I’ve Got Three Words: Galaxy vs Kansas City Wizards Post-Game Analysis

Image by Victor Decolongon of Getty Images

And those words are: Should’ve taken three.

I can’t remember the last time my frustration from a Los Angeles Galaxy performance was based on the fact that they clearly outplayed their opponent for an entire game, but could not deliver the death blow. Mostly my frustration came from giving up soft goals, inability to control the midfield, and lack of service to the forwards. So this was a new thing, this frustration-of-not-beating-an-inferior-team thing. This is, I imagine, what it feels like for fans of winning teams, though I’m not so used to success that I’m actually pissed off that the team couldn’t find a way to come away with three points. I’ve still got a bit of pleasure from the fact that the Galaxy took a road point.

Part of the problem here was the field at CommunityAmerica Park. It’s tiny, like the old Spartan Stadium, but at least that field had a bit of length. CommunityAmerica is short and narrow. As such it amplifies the problems players might have with their first touch and their quick passing game. At the same time it rewards quickness and siezing opportunity. Both sets of issues were on display in both goals.

On Kansas City’s strike by Claudio Lopez, from just behind the center stripe, which caught Donovan Ricketts off his line, he was given the opportunity by a misplayed attempt to trap a clearance from the Kansas City backline by Omar Gonzalez. This fell right to Lopez who blasted from distance in a karmic payback for last year’s 60-yard strike at the HCD by David Beckham. Normally that kind of flubbed trap wouldn’t have such devastating consequences, but in Kansas City it set-up a goal.

Then on Landon Donovan’s run through the heart of the Wizards’ defense ending with a beautiful finish to the only spot Kevin Hartman couldn’t reach, the set-up pass was a brilliant little flick from Beckham as he intercepted a pass also near the center-stripe and redirected it right into Donovan’s path. Short, quick passes and quality finishing. All at a premium on that tiny field.

Which is why the Galaxy had trouble putting up a second strike. Not that there weren’t opportunities. Donovan thumped a great Beckham pass from deep midfield right to about 10 yards from goal off the legs of Kevin Hartman and other great looks went wide or high. But a significant hinderance was the absence of Edson Buddle and Alecko Eskandarian from the attack. Both players are creative, stretch defenses, and have good finishing skills. The starting tandem of Alan Gordon and Mike Magee, not so much. Gordon’s strength is his workrate and his aerial prowess while his weakness is his hard first touch and lack of ball skills. CommunityAmerica just doesn’t work for him unless you can serve a ton of balls right to his head, but even then, crowded spaces can take him out of the play.

Mike Magee… I don’t know what’s going on there. He seems like he’s working hard and getting into dangerous positions, but the attack seems to lose fire when it comes near him. Prime example: gorgeous Beckham cross goes right to his chest on a full sprint into the box and he traps it right to Hartman. Ugh.

So, while the midfield was enjoying a day of dominance, the attack was sputtering except for those times it was going through Donovan. And speaking of the midfield, I’m starting to wonder about the continued presence of Stefani Miglioranzi. He’s been a rock as a defenseive midfielder, doing prodigious amounts of dirty work to break up plays and stuff attackers from pretty much everywhere on the field. I can see why Bruce Arena keeps calling his number, both because of that grit and because of Arena’s loyalty. But the reasons Miglioranzi has never been a consistent starter in MLS has been his distribution and passing skills. He’s rarely going to give you that incisive pass that springs an attack and often his passes are errant to begin with. And that’s one of the reasons that Beckham drifts so far back into the defensive third sometimes when he’s looking for the ball. That and a disturbing tendency to let his frustration dictate his actions on the field. Last year I understood that – the personnel did not dictate trust. This year, there’s more to trust, so I think he should. Stay in a position where you can be dangerous number 23 and the Galaxy attack won’t end up with the sputtering that occurred last night.

Miglioranzi’s drawbacks are especially problematic on a field like CommunityAmerica. On Arena’s third substitution I would have rather seen Chris Birchall come in for Miglioranzi than Bryan Jordan for Gordon. I think the passing and vision from the middle would have better contributed to the attack than the energy that Jordan brings to the field.

Actually, I’m wondering how long it is going to be before Birchall claims that stopper role all for himself. Sooner rather than later, I’m hoping. A midfield of Eddie Lewis – Birchall – Beckham – Donovan would immediately contend for best midfield in the league. And while I’m back-seat driving on the line-up thing, I would have preferred to see this line-up start the game last night.

Donovan – Gordon
Lewis – Birchall – Beckham – Chris Klein
Delagarza – Berhalter – Gonzalez – Dunivant
Ricketts

Next in two weeks the team takes on New England, a team that thrives on short, sharp passes through the middle (though this year the personnel are dropping like flies to injury and the switch in defensive starters has dictated a shift from the 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2). The midfield will have to be ready to counter that with a smart possession game that seeks to breakdown the New England defense. This would seem to be more suited to a Birchall than a Miglioranzi.

Do you notice how I said almost nothing about the defense so far, expect to point out Gonzalez’s unfortunate poor trap? That’s how much better its been this year. While no longer 4th in the league in goals allowed, it continues to keep the team in games that would have been losses last year. While its a dubious badge of honor to share the league lead in ties, it sure beats leading the league in losses. The backline pretty much kept Josh Wolff, Herculez Gomez, Roger Espinoza, and Santiago Hirsig in check for the entire game. Even losing Donovan Ricketts to that painful back injury on the Lopez goal didn’t cause any break in stride for the defense. Josh Saunders came on, commanded his box, made one impressive save, and kept everything organized. I’m impressed with the progress he’s been making. I’d still rather have Ricketts in goal, but I’m gradually gaining confidence in our number 2.

Overall, this was a game the Galaxy should have won and I think the team knows that. Getting a point from a game where Kevin Hartman was playing at the top of his talents is an accomplishment to be certain, but the team could have put another past his if they had made the most of their chances.

Man of the Match: Landon Donovan

What other are saying:

Curtis Kitchen with the game recap at MLSNet
The AP hosted by Google
All Headline News capsule report
The Daily Mail on the second fan confrontation episode in two weeks (which I neglected to mention because I’m clearly not going to make it as a gossip columnist)
Terez A. Paylor at the Kansas City Star
Angel Mangana at LAist.com
The AP on ESPN
TribalFootball with a Donovan quote
Curtis Kitchen at MLSNet with the Kansas City perspective
Nick Sloan at the Kansas City Kansan
Bob Rusert at MLSNet with the Galaxy perspective
UPI
Jaime Cardenas with the party line at the official LA Galaxy Blog
Nick Green at 100 Percent Soccer
The AP at the Daily Breeze

What about you guys? What did you think about taking a point in Kansas City? Should it have been three? What was the impact of Gordon and Magee? How much or little did we miss Buddle and Esky? What did you think about Beckham’s first league game since returning from loan? Who was your Man of the Match? Leave all your thoughts in the comments below.

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Category: Player News