Galaxy vs. FC Dallas Preview

Beckham returns the beginning of July.

What a disappointment. Should have been 3 points instead of another draw. The Galaxy started off getting some chances and I thought this could be a breakout game and put away some goals, but to no avail. the score should have been 3-1, Maggee sucks, plain and simple and Lewis I thought had a bad performance, kinda like he has most of the season so far. Donovan doesn't have anyone to work with so he gets covered and shut down, he needs Buddle healthy to help draw defenders off him. I can't believe the 1 v 1 chances with the keeper and nothing. Arena has to be upset with this one. Glad Donovan got a goal.

A point on the road is better than nothing I keep telling myself but damn I want a win. I was hoping we could just wear down Dallas being a player up but it never seem to be the case with the flow of the game, especially in the second half.

Anybody know when Becks will return to Galaxy?

Anyone here play FIFA 09? I like the manager mode, where you take teams through seasons. Any time I start with a new team, the first thing I do is analyze the weaknesses and look to bring in players to fill those gaps. So I look at the Galaxy in a similar way.

Up front, Donovan lacks a partner. Buddle is good enough, but still injured. Once he is match form they are pretty solid for starters, but the backups are still not great.

The midfield is lacking. Lewis is good on the left. Klein pretty good on the right. But there are... well... middling players in the center mid. That makes it very difficult to control a game and makes it hard to feed the attack. That would be my first priority. Interesting then that Bruce has recently brought in two prospects, both international midfielders.

The defense is in better shape than it was. Ryan, I don't know what you're talking about. I have only seen Berhalter play a couple of times, but he has been excellent. Exactly what the Gals needed. Gonzales is a great addition. Sanneh is too slow, but an okay backup. Not sure about the others.

Keeper we're good now. Although lord help us if he gets injured.

It takes time to make a team work. A couple more changes and this team may be able to compete. Question is, do they have the motivation to get it done?

If thr organization was looking to rebuild a winning franchise - undoing all the mess Lalas caused, they would sack Arena immediately.

Next out the door should be:
Dunivant
Dima
Berhalter
Klein
Lewis
Maglioranzi
McGhee
Gordon
Sanneh

Everyone of these players has no role here. For example, Eddie Lewis...still a very good player, but at his age, he is best served on a team that is only a player or two away from winning something. In LA, he mentors nobody while, on the pitch, he can't produce enough over the corurse of 90 minutes to justify his inclusion. Ditto - Dima, Klein, Berhalter, Dunivant, Maglioranzi.

McGhee is just an Arena boy and Gordon and Sanneh stink.

Arena has ruined Franklin.

This sqaud is no better than last season, or the season before - its just a different kind of SUCK.

Ryan

I feel sick.

The team had the opportunity to show exactly what they are made of in this game. And I think its pretty clear. The team doesn't know how to win games and as the game gets going doesn't really care to. How do you not win a game like this? By the time we start playing Houston, Chicago, even New England, we're going to be losing these games instead of tying. Absolutely unacceptable.

This is ridiculous. Does this team even want to win?

If the Galaxy do not win this game they will confirm everyone's negative talk about them. This is ridiculous. Up a man for 65 minutes and they can't put one in the back of the net, they can't sustain good midfield control and they can't keep the pressure on.

This is beyond frustrating.

I'm getting a bad feeling about this game.

Wow! What a shot from Wallace!

Thank god for Ricketts.

Galaxy doesn't want this game as much as FCD does. THis is pathetic and frustrating.

In for Gordon. More creativity up top. Should push the FCD defenders.

Buddle! Finally.

Oooh. Almost. Too much on the first touch from Donovan.

Time to start Buddle warming up.

Nice look from Tudela, but not his strength.

Last 4 minutes have been better, but the passes and first touches have been prety crap. More focus, guys. Play smart.

We need more urgency here. I know its hot and humid, but, ferreal, people. We should own the midfield.

NIce cross from lewis, but just off...

Figured out the yellow card thing. It's product placement for Yellowtail wine. Which I was going to make a joke about, but then it turned out to be real. Blech.

OK.

From an offensive point of view, this game is a welcome change from past road games. Nice to get a score in the first 4 minutes.

On the other had, giving up a free headers in the box when we're up a man is a real problem. And there were too many points during the final half of the game when we weren't not playhing like we had an advantage.

The last 6 minutes were loads better and that's what the entire last half of the first half should have looked like.

In the first 15 minutes we need to put this game on lock down, score at least one goal and then keep Dallas off the board. I'd like to see Buddle get 30 minutes here and it might make sense to give Jordan 20 minutes, depending on what's going on with the game.

Tudela is having a not so good game and needs to get better at his ball distribution and ball winning. I'm not a hug fan of Migs, but I think his ball winning is better. Tudela's offense is better, but I'm not sure that this is too much of an advantage, especially under the circumstances.

Magee is doing pretty well and so is Donovan and even Gordon is having a positive impact. Lewis and Dunivant are connecting well and looking dangerous. We should be winning, not tied. So we need to focus and step it up and get a killer attitude.

I was wondering about the yellow card speak as well. What the buh?

If we keep pounding like this we have GOT to get one more.

Jesus! Burse is having a career game.

Gotta finish these chances. Magee skies it from 15 yards.

What the hell are these "yellowtail yellow cards"? Even the stadium announcer is saying that.

Not really playing like we have an extra man. That's seriously frustrating because it's happened before this season. We should be able to really shut FCD down and we really aren't.

Also, too many cards in this game at this point. Ward needs to do more talking and fewer cards.

Nice shot by Magee. Too bad right at the keeper. MOre of those and we'll score.

Not sure that's a yellow on Gonzalez. He tried to stop. That's just a BS make up yellow. Ward needs to rely on consistency to take control here, not trading yellows.

Grrrrrrr.

Are you kidding me? WTF? This better not end like that awful game 2 years ago agasint Columbus at home. Where we lost.

They better be pissed now.

Umm, hello? We've got a man advantage here! Stop falling asleep!

Okay. This time, let's play like we've got a man up. Not like in Seattle. We could really put on a clinic and prove to ourselves that we can put our foot on the throat of a team and deliver the killing blow.

How many teams facing the Galaxy this season have gotten reds? I wonder if we're on track for a record?

Thank god for stupidity on the field. Saragosa = dumb.

OH! Lewis! You need to finish that!

Great play overall though.

I thought Lewis would've scored for sure. Come on!

Backline is getting it together. Working the offsides trap.

This attacking formation is working really well against FCD. And we're playing a lot smarter up front than we have in other games.

Magee seems to have license to roam from his spot on the right which gives us much more midfield creativity.

Wow, Dallas is playing horribly. Wow.

Oh MIke Magee! You have to finish that! See last game's Lewis rocket for inspiration.

Nice counterattack. Despite not beating the keepter, Gordon was actually pretty good.

Buddle would've scored!

What the hell? I thought Delagarza was supposed to be fast! Shea's been eating his lunch all day long.

Too many corners being given up. Shea is going to be a handful all night long.

Brek Shea is already causing serious problems. Gonzalez might need to pay more attention there.

Yay for the post.

Delagarza misplayed the ball at the midfield line. He needs to get his head into the game. That should help focus him.

Now the midfield needs to step up and start to take control.

Does the field look narrow to you guys? Maybe it's just the camera angle, but it seems a bit small.

Dallas has two huge forwards. Break Shea plays every position.

Let's see if this team knows how to play with a lead.

And, I have to say, that's exactly what we hoped for out of this left side combo of Lewis and Dunivant.

OK! More of that!

BRILLIANT!

YES!!!!!!!!

Gordon always gets injured in the first minute...

Gordon - Donovan
Lewis - Tudela - Kovalenko - Magee
Dunivant - Berhalter - Gonzalez - Delagarza

Interesting. Can't say that Arena isn't looking to find the right combination for offense. I kinda like the midfield on paper. Tudela needs to step up. Magee needs to keep what he did last week going. Gordon needs to get his head on the end of a few balls.

Crap, they just listed Gordon as starting.

And hey, there's the shot of Dallas' Cheerleaders. I guess they're still around . . . :)

@#$#%%&*#(@$&%&%&*!!!!!!!##$%^*!

And no Sanneh. AJ Delagarza instead. Speed on the outside. Hope his right foot is as good as his left.

Oh yay!! Go Edson!!!

Buddle's starting. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!