Pre-match: San Jose Earthquakes - Los Angeles Galaxy Western Conf. Semi Game 2 (Wed., 11/7) pregame thread

We're up a goal. The most important thing to keep in mind when the game starts is that we need to be solid defensively. We do need to try to establish the upper hand and get some momentum from the start (as Croninja mentioned today on Chronicle Live), but not to the point of pressing things out of the back or getting careless and taking risks that sacrifice defense for offensive thrusts. It's extremely important that we don't carelessly or recklessly give away ANY free kicks around our box. We may give away a few anyway even if we're smart about it, but it should be a priority to not give the ref an opportunity to call fouls in that area. In other words, be solid but don't gamble or play overly physical defense (and I'm picturing Bernardez in my head as I say that).

 

You know what would be awesome? A bunch of people show up in Joker costumes. Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, 60's Batman Joker, court jesters.. A bunch of people dressed up as jokers would be hilarious!

Joker tifo from the Ultras???

 

How about, "Who Wears The Pants" from a certain Classico game from years past?

 

I made a deal with the devil today that I would be willing to trade my preference for the presidential election in return for the Quakes dispatching the Gals tomorrow night. OK, maybe my priorities are a little messed up, but I'm not sure if it makes all that much difference who's president anyway. Our political system is architected for gridlock :--).

 

That was a great sign. The expression on Landicakes face when he saw the sign as the teams lined up for the pregame ceremony was priceless. I swear I could see flames shoot out of his head.

 

Really?

"Four times the LA Galaxy have had their way with San Jose this season, either dominating the action or surging ahead, usually in combination. Yet, somehow, they didn't win any of those four games"

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...minance-alone-wont-get-it-done-against-quakes

Do people really believe this? Am I wrong for getting infuriated when I read headlines and introductory sentences like this? We've beaten this team three times this year, and tied them another. Not lost. Yet, they've "dominated" us. Are people stupid?

 

The intellectual diarrhea spewing from the toilet that is the Scum boards and from the Toolbox stands seems to be infecting the players. The overall stupid factor is rising. Il Bruce can only add to this disorder.

 

I think there were periods of 3 of the 4 games where the Gals controlled the play (the exception being the Stanford match which I think was pretty even all the way through). The rest of games were kind of back and forth. In the 1st game, the Gals controlled play earlier, and then after Jiminez was red-carded the Quakes started to take control. In the third game, LA was dominant early and then the Quakes came back a bit in the 2nd half. In the 4th game, the Gals controlled the game more or less throughout.

On balance I think LA has had the better of the run of play, but the Quakes have finished better and have a better GK. So I think that's been the difference.

 

hmm, those comments are unfortunate. i wish they would reconsider them.

 

If we could get a goal earlier they would rock them back big time, they would be stunned, i'm sure they woould just drop there heads, i think they think were just playing on the break away but if we set a good tempo we can take charge early, we have to look to score at point, a goal at any time in the game give's us a pretty good chance of winning this series, Gordan should play, Shea should play,Morrow should not play, that is all
By the way does anyone else get the feeling that the Gals think we should've just conceded the series before game 1? Like forfeited it? How did we get in there way kind of attiude?

 

Well, not stupid, just ignoring the fact (the "somehow") that these games are all 90 or more minutes and to win they have to "dominate and/or stay ahead" always in combination to actually win the games.

They don't, (they are not focused enough) or they can't (they are not good enough) so they lose.

Both of the previous two game, I was pretty much disgusted with our play. LA looked the better team both times, technically, but their character is weak, they feel entitled, or whatever and they give up... Looking for the clock or the ref to bail them out. Our character is strong, we don't give up. The author could have made a lesson of the quote but just replacing the word "somehow" with the phrase "because the Galaxy character is weak, and San Jose's is strong"

Yet, because the Galaxy character is weak, and San Jose's is strong, they didn't win any of those four games

Q.E.D.

 

The Quakes should just blow them out of the stadium & end the discussion.

 

TV note for those not attending and those setting DVRs. The game is preceded on ESPN2 by a college football game. That game has a 3-hour window, but college football usually takes more than 3 hours. Assuming that game runs past 8 pm, the Earthquakes have stated on Twitter that the TV broadcast will begin on ESPNEWS at 8 pm and will switch to ESPN2 whenever the previous game ends. The game itself is supposed to start at 8:18.

The game is also on ESPN Deportes but apparently will not be on ESPN3.com

Also for the DVR users, don't forget that this is an elimination playoff game and thus there is a very remote possibility of running past its 8-10:30 timeslot due to extra time and PKs.

 

The thing is that the team cannot allow for LA to dominate possession early, so by sitting back and trying to withstand their onslaught you are just going to be inviting more and more pressure.

 

Well, yah! That's obvious... But they have not been able to do that in the last two tries. LA does not, technically, suck.

 

I didn't say anything about "sitting back". I'm talking about being solid and smart defensively, not taking unnecessary risks passing out of the back, and not taking unnecessary risks tackling around our box. Vic (for example) has a tendency sometimes to be too aggressive trying to win the ball 18 to 30 yards out, and Jason (for example) has a tendency to force passes in the same area. I just want to make L.A. earn anything they may get, and not give them too many free kick opps in dangerous areas.

 

This series is still 0-0 in my mind, and should be played as such. The Bernardez goal is just a buffer for whatever scheisty stuff could happen (handball in the box, bad penalty call, a Busch blunder, etc). Just a little cushion, that should the worst happen, we're not on our back foot and chasing the game.

 

I'm curious to see whether there will be any chants agains gAlexi today....

 

It's very important tonight that the Quakes play their game and not spend 90 minutes defending a lead. Vancouver tried to do the same thing to LA just a week ago and with the talent (and money) that the Galaxy have up front, it won't work for very long. Just stay composed and play your game. The Quakes are good enough for a tie, even a win, if they play like they should but I get a feeling that its gonna be close at the end. The 8PM start time doesn't help any either. I'll be standing with the Ultras tonight!

GO QUAKES! BEAT LA!!

 

It's a see-saw game! There are periods in every game where one team does well, followed by periods, or even just moments where the other side does well.

On the whole, the filth have out-played us for long stretches in these four games. However, they either haven't scored a lot or had massive breakdowns after scoring that allowed us to beat them. We haven't beaten them three out of four because we're lucky, or because the refs helped us (quite the opposite), or because we got lucky. We are the better team. That's why we have the better record. That's why we've beaten up on the league's top teams this season. That's why we were the Supporter's Shield winners and they weren't!

And we're going to beat them again tonight!!

GO QUAKES!!!
F#$% el-lay!!

- Mark