We have a road game on the following Saturday. Hopefully we have rotation for this game so our starters are not tired for Saturday. This is what I’d like to see... ——————Zubak—————— Boateng——-Efraín——-Cuello ———Carrasco—Juninho——— Traore—Romney—THA—Shultz ———————JVS——————
There is a choice to be made here. Do we want to win vs Portland and use our heavy artillery there to move up the Open Cup to take on the Beast or do we half-ass it and hope for the best knowing we have that deadly Cincy game looming and save our strength for them and those 3 points? My priority is to go for the Beast! I don't care about Cincy.
Play reserves in my opinion. We are too shallow to win this and compete in mls at same time. I prefer focus on mls.
Supposedly our ownership/FO don’t really want to support this competition. Hard to think that any coach would prioritize the Open Cup over league play since our owners punt all chance of hosting any games (if possible) and winning the cup means playing all road games all the way through. We’ve left too many “easy” points on the table so far this season.
Tata Martino called up Antuna last minute for the Gold Cup. That makes three away with Giancarlo and Jona for the GC. Four MIA with Feltcher away to the Copa America with Venezuela.
Indeed this will be tough and their current points standings mean nothing. Not in the platitude sense, but in a very real sense. Thirteen of their first 14 games have been away games, including their their recent 2-1 road win vs SEA in the Open. Also they have 3 games in hand against most teams. But the biggest reason to ignore the table standings is that this isn't your March, early-April Portland. They started the season 0-5-1 and were outscored 17-6(!). Ouch. But subsequently they have gone 5-2-1, outscoring their opponents 15-10, again with all but one game being played on the road. Final reason they aren't the same team is they recently added a 24yo prolific goal scorer, the blond moptop DP Brian Fernandez coming in from LigaMX. In 2018 Fernandez lead Necaxa in scoring with 18g+5a in 25 starts. In the 2019 Clausura he was LigaMX's 2nd-leading scorer, with 12 goals in 15 appearances. Now he's started out red hot for POR - with 4 goals in 2 starts (205 min total, a torrid scoring clip of a goal every 41 mins). Sadly that means that in 2.25 games Fernandez has scored more 2019 MLS goals than any Galaxy player not named Zlatan! I don't know how many players they will be missing but in any case if we want to move forward in the Open Cup (do we?) - well, we have a lot of work ahead of us. Go Galaxy!
You beat me to this. Yes, this guy is on fire. Scary stats. Steres, Polenta and Bingham are gonna have a heart attack when they get a gander at this guy. He even had a bike against LAFC just like Ibrah's that was very impressive. This guy IS their Ibrah! BTW Antuna just scored for Mexico.
Antuna had an assist and a hat trick. The kid tries so hard and I am happy for him. Yeah, I know, why doesn't he do that here. Different team and tactics under Tata but I hope the confidence in himself is something he can bring back to help Galaxy.
Well, to be fair, Mexico vs. Cuba is about like the LA Galaxy vs. the Galaxy BigSoccer Pick-Up Squad. I bet Antuna would also destroy us.... (well, maybe some of us more than others...)
Yeah, everybody tells me the same thing but he is the only one got a hat trick. Lots of blow outs as we sift through the minnows in this tourney but so far he is the only one with a trick. First time playing for Mexico too and the biggest stage and he does this in front of 80,000+. I doubt he has slept since.
And most teams that host take a financial loss. Therefore it’s teams that have FO and ownerships that take the gamble win the cup.
Brian Iloski and Don Tchilao from G2 spotted at the first team training (it looks usual for Tchilao), both to maybe have a role in USOC.
Put the kid in front of the tv when Cuba and Martinique go head to head in the GC. Should do the trick.