It just hit me...although one was a USOC/B Squad match, and the other was a derby, we've just strung two shut-outs back to back. Dare I say our defense is starting to improve? Thoughts an opinions please. Although it's only 2 games, I can't remember us doing that last year.
In the World or in the Universe? Because I would go with Universe. Seriously, though, we'd better give it more than 4 weeks before we make any generalizations, but anytime we give up a goal or less, I'm going to be pretty gosh darn happy, because that didn't happen a lot last year.
I'm pleased with the shutouts, but it was Colorado's B team, missing one man for most of the game, and Chivas' depleted-by-injuries lineup, also minus a player for a significant amount of time. I really really want to believe in Berhalter. (Not sold yet however.) He could be just the ticket in front of Ricketts and with all the youngsters out there. He & Omar need to be smart, though, because they do not have recovery speed on many of the forwards in this league. 90 minutes of concentration are essential.
I'm not getting too excited yet. If our goalkeeper had gone 5 for 5 on saves in our last league game that might have been a shutout too (instead of a 3-2 loss). Not really indicative of a great defensive performance just yet. More a goalie who mad a few big saves.
umm, did you see OUR team during that USOC game? it wasn't our A team either and while Chivas may be depleted, we are missing a cog or two as well AND we were down for a man for a portion of the game too. I'm not ready to declare our defensive problems fixed, but we are definately looking better than last year.
2 Shut-outs in all competitions so far this year. 2 Shut-outs in all competitions last year....for the entire year. We're still not a good defensive team, but we're better....
I think the common factor is not having Sanneh out there for most of the game. I really can't stand him. Everytime I see him running(if you call it that) my stomach just bunches up. Sanneh scares me because he is old and slow.
Actually compared to the start of last season, we have the same goals scored. The first three games we had 4 goals for and 7 goals against with our record being 1 win and 2 losses. These first 3 games we have 4 goals for and 5 goals against with our record being 2 ties and one loss. And that is without Buddle. So we are a bit better starting off this season in the organzation area of the defense. And we have only lost one game, BUT due to the point system, we are behind 1 point from last year.
WOW. What a stat. It says much more about how much we sucked last year than how good we are this year, but still...
HA HA....I was thinking the same thing. But at this point, any news that doesn't end in "Galaxy Loss" is good news.!
Steve is right (if by all competitions, you mean including friendlies): 03/05 - Wednesday @ Shanghai Hong Kong * W, 3-0 03/15 - Saturday @ FC Dallas ^ T, 0-0 04/03 - ThursdaySan Jose Earthquakes W, 2-0 06/14 - Saturday@ San Jose Earthquakes W, 3-0 Of course, if you just meant regular season games and USOC cup games, then yeah, just the two vs. SJ.
Hmmm...I think you proved it's better to have one win than 2 ties. We're not losing as much, but we're not wining as much either. Hardly just cause for celebration. Too early to rest on statistics I'm afraid.
We're on pace to give up 50 goals and score 40 in league play. Obviously too early to be statistically significant yet, but still interesting. Have to check back in a few games and see where we are at.
Our defense is much improved. Berhalter is an upgrade, Rickets is an upgrade, Dunivant will be an upgrade when available. Oh, yeah, Omar is a significant upgrade. With Dema eating up in front we will have a much better defence this year. Now, the problem is that we will really miss the service that Donovan got last year.
Now, the one stat we DO need to improve on is red cards. Three games, three cards. Hard to win playing a man down all the time. Berhalter's was fine, he had to do it, Gordan's was stupid, and Dema's was just classic Dema. I do also have to agree from the small sample size we've had that Berhalter does appear to be an upgrade. I wasn't really for the signing, but we'll see how it plays out. He looks like he definitely still has more in the tank, although he looked a little bit rusty.
Why was Gordon's stupid? Talley stood on his foot and when Gordon naturally shoved him off, Talley went down in a heap. If anything Talley should have been shown a red for stomping on Gordon's foot and then acting he Gordo shoved him off.
While I agree...it's always the retaliation that get's punished. I know what it feels like to get your foot stomped on while wearing studs, (as I'm sure we all do), and if Gordon were smart, he's the one who would have collapsed in a heap and grabbed his foot and started rolling around in pain like it was the end of the world. Sadly that seems to be the type of behavior the refs respond to.
It was the FIRST Gordon yellow card, for dissent, that showed a complete lack of discipline and set up his ejection for the Talley incident. That's what makes the red "stupid." He never should have been at risk of an ejection in the first place. And I don't care if he was "right" about the jostling in the box - deal with that like a pro, not a whiner.