Gameday: Galaxy Vs. Real Salt Lake
By: NathanHJ | September 6th, 2008Today the Galaxy takes on Real Salt Lake at the Home Depot Center at 7:30 PDT. You can follow the action via the Direct Kick package or on MLSLive.tv.
After last week’s much improved performance I should be looking forward to this game. It’s at home, it’s again a team that can’t buy a point on the road, and they happen to be conference rivals.
But, of course, somehow, despite the fact that the Galaxy owns its own stadium and theoretically has a lot of control over its scheduling, this game is scheduled on the same day as a FIFA international date, in this case World Cup qualifying. Grahame Jones at the Los Angeles Times wrote a great article about this on Thursday. And Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gadzidis had this to say on the Commissioner’s Blog.
What that means for us is that four key players are missing: David Beckham (ENG), Landon Donovan (USA), Ante Jazic (CAN), and Eddie Lewis (USA) and we are once again playing a makeshift formation. (There are some intriguing suggestions on what Bruce Arena should do in the comments in this post from earlier this week.)
I’m not going to go very in-depth with a preview here, since I think it will be a pretty dire game, but I’ll give ya’ll some links to read.
From MLSnet.com.
From the LA Times
Quick notes from the official Galaxy blog.
Feel free to leave comments and your own previews here. And, of course, leave your in-game and post-game comments here.
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Comments
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I’m here and watching. Tied 1-1 in the 38th minute.
Vanney is working his butt off. Klein too, as usual.
I’m having a gin and tonic so my comments might be sparse.
Remember, I’m EST, in case you were wondering if I usually drink before putting the kids to bed. I don’t, but now that I think about it that might help it go more smoothly. Posted from
United States
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Alrighty then. Tied 2-2 now. We’re really good at tying games . . .
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I was at the game. For a team missing six starters (Landycakes, Becks, Lewis, Jazic, Cronin, Pires), it was not a bad performance. It was strange to see two defenders and a forward making up three quarters of the midfield. And with the playing pool so stretched I’m really surprised Vagenas was not out there. The attack lacked punch. There wasn’t much passing of any quality. The defense still gave too many chances. But they did okay.
One comment: the refereeing was atrocious. RSL scored a first goal, but it was clearly offsides. The refs took a while to call it and maybe did so only after seeing the obvious replay on the screen. There were a number of occasions where they clearly gave the wrong team possession. And despite players practically climbing on top of each other, the ref barely called any fouls. Not pretty.
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Great game from Bryan Jordan. I’m glad to see Sesay in there as well, even if it was late in the game. Buddle is a workhorse, nuff said. For him, a MNT call up would be great, but I also hope it doesn’t happen, for the Galaxy’s sake.
Overall, even though we NEED wins badly, a sans-Beckham, Donovan, Lewis squad should be very happy with a 2-2 draw.
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didn’t see the game, but watched Buddle’s goal highlight. still not a win but a much needed point. missing our key players I didn’t know how this game was going to turn out so I’m glad for the draw.
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David….Pete hurt his leg in practice during the week….and what, no one is going to mention the dumb *ss play of the game? Flipping for a goal that was called back is dumb enough but not sticking your landing and having to use a sub?? Fricking brilliant, his coach should fine him for stupidity.. LOL
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tha goal “that wasn’t” celebration injury is classic. unbelievable :p
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BMac was back in and had a couple great passes the first one started what was are second goal, so glad to see him back out there.
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how did Eduardo Dominguez play? looks like he was replaced early in the 2nd half.
Posted from
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I thought Dominguez did OK, he still looks like he is getting used to the MLS, but he showed great improvement.
Jordan was awesome! After his goal the stadium buzzed everytime he got the ball, it was cool.
I thought this was the best perfromance by the Galaxy in months, they did their thing of gifting the other team two goals and still got something out of the game. It reminded me of all those great w/o Beckham games at the end of last season, Tudela the forgotten man was steller, there was passion, desire and some good old fashioned effort.
B Mac. was way better than Pires, Klein was a stud as ususal, kind of unfortunate that he was at fault on both goals, but it’s tough to play two positions at the same time. I agree now with some of the comments in the past he should play right mid. if we can get someone who can play right full back.
Wicks was twice what Cronin is, i think his confidence helped a lot.
The one real negative i have is Gordon, he is just not an MLS caliber player, i like the guy he wants to do well but he doesn’t have what it takes.
I’ll be very interested in what Bruce does to incorporate some of the players who excelled into the team when the regulars get back.
On and on the injury….. i was sitting up behind the RSL bench and he looked sick, covered his head with a towel etc. That was pathetic.
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Limey - for the most part I believe I agree with everything you stated.
1) Yes, I too thought Dominguez did okay/at least better than before. Although, he still has much more accustomization to do in order to match the physical nature, the shoving/the clipping/the tugging in modern MLS games. Also, now a days, the pace of the players on field are much more faster also. This is something that Dominguez has to work on. However, his accuracy is crosses and passes is way better than Pete’s.
2) I am so glad that Bryan Jordan is back with LAG again. This player is fast, energetic, enthusuiastic, and willing to charge and confront opposing players. Attributes that some of LAG’s other players lack. It’s finally time that he got rewarded with his first MLS goal & assist! I hope LAG keeps him, educates him, and allow him to grow within our club.
3) It’s awesome to have Brandon back manning the attacking middle. I admire his persistence & stamina. His crosses and passes are also very good. I think that Pete’s crosses and passes are too frantic. And, definitely often Pete opts for lateral passes instead of forward ones.
4) I’m not going to put down Alvaro. I know that many LAG fans believe his game is too raw, not refined, and not as sharp as it should be for a Brazilain. Then again, I’m not a fan of Marcelo Saragosa nor Paulo Nagamura. Alvaro is a feisty, child-like, emotional Brazilian D-Mid player. But, in the right system & in the right teachings and trainings, he can turn out to be a very valuable player. But, having said that - this is now nearing the end of the 2008 MLS season. If Bruce and Dave are not happy nor impressed with him… then, I guess he will be gone in the off-season. He has a price tag of $110K. And, that kind of money can get us a very good Central Defender or another good forward.
5) I admire Chris’s commitment and work-rate on the field. But, he’s trying to do too much… Then again, he feels that there aren’t enough creative players on the team Bruce and Dave fielded yesterday evening. He’s done okay as a right-back. I can’t believe I’m saying that. But, his talents/his gifts are much more beneficial to the LAG if he plays right-mid/right wing.
6) I am still not sold on Troy’s abilities to fortify and lock down Central Defense. I think that Sean has to do his own responsibilities and pick-up after Troy’s mis-judgements or slow-ness.
7) Mikey… I know Mikey can run up & down the wing; and I know everybody wants him to be the “Corey Ashe” of our team; but, honestly, Mikey gets disposessed way too easily. In yesterday’s game, because he didn’t want to lose posession, he kept passing the ball laterally or backwards. And, this is not good; because now we have another Petey on our hands. Dribbling & Posession with BOTH feet is something that all MLS players have got to have! Sure a player can favor one foot over the other and show off his true talents with the favored foot… but, the 90+ minute game needs to be played using both feet!
And, finally, I come to Alan. Alan is in our team because he loves being in LA, he loves this team, and because he’s 6′-3″. But, Alan’s skill, thinking, and end-results are definitely that of USL standard NOT MLS standard. A forward in MLS must be crafty, confident, fast, and able to dribble with the best of them. (ie: Robbie Findley, Luciano Emilio, Taylor Twellamn, Alejandro Moreno, Darren Huckerby). Bruce & Dave - I know you guys know this and see this. Do the necessary thing and send this man on his way!
RSL unleashed Javier Morales, Kenny Duechar, Kyle Beckerman, Robbie Findley, Yura Movsisyan, and Clint Mathis on us… We were gawd-awful lucky to walk away with a draw! I am still quite pissed off inside that we had to face them without David & Landon… I swear I am tired of LAG being the foot-swiping rug for the rest of this league.
USA will have to face T&T and Cuba here in the USA on Oct. 11th & 15th. LAG faces off against Colorado (@ HDC on Oct. 12th) and Houston (@ Robertson Stadium on Oct. 16th). From here on out LAG plays four (4) more away games. And, we need six(6) wins to make the play-offs. Excuse me while I ready the Advil, sound-proofing tape, and rolls and rolls of bubble-wrap. These are protective items I require in my fits of violent swearing!Posted from
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I completely disagree with people that think the first one was Klein’s fault but Wicks should have stayed at home on that one. He ran out like a wild man (just like Cannon and Cronin). The second goal on the other hand yeah that was him, kinda over ran his man.
Dominguez did ok for playing out of position but when B Mac came in things change he has such a good long pass coming from the back and he is not afraid to take a long strike at goal, he came close at the end there.
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Last place?
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Justin,
When Klein ran to try and cover the same man that Franklin was covering, he not only prevented Franklin form making a play on the ball, he also left his player open to score. Wicks did what he is supposed to do, on a blown play like that with the last defender beaten the keeper comes off his line as fast as he can in an attempt to cut down the angles and put off the attacking player.klein is still an MVP candiate in my opinion, he was just doing too much and got in the way/lost his man. Wicks was not at fault.
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Limey,
I don’t know about that I was there (and am for every home game STH) and I didn’t see it that way but maybe I’m looking at it wrong. The guy who scored was inside more but maybe there was confusion there. I still think Wicks should have saved that one.Posted from
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I was at the game too but a long way from the play. I watched it on TV later, kinda backs up what i thought.
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I was at the game as well and I sit near the 18 where Wicks was defending the first half. I do not fault him for either goal. maybe he could have made the save on the first one, but it would have been an amazing save. Klein messed up, and Franklin couldn’t cover that mistake. Wicks came out, like I think he should, and it was a great finish. Second goal definitely no Wicks’, little one 2 around the defense and a great finish that went in off the post. Wicks seems to organize the D better than Cronin. Cronin whines more after the play, while Wicks yells to prevent the plays from happening. He also has what Cronin lacks: luck. A good goalie has luck, plain and simple. Jordan definitely had the crowd going.
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I dont know I dont really care who is back in goal as long as they are stopping goals but he just looked like he was running around hectic on the first one, the second goal was just a good strike.
Posted from
United States
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