@ Venue: Dicks Sporting Goods Park TV: TWCS, TWCD 6:00pm Pacific If we're ever gonna win one on the road... Looking at the moneyline though, Rapids are actually favored. Surprised but not surprised. Hopefully this is the last game before Gio arrives and we can start trying to really sync up before the playoffs...if we get there. This Penedo news has really got me down.
I know we won there a year ago, but playing at altitude will be an experience for Gerrard and it seems to me that balls always travel further than the players anticipate. And we never seem to adjust well. This Rapids squad, while not a "good" team is better than the one we played last year. Pablo may actually be getting the hang of this coaching thing. And I will echo L.A. Native's comment: Not comfortable with Rowe. Unlike some I think he has the potential to be a decent keeper, but keepers tend to mature later than other players. He *might* come through - he has done so from time to time - but there is no counting on him to make that Rimando-like save that keeps you in the game.
I love this league and all but Colorado is a buzzkill...snoozefest at times ... But at the same time they are also a trap game team.... Oh well lets go Gs.
Trap game team, that sums up Colorado pretty well! With the loss last week and the poor results we've had on the road this season the team should be fired up to get that monkey off their back. And with the bonus of getting Omar, Gyasi & RR back I'm cautiously optimistic that we won't be trapped again (this time)!
Isn't a trap game a game you ought to win easily but fail because you aren't paying enough attention? How can any road game be a "trap game" ? We haven't won on the road in forever. If anything we are a trap game for them.
Uhh true but im just thinking league wide wise... Everyone sees (my opinion) colorado as a 3pts give away.... No one really circles their calendar date when VS colorado...
Well, this will be my first ever road game. I plan on bringing my good vibes to the team in Denver. I will be in the away supporters section 2nd row and fully expect a galaxy player to run over to us celebrating a fantastic winning goal...
Do you think that he will start now that Ricketts is back though? I could see Bruce totally throwing him in right away.
I think Rowe has been preparing for Colorado, and the coaches are preparing him. I think Ricketts first game starting will be our CCL match next week. If we keep loosing on the road and Ricketts looks solid against Central, I could see Bruce making a change see how the first team responds then.
I would like to win. I expect we tie. To punctuate the last 22 I hours I expect Colorado to score a tying goal on a goal keeper blunder and everyone (including me) will lost their mind.
How much did Omar, Juni and Zardes play in the all star game? I'm sure Mastroeni wanted them to go the full 90 to have them nice and tired for the match...
Maybe Rowe can be like Saunders was, and begin to play at the best level of his career. And if he could elbow Lenhart in the head that would be ok too.
Wouldn't that be something if Ricketts had the start, get his arm broken, Rowe comes in, and then elbows Lenhart who appears out of nowhere, then Magic Mike magically appears, makes a couple game saving stops and gets the G's their first road win since 1996? That'd be something...
This made me laugh, our injury report: OUT: GK Brian Perk (dislocated and fractured ankle 3/27, out for season) QUESTIONABLE: M/F Jose Villarreal (knee injury, DNP 7/25) QUESTIONABLE: M Baggio Husidic (calf injury, DNP 7/25) QUESTIONABLE: F Robbie Keane (shoulder injury) QUESTIONABLE: D Todd Dunivant (foot injury) QUESTIONABLE: M Steven Gerrard (injury) I didn't laugh at all the serious injuries (and I'm hoping Keane is ready to go), but Gerrard's lack of any specificity is what made me giggle. Don't ask us what it is!
There's a supporters section at DSGP?? I've always just sat in random places...I should've gotten tickets in the supporters section! I'll see you at the game maybe.....look for the tall Asian guy in the Galaxy jersey, there's not many of us. First beer is on me!
The thread head show the game on TWC, but the directv guide shows it as being the Unimas Friday game. Please, no Rameses.....
As Berks said, Jose Villarreal, Baggio Husidic, Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard are questionable for tomorrow’s game. Here is a link: http://www.mlssoccer.com/injuries If Villarreal and Husidic are not healthy enough to start and Keane and Gerrard are healthy enough to start, I’d like to see the Galaxy start one of the following two line-ups: 1. (4-4-2)-------------------------------------Rowe--------------------------------------- Gargan------------------------Gonzales-----------------DeLaGarza--------------Rogers -----------------------------------Gerrard----------------Juninho------------------------- Maganto-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Lletget ----------------------------------------Zardes-------------Keane--------------------------- 2. (4-2-3-1)------------------------------------Rowe---------------------------------------- Gargan-------------------------Gonzales------------------DeLaGarza----------------Rogers -------------------------------------Walker----------------Juninho---------------------------- Zardes------------------------------------------Gerrard----------------------------------Lletget ----------------------------------------------------Keane----------------------------------------- 1. 4-4-2 If the Galaxy start in a 4-4-2, I would (assuming Husidic and Villarreal are not healthy enough to start) start Ignacio Maganto at right midfield over Bradford Jamieson. Since the Galaxy’s 4-0 loss to Orlando on May 17, Jamieson has played only 45 minutes of non-friendlies for the Galaxy’s first team, namely the first 45 minutes last weekend against Houston, a 3-0 Galaxy loss. In addition, against Houston last weekend, Jamieson didn’t distinguish himself. He was sort of invisible and perhaps turned the ball over a bit too much. In contrast, since the May 17 loss to Orlando, Maganto has played 427 minutes in non-friendlies for the Galaxy. And, overall, he has been pretty good for the Galaxy over that period. He has been fairly active, been pretty good at going at defenders with the ball at his feet, and seems to have played solid defense. He also has 1 goal and 2 assists. So, Maganto has made a more positive contribution to the Galaxy over the last 2 ½ months than Jamieson. So, I would start Maganto tomorrow. However, Jamieson played solidly in the recent friendlies against Club America and F.C. Barcelona (he played the first 45 minutes against Club America and the second 45 against F.C. Barcelona). In fact, Jamieson played quite a bit better against Barcelona than Maganto. In the match, Maganto seemed to turn the ball over every time he got it. Jamieson didn’t seem to turn the ball over as much, and he was more of a threat offensively. Nevertheless, the two matches -- although against excellent competition -- were only friendlies. So, one should be careful not to weigh the two players’ respective performances in the matches too much when deciding who should start tomorrow. Finally, although Jamieson is more athletic -- perhaps significantly more -- than Maganto, the former’s superior athleticism hasn’t translated to an overall higher level of play over the last 2 ½ months. If Maganto starts and doesn’t play well, Jamieson could come in for him in the second half. Another option would be to start Raul Mendiola at right midfield. He played well against Barcelona and much better in the match than Maganto did. But I believe that Mendiola has played only 269 minutes for the Galaxy in non-friendlies this season, all in U.S. Open Cup matches. Also, I don't think he played particularly well in the Galaxy's U.S. Open Cup loss to Real Salt Lake on July 14. So, I wouldn't start him tomorrow. 2. 4-2-3-1 If the Galaxy start in a 4-2-3-1, then (assuming Husidic and Villarreal can’t start) I think the Galaxy should start Kenney Walker at central midfielder over Mika Vayrynen. Walker played pretty well in the Galaxy’s last two MLS games – the 3-0 loss to Houston last weekend and the 5-2 win against San Jose on July 17. I remember him passing the ball well in both matches. He also played well in his 45 minutes against Club America and decently in his 45 minutes against Barcelona. Finally, he played solidly in his 69 minutes in the Galaxy’s 1-0 U.S. Open Cup win against San Jose on July 1. He had the game-winning assist in the match. Although he didn’t play well in the Galaxy’s 1-0 U.S. Open Cup loss to Real Salt Lake on July 14 or in their 1-0 loss at home to Vancouver on June 6, his overall level of play for the team has been pretty good over the last month. In comparison, since June 20, Vayrynen hasn’t played any minutes for the Galaxy in regular season MLS matches or in U.S. Open Cup matches. He has been recovering from an injury. Although he played solidly in his 45 minutes against Barcelona, that was only a friendly. And although I thought he played better against Barcelona than Kenney Walker, I don’t remember Vayrynen playing much better in the match. Finally, although Vayrynen probably has been a little bit better than Walker overall this season, there hasn’t been a big difference between the two. Both have passed the ball pretty well, but haven’t made much of a difference in the final third. If Walker starts tomorrow and doesn’t play well, Vayrynen could come in for him in the second half. 3. 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1? The Galaxy will be on the road tomorrow and playing at altitude. And this season they have struggled on the road. So, if all of the players in the two line-ups I listed above are able to start, I probably would start in the 4-2-3-1. It provides more numbers in midfield to help try to win the midfield and provides a little more cover for the back line. Also, the Galaxy started in a 4-2-3-1 against San Jose on July 17 and dominated the match and won 5-2. They also started in a 4-2-3-1 against Seattle at home on April 12 and won the match -- an important match -- 1-0. So, the Galaxy have had some success in the 4-2-3-1 this season. On the other hand, they started in a 4-2-3-1 against Houston last weekend, and they didn’t play well and lost 3-0. And the Galaxy have had significant success playing a 4-4-2 under Bruce Arena. So, it’s a hard decision for me whether they should start in a 4-4-2- or 4-2-3-1 tomorrow. 4. If Gerrard and Keane don’t Start If Gerrard and Keane don’t start, then (assuming Villarreal and Husidic are unable to play) here would be one reasonable option for a starting line-up: 1.--------------------------------------------Rowe------------------------------------------------- Gargan----------------------Gonzales-----------------DeLaGarza-----------------------Rogers -------------------------Walker (or Vayrynen)--------------Juninho---------------------------- Maganto--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lletget -----------------------------------------Zardes--------------Gordon--------------------------------- Another option: 1.----------------------------------------------Rowe---------------------------------------------- Gargan------------------------Gonzales-----------------DeLaGarza-------------------Rogers -----------------------------Walker (or Vayrynen)-----------Juninho------------------------- Zardes----------------------------------------Lletget-----------------------------------Maganto -------------------------------------------------Gordon--------------------------------------------- I might be inclined to go with the second line-up. It would provide more numbers in midfield to try to win the midfield on the road. However, I would be a bit hesitant to start the second line-up partly because I don’t know how much experience Sebastian Lletget has playing underneath the forward in a 4-2-3-1. At any rate, a nice thing about either line-up is that Arena could switch to the other line-up at any time. For each line-up, the same personnel are on the field. Only the formation is different.
Yes, it's section 100. I'll be wearing a Brazil shirt (to honor Sarvas) and a Galaxy hat and scarf. Hope to see ya!