Wait, I thought we were playing Zlatan, are you saying there's a team around him? Okay, no idea how this will work, but the BroSantos and Allesandrini were all saying last week that they would miss LAFC and targeting SKC week to be back on the field. Maybe that's an advantage, more top options, more egos? Probably not. A lineup that includes them, with Ola and Zlatan for 90 is probably not going to happen. He talked of being winded, so maybe they move him into the first 11 slowly. So maybe we should expect a half? Jeebus that's a lot of time to spend worrying. Also, forecast is for rain. We don't want him in the rain. That's his weather. We want a bright LA sun. A big fear, he ruined LAFC's shape, just destroyed it. They were focused on him and he pulled people alll over the place. Upside, we can score with them this year. Practical question: Do we assign Opara to super glue himself to Ibra? And then go with a 3 man backline focused on other stuff?
This game could be rough with Zlatan, and LA's 3 DPs back. I know we got a shutout last week, but DC isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut....
The only offensive juggernaut SKC has played this season is NYCFC and we all know that result. Two of the opponents SKC played this season are East bottomfeeders, one of which hung three goals on SKC. The other two are Western division teams sitting in 7th and 10th place, neither of which are offensive powers, hung 2 goals each on SKC. So yes, this could be a really rough game for SKC. I don’t see PV changing his strategy going to LA since that is just not in his nature to change tactics even with a guy like Zlatan taking the field. What I do see is an opportunity to score goals on LA since their defense has not been doing well either. There could be 5 or 6 goals scored in this game depending on how the ball bounces. In the end it may not be a satisfying game for SKC, but it very well may be entertaining.
Great thoughts/comments and question. If we assign Opara to super glue himself to Ibra on off-ball runs, it could have the upside of not having Ibra wreck our defensive shape like with LAFC - i.e. we avoid having off-ball run Ibra take 2,3+ others out of position. 3 man back (which means Medranda out, Sinovic in at LB), and have Ilie drop as needed to cover. With Russell willing to run all over the field for defense, and Roger being old Roger - we would be OK defensively, while retaining some offense. Hopefully we have the lead by the time Ibra comes on - although LAFC proved no lead is safe. Ibra won't go full 90. I think one half max. He was self-admittedly not in shape for "that 20 minutes felt like 40" I expect Ibra as super sub just after halftime, which will ask Vermes to tactically shift mid game (not Vermes greatest strength or inclination, I agree with @BenDover ) without benefit of a halftime break - further increasing the impact of putting Ibra on as a sub. This weekend will be a very compelling road match to see how our boys rate. We've beat up on the basement of MLS so far this season, and got schooled by the top team. However, I think the better game will be the Galaxy return match in KC on October 6 where both teams could presumably be in playoff stretch run - and hopefully SKC challenging for first in the West. By Oct, Ibra will be fully integrated and going the full 90, and it will be more clear whether Ibra's MLS hype has been justified over the course of a season (great player, great personality, great for the league - love him. HATE MLS.com fanboi coverage of all things LA Galaxy). SKC's 2018 identity will also be fully formed and match honed by Oct.... I hope SKC is playing well and there are no injuries to the Starting XI on either side for the Oct 6 rematch.
Sigi was talking about wanting to go to a 3-5-2 when he added Ibra, but deciding to stick with the 4-4-2 for continuity. This week, with actual practice days and not a single walk through with a jet-lagged newb, I would expect them to have a more detailed plan, and I would expect a 3-5-2 when Ibra comes on, he and ola are a nice pair up top, Gio in the center, Lleget/Boatang and Allessandrini on the wings, JDS and Kitchen? No idea how to cram them all on the field. The downside of this, 3-5-2 is cruel to a little 4-3-3. Upside, as noted, their defenders... I'm not sure I would mind seeing this because I don't think they can pull off a three man backline, at least not well. Also, what we saw this weekend was incredibly cool, but it also amazing to the point of being unreal. It can't be repeated in week two (can it? wow, if this is his normal for them, just mail the trophies and let us focus on the US Open Cup). A win means we are going to be first half favorites in the west. A tie means we're legit contenders. A bad loss, means scrambling for playoffs positioning. I do think that's our floor.
has anyone read anything on gutierrez? he kept stretching himself all throughout the first half and then the premature sub in the second half has me worried..
PV said a knock on Saturday night. There really hasn't been any availability since then to ask further. I'd expect to get a little more tomorrow during/after training depending on when people tweet stuff out.
They said precautionary, not a reaction to an injury thought, right? PV was saying he'd be ready for LA.
If the Gals run 3-5-2, PV should finally make some sort of adjustment to our formation. Remember the trouble we had at Colorado? They run a 3-5-2 and were bossing our midfield around during the first half.
Bossing around? They controlled maybe the first 10-15 minutes and then KC completely controlled the game from that point on.
I really hope he can play. The game against DC was 2017 SKC - lots of possession, lots of shots, hardly any on goal. His sick shots to shots on goal and shots on goal to goals ratios have been a lot of the difference for us so far..
Dude is good, no doubt. If he keeps playing like this, he's a candidate for newcomer of the year and MVP. Unfortunately, with Gutierrez is out, it exposed this teams second biggest weakness; lack of midfield depth. We did get to see what the midfield looks like with Croizet as the No.10, and that wasn't good. He seems to favor long, field switching balls played in the air over simple possession passes. It looked odd and was unproductive.
Meh. If we have any chance of being a decent side this season, we need to deal with weeks off. If Felipe is gone for a month, that's a problem. But if we can't figure out how to deal with a leaky defense for a single week without him, we were already screwed. My prediction, Croizet and Shelton have been knocking, this week they get one in.
We're without Felipe and LA is with Zlatan? Honestly, I'd consider escaping LA with a point a miracle at this point. This could easily turn into a blow out.
I mean, I'd love to be proven wrong, but we've looked not particularly good when Felipe isn't on the field.
I hope you are right. I’m not counting on it, but hey, crazier things have happened ( i.e. the Birahim Diop game vs San Jose at Community American Park)
That wasn't for very long... thirty minutes? And we were okay for that portion. Few mls teams look great when their top player sits.
He's only 39, we could bring him back! Seriously, it sucks that this is caused by injury, but we really need to be rotating players if we're going to avoid an august collapse. I know he wasn't playing many games in Spain, but he's now been an active part of a team in season since August. A week off here and there is called for. When he comes back, Roger needs a rest, then Zusi, etc. BTW, what's the over/under on games for which Evans is healthy? Is he a Davis or a Mapp?