Watching the whole game again. I only saw part of it yesterday. What is with the numbers for both teams? They have a pattern or something?
They are photos of season ticket holders. At the beginning of the season we were given a passcode to choose a number and where we want it placed on the number.
I just cant accept zardes playing midfield, wasting energy playing defense covering for Rodgers or AJ. He is a forward, play him there. Switch to the new formation to accommodate Gerrard and Santos. Man Gerrard looked tired out there. Zarde Santos Kean Lledget gerard Husidic Juhno Gargan Gonzo Rodgers I crazy right?
Glad you mentioned this, because I noticed it as well. He seemed a step slow in tracking down balls last night when usually he has the pace and IQ to get to them before the opposing player does. There were several instances where he just seemed out of gas and was beaten to a spot or chasing down a ball.
I completely also forgot to mention the Colorado announcer continually referring to "Larjet" even though Marcelo corrected it multiple times with his own play by play. Nails on a chalkboard.
Does he basically do the same thing as Husidic does? Sorry to be provocative but I want a little bit more from Gyasi... I understand he's making a little progress in this part of the game but he's just doing what every starter in a Galaxy uniform should be able to do. It's not that great and it doesn't show how important to this team he is (if he really is that important...). But to be honest I think he would be better as a forward. He needs to be at the end of plays and let the other players deliver good balls to him. And I hope he will shut my mouth in the MLS Cup.
In my opinion he plays nothing at all like Husidic. While husidic does find spaces and is tidy on the ball, Zardes is much more dynamic. He's so much faster and has the ability to beat guys on the dribble and then pull away from them, unbalancing the defense. While no one gave him credit for this, we saw it repeatedly in the all-sta game against Tottenham. He would get the ball wide in the midfield and turn and run diaganally, pulling two or three guys with him. While ther are lots of young athletic players who are capable of that, very very few of them can keep their head up and then make the next pass that moves the attack forward. Zardes does this consistently.
I think Gerrard did pass it to Buddle (or at least tried). But then Keane was like "hell no, not to him... here I'd better intercept it and make sure it goes in."
I don't know how much defense GDS plays, but it's obvious Gerrard isn't going to get much done there. I think it may be necessary to have lletget one one side of the midfield, Juninho behind it and Zardes on the other because SOMEONE'S gonna have to do the defensive cover. Besides, Zardes is young, he has lots of energy to waste. ; )
Here's an interesting take by Sean Steffan of Gerrard's play: http://www.lagconfidential.com/2015...roved-he-has-the-legs-to-go-box-to-box-in-mls I think his conclusions are a bit of a reach, but it's nice that he brings in some data.
Lletget's even younger. Both are nice wing options to have, and I'm sure Bruce will expect them to cover on d, and will sub them at 60 if needed.
He also was tops in recoveries, which is an underrated stat that I always harp on. If things are going right, Gerrard rack up lots of recoveries playing as the second man to close down when a player like Husidic, Juninho etc. gets stuck in so he can win the ball and start the attacking sequence. Still, I think a team with a tougher central midfield, like Seattle or RSL, will be a sterner test for Gerrard.
Keano should have passed it to Edson rather than StevieG as he seemed to the better option. Though he may seem over it, Edson's always had a rather good shot. Also, Gerrard's pass seemed more like it was meant for Keane whom he thought was going to continue his run to goal.
I was totally waiting for him to pass to Edson as well (as was Edson). I was like, HUH? when he passed to Gerrard. But it worked out!
That's why I thought it was a bad play. LA were very lucky to get a goal out of that after having a 3 v 1. The decision-making and touches weren't great. That should all get better with a little more time, though.
Yep, for the good of the team, Keane should have passed it to Buddle. Buddle could have used the vote of confidence from Keane as well as the confidence from scoring a goal.
Obviously Baggio and Gyasi are two different players. I was just refering to a part of your post. You give credit to Gyasi for doing very simple things for a professional soccer player to do (maintain possession, decent first touch). But I understand the fact he has made a little progress. I agree with your analysis on his diagonal runs. However, are they that decisive? Can someone show me at least two or three Galaxy goals created by this runs? The second goal against Colorado involved Zardes but it was on a counter attack from the center of the pitch. When you qualify Zardes season as a "really really remarkable year", I disagree. In my opinion Gyasi is having AT BEST an OK year SO FAR, and to me it's a disappointing season. We saw it at the beginning of the year when he struggled like the whole team, that's why I say he's not that decisive and not that important to this team yet. I know some of you guys like numbers, but you can't say 4 goals and 2 assists in 19 games (17 starts, 1555 minutes, including 1 goal and 2 assists against Philly...) is a remarkable season after the breakout year he had in 2014. Take away Keane from this team and we'll hardly make the playoffs. Take away Lletget and we'll be worse. Take away Juni from this team and it can be very ugly. Gerrard's importance is growing too. But if you pull of Zardes and replace him by someone like Villarreal or Gordon, or even Baggio and Maganto, I'm not sure our production of goals will decrease. But again, I guess and I hope the team is regaining his 2014 form and if Bruce starts Gyasi as a forward again, he will score plenty of goals as he did last year.
I think Keane doesn't like Buddle or at least his style of play. It's dating back to 2012 when Bruce forced them to pair together and it didn't work because Buddle was no more the sharp player he was. It was frustrating at times because the Keanovan combo was great...