2017 LA Galaxy II (Los Dos) Season

I wonder if part of his problem in getting a first team spot was LigaMX's new 8/10 rule, which puts senior roster spots for Mexican-Americans at a premium.

 

I think that was a problem at Xolos, and when Atlas showed they wanted him, TJ froze him out. I'm not sure about Atlas' current roster.

 

Someone on Wikipedia has him listed as on loan from Atlas. Do you know if that's true?

 

I do not know. I had a brief conversation with Robert, and not his agent, so I do not know the current status of his registration. I do know that he would like to go back to Mexico at some point and give it a go. But I think he understands that at this point in his career he needs to get games. If Los Dos gives him that opportunity, it may well be our gain. He also wants a real chance to play for the USMNT, and he thinks that by being in LA, and under the noses of federation staff, he gives himself a better chance. The next Olympic qualifying cycle is realistic.

 

http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/02/22/la-galaxy-ii-announce-first-ever-open-tryouts-England

LA Galaxy II announced today that the club will host two separate open tryouts for the first time in England during the summer of 2017 in an effort to expand their recruiting pool and discover players for the 2017 USL season and beyond. Tryouts will be held in London at The Hive on May 31 and June 1, and again in Manchester at University of Manchester Armitage Sports Centre on June 3 and 4.

 

LA Galaxy: MLS franchise will host London and Manchester scouting events

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39059856

 

Nice to see us begin to open a Cameroonian pipeline of talent. Both 19 years-old.

http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/0...tm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=lagalaxyii

 

This is the kind of thing that gives me some hope that the PO really does have some idea of what they're doing, and that they are looking more long term. Hence the more short term smoke about the Ibra's.

It remains to be seen how these guys do, but it seems to a step in the right direction.

 

I thought Galaxy II looked pretty good against Portland last weekend.

 

So now I can go to the Track & Field stadium and see Los Dos for about $5 or I can go to Stub Hub and see Los Dos for multiples of that.

 

Interesting signing by LosDos. Most of our signings have been either home grown or local players or young foreign players we stash in Los Dos to develop and see if they can help. Turner is definitely young, but he actually has MLS experience and youth national team experience. Plus, he's primarily a right back, which is a bit thin for us with Rogers potentially out for a long time. I don't know why Orlando didn't want him back (it's possible he saw his path blocked or the coaching/FO regime change altered their view on him), but I could see him working his way into the senior roster picture, if not this year due to injuries, next year if Cole or Rogers does not return.

http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/03/16/la-galaxy-ii-sign-defender-tyler-turner

 

More information about Turner and his release from Orlando, plus a complimentary quote from Landon Donovan, who coached him twice in the Homegrown Game.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...ch/os-orlando-city-roster-20161123-story.html

 

http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/03/23/la-galaxy-ii-announce-roster-ahead-2017-usl-regular-season

Apparently we signed none of the Asian players who were on trial. Interesting group, we could have a solid defense.

 

I hope to be there tomorrow

 

2-0 win against Vancouver 2 in the opener. Own goal following a long ball by Husidic and a good effort by Zubak, and a Zubak goal after a great job from BJ4 on the flank.

Didn't follow the game as close as I would have liked, so I must watch the replay next week, but we looked convincing. Quick thoughts :

The good : Turner (really really impressed) and Arellano were my MOTM. Kempin had a lot of work to do and almost never put a foot wrong. Aguilar was impressing too but went down injured. Zubak for his two goals but just OK performance otherwise. Lonergan considering I never heard of him, he's just 17 and was playing his first USL game (was the LB). Baggio too but not surprising.

The "OK" : Villarreal and BJ4 (too many turnovers but a good second half and a great assist).

The bad : Amaya (I must be hard on him but I have the feeling he's always trying to make the most complicated move) and Engola (looked so uncomfortable with the ball, lost his man a few times).

 

Just finished to re-watch the game, a few more thoughts :

- we played some good soccer. A few longs balls (but with the big Zubak and the speedy Amaya we have the personnel to take advantage of them), but sometimes our passing was stellar especially for the first game of a season. Turner, Aguilar, Villarreal and even Zubak combined very well and our right side was a real threat.

- Tyler Turner was really impressive. I mean, REALLY. He has done almost everything right : tackles, passing, long ball, cross... I've never been this impressed by a G2 fullback quite honestly. The guy is a former U17, U18, U20, U23 NTs player and has captained the U18 team. A player to follow.

- Arellano was also stellar. The guy is not a beast in the air, not especially physical but knows how to use his body, but his main attribute seems that he reads the game very well. Needs to work on his passing though, but I see why we locked him to a first team contract this winter even at his young age.

- correction : Villarreal had a solid game.

- I'm intrigued by Zubak. 6 ft. 2 but the guy is relatively speedy for his height and knows how to use his feet. Good passing abilities, looks to be tired around the 60th minute mark, but was still fighting. I'm not saying he will be the star of the first team within the next three years, but he has an interesting profile and will turn just 19 next month.

 

i also liked what i saw from Turner. USL and all, but he had a comfort level on the ball we've been missing on G1. between turner & smith i don't see much of a reason to ever see rafa at RB again. defenses have been camping so hard on us because we have nothing down the flanks.

 

Sounds like we have some good prospects there. A bright spot this season.

 

#LosDos Starting XI: Kempin; Turner, Engola, Arellano, Diallo; Vera, Villarreal, Fujii, Mendiola; Zubak, Amaya pic.twitter.com/5yUcphuCvG

— LA Galaxy II (@LAGalaxyII) April 1, 2017

Must be Zico Bailey and Jonathan Estrada on the bench. Both 00's so that's some young players getting experience.

 

3-0 loss against San Antonio. IMO the score is harder than the real difference between the two teams but I give credit to SA, they had a plan and they executed it very well. They managed to isolate our creator in the midfield (Villarreal) with an individual pressure on him and we became much less dangerous. They had a few chances but they converted the majority of them. We had the possession but we didn't manage to create a lot of opportunities, and they killed us a few times on the counter.

I praised Turner last week but he had a mediocre performance against SA. He was facing the best player of the opposite team (Forbes, a fast and skilled winger who had a goal and an assist) and lost him a few times (on the first goal for example).

Once again not impressed by Engola, which reminds me a lot of Leonardo : sometimes a good clearance, but he often gets beaten and has a terrible technique. I'll call him a disaster waiting to happen, and I look forward to see what the young Castellanos can do (he just finished his suspension).

Arellano was not as good as he was last week, but still did OK (once again a bad long ball leading to the second goal). Diallo was average at LB.

Mendiola had a solid second half but went down injured (didn't look too serious).

IMO the major error Munoz did was to start Villarreal as a 6 and Fuji as a 8. Jaime has not the defensive presence needed for this spot, and SA was pressing him very high so he didn't see a lot of the ball. Still managed to put a FK on the post, but I have the confirmation Villarreal is a CM, not a DM. I'm looking forward to see what the other Cameroonian (Zanga) can do because it looks he's our only DM in this team right now. Villarreal was sent off while he was on the sidelines at the end of the game, I didn't understand why.

I have a hard time seeing Vera break into the first team. Every time I see him he looks at best average. Fuji is a little bit better but also not first team material IMO.

Our fowards had a bad game, especially Zubak who turned the ball over almost 100% of the time.

Next game on Saturday at Phoenix.