Post-match: San Jose Earthquakes - Los Angeles Galaxy Western Conf. Semi Game 2 (Wed., 11/7) postgame thread [R]

OK, I see we're not making much progress in this thread. :--) So, yeah, you can think of it in terms of two separate tournaments that have little to do with one another. One has a sample size of about 3400 minutes and the other, MLS Crapshoot, er, Cup, makes binding decisions after 200 minutes or so. The second makes measurements that are over an order of magnitude (that's kind of a lot) less statistically significant than the first.

FWIW I feel like the result of the LA / Quakes playoff was a fair representation of what happened on the field during those ~ 200 minutes. But I think there were a few key moments where things could have turned out differently. And in some of the other matchups, the results were really not reflective of what happened on the field. This happens all the time, which is why we call it MLS Crapshoot, er, Cup. :--)

 

Why do post game threads always devolve into a couple of people arguing over some mundane sticking point?

 

Mundane sticking point like how the Supporter's Shield winning Quakes were supposedly doomed to lose to the Gals in the playoffs because they don't have "stars"? Or the relative value of MLS Cup vs. regular season championship in determining "best team"?

 

The Quakes were the best team in MLS over the course of the season. The Galaxy, however, have more talent. The type of talent the Quakes don't possess. What we saw Wednesday is LA's talent playing at their best, which they hadn't for most of the season. They simply have a higher ceiling than the Quakes.

Also, their gameplan worked. Ours didn't. And when it became clear that it will not work, we had no other plan. Yea, Gordon got one late. But that was on a deflection in a crowded penalty area after a corner kick. That's not a strategy you pin your hopes for winning the game on. And yea, Opara and Wondolowski had open nets that should've resulted in two goals for the Quakes. But... that's where talent comes in. Wilhelmsson himself could've had a hat-trick if he showed a little more skill and composure. Like the kind shown by Keane.

 

I think if all of our guys were healthy, we could have won, but as we were broken down in significant ways, giving up those 3 quick goals isn't that surprising, which lost us the series.

I think we battled hard and you could see the wheels falling off a bit by the end, but we still fought to get the Shield. With Lenny, Gordon, Bernardez, Corrales, and then backup Opara injured...with Baca, Morrow, Beitashour seemingly run down...it's still a coin toss but our weaponry was quite war torn. I gunning for the shield so hard plus some untimely injuries hurt our chances. I do think that our team will learn a lot from this and playing in the CCL.

 

OK, this is my last post in this thread because I've posted way too many times, and I'm repeating myself at this point. Yes, the Gals have some very talented players, but if you look at the teams player by player, they are comparable. And since becoming a starter in MLS, Wondo has out-performed, as a goal scorer, every "talented" goal scorer in the history of the league. So why would he be considered less talented than Keane or any other forward?

And yet Keane missed at least two sitters in last Sunday's game against the Quakes. And Wondo and Gordon have significantly better goals per minute numbers than Keane. If you're a forward, it seems to me that your "talent" should be about scoring goals. And Wondo and Gordon have been better at it this year than Keane. Maybe Keane shows more composure in general - I don't know, I've seen him miss so many sitters. But Wondo and Gordon have shown a talent for finding the opportunities and converting them.

Meh, after the 2nd and especially the 3rd goal the Gals packed it in and broke for counters - a pretty common strategy. There is not much else you can do against a "crowded penalty area" when your opponent is crowding your penalty area. I just think if a few things had gone a little differently, it might have been a different result. If Wondo converts that sitter, the Quakes go up again 2-1, and they can start to pack it in a bit, and the shoe is on the other foot. And it would have helped if Bernardez were able to stay in the match.

 

Well, there's two things we can agree on. The Galaxy outperformed the Quakes in a two-game series. And the Quakes are not MLS Champions, because the MLS Champion is the team that wins MLS Cup. Great season, but they didn't finish the job.

 

Great advice.

 

Might want to compare those number with and without Gonzalez (and not that it matters, with and without Muma)

 

Looks like we have one of the answers in Muma's newcomer of the year article:

It really felt like he missed more games than this... it also felt like goals against was higher. I stand corrected, with Muma in the lineup.

 

No surprises here, in the 20 he didn't play the opposition wasn't getting mugged, fouled or hacked by him, allowing them to score.

 

F#$% el-lay!

What's all this "they have more talent?" Crap?! If they did, they'd have won the Supporter's Shield.

el-lay blows, in every way shape and form. Drink it.

GO QUAKES!!

- Mark

 

SJ is always my greatest rival all the way back to the NASL days. I have always believed he Supporters Shield more valuable than some inane MLS playoff/cup. With your shield, I believe you are seeded into next years CCL. When was the last time you were in that cup? I can't remember if your other 2 MLS Cup championship were before the current version of CCL?

 

Wikipedia tells me the Quakes participated in the 02 and 04 editions of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. In both tournaments, the Quakes were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the eventual champion.

 

Interesting. I have a gut feeling that Yallop sees the Champions League as a burden and will treat it as such.

 

thats too bad. with the new stadium coming on line, a few victories against international competition would only serve to build interest. Funny how some clubs put some interest in CCL, others do well in USOC and others go for the regular season and MLS Cup. I guess without deeper rosters this will continue to be the norm.

 

That's what he did 10 years ago.