I think our ancient players still coming off the bench isn't bad. Still can't wait for Gyasi to come back. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
COL is undefeated at home for the season so it won't be easy. I realize we only need a tie but... Also our team seems to run out of gas - especially on warm days. Don't expect it to be hot but also don't know how we will do in the thin air in a playoff game. A 2-0 victory would have made me confident.
Undeafeated, yes, but they also had a lot of draws like we did (maybe not quite as many, but still). Plus, Colorado aren't a team that scores a lot of goals (they had 39 this season). If we just score a goal the odds favor us advancing, because the Rapids will then need to score three, And with Donovan out there the odds favor us scoring a goal.
Wow. Bruce gets it all right. He subs Keane for Dos Santos and Gerrard doesn't get a sniff! My respect for Arena continues to grow -gutsy decisions, but clearly the right decisions.
I don't have a ton of faith in Rowe or Sterres not making a dumb mistake or Jelle roaming too far upfield. If it goes to extra time you have to favor Colorado. If it goes to PKs you have to favor Colorado again. That said I remember 2005 in Denver.
Optimism is a long way from confident. I just think we gave ourselves solid footing. We shall see! Oh, and Bruce's sub management will be key due to the altitude.
Tim Howard proved tonight that he is worth DP money to Colorado. Rowe did well stopping a couple of tough shots but the difference in the quality between Howard's on-the-money distribution kicks and Rowe's distribution kicks was obvious. I thought after we took the lead we did a very professional job of stifling Colorado. Very "playoff soccer" of us. And I hate to say this, but the only time I got nervous was when Bruce put Keane into the game. Last thought: Even when not statistically productive, Ema is about the most fun to watch of anyone on LAG.
Jeff Carlisle @JeffreyCarlisle 3h3 hours ago Bruce Arena said his decision not to start Robbie Keane was part fitness, part reward for team that played well vs. RSL. (1/) #lagalaxy Jeff Carlisle @JeffreyCarlisle 3h3 hours ago Arena on leaving Keane out of starting XI: ""I can promise you Robbie isn't happy about it."#lagalaxy (2/)
Alan Gordon won't show up in the stats sheet, but he was a boss today. When he's playing well up top it makes all the other pieces fit a lot better...
OMG Seattle just put the wood to Dallas. As far as I am concerned there is now legit hope for a trophy for us this season lads
Our last outing against Seattle suggests otherwise. And we still need to do the business in Colorado, which is not a given.
Good result. I like our chances in Colorado if poaching a goal and coasting due to the away goal rule. We should start the same lineup with the idea of countering. With Gio, Boateng and Donovan we can hurt a team that tries to push for a goal. Keep Keane on bench. No Gerrard at a altitude please. Apparently kick off is 11am our time.
I don't know how Bruce can sit Gordon or really change the team after these last two matches. Colorado was toothless all match, and were very lucky not to concede more than one goal. Lletget-Husidic works and Gordon's willingness to stay forward and provide us an aerial threat gives players around him more space and gives us a different outlet.
Even with that line up, and as good as we looked in the first half in particular, Gio had a tough time finding the game. So many times he was standing right behind Gordo, or almost running into Lleget. I'm not sure what he needs to do to find more of the game.
I'm just glad that Arena finally saw what Gordon was contributing and did a Gio-Keane swap. I bet it's hard to not play all the big names when they are available, but glad Arena finally did what was best for the team...
Also Lletget is the total boss of midfield. Husidic did ok, and I think he's an upgrade over big red (much better in possession). Lletget continually showed to me why he is quality! His touch, intelligent runs, strength of body just dominated the midfield. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Your forgot Donovan but yes that was great job and these players are certainly game fit and peaking at the right time.
Gio also killed several promising attacks by either slowing them down enough to let COL get back in position or by not making the obvious quick pass and instead turning the ball over - by either dribbling into trouble and getting stripped or forcing a pass that wasn't on. He didn't play much defense either - even Gordo was more likely to come back and win the ball than Gio. And - as is often the case - he went pretty invisible in the 2nd half. I just don't get the call to "build a team" around Gio. If you were going to do that you would need to bring in a lot of players from central and south america who like to play that slow-down, dribble a lot type of game. It just doesn't mesh well with the quick counter, one and two touch type players - like Donovan, Zardes, or Keane. Also often the goals he does get are more due to the work done around him than about his own work. For example go back and watch the match highlights of the COL game: http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2016-10-30-la-galaxy-vs-colorado-rapids/recap You will see that 90% of the opportunities were created by Donovan, Boateng, Lletget, Rogers, and amazingly one of them in large part by Van Damme. You will see that none of them were created by Gio: 1st chance: Donovan to Rogers to Lletget to Gordo who scores - but goal nullified by bad refereeing. 2nd chance: Steres to Lletget who takes shot, Boateng and Gordo sprinting in to clean up any rebounds. 3rd chance: Boateng beats his man on end line, centers to Gordo but Howard gets his big paw on it. Howard spills the ball a bit and Lletget charges in to clean up but Tim gets to it first. 4th chance: Gordo to Donovan to Rogers who makes a dangerous cross that forces desperation lunge by COL defender. Gordo (who started the play from 35-40 yds out) and Boateng were crashing the net. 5th chance: Lletget makes great pass to Boateng who crosses the ball, ball comes out to a charging Van Damme who 1-times a great shot on goal, rebound to VD who calmly nutmegs defender, gets head up and finds and makes a great pass to Gio who heads ball toward goal and COL defender makes poor contact and deflects it into own net. 1-0 LA! 6th chance: Lletget to Donovan to Husidic, who one times shot from distance. 7th chance: Donovan with beautiful pass to Magee who takes weak shot on goal. So of the seven LA chances that were considered good enough to be put on a highlight reel Donovan was involved in creating 4 of them, Boateng likewise was involved in creating 4 of them, also Lletget was involved in 4 of them. Rogers was involved in 2 of them, Gordo was involved in 4 of them (but mostly as a target charging the net at the right time, once starting the play from midfield). And Gio Dos Santos was involved once - not creating the chance, which came from the absolutely great play of three of his teammates; no Gio was just standing there the whole time until the ball comes to his head. So no I don't want to build a team around Gio. Gio is a skillful part that can be plugged in - but one that relies on most of his teammates to do the hard work. That's not the type of player you build a team around, imo.
Yay we won! Had fun watching it last night but was on pins and needles until the final whistle. This thread was a fun read - I agree with everyone on their assessment of the play! Very pleased with Arena with his decisions on the lineup and the subs, though I'm surprised he left LD in the entire game. Clearly on fumes....and yet he had that spectacular pass to Magee that should have resulted in something better. Even on fumes the guy can make a play that could be all the difference (that's why he keeps him in). And an angry, hungry Keane could be a perfect option off the bench. He hasn't earned his start; make him earn it. These guys earned their starting 11 status. So glad Bruce is rewarding them. I have all the confidence in the world we can get the desired result in Colorado (although Jermaine Jones worries me; they became much more dangerous when he entered the game.)
First off, great game. A little too exciting, but we got it done comprehensively. Maybe it's an overly optimistic perspective, but IMO we shut this team DOWN. Didn't give them an inch on offense and just battered their D until we finally got a break through. They managed only 1 SOG, from Jones' shot that Rowe had to parry away, whereas we had 4 SOG and 5 blocked shots. Still a ton to do, but I don't think the Rapids can keep us from scoring if they have to push for a goal. They're a one dimensional squad and we just proved we don't fear Jermaine Jones. We'll have to play smart. Luckily, we have: Landon Donovan: There are many great MLS 10s, but there can be only 10ne. I talked about how this squad had no overarching strategy for winning games merely 2 weeks ago? A match-fit LD later and suddenly we are tiki-tacoing one of the top teams in the league. Dangerous on offense, air tight on defense, impenetrable in possession. You could see LD was managing his energy and clearly a little gassed, but he kept the team in it for 90 minutes (jesus that pass to Magee...). I could see some guys wanted to push for another goal, but Donovan wisely kept circulating possession, which totally took the air out of the Rapids and, more importantly, kept us from getting too stretched and leading to a late goal against. Importantly, we didn't fall into the mode of sitting deep and welcoming crosses, which always ends badly. LEGEND. Rogers: Fearless on defense, aggressive on offense. His final third decision-making still makes you want to throw your Cozmo bobblehead in frustration, but my homie RR always puts in a good shift. Rode that tackle from JJ which forced him to overcommit and earn the yellow, then just a few seconds later he's running him down to cut out a cross. Gordon: Others have said it, but he's one of the most important players in a Galaxy shirt right now. His target play has been SUPERB lately and he always presses from the front right up until the last moment. I like the Keane for Gio sub, even though it forced Gordo to go 90. It's good because 1) we don't lose shape and the 4-5-1 seems to be working well and 2) we get Gordo on set-pieces late in the game. I wouldn't mind seeing Keane start the next game and having Gio be the one that comes in late.
I was originally in this camp, but I think with some careful management it's doable. He has created several key chances in the last few games. His numbers speak to the fact he has been effective. He is more of a second striker - just like Robbie Keane. So you swap them out. While I agree with your point of how Gio kills attacks (I've also noted them in game threads) - his numbers don't lie. You've noted that about Keane. So I've come around to giving Gio a shot at 2nd striker. Whether that equates to "building a team around" - I get the point. But at the end of the season if you ask me if I could only keep one - Gio or Keane - for next year, my answer is amazingly going to be Dos Santos. Something I wouldn't have said four months ago. Bruce does need to do some work with Gio though. And not sure he's ready, willing or able. But there was a game a few weeks back where I rated Gio a 9 where he did everything we asked of him and more. He's capable.