Comments on: Who the Hell is Abel Xavier and What’s He Doing With the Galaxy? http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html LA Galaxy Soccer Blog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:02:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: glyconerd http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3935 glyconerd Wed, 16 May 2007 02:10:10 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3935 He can be the Denis Rodman of the MLS! He can be the Denis Rodman of the MLS!

]]> By: Laurie http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3925 Laurie Tue, 15 May 2007 23:37:02 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3925 My opinion: If we're going for aging defenders, we should have signed my all-time favorite centerback, Lilian Thuram. Not that we could afford him. But he's had a rough go of it at Barca this year, and I think he could still carve up MLS in a big way. Hey, a gal can dream, can't she? My opinion: If we’re going for aging defenders, we should have signed my all-time favorite centerback, Lilian Thuram. Not that we could afford him. But he’s had a rough go of it at Barca this year, and I think he could still carve up MLS in a big way.

Hey, a gal can dream, can’t she?

]]> By: Doug http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3922 Doug Tue, 15 May 2007 22:51:56 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3922 ... and, no, I don't know if Albright is out or not. Just speculating. … and, no, I don’t know if Albright is out or not. Just speculating.

]]> By: Doug http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3920 Doug Tue, 15 May 2007 22:46:38 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3920 Laurie, I'm sort of ambivalent about Albright. On the one hand, he's a good player and good right backs are hard to find in MLS. On the other hand, its too bad we have a salary cap but its our reality. I am going by Jone's article, I would love to see El Pescadito back in the Galaxy side. We need someone to create chances up front and that's what Carlos does. We don't necessarily need a right back who sometimes gets off a good cross and sometimes makes good runs up the flank. Xavier will be the best distributor out of the back that we have. That's for sure and that's what we so dearly need. Plus, he'll know not to pass to Martino. I can see this happening sometime in July: Xavier making a critical defensive stop and distributing out to Vagenas. Faster than the other team can react, Vagenas makes the critical pass to Beckham who in turn sends the ball into the box. Donovan is there and takes the ball to the left out past a defender who's frantically trying to get back. He slots it into the box for El Pescadito to slam it home. Brilliant! ... and Martino is just crossing midfield ... sorry I had to put it in. Laurie, I’m sort of ambivalent about Albright. On the one hand, he’s a good player and good right backs are hard to find in MLS. On the other hand, its too bad we have a salary cap but its our reality. I am going by Jone’s article, I would love to see El Pescadito back in the Galaxy side. We need someone to create chances up front and that’s what Carlos does. We don’t necessarily need a right back who sometimes gets off a good cross and sometimes makes good runs up the flank.

Xavier will be the best distributor out of the back that we have. That’s for sure and that’s what we so dearly need. Plus, he’ll know not to pass to Martino.

I can see this happening sometime in July: Xavier making a critical defensive stop and distributing out to Vagenas. Faster than the other team can react, Vagenas makes the critical pass to Beckham who in turn sends the ball into the box. Donovan is there and takes the ball to the left out past a defender who’s frantically trying to get back. He slots it into the box for El Pescadito to slam it home. Brilliant! … and Martino is just crossing midfield … sorry I had to put it in.

]]> By: Laurie http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3905 Laurie Tue, 15 May 2007 19:28:54 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3905 Doug, do you know for a fact that Albright's out? I just got back from a week away and I am SO out of touch with everything that's going on. Do you have a new source, or just hope and the Grahame Jones article? And I knew I could count on you for a Martino comment. Thanks for not disappointing. Can I take this to mean you didn't vote for him for Goal of the Week? ;-) Doug, do you know for a fact that Albright’s out? I just got back from a week away and I am SO out of touch with everything that’s going on. Do you have a new source, or just hope and the Grahame Jones article?

And I knew I could count on you for a Martino comment. Thanks for not disappointing. Can I take this to mean you didn’t vote for him for Goal of the Week? ;-)

]]> By: Doug http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3897 Doug Tue, 15 May 2007 19:04:22 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3897 Xavier will be the best thing that happened to LA's back line in several seasons. Albright's out and hopefully Martino with him. Xavier will be the best thing that happened to LA’s back line in several seasons. Albright’s out and hopefully Martino with him.

]]> By: Laurie http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3896 Laurie Tue, 15 May 2007 18:53:09 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3896 "Maybe Albright is going to start playing more in the midfield, like how he started the season?" Hannah, this occurred to me also. The thing was, I remember thinking that game (where Albright played the first half at midfield) got so much better when Albright moved back to rightback. I didn't analzye it enough to try to decide whether or not the problem had been Albright at midfield or Russell at rightback, so this could still work. But I'm still not sure Albright's the problem. “Maybe Albright is going to start playing more in the midfield, like how he started the season?”

Hannah, this occurred to me also. The thing was, I remember thinking that game (where Albright played the first half at midfield) got so much better when Albright moved back to rightback. I didn’t analzye it enough to try to decide whether or not the problem had been Albright at midfield or Russell at rightback, so this could still work. But I’m still not sure Albright’s the problem.

]]> By: Diane http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3893 Diane Tue, 15 May 2007 17:39:06 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3893 Fans probably just want Galaxy management to take a break from its planning to milk every cent it can out of China, and worry about why we are the second or third worst team in the league. I liked your review of the players after the last match, Laurie, and it doesn't sound like one new acquisition is the answer, [A REAL QUESTION:] or that beefing up that position is the place to spend the money? And how can there be ADDITIONAL acquisitions after this, as rumored...the whole rules and money issue is exhausting... Fans probably just want Galaxy management to take a break from its planning to milk every cent it can out of China, and worry about why we are the second or third worst team in the league.
I liked your review of the players after the last match, Laurie, and it doesn’t sound like one new acquisition is the answer, [A REAL QUESTION:] or that beefing up that position is the place to spend the money? And how can there be ADDITIONAL acquisitions after this, as rumored…the whole rules and money issue is exhausting…

]]> By: Ian http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3892 Ian Tue, 15 May 2007 17:26:42 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3892 Abel was definitely a mid-range player in Europe, but I'm not at all convinced he can't do well here. I haven't heard any amounts on the deal yet, but if he wasn't TOO expensive, I think it's a good move. Not a great move, but give him a chance - in any case, he and Becks can do each other's hair before matches. Stores in LA are already double-stocking peroxide in anticipation ... Abel was definitely a mid-range player in Europe, but I’m not at all convinced he can’t do well here. I haven’t heard any amounts on the deal yet, but if he wasn’t TOO expensive, I think it’s a good move. Not a great move, but give him a chance – in any case, he and Becks can do each other’s hair before matches. Stores in LA are already double-stocking peroxide in anticipation …

]]> By: Clint http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3891 Clint Tue, 15 May 2007 16:55:01 +0000 http://lagalaxy.theoffside.com/player-news/who-the-hell-is-abel-xavier-and-whats-he-doing-with-the-galaxy.html#comment-3891 Abel Xavier is well known? Really? I only recognize him on TV by his retarded hair and his horrible defense (think Titus Bramble but with more arm flailing). Good post, Laurie. My suspicion is that the 99.9% of Galaxy fans who have no clue who Abel is will be grateful they are getting an ex-Liverpool AND ex-Roma player (until they actually see him play, unfortunately). Abel Xavier is well known? Really? I only recognize him on TV by his retarded hair and his horrible defense (think Titus Bramble but with more arm flailing).

Good post, Laurie. My suspicion is that the 99.9% of Galaxy fans who have no clue who Abel is will be grateful they are getting an ex-Liverpool AND ex-Roma player (until they actually see him play, unfortunately).

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