(Updated with Video) Some thoughts on LA Galaxy vs. AC Milan
By: NathanHJ | July 19th, 2009
Photo by K. Djansezian of Getty Images
I not going to do a real post-game analysis, just leave you with some thoughts and impressions and invite everyone to leave their own.
*****
I’m warming up to the idea that you don’t have to be the best team in the league, just the best team in the stadium. Obviously the Galaxy weren’t the best team in the stadium tonight, but they played well, well enough to earn a draw playing their “A” line up against a “B” line-up from AC Milan in the first half. The second half, in which there were a total of 9 subs by the Galaxy and something similar from Milan isn’t really worth talking about in that manner.
*****
How much of my Galaxy commenting and blogging life have I spent dogging out Alan Gordon? Frequent readers, know it’s been a lot. Well no matter what I or anyone else ever says about Alan Gordon ever again he can always point out that he scored against AC Milan. That’s right, he buried a dandy cross from Landon Donovan in the corner of the net, one-timing it so the keeper had no chance. Good for him.
While I’m at it, good on Bryan Jordan from blasting a corner into the back of the net for the second Galaxy goal, tying the game in the second half.
That’s right, the Galaxy’s two goals came from Gordon and Jordan. There’s got to be a silly chant there someplace.
*****
I was disappointed not to see Oguchi Onyewu on the Milan side. Where was he? Will he be on any part of the tour?
*****
Edson Buddle went out after about 20 minutes with an injured foot. I hope it isn’t bad, but I would surprised if he plays in the next game. Thank you Mr. Arena for that depth I was talking about yesterday.
*****
Lots of booing of David Beckham for the first 30 minutes or so, but by the time he was subbed out in the 75th minute he had a lot more people on their feet than booing. I feel for the die-hard fans who feel wronged by him – I wanted the circus to leave town and make the loan permanent back in pres-season – but he’s played good futbol in the two games I’ve watched. He’s playing hard and making smart plays and the team is better when he’s on the field. Now if he could just get his deadball touch back and stop blowing long-range passes…
*****
This bugs me about futbol fans in the US: cheering for a foreign team over a home-grown domestic side. I get that in many cases fans are born into cheering for a specific team, much like people get born into a religion. So I get if your family has AC Milan roots or whatever. But showing up to the HDC to support Milan over the Galaxy is a bit like showing up to battle between the Rebel Alliance and The Empire and rooting for the Death Star. It’s like being on Darth Vader’s team. Not that the Galaxy-as-Rebel-Alliance analogy really stands much deep scrutiny, but you get my drift, right? Where are you people during the regular season while MLS is helping to build futbol culture in this country? Watching TiVO’d Euro-league games probably. That’s weak.
*****
That game makes me feel even better about how the Galaxy will do over the rest of the season, pending the status of Buddle’s foot.
Here are some of the stories about the game.
Andrea Canales at Goal.com with a game recap
Agence-France Press focusing only on the booing
Jahmal Corner at Reuters
The Associated Press
Larry Morgan with the MLSNet recap
Nick Green at 100 Percent Soccer has a mess of posts including this one from the game itself
Full AP story in the LA Times (what? No Grahame Jones?)
The party line from the Official LA Galaxy blog run by Jaime Cardenas (he says Buddle has a hyperextended big toe)
Running blog from MLS Rumors
Here’s fan-taken video of Bryan Jordan’s goal off of a corner from Becks (DAVID if you are reading this, it looks like it is shot from your STH seats!).
What about you guys? What did you see? How did you feel about Beckham’s home debut? Were the boos justified? Did his workrate help calm anger? How do you feel about Gordon and Jordan getting the Galaxy goals? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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Tags: AC Milan, Alan Gordon, Bryan Jordan, Darth Vader, Edson Buddle, Exhibition Matches, LA Galaxy, Landon Donovan, Oguchi Onyewu, Team NewsSubscribe
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Comments | Add your comment
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George, if you are going to dis me it sure would be great if you could give some reasons why you think I don’t know futbol. If it’s just because I dogged out Euro fans for not helping build futbol culture in the US, then I really have nothing to say to you. But if you see some stuff that can sharpen my understanding, then please just lay that out. I can take it.
Posted from
United States
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Isabel, I appreciate you supporting teams from the culture you come from, but you have to understand that I didn’t grow up with MLS in the US. The league is only 13 years old. We are making this as we go, though there are strands that go back over a century. I support the Galaxy, but generally I root for the success of MLS generally and the US national teams specifically.
You are here now. Why not bring some of your Euro-experience and sensibility to what we’re trying to build here?
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United States -
Guppy, were you in England in 1998? Do you remember how your entire nation responded to Becks then?
This was mild. Get some context.
Posted from
United States -
Pete,
MLS is 13 years old. If that’s Mickey Mouse in your definition, then whatever. Becks is here because he wanted to be. Don’t be bitter because he didn’t go back to the EPL after Madrid. He still on the English National Team, so I’d think you’d want him to do well here.
But the reason people are angry is because of the preception that Beckham hasn’t been true to the commitment he made in 2007. We may be Mickey Mouse, but we have pride. Over here being a futbol fan is an act of defiance to the general sporting culture, not an act of fitting in. That makes the pride run even deeper. So, yeah, people feel dicked around by Becks, not just because of the way he dogged it out at the end of 2008 but because of the way his people really screwed the management of team, leading to things like Ruud Gullit being hired.
Plus because there is a salary cap in MLS, if we pay Becks so much money, we can’t pay a bunch of other guys anything, so having him around hampers the ability of the team to surround him with better players. That weakens the team as much as the BS back-office crap his handlers engaged in.
I’m sorry folks are hating on your Golden Boy, but he’s got to be accountable for what he’s done. Playing well for the rest of the season will go a long way towards that.
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United States -
LOL! Great post Nathan… sorry that all this Eurotrash got dumped on your blog. I guess when you have 4 months of vacation and a decreasing population, you have nothing but time to post stupid comments on something that they know so little about.
HEY PETE. Sucks for you that the best players in the EPL aren’t even ENGLISH. At least our best player is American.
Oh, and it was good seeing USA play England in the Confeds Cup… oh wait, that’s right. Your immense futbol skills and knowledge for the game apparently didn’t help your national team qualify for Euro 2008. Nice life, champ.
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United States -
ok just to clear up somethings, tho i agree with most…
1) i am an AC Milan fan, have been since i was a boy, will b til the day i die.
2) i am italian-american and have relatives still living in italy
3) i grew up watching serie A, and to some degree the EPL, so im used to a higher quality of football and mls is physically painful for me (though its getting better)
4) i would probably become a whole-hearted supporter if Atlanta got a team (deep south has nothing, and i’ve only been to a few D.C. United games and 1 mls cup final)
5) i support the USMNT (except when the play italy)
6) i am tired of listening to ESPN and the rest of the sports/media world tell me why my (and the world’s) favorite sport is garbage just b/c they dont understand it or dont like the rules.
7) i have reached a point where i dont believe “soccer” will ever be a top 3 sport in america and frankly, i dont care anymore. the rest of the country can hate on it as much as they want as long as i get to watch milan games/maybe these reasons make me “weak” or a poor US fan, but i think most american soccer fans who dont follow mls can agree with the majority of these reasons. just a little clarification for the rest of u
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United States -
Pete, maybe you should take your own advice and learn some history before opening your trap.
Posted from
United States -
NathanHJ, thanks for the posting.
To all the Eurosnobs- our league is not Mickey Mouse it’s still a young league with rules and salary caps that other leagues don’t seem to have. It was started in 1996 so we could advance our National team and the success from the 1994 15th FIFA World Cup, which by the way was the most successful World Cup in History in attendance.
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United States -
Evan,
That stuff doesn’t make you weak, it just shows the challenges facing MLS and futbol generally in the US. As I said, I get how people become lifelong fans of specific teams and, honestly, futbol in the US doesn’t have the kind of longevity that hundred-year old clubs in Europe and South America have. Even the NFL is only about 80 years old.
Plus you live in Atlanta, so you can’t really go to games, which makes it better. Also knowing the players makes it better because you can see how people develop and progress and ID the folks who are going to get bought by European clubs (like Jozy Altidore. I saw him bury a 40-yeard strike in the upper corner as a 16 year old in his first MLS game and I knew that he was going to go oversees in a few short years. For example.)
That’s the reality of MLS, the 13-year old league. You could argue that it draws on the history of the NASL and that futbol traditions were kept alive by the A-League (now the USL), but NASL died in 1984 and USL exposure is limited.
So I get the challenges, especially for folks in teh south. But for folks around places with MLS teams have fewer barriers and lord knows that futbol in the US needs the support of futbol lovers who’s first allegiance is to overseas clubs. The game overall benefits. Just sayin’.
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United States -
All I want is US and England to be in the same group in 2010 World Cup. That’s all. Think that’s too much? Ask Spain.
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United States -
Nathan, I love you man!
I feel all warm and maternally fuzzy about Gordon’s and Jordan’s goals. I was excited for Gordon when he scored (and what a nice finish), but I almost got teary eyed when Jordan scored. That second/third string MLS kid just scored against AC Milan! Wow! He’s gonna be on a high for a long, long time.
As I said in another post, if Beckham is going to go all out and play well then that will help improve my opinion of his return. I agree with you on that Nathan.
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United States -
Pffft. Guppy, unless he’s 12, is most likely a moronic racist who’s views on life come straight out the Daily Mail, he’s probably lower than pond scum so don’t take any of his whitterings to be the popular view in England, after all every country has it’s percentage of the population who should be shot. But anyway back to football aha. I wouldn’t particularly care what David Beckham done with his career anymore if I were you, he’s mediocre and is going nowhere regardless. Oh, and Rusty, I’d love that to. We’re undefeated in all our group matches and I don’t think you’d have much chance of an upset, however, I imagine the atmosphere would be amazing.
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United Kingdom -
I’m an American with affection for the Serie A, too, because of family ties. (Forza Genoa!) Thus, I’ve got absolutely no problem with the attitude of fans such as Evan. In my book at least, you have absolutely no reason for apologizing for your support of an Italian club–even if it’s Milan.
But Isabel? It’s attitudes like yours that I cannot understand. Milan AND Juve?! You might as well be a fan of the Dodgers AND the Giants, the Lakers AND the Celtics, the Chargers AND the Raiders, Liverpool AND Man U. We’re obviously all free to support the sport of soccer however we see fit, but you’re going to get called out on a particular team’s fan blog–whatever team that might be–if you fail to demonstrate devoted passion to YOUR team.
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United States -
Agree w/ Cali Pete on his point. On Becks, I really only care that he produces at this point. I mean, he’s here and then gone, so might as well get some use from him. Why the ruckus since we all know he’s very soon to be history? Whateves, just pleeeeeeeze make the playoffs in whatever manner that must take.
I also would like to point out that our fearless leader, Landon Donovan, Galaxy supporters poster boy, was one “Ja wohl” away from ditching us for Bayern Munich. Who is loyal anymore these days?? Alan Gordon? LoL
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United States -
“Who is loyal anymore these days?? Alan Gordon?”
Steve, that made me laugh!
He’s the longest tenured Galaxy member now. And with that goal against Milan he’s getting some cred. Hey, whatever it takes! I’d love to see an on-fire Alan Gordon coming off the bench!
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United States -
nathan hj, beckham wouldnt come back to the epl because he would only play for 1 team, manchester united, any other team and he would feel a traitor, oh and also its football whats with all this futbol crap
Posted from
United Kingdom -
geln, i know my history, see we have a history unlike u
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Pete, in the US we have a lot of Latino influence on our soccer culture, especially here in Southern California. They spell it futbol, but pronounce it the same as English. This way I can call it futbol and not have to worry about the soccer/football problem. Even among futbol fans in the US, if you say/write “football” people automatically think “American football”.
Futbol is just easier all the way around.
Posted from
United States -
I like “footy.” But that might be a little girly.
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United States -
First half was amazing. Second half not so much. Missed the Gooch. We asked a Galaxy staffer who said he wasn’t even there. Don’t know why. He played for Milan today in their loss to Club America.
Gordon’s goal does not change my mind about him. It just reinforces my frustration. My rap on him has always been that he is good, just not quite as good as you’d like him to be. He has great moments. And then lollygags for a while.
Bryan Jordan? Love him. We call him The Running Man. I don’t know about his ball control or finishing so much, but man does that kid run fast and play with heart.
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United States -
ah ok nathan thanks for the info on calling it futbol, a little weird but nuce to know lol
. just to clear up some facts. i have great respect for whats happening with trying to develop the game in the us, but what is not understood is that you only usually get old has been players over there, beckham came still in his prime, for some weird reason. and he just doesnt seem appreciated, he is a world class player and can change games.Posted from
United Kingdom -
The match of LA Galaxy vs. AC Milan is exciting. I would like to see it.
Posted from
India -
Hey guys, finally a positive article on the national scale about Landon Donovan’s “transformation” as a player… Plus check out the videos on this site, a good interview with LD after the N England game….
Posted from
United States -
good post….i appreciate your team work
ajay
Cash Online Get Easy cash at your door stepPosted from
United States -
A SUPPORTED BY THE DEVELOPER TOOLS? It was interesting. You seem very knowledgeable in ypour field.
Posted from
United States
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