Ugly Football

By: jen | May 31st, 2008

I have remained in my media-free vacuum and have just finished watching the DVRed game. Whew! There were some moments on the field that approached the brilliance of MLS circa 1995.

The Good

Chris Klein’s first touch
90% of Ruiz’s touches
The calming presence of any player over 30 (“Greg Vanney!”)
Our offside trap

The Bad

Everyone else’s first touch
Ruiz’s total touches, in 20 minutes of play, could not have been more than 10
The skipping and wet surface just added to our woes
Their offside trap

The Ugly and Everything Else

Let’s see here. How about the team takes note of what’s working and then tries to replicate it?

Playing the ball wide for a cross into the box: works. So why was Klein never used? He’s got the best right footed cross on the field. He’s overlapping. Give him the damn ball! Why wasn’t McDonald anticipating and utilizing the overlapping run?

Ruiz: works. Give him the damn ball!

Very little offensive creativity. We had the ball in their third so seldom that we didn’t get our first corner kick until the 86th minute.

Very little midfield possession. Franchino worked his butt off though. He did make some mistakes, but it was nice to see him work to create offense. In addition, his match fitness looks to be at about 90 minutes now.

Toronto’s defense completely choked anything we brought down the middle.

Cunningham was on fire.

I’m wondering. Why not play Tudela and Xavier. Xavier really has a problem with turf, doesn’t he? Is it written in his contract that he won’t play on turf? I don’t think I even saw him there. Did he make the trip? And Tudela. The starting eleven contained two attackers and nine defensive players. Couldn’t Tudela have played as a linking midfielder?

Well, playing (and losing) like that has got to build character. Ruud and the team are experts at doing postmortems that produce growth and maturity. It’s good for everyone to look at their level of game without Donovan and Becks in the lineup.

Now, off to read the rest of the footy world’s take on the game. Please add your own thoughts and links as well.

Some Related Galaxy Posts:

Category: Player News

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Soccer Database

The main reason why I am watching a football is to see some tricks and apply it on my own game. But a boring or ugly game is a waste of time. Its nice to watch competition as we will see a true kind of game.
Nicole

I don't know about Tourette's, but the tapping of his chest and stomach after he scores has something to do with "heart and guts" - nothing to do with "me, me me." His goal celebrations (apart from the jump in the air fist pump) all have to do with things pertaining to his family.

Remember the old "catch something out of the air and put it in my pocket" - it had something to do with his sister, some special tribute to her or message to her.

People think for some reason that LD has this huge ego - when nothing is farther from the truth.
tilyerded

Hey Sam from Canada... say 'haha' all you want. Your team is good, your fans are great, but until you get rid of that backyard patio grass, your program is still as objectionalble and laughable as your national team. And I'm not saying the US national team is much better, but at least we play on real grass as the sport was intended.
jen

If it's Tourette's then he already has a predecessor in Tim Howard as far as making it public.
Dave

WE NEED BETTER DEFENDERS! Dump Xavier and replace him with Bocanegra.
Diane

JJack, I really appreciate you mentioning the Tourette's. I was starting to feel guilty that any player's tics bothered me SO much -- I mean I'm a baseball fan, I've been watching batters and pitchers having nervous breakdowns on their respective mounds for 30 years. But for some reason...Donovan...especially the pounding of his chest after a goal drove me BATTY because it seemed so me, me, me, instead of running to celebrate with teammates/fans. He hadn't struck me as quite that arrogant in interviews. So here's the answer, the pounding and having to do it...I have a nephew with Tourette's and I have to agree. I will also look at it differently from now on (interesting to see if that changes my overall view).

Thanks for passing on the insight from your own experience. Is it possible for someone only to have symptoms in specific situations and therefore never get diagnosed? If so, maybe he doesn't know?
Glen

the summer's transfer is approaching and it'll be interesting to see what happens, we need some changes no doubt. I'm sure Lalas is a little nervous with what AEG executive Tim Leiweke has reportedly said (if this is true, who knows for sure).
I found this over at FanNation:
"The message from Leiweke: The Galaxy needs to become MLS's super club this season and win MLS Cup at home at HDC in November. Anything less will be unacceptable and no one should feel secure in their jobs, especially the redhead and the Dutchman. Leiweke also told Lalas and Gullit that they will have the flexibility to improve the squad as needed this summer, though the club's salary cap situation could become a major hurdle."
we'll see :p
Box

can't wait for the summer's transfer! and can't wait for the return of Landy and Becks! anyways..i hope (i believe there are still lots of hope after this game) next time will be better for LAG when those two are away again.
loss 2-0 to impressive Toronto without star players is actually not bad compared to 4-0 loss to Colorado with them. i just hope there are still lots of patience in Ruud Gullit. cheers! ;)
Sam

Hey now Laurie don't tell me nuthin', the sports priorities are such in this fuckin' country that the Canada-Brazil match is being shown tomorrow morning. but just for good measure, I'll say it again: haha
Alejandro

"The starting eleven contained two attackers and nine defensive players."

Really? You felt there were nine defensive players? Because it didn't even feel like four defenders, let alone nine. Toronto's goals were stoppable, but our inconsistent and hesitant defense failed us again. Sadly, I have no suggestions for this problem. When we have Donovan and Beckham playing we can depend on them to make the plays and goals to counter our defensive players, but today shows that without those two, our team is in trouble. Toronto doesn't have the strongest offense, after all. (I believe the commentators said they were the "6th worst offense".)
JustJack

Oh, in the 76th minute FSN's coverage had a bench shot of Landycakes that made my heart stop. (okay, well that's too melodramatic, but I noticed something I hadn't before). Anyone know if Lando has Tourette's Syndrome? I often sensed the OCD stuff had a TS edge to the movements brodering on tics but the guy has never said anything (that I know of) about having TS and most of us who do have TS stopped being afraid of talking about having it once we got out of the 1980's. Ms. Jack and I noticed several distinctive head and eye tics that every TS person has.

Anyone know about Lando and this? It won't make me stop making fun of the rituals... well, maybe it will a little.
JustJack

I would agree with what Jen observed and add ITA with Tucker and CharlesJ, also relevant observations.

The thing that struck me was Toronto's very aggressive attacking football which did the trick against our lads who laid off much of the time. When our lot did challenge they rarely came out with the ball. They were slow to move on the ball when they did gain possession in the midfield (generally, not in all cases of course but overall) so when they were double and triple teamed by red shirts, the inevitable result was a change in possession. You can't put balls on goal when you're not winning possession or being second to the ball.

We take the lump and learn (hopefully) to not do that again. Ever.
Laurie

Sam, I just got back from the Canada-Brazil game. Nobody whose team delivers that kind of tragic backpass is entitled to a "haha" for at least twenty-four hours.

(Otherwise, though, I was quite impressed with Canada's play. And after watching one DeGuzman brother play, I can see why everybody's upset that the other has left the country.)
Sam

haha
charlesj27

Yes, Jen... it was an "ugly" game to watch as a LA Galaxy fan. You're right - LA Galaxy just could not get the offense to be of any threat in their third. I kind of figured as much. But, both Alan and Edson are playing with confidence - though their shots-on-target, plus control, plus timing has got to (MUST) improve tremendously. It's one thing to have those two up front when the LA Galaxy midfielders are actually regularly making passes cutting through the opposing team's midfielders and some defenders. But, that was NOT happening in today's game against TFC on their turf, in the cold, and in the rain. I'm very sorry to say this - but, as soon as the 46th or 47th minute of the second half came about you could see several of our LA Galaxy team lose their focus, their urgency, their attack and aggressiveness. From then on - things just got worse for us. I strongly believe that our team needs to have two very good, proven, creative wingers/midfielders and a tall, strong, fast, quick, instinctive center/full back. Once we get these three essential role-players into our team... you will see a completely different LA Galaxy team. A more connected, fluid, rhythmic, opportunistic team - where the chances for goal-scoring increase by 7 or 8 fold. Let's hope the LA Galaxy organization will get some serious heat and lashing from their AEG counterparts - so that the ball gets rolling on necessary changes and improvements. I believe that's the only way our LA galaxy has any chance of making it to the top of the Western Conference.
Tucker

Yes Xavier didnt make the trip because of the turf which is interesting but Sean Frankln has really stepped up and been a great centre back