Agree. LAFC have to do a few things they've never done before to advance: beat the Galaxy, win an MLS playoff match at home and win a big, single elimination game. OTOH, we just overcame odds to win away from home as the lower seed -- the only lower seed to do that. This team craps the bed all the time, but they have to believe they can do anything when it comes to it.
Boca isn't looking too good at 68 minute. I think River takes it. I thought this halfway through first half. They can't get that goal in to have a chance to tie. They remind me of Minnesota. I agree most of pressure is on goats for all reasons given. Bradley has to be an insomniacs right about now. I also have a hard time trying to compartmentalize this damn game. Once again we are the last game!I Just start this match already ! ! ! GO GALAXY!!!
Probably because he doesn't play for his national team? In my opinion, that's been a huge plus for LAFC. Imagine having your best player not having to go through the grind of also playing international fixtures.
Kaye out completely or not 100% is good news. Diomande having substance issues I have no idea but it can't be good for his performance mentally or emotionally coming back. I did not know about Zimmeman. What was wrong with him? I have always questioned Bradley as a savvy tactician in key games so here is hoping he over-thinks this match and screws his team up. But more realistically he knows this and sticks to what got him this far so counters are going to be key. Zlatan will Zlatan so I am hoping the trip of Lletget, Jona and Corona with freeze-dried toe for can have a good night. Pavon has to give me at very least 2 or 3 plays at that 20 mil level. Not much to ask for. Just at the 20 mil level, the 25 level he can save for the final. Then anything Romain can contribute is gravy. I won't even mention what we all want and need from the entire back line and keep. Just keep Carlitos and Rossi to a minimum of goals. I don't need a clean sheet. Just keep them a little quiet for the night! That's all!!! Ok everybody, light your candles.
Zimmerman went down with an injury in NT camp. Diomande's back, but last played more than a month ago so I can't see him starting. For some reason, Rossi's never shows up against us. Everyone should go look up the Extra Time interview with Feilhaber. He seems pretty convinced that Bob will not change his philosophy; even says Bob would rather lose than change. The only thing that worries me is in our last match, once they settled down and Zlatan faded, they had us pretty figured out and didn't have that same deer in headlights look after going gown. If Vela stays in, we likely lose that one. So let's hope they don't pick up where they left off.
Great insight from Schelotto. #ElTrafico #LAGalaxy GBS, TODAY: “the game will be different to any regular season’s game. There will be more worries and more care, but seeing the type of players on the field I would expect a game with a lot of goals” .... a thread 👇 @kbaxter11 @jguesman @RobAbramowitz— John E. Rojas (@jrojasa75) October 22, 2019
Jelle Van Damme personifying that once you’re a G you’re always a G 💀 #LAGalaxy pic.twitter.com/8g3aNW0TtY— Carlos Funes (@ImCarlosFunes) October 23, 2019
Baxter says Kaye "extremely doubtful" for the game .@LAFC’s Mark-Anthony Kaye is extremely doubtful for Thursday’s @MLS playoff game with the @LAGalaxy Kaye was injured playing for Canada in a @CNationsLeague game with the @USMNT— Kevin Baxter 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@kbaxter11) October 23, 2019
I'm nervous but for me, that's normal. On the importance to LAFC: I don't think this game makes or breaks them, though I think it helps their momentum and profile in the city if they win. I do think winning MLS Cup would give them a massive surge of momentum, goodwill and exposure. At the same time, I'm reminded of the first Galaxy game I attended. As I moved to the US in January 2007, I arrived just in time for Beckham's announcement and Galaxy tickets sold like hotcakes at inflated prices. For that reason, the cheapest game I could get was the Chivas game where they were "home". The stadium was full, their SG's were load, they had a massive tifo that stretched the length of the north stand and they'd roll over that section multiple times on the night. They had flares and smoke bombs (naturally being CUSA, some of these started to find their way onto the field). They were also the better team at that point. They won 3-1 IIRC and I believe it was the following season (under Bradley, of course), that they had their best season, finishing 1st in the west. As we all know, that didn't last, the wheels fell off and within a few years that attendance and atmosphere had dwindled. Also worth noting that much of their promotion centered around being the area's authentic club, with authentic passion and they had commercials that literally said the Galaxy were "artificial". Sound familiar? We all know how fickle a Los Angeles crowd can be and we also know that a good number of LAFC's fans are JCLs, posers and fair-weather types. Point being: I don't think the fortitude of this fan base is truly determined until they hit a bad patch. Of course, the longer they're successful, the better the chance of retaining fans if the going gets tough but if we have a timely return to form and they don't sustain their's, they may wind up being Chivas 2.0 in more ways than one. Especially given how the FO, despite promoting themselves as "the people's club" and being effective marketers, haven't hesitated to jack up their prices to take advantage of the demand.
From what I've read Kaye has been great for them - he's one of their motors. And obv he's good enough to start for Canada in a must win game. So him being out is a big loss for Goats II.
You know, the absence of Kaye makes me initially think that we should take a more forward thinking position and try to possess the ball higher up the field. Maybe try a central midfield with F. Alvarez up high with Dos Santos and Lleget behind him. I think GBS may be tempted to do something like that too. But then I remember that every time we've done that we've been anemic offensively and looked like we didn't know what to do with the ball. So I think a counter attacking game plan is going to be the way to go. Sit back with 3 deep lying central midfielders, invite their outside backs forward and then hit them on the counter into the space those players vacated. That seems to be the recipe for how to be effective against LAFC and we've got good speed down the flanks in Antuna and Pavon.
The replacement is probably lee Nyguen who is not the same player he was. Our midfield outworked them the last game and I think will do the same this game.
it will be Nguyen and he is nothing to sneeze at either but I am hoping his lack of PT will work wonders for his missed passes and in general not being match fit in such a huge game as this. No Kaye is wonderful to hear.
I don't really care if he plays or not but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Baxter is happily doing his part to spread disinformation for his favorite team.