I’ve got three words: Galaxy vs Earthquakes post-game analysis

Not champions yet.

On Thursday, July 22 the Los Angeles Galaxy faced a slowly improving San Jose Earthquake squad at home in the friendly confines of the Home Depot Center. On paper, this should have been three points for the home team and a set-back for the team from the Bay Area. In practice, a Galaxy defense once again missing Gregg Berhalter, gave the Quakes two deadly looks on goal that they took advantage of them, leaving the Galaxy to chase the game not once but twice. For the first time in 18 games, the Galaxy entered half time trailing and for only the second time all season, but also the second time in three league games, the Galaxy gave up two goals raising their season total to 10 goals allowed. But for all that the team dominated the game for long stretches with the second San Jose goal coming decidedly against the run of play.

Because the Galaxy fell behind so early, the second minute off a rocket of a Bobby Convey put-back from a rebounding save from Donovan Ricketts, the game put the team to an unexpected and unfamiliar test: playing from behind for most of the game. The standard Galaxy modus operandi has been to play killer d, work the ball patiently through its quality midfield and find the strikers on runs into the box (or on crosses to their heads), take a lead, and then put the opposing offense on lock-down. This game plan, with a few modifications – the ugly victory in Columbus, the ugly loss in New England – had yielded a best-in-league record of 12-2-3 and a points total of 39 that was on pace to set a league record.

But San Jose upset all that with the opening goal and attack-minded play combined with tenacious defense. It forced the Galaxy to attack the game in a way it hasn’t had to before and challenged the team to step-up and show its quality. But even though it took the game to San Jose throughout the first half, it had trouble finding its rhythm, staying patient on offense, integrating all its midfield weapons and getting dangerous looks for its strikers. Granted, part of the problem was play both Edson Buddle and Alan Gordon up top. They play similar games and so often get in each other’s way without giving each other anyone to play off of. Combine that with Gordon’s inferior ball handling skills and many attacking build-ups can go wanting. The solution here is to hold the ball more through the midfield, playing the ball in, and then spraying it wide into space for Sean Franklin, Michael Stephens, or Todd Dunivant to cross into the heads of the big guys, preferably Gordon who does his best work in the air.

But until about the 25th minute, the team was befuddled and both San Jose’s Joey Gjertsen and Bobby Convey created chaos in the middle of the park and rampaging seemingly at will into the final third on dangerous attacks. When Juninho and Landon Donovan finally started connecting in the first half, the Galaxy started to dominate possession and create danger, though most of it never ended with a shot on goal. This is how it should have been all half because despite the steady increase in quality from San Jose all season, the Galaxy still has more talent and plays together as a team better.

Which became apparent to all in the second half. From the opening moments, when Donovan was fouled (or not) in the box, to the close of stoppage time, the Galaxy put the Earthquakes so far back on their heels you’d swear it was a sequence from “Dancing with the Stars”. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team so thoroughly dominate an entire half and not come home with a win. It seriously reminded me of the Brazilian display in the second half of the title game of the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009. Except, of course, they put in three that half and the Galaxy could only find two.

Part of it was clearly a kick in the ass from Bruce Arena at halftime. Part of it was a change in tactics. The kick in the ass resulted in Buddle’s 12th gol of the season in the 59th minute to tie the game. The change in tactics resulted in the Galaxy shifting to a 4-3-3 just afterwards with the insertion of Tristan Bowen for Dema Kovalenko and then going to a 3-4-3 for the final 20 or so minutes after San Jose scored their second against the entire run of play.

I have to say I was impressed. The Galaxy kept possession, they showed patience, they moved well off the ball, they made good passes, they got off dangers crosses and they took good shots. And they scored to bring the teams level in the 90th minute and remain undefeated at home. But as Donovan said in the post-game ESPN2 interview, “I’m not sure who we didn’t win that game, we had so many chances.”

Exactly. And that’s why they aren’t champions yet. Not because there are 12 more games to go in the regular season, but because this is the type of game they simply have to win if they want to raise the MLS Cup. You can’t dominate a team the way they did and not win. Not at home, not against a team that has yet to find its way into the top tier of MLS teams. Last year I would have been happy with this result because last year’s team didn’t score as much as this year’s and because last year was clearly supposed to be just another rebuilding year.

But this year is different. This year the Galaxy can do something special – set a points record, take the Supporter’s Shield, go deep into the CONCACAF Champions League, and win MLS Cup. But to do that, they have to take over games like this, games where the other team has the audacity to take an early lead on your own home pitch, and respond with fury. You have to send a message, “NO! Not in our house!”Then take the three points from the slack fingers of your demoralized opponent.

The Galaxy isn’t there yet.

But they start playing full games like they played that last 45 minutes and they could be. And that will be a sight.

Man of the Match: Landon Donovan

What did you think about the match? Who was your man of the match? What about that Bobby Convey handball on the goal line? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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