Who: LA Galaxy v. Houston Dynamo When: Thursday, July 23 @ 7:00 pm CDT Where: Orlando, FL Records: LA Galaxy (0-3-1), 12th in MLS West Houston Dynamo (0-2-2), 11th in MLS West TV: FS1/TUDN Radio: ??? This is the fifth game for both Houston and LA Galaxy in the 2020 MLS regular season and the 3rd game in the MLS is Back Tournament. The Dynamo drew, 1-1, against the Galaxy at home in March, 2020, in the most recent game. Last year the Dynamo split with them, losing away 2-1 and winning at home, 4-2, in the season finale. LA Galaxy are 0-4-1 in their last five league games going back to last year's playoffs scoring 8 goals and allowing 15. Their most recent game was a 6-2 loss to the LAFC on July 18. LAG currently sits last in MiB Group F. They are on the brink of elimination from the tournament. That could happen before this game is played. The Dynamo are 1-2-2 in the last five league games going back to 2019 scoring 9 goals and allowing 12. Houston is currently 3rd in the MiB Group F standings after 2 games. The result of this game and others will determine if the Dynamo return to Houston or advance in the tournament. Further MLS games have not been scheduled yet.
Houston v. LA Galaxy, all-time: LA Galaxy : 13-15-7 (35 games) Home: 9-5-3 06/03/06 HOU 2-1 LAG 08/09/06 HOU 0-1 LAG (@ Reliant Stadium) 04/08/07 HOU 0-0 LAG 10/07/07 HOU 1-2 LAG 10/18/08 HOU 3-0 LAG 10/18/09 HOU 0-0 LAG 04/10/10 HOU 0-2 LAG 10/23/11 HOU 3-1 LAG 05/26/12 HOU 2-1 LAG 05/17/14 HOU 1-0 LAG 07/25/15 HOU 3-0 LAG 04/15/16 HOU 1-4 LAG 10/16/16 HOU 0-1 LAG 09/27/17 HOU 3-3 LAG 05/05/18 HOU 3-2 LAG 10/06/19 HOU 4-2 LAG 02/29/20 HOU 1-1 LAG Away: 4-10-4 06/24/06 LAG 0-0 HOU 09/06/06 LAG 3-1 HOU, U.S. Open Cup 09/10/06 LAG 1-2 HOU 09/16/07 LAG 1-3 HOU 04/19/08 LAG 2-2 HOU 06/28/09 LAG 1–0 HOU 11/13/09 LAG 2–0 (a.e.t.) HOU playoffs 06/05/10 LAG 4-1 HOU 05/25/11 LAG 1-0 HOU 11/20/11 LAG 1-0 HOU MLS Cup 12/01/12 LAG 3-1 HOU MLS Cup 05/05/13 LAG 0-1 HOU 03/21/15 LAG 1-1 HOU 05/22/15 LAG 1-0 HOU 07/15/16 LAG 1-0 HOU 06/17/17 LAG 2-2 HOU 10/28/18 LAG 2-3 HOU 04/20/19 LAG 2-1 HOU That is 13-15-7 overall with 42 goals scored and 49 allowed.
No Elis for this one. Struna is a f'n traffic cone and I don't want him to ever play defense for our club ever again. This new goalie better start earning his corn. And on Coach Ramos, c'mon man, we were all rooting for you! Get these players pumped up and proud to play in our Wildcatter Orange jersey. These Galaxy boys can be had! At least Boni and Memo are shinning. I would post a Starting XI but I am depressed as all get out that our club has been run into the ground the way it has. On so many different levels. STILL! FOREVER ORANGE AND DALE DYNAMO!!!
The Dynamo definitely need to win this game to advance. The cut-off line for 3rd place teams is now at 3 points. It might be at 4 points by Thursday but the Dynamo would be on 4 with at least a zero goal difference and at least 5 totals goals with a win so 4 points would probably be enough.
I think I saw a tweet Or reddit post that the Dynamo were in with a win based upon other groups possible results and Dynamo current GD
I think that is very likely but you never know for sure with goal difference. Teams could run up the score.
OK. If the Dynamo win 1-0 Houston would be on 4 pts, +0 goal difference and have scored 5 goals. Group A's best 3rd place has 3 points so that's 1 out for sure. Group B. If Chicago wins then Seattle would be in 3rd with 4 points and a +1 goal difference. Group C. This one is up in the air. It could wind up with a 3rd place team on 4 pts and a +1 goal difference if DC beat Montreal and New Enland/Toronto tie. Group D. If KC beats RSL by 1, then RSL could be in 3rd on 4 pts with a +1 g.d. as long as Minnesota gets a point against Colorado. Group E. Ah, this group cannot have a 3rd place team with 4 points and a goal difference better than -3. So, yep. A Dynamo win locks it up as far as I can tell.
With Montreal's win over DC tonight, both Groups A and C have 3rd place teams with 3 points. So if Dynamo win to get to 4 pts, they are in regardless of GD.
the little scandinavian squirrel is playing his way off the team for me. Constantly loses his man and when pressing high, loses concentration so that his late start when running back causes him be 3 yrds behind his mark by the time he wakes up (see portland game). This causes Struna (and others) to have to make a sophies choice when staring at 2+ men to defend. He doesn't defend the cross, he is too small to compete in the air, he is slow and can't keep up with the game. not sure what the answer is but he aint it Elis being out doesn't help but could give some one a chance to shine. Elis has the speed but can't finish chances to save his life. he is becoming Oduro deuce. Can some one start to shine so that if we do lose him, it won't be a huge hole to fill? my kingdom for a midfielder that can be....well...a midfielder. I don't need Xavi on the field but anyone who could control the tempo and be a general would be nice to see. would love to see Manotas start making an impact each game as well. I think we really are a top 20% team in this league and with a few better players in a few positions we could be a top 5 team. We really need to win this next game and get to the next bracket or we will be just another dynamo team in another dynamo year like all the others for 5 of the last 6 yrs
First rotation of the tournament in the starting lineup, pretty sure it was same starting XI vs. both LAFC and Portscum. One change (Elis) was forced, I would imagine dropping Figuruoa is to give the old guy a rest. First Dynamo starts for Hansen and Cabrera.
In many ways this seems like a broken organization, just nothing seems to fit together or nothing that ever is a consistent 90 minute performance I’m sure many will complain about the PK call but they got a break 30 seconds before on Lundqvists handball.
weak ass penalty call. MLS refs gunna MLS ref. Hard to believe he refused to even review it via VAR we shouldn't have been in that position to begin with Lundqvist is terrible. new nickname is now "little frozen" Cabrera showed well Mauro being out is a death sentence Any word on Bizama? When is Ramirez getting done with daddy duty? PS at least LA is a pile of hot vomit
More so with Elis out, the one major factor for a quick counter attack strike is not available and we defend deep way to early on yes. Odd thing is, LAG being so disjointed, Ramos does them a favor by subbing in late on Tomas Ramirez and Figueroa. On paper, ideal subs, however, the entire team losses the plot as soon as those men step on the field. With a vet like Figueroa who places his paws on an LAG diving team member and a crap MLS ref looks to be a part of the game over just letting the players settle it themselves. Seconds later and our team goes from a quarterfinal fixture to being outta the tournament. Fuc{in' hell guys!!!!!
Show this string of results to someone with names blacked out and it could equally come from the Coyle, Cabrera or Ramos era. Can Brener get on his knees and beg Dom or Barrett to come back at this point? I’d give anything for a team that can play organized defense. Give me back the old “boring” Dynamo who were criticized for being too physical and not playing pretty. The only silver lining here is that there is no way Jordan survives this season short of Ramos pulling off a miracle,
Jordan will survive because he will blame it all on the pandemic ruining the chemistry on the roster or something (although who knows if we will have any more season after this tournament) and because he will tell ownership they don’t need to spend more.
How has the pandemic thrown us off. We started the season TL. We have since basically alternated ties and losses this tournament, in that order TLT. We tied LAG 1-1 in March. We tied LAG 1-1 in July. This is all just the personnel choices playing out. The keeper is a downgrade, the defense is more of the same that wasn’t working. Didn’t get a 10, or even an effective 6. Didn’t sell Elis. Too much faith in Memo, who tends to have one nice game and then disappear. The coach comes into it at the margins in the sense that the results just go away from us every night even with a lead, and we literally play to the same result twice even with a lead after 90 the second time. We’re at a personnel disadvantage and have a bad system to hold leads, but seriously, we can’t get one out of 3-1 second half or 1-0 after 10 past the finish line? That’s got to be somewhat on the coach.
In terms of form, the inability to win a game for an extended period of time is what got Cabrera canned. We’re 5 games in and haven’t won once. And, worse, he’s not exactly trading on the goodwill of having made the playoffs or started the season well before falling apart. The one distinction I would make is Cabrera arguably blew up his team with the Quioto tiff. He had something that was working decent and lost the team through a player decision. Ramos was handed a slightly weaker team and just cannot get traction. In terms of how long a team with their crap together would let this go, Ramos should be on a short leash until/if he wins a game. Games, really.
Tab is on the hook in the sense that he seems to have a strategy of designing play to stay behind the ball. especially once lead has been established. bunker, dispossess, and counter. Reasonable but seems a bit inflexible. We simply don't have the talent to press high for long stretches or to ask our players to play two ways. Once again, we've asked a coach to take a lovable bunch of mutts to compete in a professional league. Until we get new owners, this will be our fate. With limited sample size-- Hansen--I like Cabrera- I like Lemoine- TBD Junqua-TBD
No truer words have been spoken. On the new lot, Hansen seems to be worth his salt and appears to play within his game, not doing anything flahsy but does like to run at his defender. Which I always like to see. Cabrera appeared to show well with his start and made a case for more time at centerback, if not start and get some new pairing going at centerback. Struna is ok but his Europeanness sees him just not care these days and it shows. It's just a league in the Americas to him (and probably his agent) in the soccer backwoods of league play called the U.S. and Canada. So if he sits, and we forgive Figueroa for his sins of grabbing an opponent inside the 18 late on then that might be the pairing for the starting role. Valentin and Bizema, if they can get some time, might be the outside backs going forward. Our Swede is neither a starting back or a winger and is no starting wingback in Ramos's concept of a 4-1-2-3 that he likes with Vera sitting in the #6 role in front of our back line and the outside backs getting up and down the lines. ANd I agree that both Lemoine and Junqua need for time on the field for me to make any solid assessment of what they bring to the table.