Re: The Bruce Arena Report (IL De Follow Up) That will be so sweet we and the playoffs.But so far we are no longer a joker of MLS.........
we are still a joke, but that just means that with lowered expectations, I will be jumping for joy if we make the playoffs at all.
Re: The Bruce Arena Report (IL De Follow Up) Yeah, I'm pretty comfortable with the "wait and see" philosophy. Keeps me from getting totally crushed when we throw up stinkers. =)
Not looking good for Bruce right now. Donovan and Beckham to the rescue? Or another season down the toilet? The suspense is killing me.
4 out of 26 do we wait for the season to end and write another one off? or do we hope they act now? would Bruce wear his GM hat and sack himself as coach and get another coach?
because this personnel are his personnel.... we know what Bruce picks if Bruce stays he'll just choose clones and "look-a-likes" the rot is at the top.... his selection is wrong, his tactics are wrong, his training is wrong ......please, show my I am wrong, show me a reason why ..... ok I am joking so my disclaimer comes first but.... Gordon Strachan is free..... he rejected Kljestan...so he's not all bad The Galaxy players won't understand what he says....but that could be a positive move.... Gordon Strachan goes into pubs and says "small, bitter, ginger scotch please" the bar man says "yes you are..now, what do you want to drink?"
problem with BA is that he favors old players that he recognizes, even though theyre too old to cmpete with younger, fitter players.
Israel Sesay with an assist and Josh Boateng with a goal in Cleveland City's latest match. http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/343015.html
What a difference a few months make. Some of us, myself included, are gonna eat crow but I'll gladly eat mine with curry & beer while watching LA in the playoffs! Arena's style may not be pretty but it got positive results. At least thread isn't silly like this one.
I still think the best coach in MLS is in Seattle, but if Bruce can win the Cup with a second team I will put him in the same category as the South Bay's finest fat man. I've always respected him even when he was with DC and the Nats. I'm interested to see how he handles the next eight months because a lot will happen in this next off-season to shape this team for the future. As for now Bruce is getting straight A's this semester from me.
Stop there and I am on board. The MLS still strives from uniformity, sort of NFL where everybody thinks their team can win because of the playoffs where almost everybody goes. BA surprised me with his results (what was that 8 ties in the beginning?) but not his style. he doesn't change to fit the talent. He gave away the future for the here and now as Donovan and DB are soon to be gone; he has done well. But as some of said last summer when Bruce was hired and again after he let the youngsters go; the consequences of BA hiring will be felt in 2 to 3 years and in the meantime LAG fans will watch incredibilly boring futbol. I have not seen anything that changes that. Maybe if BA protects ROY Franklin in the draft I will see change. But until then.......
indeed. bruce made a yallop like gamble this season mixing in veterans, talented young players and defense first tactics. even if we win the cup though his real test is going to come after november when going to need to get left/right sided midfielders, a new center back, one new striker and someone to keep beckaham's place in the middle warm and that's assuming donovan is back for one more year.
This is off the top of my head, but the only young player of consequence he gave away was Brandon MacDonald, and while I'm a fan, he was always going to be a project. He went younger when he traded Jazic for the pick to get Delagarza. Dunivant, Alecko and Birchall are in their prime. Of the old guys, Klein and Lewis weren't his choices. Berhalter and Sanneh were basically free. Ricketts is a dramatic improvement over Cronin/Wicks. I think that the right criticism of Arena is that he was only looking domestically for talent. If you do that, you're not going to get young talent because other teams won't give it up. As to Donovan and Beckham, whether they stay or go is not going to be up to Bruce.
Yeah, I have to disagree. MacDonald was the only player (unless you like Cronin) that he gave up. Ely Allen? Mike Randolph? Troy Roberts? I don't think so. Do you miss Tudela as well? Bruce had to change the losing culture first which are what his short term selections have done. They have helped stabilize the sinking ship and have allowed for the younger players to grow. Anything positive this year has been a plus. Next year should prove to be more promising, considering further changes.
Given the mood at the end of last season and at the start of this, I would say that this season has been a resounding success. Anything we do beyond this is a bonus. Before making judgements regarding the future, I think we have to see what happens regarding Beckham and Donovan.