🗣 BIG SHOT ROB Robert Horry will be in the building for @Lakers Night 🙌 https://t.co/AKQgHkgA3s— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) September 13, 2019
Pregame festivities should be fun. I would love to see a leader on the field that can rally, inspire, and direct play. But, I cannot fathom who that is. As things are, I have no expectations on the game. Go Galaxy!
I've felt this way for a few games now. Guessman has been saying they aren't 'must win' games, and technically it's true, we aren't eliminated from the playoffs if we don't win this game, but I'm pissed we're even getting to that point. A MUST win game is exactly that: you're below the line and you either win or you're out. As it stands right now, we're outside looking in, and while it's still a few weeks away, we'll quickly get to that point of having to win or else. This last six games was supposed to be the easier part of the schedule because we were playing 5 of 6 that were below the playoff line. This was when we were gonna make up some ground on the rest of the field... problem with that logic is: we are above those teams ONLY because of that opening 7-1-1 start to the season. Since May, we are a 1.00 pts per game team, which means we're only better than Cincinnati and Vancouver... and not much better than Vancouver. We've been awful for a long while and we all know it. I would think just about every team looks at us and thinks: Yes, we can win this game! We've given up multiple goals in 10 of the last 12 games, 3-4 in half of those... THAT's our current form. We lost against Colorado: yes I'll grant there were some calls that were bad, but still, we're losing against those teams that we're supposed to beat. It seems to me that if we lose this KC game- at home- we're pretty much done. Not technically eliminated yet, but I'm asking myself who exactly we think we can beat at this point. The only team I see us as favorites against is Vancouver. after 29 games, if we haven't pulled together yet, I don't know what else we'd be waiting for. But I'm afraid this: 1.00 pts per game... THAT's who we are. It's who we've been for the majority of the season and I have no idea what we would do to turn it around. And here's the deal: IF we fail to make the playoffs again this year, it will be a massive blow. With the wealth of talent we have on the field, it would be an utter embarrassment to miss it again. Even now, I feel like IF we make the playoffs, we won't get far. But not making the playoffs would be devastating. So I am 100% agreed with TrickHog's sentiment: THIS game is must win. If we lose we aren't technically eliminated yet, but it would feel to me like it's inevitable. We'll play out the last few games just waiting for the technical elimination.
Ibrah, Jona, Polenta are going to do what they always do then the talent drops off and thats where we usually turn on the jets or give up the ghost in matches. The support has to be there. Antuna, Favio, Lleget, Steres, Gonzalez and Corona etc have to show up. Pavon is the one I am looking to to add that spark. I have seen what this guy can do and its exactly what he needs to do tomorrow. Pavon was coming along swimmingly first two matches and now he's been invisible. I don't know if that;s him trying to become part of the unit or Guillermo has his hands in this telling him what to do. He needs to do what was doing, running at defenses, making quick accurate passes and througballs and taking charge of his game. KC has 37 points and is right behind us in this last rush for the finish line. We have to stomp those hopes out with authority. Ruthless. In todays matches there were beneficial results in the games that concern us. All is good there. We just have to do our part.
Yeah, I was a little frustrated with Guesman and the CoG guys take that this game isn't a must-win. While technically true, it's possible the team could go on a tear and nab points from all the remaining games, I find that to be a statistical unlikelihood. On talent, yes, they could do that -- but when has this team done that? And a dreadful loss like the one in Colorado -- and yes we got hosed on the PK call -- but even then we're talking about getting a tie against a Rapids team that played mid-week who is missing their leading scorer. That's sure not signs of getting hot at the right time. I think we gotta win. For the home fans, for the morale for any hope of keeping the playoff dream alive. I mean, even if we're technically still in playoff contention after a loss in this match; who wants to watch the team that loses or ties this game in the playoffs? Saying that, I think we will win. First home game in awhile, I think the crowd will be out and pumped; big players coming back into the line-up. Hopefully, this can be that watershed match we need.
I don’t want to go to Houston needing a win to get in. Let’s take care of business before then. I hope the boys step up and play tomorrow. This IS a must win. We can’t keep losing these and expect the playoffs.
Houston just got eliminated last night so yeah, no Houston please. Our ref for the evening will be Unkel Ted so light a votive candle.
At least DaBoy gets it. Asked if Galaxy were now desperate he spoke about the COL game: “I don't think we have to play like that,” midfielder Sebastian Lletget said following Friday morning's training session at Dignity Health Sports Park. “Like, we don't have to play desperate from minute one to go score and be vulnerable. I think if we play it smart, we know that we need to win these games. There's no doubt about that. Our fans know, we know. We're definitely aware of it.” Most of our fans seem to think the answer consists of the team having more character, playing harder. While I agree to an extent and have said there are character issues and effort issues for a couple players, I'm not sure that these are the main issues for this team. Our biggest issue is that most of the team immediately turns and tries to attack almost every time we get the ball. And this in itself causes us problems - we repeatedly push too many players up and leave gigantic gaps between our advanced troops and our last line of defense. The result is us giving up soft counter-attack goals, over and over and over. It's the same with Bingham. His problem isn't lack of effort. It's his over-aggression that costs us. His ill-timed madman like charges out (including on the COL game winner free kick) make him easier to score on than if he held his counsel, to use Deadwood speak. Ironically, due to our all out defense-be-damned attack style our most vulnerable moments are when we look like we are about to score. Those are often the moments we beat ourselves. Lletget is right - we don't need to play harder nearly as much as we need to play smarter.
So the 3 teams directly above us in playoff spots 5, 6 and 7 all lost, leaving it wide open for us. A win moves us back to the 5th spot and only 1-2 points out of a home playoff game.... So this game is big...
At a film festival, so going to have to watch the game on FS1 on-demand later tonight. Let’s go Galaxy!!!!!
To say the least, yes. Loons and RSL just finished half tied so that would be fantastic if it holds. It would mean, should we lose, nobody gets away from us. I don't care if they play smart or dumb. Half-hearted or break-neck. Frosty or on fire. We are beyond how we play at this point. Just win guys. GO GALAXY!
No Skjhkk, JDS back and home game - all factors in our favor. Only downside is SKC will be motivated like it is their last chance to make playoffs. Stiill I like our chances.
So Seattle won and Loons Quintero decide to have a good game. Still, plenty of room to get ahead if we do the deed.