P/I/P Final Reg Season Game: LA Galaxy v. Sporting KC, 10/25/2015 at 4:00 PM PD/6PM CDT ESPN

Simple we win at all costs! Failure is not an option and unacceptable.

 

those were some pretty appropriate gifs from the beautiful gamer

 

I predict this game to be an indicator of how we fare this postseason. If we win, or even draw, we'll compete and may play with enough heart to go back-to-back again. If we lose, the galactic empire will fall.

 

I can't even vote, it depresses me too much.

Once again I'll have to watch this on delay. Which gives me heartburn.

 

I can't believe it's already the final game. I keep waiting for us to get consistent, consistently good...and it hasn't happened yet.

This is going to be a great test against KC. Come on, Galaxy, for goodness sake, get it together!

 

I would have said the same thing in 2005 for the Galaxy and any number of years for other teams. I have never been this uncertain about an LA Galaxy team in the post-season, or any team for that matter. I would be no more surprised losing 5-0 and winning MLS Cup than I would be winning 5-0 and getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

 

SKC is fighting for their play-off life and we're on a terrible run of form. I am not looking forward to this Sunday.

 

We need you to be negative. It worked out for us last year.

 

Oh, don’t worry about that. 35 years of supporting England & Spurs (and the first few years of the Galaxy) I’m conditioned to go negative; sadly this year LA is looking like confirming my bias.

 

Here is the line-up I’d like to see the Galaxy start on Sunday:


------------------------------------Rowe-------------------------------------


DeLaGarza----------Gonzales---------------Leonardo------------Rogers


--------------------------Gerrard--------------Juninho-----------------------


Zardes----------------------------------------------------------------------Lletget


-------------------------dos Santos----------------Keane-----------------------


And here is who I’d like to see on the bench:

1. Donovan Ricketts
2. Todd Dunivant
3. Dan Gargan
4. Mika Vayrynen
5. Baggio Husidic
6. Jose Villarreal
7. Alan Gordon


1. 4-4-2 0r 4-2-3-1?

Should the Galaxy start Sunday’s match against Sporting Kansas City in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2? For the vast majority of the season, the Galaxy have started in a 4-4-2. Across all competitions, the Galaxy have played 40 games this season. And, according to my research, they have started in a 4-4-2 in all but 6 of those games. Their record when starting in a 4-4-2 is 15 wins, 9 losses and 10 draws, for a winning-percentage of .588. When they have started in a formation other than a 4-4-2, their record is 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, for a winning-percentage of .583. So, not much difference. However, in one of the matches in which the Galaxy didn’t start in a 4-4-2 (against FC Dallas on May 9), they started in a 4-1-4-1. The Galaxy lost that match 2-1. Their record when starting in a 4-2-3-1 is 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, for a winning percentage of .700 percent. So, they’ve done well when starting in a 4-2-3-1.

In addition, in the Galaxy’s last 7 games, they have started in a 4-4-2 every game. And their record during those 7 games is 1 win, 2 losses and 4 draws, for a winning percentage of .428. So, maybe the Galaxy need to do something to change things up. Also, Stephen Gerrard is 35 years old, and he doesn’t cover as much ground as he used to.

Furthermore, Gerrard’s very first regular season game with the Galaxy was against San Jose on July 14. In that game, Bruce Arena – probably because Gerrard was not yet match fit – started in a 4-2-3-1, with Gerrard underneath the one forward, who was Robbie Keane. Here is a link to the full line-up:

http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2015-07-17-la-galaxy-vs-san-jose-earthquakes/lineup

The Galaxy won the game 5-2 and looked very good. Gerrard had the Galaxy’s second goal in the match, as well as an assist. The Galaxy also started in a 4-2-3-1 in an important game against Seattle on April 12. The Galaxy won that game 1-0. Alan Gordon scored. Here is a link to the tactical formation:

http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2015-04-12-la-galaxy-vs-seattle-sounders-fc/lineup

Finally, in the Galaxy’s most recent regular season game -- a stunning 5-2 loss to Portland at a sold-out Stubhub Center on Sunday -- the Galaxy were porous in midfield and in defense. So, it’s worth considering starting in a 4-2-3-1. The 4-2-3-1, which is midfield-focused formation and more defensive than the 4-4-2, might solidify the midfield and help support the defense. It also likely would give Gerrard more support in midfield, which might compensate for his older legs.

However, I would start in a 4-4-2 on Sunday and see how it goes. The 4-4-2 has been a very good formation for Bruce Arena over the years, including during his tenure as head coach of the Galaxy. Also, if the Galaxy were to start in a 4-2-3-1 with Keane as the one forward, I’m uneasy about what the midfield would look like. Here would be one option:

-------------------------------------Rowe-------------------------------------


DeLaGarza-----------Gonzales--------------Leonardo-------------Rogers


--------------------------Vayrynen--------------Juninho-----------------------


Dos Santos----------------------------Gerrard----------------------------Zardes


------------------------------------------Keane----------------------------------------------

Mika Vayrynen could play defensive-midfield next to Juninho, with Gerrard playing underneath Keane. But Vayrynen played 90 minutes in Guatemala last night. And he has been adequate but not exceptional so far for the Galaxy this year. So, I would be uneasy starting him against Kansas City.

Another option would be to start Sebastian Lletget underneath Keane, Dos Santos at right midfield, Zardes at left midfield, and Gerrard and Juninho as the defensive-midfielders. A third option would be to start Gerrard at defensive-midfield next to Juninho, with Dos Santos underneath Keane, Zardes at right midfield, and Lletget at left midfield. These seem like the two best options. The second of the two (the one with Dos Santos underneath Keane) is similar to the line-up the Galaxy started in their 5-0 win against Communicaciones on August 15. Here is a link to the line-up that mlssoccer.com says that the Galaxy started in that match:

http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2015-08-18-la-galaxy-vs-csd-comunicaciones/lineup

I actually think the formation was more of a 4-4-1-1, with Dos Santos playing more as a second forward than as an attacking center-mid. But I also don’t think the formation was a pure 4-4-2. Dos Santos was dropping into midfield more than a pure forward does. Meanwhile, the Galaxy played well in the match. In addition, starting in a 4-2-3-1 against Kansas City probably would enable Dos Santos to get more of the ball than he has been getting so far for the Galaxy. But should Dos Santos start underneath Keane? Can he be a good playmaker and be good enough defensively? I think he could. But it’s also a risk.

As for starting Lletget underneath Keane, I would be a little uneasy doing so. I don’t how much experience Lletget has at that position. And although he is very skillful, his decision-making sometimes is questionable, which is problematic for a playmaker.

Nevertheless, if the Galaxy were to get out to a lead on Sunday, maybe Arena should consider switching to a 4-2-3-1 in the second half in order to protect the lead. If the Galaxy had done that against Portland last weekend, maybe the Galaxy would have gotten at least one point in the standings out of the match. Last weekend the Galaxy were a sieve defensively and in midfield.


2. Rowe or Ricketts?

By a very narrow margin, I would start Brian Rowe at goalkeeper over Donovan Ricketts. Rowe looked pretty good last night and has been pretty good all year. He also is quicker and more mobile than Ricketts. And thus far Ricketts has been a little shaky for the Galaxy.

But I’m not confident in this decision. Ricketts is much more experienced than Rowe, and, unlike Rowe, he didn’t travel to Guatemala for a game last night. Nevertheless, Rowe is a goalkeeper, so the fact that he played 90 minutes last night shouldn’t make him overly tired for Sunday's game. As for the experience issue, Ricketts’ greater experience does help him in taking time when the Galaxy are trying to hold on for a result. But his greater experience can’t fully compensate for his lack of mobility.


3. DeLaGarza at Right Back or Center-Back?

One question is whether A.J. DeLaGarza should start at right back or center-back (next to Omar Gonzales), with Dan Gargan at right back. DeLaGarza works very well with Gonzales when the two of them play center-back, and the Galaxy have had significant success when the two of them have started together at center-back. Moreover, over the last few games, Gonzales has been in a bit of a slump. He has been out of position too much. For instance, on Portland’s first goal last weekend, he stepped up too far on Darlington Nagbe, who then got the ball to Diego Valeri. Valeri then dribbled the ball without any pressure on him all the way to the top of the Galaxy’s penalty box. If Gonzales hadn’t stepped up so far on Nagbe, he could have helped defend the space that Valeri dribble through freely. Here is a link to a highlight of the play:

http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/ma...alaxy-vs-portland-timbers/details/video/52693

So, if Arena partnered DeLaGarza with Gonzales at center-back, maybe it would help Gonzales play at his normal level, which is a very high level.

However, on Sunday, I’d start DeLaGarza at right back and Leonardo at center-back. If DeLaGarza were to start at center-back instead of Leonardo, then Gargan would be the best option to start at right back. And, in his 45 minutes last night, Gargan didn’t play particularly well. He was beaten on Communicaciones’ game-tying goal. He also was out of position on an earlier play and may have gently grabbed the Communicaciones’ forward in the box, which could have resulted in a penalty kick. In addition, last weekend, he was partly at fault on Portland’s second goal. He pulled Fenando Adi down in the box, which resulted in a penalty kick. Here is a link to the play:

http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/ma...alaxy-vs-portland-timbers/details/video/52697

Finally, this Sunday, Leonardo should be fresher than Gargan. Gargan played 45 minutes last night and will have traveled to Guatemala and up to Kansas City. In contrast, Leonardo last played last weekend. So, having Leonardo start at center-back might be better than having Gargan start at right back, which Gargan would do if DeLaGarza started at center-back.


4. Dos Santos at Forward or Right Midfield?

Although I am really glad the Galaxy signed Giovani dos Santos, he so far hasn’t made as much of an impact as I would have hoped. He hasn’t been involved enough. And Gyasi Zardes is a good forward in MLS. He’s also very good in the air and much better in the air than dos Santos. So, should Dos Santos start at right midfield and Zardes at forward?

I would start dos Santos at forward and Zardes at right midfield. Zardes plays more defense than dos Santos, and Kansas City is a good attacking team at home. Also, on Sunday, Krisztian Nemeth likely will start for Kansas City at left wing in a 4-3-3. He is a dangerous player. He has 10 goals and 6 assists this season. So, it would be good to have a good defender at right midfield to try to help contain Nemeth.

However, if the Galaxy are struggling on Sunday, Arena should consider switching Zardes and dos Santos, which Arena has done before.

 

Holy Crow the above post is thorough!

 

The second gif gets me every time I see it...ha

 

If Stevie G. plays the full 90', then I'll know The Don made Bruce an offer he couldn't refuse.

 

I hope we win. However we're on the road and SKC are fighting for their playoff life. Unfortunately nothing that I've seen so far this season makes me think that we'll be able to hang on the road against a team that's maybe in a d0-or-die situation. This Galaxy team seems to want to play a laid back, finesse style this season. I don't think that approach matches up well against a very motivated home team. I hope I'm wrong.

 

I just see Benny having space and we know what he can do with that

 

Yep, run in or pass behind Stevie G. while Juni and one of our fullbacks is pushed up and Gio is lost. I expect Vermes to have a plan.

 

Our millionaires need to step up today.

 

Same line-up. I am torn because I think we need to change something, but it was working so well back in August.

 

At least Gargan isn't starting today. He didn't even make the 18. Looks like he's in Bruce's doghouse.

 

I want gyasi up front scoring not creating, the boy is better suited to finish off not create. But we shall see if Bruce all mighty has gotten through to him.

 

All right ya'll D-DAY starts now! Let's play some football damn it!