headed ball down into 6 yard box, LD can’t get to it before Arsenal clearance
38′ Possession by both teams, no real chances on either side — it’s a midfield match up right now
39′ Foul called on LD — unfortunate as he was about to win a foot race to the ball for possession in Arsenal’s final third
40′ Donovan found with a long ball — brought down with defender on his back and pass back to Neville who goes for the chip — just over the crossbar
42′ Still a mad fight in the midfield . . .
42′ LD the key in beautiful movement and possession by Everton . . .
45′ Donovan and Neville with some great work resulting in a cross and half chance
45′+ into stoppage time
(HALFTIME, Score Tied 1-1)
Second half — still snowing (reminds me of my high school playing days in Maine)
46′ slower pace than first half — controlled possession by both teams
50′ Arsenal cross headed out — Arsenal first corner of the match
50′ corner kick easily headed out of danger
52′ LD jukes Arsenal defender, creates two chances in the box
(there’s that footwork and creation of space/opportunity that we know and love!)
53′ Everton has the bulk of possession (and it is really, REALLY snowing!)
54′ Everton offside on nice chip ball over Arsenal defense
55′ Donovan strips Arsenal again — overall the Everton pressure is preventing Arsenal from putting any kind of constructive passing together
56′ Everton corner . . .
56′ goes far post, collected and passed to LD who whiffs the cross, sliding on the surface
57′ Scrappy possession by Eduardo in Everton box, results in scrappy but effective clearance from Tim Howard
58′ Just as Arsenal is pressing hard, Arsenal foul in Everton box — free kick Everton
59′ Arsenal getting the better of Everton players in final third, but fouls Everton again
61′ continued defensive pressure by Everton, although most of it in their final third — midfield battle is less intense
62′ Saha shot deflected wide — corner Everton . . .
63′ LD takes corner . . . cross cleared in front of Cahill
65′ free kick Everton off Arsenal foul — Arsenal committing the lion’s share of fouls this half
65′ Arsenal — Ramsey out, Rosicky in
67′ Everton slowly the pace of game — Donovan pass intercepted
68′ Tim Howard with lucky save
69′ Landon subbed out — Bilyaletdinov replaces him
70′ Traore cross for Arsenal, results in corner — deflected for another corner
71′ second corner — shot blocked by Neville on the ground — players and snow all over the ground
73′ Arsenal free kick into box, cleared
74′ Eduardo late challenge on Tim Howard who is now down — Eduardo high kick to Timmy’s abdomen
75′ Arsenal creating chance after chance — Howard collides with own player but ball is cleared
77′ play being held in the midfield instead of Everton final third
78′ Cahill with perfect, beautiful chance in the box — dishes to trailing runner who doesn’t connect — brilliant chance!
79′ counter by Arshavin results in corner — subsequent possession creates another corner for Arsenal
80′ Pienaar GOAL FOR EVERTON!!!! from beautifully weighted ball by Cahill
82′ another breakaway for Everton, through ball then shot by Pienaar saved at the penalty spot
83′ injury time . . . the game is much more open than before, as is expected at the end of a match in the snow — they’ve even gone to a yellow ball
85′ play resuming . . .
85′ Cahill cross out for an Everton corner
86′ Pienaar shot over crossbar
87′ solid Everton possession in Arsenal territory
87′ Arsenal’s Sagna fouls Everton player, yellow card
88′ another Everton corner . . .
89′ deflected for a seventh Everton corner
89′ Traore miss kicks it off the endline, eighth Everton corner
90′ Everton foul, Arsenal free kick, Everton time wasting
90′ Pienaar yellow card for open field foul
90′+ 5 minutes of stoppage time . . .
90+’ “gaping holes in the Arsenal defense”
90+’ Arsenal pressing in Everton 18, cleared, pressing again searching for equalizer
90+’ GOAL ARSENAL by Rosicky! (another deflection, but it was on goal beforehand)
90+’ Arsenal pushing like mad for winning goal . . .
95′ two men down, trainers brought on
97′ FINAL WHISTLE
Man of the Match for Everton: Tim Cahill — with Steven Pienaar a close second
My take on Landon’s performance:
He didn’t look out of place at all. If you didn’t know it was his first match you wouldn’t have noticed a thing. Knowing it was his first match though, it was clear there were a few miscues between him and Cahill. In addition, the only Everton player finding him in the first half was predominantly Cahill. Cahill scored on a Donovan corner in the first half.
LD’s name was called more in the second half as his touches increased. He continued to create chances for the Toffees. The quick pace of the match was entirely suited to his style of play. When given the ball, his possession was as good as in the MLS. Once he and the team begin to click more he is going to be a formidable force for Everton.
All in all, a great first showing for Landon, with an assist in the books.
Landon 1 LDHaters 0
Category: Player NewsBeckham As Forward?
By: jen | 2 Comments
Well, yeah. It works.
As I commented on Nick Green’s post, what a luxury for AC Milan to have such a talented team that they can tuck Beckham up top to deliver crosses. I know I would hate to be in the back four of a team playing AC Milan now. Especially with Pirlo and Seedorf coming at you from the midfield. Sheesh.
Category: Player NewsThe Skinny on Landon Donovan at Everton
By: jen | 6 Comments
As Landon begins his loan spell at Everton you may be wondering where to get your Donovan news fix.
MLS Soccer Talk will be watching Landon’s spell at Everton closely and will update with news regularly. Stop by here to read what they consider Landon’s keys to success at Everton, and add their home page to your RSS feeds. The site partners with EPL Talk which will also be reporting on Donovan’s two and a half month loan.
Of course you can also get the latest news from Everton FC’s own site, as well as TV and video highlights on the Everton TV site. Everton TV requires payment for viewing, but payments start as low as 4.99 pounds a month.
Everton’s upcoming match against Arsenal, in which LD will likely see some minutes, will be televised in the US on Setanta Sports at 10am ET.
As I discover new sources for keeping up to date on Donovan’s loan I will update this post. If you have sources I haven’t mentioned, please add them in the comments.
Happy New Year!
P.S. I think he’ll look good in blue.
Category: Player NewsDonovan’s 2009 Highlights
By: jen | 1 Comment
From youtube and linked by several other blogs. If you go to youtube you can watch it in HD, which is too large to embed here.
Merry Christmas to each and every Galaxy fan, and Merry Christmas to LD. Thanks for a great year, Landon. We can’t wait to see you rock it in England!
Category: Player NewsGonzalez To Be Called Into USMNT Camp
By: jen | 3 Comments
MLS Rookie of the Year, our very own Omar Gonzalez, will be called into the USMNT’s January experimental camp next month.
I’m sure as you’ve watched him play this season you were thinking the same thing I was: “This kid could develop into an outstanding defender for the National Team.” I’m glad Bob Bradley is going to get a look at him. I don’t see Omar making a strong enough impression in international play to make the squad this coming year, but the kid just turned 21 and has years to improve and impress.
(I have to admit that I had weird visions of the “experimental training camp” of players reviewing the scientific process in lab coats and goggles. However, that would be an “experiment” training camp now wouldn’t it?)
Category: Player News
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