PIP: Western Conference Championship Game 1; LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders; 11/11/12; 6 P.M. PST

vs.

Previous Game

L.A. Galaxy 3-1 San Jose Earthquakes

Keane 21', 34'

Magee 39

I imagine every time we scored on Wednesday...

...our faces looked like that.

Venue

The Home Depot Center: Carson, California

Maximum Capacity: 27, 000 ~ Average Attendance: 22, 483

Field Dimensions: 120 x 75 yards

Surface: Grass

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Clear. High of 69° F. Winds from the NNW at 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly Cloudy. Low of 47° F. Winds from the NNW at 3 mph.

Coverage

Audio: AM 1150, 1330 AM (SP)

TV: ESPN

Online: LAGalaxy.com, atdhe.eu, justin.tv/dysreflexx

LET'S GO GALAXY!

ONWARDS & UPWARDS

Take it one game at a time, Los Angeles.

Man its gonna be a big battle , here and in LA . Hope LD, Becks , Keane , Magee turn them Flounders into Sushi....

You plan on going to the game up there?

hell yea , im checking for tickets still hahah

Not quite celebrating every time we scored. More like waiting for Jason to not really be dead - again. Glad the last one was the end of a horrible movie franchise.

As for this game: Oh thank God. 9pm - much more reasonable than 11:30. They have a goalkeeper who's on a roll, but our boys can break down their defense to get to him. I like our chances in this one.

Wish we didn't have to play on their crappy turf but at least there will be a week between games this time. I see us winning on sunday 2-0.

So this is where most of us thought we'd go out (according to the predictions thread).
I still don't like our chances, but we definitely can win.
It's gonna be a pretty drastic change from SJ to SEA. You have big, physical players in Gordon and Lenhart...and now you face speedy attackers like Rosales, Montero, Martinez (?), and Johnson (sorta).

One small defensive lapse could spell disaster for us.
Getting a lead at home and keeping it will be crucial for our success. I just don't see us winning big in Seattle with that turf they have and with how we played them in the regular season (we were missing key players and Omar wasn't 100%...but it was still a pretty bad showing).

We have to take advantage of Seattle's tired legs this Sunday. We have to be careful though. Even if we get a win on Sunday, we need to make sure to not just park the bus in the second leg. We have to make sure to not make the same mistake that San Jose did (unless we're up 4-1 or something).

Yep, I noticed Todd really struggled with Chavez against San Jose, opting for a safety first boot-the-ball strategy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bruce opts for a similar strategy from a few years ago. Landon on the left, David on the right Sarvas and Juninho in the middle with Robbie and Buddle/Magee up front.

Would be great to use those tactics on the away game, juninho and sarvas can break all of sounders plays in the midfield and LD and Becks run the wings for counter attacks

Buddle-Keane
Magic Mike- Juni- Becks- LD
Duni- Rook-Gonzilla-Franklin

We are a way different team NOW than we were at the beginning of the season, 3 months ago and a week ago. The last game was a warning shot to the remaining teams... we are dangerous.
Seattle is just happy to be here. We will smoke them in LA, they will get ball washed by ESPN, put up a Tifo paid for by Drew Carey, have a europe like atmoshphere, then Watch us lift #4 from their tele's...

At the rate the league and especially the level of play in MLS are growing right now, it should be a sin for any team that is still insisting on playing on and keeping the turf. Seattle are arguably the most successful team in MLS in terms of support/attendance which means they are rich. Surely they are more than able to afford grass. MLS should've eliminated the Sounders from the playoffs based on this alone.

As for our line up, what if Becks starting on the bench for this one? Put LD in the middle and Chippen on the right? Or just put LD on the right and Sarvas in the middle. Bring Becks in later on straight to the centre of midfield to do his magic, bring Chippen/Sarvas/Buddle out and put LD on the right/up top. Just because I feel Becks doesn't have enough gas to start the game effectively for this one and he really needs to mend his legs and back to be at his best again for the next game and the 2nd half of this game (if he starts on the bench).

So cards carry over from the last round??? If so, with Becks on a yellow, I play him at home. Thinking we win Sunday the goal will be to defend and counter in Seattle and that seems more like Sarvas territory in terms of first 11 selection. Praying Omar doesn't see yellow anymore.

Anyone have the card stats for both teams heading into this?

Please vote:
i voted dynamo v galaxy
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/11/09/poll-which-mls-cup-final-matchup-do-you-want-see

Last two times i voted I lost, I'll pass. LOL...

I'm old school DC v LA the orginal big teams in MLS with history of success

Yeah, but playing in comfy confines of The HDC can make me look past that.

I think we do have an advantage that Seattle has to travel to and from Salt Lake City and then to Los Angeles with less rest then our boys who had only a small amount of travel.

That said, What's up with these yellow card rules? Omar is one card away from suspension. No matter when that suspension comes (2nd leg of semi or MLS Cup final) it would be devastating to our team.

2011 revisited? Why not?

I already told you people, we don't have to worry about the turf, grass is now legal in Washington!

Is their crappy field going to say "Seahawks" again? I don't think that is the name of the soccer team, but I really don't remember or care.

Alright people I guess we get the flounders and their space needle high ego's thinking they can come and compete in the playoffs against the big dogs (us), Clearly these pacific northwestern grungy starbuck's lovin pickles don't respect our "gangsta". Well I think we can take them with no problem I feel they will crack under the pressure that awaits them when they have to overcome a 3 goal defecit at that green carpet NFL rented stadium they borrow every season. We have to play it smart and not fall for that chiuhuahua looking (alonso) captain of theirs dirty plays, The girl (montero) who spends most of the time on his back diving, The wanna be tough guy (lil eddie) who likes to talk Sht and looks like bubba from forest gump. Rosales and tiffert are proper footballers that will be a handful but nothing special to handle. But I will give them one thing they have a stud on goal, I mean this dude micheal Gspotjiggler is no scrub so it will be up to us to make sure he is under constant pressure and having to retrieve balls constantly. I feel we should let them spend some energy at the begining while we get our mojo going on defensive assignments. Then kill em quick on the counter, Passing lanes must be shut down and saunders better be concentrated and paying attention like if he was dissarming a bomb! Let's do this GO LA GALAXY!!!!

True, but aren't Houston as the relocated Smurf Originals, also a rival?

would love to see MLS CUP final at HDC