P/I/P MLS Cup Playoffs WC Semifinal: L.A. Galaxy @ LAFC, THURSDAY 10/24/19, 7:30pm PT

I'm not going to put an individual defender under the bus for a mistake - all defenders make mistakes. Somehow the FO needs to look at the combination of athleticism, smarts and team spirit in these defenders, and put together a group that makes sense and can work together as a team, and will fight for each other. Then have utility guys, like Steres and Romney, that can step in and help when there are inevitable cards or injuries.

I like Zlatan and he's a great scorer even at his age. But what he doesn't give you is the team unity. Teams win titles. Scorers can't do that alone. I think it's unlikely Zlatan will come back, and I'd rather move on to build a team for the future.

 

The problem is not that Zlatan doesn't play defense (not exactly); it's that with him as your striker we can't really employ a gameday strategy that allows us to control games. And if you can't control games, you can't win in this vintage of MLS, regardless of your talent. That's why Bob subverted his principles and just gave us the ball -- because he knows 1) we can't advance the ball into the area where Zlatan is most lethal without our outside backs getting up and 2) we cross the ball more than any team in MLS, so all the opposition has to do is wait. And for a team like LAFC, they just wait for the chance to recover and run at you in numbers.

We beat the defenders up for emergency keystone cop defending, but good teams control games so that they don't have to rely on heroic defending except rarely. Bingham faced more shots than any GKers in MLS.

If we can figure out how to control games AND some how keep Zlatan, who doesn't really do most of the things your striker needs to do to help you control games -- then I'm all in. But I think GBS has had all season to figure that out.

 

Ive waited a few days to post because I was really pissed after the loss and needed to cool off lol. Everything has already been said about the D which was obvious all season long some how some way we were hoping they would figure it out...they never did. Bingham is trash.. he needs to go....yup I said it lol. Would of been nice to have RA healthy all season it would of been something to see with Zlatan and Pavon. JDS had a great season love watching him play. Now when it comes to Zlatan I disagree with alot of you he is THE MAN !! You can whine all you want about what you think hes not but what he brings to the LAG is far more positives then negatives.. he is the reason why the LAG are relevant. Hell they show the LAG games here in Colombia lol Do you think that would be happening without Zlatan ?
We loose Zlatan get ready for a long rebuilding process and back to being bottom feeders. Theres no replacing Zlatan you just move on...If hes played his last LAG game I will always proudly wear his jersey in the same way I wear LD's and Keano's.

 

If Zlatan leaves they will still show LAG games in Colombia because the Galaxy Roster will always have the top pedigree players on the Roster. If the likes of Messi and Ronaldo come to MLS at some point, you can certainly beat your bottom dollar one of them will end up a G.

 

I sound like a broken record, but this team needs an identity and we don't have one. I knew we were screwed in that LAFC game when we started pressing, because we have no team shape and we don't get numbers behind the ball. So if we are going to press all over the field, then all 11 players need to be fast and fit. I think GBS was out coached in this game. Sure our defenders are sub-par, but the set up of the team does them no favors, they were constantly put in 1 v 1 situations with no help coming.

 

I think it depends on if you believe Zlatan really is one of the greatest MLS players of all time, in which GBS clearly underachieved, or he's the sort of player that kind of unbalances your team, in which GBS made lemonade.

I think this iteration of the game was well-coached and well-played by both sides. I Bradley conceded space and congested midfield, daring us to try to bypass to Zlatan or Pavon. In reaction, Schelotto played a high line and offside trap to prevent LAFC from slipping behind, which was pretty effective in taming them for long periods for the most part (2nd goal notwithstanding). The challenge is there isn't much Schelotto can do to change things up with the personnel he has.

 

Interesting analysis. In our last meeting at the Bank, we seemed to play deeper and counter at every opportunity. I think that style suits us better against LAFC with the current personnel we have. Our defense is vulnerable and Perry Kitchen can't keep up with Latif Blessing in an open game like that. Having said that, take away their 2nd goal and the game is much different. It's going to be an interesting off season and I'm curious to see how we build.

 

I don't know. I have a hard time caring one whit whether LAG games are shown on TV in Colombia or not.

 

The better image we have around the world the more likely a great player from another country will want to come here. Imagine that young Colombian striker wanting to come to MLS. He knows LAGalaxy and it’s pedigree so he wants to come to us.

Just saying. But also well if we get rid of Zlatan and they don’t want to broadcast us anymore too bad. I would rather win with a bunch of nobodies on the team than lose with Messi and Colombian ratings.

 

Off recent years' performance, broadcasting hasn't exactly polished our image or made us more attractive. Maybe just the opposite. And I am cynical - I think professionals by and large follow the money, not the image.

 

When part of the image is that the Galaxy is not afraid to splash the cash then the image matters my friend.