Post-match: Los Angeles Galaxy - San Jose Earthquakes Western Conf. Semi Game 1 (Sun., 11/4) postgame thread [R]

Looking back on things, our system causes problems for LA because our 2 d-mids force them to attack from the wings with Beckham's crosses, but their two strikers were like 5-8.

 

I don't know why you argue this every game?
It's worked all season. If it were as bad as you say it is, would we have gotten first place overall?

 

This was two experiences coaches through punching at each other. LA likes to get your defense out moving and create spaces. They either counterattack or get your through numbers. They definately had two or three good chances, but their final passes/decisions weren't good. Credit the Quakes on shutting down LA's space and not giving them many chances. Still, we were a cross bar away from tieing or even losing. We will need to play better to advance.

My main concern is that the midfield was still not sharp and Gordan doesn't look healthy. We will need him to get to the finals.

My MOTM are the pair of Bernardez and Hernandez. To get a gooese egg in LA against the second highest scoring team is excellant.

Next game is going to be tough. We need to play to win. Otherwise, LA will come in with nothing to lose which makes them a dangerous team.

 

Ok Baca provides crappy defensive cover. Dawkins and Chavez provide even less. Tough luck, he has to play. Baca being replaced is a plan for 2013. Not this season though.

 

Your defense really hustled and rotated pretty well. LA has a lethal attack and it's no mean feat to shut them out, so kudos on that.

Your goal was kind of fortunate, but it's the kind of fortune that winners create - and that seems to be your modus operandi this year. A fun series to watch from the outside. I was rooting for 22 yellow cards, but you can't have everything.

May the better side prove itself and win.

 

WOW!! How cool is that?!

OK, we went in with a very defensive attitude, but that's usually what you do on the road, and it worked, so hard to argue with. Also, we had some guys dinged up.

Wondo was pretty good tonight, but he often had to drop deep into our formation to get the ball because ... Baca was poor.

Lenheart was good.

Chavez had an off night. He had a few moments here and there, but a couple of bad giveaways too.

Ramiro was poor, again. A couple of good tackles, a few really good plays in tight space, but, far too many long passes over hit. Not enough speed to cover anyone. Out of position too often, giving up way to much space to friggin SpiceBoy. That was his hammy that went out, so I think he's probably done for the season, and his career.

Baca was almost invisible in the first half. He wasn't making aggressive passes, he wasn't winning balls, he wasn't covering a lot of ground. Just not a good game for Rafael.

Happily, CRONINJA was freaking great! Sam was all over the place, really winning balls, making good offensive passes, get forward into the attack, and then tracking back. There was a moment late in the second half where he made a good crunching tackle too, and didn't get a card for it. Good going Sam!!

The whole backline were very good!! Big Vic, El Mumu, of course, Man of the Match. He shut down their attackers, and scored the winning goal. Wow!! Even gAlexi Lala said that he thought Big Vic should be Defender of the Year!! Oh, and Jason made some critical plays, as did Beta and JM. Just really good work from our defense.

The Busch was excellent, but didn't have to do much.

Same line up next game, but Dawkins or Shea for Ramiro (who won't be able to do in any case).

GOOOOO QUAAAAAAAKES!!!!!!!

- Mark
PS. I got quoted on the filth boards. I almost posted something there, but I thought better of it. Screw 'em. They aren't worth my time, nor deserving of my wit and quality analysis.

 

I'm not quite as cheery about this one. That could have been a 3-0 loss that way it played. Quakes were very, very lucky to leave with a 1-0 win. LA had the ball in very dangerous positions many times. Keane should have put one in early in the match, Donovan hit the crossbar, Buddle made a mess of a great chance when Keane was crashing the box.

Quakes will have to play better next game or the one goal lead isn't going to hold up. One bright spot is that Dawkins really helped the attack when he went in, and got Wondo a few chances. I thought there was a point near the 75th minute, where the Quakes were going to take over the game, but the Gals recovered and continued to create problems. Becks was getting all kinds of space deep in the right corner before he went out. That's not necessarily a recipe for success. Looks like Donovan has resorted to quickly going to the ground to win calls.

I also thought Lenhart had a pretty good game. I think he was really bothered by the Gonzalez comments and this notion that he was "dominated" by Omar in the 1st half of the last game, and he wanted to win much of that 1:1 battle. I think he held his own. He won a fair number of headers and laid them off but there was typically little to no one around to pick them up.

 

What is that whining sound I hear coming from 6,000 miles away in the general direction of Smellay? Yes, they are the biggest whiners in the league, the Entitled Ones.

 

Pathetic game overall. Infuriating second half. For half an hour it felt like we were stuck in our own half. We frustrated LA, but they still created much better opportunities to score than we did. I guess it's understandable why we'd be so slow tonight, considering we just played a game on Thursday night, oh wait, no we didn't we just f*ckin suck today what the f*ck are we doin we're gonna lose this f*ckin game i hate this shit oh my god they killed T-Dog f*ck this shit.

The only positive, other than getting the win, that I can take from this game is that it is the first time this season that LA didn't have a lead against us. But they did come pretty damn close.

I would like to see us win the game Wednesday within 90 minutes, not 95. All these last-minute heroics are great.. but.. like the great Twellman said "This is the playoffs, son." Can't be f*ckin around for 90 minutes and hope you get an extra 4 or 5 to save yourself.

 

Hey Mark

Didn't want to quote your usually long winded synopsis of the game but definitely wanted to say thanks as always for your unyielding support of the Quakes and sharp analysis
Please PM me sometime or email AlexLallos@yaho0.com (same goes for anyone else- Wheeler, Ultras, Guy, Nap, Dave B, etc)

 

She was back in bed by the time Bernardez scored his "Blast it like Bernardez" goal...She must have brought the Quakes luck though!

I must say though, Nonna had a wonderful day singing and smiling!

​

 

Everyones getting way to caried away by the way, yeah it was a huge win but you really think were holding that team out for two straight games? 3 hours of soccer? They will almost certinaly score on Wednesday night at least one, they have scored7 against us in 4 games and this tie is still far from finished, does anyone know if the away goals rule counts? If so i'd say we have a pretty decent chance.

 

Guess away goals rule don't count......

 

The same with Frank last year, I seriously don't think Arena has any decent bench warmers...

 

Umm, you quoted text that actually answers the question "Yes", not "No".

"Aggregate" is short for, "away goals count".

G explains it all in the second match pre-game thread.

 

This works only if Cronin is the second coming of Makelele (that jerk Ozzy Alonso comes the closest). I don't think he can lock down the midfield by himself, especially against the remaining teams.

 

The original poster asked if the "away goals rule" counts. (He really should have asked if it is in effect). Obviously he is asking if away goals count double in advent of the aggregate being even. And of course, the answer to that is "no".

 

Wondo, Lenhart: a couple of jokers.



The foul that led to the freekick.



Goonies!

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