So What Happened to Our Defense on Tuesday Night?

By: Laurie | August 2nd, 2007

Tuesday night’s game confused me. Did it confuse anybody else?

Twenty minutes where nothing we did could go wrong, and seventy minutes of struggle, where our defense allowed five (FIVE!!!) goals.

The offense looked pretty awesome, actually. They scored essentially at will once they got the ball. (I KNEW they had it in them.) But the game leaves us with the question: What happened to the defense?

I’ve had kind of a difficult time analyzing this. My problem is that it’s somewhat difficult to engage in in-depth, critical analysis when you’re covering your eyes and screaming obscenities at your computer screen. (Yes, this is how I react to imminent goals against my teams. It’s completely beyond my control — I’m fairly certain it’s kind of a brain-based, Tourette’s sort of thing. But on Tuesday I forgot that all of my doors and windows were open, and now my neighbors are all looking at me funny.)

But I’m curious as to what you think.

I did notice a couple of things: 1) Abel Xavier wasn’t the god he has been in some past games, and 2) Troy Roberts kind of scares me at rightback.

Nothing against Abel — he had some very good moments, and on balance I think he was the best mid-season pickup. But he waxes hot and cold, and he wasn’t hot on Tuesday. This is one of the reasons I’m so worried about the schedule congestion coming up in the next few months.

And Troy? I’m just not sure. He got beat a lot against Chelsea, but I was willing to cut him some slack becuase he spent a lot of time up against French international Florent Malouda. You don’t make the French NT by being mediocre. And then on Tuesday, when he was getting beat, I was thinking, “Well, Oduro’s really fast. That has something to do with it.” But he just seemed to be caught flat-footed a whole lot, zigging where he should have zagged and going right where the attacker went left. I’m just not comfortable with his ability to see what’s coming and react well.

Or maybe that’s just me? Or maybe it was just this game?

I dunno. What do you think?

Some Related Galaxy Posts:

Category: 2007 Games, Player News, SuperLiga, Team News

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Laurie

Also, Nathan, I really like your 4-5-1 everybody-healthy lineup.

I've been struggling to wrap my mind around how things will work when Beckham is finally healthy, and this is the only thing I can visualize as actually getting somewhere. 4-4-2 with him in the center midfield doesn't do it (a good offense would slice through us like a hot knife through butter), and neither does Frank's original plan 4-3-3. (How many times did they try 4-3-3 without Beckham before they realized that it sucked? Once? Twice maybe?) I think your 4-5-1 plays to the team's best assets.

And re: Albright. I'm hearing a song in my head along the lines of, "Don't it always seem to go/that you don't know what you got till it's gone..."
Laurie

though Jazic’s crosses are rarely anthing to write home about.

Ahem. See: SuperLiga, Dallas-Galaxy, 3rd goal. You can't direct a ball to a forward's head much more accurately than that one.

But then again, I'll be the first to admit that it's difficult for me to apply my critical thinking skills to anybody playing leftback. The position makes me happy. I cannot help it.
Nathanhj

LD's natural position is "withdrawn striker" according to me. He is very dangerous when he has the room to create and make runs. His vision is excellant and his soccer IQ is very high. He's not a traditional number 10, though. Too much autonomy and not enough responsibility for an entire attack. Lots of times coaches like to put him on the right side, but he can get lost on the wing. He needs to be placed my centrally.

Jazic and Albright both help in the attack, though Jazic's crosses are rarely anthing to write home about. He does do a good job on overlapping runs. Albright has the same capability, though his crosses are better. I didn't realize how good he was til he got injured and there was basically no one to replace him.
mag

Nathanhj
Big thanks!

Can LD play central attackind midfielder or he likes to be on the top? I saw him coming back to take a ball very often so he can be connection between halfbacks and strikers. What's his natural position?
Juzic and Albright do they help in attack?
Nathanhj

Mags,

LA has usually gone with a 4-4-2 with two d-mids and two wingers. In practice this is more like a 4-4-1-1 with LD playing withdrawn and running off of Pavon or Gordon.

In some cases LD play right wing with Pavon and Buddle/Glinton/Gordon up top.

The thing is, right now the best players for LA are midfielders and the defense is shaky. Harden in the center of the back line is showing flashes of utter crap and Roberts on the right is getting beaten like a drum kit.

So a 4-5-1 puts the best players on the field while also shoring up the questionable defense. I'd also be open to a 3-5-2, but I don't think we have the outside speed to pull that off. It would get all of our best attackers on the field, though: Martino, LD, Beckham, Gordon, Pavon, plus Klein and Jones if needed.

Ultimately I'm okay with 4-4-2 as well, but if Beckham really plays center mid, then I don't know how the defense is going to deal. Because if that's teh case then I'd want this:

Healthy:
Pavon - Gordon
Martino - Gray/Harmse - Beckham - Donovan
Jazic - Harden - Xavier - Albright

I'm just worried that only one d-mid is going to cost us.
mag

Laurie
Yes,Bayren Munchen in 1999 in 93th minute of the match also thouht the game was over,while David Beckham was going to take two of his golden coners...
Nathanhj
I diesn't like two halfbacks tactics. Does LA plays usually with two halfbacks? I think it's very hard to find two centarl midfielders that cooperate good with each other,not elemenate each other like Lampard and SG in english NT and it's nt mobile team,because balls usually go through the centre,but it all depends on deffence-if it's so weak-two halfbacks isn't bad idea.
Nathanhj

Now:

Gordon
Donovan - Vagenas - Kirk
Grey - Harmse
Jazic - Harden - Xavier - Klein

Stack the middle with 5 defensive minded player and pray for inspired wing play. Could be persuaded to move Klein up to wing and bring in Roberts. I mean, if we're going to score 6 times, what's the problem? 8-)

Healthy:

Gordon/Pavon depending on form
Martino - Goldenballs - Donovan
Grey - Harmse
Jazic - Harden - Xavier - Albright

Jones in for Harmse in the last 30, pushing Donovan into withdrawn striker. Pavon for Gordon (or vice versa) in the last 30 if necessary or if you want to go, umm, balls out, then Pavon/Gordon for Grey. But that's a last, late-game option since it leaves us with no d-mids.

Thoughts? (I'd really like another option at centerback other than Harden. Love the guy, but he's a rookie and he's never played this many games and he's still got a lot to learn.) But I'm open to any suggestions.
Laurie

Nathan, I'd be curious to see who you have in mind for 4-5-1. Now, and when everyone including Albright is healthy.
Nathanhj

I NEVER thought I'd say this, but I want Chris Albright back.

Roberts gets burned like cheap toast all day long and doesn't make up for it with good positioning. If you want to see a slow guy do good positioning take a look at Michael Parkhurst. Guy's a centerback who has committed fewer than 10 fouls ALL SEASON!

Xavier can do one bad game. I've seen him save our bacon so many times I can almost forget Ty Harden is starting alongside him. Now I love Ty as a gamer, but he's NOT Michael Parkhurst or Bobby Boswell or even Clarence Goodson.

In short, despite having Harmse coming back and Grey in form, defense is still shaky.

The real question is, once Beckham is fully fit, do we still play 4-4-2 or do we go 4-5-1?
Laurie

Mag, I agree with you about the midfield. Something's got to be done there for sure. Dallas should write Pete Vagenas a thank you note for that second goal. Maybe if/when Beckham, Kyle and Cobi get healthy?

Blah, I was surprised at the controversy, and the fact that it's still ongoing. At the time I just dismissed the act as Landon being Landon, saw the yellow and thought that was the end of it. And I found it hilarious that there were three more goals scored after he pronounced "Game Over." Uh...not so fast, Landycakes.

The anger seems to stem from sources. 1) It was classless, and 2) It (the throat-slashing gesture) was violent. Me? I think people need to get lives. And I think that this game has created a rivalry that will last over the ages. And I think this is a good thing for MLS.
mag

blah,I think it was bad move from Donavan,it's no matter how happy he is,he must respect fans and understand that millions children are watching him...
Talking about deffence,my opinion is that midfield doesn't win a lot of balls,too many stupid passes-so all pressure on deffence. Midfield need to help more,but after all like Carlos once said :"Who cares how many they will score if we score more." Victory is all that counts
blah

Hey, not exactly defense-related but what was the big controversy with Donovan taunting the Dallas fans? I don't get the *bad* part about it all. Sorry if this was discussed previously.
Sam

Well, it seems every time I watch Galaxy highlights, Xavier looks like a zombie on every goal you guys concede. He's never ballside.