Time for a new defensive coach

Discussion in 'LA Galaxy' started by skydog, Sep 2, 2019.

  1. skydog

    skydog Member+

    Aug 1, 1999
    Durham, NC
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Improving the talent on our roster is vitally important but it isn't the whole story - how that talent is used matters. In the pointy football world offensive and defensive coordinators are often considered more important than the players. Sometimes more important than the head coaches themselves. I think that soccer is moving in that direction and will continue to do so. And the Galaxy in particular need to adopt that model.

    GBS has clearly been excellent at recognizing and recruiting top talent. That alone makes him an upgrade for our organization. Plus he seems to be a well liked by his players and he is a good motivator. We've seen some outstanding amounts of effort being expended by our best players in some recent games. However GBS's weakness is clearly on the tactical side. He came with a rep of lacking tactical chops and we see more evidence of this every game we play. Against LAFC and SEA we saw a lot of great play and hard work (I would say exemplary amount of work) all undone in a flash because of naive tactics/ Some would even say bone-headed. Especially on the defensive end.

    We know GBS is an offense-first (offense only?) coach. He preaches offense and we see it as the main focus of our players game after game. I'm not sure his tactics of always turn and run is that great but at least that is where his tactical emphases are.

    But what about the defensive side of the game? Who is watching over that? Well we have Kinnear and he was expected to be an effective defensive mentor for our players. But after two years we are playing as defensively naive as the day he started. They say the definition of insanity is continuing to do what you are doing but expecting a different outcome. If that saying is true then it's time to realize Kinnear isn't the solution.

    Yes acquiring new talent, especially better ob's, in the off-season will certainly help us. But it takes more than just talent to compete at the top of today's MLS. Other teams have top talent and have found they still need to get their tactics right to win. See ATL - all the talent in the world and couldn't win a game until de Boer changed his tactics mid-season. At a somewhat more modest talent level look at NER - same talent, but new tactics when Bruce came on board turned the team 180 degrees. TOR has plenty of talent but are mediocre because they can't figure out how to use it. Talent alone isn't enough to win in today's MLS.

    It is time for GBS/DTK to recognize this fact and bring some great soccer tacticians on board to help us get back to the top of league where we belong. At the very least we need to bring in a "defensive coordinator" in the form of a new assistant coach to help us clean up that end of the field.

    There are no great soccer teams with a poor defense. It's time we improve ours.
     
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  2. Rohaun888

    Rohaun888 Member

    Club: Los Angeles Galaxy
    Aug 2, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hear ya brotha... And I agree with 99% of what you said and I just want to add that these players also have to be held accountable. All of our defensive players are all older slower players lol Who for some reason make dumb rookie mistakes...Ive never seen a team have so many goals against itself from its defense lmao..... GBS or The team has to do something...hire a defensive guru or sign some better defenders as well as a goal tender or all of the above.....
     
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  3. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    #3 73Bruin, Sep 2, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2019
    I agree completely with the exception that I think that the problem was much more scheme than defensive talent. It became clear when I watched Jordan Morris get back all the way to the end line playing defense and not just once or twice. Roldan did it as well albeit not as far back or as frequently.

    The Galaxy midfielders and wings idea of getting back is perhaps the top of the 18. Looking through the Opta stats, I only found 2 or perhaps 3 occasions where they made plays level with the penalty spot. None made a play deeper than the 6.

    Secondly, once the Galaxy settle into their defense, they often seem to play a zone concept where the two CBs move to the point of the attack leaving the fullback on the weakside to deal with the vacated CB's space and man. This leaves the flank unguarded unless the wing gets back (they typically don't) or a midfielder covers (again they didn't).

    I don't know if there is some advanced calculus, that shows that this strategy works and provides some net benefit, but I am not seeing it.

    Finally, I can't imagine what kind of scheme is okay with Bingham turning the ball back to the opponent on virtually 98% of his punts and free kicks.
     
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  4. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca
    He did that constantly under Kinnear in San Jose. He also kicked a lot of punts out of bounds like he’s playing pointy ball and trying to pin the opposition. You would think at this point in his career he could have improved in distribution but it looks like Kinnear is okay with it.
     
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  5. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    I can only understand Kinnear's acceptance of this if it's something that he has determined is intrinsic to David and can't be changed.

    Personally, I think that this is an issue for the goalkeeper coach.
     
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  6. skydog

    skydog Member+

    Aug 1, 1999
    Durham, NC
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    #6 skydog, Sep 3, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2019
    When I created this thread I thought it would get plenty of views but few replies. Most of us agree that the team has desperately needed defensive tactical help for a long time now. But what good is pointing this out yet again? It's seems like it's just an unpleasant issue that isn't going to be fixed in the foreseeable future. And afaik this board isn't read by any of the decision makers for the Galaxy. (Galaxy Steve, can you pull rank?) So why post about it? How can that help?

    So other than preaching to the choir is there anything else I/we can do? Is there a better way to voice my/our frustrations with our defensive ineptitude and lack of a plan to address said ineptitude? Can we speak in a way that someone in the LAG organization would actually hear?

    Should I/we be posting on the Galaxy twitter account instead of here? On COG?Or is that just more of the same? Should I/we be writing comments on Galaxy articles on mlssoccer.com? Should I/we be sending emails to each and every member of the Galaxy organization? Should I try to get some attention to the matter by emailing soccer writers for media outlets like theathletic.com? And if so what do I say? It has to be more than "our defense sucks".

    Should you posters who can actually attend games be carrying signs -- "Earn your pay Skjlkjl!" or "Give us the D!" or "Earn $1m annually - no effort required!" "Now hiring - outside backs (2 vacancies)" or "Mark isn't just a name"?

    Ok these may not be very good but you get the idea.

    Or should I/we just give up and get used to watching Galaxy games and expecting to be disappointed? Maybe I should pray for an alternative universe where poor D tactics wins championships? Or should I just be patient for a few years, hoping for regime change?

    By disposition I'm not a leader. At all. I like to do my own thing behind the scenes -- express my opinions and take pot shots from the cheap seats. But I have loved being a fan of the Galaxy and am now finding it painful to watch the team repeatedly fall on its face for the same obvious (to me) reasons week after week. Just continually watching the team make the same mistakes over and over and over.....mistakes that aren't that hard to fix. Or at least they aren't that hard to greatly reduce.

    But these issues won't be fixed, or -- more accurately -- can't be fixed until they are recognized by the people running this organization. And there is no sign that the current administration has a fricken clue.

    So I'm wondering -- is there a better way I/we could try to point it out to them?
     
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  7. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Honestly, what Guesman and CoG is doing is a really great step. He's an independent journalist with a few others affiliated and they actually interview players, coaching staff, DtK and others at training, post-match etc. I don't know if he takes "requests" but he usually will look into or ask about things fans ask him about. It'd be great to hear GBS express his defensive tactical plan after a match like this.

    I don't think it's something that's lost on him. It's a clear choice he's making, over and over again. Which means he thinks we're even worse playing a different way.
     
  8. napper

    napper Member+

    Jan 14, 2014
    Fullerton
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’m not averse to booing.
     
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  9. hav77

    hav77 Member+

    May 31, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Giant tifo???
     
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  10. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think they can hear fan frustration at games. The problem is for those of us watching from afar. Is there an ambassador to speak with? The fan event is at the end of the year...that might be an option.

    Not sure if they have a fan email address now that I think about it. Twitter may be the only hope since we know they read it.
     
  11. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    I thought I would mention that the strategy of having the weakside defender move to the center to cover the weakside CBs man was in full effect this weekend. Even though SKC didn't punish the Galaxy, they had wingers who were unmarked. For the record, this was Romney leaving his man not Rolf.
     
  12. Beakmon FC

    Beakmon FC Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Jan 10, 2002
    The OC
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Damn. I could have brought this up with Chris Klein. [emoji6]

    I was chilling on the concourse, having a beer when he walked by and said "hello." We had a really nice chat for about ten minites or so about the team, etc.
     
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  13. skydog

    skydog Member+

    Aug 1, 1999
    Durham, NC
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Please share. I’m dying to hear the cute stories about Onalfo, AJ, Gio, Skjlvcf and wooden spoons!
     
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  14. Beakmon FC

    Beakmon FC Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Jan 10, 2002
    The OC
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #14 Beakmon FC, Sep 19, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
    Did mention how crazy the transfer process gets right before the deadline. Lots of moving parts with the Pavon deal.Seemed positive and stressed about making the playoffs.

    I'm not a very good investigative reporter. ;)
     
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  15. GalaxyOne

    GalaxyOne Member+

    Dec 6, 2005
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Either that or listen more to Kinnear. For all we know, (and I suspect so), he is advocating to play Romney more in place of Skjelvic. I get the sense it is GBS that is the one advocating (and of course deciding on) a more all out offensive style of play, not Kinnear.

    I agree on the defensive tactics needing improvement.
     
  16. GalaxyOne

    GalaxyOne Member+

    Dec 6, 2005
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good point. I remember in past years we used to make other teams' defenses make dumb mistakes and take advantage. Now they're doing it to us.
     
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  17. barroldinho

    barroldinho Member+

    Man Utd and LA Galaxy
    England
    Aug 13, 2007
    US/UK dual citizen in HB, CA
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    If you sit near me and have small children, I'm very sorry.
     
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  18. TrickHog

    TrickHog Moderator
    Staff Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Trust me, when Berks' kids is old enough, they will probably be yelling right alongside you... :)
     
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