I don't know, I think he might have midfield in his future - he is a very good crosser from the right, a skill that is lacking all over MLS.
I don't doubt Beckham is a great player, and he may be too good for the players around him and that's why it's so easy to let him dominate the ball and part of why it might never completely work. I respect his game and his professionalism. He seems like a great guy and I'm not bashing him. But it's more than about soccer with him and he chose to make it that way, although so did the public and the media. He played a great game tonight and we'll see where it goes from here.
Becks looked good tonight. He was spry, attacking, and not afraid to go for loose balls. Donovan was okay. Had a quiet 2nd half. Probably could have punched in that ball late in the game. Kirovski was garbage and Kovalenko wasn't too good either. Bowen, besides the muffed first touch (which was a big mistake) actually played decent. He's creative from that right side. He just needs more time.
Here's another 2 cents from me. I think Bruce needs to simplify things for this team. Not so much switching of positions - I was keeping up but JP Dellacamera definitely wasn't. I'm afraid Juninho might be nervous about playing with Beckham. It kills me that Dane Richards was dangerous against us. The guy is one of the least skilled and intelligent in MLS. All you have to do is play smart against him. We showed no awareness of how to combat him. I know we can do it - Dunivant did well against him earlier in the year, I believe, and has controlled him fine in the past. Bruce is the one who brought him into the league, FFS. But tonight we were helpless against the greatness that is Dane Richards. Give me a break.
There's no doubt about it, just a horrible game. One wonders when he hurt his hamstring, because clearly late in the match it was effecting him. But he was terrible for the whole game, so the hammy can't be used as an excuse.
Marshall was garbage. I know he's been away on loan but somebody must have told him that Richards is fast as f**K?! Marshall was constantly underestimating his speed. So damn frustrating.
I think it was AJ who started against him last time and looked a little ragged, but kept him under wraps. Notice that Bruce yanked Leonardo, whose ball watching gifted NY the opportunity that became their first goal, and brought in AJ. I thought Bowen was dangerous. I think it's time for Bowen to get another start. Maybe back to forward, because we are in trouble there. Buddle just looked tired after the 60th minute. I think he really needs another big body to help him out, but Kirovski was just invisible in the first half. I don't know how but somehow this team needs some of what Stephens and Birchall provide. Oh, and though I did enjoy seeing Marshall's gritty and gutsy but ill-advised straight leg tackle that I expected to get him sent off, I really miss having Berhalter and Gonzales in the back.
Just got home from the game. Frustrated as all hell!!! CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SHOOT THE DAMN BALL!!! Seriously... The goal was like kryptonite for them tonight. Becks played well. Franklin played well. Dunivant played well. Everyone else sucked Red Bulls!!! The only thing entertaining to watch (for about 30 seconds and then it just got annoying) was Mental... er... Rental Man in Section 139. WTF!!! He needed meds, and then to be promptly escorted back to his short yellow bus. Going to try to sleep this horrific game off. They sucked!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWO0qgpmdGE"]YouTube - NY 2, LA 0 - Red Bulls Post-Game Reaction[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFO4npnCDcE"]YouTube - This Week Inside the Galaxy: 2010 - Episode 23[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DH84crzJDU"]YouTube - Postgame Interview with Sean Franklin[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HemOthD--HA"]YouTube - The Briggs - "This is LA" (performed at LA Galaxy vs NY Red Bulls)[/ame]
Disappointing night and disappointing performance. Becks was the only bright spot. I am always critical with the LA 'savior' but he definitely looked good -- which is amazing considering he's had such a terrible injury Can't talk. I am at a lost for words. Good night as well. P.S. Sadly the best atmosphere of the year had to be left frustrated in a route. People stayed until the very end in this sad performance.
Can someone help me figure out what was most annoying about tonight: 1) Yohance Marshal channeling Tony Sanneh in the back field. He is slow as hell back there got constantly smoked when he wasn't busy looking confused from Ricketts yelling at him to get into position. 2) Leonardo channeling Greg Vanney. Can anyone explain how AJDLG did not get the start over these two jokers? I was getting flashbacks of 2008 and wondered when Abel Xavier was subbing in. 3) That fat girl in my row wearing the shinny lame pants who kept spilling beer on my lap every time she came back with a refill. By the 80th min she was so drunk the usher had to walk her back to her seat. So she could spill on me. Again. Bitch. 4) The fact that nobody wants to SHOOT THE FU#$&@G BALL! 5) Levy giving out $1 concession coupons in the parking lot, only for the cashiers to stare at me blankly when I hand it to them. Seriously, this girl had to call over a supervisor who spent a minute and a half reading it to come to the conclusion that yes, it says "$1 off". Then tell the girl to ring up the price $1 higher and argue with me about how to make change from a $20.
Agree with you. For the fans who usually don't come to MLS games, this was a blown opportunity to sell the league and unfortunately, the Galaxy don't get too many of these opportunities. Team will be fine. They didn't play well at all tonight, but I'm pretty sure they will take care of business against Chivas, Philly and Colorado.
Frankly, I couldn't even describe how i feel about tonight's match as I spent more than half of the second half dealing with HDC security. It was quite frankly embarrassing, after I spent two weeks building up this match two 8. 8. That's right, 8 potential STH's who were ready to jump onboard, but were most likely turned off because of their (HDC security's) actions tonight. I have been to a majority of all Galaxy matches from the start. Back when to could buy a $15 ticket for nosebleed seats and make your way to row 1 because nobody attended Galaxy matches, but I have never been as disappointed with this organization....rather, their stadium, as I have tonight. As far as the game goes. Kirovski was the difference. I'm sorry, but he's garbage. Price you pay when you hBe ample opportunity to pick up a player to replace Gordo. The penalty looked like BS from my view from the south end of the field also, but oh well.
Terrible outing. I think Marshall's gonna have to improve on his anticipation of the opposing forward runs. This isn't Austin he's with anymore.
Yeah our substitute defenders both screwed up but we wouldn't have won this game if they had played perfectly. We had no offense whatsoever until Lewis and Bowen came in. In fact b/c of the starting lineup we looked exactly the same as against DC in the first half - skillful as hell but never actually dangerous. And the reason is the same - because Bruce puts out a lineup with only one fast player on the field (LD obv) and that makes us easy as hell to defend. The 1st half we did a lot of fine passing but we are never dangerous b/c it was a whole damn team of passers. No balance. Every team needs at least a couple of players on the field who have the speed get behind defenses (see Richards for NY or Najar for DC) or at least create some chaos from which goals can be created. But somehow even after all these years coaching Bruce doesn't realize this. If we have Bowen up top instead of Kirovski, or LD up top and Stephens instead of Kirovski we have a chance of being dangerous the whole game instead of just at the end. Playing 10 on 11 doesn't help either. But Bruce's fxxxing man-love for the black hole who is Jovan is just killing my enjoyment of watching this team. What a shocker that we become dangerous after he leaves the game....arggg....
Marshall, Kirovski and Juninho should have been subbed out at halftime and Donovan was pretty much a disgrace. Good thing Henry didn't play, it would have been fuglier otherwise. Beckham definitely impressed me! Disgusting game, especially in front of a national audience.
I said it after the DC game. Yohance Marshall ain't ready. He proved it yet again tonight. Ugh. Kirovski struggles as well. The galaxy cannot win it all with him as their second forward option. The Gordon trade is looking dumber all the time. I'd start Landon w Edson up top and have Eddie Lewis and/or Birchall fill in Landon's wide role. I cant figure why Bruce brings in Bowen at that wide spot... bring in Birchall. Is he hurt?
the atmosphere at the HDC was awesome!! the game felt more like an MLS CUP final to me than a regular season match. Too bad the Galaxy didnt play well, we missed Gonzalez in the back and Bowen was just bad ( im sure he will learn from his mistakes) ( all 5 of em LOL ) The Briggs kicked ass and so did Beckham. See ya'll on OCT. 3rd
I haven't read through this thread yet, but here goes. That didn't go as I'd hoped. In fact, it was pretty awful. We played bad, pure and simple, and we're probably going out in the first round of the playoffs if things don't change. And frankly, I don't see things changing. Bruce just isn't getting this team prepared to play and he's not putting players in position to be successful and he's not getting the right players out on the field. (Where is Stephens? Is he hurt? What about Birchall? Those guys helped get us into first place - why are they no longer playing??) The team was out of sync. They looked like they had never seen each other before. Our 2 centerbacks - Leonard and Marshall - ugh. But they're young, hadn't played together before and New York went after them and it worked. I thought Dema was particularly bad - although that challenge on him should have been a red card. Landon was bad - why are you hesitating in front of goal?! SHOOT!! Buddle, did he even play? Juninho was nonexistant. Which brings me to David Beckham - yes, his passes are exquisite, especially that one late in the game to Bowen, which Bown didn't even get his foot on. His free kick was good, corners OK, although his first 2 or 3 didn't get past the first guy. And I can't fault his effort at all. However, his addition into the team does not seem to help and he doesn't fit in well with how we've been playing all year. Primarily, his presence takes Juninho out of the game. We found success with Juninho controlling the pace, spraying the ball around and combining especially well with Stephens and Donovan on the attack as well as Franklin, with Juninho and Donovan sharing the playmaking duties. At times it wasn't pretty, at times it was beautiful, but most importantly, it was effective and we won. With Beckham on the field, he has become our primary playmaker, but he playmakes from so freakin' deep all we get is long ball after long ball. No more midfield play, no more swarming, no more short combination passes. We are extremely predictable, not to mention slow. Yes, his long pass is terrific and precise, but if the player(s) on the end of them is covered by two or three defenders and/or is unable to handle the ball then it's of no help. The reason we looked like we had never seen each other before is because with 5 games left in the season, we are now having to learn to play in a completely different way than we've played all year. In my humble opinion, now is not the time to try to make the team play to Beckham's strengths and style, that's for early in the season (course, he's never here early in the season - sorry, couldn't resist), not for 5 games (now 4) before we hit the playoffs. That's a little bit late in the game. But that is precisely what it appears Bruce is having the team do. I find it amusing that the announcers, the players, the coaches all say the Galaxy are a better team with Beckham on the field....and yet we have a worse record when he plays. So exactly how are we better?
And please understand, I am not criticizing David Beckham by my above comments. As I said, his play was exquisite, especially for a man coming back from a 6-month layoff from a horrendous injury. All I'm saying is that he doesn't fit in with the Galaxy in the same way, say, that Mehdi Ballouchy has fit in with New York. Mehdi has come in and "completed" their team, filling a hole that they had. His insertion hasn't made them change their style of play; he's just enhanced it. Beckham, on the other hand, is not just slotting in and filling a role on the right side while we continue to play our same style. It's forcing us to change the entire way we have been playing. Someone correct me - but do it gently, please because I'm not hating on Becks - if I'm way off base here.
stillkickin i think you're correct in your assessment about beckham's insertion breaking up the chemistry of the team, but i'd also point out we've lacked chemistry since maybe the june game against seattle. we've had patches here and there both over whole games (philly) and within games (d.c., even last night) but we've not looked comprehensive. as i said in the d.c. thread the next 4-5 games for me are all about getting beckham and the team back on the same page. an interesting note/confirmation of this came from landon, i was fortunate enough to get to meet him last night in a meet & greet session and while talking about the difference between europe and america and the players he mentioned a pass from david in the second half; to paraphrase "he played absolutely the right pass over my left shoulder, the perfect pass, but i wasn't expecting it because we don't have that kind of understanding out here." he also mentioned, based on his experience abroad he though the brazilians were hitting a bit of a wall having been away from home for that long and not used to such a long season. to be honest i put this loss more on bruce. it was in many ways a catch-22 without both starting defenders you opt for the new guy and the really, really new guy? instead of throwing sean back there? of course you need a pacey, tough defender to cover for becks who's not 100% and you're only other option there is aj who is also coming back from injury and not 100%. still i would have gone with the 4-5-1 suggested earlier in this thread to solve that problem. if we had gonzo we don't lose this game. i don't think we win based on our timidity in front of goal.